My Dearest Part 2 (2023)

A never ending struggle to the end and not just for them…

I'll apologise in advance, this isn't going to be my best review I simply can't find the enthusiasm to go into any depth.

I never thought it was going to finish. And by the time we did end up at the beach, I was less than interested and definitely not convinced. I felt like I’d been dragged kicking and screaming through a series of fragmented plot-lines, rushed developments and overused clichés. Amnesia once is unfortunate, twice is unforgivable and tbh I got to the point of hoping to be touched with it myself…

The actors battled hard against an ever loosening plot, but were unable to save it falling apart into a weird time-loop at the end. The costumes were very pretty and far too clean, and the cinematography was also pretty.

An attempt to be epic that simply became unmanageable.

Leia Mais

VERY SUBJECTIVE ABOUT THIS PIECE OF ART

I promised myself I will write subjective review about my first, and probably last romance.

I was foolishly seduced by the visuals and fell in love with the drama in first episode. It is BEAUTIFUL and UGLY and RAW and POLISHED, all at the same time. I am not joking it is really ART.

I loved everything about this drama except the ending. No matter how you define it I just could not see the option for the „happy (or bittersweet ending)“.

--- I need to point out that this is solemnly based on my personal preferences, so please avoid the hate if possible. ---

STORY/ENDING:
In my book happy endings tend to water down the story. Not all the time, but mostly. Overall if the script is so well written, and well made like really well made, I want to be happy with whole product. I expect more than I would expect from average dramas that I watch to kill time or to just escape the daily worries.

I really needed the balance.

The story was heavy but not unbearable so that final heartbreak would make me suffer in a manner I want to suffer. Like heavy, raw and unforgettable emotion. And that would make me sad and unexplainable happy and my Dearest would be probably one of my favs of all times. (I am in therapy no worries).

If the story was even sadder, more brutal and heartbreaking, happy ending might balance it out. I am not sure, this is just me...

SPOILER:
I do accept amnesia even though it can be explained, God that man was hit in the head like billion times... I just cannot deal with memory loss it is so unoriginal and it just does not fit. It is like a cheap patch on luxurious dress.

Of course my heart breaks for Ryang Eum but this scenario is realistic. I really loved that he was not just a loyal companion and childhood friend, his love was not mistaken for anything else. Ryang Eum loved Lee Jang Hyun, maybe all the wrong reasons were involved and maybe there is a pathological or toxic connection but at least it is acknowledged. Good one k-drama, good one.

WOMEN:
I loved, loved, loved female characters, all of them. The way they all managed to live in the world fill with misogyny, the way their lives were seen as less worthy but they carried the whole world on their shoulders. I really loved WOMEN in this drama. I want to say something deep but I just have pure love for characters, their differences and developments. So complex, so satisfying.

CONCLUSION:
There are so many happy endings drama, why couldn’t I just have this one?

Leia Mais

Repetitive and underwhelming

Part 2 has 11 episodes, but only enough plot for like 5 or 6, so there's a lot of repetition and drama cliches that get thrown in. It's especially frustrating because this season tackled some very important subjects that deserve to be reckoned with. Sometimes less is more - a shorter and more focused drama would've worked better. The cliches the writer includes to fill up time make for a dull viewing experience. It felt like the talent of the lead actors and the excellent soundtrack were both completely wasted.

Just stop at the end of part 1, you won't miss much.

Leia Mais

I wanted to like it

I might be in the minority here, but I really struggled to finish this drama. The overwhelmingly positive reviews made me go into this show with high expectations, but also made me even more disappointed in the end. Not everything is bad, but there are way too many parts that frustrated me to watch or was just plain boring.

The casting was good. All the actors and actresses played their roles well (no hate towards any of them). The visuals were great and the show itself was filmed in a visually stunning way (although dark and bland sometimes). As with most shows that I'm not a fan of, the problems mostly lie in the writing and execution. This drama is long, taking into account parts 1 and 2, with some episodes being over an hour long. This wouldn't be a problem if the show actually kept my interest the entire time, but there were so many scenes that were just dragged out for way too long, and so many repetitive situations. The two leads going back and forth arguing with each other became extremely repetitive and annoying very quickly. Gil Chae's character was not very likeable for the majority of the show (especially at the beginning), and the way she treated Jang Hyun in the first half was frustrating to watch to say the least. She would constantly blame him for things, badmouth him, and was just plain rude. So many times Jang Hyun would help her or save her life, and all of this would go unnoticed. He would fight and hurt himself in the process, only for very little acknowledgement and little payoff in the end (in fact, Gil Chae would often get upset with him instead). Gil Chae being "in love" with Yeon Jun in the first half was so frustrating to watch. So many times I thought she would finally come to her senses and move on from this unhealthy relationship with Yeon Jun, only for her to fall right back in to blindly chasing after his affection even though he's already in a relationship with her best friend. It didn't help that Yeon Jun was incredibly annoying for most of the show, especially when he admitted to having some feelings for Gil Chae while also seeing Eun Ae.

Side characters were okay, although boring at times and helped to drag out the story for way too long. Ryang Eum's dynamic with Jang Hyun was interesting and not something that you see often in these types of shows. Gag Hwa was also a pretty interesting character, and sometimes I felt more chemistry between her and Jang Hyun than with Gil Chae. I didn't really care at all for Yeon Jun and Eun Ae's relationship (even though Eun Ae was a very good character in my opinion), as Yeon Jun was not very likeable.

The vibe of the show started off as a historical rom-com, but quickly turned very dark, violent, and moody. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I do prefer rom-coms over dark shows. The first two-ish episodes were great in my opinion, but I soon found myself wishing there was a fast-forward option to get through some of the boring scenes and repetitive dialogue. Namkoong Min, who I acknowledge is a very talented and well-respected actor, did this thing throughout the entire show where he would talk in a very slow manner. This was obviously done for dramatic effect and to increase tension in his scenes, but I found this also dragged out his scenes for much longer than they normally would have been. He would take a pause between every few words or sentences that dragged out his dialogue scenes waaay too long. I don't know if this was just me who noticed this?

The story itself became boring very quickly. I haven't seen Gone with the Wind, so I can't really make comparisons with it. The story just felt dragged out, and some parts like Jang Hyun losing his memory twice didn't really make much sense to me. The ending was okay I guess, I think I was just glad that it was finally over. The relationship between Jang Hyun and Gil Chae was cute at times, but I couldn't really feel the chemistry. Often times I wondered why they were so obsessed with each other (especially with Jang Hyun towards Gil Chae), as I felt like their relationship lacked a strong connection that made me want to see them together. The constant bickering and push&pull in the first half didn't really lead to a good build up to their relationship, and then the introduction of Gag Hwa into the story and her dynamic with Jang Hyun made it even harder to feel the connection between the main leads. I felt like most of the show Jang Hyun and Gil Chae weren't even together.

Overall, rather disappointed to say the least. You may enjoy this show if you like historical/costume & period dramas. I prefer modern-day rom-coms so maybe this show just wasn't for me.

Leia Mais

"Do You Hear It?. It Is The Sound Of The Flowers"

What can I say? In my opinion, this is the best drama of the year, perhaps the best in a long time, and undoubtedly the finest historical drama. It's a beautiful, inspirational adult love story with none of the fluffy stuff. The drama takes you on an emotional rollercoaster with many heart-wrenching moments throughout. While it touches on controversial topics, it deals with them beautifully, sparking diverse opinions.

The actors, especially the main leads, were phenomenal. The cinematography, fight scenes, and OST were amazing. Sure, you could point out some flaws in the plot, but let's be honest, most dramas have them.

This drama has secured a spot in my all time top ten, a list that I often tweak based on my mood. It joins the likes of "What's Wrong with Secretary Kim," "Itaewon Class," "Fight My Way," "Hometown Cha-Cha," "Flower of Evil," "Touch Your Heart," "Vincenzo," and "Strong Girl Bong-soon."

Honestly, I stumbled upon this drama by accident and didn't know the main leads very well. However, I watched it with an open mind and have no regrets. I found myself completely engrossed, never skipping a moment, even when the storyline got frustrating at times. The drama also boasts scenes that are worth watching over and over again.

I highly recommend it to people who enjoy the melodrama, romance, and sageuk genres. It's a must-watch!

Leia Mais

Longing for someone.

How sad and how beautiful!

I'm speechless. What a wonderful story. It's like, if they are happy, you are happy.

I'm exhausted mentally and emotionally. The whole story was a rollercoaster, you may be laughing and crying without even knowing it.

Sometimes, we as humans take some things for granted, and then our destiny shows us how important those things are. You may think, “Well, I will do it later”, but then you realize that was the only opportunity that you had.

Anyway, nothing is perfect. This story has some inconsistencies with the plot and how the character will react in some situations. The FL has had some growth since the last season, we have to recognize that she is not the same girl, and she has grown beautifully.

I loved the cinematography, music, and acting. I can't complain; this wait was worth it.

Leia Mais

“do you hear it? this sound, the sound of flowers.”

UNA MARAVILLA , MIS PADRES, SI SON. DE VERDAD QUE NO QUERÍA ACABAR EL DORAMA PORQUE ME IBA PEGAR UNA DEPRESIÓN Y LUEGO NO ENCONTRARÉ UN DORAMA COMO ESTE.
Normalmente dicen que segundas partes no son buenas pero es que en este dorama se equivocan la segunda parte lo supera con creces y eso que el primero estaba ya en unos niveles muy altos. Me gusta sobretodo porque al conocer ya a los personajes te da para centrarte en la historiaa. Eso si hay ciertas cosas que quiero comentar:
- Mira que odio el cliche de la amnesia , ya me lo comí en el último capitulo de Flower of Evil (lo siento si no has visto la serie porque menudo spoiler que te acabo de hacer ) para comermelo aquí en la última media hora de la serie estando enganchadisima , pero debo de decir que no me ha molestado tanto el cliche de la amnesia es mas lo he hilado con las veces que Gil Chae tras huir de la invasión cuando vuelve su padre comienza con la demencia y no la reconoce, he pensado pobre ya que debe volver a cuidar de una persona que ama pero que no se acuerda de ella. Ya sufrí en el capitulo 9 la amnesia despues de que torturasen a mi señoro (Lee Jang Hyun) como para los momentos que estaban juntos él no se acordase de ella pero mira llegue a aceptar y atesorar esos momentos porque me parecían enternecedores y como ella seguía con él e intentaba que se acordase. (AME en la forma que se acordó y esa frase que dijo I hope I did not do anything too silly, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa). Por eso lo de la amnesia al final me volvía a tocar las narices pero mira yo con saber que acaban juntos viviendo la vida como querían me alegra. En mi mente viviran como la pareja de ancianos del principio (la pareja que celebra los 60 años de casados), amandose profundamente.
- Odio y no me ha gustado nada que matasen al Principe Heredero y a su mujer, me da pena y he llegado a querer a ese personaje al principio pensaba que me la iban a liar con mi señoro pero al final esa carta y todo lo que el pobre llega a padecer al ser ''secuestrado '' simplemente muestra la evolución del personaje. Me parece que la guionista no les dió el final que merecían y que muriese me dolió mucho.
- Salgo más republicana que nada, odio profundo al rey, comenzando con que da a su hijo como chivo expiatorio y luego se crea unas paranoias mentales de la leche que si todos van en contra de él que los prisioneros de guerra hay que matarlos y que leches mas, señor retirese usted no esta para gobernar un país. La mujer es un personaje que podría haberle sacado mas partido porque siento que ella y el eunuco maquinaban mas planes que me hubiera gustado ver. De verdad que me parece que ha durado muy lejos en la serie yo le hubiera quitado antes.
- LA PUTA CASTIDAD Y LOS VALORES TRADICIONALES, mira todos los academicos, que para mi se encontraban reunidos en el personaje de Nam Yeon Joon, me han hecho maldecirle cada vez que salía en pantalla que horror de señoro, tu mujer ha sobrevivido cuando escapó, el otro pavo solo le tocó un hombro, que si le hubiera pasado algo más no pasa nada a su castidad y la deberías haber protegido y no al inutil del rey, que deberías haberte casado con el rey y no con Kyung Eun Ae, una señora demasiado buena para tí, es que uf que Gil Chae evoluciona en sus gustos y se queda con el señoro , contigo no hubiera podido ser ella (ya se ve cuando se casa con el oficial y lo que hace el oficial para tratar de salvarla, que asco de personaje el del oficial por cierto, se enamora de la valentía y de la personalidad echada para adelante para luego querer en el matrimonio que se retraiga y se quede encerrada como buena ama de casa?. MUJERES NO , buscad un hombre, mujer o una persona o pareja que no os anule, que nos os robe vuestro brillo , ni vuestra personalidad ).
- Me gustó más la primera parte con respecto a lo de la dinastía Qing aquí la emperatriz me ponía de los nervios y me molestaba que estuviera entre Gil Chae y Jang Hyun. Me gustaban mas las interacciones entre la mano derecha del emperador y Jang Hyun , que las que tenía con la emperatriz, asi que cuando la tía le deja irse a sido como victoria por fin, no te aguantaba.
- Me ha hecho gracia que los dos mejores capitulos de ambas partes son el cuarto, en la primera parte cuando Gil Chae salva a Eun Ae de que la violen mantando al pavo y ambas acceden a encubrirlo y en esta parte , te diría que es historia de los kdramas que digo del cine esa escena cuando Jang Hyun ve a Gil Chae en el sitio de subastas de prisioneros y le grita que porque. (MENUDA ESCENA ES QUE TENGO ESCALOFRÍOS SOLO DE PENSAR EN ESE MOMENTO).



En fin una fantasía de serie, comencé esta serie por un comentario que leí en Twitter preguntando porque habían dado el premio de mejor actor a Namkoong Min y no a Kim Soo Hyun por su papel en Queen of Tears y si bien me encantan ambos actores, My Dearest me ha enganchado de mayor forma que Queen of Tears y entiendo todos los premios que le han podido dar porque menuda maravilla, se ha convertido en mi kdrama de epoca favorito y esta entre mis Kdramas favoritos. (vaya nunca había escrito una review tan larga pero esta obra de arte lo merece) Siempre se quedará entre mis kdramas favoritos.

Leia Mais

A Gem in Kdrama-World

Well, this is the end of a long journey and yearning. I absolutely loved Part 1. I did not expect to love it that much and in my humble opinion... it's a masterpiece. But it was not completed and we obviously needed a Part 2. Even though I was scared how it will play out. I think Part 1 is stronger than Part 2, but I still loved it. I gave Part 1 a 10/10 and Part 2 a 9.5/10. It's hard to be subjective, since My Dearest is already on my list of all-time-favourites.

Before going into my thought on Part 2, I want to add a few of my thoughts of art 1 since they are still the same show and actually not a different season or anything:
- After watching the first two episodes I was not sure if I would like it or not and could not tell where the story was going
- Episodes 3 & 4 of Part 1 are brilliant: The happiness and "naivety" of people living in peace and then showing the horrors of war
- I love love love the characters! They are flawed, this is what makes them interesting. I could feel all the emotions they were feeling. The acting was amazing.
- Slowburn Romance at its best. The chemistry between the leads is wonderful
- The Show pulls you in and you won't be able to leave
- Beautiful music

These points are still relevant for Part 2. But here are a few thoughts on Part 2 to explain why I think it is "flawed":
- Gag Hwa... I did not need her in the story. She adds Drama, which causes for more yearning and angst between the leads... but I really disliked her
- Side Characters from Part 1 were not that relevant in Part 2
- Part 2 sometimes felt a bit draggy in comparison to Part 1, but maybe that's just me
- The Ending. I feel warm and happy. It's happier than I ever imagined it would be. I still wished for more ending scenes of the other side characters. But I don't want to get greedy.
- A beautiful and capturing show, an underrated gem in Kdrama-World. It's been a long time since I saw a show like this. And right now I am not sure if I ever did.

Has Part 2 flaws? Yes. Do I love and adore it anyway? YES.

What am I supposed to do now? It's over and I feel quite melancholic.

Leia Mais

ongoing

Ongoing
But i stopped at 10 episode to me this drama it has happy ending
Both of them going to NEUNGGUNRI her hometown then married live LONG
SO HAPPY ENDING
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Leia Mais

I'm being super generous.

This is a cohesive review for both parts of the show.

This show means business when it comes to tragedy, so watch out!

As some other people have pointed out this show is wayyyy better in the first half. I think the main issue that comes up in ep 10 onwards, is that the story relies on people making dumb choices for drama's sake. Characters that you've gotten to know will dead-ass look at the camera and make the dumbest choices you've ever seen.

Due to that there are a lot of scenes where I'm bored or angry. Not to mention how many coincidences there are to help the characters float along.

Despites the flaws this drama was still incredibly compelling. Every episode moved me or made me physically ill from the stress of watching. I thought the ending was pushing the limits of believability, BUT I was satisfied!

One of the best Korean dramas in YEARS!

Leia Mais

You see Nam Goong-min, you go in.

My Dearest with all its paraphernalia will, for me, stand at the apex of a period piece adjacent to Kingdom. It is a vision of a lover manque till the very end, until its materialization.
It's not a drama that will induce beatification for most parts, so do not expect that.
It will have you at chokehold with intense tension in between characters and with the circumstances, making you anticipate for what comes next. It's the Joseon's weaving of love and unwavering fidelity in all forms and values amidst royal feud, political uproar, foreign invasion, war and chaos.

When I see Nam Goong-min, rest assured it'll be quality delivered. He defined peak gentleman as Lee Jang-hyun; masculine enough to cut through vile, yet feminine enough to express tenderness through his affectionate gestures and acts of service. Can one really get enough of his acting? He lives in his roles. You think it couldn't be any better, but he'll prove you wrong.

Ahn Eun-jin as Lady Yoo is the most cherishable entity in the drama. Her character development from part 1 to 2 was one of the finest things about this drama. Soft yet strong-willed, cantankerous yet compassionate; she displays those emotions at full range without holding back the force that is Goong-min. I was thoroughly impressed by her spirited portrayal of a cringe-free character.

A tale of passionate yearning, yet not overbearing. The pacing might seem a bit tardigrade at times but will round up substantially.
Resolve if strong enough will not be shaken by any external force, and devotion if deep enough will not be sifted out by any enchantress; nuanced and beautifully intricate.
[mild spoiler alert]
As evidenced by Jang-hyun's last conversation with the princess of Qing Dynasty as she questions "Why do you want to return to your hometown, you will die; is it because of her?"
Hyun softens his gaze as he replies, "She is my hometown. Now I want to return home and take a rest.

Leia Mais

Good Enough

Korean Drama " My Dearest part 2" is the second part of the popular tv series, giving the story a proper ending.

The drama is a turbulence of a story, with a melodramatic plot with many twists. However, this time around, they tended to repeat things and plot twists. They also focused too much on the palace politics and deprived screen time from other main side characters, thus, leaving their stories half baked.

Still, the story was enjoyable and the ending just right for the mood of the drama.

The performances, finally, were great by everyone.

So, overall, seven out of ten.

Leia Mais