Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo, Waiting for season 2!

November 13, 2020November 13, 2020 ~ dramaindna ~ Leave a comment

My journey with this drama started with the OST- For You by EXO-CBX. I am a big fan of EXO’s drama OSTs, they always do a great job. Their soundtracks are heartfelt, clean, gut-wrenching, and emotionally vocal. But can I just say I fell entirely for this one? So much so I decided to watch the series, without knowing about the cast, the plot. Just based on a single OST. Call it blind love but it made me wonder. It never happened before. Sure, actors, songs can attract me to a drama but before preceding, I will always get my nails into the plot. There was so much going on in this one OST that I decided to find out, maybe I am into love-triangles/pentagon or whatever this one was (Certainly twisted).

The story is about a 25-year-old girl Go Ha Jin who saves a young boy from drowning and is transported to the Goryeo era as Hae Soo. Goryeo is under the rule of Tajeo whose children, the princes, Hae Soo befriends quickly. She slowly starts to develop feelings for the 8th Prince Wang Wook followed by the 4th prince Wang So.

Can I start off with the trademark scene? When she drowns and the eclipse of the sun takes us to Goryeo, to Wang So. The concept is great and the transition is executed well. It defines the title ‘Moon Lovers’. However, I am still not sure of the meaning behind the entire title, I tried to search everywhere but nowhere was it literally defined so I came up with my own. Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo, So you get Moon Lovers from the turning of eclipse or the fact they are destined, you get Scarlet Heart either because it derived from the Chinese drama of same name or novel but I guess the meaning was a love story covered with blood and you get Ryeo from Goryeo Dynasty. (Your welcome!)Spoiler Alert!There is so much I liked about this drama and so much that I didn’t. I am still confused about how I feel about the drama overall. I regret watching it? Yes! Would I regret it if I hadn’t watched it? Definitely Yes! By now I have watched this drama at least 3-4 times which is rare for me. And what’s surprising is every time it left me feeling desolate. Coming to the things I don’t like about the drama first. I failed to understand Queen Yoo’s hatred towards Wang So until the end. Initially, he felt a disgrace to her because of his title ‘Wolf dog’ and his deeds but I felt she could have patched up on her deathbed. I felt sorry for the way Wang So was treated by everyone except Ji Mong, Crown Prince Moo, Baek-ah, and Hae Soo. His mother is a big reason why he turned out that way. There were too many innocent lives that were run down because of power play. Court Lady Oh Soo-yeon’s death was the most heartbreaking. I simply could not understand the marriage arrangement between Wang So and King Moo’s daughter, he should have prevented it, it was way too awkward. (Although that gets resolved towards the end). Prince Wang Eun and his wife’s death was unjust and uncalled for. The drama slowly transcends into a tragic one, we see characters and their principles change, we see betrayal and bloodshed. I feel only Hae Soo’s, Lady Hae, Prince Eun, and Court Lady Oh Soo-yeon stayed true to their character.

Although others were scared of Wang So, I could clearly see a vulnerable boy simply hiding his pain and looking for genuine love and acceptance from his family. Post the rain ritual and removal of his mask, he seemed to showcase an evil side, a hunger for the throne. This, ironically, made me fear him more than when he wore a mask.

I could see Wang So’s constant tussle to hold onto his past self of principles who deeply loves his family and his present self who wanted to rise to the throne at any cost. Eventually, we all know what conquers. He struggled to hold onto Hae Soo and it is one of the reasons he wanted to become the King. I struggled with him too. What broke my heart was when he accepted in front of Hae Soo that he wanted both the throne and her. It made us realize that she was no longer enough. However, Wang So and Wang Eun were the only ones honest with her.

Hae Soo, too, struggles to control the history and her wavering heart torn between Wang So and Wang Wook. Something I really like about this drama is Hae Soo’s character. She is naive but fierce. Even though she was captured by the. Since For You is my favorite soundtrack I wish it featured more in the series and not just towards the end/ preview. I like how each person ends up paying for their deeds in some way and things come to a circle. The way Prince Jung stuck to his words, took care of Hae Soo until the end without forcing his love was admirable and something I had actually hoped from Wang So.

I like how the scenes have been romantically drafted with a touch of historical vibe. The horse scene at the beginning of episode 2 is one of my favorites. It is executed well and Lee Joon-gi’s gaze is to kill.

To be honest all interactions between Hae Soo and Wang So until episode 9 are innocent and sincere. An all-time favorite scene that actually gave me goosebumps has to be when Prince Wang So protected Hae Soo against all odds. This moment was defining.

The chemistry between Lee Joong-gi and IU is unbelievable but that is more so because they are Wang So and Hae Soo, if you know what I mean. I feel there is a character made for every actor out there, and that is something the world will always know them for, no matter how many new characters they pick up. Wang So is one such character for Lee Joong-gi, I cannot imagine any other actor doing this role and I will always see him as Wang So. The cast is strong but the chemistry of the lead takes it on another level. The feeling of unrequited love, yearning, and longing is spread out throughout the drama (in the end everyone is left wanting and wishing for something) leaving us even more palpable.

If we have to discuss the soundtrack, can I just say Moon Lovers has one of the best soundtracks in the Kdrama world? Almost all the songs are my favorite. For You, Say Yes by Loco and Punch, Can You Hear My Heart by Epik High (ft Lee Hi), All With You by Taeyeon, My Love by Lee Hi, I Remember You by I.O.I, Be With You by AKMU, and many more. All songs are pretty great and catchy. Even if they are modern songs imposed on an old era, they still fit the central theme of love. I also love the background tracks such as Wing of Goryeo and Gesture of Resistance that fit the political backdrop and old era vibe. The music is soulful and so meaningful to the story, it’s heartening. The soundtrack will be forever etched in my heart as one of the best.

This drama was one of the very few that made me feel all sorts of emotions. I was excited, I was sad, I was happy, I cried a bit, I was so nervous to know what happened next especially in the last few episodes. I had my hands in my hair trying to figure the twisted plot and ending. I never felt like this before. I was heartbroken, I was regretting the decision to watch it with all my might because I thought I would never be the same again. At the same time, I desperately hoped for next season. And it wasn’t like a very outstanding drama, to be honest. Nothing like the best ever, but it made me feel all these emotions like never before. I believe if a drama can do that then it surely is a good one as they succeeded in what they set out to do.

This drama was my first historical ever, and it has changed my perception of historical dramas. I can’t say that I will watch all but dramas like Scarlet Heart would definitely make it to my list. All I can say is you will regret watching this one but regret even more if you haven’t.

IU had posted on her Instagram a few deleted seconds from the ending scene where we can see a man giving a handkerchief to Go Ha Jin. We, all Moon Lover fans, desperately hope it was a reincarnation of Wang So and that forms the beginning of season 2. What made us more hopeful for a second season was its adaption, the Chinese drama named ’Scarlet heart’, had one too. Lee Joon Gi, we are still holding onto your hint of season 2. (Four years have passed! Where is it?)

IU had posted on her Instagram a few deleted seconds from the ending scene where we can see a man giving a handkerchief to Go Ha-jin. We, all Moon Lover fans, desperately hope it was a reincarnation of Wang So and that forms the beginning of season 2. What made us more hopeful for a second season was its adaption, the Chinese drama named ’Scarlet heart’, had one too. Lee Joon-gi, we are still holding onto your hint of season 2. (Four years have passed! Where is it?)

Why watch it?

If you are a fan of any of the cast members, IU, Lee Joon-gi , Nam Joo-hyuk, Kang Ha-neul, Baekhyun, Ji-soo or any other
If you like historical dramas
If you are into romantic Kdramas
If you like dark dramas with grey characters
If you like the drama it’s adapted from
Amazing storyline and ensemble cast
Great OST

Click here to watch with English subtitles

Comment down below if you liked this review and also tell me which drama I should review next.

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How to pick a drama to binge watch: Do’s and Don’ts

December 7, 2019April 20, 2020 ~ dramaindna

Have you ever started watching a drama and after a few episodes started regretting your decision?

Well, you are not the only one! And if you are a person like me who needs to see things through then it’s just a sweet pill you try your best to swallow.

It’s not like everytime you pick a drama you grow a liking to it or like every aspect of a drama you love. However, there are some things you could do and avoid to dig a drama that you will fall in love with:

The Do’s

1. Research, Research, and Research!

It goes without saying that for one to decide what they like or dislike, they have to research about it. Checking for potholes and plotlines is great way to figure out if you will like the drama or if it’s worth your time and effort. You can look for summary, cast, trivia, any related news, etc on various websites.

2. Casting Couch (Picking your bias in the industry)

If the cast of drama is enough to make you stick to it or if you are a die hard fan of an actor/actress (not necessarily the main leads), this trick can do wonders for you. I have watched dramas staring the same male or female lead back to back. It helps me analyse their method, reminisce their different characters together and even aid in moving on.

3. Pick a mix of genre

Picking up only one genre drama or making your watchlist entirely based on a single genre can get monotonous. Instead try and pick a mix. For instance: Romance coupled with action and thriller is a personal favourite. You can also pick up single genre dramas for instance, hard core romance and then pick up a family comedy as your next just to keep yourself hooked.

4. Decide: Ratings Vs. Instinct

Public opinion obviously brings a big consent for watchlist. That being said, it may not apply to everyone, I for instance rarely go for ratings and rather base my decision on instincts.

5. Watch Scenes/ Short Clips

You can test the water for it’s depth via this method. Just watch some episode clips or scenes on YouTube. This is my go to method. You might come across a cliff hanger/climax scene as well. Therefore, this method is only advised for people who dont mind spoilers. If a 2-3 minutes clip is able to make your heart race, in all likelihood the series would too.

6. Ask for a personal recommendation

Sharing dramas with your friends could make up for interesting conversation. Your friends know your likes and dislikes, therefore, their recommendations may not only save you time but even turn out to be more accurate to your choice too.

The Don’ts:

1. Giving too many breaks

This is a bummer. If you take watching dramas seriously enough, giving breaks in between becomes somewhat a no-no as you have to pick on where you left off and it also breaks the flow of the story. I have watched dramas stretched over a long span of time, what happened is either I had to watch the previous episode again or I wasn’t as interested as I would have been if I binged watched.

2. Going by the trend

Many have this habit of watching shows merely out of peer pressure even if they come to like it later. GOTS and FRIENDS are popular example. I for one have not been able to stick to trends, it turns I mostly tapped into markets that only later on become mainstream. This one is entirely a personal choice though. You could pick your watchlist based on trends or simply what suits your taste.

3. Judging by the length

The length of dramas was never really a question for me and shouldn’t be unless you are time bound or going off the internet. I have seen dramas with length of 10-11 episodes timing less than 30 minutes and dramas with 70-80 episodes of over two hours each! Both have entertained me their best. Many asian dramas like kdramas, thai dramas and cdramas could be finished in anything between 15-50 hours.

Choosing from an endless sources and titles can be daunting task. Many a times I simply end up browsing and watching none. This list is neither rigid nor absolute. It is just to help you pick out a drama that you could enjoy.

Happy Binge Watching!

Uncontrollably Fond: Kdrama Review

August 18, 2019December 5, 2019 ~ dramaindna ~ Leave a comment

I watched this series right after ‘the heirs‘ primarily because of Kim Woobin. When I first started the series it did not catch my attention. I tried to watch the first episode over a number of days again and again. I skipped off a bit from initial 4 episodes. The background scores in 3rd episode helps a lot.

Image Credit: Pinterest

The story is about Shin Joon Young and Noh Eul who were best friends. Shin Joon Young wanted to become a lawyer but a tragic incident made him switch to acting and singing. Noh Eul, on the other hand is a documentary producer who tries to be righteous however her rigorous conditions sometimes make her behavior unethical. It is when she is asked to film his documentary the two meet again years later and love blossoms.

Image Credit: weheartit

I actually found the storyline good, it is much more intricate then what is visible on the surface. But the title wasn’t all justified as per the story. I really liked the playback of the story of Eul and Joon Young and how they fell in love was touching. However, later on I expected a lot of hardcore romance on their front. To my surprise there wasn’t much. The romance was mainly indirect like Joon Young beating the other guy who said mean things to Eul. And pushing the girl away because he thinks he doesn’t deserve her. ( But why tell her to love you and listen to only you and confuse her when you know you will leave after sometime. This annoyed me a bit) Also, the show felt a little more inclined towards justice and conscious then the love story to be precise and hence I felt the title wasn’t all justified. Even so I still like the drama for dealing with the darker sides of both good and bad people.

Image Credit: weheartit

The plot was good, the present day and flashback went well together which created enough suspense. The back story played exactly when it was needed explaining everything. I liked that bit about the show.

Image Credit: weheartit

I was a bit confused between Joon Young’s moments he imagined in his brain and the actual reality.
Also, light could be shed on how they met and how he developed the friendship and then love. (There were instances but not enough) I really thought I would cry alot as everyone talks of the show like that but I didn’t that much. Something’s really connected and a few scenes did make me teary eyed but I never ended up crying a bucket. There were three scenes that got me on my feet. The one was when he proposes in the concert. It was too cute. The one where Eul tells him the exact time she fell in love. And the one where his mother visits him and he can’t recognize her.

Image Credit: weheartit

Gif: weheartit

I think the beginning was really stretched out. And the end episodes were a little in rush. The show deserved a proper closure. Like he could have made a video on how much he loved everyone, his mother and especially Eul and how he wants them to live afterwards. Also, much could be shown on how the other supporting characters lived afterwards.

Gif: weheartit

Kim Woobin was a obviously a stand out and the reason I continued watching. In every drama of his that I have watched, he plays this jerk who straightens out later on. It suits him but then I want him to able to live his love in a show atleast. I want to watch him in more shows as lead where tradegy doesn’t do away with his happy ever after. Everytime Kim Woobin was acting sick, I could only think about how he must have felt when he actually went through cancer afterwards. For once, I am glad that reel and real life are different for he came out as a winner. Bae Suzy was very prominent in the initial episodes and the ending episodes. In-between, her acting did not prompt a lot of emotion in me.

Image Credit: wehearit

Regardless, the chemistry between Kim Woobin and Bae Suzy was really good and some front end romantic scenes would have helped the show a lot more. You can’t help but fall for Kim Woobin. His acting skills are amazing. He seems very natural whether it’s a sad scene or a happy one. His smirk. Oh god. His smirk is to die for. Everytime he does, I too have a smile on face. I didn’t fully understand some of the supporting roles. However, I liked Jin Kyung’s acting along with Choi Moo-sung.

Image Credit: kdramastars.blogspot.com

The drama ost is one of its biggest bonus. It is very beautiful and profound. ‘Only you’ by Junggigo is a favourite, it’s a perfect mix of romantic and upbeat. The song ‘A Little Braver’ should be a theme song for this drama along with ‘Only You’. All the instrumental soundtrack are also amazing, something you can’t help but listen to. ‘Love Hurts’ by Hwanhee, ‘My Heart Says’ by Kim Na Young, ‘Don’t Push Me’ by Red Velvet’s Wendy and Seulgi, all make an unexplainable sadness and yearning in your heart whereas the song ‘Across The Ocean’ by New Empire makes for a happy beat. Few songs have also been contributed by the two leads. Even if you are not fond of this drama, you wouldn’t regret watching it for it’s soulful music in the least.

Image Credit: weheartit

Overall, I would still say that if you like a subtle romance that could still make you cry a bucket then this drama is for you.

Image Credit: weheartit

This drama teaches you that you can correct your mistakes, you can seek justice and even love within a limited time as well. It is a matter of choice.

Why Watch it?

If you are a fan of subtle romance with other subplot taking the mainframe
If you are a Kim WooBin fan, he has done his very best here
If you are a Bae Suzy fan, the chemistry between the leads is really good
If you wish to watch something sentimental that could make you cry or if you like bitter-sweet endings
Amazing Ost

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