Flowers that Bloom at Night (2024)

fun, fast-paced, with fantastic chemistry

knight flower was thisclose to garnering a perfect 10 in my book, but the last two episodes fell off somewhat plot-wise, so we have a solid 9.5 on our hands instead.

the show does a remarkable job juggling comedy, historical gender politics, palace politics, and age-gap romance. it is primarily concerned with comedy and romance, but it can also effortlessly shift to the show's more serious endeavors into the hierarchal shackles of the joseon dynasty when it wants to. even the palace politics, an area that i often find lacking in kdramas, were reasonably well-written for what small part it played in the first half of the show.

now onto the real highlights of the show. the actors & their characters.

i've never seen lee jong won in a drama before, and can i say that this man absolutely served in this show. his aesthetics were on point and he played suho convincingly. can we all just take a moment and appreciate how swoonworthy lee jong won's suho was?

and honey lee. i won't lie, i wasn't sold on the casting for yeohwa at first. but she quickly proved that she was perfect for the role, and her comedic timing was unparalleled. when it comes down to it, i wholeheartedly believe that honey lee as yeohwa carried the show -- she made all of it work so well together. she set the tone of the show whenever she was onscreen, never let any heavier issue drag its feet, and commanded charm, charisma, and chemistry with effortless finesse. her yeohwa was strong, funny, clever, innocent, and cute all at once. i've no doubt that the show's frequent shifts in tones were made seamless mostly by honey lee's exemplary performance. in short, honey lee is magnificent in this role.

also i don't know about y'all but our main romance was sizzling despite its age gap. these two actors absolutely nailed their dynamic. their characters were well-developed on their own, and their relationship was organic. no love at first sight (unlike the webtoon, whew!), no childhood imprinting, no contrived misunderstandings, just good old organic growth. and i call that refreshing.

now the plot was fine for a good chunk of the story, and that was enough for me, because this is primarily a comedy with romance that's character-centric. however, when the show really dives into the politics, its weaknesses began to show. this is made especially obvious by the puppet king's play for power in the penultimate episode -- that was... dumb. the whole overthrowing of the villain was a little oversimplified for all its setup. i'd also like to point out that at one point, when the main characters crashed an enemy fort of sorts and fought off an entire group of people who were supposed to be well-prepared with their expert swordsmanship -- that arrows are a whole thing.

but the thing is, except for the last two episodes where the show tries to bite off more than it can chew by taking a stab at being traditionally epic, the show knows, for the most part, that it's a comedy with not one but two considerably shippable couples. and when it's focused on what it does best, it excels. it also does a remarkable job of being swoonworthy without need for much showcasing of skinship.

in all, this was a heck of an entertaining ride that i would have easily given 10 stars, if not for the slightly lacklustre final week. the ending though, stuck its landing.

absolutely recommend to anyone looking for a fun and lighthearted show!!

Lire davantage

Refreshing and quite original

I will say this script had a very good balance: There was funny moments, emotional and thought inducing scenes, fight scenes and some light romantic scenes.
How the screenwriters managed to tell the rather tragic life of Joseon widows without it adding a heavy emotional feel to the series was well executed.

It was a refreshing take on a historical drama, with unconventional female protagonist.
As for the FL, I liked her in One the Woman, and she gives a good performance here as well; she suits this kind of role where she can utilise her comedic timing.
Kim Mi Kyung (her mother in law) was brilliant as always.

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All hail Honey Lee!

There is no doubt that this show is a Honey Lee starrer. She carried the show from start to finish. It is described as a historical comedy, and it would have worked better if they leave out the political intrigue. Please allow me to explain.

Lee Hanee is all singing and all dancing in this series. Her comedic timing is spot on. She is very animated and dominate most scenes. She is a refreshing take to the typical Joseon female roles. Mr Queen is another show which has a similarly lively FL. I’m totally onboard with her adventures.

The introduction of the ML added some spice to the preceding. At first it was a love-hate relationship, but it soon swings towards love-love. It was lovely to watch them dance around each other initially and then dance in sync in the later episodes. However, there is next to no skinship. Very proper, indeed.

Unfortunately, revelation of a political plot started many years ago did the show no favours. I understand the event was pivotal, but its revelation is very convoluted. While the viewers soon work out the basic plot, our leads are led down the garden path multiple times. We must sit back and wait for the show to catch up. The original fun adventures of the FL grind to a halt and the romance plot also suffers. I won’t mind if the political intrigue was novel and impactful, but it boils down to the cover-up of a heinous crime.

As I watched the story unfold, I can't help but ask why it took so long for the final act to begin? 15 years is a long time. Seriously, the FL suffers daily under the thumb of a domineering mother-in-law but she never falters. I get that she lives in hope that her brother is still alive but it feels laboured.

Another thing that boggled my mind is the boldness of Left State Minister. I get that he is the classic courtly antagonist but they usually have strong backing from other officials and possibly aligned with some dynastic family. Yet, other than some faceless lackeys, he seemed to be just a self-righteous lone wolf. He confronted the King again and again and thumbs his nose with impunity. Where is his power base? There are several expositions in the final chapter, but it feels like the cart is pushing the horse. Yes, it closed out the narrative, but it feels ham-fisted and self-serving. I'm also surprised that none of the evil-doers are sentenced to death. This is very lenient for Joseon justice.

As if to reinforce my view, the introduction of the FL’s husband is a breath of fresh air. It really added some much-needed levity to the increasingly depressing proceedings. I have strong second lead syndrome.

As I mentioned before, the FL is the star of the show and her acting abilities are on full display. The ML is handsome and a good match. All the performances are solid. Some of the support characters are a bit cartoon-y which feels a bit jarring when the going gets tough for all concerned.

I really wish they focus more on the romance and comedy side and give the political subplot a lighter touch. The writer-nim seems to have a two way bet but still lost by a nose.

Lire davantage

Funny, Sad, Intruguing

First - this is the 2nd drama I have seen with Lee Jong Won, and he has impressed me! His eyes will stop your breath, as his mastery of conveying emotion through them is phenomenal.

Lee Ha Nee was also incredible. Her character was naive, and brave and hopeful. She mastered her character flawlessly.

The rest of the cast was also well chosen. There wasn’t any of the awkward chemistry that is sometimes seen when the villains are overly villainous, and the comedic inserts throughout the episodes made me laugh multiple times.

I felt horrible for the way widows were treated during that time period, and it was refreshing to see that the characters lived within the social boundaries but did not resign themselves to the expectations of seclusion and even ending their lives.

The story was well written and the overall production was amazingly executed. Thenonly thing that left me with a negative impression was the choice of some of the music. While the FL was a force to be reckoned with, the initial song was too abrasive as her character was more than that. Just my personal reaction though.

Tge other tiny disappointment was the ending. It did not end the way it was built up. Not badly, but it was a bit of a disappointment considering all the ML and FL experienced together.

Overall it was a good drama, and I enjoyed every episode. I probably wouldn’t watch it again anytime soon, but it would be a good one to watch again at some point.

Lire davantage

Knight Flower was an entertaining watch, due primarily to Hanee (Honey?) Lee, whose comic timing and dimples are always spot on. Her loyal sidekick, played by Park Sehyun, was very funny, too. I heard some people criticize the choice of Lee Jongwon as the main love interest due to the age difference between him and Hanee but that did not bother me. It was his relatively green acting rather than his age that struck me at first. BUT his acting really grew on me as the drama developed and by the end I was completely Team Sooho. Or should I say Team Jongwon. Plus I think that Lee Jongwon did a better job of portraying love smitten than Hanee Lee did.

I was most disappointed by the antagonists, who were just straight up bad guys. I like dramas where the bad guys are more nuanced and complex, a mix of good and evil, whose morals are more ambiguous than in this straightforward, but admittedly enjoyable, drama.

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Asombroso

Historia

Me pareció asombroso como estaba contada la historia, no me pareció aburrida, no tenía malentendidos innecesarios. Me gustaron los romances que se generaron. Me gustaría saber quién es el o la guionista. Me gustaría saber más de sus trabajos me gusto el desarrollo de los hechos, las sorpresas, los villanos.



Actuación/elenco
Me gustaron todos, satisfecha con todos los actores. Y alabo que ante la manera que fue contada cada rol se sintió importante y especial haciendo más memorable la participacion de ese actor.


Musica
Un tema fue mí favorito. Me gusta el sonido elegido en general. Y me agradaron las canciones.


Valor de repetición
Mírala cuántas veces tu corazón requiera.

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Straightforward

With only 12 episodes, the series does a good job with its pacing and overall wrap-up. It's one with a relatively serious undertone that is lightened with comedic interactions. So this isn't a plot that is super intricate and isn't meant to be taken apart by plot holes or analytical rhetoric. It is a fun comedy-drama with equal parts of both that is an easy watch.

The cast is great with many recognizable faces but I was mainly interested in Lee Ha Nee, won me over from Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People and The Fiery Priest. She does not disappoint here and I'm looking forward to seeing her in many more future series. There is also good chemistry between all of the characters.

If you need a break from overly political and very dramatized scenes from historical pieces, highly recommend this one.

Lire davantage

I love everything about Knight Flower

I really enjoyed every episode of this drama, from the beginning to the end. I will never get tired of watching it over and over again. The OST is so Heartwarming. You will also love all the cast and their characters because of how well they play their roles. Some comments that I read said "I canNOT find perfect words to describe this drama" and Yes, that's the same for me.. A Chef's Kiss For Knight Flower / Flower That Bloom At Night 밤에피는꽃. The leads, villains and other characters are flawless. I think I've watched all different genres of kdramas and I can say that non-Romantic dramas always have the most perfect chemistry, the leads have an irresistible charm. Lee Hanee my Idol, she is beautiful. Very Cute,Charming, Especially the dimples. Lee Jong Won waaaahh... you have been added to the list of my favorite actors. Although I have seen you in other kdramas, but your charm is different here, Your eyes are very expressive and attractive. I like your melo eyes. Perfect for the character Park SooHo.
Lee Ki woo I've seen you in other dramas before. all your roles in the dramas I've seen are really remarkable.
and the role of Secretary Park suits you in this drama, Lovable and Charming Big Brother. Park Se Hyun, Aaahh Yeon Seon Ahhh Super cute and Adorable like a baby . hahaha and the rest of the cast are talented, everyone is outstanding, everyone is very entertaining, and Unique. Even when it was ongoing, I went back to the episodes and watched them again. Especially now that it's over, I'm definitely going to rewatch HAHAHA Highly Recommended. This is one of my favorite Sageuk Drama. 👍🥰 Thank You Knight Flower . 🥰

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