Love Letter to Romance on the Farm

Not every drama is going to be everyone's cup of tea. For me, I can't remember the last time I loved a drama this much. As a mid-30's woman, most of the dramas out there don't do it for me. It's bad or mid acting, contrived/ridiculous/illogical plots, poor writing, lazy (or non-existent) character development, pandering to idols and over-romanticized notions, overwrought tropes galore, and unrealistic/overblown (and sometimes downright toxic) romantic behaviors. Most feel like just cash cows; the art of storytelling is lost. Slice of life dramas are too heavy for me so, for years now, I've been watching drama after drama but finding most inane.

Then, here comes this drama. The characters - every single one of them - is so well-written that they feel like real, live people from the first episode. Ironic, no?, that these are people who are supposed to be NPCs have more life in them than any non-first or non-second lead character in every other drama? Say what you will of the family and what they do (I won't argue with you on that one), but the fully fleshed character development for each of them is so good that they all act in line with their character. That's some incredible thought put into acting and storywriting.

The FL is one of the most realistically badass and fully fleshed out characters I've ever seen. She doesn't feel like a character to me - she feels like someone who exists out there in the world. I want to see more of this in dramaland. Because this is what truly inspires me in real life. To persevere as Man'er does, to navigate tricky situations as she does, to be smart and kind as she does, to be guarded at times, to be brave at times, to be feel how it feels to receive love at times, to forgive at times. To grow and transform.

I also really admire this director. I will be following her work for sure. She does such an excellent job with allowing us to see all characters' emotional beats (in a look, a glance, a hand or eye movement), no matter how small, so that, whether you hate them or love them, you can understand their motivations, why they act the way they do, and maybe even empathize with some, if only for a short moment. She shows their flaws and also their humanity. And she does this with every single character that has a name.

I also greatly appreciate the director's attention to detail. There were so many moments where I could feel that she truly cares about this story and her craft - and how much it enriches the story. Certain cinematography and shots were really breathtaking - used to serve the scene/story without being overdone. There were also many subtle details - I can't remember them all, but there is one (not a spoiler) where someone says that the pancakes are getting burnt. Then, as the pancakes are being plated in the background, you can actually see that they are burnt. This is TOTALLY a detail that most productions would absolutely ignore but it's little touches like that that completely immersed me in every second of this story and continued to immerse me for the entire 26.5 episodes. This is all intentional on the director's part - she wants you to feel as Man'er feels. Are you in a virtual world or are you watching a drama or are you just experiencing life whether it's real or not and does that even matter at the end of the day?

Overall, for me, this drama is nothing short of art. (Even the opening and closing credits are art in of themselves.) I can understand if a lot of people don't agree. For me, this was a very well-told and well-executed story, by a director who truly cares, with an excellent cast (that's 10+ people!) that each made me invested (good or bad) in every single one of them, along with one of the most meaningful character arcs that I've seen in dramaland. I thank this cast and crew from the bottom of my heart for bringing this to life, so that I could experience, at times, cathartic bawling; howling laughter; the most tender of love between mother and daughter; anger and grief and joy and shock and judgement and compassion towards imperfect people but nonetheless watching and appreciating them grow in ways big and small.

P.S. I also think the politics in the drama is incredibly smart (at least to me, someone who doesn't think politically at all). I was kept on my toes to see how the leads would solve a problem and manipulate people and circumstances. I found it all to be clever and thoughtful writing.

Lire davantage

Meh

I feel like this is an example of producers stretching out a story for monetary value - but no artistic or creative value.

The entire series would've been better off ending at Season 3 but with the ending being an open one showing the FL meeting the modern world ML and hinting at romance. Instead they continue to drag on the story, making it lose the poignancy and depth of emotion that came from the first three seasons.

Also, when the FL's memory was erased, it inexplicably made her a ditz - she lost her sharpness and maturity, which made me like her so much in the first three seasons. What's up with that?

Based on reviews for Season 5, I'll be skipping it, unless I'm epically bored and have nothing else to watch.

Lire davantage

It's like an emo teenage kid writing poems about life and death

This was a promising drama but I dropped it for four reasons:
(1) Love ZYT but the FL is too frivolous for my taste. Her flirting makes me cringe. Girl, get some self-respect and boundaries.
(2) The ML is like every other ML in every other drama. Stoic, expressionless, unkind towards FL. Why FL likes ML is a wonder at all - and don't get me started on the childhood sweethearts thing; dramaland has lost all originality.
(2) Unnecessary, completely gratuitous face slapping, when words and actual acting would more than suffice. What a weak storytelling device.
(3) Preachiness. Too much preachiness. About death. About life. About everything. So dramatic. All makjang.

It's giving "Look at me, I'm so deep, writing poems about life and death" vibe. I'm over it. Can't keep watching.

Lire davantage

A lush, delicious retreat amidst a sprawling desert

I held off on watching this drama for a loooooonnnngggggg time because of the title and its synopsis. I thought it'd be some trope-y fluffy shiz with a stereotypical "strong," forced female lead that I'd drop a few episodes in.

Boy, was I wrong.

I am still reeling from this drama and just needed to share these thoughts somewhere because I don't know what to do with myself after the last episode.

There are so, so, many good things about this drama. After a long dry spell, when I couldn't find a single satisfying drama that didn't have toxic dynamics or lackluster storytelling or flat/stereotypical/trope-y characters, this came out of nowhere like an oasis, quenching my thirst in ways I didn't know I needed, and upended every non-expectation that I had in the best way possible.

First, the writing is sublime. I rarely watch an entire drama through without skipping scenes (of secondary/side characters), but I watched every minute of this show and found myself constantly rewinding to watch certain bits again and again because of the acting. And all parts of the story actually wove into one another - no glaring ends left hanging or weird plot devices. It worked and the palace politics were all interesting to me because I somehow found myself caring about all of the people. The themes of the show are so beautifully interwoven into multiple layers throughout the show and in ways that don't bash you over the head but are subtle and moving.

Second, every character is so fully human. And I believe that's because the writer chooses to show us their humanity, the hard choices that (like us) they have to make, and their individual stories and motivations. Even the antagonist, at the very end, gets shown some of this - he's not just a bad guy for the heck of it, but the writers shows a bit of his underlying story and, as flawed as he may be, we still feel some resonance with him because we see his motivation and the humanness of it. And, ultimately, it's such a beautiful tie-in with my main takeaway from the show - that, regardless of gender, race, age, social status, good or bad, etc., we all share the same humanity. We are all simply human at the end of the day and should treat one another as such.

I can't stress how much I love the female and male leads. What a refreshing breath of fresh air to have these characters in Kdrama land. They are characters that I'd genuinely love as humans. I root for them in every scene and their character growth is so satisfying that I swell with pride for them.

With so many dramas, I always find myself wondering, Why are the leads together? In most cases, it's not apparent to me why they would be together other than simply "because the writer said so." The interactions typically consist of finding the other attractive in a moment of trope-y skinship with no real conversation or personality compatibility. But this show gave us two really amazing leads - each with their own distinct personalities, motivations, and goals - and it gave us the honor of watching a beautiful relationship unfold. They talk about things that matter to them, share their vulnerabilities, communicate honestly and openly, and support each other when they can. You can see the respect and love and care growing between them episode by episode. They genuinely have fun together and their affection is born from something organic and natural. The mutual understanding. The communication. Them being on the same page without words. Their shared values and a foundation of genuine friendship. They help one another be better people and stand by one another. They are so real and so awesome that I root for them individually and also when they choose to do something together.

I didn't know that a show could have so much heart. Truly. There were so many scenes where, there wasn't necessarily anything dramatic happening, but I would have a lump in my throat because I saw real humans who cared about one another and were showing it in ways that were true to themselves and the situation. It was so human that I got lost sometimes in the moment; I wasn't watching a drama anymore, I was just watching these people's lives unfolding.

I am already missing this drama, its incredible, tangible world and its characters. Because the show did such a spectacular job at showing us each one of their hearts and humanity (including so many of the side characters), all of the characters feel like real live people. In my heart and mind, it's as if, after the last episode, I have no doubt that the characters are still out there continuing to live their lives as fully fleshed human beings, trying to make the world a better place and grappling with real-life themes, hardships, and decisions of what that entails, but nonetheless caring for and supporting one another through it all. What an incredible honor it was to get to see a slice of their lives. And I feel like I'm a better person for it.

Lire davantage

If you like drama born from immaturity, then this show is for you!

I just can't with this show. It's love-hate - and mostly hate it at this point. It look me awhile to figure out why this show grates on me so much. There are many reasons but the main one is that the show has 30 and 40 year olds going around with the emotional maturity of teenagers. It's bewildering and, in my eyes, a complete waste of storytelling and talent.

The female lead is a complete pushover devoid of personality and severely lacking a backbone. Let's just turn the feminist movement back by a century, why don't we?

The male lead has redeeming moments, but the show somehow thinks it's okay/endearing/funny for him to display circa 1990 kdrama toxic male behavior?!

The only redeeming factors about this show and why I continue to watch are Kim Ji Seok (Ja-sung) and Editor Nam, who are delivering great comedic and dramatic acting gold.

Lire davantage

Great FL - otherwise meh

It's been a long time since I've seen a drama with a female lead that I really enjoy as a person. No flailing, overly clumsy/stupid moments, copious amounts of self-pity, lacking self-esteem, etc., etc., etc. Instead, she knows what she wants and has a clear sense of self and, most importantly, boundaries (something that seems sorely lacking in dramaland). The other women in this drama are pretty cool too and have their own sense of self that isn't dependent on the men around them. Plus, I enjoy Xing Fe (Mo Mo) and her acting.

Otherwise, the story and other characters are meh for me. I'll continue watching it because it's light-hearted and nice to play in the background while I'm doing other things. What's most unfortunate for me is the male lead's acting - if he were on par with Xing Fe, I'd be more invested.

Lire davantage

My true overall rating is 2 stars for the only 2 episodes worth watching

Cdramaland has been pretty lacking lately, but this drama was my tipping point. It just slapped me in the face with how cdramaland consistently sacrifices actors who can actually act for actors who suck at acting but have money and/or connections. In Kdramaland and elsewhere, actors are expected to be able to actually act - at a minimum. Shocker, I know.

The first two episodes gave me hope like there was never before. A director who knows what they're doing, a promising and interesting storyline, and two leads (ZHHZ and LXY) who have the best genuine chemistry that I've seen in a long time from dramaland. I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. This is chemistry that no amount of money or back door connections can buy. Also, both ZHHZ and LXY are legit great actors.

Then, comes JJY. With her makeup that doesn't change across any drama or character or situation that she plays. With her acting that doesn't change across any drama or character that she plays. With those two wispy hairs on either side of her face that are completely inappropriate for the period and antithetical to the character she's playing but that doesn't change across any drama or character that she plays. I mean, talk about vanity and playing (at least at the beginning of this drama) a villainess who is obsessed with her looks. On the nose much?

Yet what took the cake for me and made it unbearable to watch any further is JJY's uncanny valley face. Felt like I was watching a period drama then, every so often, a Chinese makeup influencer with a permanent face filter would pop up, seemingly time-traveled from the modern age to talk with these ancient people.

If there are any astute producers out there, I'd be booking ZHHZ and LXY right now for a future drama. I mourn the drama that this could've been. And I mourn the state of cdramaland.

Lire davantage

How shallow can a drama get?

I'm less than an episode in and I can't. I just can't. Came here, read the reviews and looks like there is no light at the end of the tunnel - or anywhere within the tunnel, for that matter.

How fixated on looks can a Korean drama get? Well, I've gotten my answer - from the first minute of this drama until, presumably, the last. But I won't waste the rest of my time on such a toxic, tired, shallow message that feels like it came from the mind of someone so insecure, image-focused, and delusional that every thought is judged upon looks and consumed by vanity.

It makes me so angry that, of all the wonderful stories to tell in the world, money, time, and effort is put into sh*t like this.

Lire davantage