Unforgettable Horror

It’s been a while since I’ve encountered a truly great Asian horror film, but The Medium has restored my faith in the genre. Directed by the same brilliant minds behind The Wailing and Shutter - two of my favorite horror masterpieces- this film brings a haunting blend of atmosphere, setting, and escalating madness. Mink's harrowing descent into demonic possession is depicted with such intensity that it leaves a lasting impact. The portrayal of spiritual disintegration and the chilling nature of possession are masterfully done.

That said, be prepared for some deeply disturbing moments, including the deaths of a baby and a dog. These scenes are particularly tough to watch, and as someone who usually avoids films with animal deaths, I found myself fast-forwarding through these parts. Nonetheless, the film’s compelling narrative and persistent sense of unease make The Medium an essential watch for any Asian horror fan in search of a profoundly unsettling experience.

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A Solid Hanadan Adaptation

I just finished this drama and feel satisfied overall. I’d rank this as my third favorite adaptation (with the Taiwanese version still holding the top spot and the Japanese version second). For context, I’ve read the manga and watched all the drama adaptations.

Story: Very good, though I noticed that in the beginning, they tried to follow the Japanese version closely instead of creating their own take. I really wish they hadn’t done that because Japan compressed and re-organized a lot of scenes, not following the manga as closely as the awesome Taiwanese Meteor Garden. As a result, some scenes flowed a bit weirdly to me. That said, the show eventually found its own voice, and the ending surprisingly followed the manga (and thank God they cut Umi out during the amnesia scene - I always found her character annoying and unnecessary). I was expecting Thyme’s comeuppance for his horrible misdeeds to mirror the scene where Gorya gets kidnapped and he refuses to fight back (which was really cool in other versions - he could take them down but didn’t because the FL might get hurt). But in this version, Thyme actually went on to apologize to those he bullied, and that, for me, was an amazing take.

Characters: The characters were pretty good and likable. The dynamics of the main couple were refreshing as well. I liked Gorya and how they kept in this version that she’s already been a student there for a long time, which made the build-up to her fighting back really impactful (the Korean and Chinese versions made it seem more comical, which I didn’t like). The only issue I noticed is that, in the source material and other versions, the male lead doesn’t become nice overnight. In this adaptation, Thyme’s development seemed almost immediate rather than gradual, making it less convincing. One of the things that stood out to me in the original story was Domyouji’s character growth - from being a violent person with impulse control issues to becoming a better human being. I’m pretty sure this is a writing issue, not the actor’s problem. Other than that, I liked the friendship of the F4, as well as Gorya’s friendship with them (it’s really important that I feel this because Makino’s influence isn’t only limited to the male lead but the F4 as well), which was similar to the Japanese F4 dynamics. I also think that, next to Vaness Wu’s Mei Zhou, this is my second favorite version of Akira (M.J. in this version) because I really felt his presence here, even more than Kavin.

Music: I don’t even remember it most of the time - though this is subjective more than anything.

Rewatch Value: Some scenes are really funny, memorable, and worth a rewatch!

Also, I can’t be the only one annoyed by all the product placements - I get that they had many sponsors, but most of them were 80% in-your-face the whole time. There are ways to be subtle with these placements (see Korea with Subway).

Overall, great job adapting this story, Thailand!

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Disappointing Hanadan Adaptation!

As a manga purist and a huge fan of Meteor Garden (2001) and Hana Yori Dango (2005), I really tried giving this drama a chance since many people claimed it closely follows the manga. However, in addition to stripping away what made HanaDan a great story - a strong girl who withstands class issues and bullying and transforms the most violent and troubling guy into a human being - this adaptation was reduced to just a mediocre tale of an arrogant jerk and a normal girl who occasionally have unpleasant interactions.

Because these crucial elements were missing, neither the characters nor the love story were convincing to me. I understand China's censorship laws and all, but even with those constraints, the writing fails to build a coherent story that makes sense and lacks meaningful developments. Additionally, the acting and dubbing were major turn-offs. I tried skimming through a couple of episodes, but it didn’t get any better. This is like HanaDan for kids at best - if you prefer a good story, stick to the 2001 Taiwanese version or the Japanese version. Otherwise, skip this one.

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My Fave Chinese Drama Ever!

This drama is perfect to me on all levels. I wasn’t that into Chinese dramas at first, especially the fantasy genre, but this one single-handedly converted me! I love the chemistry between the leads and how their relationship gradually progressed from friendship into a romance against all odds. The kissing scenes were amazing - out of all the dramas I’ve watched recently, this has the best kissing scenes. I was thoroughly convinced of how deeply they care for each other, making it impossible not to root for them until the end. I also love the fantasy worlds created here, and it makes you want to live in them. The music was also incredible and is on repeat in my playlists.

It also made me a Dylan Wang fan (although I hated his first drama, Meteor Garden), and I secretly wish he’d take on more similar roles. I could tell his acting improved so much in this drama. I didn’t like Esther Yu in the beginning episodes, but that had more to do with the character rather than her acting. As the story progressed, she really grew on me, and I started to find her character so adorable and emotionally brave. It’s funny how I missed this version of her character when she later got reborn into that 'boring' goddess! Ugh.

The only thing I didn’t like was the ending, but that’s just me wanting more of this couple, hoping to see their wedding and future together. After all the tribulations they went through to be together, they at least deserve it! I also think the Heavenly King should have been punished, but I guess that’s left open to interpretation.

Overall, an amazing drama that I would re-watch numerous times.

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