Watched it for Habaek and So Ah's Love Story and was satisfied with what I got

Even though it was released back in 2017, I somehow had managed to avoid it so didn't know how it was going to end. I'm not familiar with its source material either so I just enjoyed the drama on its own merit. And it was enjoyable! Saw a number of reviews that wasn't favorable to the plot or to the leads' relationship/chemistry, and I'm glad that I don't really agree with them and that the reviews didn't manage to decrease the enjoyment of the drama for me.

With the drama titled the way it is, for me going in, So Ah and Habaek's love story was the main point for me, and since I like both leads, that wasn't going to be a problem, and anything else would be secondary. And with the way it was set up, I was so scared that it was just going to end in heartbreak and pain and was bracing myself for it. I just saw the beginning of one review that said it was going to have a happy ending and trusted that even when there were moments in the end that created some doubts if that was true. So pleasantly surprise and content that it was a happy ending!

LollyPip's recap & review on dramabeans raised a good point that I really agree with, that Habaek and So Ah made each other better versions of themselves, but didn't fundamentally change who they were at the core. That's why I like their relationship and root for their love.

Habaek was still the haughty, arrogant Water God, destined King of all the Gods at the end of the drama, but whereas he was so apathetic when we first meet him in the Gods Realm at the beginning, he had softened during his time with So Ah. He was able to be vulnerable with her, showed how much he loved her, showed how much he appreciate everything that Nam Soo Ri, his servant, did for him, showed an understanding and care for humans that maybe he'd buried after the betrayal of his first human love interest.

Similarly, So Ah, with Habaek's influence in her life, also became more vulnerable or more willing to show her vulnerability. She had been so prickly and tried to be mean-spirited so she wouldn't get hurt at the start, so unwilling to show that she cared for people because of how tied her association of compassion was with her resentment for father, who to everyone else had seemed so compassionate but to her had seemed so uncaring. So Ah had been very much "I can do everything myself and I don't need anyone," but then Habaek showed up and forced himself into her life. Suddenly, there was someone there who saw when she was scared and tired, even when she was so very good at hiding herself behind a mask of indifference. Someone who promised to protect her and make sure she's not harmed, and then fulfilled that promise over and over. Someone who offered out a hand for her to take and lean on, who cooked for her, who spent a Saturday deep cleaning her house with her, who waited for her and walked with her home after work, who worked his first lowly human job for money to buy her a gift (and be so adorably proud of it after), who made sure he came back with a driver license not because he felt like he needed one to drive but because it would make her feel more comfortable to know that he was driving with a license, who reminded her that she can be vulnerable and show her emotions.

Habaek and So Ah both learned to be more human because they were in each other lives, and I'm all for it. Sure, there were elements that I wished were explored more, but overall, it was a satisfying drama that I'm glad I found.

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Heavy Drama, Not Lighthearted Comedy

D.P Dog Day is freaking heavy. I watched all 6 episodes today and it was not the happy-go-lucky buddy cop drama from the trailer. There were some comedic moments, but overall, not a light drama. If you’re watching it, warning for bullying, verbal and physical assault, and suicide.

It’s overall a good drama. It explored some serious issues within S.Korea military and was not afraid to get into the dark details nor does the drama sugarcoat it, which I guess why the tragic and sad ending makes sense.

I love the OST. Jung Hae In does an amazing job again and still looks good in a uniform; my whole reason for watching drama in the first place.

I would definitely recommend it, just be aware of how heavy the drama actually is.

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Short and sweet

This is a fun and enjoyable way to spend 4.5 hours. The story was quick and to the point even when Wen Lai (the Boss) was trying to win over Fu Bao (FL). That bit is also kind of hilarious because all of the things he thought she did for him because she likes him (giving him apples and flu medicines) were just misunderstandings, and he actually turned out to not be a douche SML either when given the power to get rid of Li Ming Shi (the Emperor) to get the girl himself.

The best bits about the drama were definitely the relationship developments between Fu Bao and Li Ming Shi, first when he had no one and she was teaching him about the modern world to when they were a lovely couple. So adorably cute too! Li Ming Shi wrote down the lyrics of the song Fu Bao made up and was singing, detailing the things she wanted to do on a date, to do them (getting her a balloon, sharing a cotton candy, making a wish at a fountain) with her. All their scenes were adorable! Lots of chemistry and sweetness!

Also, while her role wasn't big, I really like it that the Second Female Lead (who plays Li Ming Shi's Female Lead in the in-drama that they are filming) was also such a good person and had a good relationship with Fu Bao as well. Wen Lai's assistant was hilarious. I pity him for having to deal with Wen Lai's love-sick self. LOL.

The two villains were there to add plot to the drama, but overall, it remained focused on the love story, which is fine and enjoyable.

I'm extremely happy about the happy ending for the main couple, Li Ming Shi and Fu Bao. The only thing that would make this incredibly enjoyable drama even better would be if there was a little more at the end. I would have also enjoyed an explanation, even something on the same level and handwaving as in-drama logic (not even super detailed thought-out logic), for how that happy end was possible.

Would definitely recommend if you want something quick, sweet, and fun to pass the time.

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Which promotional poster is more appealing? Personally, the Chinese one with actors others than Matt Damon featured is a film I would go see.

In its attempts to appeal and draw in a Western audience, The Great Wall kind of shot itself in the foot. Its main mistake was marketing the film as Matt Damon’s The Great Wall, because really, it was not. When the Matt Damon-centric trailers and the promotional posters with his giantass face on them came out, the criticisms started pouring in, calling it whitewashing and promoting a white savior narrative. With the materials and evidence we were given at that time, the criticisms rang true and stung, especially when left and right we were hearing of whitewashing films (Ghost in the Shell, Aloha, Gods of Egypt, Doctor Strange, Death Note, etc) and a general lack of Asian-American representation in Hollywood - once bitten, twice shy, I suppose. Marketing The Great Wall by using its main foreign actor to draw in viewers outside China came at maybe too high a price. It brought with it talks of boycott and just a general hate for the film from the Asian-American community, myself included, which undoubtedly must have hurt its performance at the box office (Wikipedia states it lost money). I’ve recently seen the film at last - I was curious and found out Andy Lau was in it (which I wouldn’t have gotten from the English poster) - and thought a lot of the criticisms were unfounded.

One of the first questions raised about the film was why were there Europeans in a film set in ancient China, and a logical explanation was given for that. The Europeans were in ancient China because they were being their warmonger, greedy-ass self and were looking for the mysterious black powder (gunpowder). *spoilers* And they all failed and died except for the main characters, and the Chinese Army retained their secret in the end. *spoilers* The explanation given for the presence of Europeans in China was doable. Since the director stated that Matt Damon’s character William was not written for an Asian actor, that also answered the whitewashing question.

The next big question then was the white savior narrative, which I can say after seeing the film that it’s not true. Matt Damon’s character William might have lent a hand to his Chinese allies and unknowingly provided them with information they were able to make use of, but it was Strategist and War Counselor Wang, Commander-turned-General Lin Mae, and Peng Yong who were the saviors. William was more of an observer who occasionally helped out because it was either that or die. In fact, when William tried to make the final kill shot, so to speak, that would banish the evil and save everyone, he tried and failed. General Lin Mae, who stated “excuse me, I’m the one trained for this my whole life,” was the one who saved the day, not Matt Damon’s character. Did the film appeared like it was from Matt Damon’s/an outsider’s point of view? Yes, it was, likely a conscious decision to draw in a Western audience and introduce them to the Chinese actors and culture. But was it a white savior narrative? In my opinion, no, it wasn’t.

The Great Wall was a visually pleasing, action film with a strong female heroine at its center and a decent cast of character. The crux of the problem was that in trying to break into Western and American markets, promotions were solely focused on Matt Damon, which didn’t do it any favors. The Great Wall didn’t have any Chinese big names that Western audience was familiar enough with. It had Andy Lau, which, I’d say, would be enough to draw in any Asian audience (I could be wrong about this, but he was enough to draw me in), Western audience might or might not remember him from 2004’s House of Flying Daggers, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography. While Andy Lau is well known in Asia, he isn’t a name like Jackie Chan or Jet Li, or even Donnie Yen, not Asian-Americans but Chinese actors who already broke into Hollywood that American audience will recognize and go see in theaters. Having his name alongside Matt Damon’s on promotional posters wouldn’t have hurt though. Or even an “introducing Jing Tian to American audience” for our heroine would have made it 100 times better than just Matt Damon’s The Great Wall.

The Great Wall has kind of the same vibe as Jackie Chan’s Dragon Blade with John Cusack, a mixture of Chinese and Western characters with the setting in China. Unfortunately for The Great Wall, it didn’t have Jackie Chan. Jackie Chan’s Dragon Blade did well, and it wasn’t really targeted or marketed to Western audience so you might not have even heard of it. It wasn’t wrapped in controversies or have the question of why were there Romans in China aimed at it. If it had been marketed to a Western audience, I believe it wouldn’t have made big, upsetting news either. It would have probably been seen as a collaboration between Jackie Chan and John Cusack, and it would have done fine and everyone would have gone about their day like normal. Unfortunately for The Great Wall, to American audience, it was Matt Damon’s The Great Wall because it was marketed as such. In attempting to be appealing, it unknowingly repel the very audience it was trying to draw in and a decent film didn’t get the recognition it deserved.

So in conclusion, watch The Great Wall. Just don’t think of it as Matt Damon’s The Great Wall and you’ll be okay.

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Really want to like it but it was just too slow and confusing for me

I really wanted to like Psych-Hunter (2020). It has the mystery, thriller, action, adventure, investigation, bromance, and romance. Plus the three leads have good chemistry and are not annoying. But it was just so freaking confusing and slow. I gave up during the 6th case: Game of death. I was just so confused with what was happening in that case that I skipped to the part where one of the main characters EXPLAINED to the other main character what the heck happened during the case. Like thanks for the recap, but it still didn’t make sense or make it any better. Skipped to the last episode and like everything was in Jiang Shuo‘s head???

I didn’t not sign up to work that hard to understand this drama. I thought it was going to be a fun crime solving drama with a dash of fantasy, not a head scratcher. Dropped it after watching 16 out of 36 episodes.

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