Netflix sold this one as romcom and it’s actually a framed about a young woman overcoming grief and finding love in the process.
Deutch’s performance is not that good, if I am honest. And most of the best acting came from Robinson, Shum Jr. and McKendrick whom delivered all the charm and comedy in this film.
Nick Robinson is particular keeps growing as an actor and here he delivered some worthy male lead moments. I am looking forward to see more of this work in the future.
As for the rest of the cast, they are barely characters and more caricatures.
The biggest problem with the film is that it tries to be all at once. For example, in one scene a character is running while fireworks can be seen in the night sky… and then it starts to rain.
And for a project that spend a pretty expensive amount on money on its OST, I was surprised at how bad the sound editing was when it came to mix the songs with the scenes or characters’ emotions.
Overall, this is a mid watch for a lazy afternoon.
Ashes To Crown’s cinematography and art direction is one of the best I have seen in a while from a drama. And the story was engaging as we watch four top schemers trying to outsmart each other, but it’s evident this project suffered from the censorship.
This is the type of story that needed some room to let the events breath and allow the viewers to see how the chess pieces were slowly moving in the board. Sadly, that didn’t happened as it was obvious by the butchering editing of what should have been a 30 episode long cdrama, cramped in 24 episodes total.
I personally take offence for Tang Xiaotian who delivered a masterful performance. I absolutely adored his character’s scheming cute little butt. He was ruthless, cold, calculating and honest. Quiet like a tiger waiting to pounce. They all knew who he was and he wore it with pride.
Zhou Yiran’s character also deserved better. It’s the first time I see him play a soldier/General and I think it would have been fun to see more of it.
The relationship between the Xie brothers was also a fascinating side story that was butchered by the censors and editing.
I think this a case of a cdrama that had all right elements but was unable to deliver its full potential for reasons that are beyond the cast or crew. Still, a fun watch.
From the very start I was very impressed with this drama. The first episode felt grounded in reality and presented all the main characters as young adults behaving like such but also with a level of maturity that felt respectful. Sometimes youth dramas don't know how to balance the growing pains, friendship and romance but You Are Desire does it perfectly.
Xia Feng Yan created a story with solid development based on actual growing from well rounded characters that act and react in ways that feel natural. I am amazed this is her first project and I will keep an eye on her because she has a bright future.
Deng Ke (My Huckelberry Friends) also started in the industry as a screenwriter before transitioning into directing, so it was a perfect fold for Xia's story. He understood the assignment and complemented the script with beautiful cinematography, camera movements and choice of cast.
This drama could have died in the hands of a lesser cast but Zhou Yiran and Zhuang Dafei carried the drama flawlessly. Most of the story centers around them and how they interact with others when loneliness has been a part of their young lives for a long time. The supporting cast were also at their best, each with their own lives and struggles which made them well rounded individuals and not an artifact to push the leads's story.
All of these elements created a beautiful group of people dealing with different experiences. A slice of life drama where we understand the world is not always fair and parents make mistakes; where people need to learn to grieve in a healthy way. That families can all look very different from each other and that's okay as long there's love. That you don't always pass the university exam and your workplace might suck. A world where you fall in love and support one another as you grow together with a clear understanding of each other. That life can be sweeter when you are surrounded of good people who truly appreciate you.
Overall, You Are Desire it's a wonderful story that enjoyed from the very first episode to the last one. Criminally underrated, for sure, as I don't understand how more people are not talking about what is probably one of 2023's best cdramas.
DRAMA REVIEW | Dong-Jae, the Good or the Bastard (2024)
Dong-jae, the Good or the Bastard is an outstanding first chapter about the journey of redemption of one of tvN’s favourite and most loveable, crafty characters.
Spinoffs can be a tricky business, especially when it’s centred around one character and all the others that you got to know and love don’t appear in the new show. But this kdrama it’s not only a great continuation but also an excellent stand alone, thanks a smart and dynamic script. The script writer also makes it a point to expand the world we all got to know in the first season of tvN’s Stranger, build conflicts and opportunities for character development, all with incredible resolution.
On the technical aspect, the score is fun and dark. A mix of genres with a milonga as Dong-jae’s life soundtrack: dramatic, hilarious, uplifting.
The cinematography it’s one of the best and most beautiful I have seen all year. From the choice of lenses to camera work, lighting and framing. Top notch from beginning to end.
Overall, I am incredibly happy with the quality production of this kdrama and, if you have the chance, I would absolutely recommend you watch it.
I caved and watched Teach You A Lesson. Let me tell you: a student getting slapped around should be the least of your concerns about this kdrama.
There are some serious WTF moments and the way some issues are dealt with are definitely laced with korean right wing ideology.
Spoilers ahead.
As usual, when talking about social issues from other countries, disclaimer: I am not Korean. Just an art curator studying asian cultures and histories to better understand the creative processes.
I am not here to put my western POV into this story, just to point out some things I found interesting.
Yes, Teach You A Lesson is a fantasy-action kdrama about confronting severe school bullying and protecting victims when institutions fail. I will also say it puts in the table school violence and educational issues that are rarely dealt with in a proper way in South Korea.
First, you should approach it as part of the kdrama family of Weak Hero Class 1 and Study Group. Except here, it’s a government agency doing the dirty work and not students beating the lights out of each other. The power dynamics are not the same.
Second, some episodes are really well done. I liked the one about a primary teacher being harassed by an overly critical parent telling them how to treat their “precious” children. There’s been several reports primary teachers taking extreme desicions because of it and government remains inactive.
I also liked the episode dealing with a mother pressuring her son to get into one of SKY med schools. It shows how children are pushed to extremes (mentally, emotionally and physically) to the point of pill dependency and burn out before they are even in university.
There are other issues such as online game gambling, something that has become a problem for high school student and parents around the world.
Also, wealthy parents paying teachers to get exams ahead of time to the detriment of middle class/poor families whose children work and excel on their own.
BTW, the kdrama treats all kind of addictions as a crime and uses prison as “rehabilitation” but never questions if there should be new legislation to deal with this crisis, nor offers any message about access to psychological treatment.
And sure, a few episodes are pure fantasy.
With that said, let’s move on to the episodes that made me rise by eyebrows: A teen influencer accuses her male teacher of sexual harassment that leads to his death. Spoiler, she lied.
This my first red flag.
Teach You A Lesson ot once takes this girl’s accusation seriously and offhandedly writes it off as a bully acting out. Using THIS particular issue to make a point about “teachers right to protect themselves against kids” is wild.
Students at dozens of schools across the country have taken to social media and other public forums to speak out about sexual abuse by teach
This episode could have been a good opportunity to explore the complicated relationship between teachers and students in a hyper-mediated environment. How both are left to become victims due to lack of government legislation or the naturalisation of a culture of online shaming, doxxing and harassment.
This report/article alone could have been enough for a solid episode if Teach You A Lesson really wanted to lean into a more realist approach. But this is not that kind of kdrama and you should be aware of that when watching it.
There’s also a direct or underhanded commentary, depending on the story, about kids hierarchy according to social status and economic circumstances. As well as “broken families” being an excuse to dwell into crime, even when we see some of these rich kids are probably the worst of all.
There’s a lot of talking about violence when it comes to this kdrama but I don’t see anyone saying anything about corporal punishment becoming an issue in South Korea only in the 2000s. And it was only by 2021 that all corporal punishment of children was banned under South Korean law.
This means that, until 5 years ago, physical punishment was widely accepted in families, schools, the military and the justice system. And it’s likely still very much a thing today (when people are not looking… or not).
Just giving context for those following the discourse of Teach You A Lesson.
Now, the most WTF moment of them all (for me): a governmental office illegally holding in prison four juvenile delinquents (shaved heads and all), refusing their parents habeas corpus, and exposing them to hardened criminals for bullying and dealing drugs is perhaps a right winger’s wet dream.
The fact this comes in the coattails of Shinsegae Group’s Starbucks Tank Day campaign leaves me speechless. This episode is truly tone deaf or outright propaganda.
Teach You A Lesson’s production team had no way to know this “controversy” would happen weeks before the release of the kdrama. But it does give pause, to say the least, they everyone involved in this kdrama thought that practices usually seen during dictatorships or extreme right wing regimes was a proper resolution to the issue of juvenile delinquency.
Character are criminals or victims. There’s no middle ground.
I said at the beginning this kdrama belongs to a particular genre of kdrama but, unlike those, Teach You A Lesson seems to want to deliver a message about the education system. That’s why I think it’s a missed opportunity to point out the need for legislation and educational reforms.
OPINION | The Perfect Crown “controversy” explained
Disclaimer: I am not korean, just an art curator with a deep appreciation for Asian cultures that it’s working on a masters about it. So all my opinions are my own based on my knowledge and experiences.
The controversy around the kdrama Perfect Crown became much bigger than a normal “historical accuracy” debate. It turned into a flashpoint for anxieties about Korean identity, nationalism, China-Korea historical tensions, public broadcasting, and South Korea’s increasingly polarized political climate.
The biggest backlash came from Episode 11, especially a coronation scene involving the character played by Byeon Woo-seok. Critics argued that the kdrama used symbols historically associated with Korea being subordinate to imperial China rather than sovereign itself.
On paper, this sounds niche or academic. In South Korea, however, these topics are emotionally charged because of long-running disputes over korean historical sovereignty, chinese claims over aspects of Korean culture, the “Northeast Project” controversies and online nationalism between Korean and Chinese netizens.
So even though the drama was fictional and set in an alternate constitutional monarchy, many viewers interpreted the imagery symbolically rather than fictionally.
Why did this become political? The controversy exploded because it landed in an already tense national atmosphere.
South Korean politics in the 2020s has become intensely divided between conservative/nationalist camps and progressive/liberal camps. Cultural issues increasingly become political identity battles, and historical representation is especially sensitive because both sides often use patriotism, anti-China sentiment, national pride, “protecting Korean culture” as political language.
The backlash intensified after reports that the drama received funding support from KOCCA (Korea Creative Content Agency). That shifted the discussion from fandom criticism into government accountability, cultural policy, nationalism and media responsibility.
A lot of the loudest criticism appears to have come from conservative or nationalist spaces, framing the issue as: disrespecting Korean sovereignty, weakening national identity, being overly influenced by China and evidence that cultural elites are detached from patriotism.
This overlaps with broader conservative distrust toward entertainment/media industries.
Was IU targeted because of her progressive image?
IU has long had a complicated relationship with Korean political culture because she is often perceived as leaning socially progressive.
This perception comes from her public donations, feminist readings of some songs, support for marginalized groups, association with more liberal cultural circles and previous online attacks from anti-feminist communities.
Did Byeon Woo Seok receive the same criticism?
Not to the same extent. Byeon Woo-seok was heavily criticised but IU absorbed more scrutiny overall.
This is because IU is much more culturally symbolic as one of Korea’s biggest celebrities, a top musician, a long-established public figure and someone people project values onto. That means controversies around her often become morality debates.
Byeon Woo Seok, while very famous after Lovely Runner, is still primarily seen as an actor/idol heartthrob rather than a symbolic public figure. His persona is perceived more apolitical and, as a result, criticism toward him stayed more narrowly tied to the drama itself.
Reality is female celebrities receive harsher ideological scrutiny and, more often than not, a disproportionately intense backlash online compared to male counterparts.
IU has dealt with this dynamic before.
So even when both leads apologized, online discourse often focused more emotionally and personally on her.
The Perfect Crown controversy reveals several things about modern South Korea: kdramas are no longer viewed as purely entertainment, particularly in this new hallyu wave we are seeing. Some sections of society seem to be tying them to national branding, soft power and political identity.
And in related news to this: you should know that industry insiders, specialising in social media monitoring, are studying whatever the Perfect Crown “controversy” was an organised and professional hate campaign, and not entirely a public based outrage.
This comes after the Seoul Central District Court sentenced a man to a 4-month prison term (suspended 1 yr) + probation and 80 hrs community service for online harassing IU back in 2022. EDAM, her agency, took legal actions back at the time and the man was fined but he appealed and it backfired spectacularly.
The Scarecrow proves to be a really well made noir murder mystery with the performances, from the entire cast, being its strongest point.
I can’t say this is a kdrama anyone can watch as it’s deeply frustrating and infuriating. Especially when you know it’s based on real events.
Unlike the famous Bong Joon-ho film, this kdrama flips the story and delivers a first hand account on what the victims of this case went through at the hands of the police and prosecution. Even decades after the events.
There’s no justice in this story, even when the truth comes out. The pain lives on as a open wound, festering, leaving those who had to go through this terrible experience changed forever. The good are broken down by guilt and the weight of responsibility, the bad get away with murder for too long.
Still, the final scene let us know there’s hope for healing. The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off.
Retired criminal profiler Park Hae Soo must work with prosecutor Lee Hee Joon to investigate a serial killer in The Scarecrow – but are they
also. dare i say my royal nemesis is a great absolutely fantastic example of how to write a strong female lead AND a strong male lead who each stand on their own. they both at first glance are rude, arrogant, "evil". but they actually have legit arcs and reasons to be? and even when he falls for her, he still remains the same way to everyone else cause he is who he is? AND that is why he fell for her because he knows she's the exact same way as him? and we understand fully why she won't jump into his feelings because of the burdens she has? and it is all actual burdens not goofy excuses, like she's from the PAST and was USED by her parents and rose as a concubine only to get betrayed by the king and got poisoned to literal death!
yes the couple pairing is fantastic amazing chemistry, but segye and seori/danshim on their own are phenomenal characters that i am not even upset when the couple aren't together on my screen cause their individual plots are that good.
thee wrist kiss™ causing this much of a mass psych ward escapee situation amongst every aspect of viewers (korean, international, probably some aliens in space), is proof that the girls just yearn for subtle, timeless displays of affection that kdramas romances used to deliver consistently but have reduced in recent years. yes, a kiss scene and a bed scene are fun whatever but a WRIST KISS? a hand wrapped around the back of your head in a hug? that is what gets us to lose our collective shit. that is the undoing of us all.
OPINION | The Perfect Crown “controversy” explained
Disclaimer: I am not korean, just an art curator with a deep appreciation for Asian cultures that it’s working on a masters about it. So all my opinions are my own based on my knowledge and experiences.
The controversy around the kdrama Perfect Crown became much bigger than a normal “historical accuracy” debate. It turned into a flashpoint for anxieties about Korean identity, nationalism, China-Korea historical tensions, public broadcasting, and South Korea’s increasingly polarized political climate.
The biggest backlash came from Episode 11, especially a coronation scene involving the character played by Byeon Woo-seok. Critics argued that the kdrama used symbols historically associated with Korea being subordinate to imperial China rather than sovereign itself.
On paper, this sounds niche or academic. In South Korea, however, these topics are emotionally charged because of long-running disputes over korean historical sovereignty, chinese claims over aspects of Korean culture, the “Northeast Project” controversies and online nationalism between Korean and Chinese netizens.
So even though the drama was fictional and set in an alternate constitutional monarchy, many viewers interpreted the imagery symbolically rather than fictionally.
Why did this become political? The controversy exploded because it landed in an already tense national atmosphere.
South Korean politics in the 2020s has become intensely divided between conservative/nationalist camps and progressive/liberal camps. Cultural issues increasingly become political identity battles, and historical representation is especially sensitive because both sides often use patriotism, anti-China sentiment, national pride, “protecting Korean culture” as political language.
The backlash intensified after reports that the drama received funding support from KOCCA (Korea Creative Content Agency). That shifted the discussion from fandom criticism into government accountability, cultural policy, nationalism and media responsibility.
A lot of the loudest criticism appears to have come from conservative or nationalist spaces, framing the issue as: disrespecting Korean sovereignty, weakening national identity, being overly influenced by China and evidence that cultural elites are detached from patriotism.
This overlaps with broader conservative distrust toward entertainment/media industries.
Was IU targeted because of her progressive image?
IU has long had a complicated relationship with Korean political culture because she is often perceived as leaning socially progressive.
This perception comes from her public donations, feminist readings of some songs, support for marginalized groups, association with more liberal cultural circles and previous online attacks from anti-feminist communities.
Did Byeon Woo Seok receive the same criticism?
Not to the same extent. Byeon Woo-seok was heavily criticised but IU absorbed more scrutiny overall.
This is because IU is much more culturally symbolic as one of Korea’s biggest celebrities, a top musician, a long-established public figure and someone people project values onto. That means controversies around her often become morality debates.
Byeon Woo Seok, while very famous after Lovely Runner, is still primarily seen as an actor/idol heartthrob rather than a symbolic public figure. His persona is perceived more apolitical and, as a result, criticism toward him stayed more narrowly tied to the drama itself.
Reality is female celebrities receive harsher ideological scrutiny and, more often than not, a disproportionately intense backlash online compared to male counterparts.
IU has dealt with this dynamic before.
So even when both leads apologized, online discourse often focused more emotionally and personally on her.
The Perfect Crown controversy reveals several things about modern South Korea: kdramas are no longer viewed as purely entertainment, particularly in this new hallyu wave we are seeing. Some sections of society seem to be tying them to national branding, soft power and political identity.
House Of Guinness is an entertaining series but these people are not all that fascinating or original. I am left pondering why should I care about the personal inner turmoils of a family of millionaires trying to become richer when 19th-century Ireland is arguably more interesting than that.
