Don't watch this if you don't want to ruin all other historical dramas for yourself!

This is one of my favourite dramas ever. It's amazing. I think the only reason why some people drop it or are put off of it is because it's long. But, in my opinion, every episode is amazing. The acting is amazing, the characters are great, the plot twists keep you engaged and the ost is beautiful. The most amazing thing is the costumes, the outfits are so spectacular that it makes costumes in other historical dramas look tacky. I've watched this drama three times and every time I notice new details. I've never found another drama that's impressed me as much as this one.

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The ending ruined what could've been a masterpiece...

It's such a shame because every single episode of this drama was amazing and I loved it so much but the ending was so rushed, badly written and left so many plot holes and unanswered questions. I'm not upset because it was a bittersweet ending, Youth of May has a sad ending but that's one of my favourite dramas of all time. I'm sad because their break up at the end was so out of character. I get that the writers wanted it to be realistic but the whole drama they're portrayed to have this amazing connection but in the last episode they give up on it all and loose touch, we're not even told if they still remain friends. Its disappointing because the burning questions we have throughout the whole drama are never answered... T_T I don't think I could ever rewatch this drama which is such a shame! But aside from that awful ending the soundtrack in this drama, the friendship and the amazing fencing sences are top notch. My advice is to only watch to episode 15.

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A deep and meaningful kdrama with some morbid humor...

To start my review I have to say that I've never seen a drama so misrepresented by the cover picture. It makes you think it's going to be a lighthearted rom-com when really that's not at all what it is.

This drama is very unique in its style, it has comedy but it's very dark and ironic humor rather than slapstick. It has romance aswell but it's quite slow burn, which I think worked!

I really enjoyed how it focused on how trauma and guilt affects people. I would say that this was the main focus of the drama along with the mystery. The biggest complaint I see is that it is too slow, I think it did drag slightly in parts but overall I think the slow pace worked to set the scene and heighten the tension.

This drama's only flaw to me was the characters did do things that defied logic at times, It's not a huge thing since it's clear from the beginning these people aren't exactly normal. However, you will scream at the TV "What are you doing?!"

The acting was brilliant, Yeo Jin Goo never disappoints! And Moon Ga Young was amazing aswell~

The OST I loved, loved, loved! Usually I don't listen to kdrama soundtracks unless they're from a sageuk drama but I really loved this drama's album. The songs are very peaceful, my favourite being You I've Missed.

Overall a wonderful drama that I think people are criticising way too much!

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An extremely angsty romance with the tiniest speck of happiness...

I heard many people say this was like a historical Korean version of Romeo and Juliet, and that's true, but even though they both live at the end it feels a lot more depressing than Romeo and Juliet. So, if you're going to watch this I would definitely prepare yourself because it is actually sadder than dramas with a tragic ending if that makes sense. That being said, I liked the moodiness of the drama, but I think it could've been toned down a little bit because it just got annoying after a while.

I really enjoyed the beginning of the drama and the end but in the middle it really dragged as I was just watching the same push-and-pull scenes on repeat. It could have done with having four or five episodes cut.

I really liked the many characters in this drama, Moon Chae Won and Hong Soo Hyun were fabulous actresses! I do feel like Park Shi Hoo had the same dark expression through most of the drama though...

The OST for this drama is actually really, really good but they use the Destino at least ten times in every episode. It's a good soundtrack but oh my goodness is it overused! Literally, it's in every scene, it drove me crazy by the end.

Overall it's not a perfect drama but it's definitely worth a watch when you're in the mood for something dark, gloomy and depressing!

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I'm in immediate need of a season 2...

Eventhough MRIAD had many flaws I really enjoyed the show and so when I saw a 'companion' series was coming out with the same cast I was super excited. Surprisingly, it turns out that the two dramas were completely different in terms of mood and pacing. However I personally found that I enjoyed both about the same amount.

Checkmate most definitely had flaws, perhaps relying on the original Agatha Christie stories a bit too much and becoming a bit boring in parts. At first I found the characters dull compared to MRIAD but they eventually all grew on me and I like the subtle chemistry between them.

Zhou Mowan was possibly what made it good for me, I enjoyed her mysterious character and especially with the massive cliffhanger in the final episode I'm desperate to see what happens next between her and Situ. I hope that they actually make a second season and don't just leave it on a cliff hanger forever like they did with MRIAD.

Overall, its definitely not perfect but nonetheless I really enjoyed watching it and if they do release a second part I will definitely be tuning in to see what happens next.

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A wuxia that feels more like a historical-political drama.

I went into this drama expecting a classic wuxia, maybe something along the lines of Handsome Siblings, but that wasn't what I got. I felt like this drama was confused in it's ideas, (I haven't read the original novel so this is purely based on the show) almost like it was trying to be Legend of the Condor Heroes and Six Flying Dragons at the same time. I personally don't think it worked because politics is all based around logic so it was strange when they were discussing tactics and then all of a sudden a marital artist could take out 100 soldiers alone. And also the feud between the brothers wasn't very interesting, easily predictable and one of the brothers is completely forgotten by the end.

On the plus side though, Hei-Bei Fengxi have amazing chemistry and their slow burn romance makes the whole show worth watching. At the end of every episode I found myself wanting to watch another to see how they would work through problems together and how their relationship would grow. The world it's set in is so beautiful as well and the consumes are wonderfully designed. So despite some inconsistencies in the plot it is definitely worth a watch.

The ending is the biggest cause for debate I've seen, while I don't think it's a fantastic ending I definitely don't think it's as bad as people are making it out to be. His white hair is hilariously unnecessary but apart from that the show ends with the world being at peace, Hei-Bei Fengxi living happily together despite him only having ten years left to live, and all the evil exposed.

Overall a good watch but nothing exceptional. The romance is what makes it likeable so if you're not into that then you probably won't enjoy it.

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Mind-Destroyingly Good!

Love Like The Galaxy was a most unexpected treat for me because the first time I gave it a go I dropped it after two episodes but when I came back to it and watched it fully, I loved it so much I watched it twice in a row! LLTG is a slow-paced drama that focuses heavily on the characters, their flaws, their strengths and what makes them who they are. There are many characters who are all so expertly written they feel so real. Admittedly, it takes a few episodes to get into but once you're engaged it is so hooking.

The acting was just phenomenal, everyone was excellent. There are scenes where the characters interact without any words but you can just feel all their emotions through the screen. Unlike other c dramas LLTG focuses more on the score music-wise rather than proper songs, I thought this was really fitting and added to the immersion, making the world and the characters feel that much more real. Listening back to the ost brings back so many memories of all my favourite parts.

You would think 58 would be plenty but my only regret is that I think it should have been longer!

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Stared of strong but dropped off towards the end...

At first, the idea of seeing the stories of different patients and how team genie grants their last wish was really appealing. And the new stories every 1-2 episodes was a joy to watch. The drama really peaked with the episode about the musical and then the one about the dog. I think it's because those episodes were so good that the rest felt very bland in comparison.

Towards the end that 'new story every episode' formay was lost and it focused more on Gyeo Rae's dad, which is fine but it was very slow. Maybe this drama is another example of 'could've been 12 episodes'.

I also found that the FL and the ML's chemistry was really good to start with and then after they get together it suddenly dies and they don't really seem like a couple that much.

On the whole it's definitely worth a watch because it has very heartwarming storylines and excellent side characters that add so much to it. However, it's not perfect and might loose your attention in parts.

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A whiny, annoying drama with unlikable characters...

This drama has a good plot in theory but it wasn't executed well at all. The romance between the main characters was slow and so was the crime solving, so the overall pacing was snail pace which isn't always bad thing but in this case it was just boring.

The characters were the main let down of this drama, every single character was annoying apart from Yongsik, he was the saving grace. Dongbaek whined and cried and pitied herself so much that when a scene came along that should've made me sad I just rolled my eyes because she was crying AGAIN. Yongsik's mother was particularly annoying, she was so horrible throughout the drama and then just magically changed her opinion in the last couple of episodes!

The music was nothing special, just your typical k drama osts.

I think giving this a 6.5 is highly generous and purely because Yongsik's character was so refreshing.

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Surprisingly Satisfying... ?

I went into watching this drama having low expectations but I finished it feeling nicely satisfied.

It was nothing mind blowing and it wasn't a drama that will have a lasting impact on me. When I think about the best dramas I've watched this certainly won't come to my mind, HOWEVER as an easy watch to view between dramas that are more on the gritty side it's very good!

The thing that makes this drama the most is the side characters. The main couple are great don't get me wrong, but if it wasn't for the rest of the cast it would've been very dull. It was fun to see all the couples get together and for friendships to form.

I did enjoy Gong Tae Sung's character, it was enjoyable to have a ml with a personality more on the silly side. As a result the humor in the drama was actually funny.

Overall a good drama to watch when you don't want to concentrate too hard but nothing really extraordinary.

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A classic case of a poor ending...

The story starts off strong with an engaging plot that takes place in a modern and historical time line. That charm is quickly lost though as our female lead adapts to the modern environment too quickly and the story rapidly becomes cliche. That being said, the chemistry between the two leads is really strong, they definitely carry the story and make it worth a watch if you like a good love story. I also really like the score for this drama, especially in the last episode! But the last episode is a complete mess plot wise, it makes zero sense and even makes the fl a bit dislikable. It's a shame because this drama had the potential to be really good but falls a bit flat unfortunately.

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A unique K-drama with action, romance and tragedy!

Like most Kdramas I found that this one started strong but as always dropped off towards the end.

To sum it up, the positives are that it has deep, complex characters that are neither evil or good. This makes it really interesting. It also has amazing action scenes accompanied by epic music and nail-biting cliffhangers. Also the romance, although criticised, is very sweet. The acting, especially of the two MLs is extremely good.

The negatives; a lot of repetition, the drama could've been a good 5 episodes shorter. Whilst I understood why Mok Dan died, I think the last episode ended too ubruptly to really feel it. I also think Shunji's death was anticlimactic, they missed the opportunity to really add some drama to it in my opinion.

Overall it's definitely worth a watch, I just feel as if it was missing something to really to make it stand out in my mind as one of the best kdramas which is a shame since it definitely had the potential to!

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A lovely drama that hopefully will be completed by a season 2...

I really like the story of this drama, with different cases every episode it's entertaining and interesting eventhough at times it's not completely true to real life, but who watches kdrama for real life anyway? I would say a couple of episodes towards the end dragged slightly but nothing overwhelmingly slow.

After watching the last episode I think a season 2 would be a brilliant idea because I feel as if there are many scenes missing. Yong-Woo never got to see the wales in Jeju!

The biggest flaw in this drama is Min-Woo. I'm all for character development but that's just it, there was no development! He just suddenly changed for no reason... Hopefully in season 2 we might see more of his motives.

The acting is wonderful, Eun-Woo has excellent acting in her eyes! The cast really make the drama, I guarantee it wouldn't have been as popular without them!

The little jingle at the beginning is nice but I don't think any of the osts I'll be adding to my playlist. They're just like other kdrama osts, nothing particularly special.

Overall I really can't wait to see what they do with season 2! I hope it lives up to expectations and doesn't fall flat~ I would definitely recommend this drama to anyone!

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The best historical drama ever!

The story for this drama blew me away. It's not your typical romcom saguk nor is it serious and depressing like Six Flying Dragons but it falls nicely in between the two. It takes you through every emotion imaginable. I've seen some people complain about the number of episodes, but in my opinion I think it would not have been as good had it been shorter, but that's coming from a lover of c drama.

The acting is amazing, I would say that there wasn't one person I thought was mediocre.
The music is what brings the drama together and makes the scenes so spectacular! I love the whole album, especially Spring in Ikhwari.

I'm already desperate to watch it again even though I've just finished it!

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An epic historical drama based on real history...

As a lover of gritty saguk dramas, this fully lived up to my expectations and even exceeded them. This drama was a very intelligent blend of real historical events/characters and fictional ones. The real life characters bring the reality to the drama and the fictional ones breath life and excitement into it.

The acting in this drama is on another level, it's brilliant. The actors I enjoyed in particular were Yoo Ah In who played every aspect of Bang won's adult life superbly and Park Hyuk Kwon who played two separate characters but pulled off both of their distinct personalities.

The ost for this drama is breath-taking, the songs match the melancholy atmosphere of the entire drama and lift the already dramatic or emotional scenes to new heights.

One thing that needs to be mentioned is the sword fight scenes, out of all of the k drama's I've seen, this one has by far the best choreographed sword fights! Really, the only downside of this drama is that it can be quite confusing at times, mainly because of the overwhelming number of characters. Nevertheless, it's worth getting invested in. Since it's a 50 episode drama there's so much more I could say but really you should just give it a watch and see if it is your thing! I will say though, don't expect a light, happy, romantic drama because it's very far from that...

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