I just binge-watched all 16 episodes of “The Glory” and lawdahmussy, what a journey! What a THRILLING experience!
I have had a rather uninspiring 2023 with K-dramas lately, so it was soooo good to feel so enraptured by this show!
I liked Song Hye-Kyo as Dong-Eun a lot. Yes, her facial expressions are far and few, but I’d like to believe this was intentional. Lee Do-Hyun as Yeo-Jeong does not disappoint.
It’s too bad that the Show insisted on
a) pretending that Yeo-Jeong was the same age as Dong-Eun (what’s wrong with just having his character be younger, same as irl?? I cringed every time Do-Eun called him Sunbae)
b) that clinically dry passionless kiss in the last hour (couldn’t they have just kept him pinning? Not that I want him to suffer but… Dong-Eun and Yeo-Jeong just were not OTP for me.)
I liked the ending but I would also have been strangely satisfied with the Show ending tragically with that Rooftop scene. Our Puppy-&-DollFace Creepy Duo is toxic AF but that’s ok too. They never claimed to be good people, so kudos to them.
The High School actresses Jung Ji-So and SShin Ye-Eun were REALLY good! I also enjoyed actress Yum Hye-Ran as Mrs Kang, and the Bully Crew was well casted too.
I developed a crush on Jung Sung-Il as Daddy Mr. Ha Do-Yeong. When he delivered that beatdown to Jae-Jun, I screeeeaaaaamed and rewatched it multiple times! It reminded me of an African proverb: “Ce n’est pas parce que l’escargot n’a pas de dents qu’on le met dans son pantalon. ». This man was classy and steady and stoic and hot and badass and respectful and… yup. Me likes him a lot.
Last but not least: a standing ovation to actress Lim Ji-Hyeon as Ji-Yeon; that was a BRILLIANT performance. The only other show I watched with her in it was her 1st, “High Society”; she (and Park Hyung-Sik) stole every scene there. Bravo!
Thank you, dear Show, for bringing me back to K-Dramas.
Ohhh! I’m on episode 11 of my 1st watch and it is addictive so I’m binging my way through as quickly as possible. I put off seeing this due to the violence, but the reviews and ratings are consistently high. I wanted something different after completing 2 rom-coms (Park’s Marriage Contract, The Matchmakers). The show gives me “Parasite” vibes.
I REALLY like the 50 minute format. I don’t really care for 12 episode shows where each episode is 75-85 minutes long. I thought the color-blindness was a unique feature of the show.
Binged until completion–wow! This isn’t my favorite genre (revenge) but once I plowed through the violence, the writing was tight, well-done and addictive! SPOILERS AHEAD:
-I was worried that Yeo-Jeong was involved with So-Hee, possibly as the father of her baby. Thankfully, the show did NOT go in that direction! I never felt comfortable that he was 100% there for Dong-Eun, even though his actions proved otherwise.
-I really liked the arc with Dong-Eun saving her landlady.
-The monastery stay was unnecessary filler, but it served to “cleanse” and “clarify” the love relationship between leads.
-I would really have like to have seen Yeo-Jeong get his revenge on 3724 even if it was Jung Moon-Sung (the “gentle” surgeon from Hospital Playlist) actually delivering the final blows, especially since we had to see that awkward moment when Jae-Jun put toxic drops in his eyes, then fall into the cement.
-In part one, I had trouble distinguishing 3724 from Do-Yeong…they kinda looked alike and those initial scenes were so fast.
-Back to part one, I thought Jung Ji-So did a great job playing young Dong-Eun. I remembered her from “Curtain Call.” The casting was believable, but she appeared older than the others cast as teens even though the were all about the same age.
SPOILERS OVER.
I agree that the age differences were annoying not only with the leads, but with the main characters in general. It seems very common in Kdrama-land to have age differences that appear unlikely withing the context of the show, but are used for star-power, “pretty” couples or other reasons. It seems that the female leads are on average 3-5 years older (6 years “The Story of Park’s Marriage Contract”). Another drama I found the 8-year age difference bothersome was in “Forecasting Love & Weather” with Park Min-Young and Song Kang.
congratulations on completing the drama, happy that you liked it too and thank you so much for kindly sharing your views with meeeeee !! 🙂
I’m a big fan of noona romances. I don’t mind age gaps at all. I am 100% loving the older female lead – younger male lead. What DID bother me is how uncomfortable the Show was with it. SHK’s character calling LDH’s character “Sunbae” is absolutely ridiculous. hahahaha! Why not just acknowledge he’s younger and get over it??
To each their own, though. Not as much of a fan of the older actors with super young actresses, though, even though it happens more often than either of us take time to notice. Cheers to patriarchy and double standards!
What show are you watching next?
I’m adding “My Name” to my watchlist.
Yes, Lim Ji-Hyeon was outstanding. I always expect the best from Song Hye-Kyo, but Ji-Hyeon matched her excellence in scene after scene. LJH’s performance was what I remember the most about watching this show.
KSKalways
January 19, 2024 at 10:26 AM
I just binge-watched all 16 episodes of “The Glory” and lawdahmussy, what a journey! What a THRILLING experience!
I have had a rather uninspiring 2023 with K-dramas lately, so it was soooo good to feel so enraptured by this show!
I liked Song Hye-Kyo as Dong-Eun a lot. Yes, her facial expressions are far and few, but I’d like to believe this was intentional. Lee Do-Hyun as Yeo-Jeong does not disappoint.
It’s too bad that the Show insisted on
a) pretending that Yeo-Jeong was the same age as Dong-Eun (what’s wrong with just having his character be younger, same as irl?? I cringed every time Do-Eun called him Sunbae)
b) that clinically dry passionless kiss in the last hour (couldn’t they have just kept him pinning? Not that I want him to suffer but… Dong-Eun and Yeo-Jeong just were not OTP for me.)
I liked the ending but I would also have been strangely satisfied with the Show ending tragically with that Rooftop scene. Our Puppy-&-DollFace Creepy Duo is toxic AF but that’s ok too. They never claimed to be good people, so kudos to them.
The High School actresses Jung Ji-So and SShin Ye-Eun were REALLY good! I also enjoyed actress Yum Hye-Ran as Mrs Kang, and the Bully Crew was well casted too.
I developed a crush on Jung Sung-Il as Daddy Mr. Ha Do-Yeong. When he delivered that beatdown to Jae-Jun, I screeeeaaaaamed and rewatched it multiple times! It reminded me of an African proverb: “Ce n’est pas parce que l’escargot n’a pas de dents qu’on le met dans son pantalon. ». This man was classy and steady and stoic and hot and badass and respectful and… yup. Me likes him a lot.
Last but not least: a standing ovation to actress Lim Ji-Hyeon as Ji-Yeon; that was a BRILLIANT performance. The only other show I watched with her in it was her 1st, “High Society”; she (and Park Hyung-Sik) stole every scene there. Bravo!
Thank you, dear Show, for bringing me back to K-Dramas.
(My last post was July 2022… wow…)
Qingdao: likes scented candles
January 19, 2024 at 12:03 PM
Ohhh! I’m on episode 11 of my 1st watch and it is addictive so I’m binging my way through as quickly as possible. I put off seeing this due to the violence, but the reviews and ratings are consistently high. I wanted something different after completing 2 rom-coms (Park’s Marriage Contract, The Matchmakers). The show gives me “Parasite” vibes.
I REALLY like the 50 minute format. I don’t really care for 12 episode shows where each episode is 75-85 minutes long. I thought the color-blindness was a unique feature of the show.
KSKalways
January 19, 2024 at 1:09 PM
ooh! yes! the 50-min format! I was also pleasantly surprised!
Happy watching, @qingdao !
Let me know what your final thoughts are, when you’re done!
Qingdao: likes scented candles
January 19, 2024 at 7:42 PM
Binged until completion–wow! This isn’t my favorite genre (revenge) but once I plowed through the violence, the writing was tight, well-done and addictive! SPOILERS AHEAD:
-I was worried that Yeo-Jeong was involved with So-Hee, possibly as the father of her baby. Thankfully, the show did NOT go in that direction! I never felt comfortable that he was 100% there for Dong-Eun, even though his actions proved otherwise.
-I really liked the arc with Dong-Eun saving her landlady.
-The monastery stay was unnecessary filler, but it served to “cleanse” and “clarify” the love relationship between leads.
-I would really have like to have seen Yeo-Jeong get his revenge on 3724 even if it was Jung Moon-Sung (the “gentle” surgeon from Hospital Playlist) actually delivering the final blows, especially since we had to see that awkward moment when Jae-Jun put toxic drops in his eyes, then fall into the cement.
-In part one, I had trouble distinguishing 3724 from Do-Yeong…they kinda looked alike and those initial scenes were so fast.
-Back to part one, I thought Jung Ji-So did a great job playing young Dong-Eun. I remembered her from “Curtain Call.” The casting was believable, but she appeared older than the others cast as teens even though the were all about the same age.
SPOILERS OVER.
I agree that the age differences were annoying not only with the leads, but with the main characters in general. It seems very common in Kdrama-land to have age differences that appear unlikely withing the context of the show, but are used for star-power, “pretty” couples or other reasons. It seems that the female leads are on average 3-5 years older (6 years “The Story of Park’s Marriage Contract”). Another drama I found the 8-year age difference bothersome was in “Forecasting Love & Weather” with Park Min-Young and Song Kang.
KSKalways
January 20, 2024 at 2:44 PM
congratulations on completing the drama, happy that you liked it too and thank you so much for kindly sharing your views with meeeeee !! 🙂
I’m a big fan of noona romances. I don’t mind age gaps at all. I am 100% loving the older female lead – younger male lead. What DID bother me is how uncomfortable the Show was with it. SHK’s character calling LDH’s character “Sunbae” is absolutely ridiculous. hahahaha! Why not just acknowledge he’s younger and get over it??
To each their own, though. Not as much of a fan of the older actors with super young actresses, though, even though it happens more often than either of us take time to notice. Cheers to patriarchy and double standards!
What show are you watching next?
I’m adding “My Name” to my watchlist.
cozybooks
January 19, 2024 at 10:03 PM
Welcome back!
KSKalways
January 20, 2024 at 2:45 PM
thank you!
* blush *
cozybooks
January 19, 2024 at 10:03 PM
Welcome back!
🌸 Seeker 🌸
January 20, 2024 at 2:34 AM
What a show to bring you back to k-dramas. Welcome back! 🤗 Hope you will find many more dramas that you enjoy this year.
KSKalways
January 20, 2024 at 2:46 PM
aawww, thank you! you’re sweet!
Happy K-Drama watching to you too! hahaha!
🌸 Seeker 🌸
January 20, 2024 at 6:59 PM
🫰
Ghost of Tim (eccentric observations from a male perspective)
January 20, 2024 at 6:41 AM
Yes, Lim Ji-Hyeon was outstanding. I always expect the best from Song Hye-Kyo, but Ji-Hyeon matched her excellence in scene after scene. LJH’s performance was what I remember the most about watching this show.
KSKalways
January 20, 2024 at 2:47 PM
100% agree!
korfan
January 20, 2024 at 7:51 PM
Welcome back!
KSKalways
January 22, 2024 at 12:25 PM
kyyyyaaa! Thank you!