Review: Memories of Alhambra (warning: spoiler)

Whew, long time since I even written here?

And a first for a Korean Drama, at that. But this one, really deserves it.


First things first - the genre of this drama series is : Fantasy, Melodrama and Romance. (but well, almost every drama has romance so honestly I'm not looking at it as much as compared to the other two.)

I was sceptical about this drama because I knew from glimpses through social media that it has something to do with gaming. This made me feel as if I'm going to watch something bad tbh, because not many... productions can really impress when it comes to featuring virtual reality, especially one intermixed with actual reality (it's called augment reality?) but even after having said that - I'm no expert on this but I did feel as I said : the fear of being let down by crude production.

But so many people have watched it and loved it. The only virtual reality game series that I have ever like even tried was Sword Art Online and its following series, so again, my judgement isn't the best when it comes to any virtual reality game series, when I only have one reference (even if I really enjoyed said reference). But these people were much more thorough than I was - and they have enjoyed it immensely.

So surprise surprise, I got into it - and by the first episode (which was an hour episode - as per usual, when it comes to Korean Dramas, like really- I think they should at least consider shortening it to 45 minutes, just for the sake of my attention span!), I was completely impressed.

I mean, everything seemed so flawless and well-made! Good job modern editing, software and technology! I like how all the weapons, NPCs, and basically even the game interface//appearance//software//basically what I mean is what it looked like through the player's eyes (???) was so appealing - like I totally can imagine playing this game (and dying really quickly haha) without feeling any discordance (holding the weapons for example).

So again, totally swept of my feet over that aspect.

Next, I would have to talk about the fantasy aspect? This game started at Granada, Spain (in the series), where it looks like some little town than you can conjure up in a fantasy story filled with dragons and etc. It even has its own palace and dungeons. Visually, I loved it.. Even the graphics in this series is coloured in a way that catches your eye to be honest - everything about Granada feels unreal. (Beautiful bright colours does that I guess?)

The game was made to be in a fantasy genre too - players level up to get more weapons, buy more weapons, get gold, and do quests. The fun part about all of it is I guess - it's done everywhere in that town (and soon Seoul). From making a cafe to become a user's mingling site, to making every alleyway a site to be attacked by local warriors. But warning : no mythical animals - sad :(

In this series - players are meant to run here and there (safety problems here tbh but it's a series so) and fight with unseen warriors (in the POV of people who are not using the game lenses) everywhere that is covered by the game server.

Okay so enough about the game I guess? Yeah I am rambling way too much about the game *haha*.

But moving on to the melodrama aspect of this series.

It definitely nailed it.

I mean, it is literally heart-wrenching in every episode.

They didn't give me a break!

Every episode was filled with some kind of suffering I had to endure - be it the mental suffering of a character, a character's reputation being squandered by the media, or a terrible quarrel between characters, or well, you know, deaths (lots of them). I should've known there would be deaths when they literally warned me with 'violence' at the side (I used netflix) whenever I watched the series.

The plot wasn't slow. But it burns. They have several time skips (two I think), which speeds it up a bit.

It started with a simple businessman going to Granada to buy the said game from the boy developer, to him setting out on a mission to find that boy developer that went missing in the game. Why did this even happen? Well to put it simply - there was an error in the game, and from the start - finding the boy developer seemed like the best route to solving the problem - make sense right?

As you can guess - the whole series is about this said plot - and the hardship comes in forms of the people surround the said businessman who believed he has gone mad. I mean, would you believe him if he said that the game was the one that killed the rival company CEO  (which he was suspected of murdering)? No, of course not. Plus, the mass media did not make it easier when the protagonist is also a high-profile figure.

The thing about this main character that I loved and hated was, he is so clear on what is happening around him. He knew what people were thinking and still did what he thought was best despite a shortcut to making everyone believed what he was saying. But because of the dangers it imposed - he never took it. The protagonist was adamant at solving the whole problem on his own, even if it meant making his friends thought he was crazy, worrying them, confusing them, and of course, causing total heartbreak - and this is all mainly because they wouldn't believe him even if he tried to explain (which he did, and yes - they did not believe him).

The man was a whole kind of species I wish was real. That calm with dealing with his surrounding peer pressure - was not exactly the most commonest quality we see around ourselves everyday - it made me really look up to him.

No one believed him (sans his secretary - who only believed him after seeing with his own very eyes, by accident, and also his love interest).

By the eyes of the media and his colleagues, he was literally either a drunk, druggie or a mad man that is obsessed with the game. Basically - a lost cause.

But he ignored all of it because he had a goal.

A goal that could potentially save his company, bring back his love interest's brother (developer), and hopefully make the game a safe haven again.

The whole series, was literally one problem thrown at the protagonist, after another. From an ex-wife that only wanted his money, to his father figure trying to murder him (using the game) by the end of the series.

Honestly, his name was basically branded with the title murderer, probably even after it was all cleared up at the end. Even if he came back (after disappearing in the game as well), socially - he would be an outcast. After all, the murder cases weren't solved, just put away.

The melodrama, was realistic (to me at least). Like every worst situation in this series that technically could happen, happened. Not one was left out. So many turns were made, and funnily enough - not one plot-twist.

For example, you'd think he would survive that fall from the sixth floor without any scratches, but no he is forever crippled. You'd think people would try and believe him - but again, none of that - it's all tough love over here. You'd think he wouldn't be mentally traumatised after the incident - nope again, he was (I had to suffer through episodes of him being completely vulnerable and weak and so so exposed, when he was literally this guy who looked so unbothered by anything at all! It was torture). You'd think that his father figure was actually kind to him, but no again - the two-faced bastard tried to kill him with the game employed at that. I mean, that was sort of expected, but you'd really hope it wouldn't get that far with the suffering the guy had to endure. Sigh.

Any miracle that happened had an explanation (except one or two - which is how did the boy developer and protagonist survived in the instant dungeon? Can they move around in that thing? Don't they get hungry? After all they're in that thing for a year.)

So yeah, I am actually tired now but the last aspect is romance. All I can say is that romance-wise, its literally in the forms of crumbs, meaning - there is not much development when it comes to this aspect and if you're here to watch yummy romance, you're in the wrong series.

Like - the romance between the protagonist and love interest, was not the main focus. At all. Which I honestly don't mind.

It wasn't that important? I mean, yeah it's a part of the story - but the whole story could still happen without this romance aspect being laid out. Like if the girl wasn't in love with the guy, she could still be helping him because she wants to find her brother! Also, it was mentioned a few times that she was a kind soul - so again, her helping would be there without the romantic influence- she could literally be just watching out for him for the sake of knowing him, or maybe the fact that she felt in debt for buying the hostel.

Well, this point is debatable, but as it goes - she is in love with the guy, and the guy fell for her kindness and then her. So there we go!

It's pretty cliche to be honest - like, of course in the end, she waits for him. Not that I blame her, it's really in her nature.

But...

I sort of wanted her to move on and be on dates. Because well, if he returned - well, the conflicts that come out of that would be interesting, I guess? Depending on how it is well thought out.

Anyway - I wanna say that there would be a second season - there still might be! And I would watch it to see the game development and also how everything goes forward from there? Would the guy take over again as CEO? Will the couple actually work out? (I mean, it's not that they knew each other that well. Again, they had crumbs of interactions, that was sweet, but not something substantial to be a full blown relationship yet). Will the little brother get his bearings? There is also the question of the protagonist disappearance and why he actually chose to be in the instant dungeons? But other than that, this story is pretty much all over. The plot is basically answered in the end and even if the second season never came out - I'm satisfied as it is.

So overall rate : 8/10
(I still loved it very much! I sort of prefer series that doesn't focus on romance, and more on to the plot and conflicts.)

They really could put some more romance factor in, but it would honestly deviate from the man's mission. I mean, unless they put the lady in the mission as well ya know? Make them an actual team from the beginning in the game, I guess? I mean if they really wanna make it a romance series, but I'm sort of glad it isn't. I loved the protagonist's qualities shown in this story without any impedance.

Also, I liked to just state that I also loved the loyalty and care shown by the secretary that followed through his boss' orders and stayed by his side, despite whatever anyone was saying. I mean, he could have resigned, instead of being by the side of a lunatic that sees his old rival all the time. So yeah, he has my heart. Loved him. It's so sad he died! Like I swear the bond he had with his boss, was more satisfying as well as wholesome than the romance of the protagonist and the love interest. There, I said it.

That's all from me!

Love,
A. Ilyana.


( Also, these are all just my opinion on the series! I am aware that some people feel differently, but again, opinions! It's okay if you don't feel the same :3 Much much love )

Ps. The Mamonde advertisements are getting to me - I shall research the prices for their lippies.