In Salem, Massachusetts, one of the most infamous events in American history took place: the Salem witch trials of 1692. During this time, several individuals were accused and convicted of practicing witchcraft. While most people are familiar with the human witches of Salem, there is a lesser-known tale of a cow witch that also captured the attention of the townspeople. The story of the Cow Witch of Salem revolves around a local cow named Daisy, who was believed to possess supernatural powers. According to the townspeople, Daisy had the ability to make the milk she produced turn sour and cause illness in those who consumed it. This led to widespread fear and superstition among the community.
Kdrama witch
The Good Witch
좋은 마녀
SBS (2018) 40 Episodes
Melodrama, Romance, Grade: B
Korean Drama Review by Jill, USA
I watched this Korean drama for certain cast members I loved in other dramas, but honestly I was disappointed in The Good Witch (2018) for the most part. First of all the title was stupid. Lead female actress Lee Da Hae ( Chuno) plays twins, one good-hearted, and the other selfish and ambitious, so if the writer was going to concentrate mostly on a good character (and she did) it should have been called The Good Sister instead . the good sister was never once remotely a "witch". The only spiritual power she had was not supernatural, based on magic or sorcery, but simply being a person motivated by goodness who has an inordinate amount of love and compassion for others, even people who are sick or twisted in nature. One can see the writing on the wall early on that she is going to be taken advantage of by a lot of people.
Second, at 40 episodes this series stretched out waaaaaay too long. It could have covered the same basic plot points in twenty episodes or less. I guess from the actors' standpoint that gives them more money so they aren't about to complain to production staff and say, "you know, we're dragging this story out, it COULD be shortened." :)
Third, I'm getting tired of seeing one of my favorite actors Bae Soo Bin ( Shining Inheritance, 49 Days) playing second male leads, often playing twisted characters negatively controlled by past mistakes or greed. Here he played the good sister's husband and he really was a weak character negatively influenced by his family members (mostly his domineering mother) to the point where it risked his marriage on numerous occasions. Bae Soo Bin has the acting chops and the looks to be first male lead characters but he rarely gets the chance to do so. Plus in this drama they gave him a very poor hairstyle and makeup (probably on purpose) and it was actually painful many times for me to even look at him! Bad mistake on the part of production staff. I think they did it so he wouldn't look more attractive than the lead male character (actor Ryu Soo Young, Rebirth: Next).
Lee Da Ha e did a great job playing twin sisters
with opposite personalities
The Story:
Two young teen twin sisters see their cop father die early due to a poor on the job decision, and they and their mother are kicked out of their home and have to seriously downgrade their already compromised living standards. (I kept wondering since he died on duty why wasn't there a pension to his wife / family? Stupid!). In reaction to his loss and financial stress one sister decides to overcome evil with good, and the other one plans her escape through personal ambition, no matter what it takes or who she might hurt.
Cha Sun Hee the good sister (Lee Da Hae) becomes a housewife when proposed to by a clown named Bong Cheon Dae (Bae Soo Bin - yes you read that right - a professional clown!). Her husband is often unemployed because he's essentially a silly over-emotional loser, so she has to take odd jobs when she can to help support her family. They have a bright young daughter named Bong Cho Rong (Lee Han Seo) who easily sees the lay of the land on the true nature of her parents, and she often has to point out reality to her own mother.
Cha Sun Hee's twin sister, Cha Do Hee (Lee Da Hae in a dual role), leaves home early and sets her ambitions on becoming a great flight attendant for the aerospace company run by her elders Oh Pyeong Pan (Lee Deok Hwa) the owner of the firm, and the female manager Oh Tae Ri (Yoon Se Ah, Just Between Lovers), who takes an instant shine to her during her interview process for the job. Do Hee does an outstanding job and is often voted the best flight attendant in the company. However she has a rather contentious relationship with the chief pilot in the company who is always winning awards for being the best on his job, Song Woo Jin (Ryu Soo Young).
Although they are identical twins, the sisters have completely opposite personalities. Cha Do Hee (the ambitious sister) becomes involved in a situation which leads to Cha Sun Hee (the good sister) to pretend to be her flight attendant sister, so they have to switch roles. While pretending to be her sister she starts to fall in love with pilot Woo Jin, although fighting her feelings because of her marriage. He starts to feel close to her for the first time, not realizing it's a different person than the flight attendant he didn't get along with before.
Drama Review: The Good Witch
A story about twins where both have completely different personalities. One is a house wife with a good heart and the other is a flight attendant who tends to be very mean and selfish. One day the 'mean' twin falls into a coma and the house wife takes on a double life. The kind-hearted twin meets a co-pilot and falls in love with him however she fights her feelings for him as she is currently married to an unemployed man and shares a daughter with him. Their love story unfolds while she also discovers the dark secrets to her sister's life.
The twins are played by famous actress, Lee Da Hae whilst the pilot is played by Ryu Soo Young. The 40 episode drama felt a bit too long and dragged out but it had it's reasons for unfolding the corruption, blackmails and fighting for justice in a workplace. The story also had to reveal the truth of the twins who have switched roles. Overall, I found this drama nicely played out although some loopholes were unexplained such as how the twins had a father who was a cop. He passed away and so the twins and their mother were kicked out of home and lived with struggles. I was thinking if the father died whilst on duty, isn't there some sort of special care for the family as a compensation? Hmmm. but I guess that's what built the twin's characters of one wanting to fight the evil with good and the other being very ambitious to be recognised.
Source Can you tell who is who from their clothing?
I found the nasty woman who is of management level very annoying in this drama. Everything was screaming and wiping things off tables with her. Of course, when everyone goes against her, watching her fume was the best feeling :)
If you're in for a story with a fair bit of drama, comedy and a happy ending, this one is one I'd recommend to you. Also recommended for people who want to know a bit more about the life of a flight attendant or pilot.
- Movie URL: https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/77287?language=en-US
- Critic: AAA
5 лет назад в #aaa от wanderwithtwo ( 62 )
Kdrama witch
Mirror of the Witch is a fantasy romance sageuk about the Joseon royal physician, Heo Jun, known as the father of Eastern medicine who becomes involved with a cursed princess who has been turned into a witch. The two work together as they try to break the curse and save the kingdom.
Mirror of the Witch is like a dark fairy tale that I found to be different from many other kdramas I have seen. While there are moments of humor scattered throughout, the overall feel is dark and moody.
The story sets up with the current queen unable to conceive a royal heir. A shamaness is brought in who uses dark magic to get the Queen pregnant with twins, a boy and a girl. But this dark magic results in the princess becoming cursed and having to be hid away from the world.
Yoon Shi Yoon plays Heo Jun. I really enjoyed the wide range of emotions he was able to bring to the drama. We do get to see moments of his signature playfulness, but he really delivers the needed emotion to bring the character of Jun to life.
Jun has a tough life in many ways and getting involved with the princess only makes things more complicated. But his feelings continually build for her as he becomes her protector. He has to deal with a lot of heartbreak, but when it comes to being with her, he would sacrifice anything.
Kim Sae Ron is our cursed princess Yeon Hee. Kim Sae Ron is such a talented girl and was able to portray Yeon Hee’s sweet and innocent side as well as her more strong and take charge one. She completely fit the part of our lovely princess that had so much coming against her.
Many people were worried about the real life age gap between the two actors, but I didn’t find that it affected anything. Yoon Shi Yoon looks so youthful that the age gap didn’t seem that large. And the two were quite adorable as a couple with a very nice rapport.
Both actors were very convincing in their feelings for each other. It was always kept very pure, but it had a maturity to it. I really loved watching their love blossom. As Yeon Hee just longs to break the curse and be normal, Jun is the one who loves her no matter what she looks like or is cable of.
These two had some really intense moments in their long fight for survival. Their longing gazes say so much, and the heartbreak they have to deal with is written on their faces. They were my favorite part of the drama, and I really enjoyed their fairy tale like love story.
Hong Joo (Yum Jung Ah) is the lead shamaness whose use of dark magic sets everything in motion. She is ruthless and powerful and will stop at nothing to accomplish what she wants.
Her power is so far reaching that she is basically able to make almost everyone into her puppet at some point. You can’t let your guard down for a second when it comes to this woman.
Choi Hyun Soo (Lee Sung Jae) makes it his mission to protect Joseon and the cursed princess as he works to find a way to break the curse. But because of a complicated history with Hong Joo, their rivalry is never a simple matter.
Yo Gwang (Lee Yi Kyung) is part of Hyun Soo’s team of good guys and helps protect Yeon Hee. He puts everything on the line to protect her and break the curse.
Poong Yeon (Kwak Shi Yang) is Hyun Soo’s son who develops feelings for Yeon Hee while she is hidden away. It creates problems since she really only sees him as a brother. Kwak Shi Yang certainly brought some intensity to this character as Poong Yeon has many demons to overcome.
There are a number of talented supporting characters who heavily influence events in Mirror of the Witch. Queen Shim (Jang Hee Jin) becomes a willing participant in Hong Joo’s plan since she is desperate to conceive a child.
King Seon Jo (Lee Ji Hoon) finds himself as one of Hong Joo’s puppets as she holds a tight grip over him. I found him to be a very intense character, and many times it was hard to predict just what he was going to do.
Heo Ok (Jo Dal Hwan) is Heo Jun’s half brother who cause him much heartache in the first part of the drama. He looks down on Jun for being born from a slave. Saying their relationship is strained would be an understatement.
And as Poong Yeon’s right hand, Sol Gae (Moon Ga young) is always by his side in his quest to protect Yeon Hee. She is dedicated to him and has to deal with her own growing feelings.
The main negative I had with Mirror of the Witch was that it felt pretty slow overall and got quite draggy in the latter third. Many times it just lacked an intensity that I felt should be there. Rather than focusing on Hong Joo and her repetitively casting spells so much, I wish the drama would have spent more time on Jun and Yeon Hee since they were so captivating when on screen.
But Mirror of the Witch sets up a very interesting and solid mythology that runs throughout the entire drama, and I really enjoyed the many fantasy elements. All of the supporting cast also really brought their individual characters to life with solid performances.
And of course, Yoon Shi Yoon and Kim Sae Ron nailed their roles and both gave moving performances. Their love story was also sweet and beautiful like a fairy tale. These things all made Mirror of the Witch a mostly enjoyable watch that was a nice departure from what else is out there.
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This led to widespread fear and superstition among the community. As word of Daisy's alleged powers spread, a group of townspeople decided to take action. They accused the cow of being a witch and demanded that it be put on trial.
The trial, known as the "Cow Witch Trial," became a spectacle in Salem, drawing large crowds and media attention. During the trial, witnesses came forward to testify against the cow, claiming that it had caused them harm or brought bad luck upon them. Others argued that the accusations were absurd and that a cow could not possibly be a witch. Nevertheless, the court decided to proceed with the trial. In the end, Daisy was found guilty of witchcraft and sentenced to death. The townspeople believed that by executing the Cow Witch of Salem, they would rid themselves of its alleged curse. Daisy was led to a field outside of town, where she was burned at the stake. The story of the Cow Witch of Salem has become a footnote in the larger narrative of the Salem witch trials. While it may seem humorous or absurd in retrospect, it reflects the mass hysteria and paranoia that gripped the community during this dark period in history. It also serves as a reminder of how fear and superstition can contribute to unjust accusations and scapegoating. As we look back on the events of the Salem witch trials, it is important to remember the lessons they teach us about the dangers of unchecked hysteria and the importance of justice. The Cow Witch of Salem, although a lesser-known figure, serves as a symbol of the irrationality that can pervade a society in times of fear and uncertainty..
Reviews for "Salem's Cow Witch: Myth or Legend?"
1. Emily - 2 stars:
I was really excited to read "Cow witch salem ma" as the concept seemed unique and interesting. However, I was quite disappointed with the execution of the story. The plot felt disjointed and unclear, and the characters were one-dimensional and lacked depth. Additionally, I found the writing style to be awkward and stilted, making it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story. Overall, "Cow witch salem ma" didn't live up to my expectations and I wouldn't recommend it.
2. Michael - 1 star:
"Cow witch salem ma" was a confusing and tedious read. The storyline was convoluted and lacked coherence, making it difficult to follow what was happening. The characters were poorly developed and their motives were unclear. The writing style was also quite lackluster, with frequent grammatical errors and awkward sentence structures. I struggled to connect with the narrative and ultimately found the book to be a frustrating and unsatisfying read.
3. Samantha - 2 stars:
I had high hopes for "Cow witch salem ma" but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The pacing of the story was incredibly slow, and it felt like nothing of substance was happening for the majority of the book. The dialogue was also quite weak and unconvincing, making it difficult to connect with the characters. While the concept was intriguing, the execution left a lot to be desired. Overall, I found "Cow witch salem ma" to be a disappointing and forgettable read.