Completed Dramas / Movies [2025]

Heartwarming, liberating, and positive, yet equally heartbreaking and sad. This family will be missed.

It was an engaging one-time watch showcasing different ways one controls others in a relationship, how the victim isn’t always the righteous one, and the twisted ways in which we love.
All in all, decent psychological movie that should have been made into a drama instead of a movie that would actually allow for the story to be fleshed out better.

Great first half, melodramatic second half that just kept dragging on with bad plot twists. 

+1 for the chemistry / tension between the leads.

Vibrant, original, and fun. This one deserves so much love. Season 2, when?

Though it left a lot more to be desired, I really liked this film.

Just WHY was this made, and what was I thinking when I decided to complete this?!

Completed: 20 January 2025

Engaging,and well-acted, but predictable. A decent one-time watch.

Completed: 21 January 2025

I went in with low expectations given the length and bad reviews, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this show from start to finish. While there were tropes in the second half that could have been avoided or done better, the unpredictable way in which the characters reacted made this stand out. All the way to the end, each character remained grounded, consistent, and likeable. It's very rare for a 40 episode drama with so many characters to not have a single character that was evil or annoying, and to maintain a decent pace that emphasizes character development. It's not the best drama out there but it was an entertaining one-time watch filled with tons of family bonding, friendship, love, support, laughter, and heart.
Time well spent :)

Completed: 27 January 2025

A dark, creepy and provocative yet flawed character study dealing with identity, appearance, personality; which one influences / determines the other?
It' s not without its flaws, but that doesn't take away from its greatness, especially for its time. A must watch for Hiroshi's masterful direction full of powerful frames that told a story of their own complemented by a thought-provoking script (great quotes), and a cast that delivered.

Completed: 28 January 2025

"The trouble is I love you so..."
This one's going to go down as a timeless classic for the ages, for having one of the most satisfying love stories ever, with a fiesty FL who knew the worth of her man and herself and never hesitated to fight for him, and an upright ML who knew how to be a gentleman, to care, and to love others despite his deep-rooted loneliness and trauma. Their story was filled with just the right amount of angst, yearning, depth and intimacy all the way till the end. Yaya and Tor not only had chemistry that was off the charts, but gave the most beautiful performances as our leads. It's not a flawless drama by any means, but it was a perfect 10 in the romance, cinematography, and costume department.
Highly highly recommended for all. Thailand can clearly make dramas that rise above the loud, toxic lakorns when they want to, and I hope they will continue to do so.

Completed: 30 January 2025

Completed: 31 January 2025

Completed: 31 January 2025

Completed: 1 February 2025

Rom-coms can be very generic, relying largely on couple chemistry to push mediocre stories or cliched tropes forward. On paper, this was a simple done-to-death story, but the execution and writing of our central characters (the leads, the FL's family, the second leads) is what made this such a breath of fresh air. I am not exaggerating when I say this, but this has to be one of the most well-written romcoms I have seen in years. It's messages on the importance of mental health and well-being, communicating and supporting each other, and being honest to yourself came through and through all the way till the end. There is nothing and absolutely nothing I would change about this drama. I loved every single arc the story took, and would love to be a part of this world.
A big THANK YOU to the entire cast and crew for making this gem that made me roll in my bed and squeal countless times, made me ugly cry with the characters, and made me feel a little more loved and accepted. Thailand, please make more dramas like this. It's very rare for me to give dramas a 10, and that too for a romcom. This is one of the very few.

Completed: 3 February 2025

Like most commentators said, this was pretty cute and brainless. I really liked the story, but it just wasn't fleshed out enough given the short length. I didn't particularly like the actress playing the FL either. I'll definitely watch it if they come up with a 2nd season.

Completed: 6 February 2025

Warm and fluffy, especially both the romances, but a little too easy, predictable, and 'perfect'. The leads were textbook perfect characters and could have been much more layered, and real. The second leads balanced it better and came across as more real. As with a lot of Kdramas, I couldn't be bothered about the workplace politics and issues which were rather formulaic and not fleshed out well.
Having said that, I did enjoy this. Once in a while, it's nice to watch a fantasy like this and dream of your own fairytale.

Completed: 16 February 2025

Bingeable drama with pleasant leads, and a romance you can't help but root for amidst some meddling family members, and annoying second leads. I enjoyed this and would recommend it for those who love the older romance dramas from the early 2000s; this one definitely had that vibe.
Also contrary to popular opinion, I liked the twist on the happy ending; unconventional and bold.

Completed: 24 February 2025

Films have shoved this idea of romance as being one of the must-haves in one's life so much so that its hard for people to digest the idea of a person wanting to be alone, aroace or not, and I love that this film pointed out how we all deserve to live our lives the way we want. An aroace person isn't anyone different; they are human just like all of us. Some prefer apples, some prefer oranges and some don't even like fruit. It's the same with the way we identify ourselves. All of us have different orientations and preferences which ought to be respected. People should stop trying to box others into a category or scrutinize others for not conforming to the norm. Live and let live.

It was not a flawless film by any means but a very honest and sincere attempt at depicting human differences and fragility, and for that it should be commended.

Completed: 24 February 2025

This one's a gem in that it teaches values and lessons on what it takes to nurture a marriage. I would have given this a higher score if not for the last few episodes where the issue shifted to the FL's status which became a reason for conflict, underplaying the original conflict (of the way she had to bear the existence of the 2FL throughout the marriage) which was never quite addressed. 

Completed: 1 March 2025

To evoke such strong feelings of wanting to live in the 1930s and experience what these characters did.. oh how is it possible, that too with a lakorn?!
A rare lakorn with zero toxicity, sane and logical characters, a well-rounded story with a romance that gave me butterflies.. what more can I ask for?
Absolutely loved every single about this from the casting / acting, to the OST, to the direction and production.

Completed: 26  February 2025

I guess I've finally outgrown the shoujo manga genre that my comment is gonna be such a mood kill for those who loved this movie but can you imagine the outrage if the genders were reversed?

Completed: 4 March 2025

I don't know how I feel about this drama..

On the one hand, it was very realistic with the DV scenes, and depicting the complex emotions all the characters felt and were struggling with. I empathized with each one of them, despite the show not giving us a full picture of each of their backstories. Credit goes to the writing and acting here. On the other hand, it was also melodramatic and unrealistic in parts with the carelessness / frivolousness of the characters in the way they did not contact the police or met Sousuke countless times knowing damn well that he's abusive.. You don't walk into the lion's den and expect to come out unscathed. Another confusion comes from the title; I wonder why this was titled 'Last Friends' because this was clearly a story of different forms of love all these characters were untangled in, rather than friendship per se. The theme song 'Prisoner of Love' couldn't be any more apt.

Prima facie, it checked all the boxes for an excellent drama, and yet it wasn't all that great. Of course it wasn't bad either. I don't know if I would recommend this, but a note - this is not for the faint hearted. It contains physical abuse and rape, which isn't one-off.

Completed: 5 March 2025

An extremely frustrating lakorn. I did not like a single thing about it.

Completed: 6 March 2025

And the point of this story was?
People who meet through a dating app are wrong?! Also, they tried to sell it off as a love story in the last episode but where was the love LOL? The leads did nothing but sleep together and they had zero chemistry together. The FL was so unlikeable. She refused to communicate and constantly engaged in risky behaviour. She wanted a FWB relationship but acted annoyed and betrayed when the ML did not appear loyal. The ML was way too needy and expected the FL to reply to his messages immediately after sleeping with her once. The ex was abusive and way too obsessed, and FL, as usual, instead of walking away from men like these, walked straight into the lion's den.
All I will say is that this was a major time waste with messy writing.
This would have done better if they sold it as a crime documentary LOL because it appeared to be one for the first 3 episodes. 

Completed: 8 March 2025

A light-hearted and fun detective drama led by the charming and dynamic detective-assistant duo of Suzuka Ouji and Matsumoto Honoka. filled with interesting cases, tons of character growth, and introspection into reasons why people lie, and the lines that lie between truths and lies. Their chemistry and support for each other made this such a pleasant and heartwarming journey, and I could definitely do with more seasons of watching them solve cases, and grow old together.

Completed: 8 March 2025

It wasn't bad per se, but I was a little disappointed because I was hoping to see more of Taiga/ Mio and their bantering.. 

Completed: 8 March 2025

First off, I have to admit that I would have loved this if I watched it back in 2013 when I was less critical as a viewer. This drama was revolutionary for its time, and had a great blend of action, romance and sci-fi which was thriling in parts and rare for an Asian drama. Unfortunately, this remains true even today.
But since I am watching it with today's lenses, I can't help but be critical.
After watching and loving over a dozen of Kimura Takuya's dramas, I finally found one drama of his that was subpar. The premise, effects, and action sequences were ambitious, but there were elements that were not fleshed out well enough for an average viewer to understand, repetitiveness, and a lack of concise direction to the plot. Despite that, I just couldn't drop it because I was intrigued by the unpredictability of what would happen next, and how it would end. As with most J dramas, there was a humane-ness to the story that moved me, and there were some interesting characters that kept me engaged.
This would have been a stronger drama if it had lesser episodes, and more compact writing and direction. I can't help but feel Kimura Takuya and Shibasaki Kou were wasted in this though they were the best part of the drama.

Completed: 9 March 2025

This didn't have the overdose of loud / evil characters that a lot of lakorns have, and yet I did not like it. I am surprised I managed to finish this because (1) this had no plot and the characters  were pretty bland, (2) the FL's secret (her relationship with her father) was dragged until the end of E11 for no reason, and (3) Mew's disappointing portrayal of the FL. Part of the blame probably goes to the director because I've seen Mew in other dramas where she was fine. The director clearly didn't understand how to portray her being shy. As a result all the way until E13, the FL looked skittish and romantically disinterested whenever the ML came close to her, which made me feel like the ML was trying to force himself on her (even though he did no such thing). I don't even understand when she fell in love with him LOL. Also, she cried at the drop of a hot, which annoyed me to no end. It's a pity because other than these 2 traits, she wasn't an unlikeable character.
Among the few dramas I've seen starring Nadech, this is probably the best he's ever looked and acted on screen. His screen presence, charm and character really carried this mediocre drama all the way to the end. I feel more inclined to check out his other works after this.

Completed: 10 March 2025

Older dramas from any country hit different and this was no exception. I loved the first 11 episodes but after the 12th episode, this really dragged and went no where. What a disappointment! Too many misunderstandings with both leads hating on each other for hanging out with others when they were both doing the same thing, The biggest gripe, though, was the fact that the leads had zero character development. The FL strung the 2ML along instead of rejecting him especially after he confessed his love to her and would have continued to do so if he did not step back. That destroyed her character, and made her unlikeable. I wish she displayed the same assertiveness that she did when fighting with the ML as in other situations when people were looking down on her, or in making her feelings clear with both the ML and 2ML. The ML never realised his mistakes of how his behaviour towards her (the bullying) made her prejudiced and determined to hate him, and how he treated her disrespectly. Not a single sorry. In fact, in the last scene he gets her to agree to marriage by forcibly kissing her. SIGHHHHH.
Janie was decent, but Ken, as always, brought his A game to this that allowed me to stick through it. I would have loved to recommend but the last few episodes really destroyed what could have been a gem.

Completed: 11 March 2025

The first 3-4 episodes were so loud and messy that I expected this to be a batshit lakorn with a love hexagon. But the tonal shift in the episodes thereafter thoroughly surprised me, and made this an enjoyable watch. I loved the fiesty FL and her refusal to take shit from anyone. The ML was likeable too; he made me melt with his smile and the way he hugged her. Bright / Kao's chemistry was top notch. The leads bickered a lot but I adored how it was balanced with constant communication, especially with the way they addressed their growing feelings and growing sexual tension at various points. Very very rare for a lakorn. The second leads were adorable and uncomplicated. There were some annoying characters like Aik and his wife, which could have been written better, but I like that they popped up only once in a while and were bearable enough. The crime / mystery element was decent but I didn't care much for it.
All in all, a very enjoyable and watchable lakorn. I'd definitely recommend this!

Completed: 15 March 2025

It's so rare to find romcoms that truly make you laugh these days, and this was such a refreshing change. It wasn't without its minor flaws but boy did I enjoy this hilarious, leave-your-brains-at-home story with bickering leads, positive characters, and a lot of heart.
Namfah has found a fan in me for sure. She absolutely killed it as Lamdao and Faidam.
Old-school romcom lovers - this one's for you! 

Completed: 17 March 2025

Both the leads and second leads were positive, likeable characters with a sense of duty. There was no real love triangle or negative characters (only 1 villain at the archaeological site which was not connected to the romance at all). Both the male leads and female leads were friends, and supported each other at the cost of their own heartbreak (can you believe this is possible in a lakorn?!)
I don't understand people who say the ML was indecisive because he wasn't. He took his time to discover his feelings and once he did, he was clear and let the FL and his brothers know. Rather, it was the FL who ran away out of her own misplaced sense of justice and wanting to be a martyr. And being the gentleman he was, he accepted her decision.
The second leads were adorable and I enjoyed watching the 2ML's confusion over his feelings for her (while she was dressed as a man) and the 2FL's growing feelings for him which she was too shy to express. But once she was sure, she did not shy away from her feelings and stood firm just like him.
The brothers were also a nice addition, with the way they supported one another both in mischief, and hard times. I wish the other stories gave the brothers as much screen time as this one did.
All in all, a very positive and endearing lakorn, with very little angst, which is quite rare. I would definitely recommend this!

Completed: 19 March 2025

Ridiculous clickbait-y premise, a hard-to-please FL with a fantastic reproductive system, an overbearing yet sweet ML who everyone loved to attack with slaps, gunshots and knives, tons of slap/kiss scenes (literally), bitchy, greedy and toxic side characters with no purpose other than making others lives hell, two adorable twin kids, and a happy ending with a football team in the making.. this one has it all.
You're either gonna hate it, or devour it as "golden trash" like another user described.
Go figure.
I fall in the former by the way. 

Completed: 21 March 2025

I am not one to cry easily but this made me tear up.. it touched that little corner of my heart which yearns to love, and be loved.
Some pacing issues aside, this was a very heartfelt and sincere coming-of-age film about a young guy's journey into realising the value of what he has, and what he lost. The lush greenery and beautiful score added to the beauty of this movie.
James and Toey pleasantly surprised me with their understated performances and chemistry given that this was an early work for both of them.
Time well spent :)

Completed: 25 March 2025

Thank goodness, it was just 12 mins.
I couldn't make head or tail of this short film.. I guess I'm dumb. 

Completed: 26 March 2025

A much milder, compact and nicer version / leads and yet, my least favourite because it lacked the intensity, humour and pull the Taiwanese original, and the Korean remake had (to some extent). In one word, this was BLAND. I think people who have not seen the other two might be able to enjoy this. 

Completed: 26 March 2025

This should have been titled 'All the Psychos around Boss and Me' instead.  Holistically, this was not it. There were too many villains and psychos trying to either harm or separate the leads all the way till the end, unlike the easygoing original with sweet characters. The ML is probably the only character I unbashedly loved. The FL went from lovable to annoying in the last stretch.
All that negativity aside, I actually enjoyed the leads' romance and scenes in this much much more than the original C-version. I wonder if the comparison is even valid though because the essence of the leads' relationship in both dramas was pretty different, other than the initial premise and some key events.
I disliked how the FL in the original had zero confidence and never communicated. The FL had more spunk and personality here. She was so much more outspoken after Episode 8/9. The ML's psyche and coldness was fleshed out better and he was so much more expressive when they began dating (as opposed to the original). I love how he always encouraged her and made her feel that she was great the way she is (something the original didn't have). They also had tons of romantic scenes, and I could really feel the emotional connection and love between them.. they did so much more than just eating and had coupley scenes sprinked throughout their relationship like the FL tickling the ML, them dancing together, her expressing her jealousy, both of them communicating about little things, cheering and validating each other  etc. Push / Aom surprised me with their effortless and cute chemistry. I don't think I'd recommend this unless you just want to watch the couple's scenes and not bother about the rest.

Completed: 30 March 2025

I enjoyed this drama in parts (it was relatable and fun), but I did not like it as a whole.
Prima facie, the message about holding on to each other through the good and bad is not wrong because relationships aren't always a bed of roses.
Having said that, a relationship should not feel like a chore that you feel compelled to finish. The leads definitely cared for each other (and maybe there was love too) but by the end of it, I just felt that they remained together to uphold the sanctity of marriage and stay in the comfort zone (which is bogus) rather than because they were interested in each other and needed each other. It felt like a balanced essay on marriage where the writer listed out the pros and cons, and then decided that since it has both, one can just stay neutral and sit on the fence. That would at least give the essay a passing mark.
Also, where was the character development? He never grew to become an adult who made his own decisions (rather than have his mum/wife dictate), and she never grew to show him more empathy and understanding.
Dramas on the theme of marriage need to understand this - just because the leads had temptation around them and they did not tip the line by cheating, it does not mean that all is sweet and nice. The mark of a good marriage isn't that you managed to avoid temptation, rather it is about cultivating that committment and value to work through life together. 

Completed: 30 March 2025

There was nothing strikingly unplesant about this lakorn.. There was barely any scheming villains, or extreme bullying / violence or anything loud that you would expect. And yet, this had little substance.
All the characters were very one-dimensional, and there was very little that really happened in this. The leads were complex but nothing was fleshed about them or what they went through being part of the restrictive household.. I finished this lakorn not knowing anything about their likes / dislikes other than the general characteristics which I learnt about them in Episodes 1-2 (which by the way were the strongest episodes).
Andrew / Bua had such beautiful chemistry.. too bad the show never quite utilized it. 

Completed: 31 March 2025

If there is one thing that no country can even come close to competing with lakorns about, it would be screaming women beating each other up (and this had plenty; basically anytime the nightclub women were on screen). They are absolutely unmatchable and unhinged in this aspect. That aside, this was far better than the remake. It had a much more understated, heartfelt and simple vibe, despite the misunderstandings, which was well complemented by Tik/Aom's effortless chemistry and charm. 

Completed: 1 April 2025

Completed: 10 April 2025

Unfortunately, there were a few problematic elements being a gross misrepresentation of counselling and lack of substance to the leads' backstory that took away from what was potentially a heartwarming and sweet story. Okada Yoshikazu has written so many amazing dramas that I expected more from this. Japan needs to stop teaming up with Netflix because they keep churning out subpar content which is doing a disservice to the brilliance of J-dramas.

Completed: 11 November 2025

This drama broke me because I saw myself in Le Le. Her love and devotion for her father to the point that there is no room for other relationships in her life, her loneliness, her traumas, her father's growing illness, her pain, her humour, her resilience - I have lived through all that. No matter how hard we try to be positive and do our best, life has its way of tiring us and making us feel lonely.

I can't even bring myself to write an objective review on this because this wasn't just a drama. This was personal. Beautifully written, directed, acted, and scored all around, with Hsieh Ying Xuan giving a performance of a lifetime as Le Le.  I do wish other characters were fleshed out better but I guess this was meant to be Le Le's journey through and through. 

Highly recommend this for people looking to watch something of substance that doesn't sugarcoat or romanticise life. This is as real as it gets.

Completed: 13 November 2025

Cliched, but heartfelt story of two teenagers falling in love while one grapples illness, and the other pretends to. Unlike some of the bad ones I've seen recently from this genre, this one focused on building a connection between our two leads (who had lovely chemistry) rather than emphasizing the illness.  Give it a try if you're looking for something light yet heartwarming :)

Completed: 13 November 2025

It's not the cliches that bothered me (i mean every romcom has it), rather it was how superficial and bland it was. I couldn't care less for either of the MLs or the FL for that matter.

Completed: 13 November 2025

THANK YOU for that ending scene and part 2 preview. It changed the game.

The acting and chemistry was top notch in sucking me into the leads' love story and journey. However, they creative team did this drama a disservice by (1) marketing it as a thriller when it was a romantic melodrama in part 1, and (2) revealing such a huge chunk of the backstory which has killed a fair bit of the intrigue / suspense around the ML's character and the motivation behind his murders. Thankfully some major questions raised in the pilot and finale (strongest 2 episodes of the drama) have been left unanswered, leaving me with excitement for the 2nd part.

Having said that, its probably too early for me to rate or define this drama as good / bad purely on the basis of part 1 because the preview for part 2 looks really dark and intense, which is quite the contrast to what part 1 was. The real challenge is how the writer intends to take the story forward in part 2 now that most of the cards have been revealed. Looking forward to part 2. Looks like some plot twists are in store. 

Part 1 completed: 14 November 2025

Re-watched this after 2 decades (thanks to Netflix) and it's is still an A1 drama. Wacky in every way and as with most J dramas from this genre, full of so much heart. I laughed along with them and felt emotional when they thanked Chiaki in the finale. Dramas like these fill me with nostalgia for a time lost that will never return again.. the world was so much simpler, vibrant and beautiful back then.
These characters will always live in my heart. Thank you for the memories. 

Completed: 16 November 2025

Not as wacky and fun as the original due to lesser characters from the original and an addition of new characters who were annoying. Love the progress Chiaki made but Nodame's arc was a let down.

Completed: 16 November 2025

I zoned out for almost 3/4 of the movie. If not for my love for the original drama and our leads, I doubt I would have completed this. Thank goodness our original cast returned in the last half an hour, adding vibrancy to this otherwise boring film.

Completed: 17 November 2025

What a fantastic conclusion to this franchise. Finally a well-made sequel to the drama. This had everything I wanted. Time well spent :)

Completed: 18 November 2025

It's hard to find a romantic movie these days that is actually charming and doesn't try too hard. This had both. Thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish.
Time well spent :)

Completed: 18 November 2025

The characters, the music, the vibe, the beach town... the breeziness, the simplicity, the friendships, the bromance, and the emotions it evoked; it can never be replicated. What a time it was to be alive. This drama will always be special. 

Completed: 21 November 2025

What a criminally underrated and unique drama with a fantastic story, full of depth, darkness, despair, and hope. A must watch for those who love superhero stories with substance.
Season 2, when? 

Completed: 21 November 2025

For a drama that received so many rave reviews and has such a high rating, I expected too much. The key elements a good revenge drama needs are (1) great acting, (2) good writing that fleshes out the psychology of the characters well, and (3) well-crafted and tight-scripted execution of the revenge with attention to detail (good screenplay, editing, and writing). I wanted to love this, but it fell flat on all 3 levels, with clumsy writing, too many plotholes, and Song Hye Kyo's bland acting in so many scenes. I have seen far better written and acted revenge dramas which remain underrated.

Completed: 22 November 2025

I thought Part 1 was average (still watchable though), but Part 2 dragged too much, failing on all 3 levels, with long-drawn monologues and character arcs amounting to nothing, abuse / violence shown for shock value and plotholes that became bigger.
All in all, an average drama that does not deserve the hype and ratings it got.

(more in review)

Completed: 22 November 2025

Solid story, solid actors, and pure entertainment. I haven't watched a movie that made me laugh from the beginning to the end in a long time.
Time well spent :)
Highly recommended for anyone looking to watch something that is thrilling and fun yet heartfelt.

Completed: 23 November 2025

Set in a quaint little seaside town with no villains or overtly antagonistic characters, it may appear feel-good and breezy (like the majority call it), but it was far from it. I'm probably in the minority who did not love this drama. There were so many problematic elements in the various relationships that were brushed aside and justified in the name of love. I have no issues with characters that are grey, flawed, complex or problematic. My issue is when characters' complexities are justified to make them appear ideal, when they are far from that. Not to mention, the surface level characterisations which really irked me. In the end, none of them felt real, even though it started with so much potential.

(more in review)

Completed: 24 November 2025

ML couldn't act to save his life and his character was even more insufferable. Throughout the entire drama, other than asserting his territory over the FL physically, not once did he show concern or love for her. His "romantic" lines were downright condescending and insulting to the FL. I never understood why the FL even fell for him because the ML never opened up to her, and neither did he ever say more than 2-3 lines in their scenes together. She was a doormat who lusted for him and worshipped him to the point that he simply needed to exist for her to be satisfied. They had chemistry, but I could never root for them beyond the first few episodes. The other characters weren't any better, and were bland to say the least.
I would have given this a high score if they marketed it as a 101 toxic relationship rather than a love story, because I never saw the love from either side.
All in all, this was a waste of my time and I don't recommend this. 

Completed: 27 November 2025

Despite its flawed premise and the cliches thrown in, this was surprisingly entertaining, decently-paced, and fun thanks to the leads. The other characters were rather one-dimensional, but what saved them was that they were bearable without being overtly antogonistic or annoying compared to dramas from this period. All in all, a decent one-time watch. It's sad that South Korea doesn't make romcoms like this anymore.

Completed: 29 November 2025

With such fantastic actors, you’d expect a decent movie at the least, but this was not it. I couldn’t make head or tail of what it wanted to be; Romance? Sci-fi? Human story? In trying to combine all these elements, there was barely any time spent on world-building and the end product was a messy, incoherent and pretentious story which I struggled to connect with.

This was such a fun movie! Time well spent :)

was neither a great film nor a bad film. There was a simplicity and quietness about it which was relatable and beautiful. However, all the central characters (the mum, the son and his daughter) were under-developed and their connection with each other beyond the blood ties wasn’t fleshed out well. I understood what they were going through but I never quite understood their journey and how they reached the character development that was intended for them. Nagano Mei looked pretty but this was not her best performance. There were various scenes where I felt like she was reading off a script; the sincerity she usually brings to her characters wasn’t here.
I wanted to like it but I struggled to connect with the characters and their journey.

Completed: 1 December 2025

Addictive hot mess, but a complete disservice to mental health. (more in review)

Completed: 4 December 2025

‘Learning to love’ - an apt title that sums up the drama. It’s been a while since a romance drama moved me, hit me with the feels, and had me rooting for the leads. It’s not a masterpiece or what I would classify as an A1 drama but what I loved about this and what I love about J dramas in general is that they’re never trying to tell the perfect story or have the most perfect development for their characters (as opposed to dramas from its other Asian counterparts). It’s not about what these characters ought to be ideally but really about who they are as humans, what they desire and how we can accept them as a society.
If you’re looking for a feel-good romcom or a romance drama with tons of skinship and cute scenes, this is not for you. This is for those who wish to watch a drama about two people connecting emotionally.

Completed:  8 December 2025

Doing justice to either of these genres (sci-fi, slice-of-life, comedy) is a tough job on its own so imagine the feat Bakarhythm has achieved once again in creating a masterpiece that combined all these genres so seamlessly. This man keeps hitting it out of the park with his ability to turn simple, everyday banter and mundane life stories of ordinary people into comedic gold that is smart, witty yet heartwarming. I am not exaggerating when I say this - screenwriters all over the world could learn a thing or two about writing, casting and direction from Bakarhythm.

Highly highly recommend this wonderful gem for all, as with pretty much all his works.

Completed: 9 December 2025

A little too perfect and ‘neat’ but a pleasant, uncomplicated and easy watch nonetheless

Completed: 13 December 2025

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