Pinoy Ares

WHY???

Season one left a big TinCan cliffhanger, so on paper, it did make sense to push for a second season even without Saint. We were also led to believe that this is a season for the second couple who gained a lot of following.

But then this mess happened: Ae and Pete's, and Techno and Keng's story continued, but Tin and Can's story was rebooted, and we as viewers are just supposed to accept that.

At first i was willing to give it a chance, after all, thats more screentime for Mean and Plan. But then what they delivered was 6 episodes of TinCan rehash which was so poorly executed and rushed to cover all their important events from the first season. Unfortunately, the chemistry just wasnt the same anymore.

Whats worse was that the episodes after their supposed breakup and makeup, upto the finale, didnt improve things.

Ae's story, and the constant crying and/or sulking was so annoying that you cant help but fast forward his scenes. Techno's stupidity and the pretend hard-to-get with Keng is also tiring. Tum, Tar, Pond, Bow and Keen were also all useless. None of the stories made sense and didnt contribute to the overall cohesion of the series.

What they could have done is to just continued with TinCan's story line and focused on developing their characters.

What was a good season 1 suddenly transformed into a season 2 that felt like a high school film project. It felt like there was a contractual obligation and expectation to deliver a 2nd season that the makers didnt care whether its good or bad. Then at the end, they had the audacity to put a cliffhanger, i think in the hopes of producing a 3rd season. Please i beg the producers not to, and just let this story rest.

If you have seen season 1 and not seen this yet and you want closure of TinCan, just watch episode 1, then skip to episode 6 or 7. Play it in fast forward mode too, you dont need the lines. Giving this a 5.5 just because of MeanPlan. Im sorry Perth, i like you but this kinda diminished your star.

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Warning BL CLICKBAIT, played more like a Bromance

I was in total disbelief when i saw Tine crying before the end of the penultimate episode. WHY WOULD HE cry like that? Way to go from being Mr Chic to becoming a confused little sissy.

The problem is I see this a lot in Thai dramas - the one main lead gets jealous of the other main lead when he sees him kissing or hugging another guy (or girl). There will be no talking, just the couple breaking up. It is just lazy writing, cant they think of other ways to create drama for their series?

I blame the show's weakness on the story, the script and the directing. This one started out strong - 2 alpha males fake dating and falling inlove. Although Tine was a typical Thai BL character of a 'straight boy' loving a guy, I liked the fact that Sarawat was always a guy who likes a guy and never pretended to like a girl.

What happened in the later episodes were somewhat of a mess - after they became 2gether and lived in the same flat, the editing and jumping from one scene to next just happened way too fast in an attempt to give us more story from the source material. There was also lack of real conflict to further develop and create a mature story. There was also obviously a conscious effort not show a lot of couple emotions and activities. Its like watching 2 bros living together. What i think the series needed is 2 to 3 more episodes to better tell the story.

However, despite all the flaws, cliches and shortcomings, I still immensely enjoyed it.

First, the cast. Win and Bright - definite eye candies however may need a bit of acting workshop. I love Frank and Drake and i think they have relegated them to a very minor supporting role- i keep wishing they used them more, Mike and Toptap, Gun, and even the friends did a good job. Without The 4 main lead i would have dropped this series midway.

Second, the music - this is probably the Thai series with the best choice for music, i loved the opening and end songs, and i loved the songs they used within the show.

Would i rewatch it, i would initially say yes, but after careful considerations i think ill just move on to the extension series. If you are new to the BL genre, this may be a fun watch, just keep in mind that it is definitely not the best drama.

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CREEPY CREEPY ENDING

I couldn't emphasize enough how that ending is giving creepy sexual predator vibe.

This fantasy-scify has a very unique main story. A guy from the 90s is transported to the present after offending a local deity (or priest). The story revolves around his adjustment to the present time and his quest to get back to his own time, all while meeting his old and making new friends, and of course it wouldnt be a BL if theres no romance so finding the unexpected love of his life is a given.

The end. Or actually that should have ended it.

First of all, whoever thought that title Past-senger should be given a raise, because thats the only witty thing in this series. Title alone summarizes what Kiew is - a traveler from the past and the first few episodes has also successfully explored the concept of a time traveler adjusting to his life in the present. However things got boring so fast and the slow and repetitive pacing bored me with almost nothing significant happening in the middle episodes.

The whole series screams low-budget. The cinematography is giving an old tv soap opera vibes and combine that with poor makeup is a total disservice to the artists. Here we are bombarded with a lot of close up shots that exposed the actors in a bad way.

I also dont know if anyone noticed how grating the background sound is - that monotonous guitar strum will sometimes be exchanged with an equally annoying piano or musicbox melody that only highlights how much they spend on music. These background music were utilized so unfittingly that it gives me headache and muting the show became a necessity.

Seriously, can anyone raise theiir hand if you think literally tripping or falling over someone is romantic? I have never known any couple in real life with that experience and to see that happen in almost every other series out there is so infuriating.

I can forgive the script (i will blame it on the poor translation) and i think the actors did what they could with what they were given. There was a few story arc (and quite a few tropes) that i wished they didnt do and the young stars is in need of major acting workshop.

I, however, liked the fact that they almost respected the concept of the time travel paradoxes (as they did it much better than a certain series with 609 in it). There were a few lapses but they are bearable.

The biggest issue is when they added that ending scene, where the present day Kiew meets Bamee again. There is an air of almost predatory creepiness in it and i think they could have handled that a little better.

Finally, I should also call out producers in Thailand to please please give Cooper a good project. This guy deserves a big break and maybe a partner who will elevate him into a bonafide star.

This series, although not exactly A-class is admittedly a guilty pleasure watch every Wednesday night. Would i re-watch? Oh hell no! Unfortunately, no matter how much fun, well intended and lighthearted the series is, it is still hard to recommend.

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EYECANDIES

While i cant say anything bad about the 4 main cast, who may be some of the best looking cast in any BL show, the story and the execution is a bit lacking.

The plot is a typical Thai BL setting - boy hates (or pretends) to hate another boy only to fall in love in the end - whats worse is this time we got 2 of that (or 3 or 4 if you count the side characters). There is no real climax to the story except to make these guys fall inlove with each other - there was very little time for the characters to grow. Initially they were trying to tell the backstories of Zon and Tutor, only for all of that to not matter in the end. There was no antagonist and no real (or very little) conflict and the finale felt like it was really rushed - nothing really happened in the final episode, other than Saifzon's first time.

If they didnt try to be so serious in the beginning and just made it a completely light hearted romance drama, things would have been better.

Saint is always amazing but for me Zee stole the show. The way he cried when they broke up and the way he begged Tutor to take him back broke my heart too.

Thank god Tommy was cute enough that even if his character is so annoyingly written I cant still hate him. Jimmy is just charming and cute as hell. These 2 deserve a better series of their own.

Will i rewatch the series again - maybe, only for the EYECANDIES, and if i am locked down again at home for a long period of time. Otherwise not at all.

I do understand the pressure of finishing a show in the midst of the covid pandemic - we all know that the production was heavily affected by it. And because of their effort to not hang the fans in the middle of the show, im still giving the show a 7.

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Is SEO-JOON enough for you to watch a series?

Netflix aired this show WHERE i lived 2 episodes behind Korea - I went from looking forward to fresh episodes (even trying to find the latest episodes online) to completely forgeting there were new ones.

The series started out great, the first few episodes were standouts, the problem was it wasnt able to continue the momentum. It felt like the rest of the episodes dragged on that i was wishing the series would just end. It didnt feel like the show is reaching a climax and by the end i was bored.

Id only give this show an overall 7.5 just because of PSJ, he did, after all, acted his ass off in this drama. Yoo Jae Myung is amazing. I feel like Kim Da Mi is far too young for PSJ and to tell honestly, their chemistry a bit lacking. I love Lee Joo Young but why does a real woman play a transgender woman character??? Her beauty is distracting that i find it hard to believe she is a transgender.

Would i reccommend it - if you're a PSJ fan, yes. If not, you can skip it.

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BUT SERIOUSLY, WHAT IS WITH THAT ENDING???

Dont get me wrong. I loved the whole series. I even understand why they chose that path. It was titled Twenty Five Twenty One so naturally i expected the story to peak when they were at that age.

But come on!!! Why end it like that? For the better part of the whole series we are being teased to guess who will end up together in a mystery-solving setup - a la the Reply series. And then when it ended it wasnt even hinted who the father or the husband is. The kid is Kim Min Chae, after all so i kinda accepted early on that the father wasnt YiJin but to not answer it rendered the whole present timeline useless. They could have removed the present Hee Do and her daughter and it wont change a thing, because they literally said its not important.

The good:
1. I loved the fencing (sports) main theme.
2. Nam Joo Hyuk. Boy has improved so much, i may be inclined to think his handlers are doing everything to make him a multi awarded drama actor. It almost worked in Start Up, hopefully this is it.
3. Choi Hyun Wook. What a breath of fresh air. I loved him in RB, but he just shined here.
4. Kim Tae Ri and Bo Na as Hee Do and Yu Rim, respectively . Beautiful and capable. Let me get back to this later.
5. The coach, and the mother. I am inloved with Kim Hye Eun, makes me wanna see her past dramas.
6. I liked the fact that it wasnt a fairy tale ending.

The so-so.
1. Kim Tae Ri. She is amazing in this role, but I get it, readers will hate me for saying this. There were some flak for the portrayal of a college student to a high school student love affair, it wasnt May December, but it was enough to make people think that high school HeeDo is way too young for an adult Yi Jin and at moments the idea is kinda cringy. I guess the producers thought, well Tae Ri is older than Joo Hyuk in real life so it shouldnt be an issue. My question however is, will the producers think differently if an early 20-year old actress was playing HeeDo? Also, like i said she did great here, but is there no actress who is younger than Nam Joo Hyuk who can portray Hee Do's emotions?

2. The pacing and length of episodes. 16 episodes of almost 90 minutes each. Sometimes i feel like episodes are a little too long and the last 2 episodes in particular crammed too many issues a little too late. I guess thats how the format is for most asian drama - make the leads break up in the penultimate episode and then cram and jampack the finale to solve all the issues. But goodness i counted a few scenes that were a little too long that could have been used for some other things like how many times HeeDo and YiJin broke up and madeup. I guess they thought extending the drama and the crying scenes will make people cry. My short attention span went a little haywire.


The bad
1. The older Hee Do. The actress portraying the older Hee Do is beautiful and i love the subtle acting that connects both the past and present HeeDo. BUT, is she really needed. Did the story changed by adding her character? Again, the non-reveal of the husband made her character useless, and i felt like that was done to trick the viewers into keep guessing who the husband is going to be. Another thing, Hee Do's mother acted the older character. Why cant Tae Ri do the same?
2. Hee Do's daughter Kim Min Chae. By the name alone, we know she is not Back Yi Jin's daughter. But still, her presence teased us with the possibility of Hee Do and Yi Jin endgame. But alas they thought it wasnt important enough to be discussed. So why do we need the whiny kid.
3. Now back to the ending. The whole series was great overall, but my heart needs closure.

Would i reccommend? Definitely, just prepare to spend some time with it. Am i going to rewatch? Sorry, its just too long, and theres just too many drama nowadays i dont think i can.

Kudos to Netflix for giving Asian dramas chance to shine in a much bigger stage, makes my subscription very worthwhile.

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A GOOD 1000 YEARS LOVE STORY

I have to admit I initially got discouraged from watching this drama just because of the low rating, but once i started it, i just binged all episodes non-stop in one night. IT IS THAT ENJOYABLE! If you liked "I will Knock You", chances are you will like this too. Pun may be the greenest flag character in almost all of BL.

BL genre has fast evolved in the last few years - and so are the viewers. Nowadays, a lot of series without real substance gets good and high ratings even when the show isnt really deserving of it just by putting cutie cutie famous couples/stars in it or by putting a lot of shocking NSFW scenes . I will not put this one as one of the the best BL ever, but it certainly doesnt deserve to be in the low 6.

Just a quick recap. Yo is a university student who is fascinated by the extraordinary - thats why he became part of a gang of friends who are devoted UFO seekers, but deep inside his heart he knows something un-normal is happening in the world and he will discover that its not extraterrestrial in nature but something mystical. He was instantly drawn to Pun when he met him at a local eatery - was it love at first sight? Was it his mysterious demeanor? Then he adorably stalked him until Pun revealed to him what he is - a vampire! And you guessed it- this is how their love story began, and together with their friends and family they will prove that their love will conquer all odds. This just sounds about right, the end.

Eventhough the title of the series is '1000 Years Old' which pretty obviously tells us that one of the chracters is indeed an almost immortal, still the series managed to keep us guessing for the first half of the show if Pun is really what he says he is or just a weirdo who thinks he is something that he's not - after all he is not the familiar vampire we see from the lores - First, he is a poor vampire who lives in an old building. Second, he keeps saying he is burned by sunlight (SPOILER ALERT HE DOESNT) and always covers himself up fully and uses an umbrella . He is also not afraid of crucifixes, and he doesnt get burned by Holy Water. He aslo sleeps at night( not before the sun rises and in a coffin-like bed in a messy living room because the bedroom is his cat's room) Lastly and most importantly, he is not afraid of garlic and he also doesnt eat anything besides cooked Pork Blood Soup. He is weird but you just cant hate this guy!

One of the funny highlights for me was when he was trying to prove to Yo that he is a vampire and jumped off the building's rooftop!

Also, even if early in the series they showed a few flashback scenes from Pun's past, and even with the presence of another mysterious and scary character SoomChai - just like Yo, we as viewers still end up questioning whether he is really a true blooded bloodsucking immortal or was he just delusional?

While trying to hide the reality of Pun's true identity, the first half of the show felt like we were watching a Thai version of the Korean series "Start-up" when Pun and Yo and their newly formed gang were so focused on trying to make their food business succeed. The antics are so corny but you also cant help root for them!

It was around the later episodes when the truth was confirmed - that Pun is an alien.

Ok, he isnt an alien, but a real Vampire. The limited screentime of SoomChai is both annoying and effective - I would have loved to be bitten by that actor just like Shin. And as much as i hate it and just like a lot of other BL shows that create an annoying female character to be a villain, Janja's (she does look like a vampire seductress even without the fangs) presence is important in establishing the connection between Pun and Yo and the truth about their long history and past lives to make their love story seem more epic in scale and not just spur of the moment.

Let me also say that despite the many things that I enjoyed about the series it is not without shortcomings. First, for almost the entirety of the series nothing physical happens between the Pun and Yo (only a mild hint of a kiss) which is almost unbelievable. Second, I hate that the YOU.F.O and the gang were sidelined as if they never existed entirely when they were the group that opened the show. Third, the cluelessness of Pun's character to the current technologies is just unbearable and incredibly stupid (even if it was intentional to misdirect us about his true identity) like walking to mall, no idea how to get to point 1 to point 2, really? Fourth, Yo's contninuous denial about his feelings and Pun's intention to him is eyerolling.

Id like to end by saying that the final scene of Pun and Yo is genius but also both tragic and conflicting. While it was implied that they had a happy ending and they get to at least spend a really long time together in this lifetime, Yo's passing under the sunset is just so heartbreaking and it made me cry.

Overall its a 8.5 for me. Great leads and support with good direction , very rewatchable too.

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NOT A CINDERELLA STORY

A May-December chaebol-poor girl love affair, that to be honest, doesnt offer anything new, that you have to question what's the point of this entire series, if there's anything.

This type of story has been done so many times in a K-drama. Its not even a fairy tale, i dont even get why they titled it Cinderella at 2AM - main lead putting on a pair of shoes to the female lead a few times doesnt make it a Cinderella story. It doesnt even draw parallel to the fairy tale title. And why 2 AM, maybe i just dont get the symbolism.

Whats sad is this is such a waste of the talented cast. I dont know why Moon Sang Min's management team chose this project for him, are they trying to sabotage his career? This is very similar to the tone and vibe of Wedding Impossible, even down to his personal styling. Such a waste of a talented actor because we know he can do more. Shin Hyun Been did the most of the heavy lifting in this drama and she is as beautiful as ever and lets just say she did a good job with the material she got.

What's even worse is at only 10 episodes, it still felt too long, with repetitive and extended scenes. I bet they can squeeze everything to 6 to 8 episodes without losing the story. The two office co-workers are so annoying and unnecessary.

There are some hints of discarded gold here - Yoon Park and Park So jin's pairing and love's story was a much more interesting story and could have used a lot more screen time and their characters could have been elevated more to co-lead status. I also feel like they have underused Lee Hyun Woo here because they just conveniently pulled the rug on his storyline just when he is starting to make an impact.

Also, I need to mention I am inlove with the soundtrack! Yeonjun's Boyfriend is so catchy and fits the sh ow perfectly!

Will i reccommend? Not really unless you are big fans of the actors, just watch the soundtrack music video. Will I rewatch? My goodness, no! Is it bad? No not really, but it is also not good enough to make an impact. This is one of those rom-coms that is just there because some producers have money to throw away - for sure I wont event remember it's story after a few months.

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FLUFFY VAMPIRES

I never thought id say this but this is probably the fluffiest vampire romance ever . If you want an easy to watch, easy to finish romance then this is for you.

This is an 8 - 16minutes episodes (which is really about 14 if you cut out the cheesy opening and closing credits) series with nothing but cute guys and fluffiness. Seriously. before watching the finale i had to rewatch the first episodes because i forgot about the events in them. Its a story about a vampire "family" living together with a normal human.

I love fluffy and light shows and i really iiked the series, however, to be quite honest, there is so much to be desired storywise. The vampire lore was so thin i wondered why they have to be vampires. I almost always ask why, for the love of god, does Koresn BL industry insist on being this short - the limited screentime allowed very little story and character development. It may have been better if it was released as a binge or compiled as a movie but i still think the plot is too thin to really make an impact.

Its pretty obvious the entire series has limited budget and that its possible the entire series may have been shot on a day or two.

The saving grace of the series are the main actors - Yu SIn and Park Dong Ju are real cuties and they did really well as Ju Won and Dong Ha considering the fact that they are almost brand new to acting and what limited material they have. I already loved Lee Tae Hyung from Match Play and its really good to see him in another BL i just hoped the series used him more. I specially loved the acting in the end of episode 7 between Ju Won and Seon Jay, with that alone id say Yu SIn has a pretty bright acting future ahead.

The other couple is mostly used for comedic relief and their kiss at the last episode was so fake i wonder why the series felt the need to add it to the story.

So would i recommend? Definitely. Would i rewatch? Im not entirely sure. Its a good and light series but its also quite forgetable i dont think id remember it after a month. Overall im giving it a strong 8 mostly for the cast and the entertainment value.

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You need to be a zombie to enjoy this

Whew! Watching this is like doing an unwanted chore. Such a waste of opportunity!

After saving it in my to-watch list the first day I saw the trailer on Netflix, I cleared my Friday night schedule to binge all the episodes, prepared my popcorn, (and beer) popped the first episode and I'm hooked! The first episode was compelling and was such a gorefest, I thought it is exactly how I want my horror show. The very first attack by the school nurse was heartstopping and showed a lot of promise. Sadly, after the 3rd episode, I am snoozing like a baby, drools and all.

My expectations are low when it comes to horror. I come to be entertained and have a good time, and the more gruesome and the more bloody the better. Having said that, I have set my bar even lower for this series because I know it's teen-centric and I just want to enjoy and not nitpick details. This show, however, exceeded in delivering mind-numbing foolishness, and it's so easy to hate almost all characters that you can't stop wishing all of them would just be bitten.

The story is simple enough but could have been a goldmine of ideas and exciting scenarios. Instead, they dropped stupid and repetitive scenarios one after another. The character's eyes keep popping like a light bulb every time they think (or they think they thought of) of brilliant ideas to outsmart the zombies. You just can't help but cheer the zombies to finally have a go at it and just kill the characters:
1. One of the most frustrating is the way they handled Ohn Jo's father, they were building the story for him to be the big rescuer, and that he will do everything to save his daughter only to die minutes after reuniting with her. We were shouting at the screen when that happened cause they all clearly have a path to get away from the zombies, especially right after when he threw the first flare because it seems they can all go safely, Then, he unnecessarily threw the second and third flares. Very anti-climatic for his arc just to create the drama.
2. Seems like they were intent on just unnecessarily killing all the adults alive in the school to keep the narrative that the teens are on their own.
3. The vlogger was just a nuisance. I don't understand his importance to the story cause he did nothing at all.
4. Do I need to mention Chiong San's mom? What about his dad who mysteriously disappeared?
5, The police force. My goodness! I love Lee Kyu Hyung and even if his character here was almost the same as in Happiness, he is still also one of the few bright spots of the series. However, the whole Hyosan police force was just a dimwit bunch. Did you see how easy it was for the zombies to overrun the friggin police headquarters? The guys at the school put up a much better fight than these weakling cops. They got the main culprit -the brain behind the virus and they know the virus is spreading and you interrogate him like it's a normal crime? Has no one there thought of coordinating with the other agencies, and telling them that they have the crazy scientist, turn him over and make him do the antidote or something. No, they all panicked when the zombies attacked the police station, no one even thought of maybe finding some weapons because just maybe there are some because THEY ARE IN THE FRIGGIN POLICE STATION!
6. What about the assemblywoman? What's her actual contribution to the whole story?
7. Did you see how the teen mom tied her hands with that ribbon, to keep her from eating the baby? She's a zombie, not a gift box, that ribbon looks so thin that when she became a zombie she could have snapped it easily. Oh but that ribbon is made of steel and it held her overnight. And that baby? It must have superhuman powers to survive that long without milk.
8. The bullied girl in the rooftop. I was thinking they'd give her a recovery arc, but no, she is just as self-centered as her bullies. She was so happy to announce that she SET THE SCHOOL ON FIRE, but girl has to check that statement cause all she did was burn the papers in the office, nothing more. Hasn't she seen the fire sprinklers working? A fight between her and GwiNam could have been epic.
9. And OMG that bullied guy. I kinda understand why he did what he did on the rooftop, but then he was at the camp, met this girl, and he tells him I want to eat you, and then he just let her. That scenario alone could have opened a lot of possible chaotic scenarios inside the camp. I was kinda expecting the zombies to spread there, but no, nothing of that sort. It's like the guy's existence is just to make the abandonment of the kids in the rooftop climatic, which by the way is not.
10. I would like to mention the countless stupid ways to escape a zombie apocalypse but this is already way too long.

They even spent almost an episode literally talking about shit. They complained about thirst and hunger but didn't bother to find food and water and yet they spent quite some time teaching us how to do the number 2 during an apocalypse.

What makes it sadder, is that I find not a single character to latch on to - not the drama queen, not her puppy best friend, not the pretend goody goody jock, not even the smartass who could have been their gifted savior. What they delivered instead was a puke-invoking bunch of whiny pimpled teenage characters who can't stop talking about their silly crushes and quite a few useless adult characters who make selfish and terrible decisions.

There are only two characters I didn't hate- Gwi Nam is a scary psycho and the funny delinquent Mi-Jin. Had they shifted the focus to these two, they could have created a witty frightening gore. I just have to add that my favorite part was when they were on the rooftop and singing cause that felt sincere.

I can't help but wonder why this show got a 12-episode order as opposed to Kingdom which has 6 per season and Sweet Home which has 10. The show could have used a lot of editing and maybe it will feel better if it was just 8 or even 10.

I recommend having a go at it using your mobile device, that way you can change the playback speed, otherwise, if you're watching on your smart tv just have the remote ready and just feel free to skip the boring parts. I promise you, you won't miss anything. Hard to rewatch, unfortunately.

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CRAZY GOOD

Crazy good performance! 2 thumbs up!

The first episode was a refreshing mind-bender! As expected, Lee Dong Wook is always in great form. Wi Ha joon on the other hand is such a revelation - after surprising us with an unexpected role in Midnight, he has clearly shown that he isnt just a cutie actor but someone who can act. Together, their 'bromance' was captivating to watch.

Hands down it is one of the most unique plots ive seen in quite some time. However, the title - Bad and Crazy should have given me a clue of the things to come.

From being a cop show, it took a slightly bad turn and suddenly became a show about mental illness. I enjoyed it, however, i found that the first and second acts about catching bad and corrupt politician, and then the cops, all while fighting the scary russian mafia were a lot more compelling than the split personality drama. I do feel like they suddenly cut the drug issue short and that it wasnt closed properly. It's like it was done because they already exceeded the episode numbers and its almost time to close the curtain and show the crazy doctor. After all, Boss Yong was magnificently played and was scary as hell, and could have been a much better overall antagonist.

I loved the action, i love the mystery, i loved the support casts, I loved the rock music theme. Heck, i even loved the costumes and I thought Lee Dong Wook looked so good in almost all his outfits and the crazy doctorJung Sung Il is just gorgeous!

They appropriately ended the show with us wondering if the King is really gone, which makes a second season possible. Will i rewatch? Probably not, maybe just a quick refresh if there will be a continuation. Will i recommend, yes definitely! Overall its an 8 out of 10 stars.

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AFTER EVERYTHING, NOTHING MADE SENSE

Talk about a convoluted plot, if you haven't seen or just planning to see it, I'd say don't.

Let me start by saying that it pains me to give this a low mark. First, i am in love with Kang Joon and i almost always give his dramas a pass. Second, i am at awe that Korea tries new and high-concept dramas and are not afraid to experiment - but this experiment didn't just fall flat on its face, it broke the floor and went through so deep i cant even fathom where it went.

To put it mildly, no matter how senseless the plot is, the first 7 to 8 episodes were at least interesting - i loved Kim Sae Ha and his undercover vendetta, I loved Jung Sae Byeok as a zealous and capable police officer. However, by the time we were on the episode 9, things got muddy. The last episode is a complete jaw dropper in its absurdity that when the credits rolled you will be in disbelief.

Things to note:
1. A woman from the future created the grid to protect the earth from extreme solar radiation. What did they do? Of course, try to catch her like she's a suspect. Put her in a lab and poke at her just because its fun. Why? Aren't the people in the know, supposed to be thankful to her for saving the planet?
2. The time travelling bit is just a hit and miss, and follows absolutely no rule at all. In episode 7 and 8 Sae Ha's journey to the timeline cannot be explained in paper but i still liked it up to that part. Their mantra is time doesn't flow, and so the sense it seems.
3. Did they imply Sae Byeok was raped by Ma Nok? When and how did that happen? Was Ma Nok related to Eo Jin? How did the Ghost became related to both of them?
4. The last episode is one big mess i don't even know what to make of it. If they intended to make it a cliffhanger for a possible new season then it just didn't work. They just stacked one mess after another and expected people to be puzzled and amazed.. After slapping the faces of the few who watched this season did you really expect us to come back for more? Sorry just no.
5. I also don't get the decision to make it a single episode per week and making the runtime shorter. This worked exactly against the series. As a Kdrama fan i am so used to seeing at least 2 episodes per week (or in the case of Netflix a massive dump of full season) cause that kept me hooked and lets me retain the story better. With Grid, i kind of forgot there are new episodes and frankly didn't care to watch it on time.

They managed to make a series that you need to rewatch, but not for good reasons. You have to, especially the last 2 episodes because watching it for the first time is not enough to make any sense, however watching it the second time i think made it worse. If there's anyone willing to explain the ending to me, please I'll be all ears.

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it was sold as an OffGun rom-com vehicle but it was really more like an ensemble office dramedy - a very good one and a very realistic one at that. For those expecting a romance show, maybe it will help if you lessen your expectations and just enjoy the ride.

This is not a show about love - It is an inspirational show about people looking to find their path in life.

I also wouldnt classify this as a BL show, its just a series with LGBT characters and their romace wasnt even the central idea of the entire show. With the current wave of office-themed BL dramas in the past few months, this one really stands out among them.

What sold me from the beginning is how realistic and how good the execution of the script in an office dynamics. As someone working in a creative office industry i have related so much with this series and keeps reminding me of how my office interaction always is.

And oh my god the sets - the production design of this series is top notch and i am inlove with almost all their sets. And for a show that is centered around a filming industry, they have indeed used their resources well - the cinematography and color grading is amazing.

What may be a bit disappointing for me (and maybe to some other OffGun fans) is the amount of Off-Gun (or the lack of) in this series - because everytime they left a cliffhanger it revolves around them - clearly selling this as an OffGun BL show and banking in OffGun fans to come back for another week. Clearly OffGun is just 2 out of the hundreds other cast in the show. Dont get me wrong, the main cast all did a good job, and of course as a BL fan seeing Sea and Poon added to the enjoyment of the series.

Do I need to mention that 5 long year of absence? Yes, It was left too open-ended to be desired but it kind of worked for me. Ryan and Jane met at a time when they were both in a crossroads and before the end of the series they decided to step back from the relationship and support each other to find what they really needed and wanted to do in life. Its a move of self-discovery. When they met again after 5 years, both are in a better place and hopefully their relationship can and will work better.

If you check the directors' previous works, both of them hasnt really worked on BL before so that should have been a clear indication of what the show is going for. Also since this is a dramedy - there were a lot of office issues introduced but glazed over lightly. I wouldnt blame them for that, theres only so much you can fit in 12 episodes and i think the aim is not to make it too heavy.

With that said, and setting aside my BL expectation - i would rate this show a very strong 9. Is it rewatcheable? Very much so. Would i recommend? Definitely.

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WARNING, THIS IS DRAMA NOT HORROR

For those wishing to see gore and horror, look somewhere else. After finishing the series, im still left wondering why it is titled Happiness.

Plot is set after the COVID pandemic and has creepily touched into our real world nightmare - what happens if after all that we faced through this pandemic and all the medication (vaccines) we are taking take an even scarier side effect?

Im just excited to see Park Hyung Sik in his first drama after his military service and he looked even dashier and manlier here. He has become an even more believable and charming leading man. It has also been a while since Han Hyo Joo's last drama and this beautiful actress fits the role perfectly.

Coming in, i thought it was a mix of Sweet Tooth and Alive. The first few episodes were engaging , however, they werent able to keep the momentum and the middle episodes felt like fillers. I wonder if something happened during the production that made them turn around and change the focus of the story, but what started out as a heartpounding scary series turned into a melodrama.

Almost all secondary characters in the apartment are annoying and felt disposable, and I couldnt care less if any or all of them died. Also their repetitious routine of going up and down the apartment to have uneventful tenant meeting bored me and is tiring to watch. Even the main characters sometime feels like bullies and too self righteous.

Im not sure if they sold the drama as a post apocalyptic drama or horror but there was just not enough horror element but instead too much of telenovela drama. I also would have wanted more screentime for the Lieutenant Lee Si Joo because aside from Yi Hyun, she felt like the only character with an untarnished motive, which in honestly, the show lacks.

I think the experience would have been better if it is shown in Nelflix with a one time binge drop of just 8 episodes. The ending was also a bit anti-climatic, i was waiting for the big Zombie attack which didnt happen, at all. But also to be honest i still would have watched 16 episodes with just Hyung Sik doing nothing but being his handsome self.

So again, why happiness? Was it intended to mean as a quest for happiness or was it a commentary of how all people seem to be unhappy with the situation they are in? I am still not sure.

Would i rewatch? Yes definitely. Would i reccommend? Of course.

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THIS IS NOT A TYPHOON, ITS NOT EVEN A DRIZZLE

A show trying too hard at becoming a heartwarming series that falls short on tugging your emotions.

Lee Jun Ho has proven himself as an actor, here he does so much of the heavy lifting. Unfortunately, he can only do so much as this show is just lacking. I didnt feel any empathy for his character, i didnt even feel his chemistry with the FL. Definitely not his best work.

Its pretty obvious that the show relied so heavily with LJH. In fact, there were parts when the series wanted to s how how charming he is and you'll notice the cinematography changes and the screen is filled with this glowy sunshine-y filter common with Korean romcoms - the difference in tone is so jarring and just doesnt work with the 90's vibe.

Episodes are long, and sad to say, boring. They want you to feel sorry and relate to the plights of the characters but almost everyone is just so bland and unlikeable. There is no real character development and no transformation for everyone except maybe for Tae Pung's mother. The story arcs and the challenges are so staged and are mostly resolved so conveniently and unrealistically.

To create depth and layers to a family drama there are 2 ways a series can go - First is the no-villain route (a la the Reply Series), create "natural" , emotional, interesting scenarios for the characters to go through and overcome, and the second route is to create a villain so strong, disgusting, scary and/or powerful that youd be afraid for the protagonist. The problem with this series is the annoying villains totally ruined this show. I didnt say effective, i said annoying. Probably one of the worst written villains in a Korean drama. Pyo Hyeon Jun's endless obsession with Tae Pung, his character was a joke and is shallow, repetitive and so uverused during the entire series, -he is not scary, not even entertaining, just annoying.

Will i recommend? Im honestly not sure, maybe if you are a LJH fan. Will i rewatch? Are you kidding me, big NO.

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