Blkittykat

Ugh

Let's call a spade a spade: this was terrible. At no point was this something that could've been considered even remotely good.. scratch that. At no point was this something that could've been considered even remotely acceptable. What even was this?

It's an insane mix of genres, no one can tell what it's supposed to be because it's got romance, comedy and fantasy, in an office setting. I don't think the writers themselves knew what they were doing, how else do you explain THIS?

They spent an abhorrent amount of time focusing on jewellery making, finances, embezzlement, and patents. After all that, they couldn't even be bothered to make it interesting. All this trade talk that was used, I have no idea if any of it was right, and the jewellery making business sounds interesting enough, but leave it to them to make it as confusing and boring as it can be.

The fantasy aspect in a word.. ludicrous. You can't conveniently have it be a plot device to further some weird jewellery competition or the romance between the leads, and even if it has to be just that, you can't have it be as lame as this.
Ignoring it episode after episode, only giving glimpses of something that seems grand and complex, only to conclude it as a means for Lin to make that gaudy necklace felt like a slap to the face. And this should be hit with a copyright by the way, the way it felt like a blatant rip off of The Sign at points, someone call Saint.

Chemistry who? The smidgen that seemed to be there after Big Dragon despite the weird vibes they had to begin with went down the drain the minute someone on the writing team decided that “Khun Dad” was a sexy and cute nickname. Really? “Khun Dad”. I shudder everytime I think about it, and after that point, I was either nauseous or laughing for no reason or both. Because I didn't know what else I could do. I feel for the leads, I really do because they have proper chemistry in real life, and they got stuck with “Khun Dad”.
Such a strange relationship, Lin gets treated like an actual child, I can't figure out why they're actually into each other, but to make sure that no one doubts that they are, they're all over each other. And they weren't even good NC scenes!! The visuals I witnessed are going to be hard to forget.
You've got disapproving parents but the weird kind, over intrusive parents but the weird kind, and a parent who's son saved them but not really and it's just weird.

The two side couples were no better. Three, actually, but much like a lot of people and things in here, the third couple was merely a plot device for more Khun Dad. Of the other two, Sam and Yo had much more going for them than Pim and Prim did. I'm kind of over the ‘we've known each other from before but only one of us realises it’ trope, even without that, those two didn't really do anything for me, because they didn't even have enough screentime for me to figure out what kind of connection they had.
Sam and Yo were a little better, but so fast paced and impulsive. Not as characters, as a couple. I couldn't figure out what kind of connection they had either, but at least I believed they had one.
Which is what happens when you don't give a pairing with potential proper screentime and instead have dedicated time for office gossip, catty support characters and leads riding horses.

This was.. no good. I can't even say I'm dissapointed because all I feel is anger. I'm racking my brain, trying to think of just one positive, absolute positive, but I'm coming up blank. This was just not good.

Read More

Campy Vampires

They most certainly did not take anything they created seriously, and that may be why I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

The entire feeling of this series was unseriousness. I could never take anyone or anything they did seriously because it was always over the top and accompanied by loud music to create a comedy effect. It worked because this was by far, the best series the leads have worked in together.

I don't want to be the one comparing their previous works to this one, first off, because story wise, the three couldn't be more different. This is the only series, by the way, which had an actual story and a proper setting, and although most of it was completely ridiculous all the time, and although it had a ton of inconsistencies and “because the script said so” moments, they managed to keep the campy vibes throughout, so it didn't matter that the plot didn't make sense, I doubt they ever wanted it to make sense.

Even the characterisation felt better this time around, no more whiny, bratty or stone faced characters who have the emotional depth of a puddle. Despite being written as comedic characters, they managed to have some kind of personality, and sort of likeable ones at that. This extends to all the other characters as well, even in the moments where they came off a little over the top, I believe it was just to enhance the comedy, but character wise, they were written to have much more depth than I anticipated.

One thing which I absolutely hated though, was the lack of consent. It also happened so many times over, in almost every NC scene. Non con kissing, doing things while the other person is unconscious, it was atrocious. The series would have been better off having removed every one of these scenes, I reduced my rating significantly because of those.

Overall, since it had around 8 episodes and a truck load of characters and storylines, not much should be expected when watching it. Watching it primarily as a campy comedy may work though, where else will you find vampires with no powers using red wine as a blood substitute?

Read More

I was promised food..

This may be one of my lowest rated J BLs. Sucks when something promising turns out that way. Nevermind that it was riddled with clichés like the returning ex, subpar communication, break ups over silly reasons just to reconcile, no, the biggest problem I had with this was somehow none of the above.

It was the leads. I still can't figure out why they liked each other, except for a small love at first sight moment. What came after was a cute beginning which then dove into the cliché landfill, only to come out with underdeveloped characters and an underwhelming relationship. It certainly didn't help that one of the male leads was so hot and cold, he was sure of what he wanted, until he wasn't.

Now all of this could have been slightly salvaged, if they had chemistry. IF. They did for a while, too bad it was just in the last couple of episodes. It's a jump from not being able to understand why they like each other to believing they do, and it just didn't work.

I'm not really angry about the lack of food, (although it would have helped the rating) because there were tiny moments I guess. It sucks though, because I can appreciate a good love at first sight story, but they didn't quite nail it here.

Read More

I am my own worst enemy

Have you watched Khemjira?
Are you interested in a discounted version?
Well let me introduce you to My Secret of Seer - now with an extension pack including a karmic debt, love triangles, and a shirtless rabbit ghost!

I'm serious, this is like a badly made version of Khemjira and I don't know how else to explain it. If you've watched them both, it's very easy to make the connection, the only difference may be the fact that Por Khru himself needs protection and the one who can do it is Khem. Everything else is pretty much the same or very similar.

We've got the karmic debt that won't stop chasing Win, our seer, and it's definitely going to catch up to him before he completes 26. The solution? Seek someone out with great karmic energy (I think). He finds this person, Phleong, almost immediately but then this isn't really brought up again until episode 8.

Because the only thing consistent about this series were the dreams Win had where he was haunted by discount store Darth Vader. Otherwise we spend the episodes watching our seer and his friends trying to establish themselves as influencers, get invited to ghost podcasts or go ghost hunting in places haunted by ghosts who are irrelevant to the plot.

There are several plotlines that run parellel to Win's struggles to find out who is haunting him, including ones where his friend tries to harm him because his crush has a crush on Win, unnamed employees who get major screentime dealing with relationship problems that Win can somehow handle - I don't know a lot of it was nonsense.

There are several characters who are seemingly important to the plot pop in one episode and disappear the next, completely irrelevant in retrospect of course. It was all so weird and disjointed.

After all that, was the romance even good? It SUCKED. The leads had zero chemistry and zero personality. Phleong's only dialogue was "I don't believe in ghosts" and for being a good seer, Win's favourite dialogue sure was "I don't know". He didn't know anything.

And the final reveal was the worst of the lot. It made no sense and was such a terrible explanation to close out what was truly an awful series. The acting was bad, I didn't like any of the couples and I was bored out of my mind.

Do yourself a favour - if you're looking for a good, scary BL with shamans and past lives and the sort, just watch Khemjira.

Read More

All bow down to the Air Dolls!!

Believe me when I say that this took me by surprise because damn this was INCREDIBLE. It's a story with the perfect blend of comedy, coming of age stories, identity, influencer culture and supernatural elements - and of course, pure unfiltered chaos.

The story itself is definitely the strongest of the lot until now, it may or may not have been just as predictable as the previous ones, but the way the story could've so easily gone in so many different ways and still been just as good.

But would this story be just the same without all the brilliant performances in it?!!!
I am floored, I literally feel like I saw a whole new dimension to every single one of the actors in Diva Deva Mata. I knew beforehand that some of them were good actors but it is amazing how just four episodes can absolutely turn a good performer into a star.
All of them served, served, served!!

Fluke my god! Been forever since I've seen him in something and he killed it as Nivea!!! The perfect balance of fierce, strength and poise, Nivea herself was all that and more, but it felt like Fluke took it upon himself to give her so much depth and vulnerability. Nivea's strong sense of self and inbuilt leadership skills aside, her chemistry with the rest of the Air Dolls was chef's kiss.
And how can I forget?! Nivea's chemistry with Bank!!?!! Pause, stop and let me take note because where did that come from and why was it AMAZING?!!! I will talk about Marc later on obviously but their chemistry? Through the roof - you can't tell me they didn't end up together because they managed to summon all the flirty, snarky and sweet energy I can imagine.

Lego!! Lego, Lego, Lego. That charm and grace, everything just screaming this person is awesome. And Inkgy was awesome!! The way she was always willing to be there for her friends but also be there for herself, just an all round great person!! Her bond with Fews was so weirdly realistic - they seemed to be the closest but they argue and fight and snap at each other but at the end of the day, they're back in the thick of it, I feel like I've seen this kind of relationship a lot. And Lego my god, amazing.

Yacht wow, I feel like Fews probably had the least amount of well rounded writing within the Air Dolls, but it says something about his performance when despite that, Fews ended up becoming one of my favourite characters. She's smart and grounded and a little on the shy side but when there's a need to be there and be brave, Fews is there! Again, her nemesis/friendship with Inkgy was such a highlight, I just think Lego and Yacht had incredible chemistry.

And finally.. NEO!! I know Neo can do comedy and I know Neo can act, but Kat? Kat was written for Neo. I laughed and laughed and laughed everytime Kat was on screen and you can tell it's a great performance when in between laughs you're also feeling sadness and empathy for what a character is going through. Much like his character, Neo's scenes were supposed to just keep things light hearted but both brilliant writing and acting made sure that Kat was so much more than an afterthought. The friendly rivalry she had with the rest of the Air Dolls, the unhinged chaotic side with her "followers" and the chemistry with Mick.. I guess you can tell I loved all the leads.

They were amazing. In their own ways and in their own way as a group, they were all amazing. And the best part is, we got character development without having to entirely uproot their friendship or dynamic.

Even the side characters and all the actors who played them were amazing. Pompam, do I have to say? Gives an amazing performance everytime, I'm always entertained. Same with Golf, don't see her as much but she always slays in her roles.
But my breakout stars among the supporting cast have got to be Marc and Mick!! Oh wow.
Marc first because where did this performance come from?! Between the subtle facial expressions in the background and the perfect amount of chaos and his chemistry with Fluke?! Stop it.
And Mick! He did so well! Just wow, everything he did as Pat was top notch.

Of course there were things I could've done without - the dirty humour for one thing, which is something I will probably never understand but luckily, the positives very much outweigh the negatives here.

And this was so much fun, I was clutching my stomach, tearing up with laughter the entire time and honestly for four episodes, they covered a lot and delivered a complete story. I'm impressed.

Read More

Light On Me - version Noir

The similarities between those two ends at the four leads, there is quite literally no comparison between the two in terms of themes, or cinematography or story, but both are, in their own rights, some of the best K Dramas I've seen.

This stuff is DARK. Messed up and will mess up your head with a hundred thoughts. The plot is all over the place but so intricately and most importantly, flawlessly connected, that even though it takes around six episodes for all the dots to connect, you can step back and take a look at the bigger picture in the last two and just sigh in awe. The story will keep you on edge, it never got boring even for a second and I truly envy everyone who gets to binge all eight episodes because this is not something you can wait patiently for.

The characters: simply brilliant. The way they were written, of course, but some of them were brilliant as is. The four leads are four very distinct characters, they might share some similar traits but at the end of the day, they're very different. Writing them in such a way not only made for a great plot, but also made for some very interesting internal struggles for the viewers. Trust me, everyone I watched with had a minute deciphering the actions and motivations of the characters.

The acting, the cinematography, the music: all brilliant. They used so much symbolism to foreshadow major plot points, which once again alludes to the moments when you look at the big picture in the last two episodes and just go.. wow..
There were so many plot twists and surprise reveals, one after the other and just wrapping your head around everything that's going on can easily take an hour after each episode, but it is so worth it.

There is one other similarity between Light On Me and Secret Relationships though, now that I think about it, one of the characters is an absolute cinnamon roll and I love him.
Irregardless (he is genuinely amazing), watching this gave my brain some great exercise, I already feel a gaping hole and it hasn't even been an hour since I watched the finale. This is truly one of the best dramas I've watched in a while, scratch that, one of the best dramas I've ever watched.

Read More

I'm stubborn too! - this was good

Lol, I don't even know how to write a review for this, but I'm going to try!

First, before starting the series, I would recommend familiarizing yourself with the story - especially the setup. Either through the novel, or my bare bones explanation here.

Basically, Jun and Sorn, the leads, have known each other for years - Jun's best friend Win has an elder brother Tai, who's best friends with Sorn. These four and Champ, another one of Tai's best friends, have been a tight knit group for a while, Jun is like Tai and Champ's younger brother, and it's only Sorn who can't stand him because he doesn't like kids (basically adults a bit younger than him). Jun and Sorn have a risqué run in with each other at one point, after which they go their seperate ways. Fast forward a few years later, they are reunited when Jun starts interning at the company where Sorn, Tai and Champ work.

This is a very simplified version of the background between the leads, but enough to understand the rest of the story, because this part is not at all explained in the first episode. They dive right into their risqué situation in the series and the time jump is not really obvious, and there a high chance for confusion - so do keep this backstory in mind.

The rest of the plot? Incredibly straightforward.
Jun and Sorn develop a "friends with benefits" relationship (and I say that within quotes because their situation is not quite akin to the term), and surprise, surprise! They're both incredibly stubborn. About not having feelings for each other, about not being interested in each other, the entire drama is Jun and Sorn involved in a push and pull relationship with benefits.

They get jealous a bunch, they argue a bunch, objectively speaking, not a very healthy relationship but somehow it works. There's side couples, a bunch of characters who pop in and out but play no real role in the story, a lot of it feels like a rich tapestry for the NC scenes we get every episode.

But it's not. Because the NC scenes are actually integral to the plot. Their entire relationship was based off of their friends with benefits agreement, and through all the push and pull, the jealousy and misunderstandings, all the hiding of their feelings, this aspect of their relationship came out as something really important!

I went into this expecting to completely hate it, but believe it or not, twelve episodes and I absolutely love it. The plot is downright confusing at times. Jun and Sorn don't exactly have a relationship I would categorise as healthy. So many unnecessary side characters.

But it was SO. MUCH. FUN.

The chemistry was wonderful. The acting was so good, not over the top, not like they didn't try at all. The story for the most part, consistent, focused on the leads, meaning very little focus away from their story, which was great. The NC scenes didn't feel too over the top or too underwhelming. There was a balance to it all.

Now, this was not perfect. I'm not saying that everyone will enjoy it, but I very much did. I liked it so much, and I like it even more considering they changed my mind after I went in, all ready to not like it. I had a great time watching it, and if my review has somehow convinced you to give it a try, I hope you do too! :)

Read More

This just might be the best of the Girl Next Room series. It’s funny, wholesome and just so pure. This series also boasts an excellent cast with Mild, Off, Mek and Apple. Sort of like a mini Ugly duckling Dont reunion. If only Victor was part of the cast. After waiting patiently for ten weeks I was finally able to watch this series and I was not disappointed. If you told someone that this series is just Mild and Off screaming for 45 minutes, you would probably be right!

THE STORY:
The story follows Duchess aka Danglek, whose only goal in life is to get rich. She does just that once grown up, but now longs to be accepted into the Rich club, to affirm her status. She discovers that entry into the Rich club is by acceptance only, and also that her childhood crush, Khunkao studies in the same university as her. She also bumps into Krathing, who she views as a chatter box and an irritant. She though has a secret. She was poor before. When Krathing discovers this, he begins to extort her for money in exchange for keeping her secret. The rest of the series follows the aftermath of these events.

THE ACTING:
I mean? Should I say anything? The cast is perfect in every way. Off and Mild could literally play themselves and the story wouldn’t change. The characters are spunky, sweet, extremely likeable and just very well written. Even the Richy Angels ( The mean girls ) are not that bad. Every character is perfect. I feel like I have to mention Apple. From Ozone, to Honey, to Yuri/Yuki, she has range man!

THE PRODUCTION:
I can say without doubt this is the best of the anthology.

THE OST:
Nothing that great.

THE NEGATIVE:
Why is everyone so obsessed with being rich man? I’ve got to side with Krathing on this one. Not all rich people are nice. The obsession to get into that rich club and the obliviousness about it’s actually is astounding! Also, the way they treated Duchess in episode 4 was disgusting.

THE ENDING:
I KNEW IT!!!!! I KNEW IT! I knew that Khunkao and Krathing were related. I knew Krathing was the one who bought her the glasses. Swoon. Oh man, that was the sweetest ending ever. That hug!! So cute. Ugh, when will I find love like that.

While this series has several characters from the other parts of the series, it can easily be watched alone. Hope everybody watches this series and hope this review was helpful. Thank You!

Read More

A Sea of Dissapointment

Not quite sure what happened, but going from strong start without any real story to weak ending with an actual story seems outlandish.

I don't understand because, this started out with as many NC scenes as there were panoramic views of the beach, scenes of them eating and drinking and diving into the ocean.. “what's the story there” was my thought as I watched the first three episodes and would you know it, I was hooked. There was essentially nothing going on, just a whole load of chemistry carrying it through but I wasn't complaining. Great scenery, good banter, it had summer romance written all over it.

Then why is that the minute some real story started to creep up, it felt like the writers just threw up their hands and went “we'll just have Mahasamut sit around and look good, while Tongrak  does the same, and maybe add a dash of drama every now and then that will end up having no real impact on the viewers or the characters themselves?”
Episode after episode of scenes that added no real depth to the story, and all of a sudden, a couple of episodes where a very heavy backstory is unraveled all at once, only to be resolved all at once and much too weakly.

The major thing they had to unpack though, the very basis of the complex relationship between the leads, they conveniently left that up to the finale until it felt like a lame attempt to create the drama that never came in the previous episodes just so they would have a reason to separate. What should have been an intense and complicated arc based on traumatic experiences Tongrak has gone through his entire life was reduced to something of a childish outburst and was, of course, resolved much too quickly and weakly.

So many characters who were, to put it quite bluntly, useless. Their sole purpose was to either come onto the screen to irritate us and the leads, I mean Tongrak's cousin? What did she do other than cause drama?
Or some characters like Palm, Mahasamut's brother were reduced to comedic reliefs when I would have much rather watched a character like him as opposed to Rak's cousin.
A villian who's scenes actually made for good character development for Tongrak, which was then immediately subjected to whiplash by everything else that followed.

That list would be incomplete without Vie and Mook though, because why? Just why-
As characters, they added the bare minimum, but as love interests? Why? Their pairing is one of the worst I've ever seen, in terms of romantic connection, friendship, just as two human beings, the equation between the two of them annoyed and appalled me endlessly. Just.. why-

For all they didn't really manage to do well, the series got one thing right. Not the series, Fort and Peat got it right. They had chemistry in spades and laid it all out on the table. This could have been pulled off perfectly with just Fort and Peat, just saying, because every scene that didn't involve them, didn't really have my attention.
And I guess they got two things right, only halfway on the second one though: the scenery. Just beautiful. The island setting really did elevate the experience.

It's a shame though because when nothing was really going on, they reeled me in, and suddenly they had way too much going on without anything really happening, giving us something over - dramatic yet boring. It ended weakly despite starting strong, and it's a whole lot of wasted potential.

Read More

Luck in 10 digits

The most useless yet important thing I take away from this mini-séries is the fact that phone numbers are sacred. Not in the 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘶𝘤𝘬 kind of way, but in the 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘯𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦 kind of way. I guard my phone number like treasure, no way I'm changing it for anything!

Hello, Is This Luck?' follows Na, a medical student and extern who faces nothing but bad luck. She's always getting overlooked at the hospital despite her skills, she's tossed about all the time by the universe which seems intent on hurting or irritating her, and her love life is an absolute mess. That's when her friend tells her that his life changed after a phone number change, so she decides enough is enough, and changes her number - in a bid to improve her love life. That's when things shift, and she finds herself caught in a love triangle between her original crush and a new love interest.

The premise is actually super cool, definitely got to be one of the two most innovative ways to merge technology and beliefs. There are also a myriad of ways they could've gone about the story, and for once, I'm not really angry with the way they chose to do it.

The actual problem with this series is Na.

The series would have been way more likeable if Na was written to be a better character. She's kind of selfish and rude, and does nothing but blame her circumstances and situations, without actually taking a look at herself and how her actions affect those around her. At the beginning, you think you understand why Na is so frustrated - she's so often overlooked at a job she's worked her entire life for, only to be reduced to the role of a pushover in the eyes of her peers, a rude intern to the nurses and doctors, and a person who fetches coffee to her superiors. Her personal life is also terrible because she has only two friends, and the cute guy she has a crush on can't remember a single thing about her, not even her name.
It's frustrating for sure.

But the walls begin to crack down the more you watch, and you realise that from the very beginning, she's not been the greatest person. And it's so ironic, because the very first thing Na says is that 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴.
And her actions definitely determined her life, but I guess her philosophy does not apply to her? Because everything that happens to her is not because of what she does, it's because of rotten luck.

I really just had the hardest time liking Na, especially considering that the other leads were much better people. Well.. other lead. Because Nine (Na's original crush) is not a very well developed character. He's cute.. and that's it. I didn't understand why Na, or anyone, liked him romantically but I guess there must have been some charm that we didn't get to see.

The lead we are introduced to finally was my favourite character. Leemhai is smart, sweet and sassy, and amongst characters who are not at all developed or very badly written, she is an exemplar of how they could have been. She's not some perfect epitome of humanity either, she did many things I did not like, but it was much easier to root for her than anyone else. Leemhai was initially introduced as a competitor of sorts, but to relate to her as a love interest, her character needed good writing, which I thought was done better than the rest.

But overall? Good concept and story, not great characters. Yes, it was probably played up for the comedy, but it is possible to write relatable characters and still have them be funny. It's especially jarring when your lead is the least likeable person in there. Watching the finale, it was easy to guess where the story was headed, in retrospect it was definitely headed that way all along - towards the journey of self discovery. It was always about Na finding and growing into herself and they kind of did it. Very unsatisfactorily. I'm all for becoming a better person but why don't we get to see it?!

I know this seems like a lot of negatives, but it was not all bad. There were some genuinely funny moments, it was really nice to see Leng on screen again and the chemistry was actual fire. My girl Janhae is finally getting her recognition, her acting was incredible here. And Jingjing has been a pleasant surprise in any production she is a part of.

So in conclusion
1. Don't expect too much comedy
2. Don't expect too much romance
3. Don't change your phone number

Read More

Hello Stranger is what you imagine a quarantine love story to be like and it delivers. Most hate to love relationships are filled with toxicity, but this relationship is filled with mutual respect and genuine care and concern. The second of its kind, Hello Stranger is a sweet story about first love and new experiences. The pacing is consistent and the storyline, though predictable, is realistic and refreshing.

THE STORY:
The story is one that’s we are all familiar with. Boy meets boy, they seem to dislike each other. They are then forced to work on something together. Then they fall in love. What is unexpected is how realistic it feels. That akwardness of working with someone you just met and who you also slightly dislike is evident in the first episode, but that disappears by the second episode, indicating that they’ve spent time together and are now more comfortable. Mico seems to learn what it is like to step outside his comfort zone and his four point life plan. Xavier seems to learn what it’s like to be Mico and that not everyone is who you make them out to be. The emotions are raw and real and you feel as though you are living their story because it is just so relatable. Through each other, they’re learning about a whole new world, full of love and laughter.

THE ACTING:
So people are saying that the acting in the first episode was a bit akward, I think that may be due to the situation. Imagine working with someone you dislike. I would think that’s the reason for the akwardness. The acting really took a turn for the best in episode 2 though. This is one of the first Pinoy series I’ve watched and this is on par with any and all other series’. The chemistry though! Xav and Mico’s chemistry is through the roof. Overall the acting is very consistent.

THE PRODUCTION:
This is the second series after Gameboys to follow the internet and quarantine love theme, and the production has been handled extremely well. Phillipines has recently started to create more BL content and I believe that this series is definitely the benchmark for future Pinoy series’.

THE OST:
So if you read the translation for the OST’s lyrics, you would know how well it goes with the series. One line of lyrics literally translated to English mean
“ No matter what anyone says, I know our love is true.”
That, according to me genuinely encapsulates what this series is about.

THE NEGATIVE:
None.

THE ENDING:
I can’t believe Xavier asked for Mico to be his partner! That just made this series more perfect :). God, that ending was everything I could have possibly asked for. I’m going to keep this short: You won’t be disappointed by this ending.

This honestly is one of those series’ that is unabashedly life’s greatest pleasures and a genuine joy to experience. Whether you like sweet, sickly romance or aching hearts, this series has something for you. Hope everyone gives this a try because it is so worth it. Thank You!

Read More

Abstract Art

Hilarious how this could have been the artistic masterpieces they tried to paint it as, but ultimately flopped and failed. Think Jira's actual artwork vs Koh's AI generated nonsense. Tried so hard to be original and ended up a mish-mash of something no one wants.

Just from the outset, Burnout Syndrome promises moody men, creative expression and a savage race of people trying to stand by themselves and their ideals. Ten episodes in, and we only get a glimpse of any of that. Because when your plot starts hingeing on a love triangle and the visuals of your actors, you know it's trouble.

Much like our main character Jira, the audience is appaled and angry with the way these people behave, but just like him, we are lulled into some false sense of fantastical romance halfway through with the love triangle and the bad boy going good, making us forget that this is supposed to be something deep. Spoiler - it wasn't.

Coming to the characters, they're not relatable. At least not completely. You see sides you think you relate to, but you don't. Especially with Koh and Jira - the two people actually running the show are so badly written, they are all over the place and unpredictability is exciting but not like this. I never understood a single thing they did or said, and if you're not connecting with the two leads, whose story are you watching?

Ing? Mawin? Two great characters by the way who pulled more than their weight by being not only stable and well written characters, but also being played to perfection by Emi and AJ.

No, I suggest watching this story for Pheem, from his POV. He's the best character in this mess. The person who starts off as a mirage of perfection grows into someone closer to what we envision as perfection. Trust me, watching this for him makes the ride a bit better. Plus, Dew was an actual demon in this, his acting, which I'm usually not a fan of, grew into this monstrous beauty. Off and Gun were brilliant as usual, but Dew won me over in this round.

Jira's styling aside, everything about this just tried so hard to reach the stars, only to fly two feet off the floor. A lot of things cost them the masterpiece they so desperately searched for, but ultimately, trying to do every single thing made sure not one of them really worked.

6.75/10

Read More

Because you came looking for me, before I came to find you

Take notes because this is perfect execution on all fronts.

Choi Yi Jae, at the lowest point of his life as he sees it, chooses to end his life, only to meet Death who is angered with his flippant attitude towards her and is now putting him through a punishment of undergoing 12 reincarnations, each person on the brink of death, Choi Yi Jae is given the chance to save their lives. If he succeeds, he gets to live out the rest of their life, if not, he goes through his trial again.

And punishment it is because he has to not simply find a solution to prevent their imminent threats, but also go through the feelings of sadness, betrayal, pain, helplessness and more when his reincarnation eventually succumbs to their situation. Choi Yi Jae nevertheless goes through his lives with his personal agenda and goals, but with each passing lifeline, his attitude towards life slowly shifts as does his personal goal.

It's such a great beginning honestly, not just with the story, but the execution and the cinematography. And most importantly the cast. Wow. Seo In Guk is honestly such a good actor, plus each of the actors who play one of the reincarnations is brilliant at picking up on the little quirks that Seo In Guk brings to his character so that it looks like each of them is actually Choi Yi Jae. Just the guest cast is stacked, Choi Si Won, Sung Hoon, Kim Kang Hoon, Jang Seung Jo, Lee Jae Wook, Lee Do Hyun and that's just the first part. I haven't even gotten to Park So Dam yet, every expression and dialogue of hers carries the weight of her character. Every single one of them just brings something great to the table.

This was a really good 4 episodes, the plot honestly wrote itself and I can't wait for the next part.

Read More

I'm still waiting for some answers though..

They finally did it. Finally made a series that is good and good to watch. Until now, it's been a mixed bag of mostly disappointments, but they finally got some things right and to this point, I surprise myself by saying that. Thirteen episodes, and I'm still surprised that it was solid until the end, no mid-season mishaps or last minute letdowns. For the most part.

Goddess Bless you from Death was, from the beginning, very promising. Especially for someone who has not specifically enjoyed many Change2561 productions. I watched the first couple of episodes and thought, "yeah, I see this going somewhere". And it actually did? (It did!)

Let's start by talking about the story. This one is confusing AF. They did themselves no favor by not releasing an episode for a couple of weeks, because the sheer amount of details in the plot were lost on me as I watched it weekly and I had to have many notes and discussions to get a conclusive idea of the plot. This happened for thirteen episodes.
Which is my roundabout style of saying, this was a really good plot, executed in a very confusing way.

Yes, it's easy to guess half of the narrative before the crime solvers of the case can wrap their brains around it, but the ability to see clues that the characters can't is integral for a mystery. How else can we yell at the screen about them not noticing the tiniest of details?
At the same time, the other half comes not as a complete shock, but as the payoff for good storytelling. I've come to the conclusion that there is no mystery without a few loose ends, and that's okay. What's important is that the story moves forward logically, and well. It did.

Now coming to the characters. They are likeable. Not all of the time. Some of them, almost not at all, but the thing with thrillers are, you know immediately who you want to root for in some stories. This is one such, and it can mean that character depth or complexities are a zero, but thankfully we get character growth, and a lot of people who are likeable from the get go.

Finally, combining three or more genres, it's very easy to lose track of one or more of them in favour of giving just one genre preference. Which could have easily happened here, but the balance was always there. They could've completely leaned into the thriller/mystery genre by making this about the serial killings, I in fact thought they should at one point! I'm happy to admit I was wrong. They also had enough material to make this a full horror series, but they chose to stick with the combination of genres, and it worked so well!

But of course, if the records are to be believed, this could have so easily become just a romance, but thank you writers, thank you for writing it like you did. Because in real life, under no circumstances, must you date a person you are investigating, but here? You can't help but root for Singha and Thup. For me, it was because it felt realistic. The relationship did not seemed forced, nor did it feel overwhelming. Certainly, there were moments where I wanted to yell at them both for being lovestruck idiots investigating a high profile case, yet, the romantic in me just shushed those thoughts.

Pavel and Pooh actually did a lot to help with making their characters that appealing. All the actors actually did a good job, they got the job done and well.

But the critic in me, unfortunately was also very critical of this series. I didn't want to be, but when something is good, you expect it to be perfect, which it unfortunately wasn't. Mostly the story. Tons and tons of plot holes appeared as they were setting up the story and I kept thinking they'll resolve it with during some big moment - but that moment never came? Keep in mind that I understood a lot of the story thanks to talking about it with others also watching, if not, I would never have connected those dots.
And even more dissapointing was the fact that we never get an explanation to half the things I wanted answers to. There should have been after all that build up.

I would absolutely recommend this one if you're looking for a series with mystery, horror and romance. It is quite scary though, so if you don't do well with horror, proceed with caution. But it is a good addition to the group that already combines the three genres, so go for it!

Read More

The Revenge of Repetition

Before season 3 of Taxi Driver began airing, I remember reading an article, I think a feature piece, on Lee Je Hoon and his thoughts returning to the series. Now, I may be mis-quoting him, but I think he talked about the general pitfalls of creating multi-season dramas - like Taxi Driver.

~~

According to me, these can range from anywhere between tiny changes or big overhauls like
1. Changes in storytelling format
2. Changes to the cast and/or crew
3. Réduction/increase in episodes
4. Lack of story to tell
5. A complete loss of identity and essence
And the funny thing is, Taxi Driver did not commit any of these faux-pas, it's been the exact same from the beginning, so what happened?

Maybe it's that - maybe it's because they've been executing the same thing for 48 episodes now. But that's not what let me down about this season. The formula was a little different from it's direct predecessor, and a lot different from the very first season (atleast for me), without losing track of what the show was initially and will always be about.

The heart and soul of the show is obviously and outwardly, revenge - but it's also about retribution, growth and second chances. The Rainbow Taxi team is the core of the story, and all three emotions and the elements I would associate with them are completely intact in this storytelling operandi.

So what was missing? I'd say.. a little bit of magic.

The thing that made Taxi Driver, Taxi Driver, was what was missing. The formulaic narration apparently made the writers think extra hard about what they wanted to do, and in all the effort they put, I think they forgot to ask themselves if they enjoyed writing the story, and if we would enjoy watching it. It's a very solid effort, you can tell there was a lot of blood, sweat and tears put into this by everyone who worked on it, but whether those were happy tears, I cannot confirm.

The excitement, the rage, the sadness and the relief - all emotions I felt prior - felt tamped down. But the worst part was, it's like they tried so hard to invoke them in spades, but fell extremely short.

Each individual case was new, the indication that this form of storytelling was popular was obvious through the immense scale of filming locations and the sheer amount of celebrity cameos, from popular Hallyu stars, Dorama regulars, and even guest roles by actors whose works I'm incredibly familiar with, and that got the blood rushing.
The cinematography was vivid and fast paced, the acting was on point and all the individual components, adjudicated as individuals, left nothing to crave.
But as a whole, a sequel and in retrospect - they left much to the imagination.

I still enjoyed watching it but it was hard not to be bogged down by the same things that bogged down the drama. Lee Je Hoon was amazing as always, and so were the rest of the cast, all the leads and guest actors.

But unfortunately, I'm a little disappointed.

Read More