Heracin

As solid as Season 1, hopefully they keep adapting the manga with the same quality

Disclaimer (same as for S1) : I have not read the entirety of One Piece (-yet) but I have loved what I have read so far and I have even dabbled into watching some of the anime. I have most certainly read much more of the story than what the series is covering and therefore it is very difficult for me to review it without comparing it with the original material.

Overall, my feelings about this S2 is quite similar to S1. I think it is a solid adaptation of the manga. Casting did an excellent job with the new characters featured in that part of the story. The costumes / the make up / the visual effects are truly working well at successfully recreating in live action the various protagonists as well as the set in which they evolve. Production is as impressive (if not better) than in S1, with maybe the exception of the OST, which is still very good but I would have appreciated some more reference to the anime songs.

Pacing is pretty fast but not to the point of not allowing some room for emotional moments. However, given the fast-pacing, I'm wondering if the emotional connection that I felt with the various beats of the story might not be the same for people that are discovering the story through the live action media solely, without having read the manga before.

I would definitely recommend this to people that have enjoyed Season 1. In my opinion this adaptation is both satisfying for fans of the manga but also well made enough to onboard people that know nothing about the story (aside from watching season 1). Season 3 is already planned for a release in 2027 and I truly hope we have many more seasons in front of us. Please don't cancel it Netflix !

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DoMunDi TV production is back again with its cute "partnering show" to promote its next BL pairings

A little more than 1 year after "DMD Friendship the Reality Season 2" featuring 4th gen actors, DoMunDi TV production is coming back with a new season introducing this time its 5th gen actors.

This season shared similar issues than previous ones but slightly worse. The show felt even more scripted than the previous ones, with the recipe loosing with each iteration a bit of magic and genuiness. Of course, there is still are still a good share of deliciously cringe but also adorable moments. I also quite enjoyed the cast, even if there was some misses and favoritism, it was less unbalanced than S2. It is still very fun to play the guessing game, even if it felt pretty obvious with some unavoidable bias for the participants coming back.

In addition of the outcome feeling pretty predictable in its majority, I think my biggest disappointment was the last episode with the talent show. What was literally an evolved school play production in S1 and S2, definitely did not improve with a lot of very average performances with a couple of exceptions.

Despite its flaws, I would still recommend this to people that have enjoyed the previous seasons or that are a fan of DoMunDi TV production. Even if I wish DoMunDi production had much more ressources to create series at the same pace they are always onboarding more and more actors into the various generations, I will probably watch a season 4 if they make it as it hits a very cute and cringe vibe that I enjoy a lot. Still, I wish they would take a break to allow their current pool of actors to shine.

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Underwhelming romance despite an interesting angle

This drama is about the romance between a top actress and an interpretor as they travel together in the context of filming a travelling and dating variety show. Or is it really ? Soon enough the series take a turn which I found interesting on an intelectual point of view but which failed to really captivate me. I had real trouble to remain invested in the romance as well as the other aspects of the series, and I am quite frustrated at how the ending handled off screen one of the most important storyline point. The pacing felt sluggish to me and the plot overall repetitive.

The acting was quite good and if I really like both main leads : Kim Seon Ho and Go Youn Jung, I found their chemistry quite underwhelming...I was never as invested in the romance between their characters as I would have wanted, partially because the characters were written quite unlikable to me, partially because of the lack of chemistry. The secondary romance was much better on both aspects. I also really enjoyed the character played by Fukushi Sota, a great discovery.

I would recommend this to people that are looking for a psychological kind of romance. It is not really a rom-com, not really a psychological thriller or a slice-of-life. It is a bit of a mix and doing so, it missed the mark for me but I still think there are quite a bit to love. I personally really enjoyed the travel vlog aspect , the various countries and languages, the dating show set up, as well as the introduction and the production value. Too bad that romance was a miss for me and that the resolution felt rushed despite the overall sluggish pace of the drama.

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I had no expectations and still was disappointed by the nonsensical plot choices and bland ending

Not going to lie, Pit Babe Season 1 is definitely not a series I would recommend as it is deeply flawed. Still, I wanted to give a shot to the Season 2 as I thought it could explore the lore more and provide a more satisfactory take on this very specific universe as well as on the various characters.

However, the writing was particularly weak. It first approached some interesting ideas but very quickly fell apart with characters making all the bad choices and a too easy ending. Another big issue was the numerous secondary couples : there were so many of them that it was impossible for me to really care about any. As in Season 1, the fantasy universe was not exploited enough : instead of developing the lore, the scenario got stuck on one note.

It is not all bad, as I quite enjoyed the performance of Pavel as Babe. He delivered some solid acting moments despite all the cringe factors from the script. His chemistry with Pooh (playing Charlie) was very good and probably the main reason I completed the series. Production was also good overall, even if some fight scenes could definitely have been better, they did not feel too cheap. The OST was quite enjoyable at first but clearly became too much as it was overused.

I would not recommend this to people as there are better BLs out there. If you had already mixed feelings regarding Season 1, this Season 2 will certainly not change your mind.

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Despite a good start, it very quickly became bland and repetitive

The format of this survival show is a bit different from others as it is takes a lot of inspiration from sports. There is a lot of sporty reference with participants being splitted into three teams (Rhythm, Groove and Beat) with Directors coaching them. Another difference is the amount of original songs in this show : some were more forgettable than others but still there is at least one or two songs performances I will rewatch for sure.

Unfortunately, the show interest radically decreased at his halfway mark. It got very boring with results becoming more and more predictable. In addition to loosing its steam halfway through its run, the biggest issues of the show is the rules regarding the trading of the players and the yellow cards. It was so unbalanced that loosing once meant very little hope to get better, the situation being bound to get worse and worse.

The cast is quite varied with 42 competitors that have very different level of training. Some have already debuted, some have trained for a long time and some are total beginners. More than the participants, the best part of the cast was the "Teams Directors" coaching the candidates. Some were more involved and hands on than others, but overall it was really what made the show to see how they built their team with their own vision. I loved to see Ten and Yang Yang from WayV and most of all the formidable Lee Changsub from BtoB working on the program. The other directors : producer El Capitxn (aka Jang Yi Jung) and Kim Yu Gyeom from GOT7 also deserve a mention as they did a very commendable job in a though situation.

If you are a fan of one of the directors or of survival shows in general, it might be worth to give it a shot. I personnaly feel it loose too soon its steam and became very predictable because of unbalanced rules. But there are a couple of performances that I really enjoyed, in addition to having some talented participants. If the concept would have been more fair for all the teams, and the gap in votes smaller, it would have been definitively more interesting to me.

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One hell of trashy and entertaining BL - a funny way to loose brain cells

This series is super difficult to review and rate. Objectively, it is really (really !) bad on many levels : writing was a mess to say the least, acting was pretty poor, characters growth inexisting and production value very limited with a lot of cringy choices. BUT hear me out : I cannot deny the fact that it was a fun journey to follow this series while it was airing.

I had some many (unwanted by the production team) laugh watching this drama...In a "it is so bad, it is (kinda) almost good" way. There is not a lot to say about the series, it features a lot of toxic relationship that do not really improve over the course of the drama. Other than the main couple, the two secondary couples are totally lacking either chemistry or interest. And the other plotlines are just random and useless.

On the positive sides, there are so many unhinged moments that I was always looking forward for the crazy of each episode. The acting was pretty limited but I will not blame too much the actors that had the difficult mission to make a nonsensical script and situation come alive. It was awkward at time but I can only praise the main leads for their commitment. I cannot say the same for sure for the supporting cast.

I can't recommend this to people as it is such a bad drama. At the same time, I think if you are looking for something in a "it is really so bad it is good" kind of way, you might want to give it a shot.

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Some stuff improved from S1, some not as good as S1 - still gripping and entertaining gameshow!

I quite enjoyed this second season of The Devil's Plan. It improved on some elements from Season 1 while being less good on some other aspects.

The novelty factor is not there anymore, still some of the twists hit and are exciting. The participants are also more aware on what to do to succeed and collaboration, forming alliance is more important than ever. I wish we would have spent even more time following the bonding outside of the games because the social aspect is such an interesting part of the show. Some had more cunning social skills, some had clearly high intelligence and the best had it both

The cast felt more balanced than in S2 with less "free riders" that were just being carried by the overall group. I feel the ones that made it through the end truly deserved it. Like in S1, not all the games were at the same level of interest and if I appreciate the change in making both regular and prison games with high stakes, I had trouble to care about all of them.

I would recommend this to people that enjoyed the first seaon. It shares similarities but also is quite different for some parts. I wish the next season (if there is one) will manage to find an even better balance between social interactions, alliances building and games. It might be difficult to renew a third time the gameshow, to keep the participants on their toes, not knowing what to expect...But I still wish they try it !

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Visually strinking thriller, with a good production value & solid writing while mostly predictable

This chilling thriller features an aspiring mangaka who accidentaly found a serial killer crime scene. This impacts him drastically, allowing him to elevate his art skills and his career, as he draws inspiration from this encounter for his debut series. I predicted quite a few twists and still I liked a lot how the movie ended. The main character was really ambivalent : a very grey, pitiful hero, which I truly enjoyed.

The acting was pretty good overall, a bit less on the side of the villain : he was frightenaning but it could have been even stronger. The Art was so strong that the actor playing the serial killer could not really measure up against its fictional manga counterpart.

The production value was very good. The sketches, fictionnal manga drawings were all very well made and participated a lot to the angsty and dark atmosphere of the central story. I liked how the production showcased the Art, making it a clear mirror of the real life crimes. It was chilling how close it was, which was the point. The OST had a nice ending song but nothing really noticeable during the movie.

I would recommend this to people looking for a gripping thriller. If you like stories featuring artists as well as the creation process, I think this will for sure be an interesting watch as it takes you on the journey of an assistant mangaka drawing inspiration from real life crimes to start a career and the dramatic consequences of doing so. Be mindful of the triggers if you any as there is quite a bit of gore and blood due to the nature of the film itself.

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Solid acting, classic story - entertaining overall thanks to the cast performances

This movie is relatively classic and predictable as it follows the journey of a new teacher in a high school where she fight against toxic environment with heavy bullying. Despite the classic trope and context, it manages to remain all along very entertaining and griping with an effective storytelling. There is no real surprise and it tends to be a bit too unrealistic for the action sequences in a Webtoon / Anime way, but it is an enjoyable overall story. The production value was good, there are some strikingly horrifying and atrocious bullying scenes. The OST is alright but not memorable.

The acting was certainly the strongest point of the film. The ensemble cast did a very good job. I had some trouble to reconcile the image I had of Lee Jun Young as the main villain here. It was such an unexpected contrast with the only role I had previously seen him (in Love & Leashes) that it kinda blow my mind. He was impressively frightening as this monstruous student thirsty for blood and inflicting deep suffering on his fellow peers.

The stand out performance for me is Park Jung Woo playing the main victim : he has some ultra memorable and painful scenes that truly amped the stakes. To be honest, both Lee Jun Young and Park Jung Woo are difficult to picture and find believable as highschoolers, but I'm not complaining of their casting in the roles given the quality of their performances. Next to them, Shin Hye Sun does an honorable job but she pales a bit in comparison and feel not as credible in the fight sequences.

I would recommend this to people that are looking for a vigilante story, featuring some teaching moments and action akin to webtoon/anime style fighting scenes. The overall story is classic but very entertaining, supported by strong performances. Be mindful of the tags if you have any triggers, as it is pretty graphic in the violence showcased.

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Quite captivating despite not being fully onboard with the romance because of writing issues

This drama features a forbidden romance between a 25 years old teacher and her 15 years old student. Given the stake of the romance, the unethical and taboo aspect to it, it was quite a gripping and angsty watch. There were some captivating parts but I never went fully onboard with the romance because of the writing issues.

Indeed, the scenario fails to provide reasonable explanation for them falling in love with each other. All along the drama, they don't spend enough time together and don't share that much of a strong bond (based on trauma nor shared passion) to really make sense of their love. At no point of the story, there is sufficient steam to justify their connection by implying it is just rather lust than love. It does not feel like lust, it certainly feel like love from both side but there is no convincing background and reason behind it...Especially given all the risks they face, for the teacher especially.

At least the script does condemn their behaviors and does not try to apologize their actions. They are in the wrong in the eye of the society and they bring pain to their loved ones while following that path. However, I wish the writing went a bit more crazier in terms of passion and feelings, in order as a viewer to better understand (not meaning approve) the rationale being their love and why they have chosen that painful road. Maybe if they had both much more trauma in their life at the time they met, would it have been better in terms of building the romance. Not saying that it can be justified, but if they shared more moments together of comfort and bonding, it would have made the romance more believable.

Regarding the cast, it is the debut role of Mizukami Koshi. I think the casting team did a good job to cast an actor that was around 18-19 years old to play the part as it made the romance a bit more palatable than if they casted a 15 years old teen to play the role. Can it be considered as a cope out or an easy way to make it more romantic than it should be given the context ? Maybe but it was a safe production choice. I will be curious to see more work of Mizukami Koshi, he felt a bit green in some of the more intense scenes but still was very charming and charismatic despite the flaws in acting. Arimura Kasumi whom acted has his counterpart in the role of the teacher did an alright job but nothing really outstanding or memorable.

I would recommend this to people that enjoy taboo and forbidden romance. It is for sure an interesting and captivatingly angsty story. I found the romance lacking on some aspects as I feel the build up lacked convincing background for the respective feelings of both main characters. Despite this big flaw, it is still an entertaining watch that is worth a try.

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Hwang In Youp stole my heart in this rom-com !!!

This romantic comedy is centered around the journey of Lim Jo Kyung, who escape from bullying thanks to the power of make-up. Over the course of the story, she will learns to love herself with and without make-up, while finding love and acceptance, even bare-faced. The rivalry and bromance between the two main male characters is certainly my favorite part of the show. There drama is full of memorable comedic scenes, some of the most fun involving them bickering.

The story is not without flaws and required from me some suspension of disbelief. Indeed, the way the heroine is supposed to be considered as a super ugly duckling without make-up because of relatively poor skin condition and big glasses was not very credible to my eyes. I also really did not care about the secondary storylines of all the adults : it was a big part of the drama but I would not have minded for all of it to be removed from the drama, especially the romance of the heroine' sister. Removing that useless fat from the drama would have allowed the episodes to be shorter and focusing on the core of the story, making it better overall.

I clearly fell in love with Han Seo Joon, the character played by Hwang In Youp. I truly wish and need to see him in more lead roles because he is such a bright star. The character had the strongest narrative arc among the main roles : in spite of the writing, I rooted for him all along and that's a testimony of the good acting and charisma. He was indubitably the key factor in my appreciation of the drama as well as the root of my frustration when I felt the writing was not fair to his character. Next to him, Cha Eun Woo performance and character paled in comparison. I think his acting was not the worst but too surface level for me to like as much his character.

Next to both of them, Mun Ka Young was an excellent discovery : she had such a cute attitude and delivery of her lines in her role that I could not help to root for the happiness her character. I am very excited to see her in other titles. I cannot say the same from Park You Na who completes the quartet of main roles. I found her acting rather flat and the overall arc of her character annoying and cliche.

The production value was pretty great. The decors were colorful, totally fitting the girlish and youthful vibe of the series. The making and directing was very good for the romantic scenes, making them very swoony overall. The soundtrack was pretty good. I particularly enjoyed hearing Hwang In Youp sing one of the OST's song : fortunately, because it was used quite a lot in the drama.

I would recommend this to people that are looking for a romantic comedy set in high school. It is a pretty light watch overall with some good comedic scenes. It is not that deep but the overall message is positive. A lot of fluff, not that much substance but enough for what it is supposed to be. Even if the romance did not go in the way I would have wished it to go which frustrated me to no end, I still had quite a bit of pleasure watching the drama. Sometimes, that kind of fun is exactly what you need.

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Interesting dystopic universe but lacking on many points

The premise of the drama is super strong: in a world were men birthrate is ultra low, women must compete on a reality TV show to gain the right to be in a relationship with the rare men available. I found it quite fun with some of the games played by the participants of the competition. It also attempted to approach deeper societal topics to which the habitants of this dystopic universe are confronted to. However, I found it overall too surface level and the resolution felt like a quick fix to reach an outcome but without really addressing all the societal issues approached.

I also some whiplash with the abrupt shift of tones : the drama oscillates between heavy over-the-top comedic moments and heavier situation...I did not find the balance between those very well done. The acting did not impressed me. It was okay overall but clearly there was a bit too much overacting for me for some of the characters. I particularly had some issue appreciating the female lead character "Day". I found her acting quite stupid in a lot of situation. There was a lot of Deus Ex Machina to help out the character all along the series, which I did not enjoy. The main romance was not my favorite part of the series but I truly loved some of the side relationships with the friendship and family bonds.

The production value was great. The sets of the "TV show" part of the drama, with the various games were super colorful and beautifully made. The scenes in the "real world" were also very well conceived with a very believable urban vibe. It totally made the world convincing. The soundtrack was okay, nothing that memorable, some jazzy tunes as well as indie ballad.

I would recommend this to people that are looking for a different type of series. It has some strong YA dystopian book vibe, so if you are an adept of the genre, I would suggest to give it a shot. In my opinion, it is lacking on many points: romance, acting, writing but I cannot deny the fact that it was pretty entertaining to follow, with a great production value.

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Nothing to see here

Honestly, it is for a challenge that I decided to have a look at this very short movie (less than 3 minutes). As it is very short and helped me completing a challenge I'm not upset to have seen it. I just feel there is not a lot to see here.

The story is almost non-existent, the music is horrendously superposed into the dialogs and the actresses are rather unconvincing in their roles, with some very bad make-up. They don't have much to act on, so not putting the blame on them but I honestly cannot say I was interested by anything happening on screen.

I would not recommend it. In the same vein, a short Chinese movie featuring a same-sex relationship between two women and providing in a very short amount of time some interesting storytelling is "The Fox Spirit and the Little Priest", radically better. I strongly suggest you watch it rather than this one.

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It will not replace His Man S2 in my heart but honestly truly enjoyed the wild ride and messiness

I binge-watched the show in 2 days, which proves how good TV it was for me. It was such a wild (and dramatic) ride and I was super invested in the storylines (especially the most messy one). I enjoyed the summery vibes, it is a nice contrast to the two previous seasons. There were some really cute and fun location / activities proposed during the dates, it was pretty entertaining with a nice soundtrack.

The main flaw of this season relies on its ending which was painful to me as I felt my favorites participants had quite the short end of the stick. I do not understand why the epilogue did not feature all the protagonists to keep us posted on where they are now...Especially as the show has been filmed about one year ago, there was for sure some better way to close it. I simply cannot understand the editing and storytelling choices that were made at the end.

Despite the fact that none of the relationships that made it through the end were entirely satisfying to me, I loved the ensemble cast as well as the dramatic tensions that were interwoven into the story because of some of the contestants. It was messy and really entertaining for sure. All the contenders were likeable in their own ways.

I would recommend this to people that love dating shows. If you enjoyed the previous seasons of His Man, you will probably enjoy it. The mechanics stays the same (with minor changes: some exciting, some useless) with also a bit more of production / editing choices to keep things interesting. The main failure of the season relies in the questionable decision the production team made regarding the epilogue of the series. My advice: watch episode 1 to 13 which takes you on a highly bingeable and messy journey, providing a fluffy and sometimes dramatic story; and don't watch the episode 14 which does not bring any value to the series and can lead to some unnecessary frustration.

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