Mademoiselle Noir

Acting, even in front of you

The pacing of this drama was a near-masterclass, at least to me. With an exciting lead-in, the MLs' relationship seemed to move at break-neck speed (on the surface) but was full of reflection, fear, and carefully said words. Many might disagree, but I found the flashback episodes a perfect "interruption" to dive deeper into both their current mentalities and past states, which put actions taken when they met again into a whole new light. I felt excited seeing everything laid out and awaiting their next interaction, armed with all the new information presented to me. In particular, I loved the execution of Asami's story.

Final note: I must say, the love scene? Felt like I was watching living, breathing art comprised of two people brimming over with feelings, desperately needing and reaching for each other, physically connecting, all while begging with their eyes, "Please, stay. Please, be here with me." Take notes, other dramas! Take notes!

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"Who are you acting for?"

This second season . . . Blew the first out of the water and up into the clouds; expanding and pulling on insecurities and self-doubts, passions and dreams, that were already there and/or just beginning to show themselves.

And there was such a perfectly natural progression of both leads' lives/story that you'd swear every moment was mapped out since the start.

It was a story of personal growth and growing with someone you love.

If Romance is a Bonus Book is a love letter to books and ThamePo Heart That Skips a Beat is a love letter to love, then S2 of At 25:00 in Akasaka is a love letter to acting.

I was compelled not just by the characters but by the various roles they played.

The cinematography? Left me speechless!

It was . . .

It was a grand play I'd been dying to see that left me standing and clapping, eyes sparkly and watery and mouth open in wonderment long after the actors left the stage.

I do so hate to see the curtains close, but I know they must.

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Mixed Feelings, But Still Good

How do I talk about this? This is a tough one. I'm sure I'm not going to make sense when I try to talk about this.

First off, the aspects that were fantastic as ever and generally we all agree on: The shots, colors, lighting, acting, and music is great. And the OST is pure gold!

Now, onto my own personal take:

On the one hand, IPYTM did make me very emotional and I was able to relate to some of the struggles the characters were going through. I loved and hated how this drama made me feel at the same time. It was purposefully soul-crushing at many points. I knew this wasn't going to be an upbeat and easy sequel though.

From the first episode and on they really hit you with how it feels to feel and/or be alone and out of your element in a new place far from home.

On the other hand, I think my biggest criticism happens to be everyone else's: They should have shown this drama more from Oh-aews's point of view, or at least half of it.

ITSAY was Oh-aew and Teh's story. But, at the end of the day, it was mostly from Teh's point of view. And that was fine. It was meant to be that way and it worked. Unlike others, I wasn't fuming mad about this being from Teh's perspective, however, I felt like we missed out on something by not showing more from Oh-aew.

I distinctly remember thinking at the end of episode 1 that the story was going to continue on showing Oh-aew's life/struggles for a while. And I was really excited about that. The camera angles and tone certainly seemed to suggest it. But, that's not what happened.

I Promised You the Moon was never going to surpass I Told Sunset About You. It was either going to continue the story in a meaningful or somewhat meaningful way, or not measure up to it's predecessor at all.

For me, I found this meaningful but not on par with ITSAY. I didn't feel angry. I just felt something lacking, but, it wasn't enough to leave me completely unsatisfied.

I think I'll give this an 8/10.

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Pomp and Circumstance + Wasted Potential

This drama was ambitious. Grand in scale with elaborate costumes, set designs, beautiful locations, and the actors spent time not only learning choreographed fight scenes but also fencing and archery as well. All this to make the background of Emmaly rich and small details stand out.

The leads didn't take long to find their footing with the plot, and the side characters were built up for great things, too. Only they failed to follow up or utilize what they had at their disposal. Princess Ava, in particular, felt wasted as a character. The only Princess set to compete, facing gender discrimination among countless men, and I can count the number of scenes I recall with her with just two hands (her lightly teased romance also was never elaborated on, and she barely appeared in the finale). And Prince Ramil, with his lightning relationship with Paytai and compelling struggle with his abusive father, while surpassing the level of intrigue of the leads many times, felt only half-explored.

Some episodes felt well-rounded, with time split fairly evenly among the cast, allowing them to have their highlighted moments and developments. However, other episodes seemed to forget some characters existed, as Khanin and Charan danced around each other, and the plot stalled.

Even the rage of the protesters and those wronged by the actions/inaction of those in charge felt muffled by the tie-it-up-with-a-bow conclusion.

By the end of it all, I felt placated by sparks of something grand and the breadcrumbs that led to nowhere.

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Falling Star

I nearly didn't watch this drama. But just within the first episode, the character of White caught my interest. I found him a complex and sympathetic individual, trying to convince himself he's comfortable alone when trauma from his past is what was really holding him back from allowing himself/others to get close. And with each week, I grew more and more attached to everyone else in his new friend group. They all had such vibrancy, and while common for their age, well-portrayed struggles. Questioning your sexuality/not understanding your own feelings, feeling like you don't fit in, feeling left out from your friend group, hiding a crush on a friend, etc.

Lune and Star clicked so well with their shared hesitancy to let people fully know them; the build-up and fall-out from them lying to White was emotionally devastating, levity and oddly enough, rationality in the friend group was found through Jewel (along with some sweetness with his romance with Tan) in the middle of everything, and Sera, what should have been a wrench thrown into everything, was a surprisingly mature addition that only widened my view of Lune.

But then, they fumbled the bag. They did a complete 180 with Star's character and had her become a possessive, controlling, and uncommunicative partner to Lune, guilt-tripping him, misunderstanding him, and refusing to see reason or listen. Lune, who has been hurt before and hurt others before, tells her he wants to be a better person and tells her specifically how he wants to do that, and what does she do? Give him a painful ultimatum and accept his apology while taking zero accountability herself.

In the end, I felt the need to take a whole point off just for how Star's character ended up.

I'm kind of disappointed in myself for getting attached and invested, only to be let down.

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A teen drama but also a sort of heavy slice-of-life

(Spoilers at the bottom regarding a character's sexuality)

Such a down-hearted and sweet ML. He's such a good-natured person that he sometimes lets things slide or doesn't stand up for himself enough when he should though. But, he is true to himself and his morals, and he does stand up in his own way later on. 

The big "misunderstanding" was annoying but the payoff was perfect. The lesson was genuinely learned and the FL was apologetic and did better afterward.

This was a teen drama but also a sort of heavy slice-of-life. It's slow, but purposefully so. These are teenagers dealing with typical problems/more serious problems but also bigger things out of their control that they shouldn't have to face. It covers emotional/physical abuse, overdemanding and anxiety-inducing parental pressure, divorce, child abandonment, a form of self-harm, peer pressure, a victim choosing for themself how they handle things, bullying, etc. 

It's about being more present in life, realizing what you can and can't control, and accepting what is and isn't your fault. Parental pressure and abuse is never the fault of the victim, but maliciously taking out that pain on others is. And you can understand why someone would act that way because of their horrible environment but it doesn't mean you condone or forgive the behavior. Life circumstances can get in the way of us and being with our loved ones but it doesn't mean the relationship is lost.

We do the best we can and we still struggle. But there are moments to cherish in our past and moments to look forward to in the future.

Regarding Representation: We had a Gay SML, Jung Oh Je, who had unrequited feelings for one of the MLs, Ma Hwi Young. He didn't have a lot of screen time but he was a calming presence and his character had an impact, particularly when the drama was airing.

The way they hint at his real feelings is nicely subtle in the background. Even when he doesn't have lines, if you pay attention and follow his stare you notice who he's looking at. And he has a very openly thoughtful yet guarded expression to him that speaks of someone who is figuring something out within themself that they are scared of.

I think they did a good job. Realistically the outing likely would have gone much worse but I think them toning it down helped in showing acceptance of someone's sexuality as being the right and natural thing. Even Ma Hwi Young wasn't really a jerk about it in the way he would be about anything else.

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Doesn't follow the typical easy drama format

(One minor spoiler regarding the couple)

I'm surprised by just how good this drama was. I thought it would be on the same level of ridiculousness as True Beauty but it's actually very real, sensible, mature, and genuine.

The ML is not like the typical cold and jerkish MLs who only later become "good" guys who are really still jackasses who don't apologize for their mistakes. He is nice to who he wants to be nice to and isn't to others. Simple. The rest of his "coldness" is just his sarcastic and dry humor he naturally has. He also doesn't fall for the traps set by the opposing FL like so many other MLs do. Not once. In fact, he catches the lies very easily and isn't fooled by crying or anything. That was so refreshing to see!

The misunderstandings between him and the FL are very few and are resolved quickly. He doesn't generally assume she had bad intentions or believe what others tell him about her outright.

Sometimes I got a bit annoyed with the FL but I understood why she still struggled with confidence issues and standing up for herself. And though she grew slowly I was proud of her journey.

The message is also incredibly well executed. We can diet to lose weight and get plastic surgery to "fix" our face but that won't necessarily make us confident or make everyone leave us alone/treat us as normal. In fact, it can bring more attention to us than before and cause new issues we never considered.

And there is nothing wrong with wanting to be skinnier or getting plastic surgery, just like there is nothing wrong with Not wanting to lose weight or Not getting plastic surgery. But understand that it won't make life perfect. It won't "fix" you. Your mindset is the biggest problem. And while you may be struggling with just being okay with yourself it isn't okay to push your insecurities onto others by rating their faces or judging them based on their looks.

Just a side note: There wasn't a kiss until the second to last episode and I didn't find myself caring one bit. I didn't even realize it until I finished the drama.

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Nothing's Right . . . With this Drama

Okay, let's make this quick!

👏🎬

IT. WAS. FRUSTRATING.

😫

From the overall writing and samey expressions to the circular conflicts and overdramatic soundtrack.

And this ML had to be the most frustrating ML I've seen since God knows when! If there was an easy path in front of him, he would first sigh deeply, yell at it repeatedly, turn around only to look back at it wistfully, and then take a sharp left right off a cliff.

I don't recommend it. There's no reason for me to. If you want something kind of similar plot-wise, go watch Love Mate instead! It's not perfect, but it's WAY better!

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There's toxicity. Nevertheless,

I started this without meaning to. I was just going to watch a couple minutes out of curiosity, probably forget about it, and move on to watch episode 8 of Romance is a Bonus Book. But, I watched the whole episode. Nine minutes somehow turned into over an hour.

It intrigued me. From the artistry, great lighting and camera work, really cool creations, just enough subtly, to the right amount of flirty.

They had me. I was short on time. Nevertheless, I started this drama.

And you know what? I don't regret it. While I ended up disliking one of the main characters, Na Bi, I was still able to enjoy this by rooting for who I did like and just observing the character as a person I didn't necessarily NEED to like or understand. I could just find her interesting at the very least.

I was rooting for both Na Bi and Jae Eon in the beginning. Unlike most people though, by the end of the drama I was there for Jae Eon, not Na Bi.

While Jae Eon is declared to be manipulative and toxic, the really toxic person was Na Bi. And the ending only solidified that for me.

So what did I love about this drama? I loved that it was very out-of-the-box and didn't tell a typical K-Drama romance story. I also loved the soundtrack, the side couples, the representation I wasn't expecting to get that was incorporated into this very popular drama alongside the main couple and treated as normal all the while, the physical art, the acting, Na Bi's backstory, and the metaphors surrounding Jae Eon.

You know what upset me with the reaction to this drama? The level of absolute hatred for Jae Eon while Na Bi got little to no criticism. She was either seen as the victim, someone who was just being too easy and going with the flow, or someone who was just a bit toxic.

I have to wonder: Did we watch the same ending? Did we hear the same internal monologues?

Because I have no idea how anyone can walk away from this still viewing Jae Eon as the "evil mastermind," or "monster" who simply got his hooks in the naïve Na Bi.

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Reflection and Resolve

True to its title, this drama was a quiet, healing experience.

I saw myself in both of the leads. Swallowing words down until you choke or, on the other side of it, smiling and spitting up easy nonsense to cope.

Unlearning years of repression of your feelings and the anxiety that comes as it fades all takes time. How nice it is to have someone by your side, willing to listen and stand up for you when it's all too much to bear on your own, and speaking feels like dying. Someone who promises to stay.

For a tender love and complex leads, it's certainly worth watching.

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You will wuv it!

A real treat! That's what Me and Thee was. They didn't reinvent the wheel, but they knew what they were making and stayed true to their special style of humor.

It goes to show you don't need to do a lot to do well. If your material is good and the actors are passionate about it and commit to each and every bit, it will show in the end result.

It was odd but loveable and more thoughtful than you'd think, just like the iconic Thee himself.

I was charmed, thrilled, and amused to no end. Every character shone, and you could practically see the steam coming out of people's ears and silly, heart-eyes popping out.

Don't underestimate or brush aside this one, just enjoy yourself already and watch it! Give joy and love a chance! Tis fun!

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Where did it all go wrong . . .

*cracks knuckles and sips coffee*

Right. So . . . I called Pit Babe S1 "that girl." She's messy and toxic, but attractive and fun to be around.

S2, on the other hand . . .

S2 did allow for some theorizing about powers and plans and plenty of fun, cringey moments, and breadcrumbs of intriguing side couples to enjoy, but . . .

How to pit this kindly but also crudely because I'm upset at the last-minute, dumpster-fire of a finale we were "treated" to with loose ends enough to tie shoelaces and character choices so inconsistent you question your sanity/eyes on top of the very not-put together other episodes we got before . . .

Pit Babe S2 was "that girl" if she became your roommate, found AO3 and dived a little too deep into it, and then got wasted at a party one night, came home, and started loudly telling you about her latest idea for a fanfic while banging cupboard doors open and closed looking for a cup and tripping over all the carpets before passing out mid-conversation before waking up a minute later to tell you the ending she somehow came up with while passed out before finally passing out for the night on your couch and then you wake up the next morning to her groggily making coffee and after making eye contact with you forcing you to sit down and read said fanfic she told you the night before and it is kind of hilarious but also ridiculous (just like the situation you're in) and you feel kind of bad for that girl/your roommate so you smile and say "it's nice."

Does that make sense? Is that hard to understand? Is it satisfying?

Congratulations, you just vicariously experienced the finale of S2 of Pit Babe with me without even having to watch it!😁

Do I recommend it? *simultaneously shrugs and sighs*

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Work-out murder mystery romance done alright

Note: .5 of my rating is me being generous for no reason. I don't know what to tell you, it just felt right.

It was a bit awkward in terms of pacing/line delivery from the side characters, but when they focused on just the two leads bouncing off of each other, it was quite natural. I could buy that they were not only incredibly close friends, but so close they were edging toward the line.

And for a co-production between Thailand and Korea, it wasn't half bad. And compared to past offerings, it was leagues above them. Sure, Jay's entire circle of friends/acquaintances conveniently understood Thai perfectly while he understood Korean, so they almost never spoke the other's language, and thus, conversations were never a hassle for him. But it was honestly SO easy for him to communicate with everyone that it felt like the drama was aware of how ridiculous it was and was playing on it.

As for the "murder mystery," it was pretty ridiculous. But this drama was never meant to be some cinematic masterpiece or truly balance surprising darkness in an otherwise light story like either season of Love Class. No, it was created to be something silly and entertaining. And, you know what? I'm okay with that. Overall, I had a decent time.

I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it. But I won't yell, "You're making a mistake!" if you decide to spend your time watching this instead of something else.

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Holy shit this was so fucking good

What can I say about it (actually I have a lot to say)? It was a masterpiece! From the incredible acting and electrifying chemistry to the intricate and intriguing plot. I started it with the intent to finish it in about 3 weeks. Instead, I completed it in 3 days. That should tell you all you need to know.

The narrative flowed well and the plot twists weren't just surprising, they also made sense in hindsight.

The first episode drops you right into the story and then proceeds to backtrack to the events leading up to the murder. And the chemistry between the ML's was already present as well. There were these wonderful intrigued stares they gave each other which created a solid connection and tension between them before they even really got to know one another.

I can't believe I waited this long to watch it! It was thrilling, shocking, horrifying, real, intense, sweet, and addictive. It reminded me a bit of Criminal Minds with it not shying away from dark topics and some gore but keeping some light-heartedness in it as well.

I especially loved how it wasn't solely a romance drama. The romance played a big role, yes, but it wasn't the main focus or the point of the plot itself. That's the kind of progress I want to see. See people, you can have a great drama with a great plot while ALSO having an LGBT+ romance in it. You can. So, make more of these please!

Us non-straight people like a cool plot that isn't just about falling in love too!

Side Note: Much as I like to see coming out scenes in dramas, provided they are done well and respectfully, I want to see more dramas where no coming out scene is even necessary. That was yet another thing I loved about this.

And also, the aspect of "I'm falling in love with another man, oh no!" wasn't a thing. And both Tan and Bun weren't mocked, ridiculed, bullied, or put down for being in love. Nor did they or their friends make "wife" jokes or anything of the sort. That was incredibly refreshing! It was treated as a legitimate and normal relationship like others.

This drama is a 10/10 in its blood. God, I hope we get more like this! Thanks to HIStory 3: Trapped for paving the way for this wonderful drama! Golden Blood couldn't do it, but (if we ever get it) KinnPorsche looks incredibly promising.

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Two Slow Blinks in Cat Language=Love

A feel-good drama featuring furry felines that was both laid-back and immensely heartfelt.

As expected, even with as silly a premise as this, First and Khao brought their A-game! I grinned like a Cheshire cat, but also got close to tears multiple times.

And, you know, I could tell FirstKhao enjoyed acting in such a chill, soft drama. When I think back, up to this point, all of their previous works were really very challenging and dramatic! Here, they got to be a bit more playful and not take themselves as seriously with this script. Must have been a nice breath of fresh air.

In addition to how fluffy the story could be, I loved how warm the color palette was. Lots of oranges, yellows, and greens. It made the overall experience of spending time in the Cat-Cheer Café that much more inviting.

Honestly, I think they could make another season!

You may not write home about it, but I definitely believe you'll enjoy yourself watching it.

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