Suspenseful and Thrilling
I was really excited to watch Spare Me Your Mercy when it started airing because I'm a sucker for crime dramas. The premise of this one was especially unique - catching a killer that might not even be the bad guy? The cast was absolutely incredible, and the show had me on the edge of my seat every episode. I do wish this was a 10-12 ep series instead, just because there were a few things I wish they could have explored deeper, but it is absolutely worth the watch.Tew (JJ) is a detective who decided to transfer to a rural town to be near his mom, who is dying of ovarian cancer with only a few months to live. However, right as he goes to see her after transferring, he learns she has passed away months before the doctor said she would. Hurt and confused, Tew does to talk to Dr. Kan (Tor), the palliative care expert in the town. Kan explains that this isn't uncommon with terminally ill patients and Tew doesn't think too much more about it - until terminally ill patients start dying prematurely all over this rural town. With few suspects and a growing suspicion of Kan, Tew tries to keep him close; Kan seems to be trying to keep Tew close as well, and though he says it's because he's developing a crush on him, Tew remains unconvinced. Unclear motives from both parties create tension in this slowburn relationship, and as more and more deaths occur prematurely, the need to find out the truth may outweigh any feelings the two have for each other.
This show was truly incredible. I would recommend watching for the thriller/suspense/mystery elements more than the relationship, because truly the story is about the deaths and not the romance. However, JJ and Tor do an amazing job portraying these characters. A cold and tough detective determined to find out the truth paired with the bright and kind doctor was a great match. The acting, effects, and writing were all fantastic. Plot twists weren't necessarily predictable, but they were built into the story well enough to not feel like I was being blindsided by nonsensical twists in the story. The framing of certain scenes to intentionally throw the viewer off was super fun too. Even though I thought they could have played up the tension in the relationship and that a few more episodes would have helped flesh some things out more, I thought the story was fantastic and loved the way it wrapped up. One of my favorites of 2024 for sure.
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Delivered complex characters and a lovely romance
Typically I don't expect too much out of Korean BLs. Since they're so short, they often can't go into enough depth. However, Jazz for Two managed to balance their short time and the right amount of character depth perfectly, leaving you with complex characters without overwhelming you with backstory.Yoon Seheon just transferred to a performing arts high school after being homeschooled for years. His classically trained pianist father has only ever allowed him to focus on classical music on the piano, and Seheon is constantly compared to his perfect older brother. However, Seheon really just wants to play jazz, and is hoping this new school will let him break free of his father. However, when practicing in an abandoned piano room at the school, Han Taeyi hears the song and is angered by it - not because it's bad, but because it reminds him too much of his late older brother's playing. Han Taeyi struggles to deal with the grief of losing his older brother, and takes it out on Seheon, only for Seheon to keep pushing Taeyi to become closer with him.
This show delivered on both the slowburn romance front and the entertaining characters. While the side characters didn't get much screentime, the two main characters each had distinct backstories and personalities, which complemented each other well. They start as polar opposites and appear to be enemies, but naturally over the course of the show we get to watch Taeyi deal with his grief and Seheon open up to Taeyi.
My biggest complaints about this show would all be resolved if the show was longer. First, the show tried to touch on homophobia, including internalized homophobia, but simply didn't see it through. It was brought up as a problem but then just disappeared? I also think that we missed out on seeing the early stages of Seheon and Taeyi together, because it seemed like they were fighting and then all of a sudden they were together? We never got to see the conversations or dates between them, and I think it would have helped to flesh out their relationship more. Frankly, we didn't get much time with them in a relationship because it takes so long for them to get together. I love a slowburn too, but I would have liked more happy moments with them as a couple. Also, some of the issues in their backstories (Seheon's dad, Taeyi's brother, etc.) could have used more screen time to really explore more. For the time it had, this show was wonderful. I'd say it's one of the more engaging and deep Korean BLs I've seen. However, the time constraints always seem to be my worst enemy for Korean BLs.
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The plot was bad, but the chemistry was good
The only redeeming quality of this show was the fact that Zee and Nunew have great chemistry. Besides that, there's nothing special about this show and I was pretty bored for most of it.The entire time you're waiting for single conflict to be resolved: the fact that Lian doesn't like Kuea's fake personality, and the fact that Kuea refuses to be his true self. Literally if they were just honest with each other, this show could be two episodes long. Instead, the conflict is drawn out way too long. The whole arranged marriage plot felt pretty odd, but I could get behind it if it made sense or helped the show move along. Instead, it's just this odd point that creates unnecessary drama between the leads.
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ThomasKong!
I ended up waiting to watch this one until it had finished airing, and I'm glad I did because watching it all at once was so fun. It's a bit of a stereotypical fake dating plotline, but it was so sweet and fun. Thomas and Kong killed it in these roles!Teerak (Kong) has a problem saying no to people, so when Oh, who has clearly been hitting on Teerak, invites him to his birthday party, Teerak says yes even though he doesn't like him. While there, Teerak ends up getting a little too drunk thanks to Oh's "non-alcoholic" shots. When Oh announces in front of everyone his feelings for Teerak, Teerak is paralyzed and unable to say no - which only becomes worse as Oh moves to kiss him. Luckily, Muenfah (Thomas) steps in, loudly proclaiming Teerak to be his boyfriend, even though they've only interacted once (and not on great terms). When the news spreads throughout the school, Teerak and Muenfah decide to keep up the act of dating so Oh doesn't bother Teerak anymore. Naturally, as the two work out how to keep this fake relationship looking real, they end up developing feelings for each other.
While the plot was predictable, the chemistry made this show great. The characters weren't overly complex, but had just the right amount of depth to be believable and draw the viewer in. I do wish we got a little more of scary/cold Muenfah, but watching him soften so quickly for Teerak was honestly adorable. I think if I had watched this while it was airing I could've gotten a little bored with how predictable it was, but watching it all at once was super enjoyable, and I'll be on the lookout for more series with them!
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Everything came together perfectly
Perfect 10 Liners was such a fun and enjoyable show. I honestly didn't expect to become so attached but after 6 months (!) of watching this show every week, I ended up being so sad that it was ending.This show tells the story of three couples over the course of three years. First up we have Arm (Book), who joins Perfect 10 Liners his freshman year and meets Arm (Force), who seems to not like him. Their enemies-to-lovers storyline was a great way to start the show, though it was probably my least favorite of the three. The next year, Yotha (Perth) joins the group, and his cold heart slowly gets melted by Gun (Santa), who is truly the most sunshiney character to exist (though he isn't without his traumas too). The two learn to love and heal each other. Finally, Wine (Mark) joins the next year, and meets Faifa (Junior), a people-pleaser that finally finds someone he wants to treat special but doesn't know how.
Watching the three couples' storylines was so much fun, the comedic timing was incredible, and each story felt different. I was afraid that the show would start to be repetitive, but I found myself looking forward to it more and more each week. If you need a new comfort show, this is a great option. The conflicts still provided some angst, but always returned to a happy vibe at the end.
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The arrogant will always lose
This drama was incredible. It quickly had me invested in the cases the two leads were solving, and as the story progressed and more and more cases fit together in mysterious ways, I was on the edge of my seat and staying up late to watch another episode. The main characters are wonderful to follow, and the more we learn about them and their world of cultivation, the more complex they become. We see their loyalties tested, past mistakes resurface, and secrets come to light. To avoid spoilers, I'll just say that I wished the ending was different than it was.Fang Duobing has always wanted to become a detective of the cultivation world in Baichuan court. However, his parents will not allow it - he is set to marry the princess in an arranged marriage he doesn't want. The court states it will allow him to become a detective if he can prove his skills by solving three cases, which is exactly what he sets out to do. On his first case, he runs into Li Lianhua, known as a miracle physician who can even raise the dead. Duobing doesn't quite believe this, and intends to investigate this quack doctor. Instead, he and Lianhua end up working together to solve a different case, and work together on it quite well. Though the pair doesn't seem to get along all that well at first, they begin to travel together and solve cases, growing closer as they do so. The more cases they solve, the more the dark inner secrets of the cultivation realm come to light, and it seems the world will need a hero to save it.
The main characters in this show really sold me on it. Fang Duobing's naive nature but strong cultivation paired with Li Lianhua's immense knowledge but weak body created a perfect duo. Lianhua's obvious (to the viewer) secrets are bound to come out sooner or later, and it's clear that Duobing thinks everyone is always honest. Even though the cases took multiple episodes to complete each, it never felt like they were dragging on too long because of all the twists in each one. I was never bored watching this show, and frankly couldn't afford to look away since the dialogue holds all the information. This was a fantastic watch and one of the best cultivation dramas I've seen, but be prepared for some heartache in there as well.
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This review may contain spoilers
Oh my Park Bogum
[I will note where spoilers start] As a long time Park Bogum fan, I was surprised that he had another main role so soon after When Life Gives You Tangerines, not to mention a role so different. I'm always a fan of a crime drama, and this one was no different - the action scenes were great, and while the story had some moments that were a bit too predictable, it was still super enjoyable. It may have had fewer surprising twists in the story than other crime shows, but the tense game of cat and mouse that the cops and villain were playing was so fun to watch! The romance was a huge plus, especially since it didn't ever take away from the main story (and the love triangle was actually done perfectly).Yoon Dong-ju (Park Bogum) is a gold medalist boxer, who, after retiring, joined the special investigations unit of the police force along with other former athletes. However, they tend to get used more as public figures than crime fighters. When these group of former athletes start investigate a suspicious hit and run case, it leads them down a rabbit hole of crimes much, much worse.
**Spoilers start here**
I really enjoyed the way this drama built up from a seemingly simple hit and run case to a narcotic ring with international involvement. I thought that the villain's actor did an incredible job portraying him, and was super invested in the cat and mouse game between him and the special investigations unit. As I said, this show did have fewer dramatic twists than a lot of crime shows, but it still managed to keep the tension high throughout the show.
I also loved that we got plot and backstory from every main character. Learning bits and pieces about their time as athletes, why they had to leave, and where they're at now was super fun. I especially loved the relationship between Dongju and Jonghyun, and watching it go from rivals to friends over the course of the show. Of course, the romance between Dongju and Hanna was also wonderful, and super well paced for this kind of show.
Lastly, Dongju's plot really just hit the mark for me. The family problems, the issues with his best friend, and the medical issues he faces later on all worked so well for his character - even after going through hell, he'd come out with a smile on his face. A lot of people seem to be saying that they thought the plot dulled as the show went on, but I didn't find that to be true. If you like crime/cop dramas, I definitely think this one is worth watching!
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The Perfect Follow-Up
I typically don't like second seasons of shows - in fact, I was hesitant to watch this even though I LOVED s1. While I still think that season 1 was truly a masterpiece, I could not have come up with a second season better than this.Si-eun is dealing with some serious PTSD from everything that happened at his last school. Vowing never to fight again after what happened with Su-ho, he becomes a loner at his new delinquent-filled school. However, watching kids get bullied makes it hard for him to sit by and do nothing. Naturally, he ends up getting wrapped up in the bullies' business when he protects one of his classmates - and while this seems to make him some friends, it also puts another target on his back. Not to mention, the bullies are involved with a gang comprised of a bunch of kids from other schools, who are even more ruthless than what Si-eun has dealt with before.
This was genuinely such a good second season. The fights were incredible, the music was perfect, and the acting the ACTING was AMAZING. I am SO impressed with how perfectly Park Jihoon was able to jump back into the role of Si-eun. The lasting effects of the trauma he went through were so clearly portrayed in his character without being too overdramatic or unrealistic. I cried, I laughed, and I cried again - but it was all worth it to watch this season.
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Talk about butterflies!!
ThamePo is truly a masterpiece. While the plotline sounds like a stereotypical "idols can't date oh no", it is done so incredibly well that it doesn't matter. Every single episode of this show is paced perfectly, the character and relationship development is wonderful, and the way it is shot is beautiful. I couldn't find a reason to rate this anything lower than a 10.Po (Est) is looking for a job as a creative director after his breakup with his boyfriend, and ends up landing a job at Oner, a music company known for their new boyband Mars (aka Lykn). Po learns he will be making the documentary for Mars - specifically, their disbandment documentary, since the leader Thame is signing a contract for a solo debut in Korea. However, as he gets closer to the group, he realizes this new contract is not what any of them want, especially Thame. As Po confronts Thame on this, the two of them start working together to get the group back together, and feelings begin to emerge.
Truly, this might be one of GMM's best shows. William and Est have incredible chemistry, and incorporating all of Lykn into the drama made it so fun to watch. The music was great, the cinematography is great, and the romance makes you want to kick your feet and twirl your hair they're so cute! ABSOLUTELY worth watching.
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The entire plot could have been avoided with a ten minute conversation
This is one of the most generic BLs I have seen. I honestly had no intention of watching it, but after seeing Joong and Dunk in other shows, I decided to give it a shot. It was extremely predictable, with drawn out back-and-forth conflicts that didn't actually help build the characters. If Joong and Dunk's characters would have just sat down and had a conversation, the entire show would have been avoided.Daonuea (Dunk) confessed his feelings for Kluen (Joong) in 11th grade, and with no response from Kluen, Nuea went on his study abroad trip for 12th grade and tried to forget about it. That is, until the two reunite their freshman year of college. Trying to forget about the confession, Nuea pretends to have not known Kluen, but it seems the feelings are still lingering. When others start pursuing Nuea, he's torn between trying to move on and staying true to his own heart.
Thank god this show was only 8 episodes, because it took forever to get anywhere with the plot and if that was drawn out any more I would have dropped this. The only reason I didn't rate it lower was that the relationship does become very sweet and cute, and that part is fun to watch. However the miscommunication and constant "you should move on and find someone better" got old SO fast, and I think the entire first 6 episodes could have been condensed to two, and the couple could have had some more interesting challenges when they were together. Instead, we got a very stereotypical show that didn't really do anything new, besides an ending that clearly just wanted to set up a sequel. This is probably only worth watching if you're a fan of Joong and Dunk and are waiting for a new show from them....
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