News 
4
10
1
2
This review may contain spoilers
tried something different
Overall: fantastic visuals with some nonsense plot. Aired on WeTV uncut https://wetv.vip/en/play/bxtr3r0z3fgpe7d/u4102fulffn and WeTV cut https://wetv.vip/en/play/myqt8siebvvlfdd/x4102glny62(first episode was 15 minutes longer in the uncut version)
Content Warnings: murders, blood, manipulation, choking, violence, threatened rape, coercion, fights, drugging, sex/organ trafficking, sexual assault, fights, homophobia, slap, unwanted outing, kidnapping, attempted murder
Watch Suggestions for the uncut version (to take out many of the content warnings and focus more on the romantic relationship between the leads)
- watch episode 1 but skip 5:30-21
- watch episodes 2, 3 and 4
- episode 5 watch 20:30-24:20 and 46-end
- watch episodes 6 & 7
- episode 8 skip 8:30-11:15 and 21 to 28:15
- episode 9 skip 3:35-15
- skip episodes 10 & 11
- start episode 12 at 7:15 and watch until the end
What I Liked
- visuals
- easy to understand premise
- Rose
- maybe my favorite kid in any series ever, what a sweetie
- the outfit in episode 6
- sweet moments
Room For Improvement
- what I would give for safe, sane, consensual and sexy BDSM in fictional media
- there was nonsense plot things like a person who was knocked unconscious was not immediately taken to a hospital, also police interviewed an apparent victim and perpetrator at the same place/time sitting side by side
- multiple love rivals
- one character was too possessive/jealous and the other had too low self-esteem at times so they did not seem like a good romantic match
- tonal whiplash of talking about a gruesome murder and showing a body bag to the next scene was sexy dancing
- noble idiot cliche
- homophobic dad did a 180, gambling addicted mom did a 180
Was this review helpful to you?
First Impression: Decoding You
Overall: there's some nonsense happening. 8 episodes about 50 minutes each. Airing on YouTube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS6SbMZl9t3o&si=_ACQtusTmWXhCAOY and https://ch3plus.com/v/284115 (has English subtitles)Content Warnings: several, mainly in the first 9 minutes (keeping this spoiler free for now)
What I Liked
- visuals
- easy to understand premise
Room For Improvement
- why weren't the police involved in episode 1??!!
- Kit doesn't make sense to me, why did he purposefully cut the lights and do that but then he treated Non like a friend
Was this review helpful to you?
First Impression: Flavor of Us
Overall: I'm giving this the benefit of the doubt. 10 episodes about 15 minutes each. Based on a book that I haven't read. Airing on YZilla YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrUrqarD5ftEOhN_S4OjArc7HiwqiM3XTContent Warning: slap
What I Liked
- a trans woman character who is not a stereotype
- visuals
Room For Improvement
- do not think they have time to have multiple couples and they bounce from one to the other without a connection between them
Was this review helpful to you?
watch episode 8
Overall: I dislike when a 5 minute conversation could have solved everything and it's as if social media doesn't exist. 8 episodes about 8 minutes each. Aired on Sukfilm YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYfaogVGCvwR6JKy1hl4Jq93_HjCqSLgc&si=nTa0KMF7n5QERl3_Content Warning: ex intimate partner abuse off screen, sexual harassment
What I Liked
- visuals
- that a character hung up the phone
Room For Improvement
- ghostings
- felt totally unrealistic that a character wouldn't explain right away and another character wouldn't ask right away
- love rivals
Was this review helpful to you?
First Impression: Backdoor part 2
Overall: this is a sequel and viewers should watch part 1 first. I'm hesitant regarding their dynamic... Airing on SUKFILM YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYfaogVGCvwSGM0qtDPVrWvt2zi7TnRD8&si=wLJi9umpSqpHTMEI Note that channel members get additional kissing scenes.Content Warnings: non con kissing (plus more?), punch, blood, non con recording??
What I Liked
- acting, especially the actor who plays Ji Hyeok
Room For Improvement
- not sure I can support their relationship after that punch
- will they explain the camcorder situation?
- they keep showing flashbacks of what appears a very nice boyfriend which makes me root for that relationship
Was this review helpful to you?
First Impression: Tamed
Overall: a ML is cold but he's not abusive so that's a win for me. 12 episodes about 24 minutes each. Airing on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/9568/tamed-2026-e01Content Warnings: past kidnapping/blood/???, violence
What I Liked
- at least right now a ML is not abusive
- going to therapy shown
Room For Improvement
- moving back and forth from the NC scene in episode 1 was distracting
- TBD how the dynamic progresses with the main couple
Was this review helpful to you?
sweet short series
Overall: nice how it centers on two characters. 4 episodes about 8 minutes each. Aired on TrueFilm YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkQFxcEhORR2FeqYtgF11cPxC7n_hYgk-&si=VTN04iopGXgdTk_eWhat I Liked
- centered on 2 characters
- easy to understand premise
- visuals
Room For Improvement
- they were talking, but I didn't feel that they really got to know one another
- the ominous line multiple times
Was this review helpful to you?
Possible Serial Killer Next Door
Overall: though I like characters who are forthright, the ML felt almost serial killer-ish with his approach. 6 short episodes aired on SEEKMedia's YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwfmKArt9EtUxf12DcDxR84uY3gNmoDsl&si=hNYx3yI4kDo16Mo2Content Warning: non con touching
What I Liked
- opposite personalities
- visuals
Room For Improvement
- the stalkerish approach
- non con touching and then blamed him for it
- series was basically one guy writing, one guy playing the guitar and kissing
Was this review helpful to you?
need part 2
Overall: hope we can get a part 2 to give more details and see more relationship progression. Aired on SUKFILM YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYfaogVGCvwSGM0qtDPVrWvt2zi7TnRD8&si=ny-aOl37Uo960OHL Note that channel members get additional kissing scenes.Content Warnings: manipulation, dub/non con kissing
What I Liked
- acting, especially the actor who plays Ji Hyeok
Room For Improvement
- episode 1 was pretty confusing but it made more sense at the end
- had the super drunk kissing cliche
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
love triangle not done well (watch suggestions)
Overall: there is room for a love story after loss, but writers can spend half the series building a relationship up, then 2 episodes of grief and have an open ending. 12 episodes about 25 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/7410/smile-after-tears-2026-e01 and iQIYI also on iqiyi https://www.iq.com/album/smile-after-tears-2026-1azk7nql9t9Content Warnings: cyberbullying, past death, pet death, mental health struggles, death, grief
Watch Suggestion Path 1 - if you like a black cat type protagonist
- start episode 1 at 2 minutes
- watch episode 3
- episode 4 start at 11 min to 14:30 and then watch 17-end (to avoid pet death)
- episode 5 watch 4:30-10
- episode 6 watch 6:20-23:45
Watch Suggestion Path 2 - if you like a caring childhood friend
- watch episode 9, skip 16:30-17:15
- episode 10 watch beginning-10:10, 11:40-20 and 21:10-end
- episode 11 watch 10:45-12 and 15:30-15:50
- skip episode 12
What I Liked
- production value
- different personalities*
- supportive friends
- caring moments
Room For Improvement
- I was a bit confused with that intro scene, does he not have his previous memories? (the scifi element did not make sense)
- love rival not done well, they can't spend 6 episodes getting the audience invested in 1 pairing then then try to switch
- voicing inner thoughts
- poor communication trope in episode 5
- *the low affect hurt their chemistry a bit
- waaaayyy too many flashbacks
- open ending
Was this review helpful to you?
First Impression: Journey to Killing You season 2
Overall: I'm hoping we don't fall into the normal season 2 cliches, episode 1 was very proming. 6 episodes about 28 minutes each. Airing on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/9351/the-journey-to-killing-you-2025-s02e01Content Warnings: there are major ones in episode 1, I'm keeping this spoiler free for now
What I Liked
- a short recap of season 1
- dynamic (and that their personalities are the same as in season 1)
- a mafia that acts like a mafia (i.e. not comedic)
Was this review helpful to you?
fantastic premise with an annoying love triangle (watch suggestions)
Overall: fantastic visuals and a good premise, but let down by the writing. 10 episodes about 40 minutes each. Aired on Oxin's YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcQaxIPsTWdOdHERhq5DyEKas3feZWfhN&si=HjUrflha-ymt6YbEContent Warnings: past death mentioned, slaps, kidnapping/held against will (multiple times), non con kiss, abuse, manipulation, sexual assault
Watch Suggestions (to focus on sweet/steamy parts and cut out all the over the top villains/love triangle stuff)
- episodes 1 & 2, you're on your own
- ep 3 part 1 watch 12-end
- ep 3 part 2 watch 2:45-6:05
- ep 3 part 3 watch 11:50-12:30
- ep 3 part 4 watch beg-4, 10:30-14:30
- ep 4 part 2 watch beginning-50s
- watch episode 4 part 4
- ep 5 part 1 watch beg-4:30, 12:35-end
- ep 5 part 2 watch 3-4:40
- ep 6 part 3 watch 3-4:05, 8:10-end
- ep 6 part 4 watch 8:50-9:35
- ep 7 part 1 watch 6:10-8:30, 11:20-end
- ep 7 part 2 watch 2:50-4:20
- ep 7 part 3 watch 8:50-end
- ep 7 part 4 watch 5-10
- skip ep 8
- ep 9 part 4 watch 1-1:45
- ep 10 part 3 watch 3:15--7
- ep 10 part 4 watch 10-end
What I Liked
- Chuk Chuk
- visuals
- premise
- the scales/tails were well done
- second couple
- music
Room For Improvement
- world building dump
- way too much time spent on a love triangle, needed to focus on the main couple's romantic development
- most comedy didn't work for me (sniffing underwear, innuendo taken too far/cringey stuff, the fireworks out of their mouths towards the end)
- likely AI intro
- I didn't take off points but can YouTube channels please put their episodes/parts in the correct watch order in their playlists?
Was this review helpful to you?
3rd Time Is Not The Charm
Overall: I debated even starting this because of the production company (google Motive Village controversy and you can learn about it). But I wanted to support the actors.Content Warnings: flashback to non/dub con sex (drunk)
What I Liked
- the Forth/Beam kiss was decent
- (neutral) animations
Room For Improvement
- the reboot (season 2 aka season 1 plus extra plot line) ended on a major cliffhanger so I expected this to pick up where it left off but instead we have 2 new characters as the leads with a totally different plot
- the 6 of them sitting around and re-creating their stories was an exposition dump
- there are 3 established couples that didn't really do anything and don't have chemistry/they don't feel like established couples, i.e. an established couple who had a dead fish lip press kiss
- two seemingly straight guys starting as rivals who will eventually fall into the 'gay for you' trope
- production value (odd camerawork, goofy background music that didn't fit)
- effeminate guys stereotyped as boy obsessed/shrill
- boring, they even put a flashback in 27 min to earlier in that same episode
- a stupid competition
- what a weird thing for a person in an established relationship to do when someone asks for his phone number
- no official international release
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
slice of life
Overall: I really wanted to like this slice of life, but it never hooked me. Based on the book "Love and Punishment by the Unnamed Lake" by Ni Lv Zhu Ren which I haven't read and am reviewing the series on its own merits. 8 episodes about 40 minutes each. Aired on Viki https://www.viki.com/videos/1270086v ; GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/6540/feel-what-you-feel-2026 (not available in: Japan, Korea, Americas, Europe, Oceania, India or Middle East) & Heavenly (South Korea)Content Warnings: bullying, non con/dub con kiss, attempted murder, blood, non con kiss likely turned consensual
What I Liked
- the premise
- slice of life vibe
- second couple
Room For Improvement
- the voice over start and more voice over later
- the main couple pacing was too slow and then rushed in the finale with a few minute montage
- knowing this is set in 2001 and the location, it pulled me out of the series that there were 2 queer couples (even though I enjoyed the 2nd couple)
- odd ending for the second couple
- the finale went soap opera (can skip episode 8 2:40-13:30 to skip past it)
- snooping in the diary wasn't romantic
Was this review helpful to you?
First Impression: Teach Me, Touch Me
Overall: this might be a diamond in the rough series, time will tell. I have not read the book this series was adapted from and I review series based on their own merits. 10 episodes about 1 hour each. Airing on iQIYI https://www.iq.com/play/teach-me-touch-me-episode-1-15ah2yuu9ic?lang=en_usContent Warnings: punches, attempted drugging
What I Liked
- easy to understand premise
- mystery of a past connection
- side couple is interesting
Room For Improvement
- comedy sound effects did not make things funny
- the flash forward start
- though the friends were trying to be supportive they didn't give good advice and had a stupid plan in episode 1
- the end of episode 1 was difficult to watch though I understand why he acted that way after drinking
Was this review helpful to you?
