Zogitt

Even good things can become bad if they went on for too long

This show is fundamentally a love story with a slow start. The OTP's romance is sweet and innocent when started in high school but gets complicated as their path diverged. The inevitable breakup during a long distance relationship was painful and left both scarred. Nevertheless, the show has a laser focus on them and everything else that happens are distractions. This is a double edged sword which I'll discuss later.

There are also some police SWAT and EOD actions but they are secondary. There is certainly a strong Band of Brothers vibe. A light propaganda element is present and accounted for.

Let's start with the good bits.

1) Once they reconnected after years apart, their love is unshakeable. No one can come between them. This is a nice touch in a sea of antsy melodramas. Their chemistry is very strong and there are many swoon worthy moments and lots of skinship which felt natural. They are literally making up for lost time!

2) All the characters are well defined. Everyone behaves predictably with no surprise personality disorders. There are plenty of flawed characters but they are predictable and a bit cliche.

3) Northern China is harsh but beautiful. The snowy mountain scenes and lunar landscapes are captivating. Hats off to the actors and production crew who has to brave the extreme elements.

4) Acting is solid if uninspired. There is a lot of young male actors involved and they certainly did their best with the physical challenge side. The leads are in their elements, and they delivered. This is especially true for the FL who literally glows whenever she is with the ML. For once, she is not playing a feisty FL who has to prove her worth repeatedly.

Unfortunately, this is where I have to insert the dreaded BUT.

They need to trim a few episodes off the run. It would be near perfect if that happens. The problem is not the love story per se nor the acting in general but rather the show became an Ouroboros and began to feed on itself once the show lost focus.

The last 1/3 of the show feels voyeuristic to me. A lot of their interactions are quite mundane. They are always whispering sweet nothing to each other while in bed, on the phone or just doing chores. It is as if we are eavesdropping on them. It is very lovey-dovey but repetitive. There is not a lot of depth to their conversations which leads us to the next point.

Most of the characters are one dimensional, including the leads. I’m not saying that they are not interesting but they are set in their ways. The ML is a SWAT officer and even though he tries to relax and be a good BF/husband when he is with her, he is always on call and his time with her is measured in hours. He is stoic, loving and protective (to a fault) towards the FL. On the other hand, the FL is very accepting and accommodating so she will not try to change him but rather work to fit in with his punishing schedule. She adores him but she is in his shadow.

The personalities and behaviours of the support cast are largely on rails. Friends and colleagues are loyal and supportive. Antagonists are ineffective and learn their lesson sooner or later.

On top of that, most subplots are skin deep and just eat up screen time. It was nice that the 2CP's “romance” is cute and not attention grabbing, but its progress is vague and stilted.

I’m not sure if it is a direction or writer(s) issue but it is obvious to me that the Show is fraying around the edges and lost narrative focus towards the end. Some plots became disjointed, others stretched, and loose ends are handled awkwardly. One of the worse examples is when the ML was severely injured in ep.26 but there is no details about how and why it happened. We just jumped from the train station to the hospital operating room. As a police drama, this is very untidy. Could it be a censor issue?

The 2.5 years’ time skip felt abrupt and the whole wedding felt undercooked. You just don't feel that much time has passed. Everyone looks (other than the daughter) and behaves exactly the same. You can almost feel the plot fraying.

Ep.30 is a waste of time (apologies to die-hard fans). It is basically a retelling of their high school romance and a few minutes of new footage and voiceover. Why now? We knew what happened. There is a hint about their future at the end but it feels tacked on. I would have preferred a honeymoon travelogue with a bit of flashback for some awesome fan service. I won't call it a rotten tail, but it doesn't feel right either and loses points with me.

It could have avoid all this and ends on a high if it has a shorter run. I was really enjoying the first 3/4 of the Show and to end it this way is disappointing.

I'd be happy to rewatch a good chunk of this show but not the whole series.

As Mickey finds out in the Sorcerer’s Apprentice, be careful what you wish for. Even good things can become bad if they went on for too long.

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The Noble Idiot trope must die! (Again)

This series grabbed and held my attention right from the start. The small town setting is refreshing. The warm and quirky locals gave the drama a cosy feel. It is a hoot when the entitled FL lands with a thud in the middle of the backwaters town and start the whole fish-out-of-water trope. But wait! There is more. Toss in a handsome, no-nonsense ML and we get the central enemy-to-lover storyline. Those innocent villagers are in for a wild ride!

Everything is going swimmingly for a while. I don't think I'm spoiling anything by telling you our leads are falling in love by the day. Unfortunately, as they played students in preparation for the Gaokao, they have to play it straight. Lots of accidental closeness, cutesy gestures and meaningful gazes is our lot.

I'd happily eat all that up and ask for more if their loveline is strong. Even the odd second leads seem to read the room and fades away gracefully. What a pleasant surprise. Unfortunately, the distracting side plots just keep piling up.

Most of these subplots are of little significance and centred around small town dynamics and school yard antics. There are also some criminals running amok in the background. I don't understand why those repeated offenders are not hauled away. You'd think there would be a stronger anti-crime message. Yet, the same gang pops up repeatedly.

All these subplots only serve to hamstring our OTP's progress. While both our leads are close to 30yo in real life, they must look and act like teenagers for the bulk of the show. They did well for the most parts, but it is a double edged sword. They look the part which also mean their characters are either too restrained or too impulsive. Oh! To be young again.

Let's face it, by the 2/3 mark, they are together in every sense of the word other than going public and doing all the couple things. We end up in this vicious cycle of maximum yearning but minimal fan service. Just when you think they can breakout after the Gaokao, the FL's father happened.

As expected, our leads lost all their agency and must default to "your father knows best". This is an insurmountable roadblock as far as our leads are concerned. They came to this conclusion after 1 day. The writer then play the Noble Idiot card on us with minimum warning. To rub salt into the wound, this lasted FIVE miserable years!

Call me stupid, but what is the point of this "twist"? This is just gambling with your future. What happens if one of them got hit by a Big White Truck of Doom™? What if someone swept them off their feet and they meet again years later with spouse and bambini in tow? I'm sure this is a trope as well. 🤦🏻

As if to confirm the pointlessness of it all, once they reconnected, they went from "Hello" to "get a room" in one EP. They could have had 2.2 kids by now. Grrrr

This brings us to the last 3 eps. It is fan service overload. Everyone either gets a redemption or are living their best lives. Of course, our leads are 110% together by then and inseparable. Woe to anyone who stood in their way.

I'm not saying this is a bad show. It is an easy watch with nice characters and a cosy setting. I just wish they didn't fluff around (technical term) in the middle and double down on the Noble Idiot trope. It turned a promising romantic drama into just another idol drama. Peace.

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Sex is good but this show is better

Let’s start with the standard caveats. If you are uncomfortable with open discussions about sex or graphical contents then stop reading now. This show is not for you.

If you are still reading, then you’d better be sitting comfortably because this is a long review.

This show is a rare find. It is a superior show in many ways. It will surprise you with its subject matters. It will shock you with its openness and directness. It will make you re-evaluate your viewpoint about intimacy and gender stereotypes. This being a k-drama is certainly an eye opener for me.

If any viewer has doubts about its main topic, the opening minutes will certainly dispel them. While it might start like a show aim to shock and awe with titillations and sexploitation, it is much more than that. It is very thought provoking and surprisingly earnest. It is particularly relatable for female audiences. Certainly in a Korean context but also in a broader application.

This is because the show is very open about female sexuality and the tightrope they must walk at times. While men are part of the equation, they are often seen as selfish and ignorant. This is very refreshing compared to most romantic c/k-dramas. Typically, what passes as intimacy is reduced to cliche motifs like the intertwining of fingers while lying down and then fade to black.

The sex talk podcast plot allows the writer-nim to explore the full gambit of misconceptions and misinformation surround female sexuality. The lack of frank discussions and societal pressures in eastern societies cloud the issues and perpetuate many myths. Not only does the show lay them bare, but it also presents them in relatable scenarios. Yes, it is much more racy than your typical k-dramas but the sex scenes are not egregious nor are they exploitative. (See later discussion)

Nevertheless, being a rom-com, it can’t discard the venerable playbook completely. While the show started with an almost anti-romance stance, it turns the table in the last third of its run and it becomes quite romantic. It is tropey, but nicely done.

Speaking of exploitation, there are some online comments suggesting that the FL is a user/abuser who manipulated the ML and used him for her gratifications. I understand that POV as she was quite eager to turn him into a friend with benefits but once he confessed his love for her, she backs away and left him high and dry. It is not a good look.

However, I have a different take on this. Looking at the whole picture, we can see that she wasted 5 years of her prime in an unfulfilling relationship. She is uncertain about her self-worth and the role of love, sex and fulfillment after the breakup. Their typical monogamous relationship is strait-laced. Masturbation, casual sex and friends with benefit are exciting and liberating ideas but they are also fraught and alien to her.

Into this maelstrom enters the ML who is suave, handsome and most importantly, available. It is hardly surprising that she zeroes in on him. However, I don't believe that the FL is toying with him. She is naive and eager to experiment. She wants to copy the 2FL but she can't help falling in love with her soulmate. She knows this but she is not ready to commit. Her recent breakup is still raw. She needs more time and went on a journey of self discovery. Please note that she didn't play around as soon as the ML is out of the picture. This is not the behaviour of a cunning vixen. Maybe she could have handled it better but she is in a brave new world without a google map.

We know she has sort herself out at the NYE party. She is happy to see the ML and didn't appear surprised. Did she arrange the meeting? She wore his parting gift and happily show it off to him to signal acceptance. This will do for me.

Similarly, it took a lot of courage for the 2FL to start a new relationship when she swore that she will never be hurt by a lover again. Even someone who is quite self centred about sex still wants to be loved.

Acting is solid from all concerned. Pacing is spot on. There are a lot of energies from the ensemble cast and the OTP’s have oodles of chemistry. It is a joy to see relationships, love and intimacy being portrayed realistically. Yes, warts and all and amen to that! It does makes it hard to go back to the vanilla c/k romance dramas where 9/10 of the show is about NOT getting together and then we are “rewarded” with token PDA.

The show is not about being liberal nor lording over someone. What they are saying is, sex should not be taboo or an obligation. It should be fun and mutually satisfying. Masturbation is liberating. Sex with a compatible sex partner is better but sex with your soulmate is the best.

This show surprised me in a good way and engaged me like few others. I’d happily binge watch this again and so should you.

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Yeah. Ok, just watch it. Umm. Peace.

I apologise for the silly title. I was joking with an MDL senpai, and mentioned I might write an one line review . . . Don't shoot me!

As I just finished The Art of Sarah a few days ago, comparison is unavoidable. I'll keep it simple; Siren’s Kiss is better and both FL looks amazing in couture. If looks could kill!

PMY has been working consistently for years. Not all her dramas are top rated though. If I'm honest, some left me questioning her choices myself. Thankfully, this is one of the better ones. Not perfect, but good enough to keep the faith.

How so? May I present your honour with three pieces of supporting evidence.

Firstly, the optics of PMY is striking. Where she deliberately destroyed her visage in Marry My Husband. She also styled her looks to fit in with her character here. Han Seol-Ah barely eats and mostly survived on water and alcohol. It is a kind of penance, survivor's guilt if you like.

PMY went on a diet before and during the production. She does look gaunt at times which is worrisome. The director knows how to pull your focus towards her in most scenes.

Secondly, the writer-nim did a decent job with the script. While romance is a strong component, it is a whodunit at heart. I won't say that it is the best crime fiction though. It is not hard to see though some of the twist and turns. Now I'm curious about the 1999 J-drama series this is based on.

Thirdly, I have to admit the production team made the most of the posh fine art auction house as its setting. All those beautiful art installations. It is interesting to observe the back-end processes as well. I don't know how realistic it is, but it does elevate it above the typical office drama.

This also allows the show to set up some eye-catching scenes where the boundary between art and reality is blurred.

In terms of acting, PMY is the star. She knows her craft and she is dependable. She ages like a fine wine.

She is ably assisted by the ML. They are well matched and their chemistry is undeniable. Most of the supporting cast did well. The chairwoman and the 2ML are standouts. The SML did ok. He is probably the weaker link.

On top of that, the production value is top-notch. I don't know how realistic it is, but it is certainly a kaleidoscope of excesses. (Cough) The Art of Sarah (cough) OBTW, the OST is pretty good as well.

For me, it is one of the better shows of 2026. It is flawed, but very watchable. I won't quite recommend this to everyone as it is a bit niche in its presentation. It might even spark a debate of style vs substance amongst friends. Peace.

P.S. My original title was "How many femme fatales does it take to change a lightbulb?” . . . Don’t shoot me!

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It is better than I expected but missteps kept it from being great

I liked this show. It was entertaining and made me chuckled on occasions. If only the show knew when to stop and finish on a high and it would have been a surprise hit. As it stands, it is good but not great, funny and cringey in equal measure. A celebration of inconsistency that can be good, bad and meh.

The premise of the show is our leads soul swapped and have to live in each other’s bodies for a period of time. This brings about the usual sex change gags and innuendos. More importantly, they now realise challenges faced by each other. This understanding leads to mutual appreciation, and romance ensues. If all that sounds familiar that’s because it is a popular trope for contemporary as well as costume dramas. To top that off, the show has one of the messiest beginnings of any shows. It is quite possible for some confused viewer to drop the show after the first episode.

So I think it is best that we get the backstory straight now. The show is actually based on a graphic novel and the artist behind it is going through a sad divorce with her husband who is the publisher of the said novel. To mess with him, she deliberately introduced the soul swap plot, fully expecting the novel to crash and burn but the readers end up loving the plot twist. It is that novel we are watching as a live action show. To complicate things, we are dumped in the middle of the ongoing story without much preamble. There is little explanation of people’s behaviour nor their motivations upfront. However, the show does provide some background information later on. This means that for a casual viewer, the first couple of episodes can be bewildering and its overuse of zany sound effects and comedic devices only muddy the water even more. Let me assure you that it is not a farce even though it might appear so initially.

Once the dust settles, the show is actually better than expected. From my perspective, that is due to three key factors. Firstly, the script is quite clever. We have the usual tropes and there are plenty of them but the show work the tropes in such a way that it shows how the leads truly complements each other. They both have their shortcomings but by switching roles, they actually helped each other to overcome some sticky problems that have been festering. It also shows how their lives are more complicated than they thought. This allows a lot of character growth and breaking down the barriers between them.

Secondly, the acting of the FL is great. She truly played two roles. Her female role is quite stereotypical. Not bad but largely cliché for a costume drama. It is when she is playing as the king then she truly shines. She extrudes the gravitas and behaves regally.

Thirdly, the OTP's chemistry is good and their romance is swoon worthy. It is lovely to watch them grow closer together over time and find true love in an organic way. The path is not easy but it is a rewarding one both for them and for us.

This brings us to the not-so-good bits. The soul swapping part went on for too long. While I appreciate how well it set up the eventual growth of the leads, there are missteps so the longer it went, the weaker the overall show becomes. The show also relies heavily on tropes which is more obvious in the middle stretch. It doesn’t suffer from mid show drag per se but the pacing is patchy. The plot is mostly on rails.

The palace intrigue subplot runs the full length of the show. It was mostly predictable with standard antagonists filling the cliche roles. It is not particularly engaging. It was just there. Its conclusion is fairly predictable.

Another weakness is the ML’s acting. The ML is handsome in costume, and he does a decent job while playing the king. His behaviour while soul swapped is like a caricature of a girl and can be quite cringey. It makes the “FL” looks dumb and silly. I accept that she is not the sharpest knife in the kitchen but when she is in her own body, she does not behave like an airhead, so his portrayal seems unnatural and a bit off.

The link back to the contemporary storyline is a waste of time. In the span of 30 episodes, I think those scenes added up to around 20minutes. They are just snippets with a foregone conclusion to round things out. Other than making sense of the messy start to the costume drama and act as a postscript, it serves little real purpose.

The ending of the show is as sweet as you can expect but it is also contrived. It was the ending we have to have but you can feel that they took some serious liberties with the plot to get us there.

All in all, I enjoyed this show. The OTP's romance is swoon worthy. It can be funny and insightful. It did breathe some new life into the genre, but it is not consistent enough to be a breakout drama. It still have one foot firmly mired in tropes and it did the show few favours.

OST is not bad, but it does become repetitive.

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Love it or hate it but you cannot unsee this show!

Quirky rom-com is a staple of j-drama nowadays. Throw fetish into the mix and you will feel right at home. Of course, that formula is not going to appeal to everyone, so consider this your standard disclaimer.
Still reading . . . Good! Let's get on with the review. :)

The synopsis summarised the basic background information succinctly so I’m not going to waste bandwidth. I will say that at first glance, the FL seemed very stereotypical for this type of drama. Young, naïve, timid and inexperience. The ML is handsome, suave and most likely a player. Now hold these thoughts while you read on.

This show is short. Just 9 episodes running twenty odd minutes each. It wasted no time and never slows down. Honestly, I didn’t have high hopes for this show because of the initial presentation and the subject matter. Shows like this can go dark or degrading in a heartbeat. How wrong was I!

Not only was the ML super nice and sweet, he is also totally devoted to the FL and support her in every way. Can we just clone him now, please?

The FL did start off timid and all that but she is nurtured by the relationship and grows to be stronger and managed to come to terms with her condition. It wasn’t like a 180 turnaround, but her development was nice to watch.

Of course, we can’t ignore the “fetish” angle, but the show handled it well. It was never degrading or nasty. The ML is so earnest that it is hard to see it as exploitive or manipulative. The attraction is mutual and their chemistry is undeniable (cue heavy breathing).

The pacing is good (it has to be!) and the Show is totally focused on their love story. This brings us to the best part of the show. While it would be foolish to assume the OTP will live happily ever after, the show went out of its way to provide positive case studies on how to handle CP problems. Every episode tackles an issue, such as jealousy, insecurity, etc. It was gratifying to see a lot of the time the solution comes down to plain old talking and a good dose of trust. Communicate openly and honestly. Tell your partner what is bothering you and the other party acknowledging it and change for the better. It is not rocket science, but it is refreshing in how well this approach served the OTP. Where shows would pile on the angst, this Show just say, we have a problem, let’s fix it and now it is Sexy Time!

Ah yes, there is no shortage of skinship and sexy time. Nothing R rated but the FL is prone to display her "assets" at every opportunity. The ML wasn’t shy either. The way the show approach the raunchy bits is....interesting. It is very stylised, a bit cartoon-y (because of its manga roots?) but it is consistent, like a signature move. After awhile, you knew what is coming and just roll with it. It is too cheesy to get worked up about.

There is no point in comparing this little show to a big budget drama series. It is fluffy and a bit cringy at times but within its little niche, it is a good show. So give it a go. A few hours of your time is no big investment and it can bring a smile to your dial. I certainly had more fun watching this than some longer and bigger budget shows.

Finally, a shout out to @Ariel. I so agree with your review. It convinced me to watch the show. Cheers!

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Goldfish have layers, onions have layers, but this donkey doesn’t

The premise of show is simple. Wives are like goldfish. They live in fish bowl like environment and they need care, attention and love to thrive and stay healthy. Of course, any accredited relationship experts are going to roll their eyes and ask what century this rubbish came from. Sadly, there is an ounce of truth in the modern Japanese society, so it is a valid starting point. However, this can only be a starting point, when you construct a whole show based on this line of reasoning then it quickly shows how shallow and one dimensional it is. It can’t sustain a decent dialogue for long. The Show filled the narrative gaps with sex. A lot of it and quite explicit for a j-drama.

On the surface, this show seems to be pushing a lot of boundaries. However, once you have watched it, you realised that it is only pushing one boundary, but it kept pushing and pushing until you grow tired of it.

I’m not going to do a blow-by-blow description of every extramarital affair. Needless to say, there are many dalliances and that they are presented as the only way unhappy, dissatisfied wives can find love and fulfilment. There is not even a hint of other options or a deep dive into their lives. What we see is what we get. I am all for including appropriate intimate scenes in Asian dramas and we can do with more realistic portrayal of sexual liaison in a relationship. The usual euphemism of a couple lying in bed (sometimes fully clothed) with a pan to their intertwining fingers and then fade to black is so overused and quaint in this day and age.

Thankfully, titillation is not the only game in town. Fate played a key role in pushing our OTP together. Our CP is an odd couple, a young handsome aquarium owner and an older woman suffering from domestic violence and psychological torment. Their story is better constructed and has more depth, but it is still done in bold strokes and quite tropey. What got my goat is not so much their love line but the ending of it.

The writer expended a lot of energy setting up their burgeoning relationship and they had to overcome a lot of opposition to be together. Just when they are happy and free to love each other, it ended. Why? I suppose it could be a girl power thing. It is her way of saying she doesn't need a man to survive. It would be okay if it was part of the developing plot, but it largely just happened out of the blue.

I do find that j-drama like this type of ambiguous endings where it is neither sad nor happy. Often unfulfilling and a little fatalistic. It is a statement of sorts. A reflection on reality? Is that really what we want after investing our time and emotions? We don't need a HEA ending every time but at least make it reasonable and satisfying.

Then the show throws in a 2 years’ time skip. While some relationship improved, several affairs are still ongoing after two years. This is done behind the backs of the husbands even though they are not all horrible. There is no effort to resolve their marital problems and the affairs become the panacea. This sends a confusing message. We are shown some deplorable behaviours but we are also shown some that are deemed to be just naughty and good for the soul. Is this meant to be satire? The show is inconsistent in this regard and ends up trivialising important messages.

Acting was ok. Some characters are one dimensional and there are some overacting but where it counted the key actors delivered. OST is inoffensive.

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Lots of skinship but lazy plots

Once again, this show started promisingly. The production value appeared to be high and scenes were lush and grand, at least in the first few episodes. The meet-cute was nice with reasonably fast pacing. However, the show went south with more and more storytelling issues and plot holes as it progressed. Overall, it was a disappointment.
A lot of the issue with this show comes from a very simplistic approach to plot development. Everything was telegraphed, characters and plots were mostly one dimensional. It wasn't so much character growth but more like personality transplant. Both 2FL and 2ML turned from jilted suitors to homicidal maniacs. It was straight out of Evil Plot 101 playbook but they were literally shouting "you will pay for this in BLOOD!".
By the half way mark the story just felt stuffed with set pieces that doesn't really related to the main plot (if you can call it that) but just so that they can stretch out the episode or add more skinship. The classic case in point is the black inn episodes (ep 31/32). It felt like they brought the writer back to add more scenes but paid scant attention to continuality or narrative logic.
I suppose it is time to address the skinship side of things, this show had a surprising amount of it for a c-drama. We are talking about lots of hugging, kissing (some of that quite passionate) and the OTP being frisky in bed. After completing the show, the cynical part of me is calling them out for using the skinship to distract us from the poor script or at least keep us watching the show. If that is something you like then thou shalt find aplenty. However, you can also find 15mins cuts of their romantic scenes on YouTube.
Similar to the personality shifts, the show also have drastic mood changes, it started off as Contract Marriage 101, Rom-com 101, Palace Intrigue 101, etc and some of it did work early on, especially the scenes between the ML and his group of close friends. He was so ignorant of love and sex that the show was almost like relationship tutorial and sex ed and you will get a chuckle or two. Then the show shifted to Tragic Revenge Melodrama 101 (subtitled "Every Trope Were Used"). Yes, it was designed to hit us with the feels and make us empathise with the characters but the plots were so transparent that you just felt like you have seen it all before (from the golden age of tv dramas).
The ending was laughable. The tone was completely wrong. We are talking about tragic scenes just a episode or two ago; Death and broken people stalking the scenes. The FL was in a coma for days and as soon as she woke up, they were getting intimate. It got worse, the ML then spend the rest of the episode trying to play parlour tricks on his friends (I was groaning with them) when there were orphan threads and unresolved sub plot just left dangling. Was that really all that was left to do after 36 episodes?! It wasn't even decent fan service.
OST was good for the first half but then it got repetitive. Acting was ok. The ML was quite stiff and wooden for half the show but he did open up. FL has to do a lot of heavy lifting but there was little growth in her character. The ML's brother was one of the main villains but he was so wooden, he was more annoying than evil. The 2FL acted her heart out (especially towards the end) but it was a very textbook role. The 2ML was interesting and handsome but once again, his role was so tropey that it was all done by the book.
Honestly, I was going to drop the show around the 2/3 mark but I thought I'd push through but I did fast forward some scenes. The OTP did have their sweet moments and decent chemistry but I won't be re-watching the whole show, may be the 15mins YouTube highlight reel.

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What do you call a romantic makjang comedy?

🔔 I have edited the progressive review into this final version. Enjoy!

I was genuinely excited about this show. Its premise sounds delicious. It is a little bit naughty. That's the special sauce of a good rom-com, right? ;)

In the end, I'm conflicted. There are more lows than highs. I'm sorry that this review will be a bit ranting. I really wanted to like this drama, yet I walked away disappointed.

Like many k-dramas, it starts well. The attraction between our leads is strong. They are motoring along as you do in holiday romances. So far, so swoon-y.

The FL had to lie to get her first decent job. It wasn't a simple white lie either. Heck no! She went from a bachelorette to a married woman with a young son. Snap!

It was audacious, but she is desperate. She needed the money to help her mum so I'll give her a hall pass. It is not the lie that is the core issue here. It is the fallout and the characters interplay that are much more problematic.

The FL is portrayed as a loser from the start. I have no problem cheering on an underdog. Unfortunately, while her work life is forging ahead, her private life is tanking. She is weak and did nothing when she knew her deeds are harming others. A simple mea culpa would have turned the tide and she'll win the handsome guy.

To be fair, this is not helped by the ML falling deeply in love. He is obsessed. He is torn between doing the right thing and going postal. His pain is palatable. It is basically schadenfreude, forget rom-com.

It is a witches brew of cliché subplots by mid show. It is draggy and full of relationship red flags. It doesn't beat around the bush, it is a whole garden maze.

Speaking of red flags, I can't ignore the behaviour of the SML. He is the FL's bestie for 20 years. It is obvious that he has a crush on the FL. When the FL asked him to play her husband at work he took full advantage. He’d sidle up to her and gets all handsy. The FL has no choice but to play along meekly. She looked so uncomfortable. This is messed up.

But wait . . there's more! Here comes the SFL!

She falls for the SML at first sight. She took the effort to get close to his young son and suss out his life story. It was shady but you can roll with it. What is less forgivable is when she starts to blackmail him to go on dates with her to keep his secret. C'est l'amour?

All told, the ML spends several eps close to his breaking point. He wants to protect the FL, yet he wants the "married" woman even more. It was torturous to watch. So many people are hurting. It was a League of Sufferers™.

The ML even plans to drag the SFL into a loveless marriage just so that he can "protect" the FL. When did it ever worked? This triggered his fragile mum as well.

It is all sunshine and unicorns after the truth comes out around ep.9. The tonal shift is dramatic. This only serves to highlight the pointlessness of the preceding eps.

The show is largely on cruise control heading into the home straight. It was borderline sugar overload, but I'll take it after all the makjang shenanigans. That is until the angst train hit us again. We have the whole hit parade of angsty devices plus a break-up with bonus Noble Idiocy. What fun!

No sooner did we get some resolution and let out a collective sigh of relief, did the writer-nim brought forth the Big White Truck of Doom™ . . I mean a big black limo. But wait, there is more! The OG amnesia trope. (Sigh) There is so much going on yet it feels . . formulaic, stale.

The ending is predictable and artificially sweetened. All the threads are tied up with pink bows. I don't want to call it lazy writing . . but if the shoe fits.

The sad fact is that the production quality is not bad, it has potential. The acting is decent in general even though most characters are straight out of central casting. There is a nugget of good idea at its core, it just got workshopped to death over time. Peace.

P.S. the cameo of the $1 Lawyer is a surprise bonus. Is this a hint?

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Who needs Tinder when you can join the OTP's friend circle

As an idol romance drama, it ticked many boxes. Our leads are eye candies, and they have good chemistry so their pairing can’t be faulted.

Credit where credit is due, the core theme is solid and made a nice through line. The sleepwalking is a little forced, but effective as a plot device. The late-night calling of the ML's phone by the FL is clever the first couple of times, but it becomes repetitive. The little twist with the call recordings saved us a lot of angst.

The rest of the drama is patchy. This is not helped by a large support cast that are mostly from central casting. The sad fact is the veteran actors did their best. Unfortunately, their characters have little presence and even less to do. There are also some production related issues such as integration of location shots.

Thus, it falls on the shoulders of not one, but 2 secondary couples to chew up some screen time. These two CPs' romances are stilted to say the least. BTW, there is a last minute 4CP. You guessed it, they are also in our leads' friend circle.

Let's start with the 2CP. We have a mushroom farm worker being paired with the FL's long suffering PD. The 2ML is the polar opposite to the ML and is socially awkward. They fell in love at first sight. Really?

The 3CP is even more tenuous. The 3ML is our male lead’s business partner and the 3FL is the village cafe owner. Their pairing is rather random and they have zero chemistry. We watch their awkward courtship with more apprehension than delight. Behold! The magical power of the friend circle!

If the secondary pairings are less than ideal, the meet-cute between the SML and the FL is next level. The script would have us believe the FL ran under a total stranger's umbrella during a sudden rain shower. Rather than mumbling a joesonghabnida and move on, she kept him company for some time, walking around aimlessly in the rain and chatting freely. They ended up having coffee together and she even agreed to a meal the next day. No wonder the SML developed feelings.

This appears to be out of character and made the FL look desperate. I'm glad they eventually parted ways as friends. I'm just thankful we didn't end up with a psycho SML as per the playbook.

We mustn't forget the relationship between the FL and her estranged mother. This is a can of worms. The original reasoning behind the alienation is old school but plausible. The longer the story runs, the more convoluted it becomes. No wonder the FL has mommy issues. Of course, that relationship also has an redemption arc. It is that type of drama after all.

If the show has been more focused on our lead's romance and growth, I'd have given it an 8.5. With all the missteps I can only give it a 7.5

In the end, the show was a hit and a miss for me. I freely acknowledge the series has good bones. I swooned when the OTP is firing. They are a cute couple. I just wish the series as a whole is done better.

As expected, it all ends well. Rainbow and sunshine blessed the land. The last couple of eps used up all the pink ribbon supply and should come with a diabetic warning. A one-time watch for me. Peace.

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Tropey rom-com totally saved by the CP's chemistry and their sweet moments

Yes, it is another contract marriage story between a low EQ CEO and a feisty, cheerful girl. I don't blame you if you switch off after that intro but it does get better. After a decent meet-cute, the story just meanders around for a good half of the show. Of course, the process of the OTP falling in love was front and centre but it was a bit cliché. Even though the ML was not a cold hearted person, his low EQ made his romantic overtures a hit and miss affair. Similarly, the FL was definitely falling for the ML but she kept sending mixed messages to both the ML and SML. This is frustrating for the viewer because just when you thought all the stars were aligned and they are getting together, they backtracked and all the sweet moments from the day before were all forgotten and we are back to the "will they, won't they" phase again.

As the show progressed, the poor SML just hangs around the FL and ticked off the ML. Turning him into a green eyed monster even after the OTP became official. I do feel sorry for him because he was a decent guy but you don't get a strong Second Lead Syndrome vibe with him.

On the other hand, the SFL was a nasty piece of work. She will not take no for an answer. Even after the ML very clearly and repeatedly rejected her advances, she kept escalating her evil deeds against the FL to the point of total annihilation. I'm also annoyed that after doing all that damage, she just packed her bag and went away scot free in the final episode. Very typical c-drama trope but not a good one.

For me, the show only really kicked into high romantic gear after the half way mark. Once the OTP finally become official in ep.17 and was signed, sealed and consummated, we can all rejoice. Their chemistry hit the roof as well. From that point on, we have lots of skinship. I mean A LOT by c-drama standard and there were even several tame bed scenes. The running gag is the grandma wants a grandchild ASAP (yes please!), much to the chagrin of the FL. To be fair, they do look great together and there are lots of swoon worthy moments. Love is definitely in the air and that's what saved the Show.

The 2OTP was quite cute. An odd pairing but I can see how it could work. They got together fairly early on and they were hot and sexy from a running start. They did hit a bad patch later on but once that was sorted, they just kind of plateaued which was a bit of a shame.

The older cast members were all nice. The grandma is a gem. The "evil" mother-in-law turned out to be the good MiL. Some of the FL's mother's scenes were LOL funny.

Acting was great from the leads but monotonal from the SM/FL's. I really liked the ML when he starred in the Imperial Coroner and he didn't disappoint here. The FL is not the classic beauty but she has a very expressive face so there were not many Botox moments. The support casts did their job. The CP's swoon worthy moments gave us the dopamine rushes and I'm thankful for that.

OST was serviceable. I would happily rewatch from ep.17 onwards for the sweet CP moments but the rest I can skip.

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The Devil wears sensible shoes

I'm going to be honest with you. The first couple of eps did not vibe with me. I was confused about the direction of the series. Is it business satire? Slapstick comedy? Office romance? It seems to dip its toes in many puddles.

What caught me off guard is the calibre of the cast. I'm not aware any of them being certified comedians, but hat off to the FL. Her timing is excellent and she is ably assisted by others. After just completed her The Art of Sarah starrer, this is a 180° change.

Even with that in mind, this show just doesn't give off that type of vibe. While they did lean heavily into broad stroke comedy early on, it didn't feel organic.

Sure enough, the show changed tack and became darker and more serious well before the half way mark. Playing dirty is the one true way in a chaebol family.

This doesn't make it a bad series. It is very watchable, but I am disappointed. This drama passed up a golden opportunity to be more than a same-same office romance.

That lack of focus translated into a stream of random worker's right stories, swoon-y office romance, unrequited love, woman scorned, business shenanigans and the good old chaebol succession bum fight. Our plate overfloweth with tropes.

As if to emphasise this, it is not the A-plot that is the throughline but the FL's character. It is her acting and the OTP's romance that kept me watching. When the OTP's romance is firing, it is piping hot. The rest are a lot more hit and miss.

For instance, the 2ML is old school handsome. I still remember him playing opposite PMY in Her Private Life. They had smoking chemistry in that show. Now, he is a sad and broken second lead who can't win a trick. Of course, he has his redemption arc later on and so does the 2FL who shafted everyone because of spite.

That is a shame as it has a superior ensemble cast and solid production value. It could have been more. As it stands, it added little to the dramaverse.

In the end, I was perplexed when the A-plot largely ended in the opening minutes of EP.12. What now? We still have almost an hour to fill.

We are presented with a grab bag of relationship issues and office hijinks plus bonus time skip. It is a bit sappy and draggy. The momentum has largely dissipated by then. The show must go on, damnit!

All's well that ends well. One-time watch for me. Peace.

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Farm/tree/seachange for everyone!

There are times when only a slow burn, mellow romance will hit the spot. This show fits the bill, but it also has a minor sting in its tail. We'll talk about that later.

The first couple of episodes is manic. Two already hectic urban lives are upended by life threatening illness as well as career setbacks. A double whammy you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. I can sense the "how low can it go" trope rearing its head already.

The daughter (YFL) finally had enough and ran away with her bestie to the sea. There she meets a handsome, helpful young man (YML) and his handsome, helpful father (OML). As luck would have it, the OML went to school with her adopted mother (OFL). There was definitely some entanglement back then.

One thing leads to another. Before we can say Tteokbokki, our female leads up sticks and moved to the small town where the male leads live. They made new friends and reconnected with old ones. They build a home and made a fresh start. Everything is going swimmingly except for the shadow of the YFL's illness.

As you'd expect, romance is definitely in the air. While there are two SFL's. They don't pose much of a threat.

The greater challenge lies in our leads sorting out their feelings and acting upon them. As per usual, this is quite a long and tortuous path. We got there in the end and everyone is happy until it is time for the YFL's operation. So much introspection and tears.

Now the sting I mentioned earlier. It is not really anything nasty but the show is unabashedly sentimental towards the end. Every trope related to relationships, found family, healing and growth are there. You might find it wholesome and sweet . . or not. I won't judge. ;)

However, the time skip in the end feels a little pointless. I see the need for the FL to heal, but it also implies nothing happen to everyone around her during the lengthy skip. Then everything rush ahead once the stasis is over. It feels quite arbitrary.

In the end, it is a pleasant watch. Several romances blossomed. The acting is good from the ensemble cast. Dr. Jung is a gem. Production value is on par. Ditto the OST. It might be too mellow and sentimental for some. Caveat emptor, chingu.

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A fantasy romance that ticked all the boxes

First, a confession, I have not read any of the novels and I'm only vaguely aware of the anime series on Netflix. My friend @Nelly recommended it to me and that is good enough. 👍🏼

As a standalone movie, it is fast paced and run through the extensive lore without a pause. That probably won't please the hardcore fans, but you roll with it as a casual viewer.

It is set in an alternate Meiji Japan circa turn of the 20th Century where “gifted” people with special powers try to hold off some kind of ancient evil. While the Gifted ones appears to be united in their noble task, it is far from the truth.

Our ML is one of them and a Captain in the special guards unit specifically tasked to hunt down the evil "insects". The FL is the daughter of one of the noble houses, but she doesn't seem to have any special power so she is treated like a servant as soon as her mother passed.

The similarity to Cinderella is obvious. That includes an evil stepmother and a nasty stepsister. Her life in that household is hellish. Her surprise betrothal to the ML offers her an avenue of escape.

If that is not enough, the Beauty and the Beast trope also joins the fun. The ML has a horrible reputation of being a beast to any female who tries to marry him in the name of political alliance. Just like in B&B, the FL tames the ML with her sincerity and "inner" beauty.

As a hopeless romantic, that is win-win right there. Throw in a handsome ML who looks dashing in uniform and a pretty FL who is vulnerable on the surface but has a backbone of steel, the movie can do no wrong.

But is it? I would be lying if I said the show is perfect. The world building is rushed and lack depth. No doubt a lot of lore and background information have been glossed over. It is understandable due to the time constraint, but you do occasionally feel that there should be more nuisances.

Speaking of the story, the Emperor's plot moves in mysterious ways. It is meant to be full of mysticism and symbolism but it is slow and stilted.

Also, the romance between our leads is very sweet but innocent. I'm sure they would die for each other but they always behave very properly. I'd love to see a bit of skinship. Fine, we'll just say their love is pure. (Grumble, grumble)

Finally, the production value is good, and the OST is very nice. The SFX is generally well done. There are many cinematic moments. However, its budget is limited, and it does show from time to time.

Don’t get me wrong, these are niggles rather than faults. In the end, the movie is an enjoyable romp with all the ingredients of a swoonworthy romance, Meiji style. The pseudo historical setting adds colour and novelty. Who can say no to some bonus fantasy actions?

The post-credit scene hinted at a possible sequel. I'd welcome that. More than anything, I want to see a traditional wedding ceremony. The bride in a fabulous kimono with all the trimmings and the groom in full dress uniform with a honour guard. Sweet!

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This show tripped over its own feet . . HARD

I only penned the review of A Dream Within A Dream a few days before I finished this. I mentioned will be a prize fight between ADWAD and this drama. Timing can be a bitch. Sadly, it was a no contest.

While there are minor wobbles early on, this series is watchable. Our leads did a fine job. I'm a low-key fan of both, just saying. Yet, I was surprised I can pinpoint the exact moment when the wheels fell off this show.

Ok, let's rewind and talk about the good bits. This drama started promisingly. The FL is a loner who is obsessed with one graphics novel which will cease publishing soon. She magically woke up as a secondary character in that novel after knocking herself out in a fall.

All the ducklings are lined up for a fun romp. For several eps, everything is on track and the OTP is a house on fire. This is helped along the way by the ML's acting. As the King's loyal attack dog, he is death personified. People only start breathing again once he leaves the room. The nice twist is how his whole demeanour changed once the FL melts his heart. He becomes a lovesick puppy, and we swoon. Woof!

While the FL makes random comments about plot devices and modernity, there is not a lot of actual leakage between the two worlds. Ahem, instead of promoting modern hygiene practices, the FL introduced cocktails and Soju bombs to the masses. That’s progress for ya.

Other than some petty jockeying for the ML's attention, most of the action is light. The odd danger the FL faced are used to bring our leads closer together. The plot armour is strong around the FL. ;) It is hardly a sophisticated script though.

The tone did finally change when the true antagonist returned to the capital. The minute he shows up, he basically told the ML “I'm your worst enemy and I'll destroy everyone around you!” Subtle.

That would have worked if he is pure evil, but I have a feeling the writer-nim is not sure how to use him. There are a couple of related subplots that seems to have died quietly, and his ranting and raving is inconsistent. It did solidify towards the end but there was a lot of posturing in the middle.

As I mentioned before, I can pinpoint exactly when the show went off the rails. It is when the FL go back to the present and have a conference with the original Lady Cha as well as cupid. Yes, the god of love. The OG cherub. He popped up here and there earlier and was an amusing distraction. However, in the present, he is playing hardball. He is no longer a literary device in a novel. He created the initial soul swap. How and why is unclear, other than both protagonists wished for a different life.

I mentioned in my review of ADWAD how most dramas in this genre have problem melding the two worlds back together. While ADWAD did a good job, this show stumbled badly. Be warned, the following is a rant. ;)

Don't get me wrong, the HEA ending is total (and I mean total) sugar overload. It should come with a health warning. Unfortunately, it also stopped making sense. Plots went either amok or nowhere. Evil people, good people, they are all dropped into a fairy meadow and told to frolic with the unicorns. It was bordering on bizarre when you consider the period it is set in, the backstory of those characters and the events preceding the virtual group hugs.

That point of inflection occurs when the FL told the ML to stop killing people and be his own man. Boy, did the writer-nim ran with that! The ML ends up playing Batman in the middle of a battle. While his men are being slaughtered, he used only nonlethal forces on his enemies. He also spared every wrongdoers when he returned to the capital.

The last couple of eps is a maze of plot holes and inconsistencies. For instance, I accept the modern girl slotting into her Joseon life easily because she knew the novel back-to-front. However, I’m baffled how Lady Cha becomes a 21C girl. Not only is she thriving but she remodelled her room, goes to college, uses a computer and mobile phone like a pro. Was she given a VR manual on How to Survive in Modern Seoul (I want one)? Quite baffling if you pause and think about it.

Don't get me started on the empty palace just before the climatic fight scene. How? Why? My brain hurts.

In the end, we are told our leads live HEA in a spin-off novel. They have 6 kids (consecutively by the looks) and wants 6 more! Hooray for them, but wait! What kind of novel is this when all you read about is happy, bucolic existence and making babies. Ah! There is that . . . I suppose . . . I need a line of soju bombs and a good lie down. Peace.

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