ryoato

Pawn off my horrible husband to my horrible best friend

I don’t know why but sometimes I just get a. Certain feeling while watching a drama. The kind where it’s one of a kind and soon to be irreplaceable. Now I’ve seen many drama with Park Min Young in it, and I love her. She’s so sweet of an actress and a visual, and is a very talented woman. I’m captivated by every performance, but now I’ve finally seen a drama of hers that really does her acting justice.

There have been glimpses in others. This drama just hits all the boxes, it’s funny, gripping, heartbreaking, and she’s put the work in. Hearing her story to get into the role got me to watch in the first place. I don’t know much about the other actors involved besides the second ML, who was in Welcome to Waikiki.. he is so hilarious.. go watch that.

So I’ve seen a lot of romantic comedies this year and have rated them well, but they slowly lose my interest all at once. This one just has so much to keep me watching. Revenge is something I love to see played out, a woman who is calculating and doesn’t get swept up by love. She’s got a motive here and with the first handful of episodes it’s already so satisfying to see her slowly chip away at a life she refuses to have.

I’ll go more into this when I can type on a computer. But for now I want to just recommend this drama. The ending ost for the last two eps is so so good and it’s just interesting ok. Believe me and watch.

Read More

Superhero Doctor saved my nightly boredom

I have been having a slump when it comes to Korean dramas, as the length of the dramas sometimes hinder its story. Either they are too long, or rushed and too short. The hour long episodes have been troubling at times, but fortunately with this drama it poses no problem. I haven't had a drama since Moving be this good of a watch. What I mean by that, is that this drama is constantly keeping my attention.

Lately I have been watching Princess Hours, so Ju Ji Hoon is an actor I am familiar with. I have also watched Antique Bakery, so the roles I have seen him in aren't particularly the most likable, but here that isn't the case. His character is extremely likable, but not in a traditional way. I haven't watched a drama with a male with this much spunk, as it usually is pushed into a toxic trait for a ML. Most k-dramas are with a female lead and a male lead, and almost always have romance. It isn't that I don't enjoy those dramas, it is that I think the market is a bit oversaturated with them. With that being said, not a lot of dramas airing have been on my radar, yet this one changes things up enough that I have tuned in.

What a drama this is. It truly is entertaining, informative, and fun. The lack of romance in this drama isn't why I like it, I like that there is a consistency with the drama. The episodes are fast paced, and the drama within the drama is fun to watch. I have seen Dr. Romantic, and it also does this well. That drama is more of a slice of life, while Trauma Code brings up the intensity for a more heart racing watch.

The other lead I have watched in a BL, I am glad he isn't typecasted in any romances, and is branching out for genres. I seriously see this as a great addition to his career, and can see the guy coming into lead roles more often. I like it when actors take their careers to another level when trying new genres. I kind of put this as a new genre, as it twists the usual medical drama and makes it more medical 'trauma' haha. The stakes of the trauma patients are high, and it is quite insane what they do.

I can't find any flaw with this drama. I think Dr. Baek is a fantastic male lead. I can't not think of Dr. Romantic when watching this... but that is not a bad thing at all. Maybe medical dramas are just really good, but for this drama I think it is more than that. Trauma Code was a pleasant surprise, as I didn't expect it to be so captivating. It's got comedy, drama, action, it's a great addition to Netflix... as recently they haven't been putting out dramas that end up well..................

I recommend Dr. Romantic for those who like to watch medical dramas, and for anything else like this just watch all those seasons until more seasons of this come out! For a drama with quick paced episodes that are linear watch DP, as there are two ML with great chemistry there also.

Read More

The most beautiful moments in life only come after hardships

I can't believe a drama I have waited so long for has actually aired. Luckily this one isn't disappointing at all! In fact I am enjoying it at lot. Let me explain:

I love both of the main leads and have watched them in several of their own projects before. I have yet to finish a modern drama with Xu Kai in it, but this one is a good one to add to his filmography. For Tan Song Yun this is also another drama she should be proud of. It's not excellent or anything, it is just a solid and well done job for everyone involved.

This drama succeeds in telling a story of a young woman trying to achieve her dreams. To me, I like how that is the main focus rather than the romance. Xu Kai isn't in it as much as I like because of this, but in the end I am fine with it because the story that is being told doesn't fit for him to be in every single scene.

Tan Song Yun is a beautiful woman who has RANGE. She has played a similar story in Master of My Own, but she is a splendid actress to show a different side with her character here as Ji Xing. Ji Xing is also a great example of a strong female lead. She doesn't have the plot change unrealistically for her to succeed, and is shown to have strength through her perseverance instead. I have watched a bit of other dramas with female leads in positions that she has, but everything is handed to them perfectly. They are almost too bratty in a way, and it makes them unlikeable because everything they worked for is handed to them. Ji Xing really has to work for it, and even if some of the scenarios she gets past easily, it is just a series of misfortunes for this woman. What is done so right is that the ML, Han Ting, is not her knight in shining armor.

What could be a diluted romance between the two instead has a very interesting dynamic. Han Ting is neither someone who is overbearing and overprotective when he shouldn't be, and he instead is Ji Xing's senior that gives her advice. It is tough love, and he isn't handing things to her just because he has a crush on her. Despite his interest in her, he helps her in the long run by teaching her lessons of the field they both work in. Han Ting is a privileged man and he knows it, but he is humble enough to invest in a small company, and has emphasized it isn't just because of his crush. The way that the business is run in this drama is the most realistic I've seen in a C-drama, as compared to other dramas that just run too smoothly. Like they don't have financial issues, they don't worry about hiring, things just don't go wrong. Again, it's not the most realistic ever, but the drama knows how to make Ji Xing's business a new company rather than a flip of a switch well run company.

Xu Kai leads well here. I really like the parts where he is able to lean into his puppy love attitude, and want to see more. Unfortunately his character here isn't the most charismatic for him. His best role by far is Wonderland of Love, but if I sit back and stop comparing to that he does a well job. This drama stays pretty safe and isn't offensive, but it is better than the average office romance story.

When the direction is done well with the lighting and cinematography it really does well. It doesn't happen a lot, so in the end this drama isn't spectacular. The romance definitely is a slow-burn.

I recommend to fans of either and think it's a good office romance that feels fresh. A mentor-student relationship between two individuals that were once peers. Han Ting knows that Ji Xing is a smart woman and has a lot of potential, so he isn't easy on her. Its focus is the female lead who has to work hard for what she has and gets the bad parts of life handed to her 9 times out of ten. The supporting stories are also interesting, with the best friend of the FL being the best one there. It is nice to have a story besides the main one be interesting in a modern drama. He Rui Xian is perfect for the best friend role and she is just as strong as a woman as Ji Xing, but is instead more direct and forward and leans into her femininity more.

The themes of womanhood are done well also. Representing how just being a woman makes them to be seen as objects is disturbing, but it is unfortunately very real. I think it's important to see both Li Li and Ji Xing know their worth and leave their jobs, and I think Li Li is a great asset to Ji Xing's team.

The negatives are the ex boyfriend whose round rimmed glasses really didn't suit him, and the 'friend' who likes him. I don't like how she is portrayed as a friend when she has liked Ji Xing's 4-year partner in life? That is not good for the womanhood, but besides her Ji Xing surrounds herself by the right people. The antagonists are good without being too evil also, as this time it is another woman trying to bring Ji Xing down, her former boss.

So this is a good drama with good styling and clean camera work that doesn't have flashy editing. Recommend but not too highly.

Read More

From episode one it seems it’s destined to fail

So I am watching this drama for three things, Rowoon, the budget, and the fact that it is on Netflix. Netflix has been a great platform that releases some good k-dramas along with gems that.

If you came to this drama to look for a well connected linear story about destined lovers. Don't expect that. Don't expect any more than a romantic comedy with supernatural elements. I really thought from the promotional material that this would be much more compelling than it really is, but unfortunately it's a let down in that aspect .. and I'll explain. That isn’t to say it’s irredeemable horrible, it’s not what I expected so that leaves a lot of room to surprise me either good or bad

Hong-jo was someone I initially thought would be beautiful and endearing, someone that Rowoon's character gets attached to admits his loneliness. Instead this girl talks out loud to a box, she has some infatuation with a guy because he is good looking. I like characters because I see why they are the way they are, and especially if they are this dumb it is important to give them a motive. For example, Rowoon's character in Tommorow was very out there, he was a lot but that was juxtaposed by the situation he was put in. He was very motivated and ambitious and passionate. Hong-jo is teetering over the line of being unlikeable for me because she is so animated. Although I do like it in good doses, it just gets to be a bit much and that stays consistent for the episodes I have seen.On a writing standpoint of things it will be hard for me to buy into their love if they keep her character this way. Since she is so outlandish it will be hard for me to adjust if she mellows out. Not saying it can't be done though.. I'm just saying for the first two episodes they miss the mark. I really don't like characters that have fluff scenes just for people to get laughs when the parts she have are not even funny. Since she is by herself all the time she talks to herself, and those are scenes that pull me away from the dark nature of this dramas other scenes with Rowoon's character, Shin-Yu. I don't get why he wasn't the main focus and I hate when shows have such a potential with brooding characters that are closed off, conflicted, cursed... instead it focuses on Hang-Jo who has a lot of talking to herself, it is not fun, it is hard to watch.... embarrassing at times...

The VFX of Shin-Yu's hallucinations are really good. I wish this drama could be more into that more mature plot. Instead it goes for a love-plot that I did see coming. I just didn't see it coming to be this dumb. Maybe it is supposed to be funny... but it's like Hong-Jo and her scenes are out of a completely different drama than Shin-Yu's curse plot. I use dumb a lot, and I think its fair. Hong-Jo is a civil service worker who works the lowest grade. I did some research to see that it means she took a test but was not smart enough to work higher up in the government and instead sort of does odd jobs that the government pays for. So she was too dumb, and she still is dumb and is like a lost puppy with one thing on her mind. I do like puppies though so maybe if I watch long enough I will grow to like her. It is just this character is too much and I doubt I will really buy into any heart-tearing scenes.

The things about this drama I do like... I love that Rowoon is acting here.. don't really like the role though. It is very stilted and he isn't a good guy at all. The first lawyer scene he has establishes that and I could go over in detail how he screwed that up but I am not.Maybe it is because he is cursed and it reflects into his attitude. Obviously the guy has been scared by his past. This drama could work much better if the first episodes were better, be grand and bold. Show his connection with Hong-jo from his past life because we all know they are connected by fate. His character is what my friend said while watching a voice of reason. So he can level out any of the wrong behaviors by others with realism.

The first episode was unfortunately really bad at hooking me and anyone who wants to watch 15 episodes. I would've showed how he got cursed, and later on you can develop it more with longer past scenes that show the connections deepening between Hong-Jo and Shin-yu. So you'd have the end of their story at the beginning, and then work from the beginning and to that point. I would do it like this, it's easier to follow, has a better hook, Hong-Jo can be quirky and you can see how Shin-Yu grew to like her instead of throwing them into this dynamic of a cold man and upbeat woman. It wasn’t that it did it wrong, there are just better ways to do it and it’s a shame to see it other ways for me.

The beauty of dramas are that they aren't real. Taking advantage of their medium to tell an entertaining story. This drama has the budget but the writing is a miss in a lot of areas. It is such a drastic gap with their personalities that it seems like a fan fiction if you think about it too much. the dialogue isn't natural, their situation definitely isn't. I know it's supernatural, again though I wish to see balance. Balance the real setting between that supernatural parts. I am starting to grow with the campy nature with this drama, although it did take a while. I have a soft spot for Rowoon and as annoying I find the female lead, if he wants to be with her then there is no harm. This show could be a lot better, but it isn't the worst, definitely not the best though.

Watching through episode 7 any character I liked or was trying to has been severely flawed by the nonsensical writing. The second male lead leads of the love spell and was ok with it? And he regrets not liking her? There is nothing given for us to know why, and compared to his no nonsense attitude it makes even less sense. Both the leads like this woman who is meddling with peoples lives for her own gain. It is nothing more than that and it isn’t deep or romantic, it’s disturbing and I can’t get past it.

this drama is just not worth my time anymore

Read More

Disappointing and senseless

This movie wasn't worth watching. I don't understand all the good reviews, I don't get what people say that I didn't

I'm not putting a synopsis because I watched it and it should be known, instead I decided to write a review to hopefully erase this movie as a whole from my mind.

What makes this so bad?

Well, none of the relationships between the characters are healthy at all, and the only character just a bit redeemable is the king. The king is heartbroken and it makes sense, he has a motive to do what he does because he feels betrayed and invested a lot into the chief. The chief is an idiot, he is given chances and continues to deceive the king so in the end, I was ok with him dying. Honestly, I was ok with any of the characters dying, I didn't feel any attachments.

I thought to myself that maybe the chief was only lusting over the queen because he never had that experience. Instead, the movie decided that he LOVED her? I don't care if it was him only saying that, I don't want to use my brain to read into this movie more than I should. The queen and the chief didn't love each other, as much as the movie wants to convince us that they do. And how do they convince us? The queen and chief just have s*x about 1/3 of the movie, honestly, it might be more. I thought this was going to be more epic, that the budget would be utilized for stunts and action and anything worth watching. Instead, it was just about the closest thing to being p*rn as it could. It was explicit, it was beyond explicit, they made love more than they needed to and the only argument for them doing so is that it was to show how their loved progressed.

This movie.. I would say it's ok, but I can't find anything to like except the king's acting, he did a really good job. On the other hand, the characters were.. they weren't characters. It was blank and lacking and none of them had a backstory. Especially the queen, it was infuriating to see her seduce the chief knowing what could happen, and eventually when the king found out they still decided to do the deed? Why? Did they love each other? How was I supposed to know they love each other if they didn't even talk about ANYTHING? What did they want to do if they fled? It seemed the only reason they wanted to leave was to have s*x in peace. The acting for the queen was stale, her whole character wasn't a character, she was just the queen that didn't get laid only until the chief did and then she liked it so they did it as many times as they could. The chief and queen were both selfish and not worth me rooting for so I didn't.

I don't understand. It was wasted potential, but then again I don't even know what the goal of the movie was here. What was the purpose of this? The chief in the end didn't love the king and I can't say that he loved the queen because that wasn't deserved either. It left with the chief and king dying as if I was supposed to not expect that or feel bad.. it had so much love making scenes that didn't need to be there. There was NO reason that the queen and chief loved each other, they didn't talk to each other or bond over anything except making love. That's all this was, it was frustrating and felt dirty to watch undeserved love making scenes. It wasn't fun at all, it was something I wish I could erase from my mind. That's the end of my rant, I warned anyone coming into this thinking it's some sort of epic movie that's exciting and heartbreaking. This movie isn't, this movie is a waste.

Read More

No it’s not about spy’s

Ok so I originally thought since the title resembled some TV isn’t like Mission Impossible.. that this would involve some spy story. So that is what intrigued me funny enough. I then watched the promos and saw some sort of a femme fatal role from our FL.. but ultimately no spies. Now the trailer comes out and no spies. I at least thought that this would have some wit with how the fake relationship could be perceived as real. I thought this drama would bring some mind games and gaslighting others to make them believe the relationship that the story revolves around is real. In the end there was less of that and a whole lot more of.. well .. I don’t know?

I can’t say I don’t like this drama though. It was charming for the first handful of episodes. Soon though I started seeing problems with the main plot line and relationships. The FL gets too into the relationships around her, I mean I guess she’s only human- but it’s just kind of all over the place in a way. I guess I shouldn’t have expected a lot of smart writing here. It’s pretty boring at times, but it’s not too complicated. For what this drama wants to be, a romantic comedy- it’s not really that either. I don’t know what genre this wanted to be, but funny- yes at times- romantic…….. ehhhhh

This was just a quick little writings about how I thought about this. So to sum it up, it’s not bad. I don’t recommend it but I don’t hate it. I really like Moon Sang Min and am glad I watched it. Without the leads here I wouldn’t have. It’s got that curse where it has talented actors but the writing is just not all there. I get it’s from a source, but adapt it- make it better. Instead this was just average-ish. That’s a barely though, for a more average romantic comedy I would rather it be so bad it’s good. Instead if it’s like this a boring and doesn’t know what it wants to be, then I just get frustrated. I wanted a cult classic, instead I should just watch the classics.

My biggest frustration was the handling of the second male lead. He was a gay man and I expected that they didn’t make that some sort of disability for him. I kid you not, that’s how it was treated. A sad secret that kept him from living his life fully. I don’t care about the business or the appeal to the world, I don’t think it was fair for his story to be shoved away. They treated his homosexuality like a bad thing that was unfortunate. I swear the guy himself didn’t even like being gay nor was he proud of it. And he was 30? The whole life he had, he not once owned up to it because of what? His grandparents? If he didn’t care for that life why couldn’t he just say it? I guess he could’ve been scared for his partner.. but he didn’t have one. And also he never got one in the end. The straight people got their happy ending but if you are gay you just end up alone. It’s quite funny how bad they ended his story, and how the writers really don’t know anything about what it’s like to be gay. I mean I could go on and on. I’m just offended they never celebrated the queer aspects and instead it was someone’s misfortune. That’s not progress in kdrama land, that’s misfortune by itself.

If you want something more nuanced I don’t even know where to start. For a romantic comedy with queer leads watch Sematic Error. For a romantic comedy that is straight watch Business Proposal. I’m done here. Again I’ll say being gay isn’t a misfortune to someone live. This drama has the opportunity to shed light on the difficulties while also respecting someone’s identity. They could’ve showed how someone can still thrive and be successful no matter their identity. So what was the moral of this?

Don’t adapt something you don’t understand or try to. Instead it comes off as disrespectful and cheap. No matter how charming the leads and the characters are, the handling of identities was so flawed. I’ll say watch something else. Recommending more.. even other countries at this point. Watch Ready Set Love for queer characters and straight that is handled with respect.. watch that please.. not this

Read More

irrational and unbelievable

I know that this movie is a remake of a show, so you’d think that I’d wish it was longer? Yet- this movie feels /so/ long.

I don’t like romances that are just about two people falling in love. They have to have something that sets them back, something that they are going through to make it interesting. This story doesn’t.

It’s about Geng Geng and her attatchment to her desk mate (Yu Huai). The reality is, this is supposed to be a romance between the two, unfortunately I only believe it’s Geng Geng and her infatuation with Yu Huai . Why do I say that? Well Geng is the main character and you see this through her, and what I see is her character lying to find reasons for herself to hang out with Yu Huai . He is supposed to like her, I see what the story is supposed to be- but I don’t believe any of it.

It’s like this is a recap of something, going back and forth between the past and the present. The past takes up way too much time and is uninteresting as it’s just Geng most of the time either thinking about Yu Huai or talking about him, and when Yu Huai is in the story she is just looking at him. I don’t see any reason why he’d like her, other than her just being the main character so it’s a default. She isn’t rational, she is annoying and unrealistic and does things she doesn’t have to. She expects Yu Huai to like her after one meeting and reads into things, and the most frustrating part is that the story does that too. The story wants to make up something that isn’t there and plainly doesn’t make sense. Why does Geng Geng like Yu Zhuhai?Why does Yu Huai like her? I’d love to see more backstory of him but it’s not there. What is interesting with the dynamic between the two at all? Her life seems to revolve around the fact that she likes him, she studies for college for him and doesn’t have anything for herself at all.

Now talking about the future. I couldn’t pay attention to any scene other than Chen Feiyui being on screen. He is the reason I watched this because he is so handsome and my all time favorite. As for his character Yu Huai.. since his backstory hadn’t been fleshed out I don’t care for him. I found him to be arrogant as a kid and able to do so much because he was smart, what made him likable was the pressure he was given.. since that wasn’t developed enough in the end he was a character I was frustrated with. The motives for him- I couldn’t find any. These characters are together just because they have to be, because that’s what the source material was. They were together there, so they are here

This movie is boring, not a linear plot. It leaves a lot to be desired. BUT Chen Feiyu is such a handsome guy, he’s putting the effort here and has so much charisma outside of what character he was given. Waiting for HYX to see him with a more fleshed out character that’s worth the effort.


Story/Plot: not paced well at all. It goes here and there and to every place but the ones you’d want to see. Focuses on the past too much, I understand it was from the source material but that was a show. Since this is a movie something else should’ve been done, or maybe not have been done at all

Acting/Cast: Chen Feiyu gets all the best with the rating. It would be higher if I cared for the characters.

Music: pretty generic, not too outsourcing but it does it’s job.

Rewatch Value: I was checking the time to see how much was left thirty minutes in, and then an hour in also. It’s a pretty movie, but I don’t care for it. I won’t watch it again. Only would to see Chen Feiyu, that is when he’s on screen.

Read More

funniest romcom of 2022

I’ve been waiting for this drama since I saw the cast. All of it is full of well recognizable names and with them alone it could’ve been bad. Some dramas tend to just have the right people, but that’s all they have going for it. This drama instead has the people , and has an unlimited amount of charm.

So far it’s doing well. It’s not getting boring even with the plot not being the most intricate. It’s really fun to watch because the characters are all so interesting, charismatic, likeable, good looking, it has it all. This show is so funny, the comedic timing is on point. It’s more with the acting and the facial expressions, but it isn’t overdone and is charmingly hilarious

It’s different to see Go Kyung Pyo in an acting role like this. His character is very mysterious and I love how they are handling that. It’s setting it up for him to be a murderer because of all the absurd things he does. Buying bleach and cleaning project did it for me, that was a very clever joke. I am watching Reply 1988 with Go Kyung Pyo being so nice and friendly, his acting is amazing in this because he’s not the same person at all. He is quiet in this, but man is he handsome.

Next we’ve got the second male lead, he is a gorgeous man. I really like his character too. He is an actor and isn’t too arrogant, he’s got the right amount of arrogance, wonder, curiosity. He’s a perfect counterpart when comparing to Ji Ho.Kim Jae Young is doing really well in this rom com, and I haven’t seen him in any before and know he had done his fair share of darker dramas. The versatility with him is amazing.

Now onto the main character. Park Min Young’s character is a million times better than hers in Forecasting Love and Weather. Sang Eun is so likeable, she’s hilarious and independent, love her outlook on life. I love that she just is ready to move on completely and move away. She’s admirable, and isn’t a selfish person. It’s amazing because in her other show she was a bit unlikeable, but that was the writing of her character there. Here she really is amazing with this genre and script.

I was pleasantly surprised with the representation of LGBTQ themes. Sang Eun’s roommate is a gay man who she divorced too out of her job (it’s the plot of the show). It breaks my heart why he had to marry her, but I’m glad they still are together as roommates. He is very fun as a character also and I’m glad that K Dramas are moving forward with these themes without being disrespectful.
What is lackluster is how they handled his character in the end.. honestly kind of an afterthought. Wish he would’ve gotten with someone with all the hints of him going to move to be happy.

It’s over the top with the premise, but it’s all in good fun. Don’t take it too seriously, enjoy yourself because I know I am

Read More

my first and last love

So I am watching this because I am swept along with the 20,000 others that are watching this. Also it is rated a 9.2. So that means it shouldn't be a waste of my time... right?

Yeah this drama isn't a waste of time. It's good. The light and cheery atmosphere alone are enough to have me watching. I have seen a lot of k-dramas lately so this is a nice switch-up. It tells a sweet little love story about a girl and her brothers best friend. Suprisngly enough I haven't seen any dramas with this synopsis before.

Now what is good is the production quality and the visuals of the main leads. I am a few episodes in already and it's easy to watch. Watching is a breeze and I can easily watch, so I hope I don't lose interest. What interests me is those visuals and the hope that the 9.2 rating brings foward some amazing scenes that punch right at my gut and get me really believing that score.

I'm not going to be super bitter about the rating. I honestly don't see that it is a 9.2. I give it what I give it because it isn't perfect, but I rate it so high because it isn't necessarily doing anything wrong either.

What gets me though is the younger actress for our main character. She is great, but she is waaaaaayyyy to young to be portraying a character that is 13/14. The actress is 10 irl, so to have moments that are classically portrayed as a budding romance is weird to me. It makes me uncomfortable.. and it shouldn't be. This show brings up the age gap though, with Duan Ji Xu and Sang Shi. It is very obvious between the two their age because of how she claims him as another 'brother' of hers. Comparing him to her brother, those are cute and not problematic. What is- is how Duan Ji brings up how if she is dating someone and he took her out knowing she is a minor than that is wrong. So he sees her as a minor, he won't date her. That is good. What could be, and notice how I saw /could/. Is that if he ends up dating her, which I know happens, then he has seen her grow up. Now that is grooming.

I think this drama isn't stupid, but it has its moments. The opening scene with the young Sang She and Duan Ji are cringe inducing. The music playing up as she sees him for a moment.. I can look past that. I can't look past how three years later she seems even more immature than her younger self. I haven't seen a show with Zhao Lu Si, so maybe her voice is just that young sounding. I do like her character a lot though. She is sweet and naive, but she is calculating in a way. She have ulterior motives with Duan Ji and that is where the love is hiding. It's cute to see her little crush and how that affects her actions with him, it's pretty simple. So the hidden love to me is more of an agenda because of this. Because she likes to hang out with him and pulls him into her life not because he is just nice, but because she secretly likes him and is waiting for the day she can confess or something. I am excited to see how that all unravels but hope that they don't emphasize her youth too much.

With Duan Ji bringing up her age and all I hope they just do it correctly when it comes to him liking her. I believe he will like her when she is of age, and I hope they address that he likes her NOW as opposed to the trope of always loving her. Because he knew her since she was 13/14. I hope he grows to like her as an adult of age and appreciates her growth as a person rather than saying something like he always has loved her. That would make this weirder than it already is.

I get that she likes an older guy, I would too. He is someone she compares her brother too, and he is nice to her. It's a mindless attraction. So I hope for Sang Shi, she realizes what she /really/ likes about him. The older she gets her feelings mature as well.

So this drama is good and I recommend. It's got this amazing feel to it, it's got stunning setups with the camera work and everything. What is needs it to have those hearthrobbing moments between the leads. The set up is very very good, I want their romance to mature and I can see that happening.

What I really must commend is Zhao Lusi's acting. I haven't seen a drama with hers in it and now I know I have been missing out. She is excellent here and so is Chen Zhe Yuan.. who I am most looking forward to see in Sho Po Lang.

Read More

drama of the year goes to…

Another highly anticipated drama that thankfully I can say is delivering! It is even going over the delivering and serving to me on a nice silver platter... let me explain..

So I have been going through a BL drought. Heck, a drama drought. K-dramas at this time have sucked the life out of me with their uninteresting and predicable plots, poor execution, and the fact that I watch and wonder.. why does something like this need to be made? What purpose is there other than to make money? Have famous leads in it to lure people in to end up being a total heaping pile of garbage.... so.. this drama COULD have been that. I mean the lead couple is famous and have starred in another successful project. The plot is darker and a bit of a niche in the BL industry. To do something outside of the classic romantic comedy genre of high school or college. Let me just get this straight. This drama is one of those that I think serves a purpose. I am glad it is made wonderfully and it clearly isn't pandering to its audience with chalked up fan service. So this drama is one that deserves to be made, it also is respectful to its audience and that is clear with the production level.

Other than that, production is one thing. Plenty of dramas look good but don't have the story to back it up. This one has witty dialogue that is just smart. Each character is written differently and it is believable they are different people. The people behind the screenplay are amazing, as even in scenes of just talking, the actors are giving the script to play off each other to look like they are having fun portraying their given roles. Some of the drama is a little unbelievable, but not to the point it is distracting or god awful. The plot gives it room to have fun, and the fact that there is a romance hidden somewhere in here leaves room for intrigue. I don't really care about the technicalities here, because the story just hasn't been done before. It is completely brand new to me as I have maybe read some concepts here and there that are similar to the story, but as a whole I haven't watched anything like this.

To keep it short I just have to praise the main leads, their acting capabilities, the camerawork, direction.. nothing is out of place. The camera work is shot beautifully that even when a set isn't too extravagant, the lighting goes a long way to bring atmosphere to the scene.

War is the standout actor here for me. He has so much charisma and is the guy that looks like he's having the most fun with his role. What a fun role it is too. Joke is by far my favorite characters, and his counterpart isn't lacking anywhere by the way. Jack is more reserved and Yin plays that wonderfully as well. Their dynamic is not only fun, I can sense some desire between them only a few episodes in. It makes me want to see them get to know each other and have a fallout and all that drama. I can't wait to watch it all unfold...

Getting back to this I must say, I am really aw struck by everything this drama has to offer. Knowing that the leads invested their own money confirms the fact that care is put behind this. THAT is why it is special. The people behind the show clearly care for the end result and have done it for their fans. Yet the show doesn’t flash fan service or pander, it is smartly written and honestly fantastic. I am enjoying all aspects and that definitely includes the comedy. All the way around this drama it has something to offer. Complain about it not being what you expected or not, but Yin and War offered the end result as a love letter to fans and you can tell they are having fun doing so. I can’t believe those who criticize such an honest effort. Like seriously, if you want a serious dark drama, go watch a kdrama. The humor adds to the story and it literally is a part of Joke’s character and his inability to take his own life seriously. The guy literally believes all he is good at is stealing.

You can really tell competent people are behind this with all the attention to detail and foreshadowing. It’s not a drama that forces things at you and tells you exactly what is going on. The actors portray their feelings to get across an excellent slow burn with amazing action scenes. Seriously the choreography is beat for beat as well as knowing the actors do it themselves. The time and energy behind this work is insane and I was interested to read up on it to confirm the fact that Yin and War really cared for this project and their fans. More than a love letter it is an amazing drama.

What this drama is good at is everything. I enjoy it all with earnestly and look forward to each episode. That is a gift to me; as this isn’t a cheap product made for money. It is a great drama even. I will go on and on when I can type to my hearts content.

Read More

Drama on Top ^^

Where do I even start?

Yet again another drama that I have looked forward to has released. I have been a fan of the source material for years now, I've rewatched it about 4 or 5 times. I understand what it would look like for something to not need to be remade or adapted, and coming from the source material- I was worried what would come out of the adaption. What I'm happy to say now is that it looks like my worries have been nullified by the end result of this drama, as it is not only a great adaptation- it is a great drama. Let me explain.

Dakaichi is a beloved BL series, that I don't feel the need to explain the plot or go in detail of what I like and dislike there. The adaptation 'Top Form' peaked my interest, and it's kept my interests in the end for several reasons. I have watched other Thai adaptations of my beloved BL series from Japan, and am able to recognize when the IP is used for money. The source material is used as a way for a 'sure fire' success, where what the production misses is that remaking something without adding or taking away is actually quite boring and frustrating to watch. If I love the source material, why not just go and rewatch that? Why would I want something tainting the legacy. With Dakaichi it has several issues, the anime adaptation already tamed down the manga, and coming now to the Thai adaptation I can say the series is able to stand as its own, as well as being a love letter to the original source.

Top Form clearly was made by fans of the original, but also from people that are self-aware and recognize the faults of the source material. There are flaws in all versions, but I am putting credit where credit is due. The team behind this drama is very competent, and I can tell from the consistency of this drama. The writing of the characters, the editing, the pacing, nothing it jittery and it is all just consistent.

Consistency could mean boring, and the runtime being much longer than the original could mean adding unnecessary filler also. What you get with this drama is a top notch production, a quality script, and instead of filler you get character arcs/development. I'm glad that the direction took it in the way of developing characters rather than adding drama or action.

So let me explain that...

Takato is Akin in this drama, played by Boom. I have watched a little bit of Chains of Hearts, so I recognize him. I didn't finish it so I'm not the most familiar with him, but wow. Boom is an amazing actor, and he is one that uses his expressions to the fullest. Just like Akin, he doesn't need a lot of lines to steal a scene, he understands his character to a degree that I had to rewatch several scenes to pick up on Akin's little antics. Just like a real person, this character is fleshed out to the point where he has nervous ticks/habits. I thinks it's interesting to see it all come from the source material, and realistically fit into this setting. What I also want to add is that the setting has some depth. As I said before, the team is competent, and what I can tell from that is how famous Akin and Jin really are.

There are billboards, magazines, merchandise, other people reacting.. all of these add to show that Jin and Akin are A-List actors, and are famous. It's details like that, that may seem small, but seriously add to the drama.

The chemistry is also realistic, and with the length you are now able to feel the yearning all the more. I can feel the absence of the other, in the main characters lives. I see them together and know they will get together, but notice a natural connection, that is growing naturally as well. The characterization of Akin and Jin is one of the best things of the drama. Boom plays Akin so well, and when you think about it- it can't be easy.

Akin is a very serious actor, a senior in the industry. He is also just a guy with his own worries, and weird obsessions. He is able to act arrogant to himself, and be polite and humble infront of others. I could write a whole character essay on why I love Akin, and how Top Form took Takato and made Akin so very perfect. It's not over the top, it's subtle with the nods to the original as well as taking the best parts. I am happy to see the age difference here, and it makes a lot of sense... I could get into why the casting is perfect also..

Smart plays Jin, Junta.. Junta is Jin. Smart is really capturing the energy of this lead, like Boom, so so well. I can't decide which characterization I like better. Both take the best of the original, while being unafraid to change the faults. For now, Jin still has a lot of backstory I could see them adding in, but I like what is here so far.

Overall I really like what is here so far. This drama is an example of a great adaptation. While I could list others that are horrible, I will just recommend this drama! You will be missing out if you don't watch.

Read More

Office Romance on the Smallest Scale

I’m so surprised with how much I enjoyed this show. Not because I thought it would be bad, it’s just that a lot of k-BL’s are coming out that I didn’t think I’d be too interested. From the first episode alone I was wrong.

I remember hearing this drama was coming out and the premise of it being an adult webtoon created getting an assistant and they fall in love. That’s pretty small of a summary but just watch it. It’s interesting and not afraid of the adult themes it brings up. But the thing is- it’s funny and self aware of the absurdity of the situations.

So far the main characters are very fun especially Seon Ho. This show is all out with the humor with sexuality and it’s not treating being gay as a joke. Instead it pokes humor at other ‘things’ and is enjoyable and not forced with the humor. It’s lighthearted and the tone doesn’t shift harshly, the camera work is good- it’s not biting off more than it can chew. Gu Mu Yeong is very handsome and I love how forward Seon Ho was with hiring them, I’m looking forward to their interactions and this show is very promising.

Now after reading some of the webtoon... let me say that its a surprise that they would adapt this in the first place. They really keep the tone so similar and change things where they need to. It is so clever to see the changes and to see what they keep.

With this one and the miscommunication, you have to remind yourself it’s based off a webtoon. Now then doesn’t lower my standards.. I honestly appreciate it more because of it. It’s just me saying that you can’t take this drama too seriously because it’s a short web series and it’s doing it’s job of being cute and funny too good
Finishing this show up it can get a bit frustrating but for what is based from it does pretty well. This show is harmless and I really enjoyed it

Read More

Why R U has the spiciest scenes out of them all

With the story the problem I have is with the side couple, I personally don’t like their acting and found it awkward. Now, Tutor and Fighter is where it really is amazing. These two have so much chemistry that I felt like their scenes were private and intimate moments that I shouldn’t be watching. I felt like the third wheel in the best way possible. With BL dramas there will always be weird music and sound affect, but when they need to they put on some good music to help the mood. Continuing with my headline, I will say that Fighter and Tutor do things that *ahem* yeah, I enjoy.

The necklace scene will always be engraved in my retinas, Fighter is the most charming man, I love his smile and Tutor is adorable. They act so well together and I believe that they are a couple. That’s important.

Read More