Two tricksters becoming the ultimate couple to ride or die together
How to review a drama, that left you more than a little star struck, because it was just that good?Where to begin?
A central part of my elation about the show is based on the excellent acting shown by both main leads but also their supporting cast. HMH often gets prejudged because of his extraordinary handsome face. Yes, he’s good looking. But so are most of his acting colleagues.
And there is a reason, he more often than not outshines the leads, if he is only cast as a supporting act in a production.
He gives his all while acting, and acts through his eyes, his mimics, gestures, body language. And can switch between a decadent lascivious persona, a ruthless calculating cold or a warm loving personality seemingly effortless. It is a joy to watch when he unfolds his skills on screen.
And our female lead LYX was a match for him in acting skills and chemistry!
Add the performances of the supporting cast into the mix and it deserves well 10/10.
The storyline and the multiple character developments made sense and progressed at a good individual pace well balanced between main and supporting characters without delay from start to finish. I loved, how they connected vital moments during their journeys in replays to either show the development and final conclusions or their steadiness in feelings and positions.
The CGI was a mix with moments I would have loved to see on a big screen in a cinema, and parts, where the deeper background reminded me of older animated movies. LOL. But these were negligible flaws in my book.
Overall the visuals were stunning and beautiful to watch.
** Potential spoiler **
A word about the final villain:
He might not be the most charismatic villain in drama history, but his story arc was well written and executed. So no loss I my opinion.
While I increasingly despised his character with a passion and was satisfied with his ending, I still appreciated the moments of grace shown towards his character by our main leads, especially by the female lead. It was deeply human and honorable and a wholesome part of the storyline. Thank you, writers.
Was this review helpful to you?
Abundance with a literally whipped power couple
Currently I am rewatching the drama for the first time since it aired.Time, to take in all the details I missed the first time around. Especially when another drama aired nearly the same time and had one in its emotional clutches.
FH is visually stunning. The costumes, the decorations, the actors, the supporting cast - everything is beautiful and color saturated down to the last detail. Add the amazing OST, and the first word, which comes to mind when describing this show is abundance.
From the cast the ML was the only one I knew beforehand from the drama “Hidden Love”. There I didn’t found his acting bad, but I wasn’t overly impressed either. But the whole drama HL was lukewarm imo.
Now here in FH?
CZY and CL aced their roles together with their supporting cast. No complaints. No notes.
The only one, whose acting needs some serious additional work is Chen He Yi. Dude, show us some emotions! Yes, you play a calculating, suppressed character. But where is the suppressed rage or grief or regret? Where are the micro expressions, the small gestures, the expressions in your eyes?
And yes, weirdly enough, I surprised myself, when towards the end of the drama I enjoyed the parts with the unhinged emperor of the opposing country the most.
Which brings me to the script and the writing.
Praise and compliments to the writers for the emperor character JingYan! Most fascinating role for sure and the actor nailed it.
The rest of the - again, LOL - abundance of villains could have used some more logic to their villain behavior. Their reasoning felt flat most of the time and more like a plot device. But overall the main story with its subplots was well written and played out at a good pace. It kept me engaged and entertained until the end.
The body count in this drama is high. Don’t start a drinking game to the words “k*** him”, because you will otherwise end up under the table in no time. 😅
The chemistry and romance between our main couple was there and believable. They spared each other in the beginning nothing. Including the whipping. The enemy to lovers trope was well written. Thankfully the FL remained a badass until the finish line.
Rewatch value?
Definitely. Grab your popcorn and enjoy the entertainment provided.
Was this review helpful to you?
A cute ducktale about love
I give it a 8/10, because while it has its flaws, it’s still an easy and enjoyable movie.So, if you’re looking for something fluffy and easygoing to spend some time with, this could be an option, you won’t regret.
The characters are likable and the actors are working fluff with underlying depth into their roles.
Two ⭐️ got reduced by me, because the storytelling and its pacing felt a bit off and rough around the edges.
But overall? Give it a try.
Was this review helpful to you?
The freedom and strength in being yourself
I liked it, that we got to see ZLS in a more mature role for change.The drama itself is well made.
It starts with a more cool and calculating vibe, matching the mental state of our main characters, who put up quite the front in the beginning for understandable reasons.
That changes with the divorce era. At the level, at which the masks are falling apart and lies are revealed the vibe of the drama changes accordingly. There is even a really silly part put in the middle of the show, which threw some viewers off.
But in my opinion - when we are in love, vulnerable, and off balance, because the relationship is changing and we need to adjust without putting up a front - we tend to be uncomfortable awkward and sometimes a bit silly while finding our footings in changed conditions. We are imperfect humans after all.
But the drama kept its pacing well maintained, and how the couple resolved their issues between them and the difficulties thrown their way by outsiders was worthwhile to watch.
I don’t want to say more because I don’t want to spoil the outcome.
I liked the drama and found it wholesome.
The casting for the roles was on point. The actors delivered. And the characters had layers and were all human with flaws
Was this review helpful to you?
A movie, which leaves an impact without making any noise
I am not really in review mode at the moment, so I won’t write much about the movie.But I didn’t want to leave only stars, either.
So, here I am.
Read the review by oddsare.
If it mades you curious enough - it made me watch the movie and afterwards I agreed with her thoughts to it.
Beforehand I was in a weird mood and now I feel calmed down and in a better mental state. LOL
Recommended movie therapy 😅
Was this review helpful to you?
A feast for our senses
10 minutes into the movie I felt regret already about not being able to enjoy it in a cinema setting.This movie would’ve deserved it. Big time!
The cinematography? No notes. 10/10
The depiction of two quite different but equally difficult complex characters and their unique courtship?
Amazingly portrayed in all their multilayered personas by Takeuchi Ryoma and Machida Keita. The chemistry could melt any screen.
As viewer I got captivated by their performance from the start and didn’t get released before the rolling credits.
The story.
For me there were no weak moments or missing points. We got shown an essential major part of their journey with enough background story strewn in to illustrate their respective mindsets. Worked for me.
And we got released at at point of their storyline, where their courtship and dance goals are not finished and fulfilled yet, but an important step, which felt and was monumental in itself, was taken towards each other and their goals.
So I am satisfied with it.
(But wouldn’t mind a sequel on bit! Please, please, please!)
Their dance at the end - a statement couldn’t be more beautifully made.
Japan. You did it again! 👏👏👏👏👏
I hope, this movie gets the attention and recognition on an international scale, it deserves.
I was either smiling or cutting onions the whole time by the sheer beauty of this movie and my joy, to watch it finally.
Was this review helpful to you?
Wasted a lot of potential
It was great to revisit our beloved couple TharnType. Therefore 8 stars.TT 2 had good story parts where typical issues came up one has in a relationship.
Also a reason for the 8⭐️.
But it came with an overload of thrown in fanservice elements und a bunch of side characters/couples I couldn’t get interested in.
It would’ve worked much better, if the production had invested more energy in the storyline and storytelling. More focus on a well told story arc about the main couple, a better music background (music at the TLC scenes were corny to the extreme and made these scenes a parody), less screentime for all these other couples (give them their own season or a special) and the wedding not as a special episode (not on Viki, but you find it online, just google it) but rather as the typical final episode and it could have been a pure joy to watch!
*** SPOILER ALERT ***
A great element in itself (interesting titbit of Thai culture) and as part of Types character grow during their relationship was the shown ceremony to get ordained as a Buddhist monk👏👍 Thank you for including this.
The difference of how Type was at the start and this serene guy now - wow.
Will I rewatch this season? Yes. Already did. LOL. But with major skipping of some parts.
(Review from 2021/11/08)
Was this review helpful to you?
At a loss here
I am not sure how to feel about this drama. The chemistry between the main leads got me hooked and kept me hooked. But I had my issues with the story. I’m not into stories with dead people and walking corpses. I find it creepy most of the time. And how the story unfolds until the end left me at a loss regarding some deeper meaning. After all the build up over the episodes this drama felt weirdly shallow after finishing it imho.(Review from 2022/12/19)
Was this review helpful to you?
Story could’ve been better with 8 or 10 episodes
Overall I liked the drama and got drawn into the story. I can even see myself watch it again at one point in the future.But is it perfect?
No.
The acting was okay for me, the chemistry matched the plot (more sparks within the last 2 episodes).
What leaves me a little disgruntled are two points.
The first is the rushed storytelling overall.
Hayakawa’s messed up psyche and him sexually assaulting Konno could’ve been fleshed out better and should’ve been addressed more, than the glossing over with just a heartfelt apology (and an additional non consented kiss!) we got to watch.
Konno should have confronted him about it and cleared it up.
My second point of annoyance is a missing good ending. A kind of epilogue, which shows us how they’re doing as a couple in the future. A proper send of.
Hence my opinion, this drama could’ve been better with some additional episodes and storytelling.
So, all in all, since I liked it despite my criticism, 9/10 it is.
Was this review helpful to you?
Messy, but it hit the metaphorical spot as an emotional rebound drama
After watching 3 costume dramas in a row I needed a change of scenery on screen.And since LITC got me heavily emotional invested I was looking for a suitable show for the recovery phase. 😅
Stumbled upon a TT about Double Love, looked it up, gave it a try.
Luckily I read through the comments and reviews before starting it. That adjusted my expectations and I was prepared for a probable disaster.
Is the drama a mess regarding storytelling and editing? Definitely.
It’s has multiple plot holes, where we as viewers have to fill in gaps on our own. Thankfully some users have looked for and added links and a translation for the most crucial missing scene in the drama. You can look it up in the discussion section below.
BUT. But, but, but.
After I settled in for a bumpy watching session I surprised myself by liking the drama despite its obvious flaws.
A cute MC with a spunky FL plus very charming supporting characters embodied by a cast, who did a good job. As an easy, fluffy romance tale with cute and funny moments (munching watermelon as a running gag, whenever someone had juicy news to share) - the show had a lot of good and promising points too!
Only to end up being botched afterwards while edited.
It made me feel bad for the actors and the crew, who did a good job and brought great ideas and the chemistry into their work.
That drama wasted a lot of its potential.
But I liked it despite the flaws. And - like my headline said already - it hit the spot, got me hooked and I more or less binge watched it in the end.
My mind compared it with nutrition as an analogy:
I love my daily diet of healthy food, but sometimes you just crave some greasy fast food.
Back to the drama: I even see myself watch it again after some time.
Hence the reason I give it a 8/10.
Was this review helpful to you?
Nearly more bromance than romance LOL
If you start this show with the expectation to watch a drama about a firefighter brigade and some medical ER personnel in a hospital and their work life and occupational struggles plus some slow moving romantic plot on the side, this drama is for you.If you expect a show about the second chance romance about a firefighter and a doctor with their respective jobs only as background plot, you will get the dilemma either to skip parts of the show or to fight the urge to abandon it altogether.
Because the rescue missions are more or less the show. The romance? Within the first half of the drama nothing notable happens on their relationship part. Some encounters between all the rescues, but not much more. That time is used by the FL character to undergo some important internal growth. But it happens nearly unnoticeable for most viewers.
The romance plot takes more or less center stage during the second half of the drama. The rescues keep coming but it doesn’t overpower the romantic story anymore.
Overall - besides the odd pacing regarding the central romantic story I liked the drama, felt with the characters and smiled a lot.
The acting, the multilayered characters - no complaints from my side. I enjoyed the bromance and the friendships within these firefighters. Skipped a lot through these rescue scenes. That stuff is not really my thing.
That drama is wholesome. Give it a try.
Was this review helpful to you?
It’s cute
Cute, wholesome drama which made me smile most of the time. 10 ⭐️ well deserved. At the beginning you’ll be witnessing some traits in the ML which are red flags. But keep watching. This drama is a nicely told journey where both main leads grow and better their selfs with a lot of lovable side characters who will leave you highly entertained.(Review from 2021/11/12]
Was this review helpful to you?
Don’t judge a book by its cover
The MLs are both uber shy introverts. So be prepared to sit and watch through a lot of awkward situations and communications. Especially in the first half of the drama.But if you have the patience for this more slow pacing you won’t regret it.
This story shows that everybody has insecurities and more often than not the perceived situation only tells parts of the whole truth and can lead to wrong conclusions. Don’t judge a book by its cover - so to speak.
This drama is for binge watching.
I got invested and the episodes are short. It starts slow but as the story unfolds it gets more and more interesting and in the end I was sad that it was finished already.
It ends on a feel good note. Some good messages.
Recommended!
(Review from 2022/05/10)
Was this review helpful to you?
A show to savor like a good wine
I need to leave my ⭐️ already because it’s just THAT good.I am totally hooked and have developed a serious crush on the female lead‘s character. Her personality is a silent but persistent power which knows how to articulate her thoughts when necessary. 🤩👍💪
After watching more than half of the drama - serious binge material! Update after finishing this show: Still going with the 10 stars! 🤗
The second half included some episodes where they took the melodramatic quite seriously and it felt oppressive to watch all these discouraging moments. And yes, some part of me was considering if this drama should’ve been shorter, too. If they might’ve stretched and overdone some negative story elements.
But after ending this drama I’m not sure if a shorter storytelling would’ve worked out regarding this drama in its entirety. Perhaps it needed these difficult parts filled with nearly only hopelessness so we viewers can fully appreciate the growths in the protagonists at the end.
If you’re now struggling with the decision to watch - this drama made me often smile so hard that my cheeks hurt, too. 😅
And I don’t recommend to skip through these difficult passages because (imho) they’re fundamental to fully appreciate the satisfying last episodes! I ended the show with a big smile on my face, deeply satisfied with how they concluded the different subplots. Some other reviewer compared watching this drama with savoring a good wine. In my eyes a suitable comparison! Bravo! Well done! 👏👍🤗
(Review from 2020/10/29)
Was this review helpful to you?
Mr. Unlucky Has No Choice but to Kiss!
0 people found this review helpful
Sweet but hilarious
This drama won a special place in my heart!I wasn’t particular into BL and/or Jdramas, but this drama?
"Mr. Unlucky" is uber extra, yet so relatable - one has no chance but to like him!
Both leads are to fall in love with. The story makes sense and gets told in a way, which is well paced. Some surprises and different POVs as added toppings.
It is a highly entertaining mix of hilarious with underlying depth.
Totally worth to be checked out!
(Review from 2022/06/11)
Was this review helpful to you?
