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Story: A teenage boy suffers from panic attacks every time his girlfriend wants to be intimate. He is not sure whether the reaction comes from his distaste of girls’ bodies or something else, as he finds himself being fascinated with a naked boy lounging on the rooftop. But almost the same thing happens when the other boy tries to touch him. The short film presents a backstory of trauma suffered by the MC at the hands of his father, but it was unclear whether the father sexually abused his son, or whether the boy was being punished for having impure thoughts and acts of pleasure are heavily reprimanded. Acting/Cast: Mediocre at best.
Music: Mediocre at best.
Rewatch Value: If only to analyze why the MC hyperventilates with the thought of impeding physical contact as there maybe differing interpretations.
Overall: The film leaves a lot for improvement, and poses more questions than answers, like how brazen are the two boys cuddling almost naked a few feet from another group of boys ogling at girls. Or how the girls, knowing that they were being spied on, still tried to put on a show in the hopes of catching the perverts in the act. The inclusion of this latter part seemed off-tangent and unnecessary in such a short film. At the end, nothing is resolved but only offer up more confusion.
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THIS REVIEW IS FOR BOTH PART 1&2. I almost passed on this drama because I thought it would be gory and senseless like "My Name," which I dropped, but I'm glad I didn't. Although I did not find this "super amazing" like most people, The Glory, as a story of revenge and redemption, was quite good. I had trouble stomaching the violence that was shown in the first few episodes, and the scenes where Moon Dong Eun was subjected to a curling iron, but this made me so angry that I really wanted to see the comeuppance due to the perpetrators.
Song Hye Kyo is great as the long-suffering victim who is intent on bringing hell on Park Yeon In and her band of bullies. It was oddly satisfying to see how the FL calculates through her revenge plot, not by directly going after the bullies, but by infiltrating those who are around them for years. We see Dong Eun's practiced patience as she waits for opportunities like she does in the game of Go. But sometimes, this waiting gives way to frustration, especially when her plans are thwarted by the very people who are supposed to have your back (ahem, your mother-phuker).
As a thriller, melodrama, The Glory delivers, but if you are expecting romance, it falls flat. Despite the presence of Lee Do Hyun as a romantic partner for Song Hye Kyo's character, Joo Yeo Jung is at most a love-sick puppy following after the woman of his dreams. They are only lumped together for convenience's sake and their kiss was underwhelming. Moon Dong Eun had better chemistry with Yeon Jin's husband, Ha Do Young, but of course, the plotline won't allow such a scandalous pairing. In the end, the perpetrators' supposedly got their just deserts, but I can't help feeling that somewhere down the line, the vicious cycle of revenge will continue again.
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I genuinely thought this drama will end tragically, judging by the title, playlist, and the beginning episodes. The summary didn't help either as we know that the FL was in a serious accident and many, many years passing. And this show indeed had a lot of sad moments; the only happy ones where in the past and in someone's memories, but I still end up watching the show anyway, because I am a sucker for tearjerkers. I must say I loved two things about this drama: Satoh Takeru's acting and Utada Hikaru's songs. Those were enough to propel this drama into better than mediocre. There's very little chemistry between the adult FL/ML since they were mostly apart, but the younger versions of the couple more than make up for the lack of romance between Yae and Namiki. I'm not sure if I buy into the "fate" that they keep talking about in this show; there's too many coincidences that happened for me to consider them believable. Also the flashbacks were kind of confusing, but watching Satoh's pining away for his first love was worth it.
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I am not a big fan of time travel dramas but this one surprised me. Lin Bei Xing inexplicably travels back in time after breaking up with her fiancé. Thinking that this was her chance for a re-do, she jumps at the opportunity to alter her future fate so that she will end up with Zhan Yu. Coincidentally, Bei Xing was brought back into an alternate universe where a stranger dies by apparent suicide. Each instance of her time travel seems to end at this point and after subsequent visit back to the past or alternate universe, Bei Xing gets to know that stranger before his death. Unbeknownst to Bei Xing, the stranger is a schoolmate of hers, Wan Sen, who has been in love with her for ages, but was too timid to approach her and can only look at her from afar. Bei Xing does not realize that Wan Sen has been by her side, protecting her while she was oblivious with her obsession with Zhan Yu. This drama is about letting go of the past, and you cannot change the future by spending your time wallowing in regrets. This show is bittersweet and give poignant reminders that we must live life to the fullest before it's too late.
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The first half started out strong. I liked a lot of the characters (both main and supporting), then the FL Jin Mi started grating on my nerves. She blames all her actions on others despite apologizing for them and people keep making excuses for her. If she weren't the main FL, she would probably be the same as the villainous 2nd FL. It just depends on perspective. Surprisingly, I liked the good-turned-bad, illegitimate-prince-turned-heavenly-emperor the most. Run Yu is a very complex character and Luo Yun Xi delivers as the long-suffering, eldest brother who was always expected to do the right thing yet his step mother keeps assuming the worse of him. He's like Cinderella, if Cinderella were to exact revenge on those who hurt them. We can't all be perfect. I thought this drama would equal or even surpass TMOPB/EL but it suffered from being too ambitious on the back end of the story and it is no fault of the cast because most of them are amazing. Was this review helpful to you?
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I truly enjoyed this forbidden love story. From the intricate plot, to the cinematography to the acting prowess. Deemed as the "rebellious" Zhou Sheng Chen, Ren Jia Lun was perfect as the emotionally-stunted Master/warrior. While Bai Lu played the mute heroine with controlled grace and avoided becoming the clingy damsel in distress. Both leads effortlessly portrayed the pining and longing between them with subtle yet impactful gestures as they maneuver the political climate that prevented them from acknowledging their feelings for each other. Other characters gave credence in their roles as support or as obstacle to the lead characters' journey. The twists and turns in this drama, that culminated in its ending, were so well-woven that the sequel to this was unnecessary. Was this review helpful to you?
They tried to build connection… with IKEA instructions written in crayon
I thought this would be one of those decent Noona romances the Japanese are usually adept at producing, but this isn’t the case with this drama. I would say that it was lackluster at best and uninspired at its worst.First, there was the unconvincing romance between two leads who were more awkward with each other than being comfortable. One has that stiff upper bang, and the other with round fish-eyes who seem to be surprised that some people could be nice because she’s been dealing with lechers at her work place all day, when there’s really only one in particular. Tomoko goes along with the flow, and somehow accepts that this guy Ryohei, who did not seem so interested in getting into her pants, but actually is, but was just not so obvious about it. She could not have fathomed that this guy, who seems to be a “dumb delinquent,” could actually be harmless.
Then suddenly, Ryohei appears everywhere she is, from meeting her friends to meeting her parents. And even claiming to be so-called “friends” with the guy who had been trying to date Tomoko? That was really a stretch for me, especially when he did not even have the decency to leave when Koki was trying to have a personal conversation with his grandmother. Isn’t he just being nosy or oblivious? Then the revelation that came out of the left field, as if the writers could not come up with a convincing excuse to write him out of the love equation.
Anyway, I thought the drama could have been better with more developed characters and conflicts, but I understand it may have been limited by time and length. They could have just focused on one or two issues instead of trying to tackle so many things in one already-short show. It’s like trying to make a salad with 10 different things but not mixing it well. I’m pretty sure 3 or 4 ingredients would have been enough, and the same applies here.
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When your evil overlord turns into a cuddly boyfriend halfway through the contract
This drama performs like an up-and-coming magician who did not quite live up to its name. First, the set-up looks interesting: all the characters are there, playing their own roles, wearing fancy clothes, complete with the sob-backstory so they can seem more endearing. Then, we are razzled-and-dazzled with more glitter with a snap of a finger or ten. Hoping you don’t notice the loopholes, the writers juggle things around, employing slow motion and time travel tricks to mesmerize and confuse you. Then they attempted to throw you a red-herring, but it’s not really a red-herring because they made the villain so obvious that you think, “it can’t be that easy, right?”Well, that’s what “My Demon” ends up being and the lackluster acting from Song Kang isn’t helping the show. Though he’s easy on the eyes, and albeit playful, I couldn’t believe that people are supposed to fear this guy! It’s like sending Bugs Bunny to play Batman. I was expecting for the banter between Gu Won and Do Hee to carry throughout the show, but after he realized his warm feelings for her, the “Demon” became a sap.
It was a good thing then that Do Hee wasn’t entirely hopeless even after entering a contracted relationship with the devil himself. She stuck to her guns despite the obstacles thrown her way. I also loved her relationship with the Chairwoman. I wish there was more of that in the show.
The rest of the characters are cardboard cutouts with one dimensional personalities. Frankly, the only thing that prevented some of them from disappearing into the background are the actors’ performances.
The comedic relief provided by the unlikely tandem of Park Bok Kyu and Shin Da Jeong is quirky at best and cringey at worst. I guess we can say the same about the Gang boss, whose minions were just there to fill up the screen.
In the beginning, “My Demon” looks like it had a good concept, but the writing and execution were lacking. If you take this drama with a grain of salt, you might enjoy the visuals.
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Three bros, one mission: solve crimes, argue over swordsmanship, and look dramatic doing it
When I picked up this drama, I did not know the hype surrounding it. I just clicked because Cheng Yi is in it, though I was somewhat disappointed at first because it took me about 10 episodes to get used to Cheng Yi’s real voice. After overcoming that hump, it didn’t take long for me to be engaged in this intricate story about the once-glorified martial arts master becoming Sigu’s Sherlock Holmes. With unlikely side-kicks, Li Lian Hua traverses the pugilistic world, solving mysterious cases.This is the third drama I’ve watched of Cheng Yi’s and he has proven again that he can definitely act. I loved how he portrayed Li Lian Hua’s brazenness with an ample amount of impertinence without coming across as arrogant. His comedic timing is impeccable without trying too hard. His facial micro-expressions were nuanced, but subtle. It was entertaining to watch him at work and the investigations were never dull.
For their part, both Joseph Zeng and Xiao Shun Yao delivered their roles respectively as Li Xiang Yi’s past rival and an ambitious wanna-be hero. It was funny to see how Di Fei Sheng stubbornly clings to their past conflict, to determine who is the best swordsman in the world, while begrudgingly admiring Lian Hua. Fang Duo Bing, on the other hand, is an over-eager neophyte trying to prove his mettle. Together, the three of them form an odd friendship that stands the test of time as they fight against the injustices of the world like the three musketeers.
The rest of the cast were not as memorable, but they were not one-dimensional and served their purpose. The major strength of this drama, aside from the trio, is the intricate plot. It’s thrilling but not too convoluted nor difficult to follow. Explanations brought forth by Lian Hua were plausible and not too farfetched. A drama that kept me on my toes and is not predictable is a plus in my books.
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The four men that made up the four knights are easy on the eyes, but none of them except for the 2nd male lead had chemistry with the female lead. The beginning of the show was promising as it set up Hyun Min and Ha Won as the main couple, and their bantering was engaging. I shipped this couple until things suddenly turned 180 degrees and apparently Hyun Min has this repressed love for the 2nd female lead who takes the crown for the neediest person on the planet who doesn't have a clue when to get lost. The middle episodes were slow and I wouldn't not have gone through the torture if it were not for my curiosity. The ending revelations came too fast and suddenly all loose ends tied up even forcing some relationships to rebound without rhyme or reason.
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The premise of a monk falling hopelessly in love with a city girl with big dreams was quite interesting. Yamapi and Ishihara sizzle on screen. A lot of adorable characters as well but I was rooting for another guy whose game is weak. What I didn't like though is that the show romanticized the stalker-type behavior of the male lead, who even went so far as to lock the girl up, in an attempt to force her into accepting him as her lover. Although it worked out for them in the end, the means didn't justify the outcome. Was this review helpful to you?
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So what else should I say about it:
Story: Simple enough, two boys got the groove on.
Acting: Horrible. You can clearly tell they are just reciting the lines. Monotonous expressions.
Music: None to speak of
Re-watch value: Even 6 minutes was too long for this short film.
Watching a hamster go around in circles for 5 minutes would be more interesting than watching this POS.
And don't tell me that 6 min is not enough to do justice for a movie. Other equally short films have done better. "SummerDaze" is one example.
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A drama that blossoms, stumbles, shrugs, and dusts itself off.
I went into this drama expecting a light historical comfort watch, and for a while, that’s exactly what it was. The first half moves with confidence — lively, chaotic, and anchored by a heroine who actually feels competent. I did my usual fast‑forwarding through the more irritating relatives, but the early episodes had enough spark to keep me invested. And then the grandmother died, and the show quietly misplaced its center of gravity. It’s almost funny how quickly the emotional architecture collapsed once she was gone. My engagement didn’t just dip — it slid.Part of the problem is structural. This drama has too many family members, and while each one technically has a story, a good chunk of those stories are unnecessary detours. It’s like the writers were afraid of silence, so they filled every available inch with someone’s grievance, someone’s redemption, someone’s side quest. I get the intention — a sprawling household learning to rise together, set aside petty nonsense, and become an actual family — but the execution is bloated. Half the time I felt like I was watching a group project where everyone insisted on presenting their own slide.
And then there’s Hua Zhi’s meteoric rise. Look, I love a capable female lead, but the speed at which she single‑handedly drags her entire family out of ruin and becomes a business powerhouse is… generous. Inspirational, sure. Emotionally logical? Not always. But the show’s message is clear: strength isn’t inherited, it’s built. You fall, you get up, you fall again, you get up again — and the Hua family does exactly that. Repeatedly. Sometimes beautifully, sometimes exhaustingly.
The romance doesn’t help the pacing. Once the leads become a couple, the story slows instead of deepening. Their chemistry leans more “lifelong companions” than “epic lovers,” which is fine, but not enough to carry the back half. Meanwhile, the show throws five couples at us in rapid succession, and their backstories feel like filler. Ironically, the pairing that actually charmed me was Shao Yao and Shen Hao — she’s unexpectedly endearing, and their dynamic has more warmth than the main couple.
Where the drama genuinely shines is the action. Yan Xi’s fight scenes are sharp, clean, and beautifully choreographed. The final assassination sequence — one man against a hundred trained fighters — is the kind of set piece that makes you sit up a little straighter. It’s thrilling. It’s cinematic. And it almost makes you forget how bland he is outside of combat. Almost.
The emperor, however, is where my patience evaporated. He punishes the virtuous (Hua Zhi and her family) while rewarding the blatantly villainous (Hao Yue). He brings her into the palace as the “immortal envoy” after knowing she orchestrated an assassination attempt on his own nephew. Unbelievable — and not in the fun dramatic way.
In the end, Blossoms in Adversity is uneven but watchable. When it works, it really works. When it doesn’t, well… that’s what the FFWD button is for.
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