This review may contain spoilers
the ml is giving obsession final boss (very minor, minor spoilers)
I really didn't know what to expect when I started watching KTL. I recently rewatched The Untamed for the fifth time and I was craving something of a similar vibe (historical drama BL/bromance). I also finished watching ABO Desire recently and I was craving a Hua Yong level obsessed ML. With that in mind, nothing prepared me for the main couples romance dynamic in KTL. Oh. My. Gosh.First off, KTL is a BL not a bromance. STANDING OVATION.
When an obsession trope is executed well, it can be sensational. Where I find a lot of obsession dramas/novels fall short is when the obsession character is wayyy too toxic, to an uncomfortable degree, and the relationship dynamic doesn't vibe at all. I'm aware that the laws of morality, ethics and reality don't apply to the fictional drama world, but there are still some lines that I find shouldn't be crossed. But I'm also not saying every obsession trope NEEDS to be mutual; that would literally defeat the purpose of it being a fictional dark romance. Obviously every writer has the creative liberty to explore different levels of toxicity—ITS A DRAMA. ITS SUPPOSED TO BE A STRETCH FROM REALITY—but there is something soooooo satisfying about obsession tropes where the characters lowkey match each others freak in some way or form. I never see it coming and it's a pleasant surprise every time. This is what KTL excels in. I'm not saying that Xiao Shu He is the same level of freak as Duan Zi Ang, BUT I am saying it is kinda giving stalker meets manipulator. Some might disagree with that.
I'm writing this review approximately one week after finishing the drama and I'm STILL going through withdrawals. I've rewatched episodes, read fics and even roped my non-BL fan friends into conversations about my theories over the ending. This drama is THAT good. Insanely good. At first I thought the acting was kinda cringey/cheesy and I didn't expect much, but the storyline is really good. It's a quick watch—only 12 episodes—and I was engaged the whole time. If you are on the fence about watching KTL... GO WATCH IT NOW.
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This review may contain spoilers
I was so stressed out
Okay, so going into this I was a bit skeptical because I am NOT a fan of time-travel plots. I still watched it though because it's a HIStory and I am bound by law to watch every HIStory movie at least 10 times. I will say that there was a lot of potential here, but things got so weird so fast. It seems like they tried to cover everything up in the end QUICKLY.The main couple is... alright... I guess. They have some scenes that are really cute, but for the most part their chemistry is lackluster and I can't pinpoint why they are even together. Their arguments are also kind of weird and one of them always ends up running off crying, which is SO ANNOYING. The second couple is so adorable—the only highlight—but the misunderstandings made me start to hate their relationship around the midway point. CAN'T PEOPLE JUST COMMUNICATE? IT'S NOT THAT DIFFICULT TO TALK! THINGS! THROUGH! Ugh, there is just so much happening midway through this drama that I felt very very stressed and couldn't wait for it to be over. At one point, it felt like some of the subplots were so useless/carelessly thrown in, I just start skipping through scenes.
There's a cameo from a previous HIStory drama in here; that definitely made me smile. But, at the same time, the whole drama has wayyy too much going on. The supernatural element is also kind of dumb (funny at times, but still dumb).
I know this review is a rant, but I'll probably end up eating my words when I rewatch this in a year or so (only for the second couple though lowkey).
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This review may contain spoilers
Refreshing, quick, and funny
I absolutely LOVED this drama. It was a super quick binge—only took about a day to finish all 12 episodes—and I wish there was a season two.The A couple was SOOOOOO cute. I loved them from the first moment they met, during their flirty moments, and in every encounter they had until the end. For those of you looking for a BL focused on a more mature couple, this is what you should watch. I personally felt like I could relate to each of the things that came up in their relationship.
I discovered this BL on Tiktok and honestly did not have super high expectations. It BLEW me away and I was pleasantly surprised! The humor is great and the cast is stellar. I will definitely rewatch this.
SPOILER: The only thing that would've made it better is more Alex/He Qing content. I loved this B couple and I would love it even more if I could see them grow.
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comically horrible
Uhhhhhh... I don't know how to begin?I had expectations and they were not met. At all. Not even in the slightest way. I'm honestly still trying to make sense of each episode. NOTHING MADE SENSE. NOTHING WAS EXPLAINED. I'm so disappointed, I'm laughing. I genuinely just wasted 4 hours.
Okay, so I knew Hur Hyunjun wouldn't be in S2. I knew that! But I still had HOPE. I had hope that the writers would do something good with this. They did well with S1 so I really HOPED.
My hopes were destroyed, obliterated, and ransacked right before my eyes. I think at one point near the end, the writers remembered that this was a BL and made some... interesting decisions. I don't want to spoil this horrible sequel so that's all I'm going to say. Although I don't know why anyone reading this review would still decide to watch S2 afterwards.
If you're considering watching this after LOVING S1 like I did, just don't. You'll just feel annoyed and pissed off like I am now. I LITERALLY PROCRASTINATED AN ASSIGNMENT FOR THIS. *cries*
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I'm sobbing, pulling my hair out, and peeing on the ground
Wow. I just binged watched I Told Sunset About You, Last Twilight in Phuket, and finally I Promised You the Moon. Literally (no joke) I skipped all of my assignments on a Sunday night and finished the last episode 5 minutes ago. I have class at 8am in a few hours.I'm at a loss for words. Oh my gosh.
I've been putting off watching this because it's not the usually fluffy/cutesy/hot BL I normally watch. I knew ahead of time that this would be heart-wrenching and jaw-dropping. My soul is floating, my wig is on the floor, my ice cream is empty, and my heart is full.
Real. It's so real. I felt everything they felt. I hurt every time they hurt.
This tackled pain, tension, angst, happiness, and all of the ups and downs of life. The way the actors looked at each other had the strongest CHOKEHOLD on my emotions and I still cannot break free. I reacted AUDIBLY every single time something amazing or sad happened and my roommate was very concerned about my mental state.
Overall, if you've been on the fence about watching this, here is your sign. WATCH! IT! NOW!
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WOW... It's worth the hype
As an avid k-drama fan, I was always aware of the presence of Reply 1988. I mean, it's at the top of most lists as one of the best k-drama's of all time.I don't know why I put it off for so long, to be honest. Maybe I saw the fact that it was so family focused and assumed there wouldn't be any romance or comedy—two things I NEED in a drama. Maybe it was the first two episodes that didn't immediately make me fall in love. Maybe it was how young the characters started off, or the frequent flash forward moments into time. All I can say is that I usually would not gravitate towards this type of drama, but I have no regrets.
All I know is, it was the best decision to binge the rest of it in a week when I came home for vacay during college. This coming-of-age tale is so amazing, heartfelt, and tender that I have difficulty putting it into words. The comedy was so underrated. I'm not the type of person to laugh audibly while watching a show or movie, but Reply 1988 had me CACKLING.
And don't even get me started on the PLOT TWISTS! Y'all, I was not ready for some of them. And I'm still trying to process a few now. My mind did a 180 a couple times and I was on the edge of my seat during specific scenes.
Not gonna lie, I probably wouldn't rewatch... the whole thing. Maybe I'd rewatch the second half. It's just a lot to process all over again. Regardless, it was a beautiful production with love, family, and COMEDY!
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I hope there's a second season ~~
This drama was super cute and kinda cliché–very similar to 'I Hear You'–but I did not regret watching one minute of it. For those who have seen 'I Hear You'... this might actually be better.I love that even though the FL is clumsy, bubbly, and naive, she's driven and passionate. She works hard and the ML supports her fully without imposing the stay-at-home-wife stereotype on her that I notice in a lot of dramas. What I love the most about her, though, is the fact that her character isn't the typical shy and passive FL. Most of their saucy scenes are initiated by her, whereas the ML is on the more innocent side.
The main couple had the best chemistry and a relatively healthy relationship–considering it started off contractual. They respect each other and aren't easily broken by misunderstandings. I would definitely rank this high on my list for rewatch value. I hope there's a season two!
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I'd say around halfway through the drama, things kinda started to settle down. I don't want to use the word boring, but it kinda got a little bit boring. It was almost like watching reality TV. The characters were living their lives and I was kinda just... watching.
Towards the end, things kicked up a little bit and I got interested all over again. I finished the last ten episodes a few days ago and I've been meaning to write a review.
I think the drama could have actually ended in like 30-40 episodes. The rest kinda felt... extra. Don't get me wrong, though, I LOVED the beginning, but I just can't see myself rewatching all 72 episodes again.
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This review may contain spoilers
Ok. Just like everyone else, I watched this because I heard it was similar to Boy Over Flowers. I even heard that some people liked this drama more so believe me when I say I walked in with high hopes. I just finished watching the sixth episode. Usually I wait until the end--or even after a rewatch--to do a review, but I just felt the urge to do it now. This drama is kinda cute, kinda funny, and kinda GOOD. The best thing about this drama, though, is that the characters are CHAOTIC asf. Literally, they are all a mess
I said I wouldn't spoil (and I WON'T) but I just wanna say that the antagonist female lead has me CRACKING UP. She is so fricken STRESSED with every decision the male lead makes. Don't get me wrong, I still hate her guts. The guy who is in love with her also makes me CRACK UP because he is STRESSED by the fact that she is STRESSED. Now moving onto out main male lead. My conclusion so far is that he is having an internal struggle while also living it UP in college. On one hand he's like 'I hate my family and life is one big responsibility' and on the other hand he's like 'I'm low-key looking for wifey'. Now onto the female lead: also stressed. More-so confused though. No I mean seriously, this girl is ALWAYS confused (which is such a mood) but I kind of feel bad for her. At first I hated her character because she is REALLY annoying and kinda stupid. She's starting to grow on me though. Stay tuned for updates.
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This is a funny, feel-good drama. The music is so good, especially My Love and Illa Illa. I recommend this drama to people who like a classic romance. The humor fits in perfectly and the character development is spot on.
The acting is great. Only a good actor can make you truly hate their character. This was my initial feeling toward Se Ra. Don't worry, I'm not spoiling :)
The ending is also sooooo good. It nicely wraps everything up in a cute and spring-y way (like the theme of this drama).
To describe A Gentleman's Dignity in a few words: spring, funny, cute, love, friendship.
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It was an emotional rollercoaster. There was a small hint of a little romance, but not as a huge theme. What I did love was how relationships were made, broken, and betrayed.
It's not THAT violent and almost everything is censored. The finale had me quite literally shaking out of nervousness and I cried for 20 minutes afterward. I would recommend this for everyone, even if mysteries aren't your forté. It's worth it.
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Usually, I stay away from dramas involving mental health because I am a very emotional person and I take dramas very seriously. This drama was so deep and amazing that I could not stop watching it. I replayed so many key scenes that SHOOK me. I also ended up learning so much from this drama. I have always taken mental health very seriously and I think that this drama effectively depicts it. The acting was so realistic that I felt personal connections to the characters.
Story: 10/10. I have no words.
Cast: 10/10. Kyungsoo is not only an amazing performer, but his acting is phenomenal.
Overall: 9.5. AMAZING. I do not regret watching this drama and sticking with it until the end.
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Overall, it was really good. There was kind of a slow start but I COULD'T give up on it. I ended up loving it so much, I rewatched it a week later.
I'm normally quite an emotional person. With this drama, I think I cried a grand total of 2.5 times with the first watch and 1.5 with the second. It was such a good movie. There were a few scenes in particular (not gonna spoil) that I literally replayed 50 times. I'm also so glad I watched until the end--DO NOT STOP WATCHING THIS BEFORE THE END--because the end was so amazing. The end was also not cliché at all, which was kind of what I was expecting. That's another thing: This movie is NOT what you are expecting and will surprise you MULTIPLE times. That's probably what kept me at the edge of my seat the whole time.
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Around episode 9-10 though that ALL changed. Everything was good until the whole plot did a 180 and that's when I started to dislike it. This was when it switched from my watching out of enjoyment to watching just to get to the end. If they had just ended the season after episode 9, then I probably wouldn't have started disliking certain characters.
I honestly think that the writers didn' t know what else to do, so they decided to create a bunch of random plot twists and take turns drawing them from a hat. Well.. that was a BAD IDEA. I didn't like it. They really shouldn't have done that.
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