vicki

A dream full of misunderstandings

I started watching this 40-episode drama mostly because I really like the male lead actor. The premise - a modern actress suddenly living inside the script of a historical drama - had so much potential, but honestly, it didn’t grab me right away and sometimes left me confused. The male lead’s story was the best part for me. His two very different sides - the cold, misunderstood public persona and the kind, hidden one - were really well done. It made me feel for him a lot. But the romance? That was tough to get behind. The female lead kept pushing him away and misjudging him, and while he clearly cared deeply, it sometimes felt like she didn’t deserve it. I wish we saw more of him truly hurting or standing up for himself.

One thing that really bugged me was that I never fully understood the female lead’s end goal. Was she trying to survive in that world? Change the story? Escape back to her real life? The show didn’t make it clear, and it left me feeling a bit lost.

The antagonist was another disappointment. He just got worse and worse, with no real depth or chance for redemption, which made him frustrating rather than interesting. Some parts of the drama also felt like they were trying too hard to be modern and “progressive,” and it didn’t always fit well with the story’s setting.

One part that really confused me was when the screenwriter put himself into the drama world. Honestly, at first, it didn’t even feel like an interesting twist. It just made everything messier and harder to follow. I’m still not sure if the script was already written or not, and if it was, then what was the point of trying to fulfill those iconic tragic scenes? That part didn’t make much sense to me.

On the bright side, this drama was absolutely stunning to look at. The costumes, the sets, the cinematography, they were all beautiful and helped keep me watching through the slower parts.

In the end, I had mixed feelings. There were moments and characters I cared about, but also times when the plot and emotions didn’t quite work for me. It wasn’t a drama I’d rush to rewatch, but I’m glad I gave it a shot.

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EXTREMELY OVERRATED DRAMA

This is drama had a high rating, i really wanted to watch it, i even subscribed to disney plus again to watch it.. only to be very disappointed. EXTREMELY OVERRATED DRAMA.

Firstly, the female lead, Park Shin Hye, i don't think this role suits her at all, she did not portray a demon. Maybe this was the directors vision, but i could feel that she is acting, she did not embody her role at all and consequently, it did not convince me either. However, now that i think about it, i never really liked any of her roles ( i haven't seen a lot though).
Secondly, the relationship. Why are the main leads so damn awkward with each other? and to the people saying they had great chemistry.. WHERE? in the story, 2 years supposedly passed and they kissed like they are both 16 and it's their first kiss. Where was the grand love that made her, A DEMON, become human and stay in the human world? it was an absolute snooze fest. Maybe the awkwardness comes from the male actor, Kim Jae Young, i have only seen him in Love in Contract and he left no impression so i don't know really where the problem lies in this boring relationship..
On the other hand, now Choi Dae Hoon, the random police officer that was a demon, now he embodied a demon and did an absolutely great job. This reminded me that i really want him finally to have a main role in a drama, because he never has a main role ;(
Now the story itself. The thing is, it was not convincing at all. The hell visually was very cliche, and their job was to send murderers to hell.. I am sorry, but is the only sin murder in this drama? why is it so black and white? this type of plot is boring and offers absolutely no nuance. For a contrast, there is this drama, the devil judge, where this kind of topic is explored in a much better way. The judge from hell just felt very childish and was not for me.
Overall, this hardly deserves a 5/10.

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Devoid of logic garbage

Okay, so… I finally finished Are You Human Too? and honestly? This show is just garbage. We’re talking logic? Absolutely none. Zero. It started off intriguing, and then just slowly descended into absurdity, plot holes, and inconsistent nonsense.

Let’s start with the real Nam Shin, because I will defend that man forever. Everyone in this show treated him like the villain, but I couldn’t hate him even if I tried. He was abandoned by his mom as a kid, raised by an emotionally distant CEO grandpa, wakes up from a coma to find out a robot is literally living his life — and people are mad at him for being angry? Of course he was messed up. Of course he was lashing out. Honestly, I felt for him so much. His self-worth was in the gutter and no one — no one — was willing to see things from his side… except Younghoon. Bless Young hoon. The one character with a brain and some empathy.

And then there’s Kang So-Bong. I genuinely tried, but I couldn’t stand her. She’s out here calling the real Nam Shin “evil” like she has the moral high ground? No girl, sit down. You fell for a robot. You judged the real human who’s been through hell. I couldn’t buy into their whole romance thing either — it just felt off the whole time. Like… weirdly one-sided and forced?

The robot himself? Don’t even get me started. He was smart when it suited the plot and dumb when they needed drama. One moment he’s giving live medical diagnostics by touching someone’s hand, and the next moment he’s staring at his dying creator saying “She’s not breathing…” like a confused toddler. Sir, what happened to all those medical sensors? You can’t revive her? You can’t even try? Come on.

And don’t even get me started on the mother’s death. The same mother who created this robot genius gets reduced to a background worrywart, only to die saving the robot from getting destroyed. Like… what?? That scene was so stupid I nearly screamed. And THEN the robot sheds a tear in the final scene when he’s reunited with Kang So-Bong. A literal tear. Like… not an oil leak, not a malfunction. Just a classic, poetic, emotionally triggered hydraulic leak. I can’t.

Also, the whole “there’s no way to destroy the robot except for the kill switch” thing? Complete BS. In the end they just shot him. That’s it. They could’ve done that 20 episodes ago. Turns out he’s not some indestructible marvel. Just… unplug him or hit him with a car or something, I don’t know.

The real Nam Shin did get an ending, and I guess it was okay, but after everyone treated him like trash for the entire series? This show is still a total flop. I don’t care how many dramatic piano pieces you throw under the robot crying.

Final verdict: some iconic moments, mostly unintentional. Completely illogical. Weird character priorities. But hey, at least I’ll never forget that emotionally triggered hydraulic leak

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torn between tears and wtf moments lol

I’m torn - I both hate it and love it.

This drama had me crying one moment and laughing out loud at how ridiculous it was the next. They really just kept making shit up as they went along. The highlight for me was how it could make me sob because the love story was so beautiful, and then immediately make me laugh in disbelief at how ridiculous things got. I was literally in tears while also saying, “WTF is happening?” It’s stupid, but at the same time, I was completely in my feels. Some of the lines were devastatingly painful in the best way. But at the same time, I couldn’t believe some of the plot choices.

The visuals and the romance are definitely the strongest parts of this drama. The OST is iconic too. Honestly, my 16-year-old self would have eaten this up without question. Even now, I could see myself rewatching it purely for the love story, because at the end of the day, I’m a sucker for a good romance. But I can’t ignore the many faults.

One big issue for me was the way they handled “good” vs. “evil.” It felt childish and cliché - the fairies in white/light colours, the moon tribe people in dark colours as if they were automatically the villains. My biggest problem, though, is the female lead. I just couldn’t stand her. After about 20 episodes, I got somewhat used to her, but the overly “pure, innocent” character type isn’t for me. It lacks dimension. Add to that the childish voice and behaviour, and I was constantly frustrated. The side characters didn’t impress me either.

Another note: I really disliked the drama until around episode 10. It only started to hook me at episode 11, and the best stretch is probably between episodes 20–30.

In conclusion, I don’t think this was a great drama overall, but the romance is strong enough to overshadow its faults. I understand the high rating - people love a good love story, and so do I.

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Loved the romance, but not the perfect heroine

First of all, the beginning was just weirdly rushed. Like, Fang Fei barely even knew this girl before she suddenly takes her identity and swears revenge in her name. At first I was like, “girl, you don't even know her??” It felt kind of silly, like the whole foundation of the story was shaky. But then I thought about it more, she basically had no choice if she wanted to survive, right? So in that sense, it makes sense. Still, I wish they’d shown more bonding between them before the betrayal, so the whole thing didn’t feel so flimsy. But okay, I got over it by the time the plot really started moving.

The politics… honestly, they were fun but confusing. There were so many names, it was hard to follow. But I didn’t hate it. I actually liked digging into it and trying to keep track, even if it felt less grounded than in Love Like the Galaxy or Prisoner of Beauty. In those dramas, the politics were tied to real issues like food, crops, canals - stuff that affects actual people and makes all the difference for me. That made it easier to connect emotionally. In The Double, it was more about elites playing chess with each other’s lives, so it didn’t hit me as hard. Definitely not as strong world-building compared to those.

Now, the romance… this was probably my favorite part. I loved that it wasn’t built on stupid misunderstandings (I hate when writers do that). Their relationship was about trust and respect, and honestly, that kind of dynamic would work in any setting, even modern. I didn’t need the politics to make me love them as a couple, but the high stakes did make their love feel even more intense.

But Fang Fei herself… she was too perfect. I know they wanted her to be this strong, smart, untouchable woman, but for me it felt a little flat. Like, it’s not that she wasn’t complicated, but making her a “superwoman” isn’t exactly hard writing, you know? If she’d had some real flaws or failures, her revenge would’ve hit harder. Instead, it was like, “of course she wins, she’s flawless.” Meh.

As for the antagonist - evil for the sake of evil. That’s just boring. If they’d made her more gray, with actual motivations you could sympathize with, it would’ve made the whole thing more layered. They do show reasoning for her character, so we can kind of understand where her character comes from, but it wasn't convincing for me.

Overall, the plot was solid, the romance was beautiful, but the characters could’ve been written better. And yeah, those melodramatic face-close-ups made me laugh more than they made me feel. So… good drama, but not perfect.

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The Long Ballad - A Beautiful Story That Didn't Fully Win Me Over

This is the third Chinese drama I’ve watched—after The Prisoner of Beauty and Love Like the Galaxy—and while The Long Ballad had many strengths, I still feel conflicted about it overall. It was beautiful, rich in story, and filled with interesting characters—but not everything landed for me.

The Romance
To be fair, the story of Li Changge and Ashina Sun makes sense. On paper, their love story is powerful. I understand why he fell for her—she’s different, strong, unafraid—and why she eventually reciprocated, given how much he protected her and treated her as his equal. Written out, it’s the kind of story that should sweep you off your feet.

But in practice... something was missing. Maybe it was the acting, maybe the directing, or maybe just a lack of chemistry. I wouldn’t say it “fell flat,” because I was emotionally invested to a degree—if one of them had died, I would’ve felt it—but not nearly as much as I was with the second lead couple: Hao Du and Li Leyan.

Hao Du and Li Leyan were the highlight of this drama for me. Their development felt natural, their chemistry was clear, and their scenes were emotional and often tense. I was genuinely rooting for them. When Hao Du fought the Chieftain to win her hand, I was stressed and excited. They brought heart into the story where the main couple sometimes lacked it.

The Visuals & Style
Visually, The Long Ballad is stunning. The landscapes, battle sequences, and overall aesthetic are beautiful. One thing that stood out to me, though, was the costume design. Compared to the other two dramas I’ve seen, the costumes here weren’t as grand or ornate. That’s not necessarily a bad thing—maybe the show aimed for historical accuracy—but I can’t really judge, as my experience with historical Chinese dramas is still very limited. It just looked different, and that stuck with me.

There’s one stylistic choice, though, that did bother me at times: the animated sequences. While I didn’t mind the full animation scenes here and there, the parts that mixed real actors with animated backgrounds—or scenes where a character was clearly cut out and pasted onto a fake environment—made me cringe. Maybe I’m just not used to that style, and I’m not totally against it, but it sometimes looked silly and broke the immersion. I couldn’t help but laugh awkwardly during some of those moments.

Humor & Tone
Unlike The Prisoner of Beauty or Love Like the Galaxy, this drama had almost no humor. And I don’t think it was trying to be funny either, which is fine—but I definitely missed the comic relief. The other two dramas had me laughing out loud, and that balance of light and dark made their stories more engaging. In contrast, The Long Ballad leaned heavily into seriousness, which sometimes made it feel emotionally flat or overly intense. More than once, I found myself cringing rather than laughing—which, sadly, does affect how much I enjoyed it overall.

The Lead & Believability
I’m still unsure how I feel about the female lead, Li Changge. She’s undeniably beautiful, with striking presence, and she had moments of brilliance. But I never felt deeply moved by her. Maybe it’s the way she was written to be emotionally restrained or the way she leaned into a more mannish, tough image—but something about her didn’t fully click for me.

Also, while I accept that main characters often have plot armor, this show pushed it to the extreme. Both Changge and Ashina Sun survive everything—arrows, battles, betrayals—while characters like Mimi die from a single shot. It started to feel ridiculous. Changge could talk her way out of anything, disguise herself perfectly, and always come out on top. At some point, it just wasn’t believable anymore. I get that she’s supposed to be special—but not that special.

Final Thoughts
I’m glad I watched The Long Ballad, and I see why it has fans. It tells an epic story, doesn’t rush its ending, and explores a wide, complex world. But emotionally, it didn’t leave the same impression on me as the other two dramas I’ve seen. It lacked humor, the main romance didn’t quite deliver on-screen, and the visual style occasionally pulled me out of the moment.

That said, Hao Du and Li Leyan made it worth it.

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They Had the Romance, the Looks, the Embroidery… But Not the Writing

I wanted to love this. Truly. I’m a sucker for a good love story, and I’ve enjoyed these actors in other projects — but unfortunately, this was a full-on cringe fest.

Let’s start with my biggest ick: the time travel. It was absurd. The female lead, Park Yun-woo, doesn’t even wake up somewhere mysterious — she just turns up in a pool in the modern day. Cringe. I get that there used to be a well in that location 200 years ago (where she was thrown in), but… what if there wasn’t a pool now? Would she have just landed on concrete and died? The whole setup feels lazy and barely thought through.

And it gets worse. The second time she time-travels? She arrives in a different outfit. Why? The first time she wore the same one she was thrown in with. No explanation, no consistency — just chaos.

Yun-woo herself adjusted shockingly well for someone who jumped two centuries ahead. But naturally, she just had to befriend a cleaning robot (why do K-dramas keep doing this?). I’m not going to break down every issue I had with her behavior, but honestly, she was far more compelling in the Joseon era. Once she adapted to modern life, she became flat and boring.

The pacing was all over the place — fast at the beginning, slow in the middle, then it rushed again at the end. I don’t mind slow parts; what bothers me is when big developments get crammed in without buildup.

Now Kang Tae-ha. Here’s the thing — he did have depth. His heart condition, his trauma, his strained family dynamics — it was all there. But none of it stuck. I literally watched the finale yesterday, and the only thing I remember is his face and the way he talks. That’s the kind of boring I mean: not empty, but emotionally forgettable. A character that leaves no lasting impact.

The rest of the characters didn’t help either. The family drama, the “mystery” of who’s good or bad — it was all predictable. Which is fine in theory, but I didn’t feel anything for any of them. No attachment, no investment. That’s a problem.

What kept me watching was the romance. I can’t lie — I enjoyed their cute moments. The chemistry was there. But everything around that relationship was a mess.

That said, one thing I absolutely adored? The costumes. The embroidery, the designs, the colors — every time Yun-woo walked into a scene, I was excited to see what she was wearing. It was hands down the highlight of the show for me.

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a time travel tale that tugged at my heart (and tested my patience)

Tomorrow with You started off strong with a compelling premise and intriguing time travel mechanics. The early episodes, especially up to around episode 11 or 14, had a certain magic to them that really drew me in. I was emotionally invested, even losing sleep over the main couple, which says a lot about their chemistry and how engaging the story was at that point.

However, as the show progressed, particularly in the final stretch, things started to unravel. The characters—especially the male lead—began making increasingly illogical decisions. For someone who could see the future, he sure made a lot of bad calls, like choosing to confront the antagonist despite knowing the police were already involved. These decisions often felt like they were only there to create unnecessary drama or set up tragic moments, like separating the couple for years or killing off characters. Many of these twists came across as obvious plot devices, which weakened the overall logic of the story and made the future-altering aspect feel underused or mishandled.

The reunion was touching and emotional, and yes, I cried—but that doesn’t mean it made sense. The way the male lead suddenly traveled to the future without the usual method (the train) broke the internal rules the show had set, just for the sake of plot convenience.

Despite all that, I did enjoy the relationship between the leads. They didn’t feel like a boring couple because they weren’t constantly together, and their time apart actually helped build the emotional weight of their bond. The detail about the emails the female lead sent through the years added a nice touch—it helped keep the connection between them alive and emotionally grounded.

Overall, while I definitely have issues with the inconsistent time travel logic and overuse of melodramatic tropes, I still appreciated the love story at the heart of it all. Not one of my top-tier dramas, but it had its moments—and a lot of heart.

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Very good until the ending

Okay, I honestly don’t agree with the bad reviews for this one, because I really liked it. I was hooked the whole time, and even though the ending didn’t answer everything, the overall experience was still so worth it for me.

First of all, Ju Ji-hoon as Kang Gon… wow. His performance was amazing. I cried many times, especially in his scenes with Kang Da-in. Their bond was just so beautiful and emotional, and it hit me every single time. There was this one scene, where Kang Gon was in a church yelling in pain—that scene destroyed me. I could feel everything he felt, and his acting there was great.

I also loved the whole part about trying to stop the disasters and save people. There was one specific moment during the train disaster that got me so emotional I almost cried on an plane (sitting between two random guys, so I had to hold it in). It was just so beautiful and powerful. And I loved how this little group of characters came together for a bigger purpose—it was really heartwarming in a way.

The villain, Jo Se-hwang —he made my blood boil. He was truly awful and you could argue that he had depth, because of how hurt he was by his father. I didn’t sympathize with him, but I feel like sometimes he was just evil for the sake of being evil.

Now the ending… I’m still confused. Da-in was saved, but Kang Gon didn’t return? And then the final episode had this whole thing with a key and a new magical item, and they didn’t explain any of it. I wanted a proper reunion between Kang Gon and Da-in in the real world, and it kind of felt like they just left things hanging.

But even with that, it didn’t ruin anything for me. I absolutely loved watching this. I got so emotionally invested, cried a lot, and felt so much while watching. And Ju Ji-hoon’s performance alone made it all worth it. Honestly, I’m really happy I watched it.

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Ah, the name fits well, it truly is a cruel city!

For like the first 8 episodes, I wasn't really that into it, and it might seem stupid to say that I overall enjoyed it if I needed 8 episodes to get into it, but that might just be a side effect of watching too many dramas. The plot felt very familiar and didn't stand out for the first 8 episodes, but it did pique my interest more once the romance sparked. What can I say—while I do enjoy my crime/mystery/noir shows, a good romance is what keeps me watching.

While overall, in the end, I do find this to be a good drama and recommend it, I have some criticisms.

Most importantly—Ji Hyung-min. What a frustrating, one-dimensional, rigid character. Such a contrast (in a negative way) to the more nuanced character that Shi-hyun was, although he could be frustrating at times too. This whole undercover cop thing was great in the sense of exploring the nuances that go into this morally grey area of undercover cops. But bro, Hyung-min sending his own undercover cop in without any training was just ridiculous. Ain't no way someone without ANY training can just do undercover shit, and he just let her (Soo-min) do it and then acted all self-righteous. For a main character, he was too frustrating.

Jin Sook was truly a GOAT. With each episode, I loved her character more and more—I think she is my favorite character in this one.

Overall, this drama has crazy good reviews, but I don't find it to be the masterpiece that people say it is. However, I would recommend it. It also very much reminds me of The Worst of Evil—same energy, and the names of these dramas really fit the stories. They show how fucked up this undercover cop thing can get. At the end of the day, we are just people dealing with other people, and it's very morally complicated. I enjoy this aspect very much.

Great OST.

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No Skips, No Boredom

⭐ Loved every second of it — and that’s incredibly rare for me.
I honestly can’t remember the last time I felt this way about a drama. Even with shows I’ve really enjoyed recently, there are always points of criticism, or at least aspects that didn’t leave a strong impression.
But this? This was perfect — down to even the intro.
I’ve seen some negative reviews, but personally, I’m just grateful to have found something I genuinely loved from start to finish.
If I had to criticize something, I’d say Hu Min doesn’t quite have the aura of someone who supposedly maintained order in Eunjang and built this “epic fighter legend” image. However, I still enjoyed his character a lot — he just didn’t radiate that legendary vibe to me.

Overall:

OST: Amazing.
Acting/Performance: Phenomenal.
Visuals/Cinematography: Loved it.
Intro: No skip!
Story: Had me glued to the screen.
Pacing: Perfect.

Look, maybe I’m hyped because I just finished it... but after being a pretty critical watcher (after 200+ dramas), I’m just thrilled to finally enjoy something this much.
Weak Hero Class 2 definitely earned a spot on my favorites list. 💥

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The Good Bad Mother – A Bittersweet Masterpiece

I remember when this drama first came out. I was immediately curious about Lee Do Hyun's new drama. But I also knew it was about a difficult mother-son relationship, and I just couldn’t bring myself to watch it back then. For two years, this drama stayed on my watchlist, waiting for the right moment. I finally watched it and I’m so glad I did.

I’m giving The Good Bad Mother a full 10/10. In my non-expert opinion, this is a beautifully written, emotionally rich drama, elevated by phenomenal acting. Lee Do Hyun continues to prove himself with every role, and this performance absolutely cements him as one of my favorite actors. His ability to portray both physical and emotional pain, vulnerability, and resilience was just stunning.

This drama is deeply bittersweet. It broke my heart, and I cried so much watching it—but it’s not just a sad story. As the title suggests, The Good Bad Mother is about contradictions: the good and bad within people, within life, within love. It’s about regret and redemption, sacrifice and healing. While the focus is on a mother’s complicated love, it reaches far beyond that—it’s about life itself, in all its harshness and beauty.

What struck me is how the story balances this devastation with warmth and humor. The townspeople’s antics, their quirks and loyalty, provide the kind of comedic relief that doesn’t undermine the drama but supports it. It reminded me a lot of Reply 1988— in how it highlights the power of community. Watching this show made me mourn the fact that many people today don’t have that kind of tight-knit, supportive village in their lives.

I can’t speak to how accurate the portrayal of disability was—at times, it did feel a little idealized or unrealistic—but I appreciated the way the show didn’t shy away from showing how devastating and isolating that experience could be. The early episodes especially hit hard.

And then there’s the romance. I wasn’t expecting it, and I’m still not over it. It was subtle, painful, and incredibly beautiful—another layer of emotional weight I wasn’t prepared for.

There were so many great lines and moments about life that I wish I had written down. I probably will go back and rewatch just to catch them again.

And finally, the acting. The acting. Every single person delivered—from Ra Mi-ran as the fierce, flawed mother, to Lee Do Hyun's jaw-dropping transformation. I was completely blown away.

💔❤️

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What Happens When Dong Jin Isn’t in Your Life?

Honestly, the premise itself was already kind of off — like, this idea that people get physically hurt if they fall in love with her? It’s interesting, sure, but the show didn’t really build a logical or believable world around it. The whole “10-minute rule” was kind of silly, and the way they used it felt super inconsistent. Sometimes it felt like they were trying to force drama with rules that didn’t even make sense if you actually thought about them.

The pacing was weird too — it was super slow in the beginning with a lot of repetitive scenes, but then everything suddenly sped up toward the end. Like out of nowhere, Dong Jin’s friend is also cursed? And Minjeong’s friend is her love interest? What?? It felt rushed and not well set up.

I get that the show wanted to focus on emotional isolation and maybe show that Dong Jin was this selfless guy trying to help others, but it still didn’t really land. I didn’t feel the love. When Minjeong confessed in the end, I was just like… okay? Sure, she worried about him, but love? I didn’t buy it.

There were some sweet little moments, and the idea of someone finally seeing and caring for Minjeong is touching, but the romantic payoff didn’t match the emotional build-up. It tried to be deep and emotional, but the lack of proper answers and the weirdly constructed rules just made it feel kind of hollow. Like… how many people are walking around cursed like that? And what happens to people who don’t have a “Dong Jin” to rescue them?

So yeah. It wasn’t all bad, but I get why the reviews are mixed.

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