30
139
6
1
1
5
1
4
3
2
5
1
1
1
1
3
4
6
Lighthearted and Predictable, but with a lot of Heart and Punk fashion
"Punks Triangle” has a very simple plot. There are no twists and turns, and you know what is about to happen. However, what it also has is a lot of heart and great acting by the two male leads.Fujibayashi Yasunari plays a fabulous double role as the popular fashion model AE, and a clumsy fashion night school student, Enaga Ayumu. As AE, he’s tall and sexy, with a gaze that pierce into your souls. It’s no wonder Sumiura Chiaki is so obsessed with him. But as Enaga, he’s adorable and clumsy. The sexy gaze becomes a little clueless and uncertain. His eyes are so pretty to look at. Where did Japan find these actors who can play such an awesome dual identity??? Matsumoto Leo in “Cinderella’s Closet” is just as fabulous!
But Fujibayashi is not the only one with a dual role. I feel that Nagano Ryota also did as well, even though he’s only Sumiura Chiaki in this drama. But Chiaki presents such a different personality when he’s with AE and Enaga. He’s star-struck and smitten when he’s with AE, but full of life when he’s with Enaga.
The first half of the drama sets up their relationships and characters really well. But it was the second half starting from ep 5 that I really get attached to the drama on a more emotional level. The heart-to-heart talks finally surface instead of a bunch of internal monologues. I am finally invested in their happiness, even though I can see from a far how this drama is going to end.
The supporting cast is small and lovely. There isn’t any one who would annoy you. We actually have a supportive makeup artist acting as a love guru, and co-workers and classmates who care.
But this drama is not without fault. I wish there were fewer internal monologues. There are times I wasn’t sure if those are spoken lines or thoughts in the characters’ heads. A little unpredictability would be nice as well.
If you are looking for a light and easy watch with good acting, “Punks Triangle” is a good choice. I don’t know much about punk or punk-style, but do enjoy see AE catwalks and photoshoots, and Chiaki’s wardrobe. The OST has a couple songs and they are fitting and lovely.
Completed: 11/27/2025 Review #646
Was this review helpful to you?
Raw & mostly well-paced Mafia drama full of plot twists but with a poor romance
We’ve all been burnt by mafia/gang dramas that end up being the watered down version. “The Bangkok Boy” is an exception. It’s gritty and violent, and gave us great fight scenes that usually are rare in Thai dramas. Caution though, this is not a standard BL and don’t go in expecting sweet, cute or a fluffy romance. This is a mafia drama first, and romance is a small part of this. Actually, I felt that the romance is the weakest part of this drama.There are twists and turns, and you thought you figured everything out for a standard mafia drama about gangs fighting for the turf. But there’s more to “The Bangkok Boy”. Add some revenge, in-gang fighting, drug dealing, questionable alliances and a Romeo-and-Juliet type romance, there’s a lot to handle here. I found the pacing of the drama done pretty well up until the last 2 episodes. In the first 10 episodes, there’s a good balance of everything to keep me interested (though there were minor plot holes here and there). But then, when the drama is coming to an end, all the twists and secrets are revealed, especially in the last episode. Even though certain elements were hinted at, it was a lot of info and revelation dumped on the audience in the last hour. This drama can benefit from another episode of two, so that these plot twists could be better executed. Now, it just feels rushed especially with how the drama ends.
The acting is decent. I was surprised to see that this is many actor’s first serious roles and many are quite new to the industry. This goes for Cho Si Hyeong (Peace), Choi Seung Ho (Jung Ho), Phoom (Tim), Aon (Aim), Phee (Ji Hun), Dom (Nap), and Hwang Jun Su (Seong Hun). Our protagonist, Sun (played by Tape) is more experienced than the other young actors, and it shows. He has the most scenes and is the best of the bunch. Unfortunately, Cho Si Hyeon (Peace) couldn’t act at the same level. As a first-timer, he’s not bad and actually has flashes of good acting in some scenes. He obviously acts better when he’s speaking Korean than Thai. For a drama with so many newbies, “The Bangkok Boy” delivers pretty decent acting from the whole cast (trust me, I’ve seen worse in Thai BLs). None of them really stood out as awful. The only acting performance I dislike is probably from Madame Yao.
Let’s talk about romance. It’s not good and I already knew romance is only a small part of the drama. However, there’s no chemistry between Sun and Peace at all. Viewers have to wait for a couple episodes for them to be on the same screen. I actually thought their initial encounter at the gallery was pretty good. The little date/outing wasn’t bad either. But starting from the near kiss in ep 6 and to them sorta officially being together, that’s when it fails. The drama no doubt gave us a pretty raw and emotional sexy scene. Given what just happened to Peace and Sun, this NC scene isn’t bad. There are other pretty good kisses, but the emotion and chemistry are not there. The secondary romance is just as bad. No sign of affection from Mei at all, and then they just got their sexy on and became a couple??
I do applaud the actors for training hard and fighting. I was very impressed with the action scenes. The fighters don’t look so ‘professional’ that they either win all the time, or get beaten up all the time. The action scenes are hard-hitting and well-choreophraphed, and the actors don’t look like they are thinking about the next move. Most of the actors have good punches and kicks. I am not sure if Choi Seung Ho (Jun Ho) was a taekwondo black belt, but his kicks are high and strong!
Another thing I like about this drama is that it’s a pretty good Korean/Thai collaboration. There have been quite a few of these lately, but aside from the cringey English dialogs in the beginning, the switch between Thai and Korean feels pretty smooth. I don’t speak either language, so I don’t know how good the actors' pronunciation is. To me who is reading subtitles, the switch between languages when talking to different people is done right. Of course, except for English, but I’ll look the other way.
Overall, I had a good time watching “The Bangkok Boy”. It doesn’t shy away from the violence that should be in a mafia drama. The pacing is good but the plot twists get too overwhelming in the end. The romance and the chemistry of both romance storylines are disappointing though. If you are looking for a typical BL or romance, this is not yet. If you don’t like fighting, abuse or violence, then stay away from this drama as well.
Completed: 9/30/2025 Review #628
Was this review helpful to you?
A simple Childhood Friends-to-Lovers story for those who want a light watch
Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75Not sure what prompted me to watch this ‘older’ Korean BL in 2025. This is a simple story about childhood friends to lovers. There are certain aspects of this show that many viewers might like, in addition to the friends-to-lovers trope, such as, huge height difference, unrequited love, pining, green flag who dotes on their loved one. The drama also tries to add some not-so-angsty angst to make it more than just a fluffy drama. For a drama adapted from a webtoon in 2022, this is a pleasant and easy watch. But KBLs have gone through a lot of transformation in the last few years and have given us some really good darker and more mature shows. Therefore, watching this in 2025 does not satisfy me.
The acting is OK. I liked Kang Hui more than Ok Jin Uk, but he also has more acting experience. I am usually not a fan of the naive, shy and pushover kind of main character. Additionally, I also don’t find Ok Jin Uk to be particularly cute or good-looking for me to fall in love with his character. Having said that, the romance is not based on love-at-first-sight, but a growing love and companionship. Therefore, their romance is believable. The last couple episodes and scenes of life after high school/college are rushed. I am not sure if we need that and the drama should probably focused on better writing of the high school years.
“Cherry Blossoms after Winter” is a low budget production, so aside from a few scenes at home, coffee shops and school, there’s no fancy cinematography or lavish costumes. I do appreciate that the drama does not look cheap and I really like the songs in the OST.
Completed: 9/19/2025 Review #626
Was this review helpful to you?
It's not horrible...but disappointingly it's not the next "I Feel You Linger in the Air" either.
Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75Objectively, “Memoir of Rati” is not a bad drama. It’s light and sweet, and perfect for those who want to see Great and Inn together again in a period setting. However, I was hoping this could be the next “I Feel You Linger in the Air” that could touch my heart. Unfortunately, “Memoir of Rati” isn’t it and I was disappointed.
Plot
The plot is simple. Two sets of lovers facing familial and societal pressures due to their ‘forbidden’ love. There’s not a lot of angst nor too many evil characters. I was actually quite surprised that there really isn’t a lot happening in these 12 episodes. There are many scenes of the two sets of lovers together and hanging out, and definitely a selling point for their fans. But as a drama, it is rather bland and could probably reduce a couple episodes.
Romance
If you are looking for a sweet and cute romance, this is the right drama for you. There’s barely any angst that could rip your heart out. Everyone is nice, honest and communicative. The main romance blossoms quite early, since we have a love-at-first-sight situation going on, and Thee isn’t shy in showing affection both verbally and in action. Thee is the doting, smitten Mr. Green Flag, and Rati is the more naive and shy Mr. Green Flag. The secondary romance between Mek and Dech is more fun and more innocent. They’re like best buddies until friendship becomes more. Their kisses are few but are better than those from the main leads. Maybe I was expecting a lot more passionate kisses and better sexy scenes.
Acting/Characters
The acting isn’t bad. I think Great did better than when I last saw him in “Wandee Goodday” and he definitely looks handsome in the white uniform, a lot better than in flowery boxing shorts. Inn, Aou and Boom all met my expectations. Aside from a couple ‘villains’, most of the supporting characters are lovely. I’m especially thankful that there aren’t any loud slaves/servants, which typically always show up in a historical lakorn. None of that here and not a whole lot of shouting either.
Production
Compared to “I Feel You Linger in the Air”, this drama pales in comparison. It’s not bad, but the cinematography is not as good and the sets appear simpler. I was quite worried in the first scene of Inn when his face was layered with white and thick foundation. The makeup artists aren’t doing a great job in this drama. Inn and Boom are already pretty pale, and they look whiter here. Aou seems to have a fake/spray tan on him but I do appreciate the drama at least try to darken his skin since he’s a commoner who needs to earn a living. Great probably looks best out of the four of them. At least the costume department did a pretty good job in dressing up the guys in nice clothes.
Would I recommend this drama? Probably if you like the leads, or are interested in a sweet romantic drama in a historical setting.
Would I recommend this drama if you’re looking for something similar to “I Feel You Linger in the Air”? Nope. Unfortunately, “Memoir of Rati” is subpar in almost every single category, especially if you are looking for a good emotional roller coaster. After watching this, it makes me miss IFYLITA even more and I want to rewatch some of my favorite and memorable scenes.
Having said all that, I have a decent time watching “Memoir of Rati”. It’s not the drama’s fault that I was expecting it to be something that it’s not. Therefore, I am rounding up my 7.75 rating to 8.0 instead of down to 7.5. It’s not a must watch but since there aren’t too many Thai historical BLs, it’s worth giving it a shot.
Completed: 9/6/2025 Review #621
Was this review helpful to you?
Great Acting and Team chemistry, but Writing and Execution could have been better
It doesn’t seem like “The Seven Relics of Ill Omen” has attracted too much attention from viewers. Maybe the novel is not as popular as the other tomb raider series. This is usually not my usual genre and after watching “The Unwanted Detective” with an excellent investigative plot, this drama does fail in comparison.What I Like about this drama:
1. Acting - The acting is great and it translates to excellent chemistry between the main cast. I’ve seen a few of Song Wei Long’s dramas before and this is his best so far for me. Also, after seeing Ao Rui Peng in a few recent costume dramas, it’s great to see him in a modern one and a very different character. Liu Hao Cun is cute as a button and her eyes can fill with tears whenever she wants it. She’s so much better here than in the disappointing “Derailment”. Wang Yi Ting and Zhang Yi Chi round up the five-some who are just as capable as the others.
2. Friendship/Phoenix Squad - For a drama such as this, the team chemistry is important and you come in expecting a great friendship. I’m happy to say that these guys are different yet complement each other. There’s no misunderstanding, jealousy or hidden agendas. The bromance between Jiang Zhao and Cao Yan Hua is especially fun, and they play off each other so well. Oh, let’s not forget about the chicken and the weird historian. They are a fun addition to the squad!
3. Main romance - The leads might not have a sexy or fluffy/sugary romance, but they are sweet and comfortable. Seeing them together makes me feel warm inside. With all that they go through, a relationship that feels safe, comfortable and grounded seems to be perfect for the pair. I won’t deny I want to see more romantic scenes, but I am only satisfied with what’s given me.
4. Fight scenes - Excellent fight choreography and action scenes by Song Wei Long and Liu Hao Cun. I didn’t know Song Wei Long actually studied martial arts. What was he doing in all those boring costume idol dramas? He needs to be in a wuxia to show us his athleticism. Liu Hao Cun is so petite, yet she’s nimble and quick with her moves. She was beautiful to watch. I wish there were more fight scenes throughout the drama and not just concentrated in the beginning and the end.
What I have Mixed feelings or dislike:
1. CGI/Production - After watching getting used to great CGI and green screen scenes, this drama disappoints. It reminded me of another recent drama that I watched, “The Immortal Ascension”. The sets look fake, the green screens are so noticeable and it’s overall very below average. I was a little confused about the set design. It's a modern drama with all the technology in the world, yet it has a very old school feel to it.
2. Dubbing - Even though I appreciate the actors dubbing their own voices, the actual dubbing is not done well. The movement of the mouths are not matching the lines. And gosh, that annoying Leopard and her English? Every time she speaks, my ears bleed. What is the point of her speaking in weird accented English when she could also speak in weird accented Chinese? If everyone understands her and responds in Chinese, what is the point?
3. Plot (esp ending) - I like how each member of the Phoenix Squad gets their time to shine through the investigation of the relics. We get to understand their backstory and see how far they have come. However, the ending arcs about the 6th and 7th relics, the past and the big villain, are a little confusing. I am not sure if it's my comprehension problem, or the writing seems choppy. Maybe some parts are edited out due to censorship. There’s a lot of explaining instead of showing. And even if they’re showing, it’s not done in a way that’s easy to follow. Of course, this could be a “me” problem.
4. Leopard - In addition to not liking her English, the writing of her character is over-the-top. Yes, she could have been just a psycho, but the way she moves, talks and enlarges her eyes make her seem like a cartoon character. If I am watching a Japanese anime adaptation, I can understand such overacting, but this is not it.
5. Secondary romance - is there a secondary romance? If so, the drama is doing a very poor job in showing that except for that one scene. It could have been developed more to contrast the dynamics of the main couple
I was enjoying the formation of the squad and the mystery of the first 5 relics. But towards the end, the drama lost my attention. “The Seven Relics of Ill Omen” might not have the tightest writing, but the acting and chemistry are good. It offers great fight scenes and very likable characters. It’s not a must watch but maybe for those who are fans of the leads.
Completed: 9/4/2025 Review #620
Was this review helpful to you?
'Powerless' Women and Marriages
Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75 (a generous rounding up to 8.0 instead of down to 7.5)I think reading the synopsis here on MDL creates a false expectation of what “The Scandal of Chun Hwa” is really about. Yes, we do have the leads as described in the synopsis. But the drama is so much more than their romance, and their romance is the weakest part of the drama.
Plot:
I actually really like the general plot of the drama. Using erotic pictures of a novel as the backdrop of the drama, “The Scandal of Chun Hwa” really is about how powerless women were during that time, especially when it comes to their marriages. Women were oftentimes ignored from the inability to choose who they want to marry, the decision to accept or deny wedding proposals, the ability to divorce their husbands whether they were mistreated, abused, or cheated on. If you come from a noble family, your marriage is part of a political power struggle. If you are a commoner or slave, you were treated like a plaything for the wealthy. Using the very popular erotic novel to spread the tales of these women, it created quite a storm that has personal, political and nationwide implications. All this is very interesting to me and creates quite a unique plot for a historical drama to tell. However, the execution could have been better. I do think the pacing of the drama is good. I was able to binge watch this quickly and it holds my attention pretty well. I think the last episode is actually the slowest for me due to its focus on palace politics.
Romance:
Coming into this, I was looking for a hot romance with sizzling chemistry and a lot of skinship (kisses, hugs, bed scenes, etc). Well, I did get some of the better kisses in Korean dramas. The men are going at it passionately and hungrily, the women respond surprisingly well to these ‘attacks’. The explicit scenes weren’t really from the main actors themselves, but pictures in the novel and some minor characters. The 3 main couples we see do have intimate scenes, but no nudity (if I remember correctly) except some muscular, toned and beautiful abs/torsos and backs from the actors. LOL. Unfortunately, the main romance is a disappointment. It has a start, missing the middle and then we got the end of their romance. The initial encounter and flirting were fun. But I seem to have missed how they actually fall in love. Therefore, when finally the secrets were all out in the open, the aftermath did not gut punch me as hard as I would have liked. The other suitors come and go, and not a whole lot of time is given to them to really show their affection for FL. They feel like an afterthought. On the other hand, the grand prince/duchess romance is simple, entertaining, sweet and sexy. They didn’t have too much screentime, but I get a full story and see how they started rockily but continue to grow as a couple. The crown prince/crown princess story might have the best development. It has a complete start/middle/end. It might have gone in a direction that I didn’t want, but the ending to their love story is probably more realistic. I was just hoping for a different ending.
Acting:
This is Go A Ra’s return to the small screen after a 5-year hiatus. I can’t believe her last drama was 2020 “Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol” (which has one of the worst endings, by the way). Go A Ra’s acting is good. She looks like a young and spoiled princess in the beginning, and was great with the more emotional scenes as well. I’ve seen Chang Ryul in so many other dramas before, yet I don’t remember him at all. This is probably because he’s mainly in supporting roles but here, he’s the male lead. He is an experienced actor and he didn’t disappoint. I might not have liked how their romance was written, but the actors themselves play the roles really well. They do have good chemistry together. The acting of the whole cast is good. From the main younger leads to the older generation, I didn’t have anything to complain about.
Production:
I like the OST. The songs complement the scenes, except for that one song with English words. It was a little weird listening to it while watching a historical drama. The costumes, sets, accessories all look great. A lot of criticisms are about the explicit scenes of whether they are necessary or not. Despite not minding them and actually am excited to watch a Korean drama that is not afraid to go there, I do have to agree that some of the scenes might not be necessary. There’s a lot of focus on the pictures in the novel to tell the story. Well, I think you can achieve the storytelling without emphasizing on those pictures. On the other hand, I can also understand in order to move the plot forward that shock value is needed to show impact and aftermath. A few of the bed scenes with the leads are fine and I think are applicable to the plot. Besides, there aren’t too many anyway. I guess seeing the actors putting in effort into those scenes minimizes my criticisms of them. Thank goodness for no fish kisses.
“The Scandal of Chun Hwa” is an entertaining watch. I think it can benefit from a few more episodes to flush out the story. I enjoy the general plot but the romance disappoints me. As I said earlier, I was expecting a strong main romance after reading the synopsis. If you tamper your expectations, you might enjoy it more than me. It is by no means an excellent drama, but if you have time to kill and don’t mind some explicit scenes, this could be fun. Otherwise, you can skip this drama.
Completed: 6/16/2025 - Review #592
Was this review helpful to you?
Better stay as a manga instead of a live action adaptation - So slow, so many "Eh?"
“Takara no Vidro” aka “Takara’s Treasure” is a typical story about how two opposites attract and end up together. Technically, the story is sweet and the two male leads are good-looking. Visually, they are perfectly casted. Iwase Yoji, playing the super popular Takara, is handsome and cool, and just has that tsundere aura around him. Him just casually sitting on the bench reading a book is a sight to behold. Contrasting him is the cute and bubbly Taishin, played by Konishi Eito. Konishi’s big eyes really sparkle like the marbles.The plot is simple and predictable. The first half was filled with creepy, stalkerish and annoying ‘eh?’ If Taishin is a girl, I would have complained about the character just as much. In a manga, Taishin might be cute and adorable, and it’s up to the reader to set the pace. But in an adaptation, whether he’s a boy or girl, I just can’t stand that naive, sloooow talking/processing character who gives you puppy eyes and acts surprised all the time. It’s so slow!!!
It’s so unfortunate because I really enjoy the last few episodes when they are finally dating. Taishin is still Taishin, but at least we have deeper conversations, and they really try to open up to each other. Their feelings are conveyed honestly, no matter how embarrassing they feel inside. They really do want to make this relationship work. Seeing Takara getting possessive and jealous, and acting out of his cool character is fun. I wish we had seen more of this between them. I also would like to see Takara express his feelings more verbally.
J-dramas are usually rated lower on MDL, so I am quite surprised “Takra no Vidro” actually has an 8.0. Despite loving the male leads visually, the acting is actually not bad, and enjoying the last few episodes, this drama is just too slow for me. I am also not a fan of overly naive characters. You can still have a bubbly vs tsundere, opposite attracts plot without making the character so dumb.
Completed: 5/27/2025 - Review #584
Was this review helpful to you?
Excellent chemistry between the actors/actresses but just a few episodes too long
I had a great time watching the drama “Perfect Match” and then stumbled upon this reality show “Perfect Match: Friendship Sharing”. If you are fan of the drama and miss the fun cast, then this is a good and easy fix!This TV show features 9 out of 11 main cast and couples. You can see from their interaction how much fun they had and how well they got along with each other. They were funny and boisterous, and have excellent chemistry as a group, duo, sisters, brothers, and couples. Each actor has such a distinct personality and quite different from their characters in the drama.
Of course, the most famous couple is Lu Yu Xiao and Wang Xing Yue. They have appeared in many high profile dramas, and played some very mature roles despite their young age. But in “Perfect Match”, both the drama and the reality show, you can see their real personality and how young they really are.
As much as I enjoy the first couple episodes and the last emotional episode, this show is just way too long. A lot could have been covered in 3-4 episodes instead of 6. The show uses a game show format to have the actors compete against each other, while promoting tourism. But sometimes what happened in 1 day was dragged into 2 episodes. Editing could be better in giving each member enough time without viewers feeling they’re running around in circles.
Nevertheless, I had a great time watching “Perfect Match: Friendship Sharing” and really enjoyed seeing the friendship between the actors (they genuinely seem to like each other). If you are a fan of the drama, check it out!
Completed: 5/19/2025 - Review #578
Was this review helpful to you?
If only they reduced the excessive long pauses….
… I would have liked “Every You, Every Me” a lot more. This drama went under the radar since the lead actors are not as well-known and are still quite new to the industry. A few fast facts -What I dislike the most:
* Too many long pauses between sentences. This dramatically slows down the pace of the drama and worse when it involves two young actors who are not experienced enough to show microexpressions on their faces.
What I have mixed feelings about:
*Inconsistent acting of the leads. They are still new, so I can’t expect them to be as good as many others. But that doesn’t mean I should give it a full pass as it did affect my viewing pleasure. But I do think Top and Mick were best in the last arc, and especially that short scene about the workshop.
What I like:
* The concept of the drama: where the same actors (Top and Mick) are in 5 unique storylines playing the main characters. I also particularly enjoy the last story when it’s a quick recap of the first 4 stories and expertly using the reaction video to tell us the romantic journey of Inn and Pun.
Ep 1 - Sun/Dol = I like this unique story about rain and color. It reminded me a little of the KBL “Color Rush”. The story is simple and cute.
Ep 2 - Prin/First = This is a more common storyline about the boss/secretary. We’ve seen a million of them. Grandma was cute but she’s crossing that boundary a little. This is an easy watch but the least memorable of the 5 stories.
Ep 3-4 - Namping/X = This seems to be everybody’s favorite, but not for me. I have the most to criticize even though I was moved in the end. I think the script and the pacing are the biggest problem for me. I fell asleep during this arc (but also probably because it was Friday night and I was tired from a long week of work). Did X just fall in love by accidentally having a love-at-first-sight moment years ago? What’s the background story? Namping/Top is so gorgeously feminine that I couldn’t take my eyes off him. But I don’t agree with Namping’s decisions. Additionally, the side couple does not bring anything to the general story and it’s just there for the sake of being there.
Ep 5-6 - Sian/Blue = This is the flirtiest one and I like their chemistry and banter. Top was super handsome with the cool long hair, being topless and showing off his muscles every chance he gets. We got some wonderful kisses and skinship as well. However, that bit about Blue and his friend seems out-of-place.
Ep 6-8 - Pun/Roi-Inn = My favorite story of the drama to tie everything together. The acting is the best during this arc. There isn’t too many plotholes or things I dislike, except again, the long pauses between sentences.
Overall, I recommend “Every You, Every Me” due to its interesting concept. If you can tolerate the pauses and silence, you will enjoy it more than me. Giving this an 8.0 to bump up the rating a little, even though objectively, this is more of a 7.5-7.75.
Completed: 5/11/2025 - Review #575
Was this review helpful to you?
High speed non-stop plot twists led by a unique and strong Heroine
Subjective Rating; 7.75Never heard of “Doppelganger” until my friend mentioned and recommended it. I didn’t read the synopsis or the comments and dove into it blind. She didn’t lie, this drama is full of plot twists left and right. If you don’t pay attention, you might miss it and then it moves on to the next. So much happened in these short 28 episodes, and I needed time to catch my breath.
The best thing about this drama is a strong heroine. This is her story through and through. If you want a smart, grey/red flag, strong-willed, cunning yet caring female lead, you got it. She takes matters into her own hands and is not afraid to use/borrow power for others to achieve her goals. Without giving out any spoilers, “Doppleganger” also has a unique way in the storytelling and execution of this theme/genre that I have not seen before. That is quite refreshing, even if there are some plot holes.
But if you are looking for a strong romance, this is not it. Many mini dramas have a focus on romance and are the main selling point. This drama is not one of them. Though romance is central and important to keep the plot moving, this is not a romantic drama. I am actually quite disappointed in the main romance and don’t see any chemistry between the leads. I may not have second lead syndrome, but the 2ML is a much more interesting character, and this has nothing to do with Chu Zi Jun being more good-looking than Deng Kai. I actually think Chu Zi Jun might have more screen time than Deng Kai.
Despite a strong female lead and the interesting take on this genre, I am not satisfied. I wanted the drama to slow down a little. I’ve seen better mini dramas out there, but “Doppleganger” is interesting enough and actually not too bad as a lower budget production.
Completed: 5/11/2025 - Review #574
Was this review helpful to you?
Light and fluffy drama with a likable cast that has great chemistry
Subjective Rating: 8.5Objective Rating: 8.0
“Sh**ting Stars” is a light and fluffy romantic comedy that takes place within the entertainment industry. If you are like me, looking for something cute and sweet to satisfy that hopeless romantic inside of you, this is a good one.
The whole drama is full of likable characters and the plot never goes deep enough to give you angst or make you too uncomfortable. The cast has great chemistry (bromance, sismance, officemates, neighbors) and the acting is pretty good. Plotwise, it’s nothing unique. You know what to expect when the drama is about celebrities/stars who sh*t and others have to clean up their mess. You can expect some scandals and anti-fans.
This drama not only shows you the life of the stars but also the reporters, managers and the public relations team. It has a good mix of all these professions, thus, giving “Sh**ting Stars” pretty good pacing. I was never too bored. However, you can also criticise the drama for never going too deep into any issue. Afterall, this is a romantic comedy.
I want fluff and I got fluff. The main leads are fun to watch. You thought they were enemies, but as the story unfolds, it’s not what it originally portrayed. Kim Young Dae is so handsome and smoking hot with his shirt off especially when he’s in photoshoots (e.g. Episode 2) and dramas. Lee Sung Kyung is spunky, fun and beautiful to watch. The two of them give me exactly what I am craving for, with great kisses, too. ML is just too adorable without going over-the-topic (at least to me) when he’s in a relationship.
The manager/manager combo is fine. A little surprising that the manager caved in without much struggle/difficulty/contemplating. They are not as exciting as the lawyer/reporter couple. I love this more mature couple and their personalities. They are evenly matched in wit and sarcasm, and always have interesting dialogues. I wish there were more scenes of them. The actor/actress couple is just there and doesn’t really add much to the drama. Maybe just to show a different kind of celebrity romance.
I would recommend this if you are looking for a fun and stress-free watch. The cast delivers, has great chemistry and offers enough variety. It’s not a masterpiece, but sometimes, you are not looking for a masterpiece to heal your soul after some serious and heartbreaking dramas. Objectively, I should probably rate this an 8.0-8.25, but I am in the mood to give it a solid 8.5.
Completed: 5/8/2025 - Review #572
Was this review helpful to you?
Despite a very common plot, there are many touching moments
Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25I am reviewing “Breeze by the Sea” as a standalone drama, and not an adaptation of the Korean drama, “Top Star Yoo Baek”. Hey, this drama is directed by Peter Ho and got a small cameo and was quite funny. And he lost weight as he proclaimed!
“Breeze by the Sea” has a very common plot that we’ve seen in many other slice-of-life dramas before, about a city person moving or spending time in a rural area/village/island. You see the foreigner, in this case, superstar Bai Yin Mo, escaped to the island of Kinmen after a series of scandals and a botched reputation. Even though nothing is unique, there are many touching moments and I have shed quite a few tears.
Bai Yin Mo has a difficult personality and was coined by our female lead as a sea urchin: a spiky personality yet mushy and caring inside. Whether intentional or not, Bai Yin Mo becomes the catalyst and the main driving force in helping these islanders mend their broken relationships. While helping others and with the support of our strong and resilient starfish female lead, Li Hai Nuo, Yin Mo slowly put down his spikes and relaxed his difficult personality.
In dramas like this, there's a 50-50 chance that you will encounter villagers/islanders that might annoy the heck out of me because they are too loud or annoying. I’m glad we got a lovely bunch here. They were a little much in the first couple episodes, but toned down and became a found family for our ML. They actually aren’t that loud, which was a great relief for me. Their stories are touching and realistic, though not unique. The acting of the supporting cast is good, especially the veterans.
Speaking of veterans, we have a lovely grandmother! Each time there’s such an adorable, caring and perfect grandmother, I pray to the drama gods that they don’t kill her off (not saying this as a spoiler or not, just a general comment and wish). I love her relationship with her granddaughter Hai Nuo, but even more so is the precious friendship/found familial bond with Bai Yin Mo. She provides the family warmth that Yin Mo never had. I love the scenes of the three of them together.
We do have a love triangle here, but it’s not a bad one. It’s nice to have a second male lead who is genuinely a good guy and even become ‘bros’ with ML. It was hilarious at first when they were drunk and called each other ‘bros forever’ but afterwards, it’s just cringey when I heard the word ‘bro’ again and again.
Even though there’s a love triangle, romance is not a focus in this drama. Bai Yin Mo and Li Hai Nuo have many scenes together and they are fun with great chemistry. Their relationship is slow burn but developed naturally from disliking each other, to friends, to lovers. They support each other during tough times. Unfortunately, we only got two cute and fluffy scenes before life happens and derails them. I am especially disappointed in the last episode which I feel is a very rushed ending to their romance. I felt cheated like we skipped some scenes and they just showed us the conclusion. As much as I love all the cute illustrations (and they are SUPER cute), it feels like I am missing a full episode. Therefore, I docked 0.25-0.5 points from this drama. Arghhh….
Another negative surprise is the amount of product placement. I don’t think I’ve seen so many in a non-BL Taiwanese drama before, especially in the last quarter of the drama. Maybe they really need a lot of money to bring the whole cast to Kinmen to shoot this drama.
I would recommend this drama if you are a fan of and are craving island slice-of-life dramas. There are many touching and realistic moments that I love, but nothing you’ve never been before. “Breeze by the Sea” has solid acting, a nice small town feel of Kinmen and beautiful seaside shots. It’s heartwarming and healing.
Completed: 2/9/2025 - Review #542
Was this review helpful to you?
Yaya is a Goddess! Perfect drama for romance-lovers.
Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25“My Cherie Amour” is a very romance-focused drama. If romance isn’t your thing, I think it’s best to stay away from it. The love story of the leads, Anong (FL) and Wichai (ML) is central to the storyline from beginning to the end. I really enjoy their opposite-attracts romance, though not without frustrations.
Beautiful Yaya, how can an actress be as beautiful as she is? How can you not love her character, Anong, as well? Anong is the youngest of the siblings, spoiled by 4 older brothers. She’s rich, beautiful, smart, kind-hearted, witty, sassy, flirty and a little egoistic and pushy. Despite having flaws, she is just so likable. Yaya is perfect for this role and she’s so charismatic. When she’s onscreen, all eyes are on her. I also bet half of “My Cherie Amour’s” budget is spent on Yaya’s beautiful outfits. She changes outfits 3 times a day and looks gorgeous in everything. I really can’t stop gushing!
This is my first Tor drama, and he and Yaya make a perfect couple. It did take me a couple episodes to get into Tor’s acting. I am not sure if it’s him, or how reserved his character, Wichai, is. But as the drama goes on, I warmed up to him and his subtle micro-expressions do not seem as emotionless. He also looks dashing in all his suits and casual wear. I really enjoy all the scenes he has with Yaya and quite like their chemistry. The kisses are decent but I wanted longer and more kisses!
The drama makes us romance-lovers suffer a little in the first half. The push-and-pull, the low self-esteem, and Wichai’s mixed messages frustrate me. But it’s worth the wait because once the leads get together, there are plenty of sweet and cute scenes. Kudos to our female lead’s persistence and loyalty. If it’s not for Yaya’s acting, I might find the character annoying for not taking “no” for an answer. They also have a very healthy relationship, supporting each other unconditionally, and with open and honest (for the most part) communication.
But a lakorn is not a lakorn without a family member that annoys and pisses me off. This award goes to ML’s mother. If it’s not because I enjoy the romance so much, I am not sure I can sit through this mother’s so-called love. The drama can disguise this tough parental love as love, but I see it as emotional abuse and neglect, mixed with verbal abuse. Wichai is a saint for tolerating his mother and taking in all her bullcrap in the name of love. Additionally, FL’s brothers are not that great either. The way they make fun of, talk down and disrespect Prasit (the youngest brother) is also mean and difficult to watch.
“My Cherie Amour” also goes into family responsibility and complicated dynamics/relationships, the pressure of marrying up and well, societal pressure and restrictions for women. All these are weaved into the two main romance storylines and how the couples fight through challenges before they can live happily ever after.
I will only recommend this drama if you are up for some romance. I rated “My Cherie Amour” somewhat high at 8.25 because I enjoy the main love story and the acting from start to finish. The drama is also able to keep my attention for the whole 19 episodes.
*update* I forgot to add that I really love the opening theme song "The Trouble Is.. ." (https://youtu.be/VwmyFCFYcZk?si=ZILnjm7R3TliWKei) The song sounds so romantic, it's perfect for Anong and Wichai.
Completed: 12/6/2024 - Review #524
Was this review helpful to you?
Slow-paced but Beautiful; Good acting but Poor writing
Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75I have not read the novel, so this review is based on my feelings on the drama itself. “Snowy Night Timeless Love” is a very slow-paced drama set in the backdrop of winter, so if you are not in the mood for that, it’s best not to watch it.
Repetitiveness?
A big criticism of this drama is the repetitiveness of the plot in the first 19 episodes. I have very mixed feelings about this and I also don’t know if the writing could have made this less repetitive. In these 19 episodes, the focus is on Huo Zhan Bai (ML) to search for the 5 rare medicinal ingredients to save the child. We all know these rare ingredients are hard to find and will be a very dangerous mission to complete. So, I can’t fault the drama for having Huo Zhan Bai get critically injured each step of the way. Otherwise, it won’t be realistic right? You also need him to be injured, so that he can spend a considerable amount of time at the Medicine Valley to heal and spend time with Xue Zi Ye (FL). If not, how are they going to get to know each other and develop feelings? Unfortunately, even knowing all this, it’s hard not to feel bored of this repertoire of not caring about oneself and getting seriously injured, barely making it back or saving by FL, resting and healing, and going forth to search for another ingredient. Could the writing be better so we won’t all get bored? Probably. I just don’t know how to achieve that and am in no position to offer an alternative.
Romance
I was skeptical of the pairing of Joseph Zeng and Li Qin. Joseph has such a baby face that pairing with a more mature Li Qin might not give me the feels. Luckily, ML’s character is more mature and dependable than Joseph Zeng’s other roles. The chemistry is decent and I do like this slow-burn romance. The leads develop feelings for each other during 8 long years. Their bickering is flirting. Their actions speak louder than words. They don’t need to say “I like You”. They are the same type of people, self-sacrificing dummies (LOL) who care about others before themselves. That’s why they understand each other's thoughts and actions, and words need not be spoken. I think this is very romantic. I especially love and “awww” at wooden windchimes set up along the path for ML when he couldn’t see. It mirrored the lanterns he lit up for her. What a romantic gesture! Their promises and missed chances made their love story even more tragically beautiful. I don’t need a grand confession scene and I am satisfied with the romance here. But, this might not be for everyone.
Rest of the Plot
Unfortunately, due to the majority of the time spent on the quest of rare ingredients, not enough time was spent on the rest of the plot. The villain and his minions seem like a small side plot. I would have loved more of a backstory of the minions. If the writing is better, I probably would not have felt the urge to fast forward (I was able to resist the urge). The drama was unable to hold my attention for 32 episodes. The pace is slow and there’s not enough action scenes to keep me entertained. I was hoping there would be more fight scenes, especially when ML was searching for the ingredients, and also towards the end with the villains. Maybe the drama doesn’t have enough money for that, even with the product placement of that darn 999 Cold Medicine. Why do we need it when we have a genius FL?
Cast & Acting
I do like the actors and felt that they all did a good job. I am confident in Li Qin’s acting and she’s great here, as well as looking ethereally beautiful. It’s probably one of Joseph Zeng’s best performances. Edward Chen did fantastic and I was surprised he was the teenager in “Lesson in Love”. Wang Hong Yi looks handsome and his smile does look creepy as intended. Kim Jin’s villain role might be a little over-the-top.
“Snowy Night Timeless Love” is an OK watch and I would only recommend this if you are a fan of the cast, or if you are in the mood for something slow and wintery. This is definitely not a must-watch. I was going to rate this a solid 8.0 but then boredom sets and I felt the urge to fast-forward. So, I have to drop it to 7.75.
Completed: 11/21/2024 - Review #518
Was this review helpful to you?
Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty II To the West
3 people found this review helpful
Creatively-written strange tales, higher production value and great chemistry for the Party of 5
Like many others, I enjoyed “Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty II To the West” more than season 1. To me, everything is better - acting, production quality (budget), and the strange tales themselves. I hope fans of season 1 will eventually watch this new season. The # of watchers is just too low for a quality drama like this. However, it did take me a few episodes to truly get into the drama. The first arc did not appeal to me but once their journey to the west started, it was a lot of fun.Strange Tales/Plot
I enjoy the mysteries a lot more than in season 1. The first arc is the least interesting to me, but is needed to set the stage for future events and journey. It’s the most political and less “human”. But subsequent storylines cater to more human experiences and emotions, and I had a much better time watching them. The stories and clues are beautifully entwined with each other. I was unable to guess the culprit for the most part, until the end. Even if I could guess who that person is, I couldn’t figure out how the murder was done. I enjoyed learning and discovering the new clues as they were unveiled.
Friendship/Party of 5
We are way past the growing pains of trust between Liu Ling Feng and Su Wu Ming, and their friendship and camaraderie are at a different level. Liu Ling Feng has matured and become a much better partner to Su Wu Ming. The party of 5 believes in and cares for each other, and have great chemistry with each other. A lot of words and feelings can be conveyed just by a single look. And with great acting, that one look is subtle and knowing (not a crazy, exaggerated ‘wink wink’). In the first half of the drama, I started to complain about the use of the two female leads, Pei Xi Jun and Ying Tao. They are both capable and smart, yet they were used in such minor ways (a fight or a drawing here and there). However, I was glad that they were utilized much better in the second half. They actively participated in the investigation and contributed to solving the mysteries through street and book smarts.
Romance
I will continue to complain about the romance, as in season 1. Now that we have two established couples, I had wished the drama would incorporate their romance better into the plot, and/or during downtime in between cases/arcs. I am not expecting a great romance (as that would be inappropriate) but some more words of encouragement/endearment or act of affection would be nice. The women acted like all they did was to follow their men around and do whatever they’re told. They’re not an equal partner in the relationship, and I am pissed off for them.
Production
It seems like season 2 has a higher budget. The special effects, sets and designs look so much better. Aside from Lu Ling Feng, most of the characters still wear the same clothes everyday. But I like them as they’re appropriate for their roles and statuses. I enjoy the fight scenes and they’re much better than most xianxia and wuxia dramas. At least both Yang Xu Wen and Sun Xue Ning look the part when they are fighting, and not flailing or twirling. I also appreciate the lack of slow-motion fight scenes, though the editing gave me a little motion sickness when I was watching this drama while commuting on the train.
If you are fans of mysteries, investigations and ‘strange tales’, I will definitely recommend this drama to you. I can’t say I am a big fan, but I like Yang Xu Wen and know that this drama will not disappoint. It has solid acting, great friendship and interesting investigations. I hope I don’t have to wait for too long for season 3.
Completed: 11/4/2024 - Review #508
Was this review helpful to you?
