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For those who need/want a better romance from Film/Jam after their other drama

The biggest motivation (for me) to watch “Laws of Attraction” is to see more of Film and Jam’s romance. I didn’t get enough when they were in “To Sir, With Love” and I liked them to want more. “Laws of Attraction” totally satisfies my need/desire and exceeds my expectations in that respect. However, the drama itself still have many faults.


What I Like:

Film’s acting - Film is night and day in this drama compared to his goody-two-shoes role in “To Sir, With You”. I did not expect to see his big eyes to show so many different emotions. I’m so glad he’s casted in a role for him to showcase his acting ability. He can change from a cold-blooded and cunning lawyer, to a lovesick puppy in an instant. What a pleasure to see him in here.

Romance - As I mentioned, this drama satisfies this romance junkie. I love a good enemies-to-lovers trope. The chemistry is excellent between Film/Charn and Jam/Tinn. Tinn loves Film the way he is and doesn’t try to change his cunning ways. He just wishes Charn to not go over the evil side and don’t forget the kind heart he still has inside of him. I wish this drama was not rated G but PG-13. Because, then maybe I would have gotten some decent, passionate kisses instead of the chaste ones. Nevertheless, you can’t miss the chemistry and the love between the two. Ok, there are a few scenes that give me the cringe, but they are limited.

General Acting - I’ve seen quite a few BL dramas these days, and there are some that you really question the acting. Tinn also did great, though might be overshadowed by Film a little. The veteran cast is great. I’ve seen Grandma in a few dramas now and I love her. Grandma and Maya are the dynamic duo I didn’t know I need. The other two younger actors, See and Pearl, might be the weaker ones but not so bad that they are intolerable.

Film’s Outfits - He has the coolest outfits I’ve seen for a male lead in a Thai drama. His shirts are so fashionable and he just doesn’t always wear a traditional shirt/suit. He looks good in white! Without going into spoilers, in the last episode, I really like his non-traditional attire.

Funny supporting cast - I love Grandma and how caring and funny she is. But I love her with Maya as well. I feel cheated that I didn’t see a song and dance with them! Charm’s ex also has quite an entrance. He’s so funny and over-the-top crazy but his scenes are limited so I don’t feel irritated. I also love the niece and wish we have more scenes of her and Tin together.


What I have Mixed Feelings:

Plot Holes - This is a BL drama first, and a crime drama second. There are so many plot holes that don’t make sense. I am not sure if the writing is really bad, or scenes are edited out. I am not sure how Charn survived till this day. I am not sure how this character can survive after a fire and explosion. And how did the fire really start and spread that fast? Why you are trying to hide and not to be found, I am not sure posting on Instagram is a good idea.

Pacing - I found the pacing of the first half slower especially when it comes to the lawsuit. The romance kept me going but there’s not much going on when it comes to solving the crime or the villain trying to cover it. However, it gets better in the second half and I am more invested in the whole story and not just the romance.

Action scenes - They are not good at all. We have a taekwondo teacher and a bodyguard, but their fight scenes are laughable. I don’t think the kick or punch hit hard at all. These scenes could be so much better without slow motion. It was quite annoying to see a punch thrown at regular speed and then another punch shown in slow motion.

Makeup - Too much makeup on the leads! They look so white! Jam looks so much more handsome in “To Sir, With Love” when his natural tan is shown.

Secondary Couple - It’s not a surprise that they get together. But what’s surprising is how they get there. One scene, they are comforting each other. The next scene they’re in bed and finished with the deed. Were scenes edited out? These two characters also lack chemistry together.


Overall, this is a decent watch. If you want to see Film and Jam together in another drama, then I definitely recommend this. But if you are watching because of the lawsuit/crime plot, you will be quite disappointed. I feel that “Laws of Attraction” can actually use a few more episodes to flush out Charn’s background story and give a little more time to develop other side plots, e.g. secondary romance. I have a similar review of the Taiwanese drama “HIStory3: Trapped”. I am glad to see a non-school setting and more mature BL drama. I just haven’t found one that can give me a satisfying plot + mature romance yet.



Completed: 9/2/2023 - Review #348

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Underrated Gem - Excellent Acting, Storytelling and Pacing. Rare drama about the Common Folks.

Such an underrated drama that is not recommended enough. It’s rare to find a serious saeguk/historical drama these days, and even rarer to find one that’s about the common people and not about the royal family. I can’t believe this drama is only rated a 8.2 at the time of this writing. It will be a rare 9.0 for me.

I recommend this drama to you if you:
1. Like serious saeguks - not a rom-com.
2. Like dramas such as the more popular “Six Flying Dragons”.
3. Don’t like the pacing of “Six Flying Dragons” because it’s too slow but want a similar drama.
4. Like a big budget production with excellent acting, storytelling and realistic depiction of lives of the poor back in the 19th century

Acting - Top notch acting all around. There’s no weak link at all. The closest drama I can think of off the top of my head that I’ve seen such great acting from the youngest to the oldest, would be “Six Flying Dragons” and “Arthdal Chronicles”. This drama boasts a huge supporting cast, and you will recognize every single veteran actor if you are familiar with K-dramas. Each and everyone of them is amazing. Both Jo Jung Suk and Han Ye Ri were awarded Best Actor and Best Actress respectively in SBS Drama awards in 2019. Yoon Shi Yoon and Choi Moon Sung were nominated as well.

Yoon Shi Yoon - I want to single out my praises for Yoon Shi Yoon. He’s a surprise for me. I thought he was a young idol actor but realized he has many dramas under his belt. I remember also liking his acting in “You Raise Me Up” as well. His role as Baek Yi Hyun is so multilayered and he portrayed all these emotions so well. From being the young and naive scholar, to a shy lover, to being the emotionless and heartless Goblin and the tortured soul towards the end. I feel so bad for Yi Hyun. If only his teacher treated him right. Yoon Shi Yoon was fantastic. It’s too bad he did not win any awards.

Plot and Pacing - I picked this drama because it’s the story about the common folks. It’s not about the royal family fighting for the throne, or palace politics. Set during the Donghak Peasant Revolution, you know it’s going to be bloody and deadly. Throughout the drama, I was hopeful, saddened and horrified. To me, the pacing is a lot better than “Six Flying Dragons” which I thought had too much talking but not enough action. “The Nokfu Flower” moves at a moderate pace. Each supporting character is given sufficient screen time for me to get to know them and care for them, but not too much that they overshadow the main plot and the main characters.

Strong Female Characters - Love the strong female characters - fearless and badass merchant Song Ja In (FL), supportive and strong mother Yoo Wol (Baek Yi Kang’s mother), quiet but has an inner strength noblewoman Hwan Myung Shim, and killer and courageous sniper Beo Deul. Even the slightly annoying Chae Jung Shil (Yi Hyun’s mother) and Baek Yi Hwa (Yi Hyun’s sister) are strong characters. There isn’t anyone that’s naive and innocent, and wouldn’t fight back.

Production - High budget production with realistic battle scenes. They did not shy away in showing the cruelty of a revolution and no blood was wasted in the illustration of different wounds and battle scenes. I enjoy the realistic portrayal of regular lives - no fancy clothes, characters rarely have a clean face, torn clothes and messy hair, humble meals, sets and houses, and the use of natural light and candles. The drama might not have screenshot-worthy cinematography, but you bet you can envision how hard life was.

Character Development - Each of the three main characters changes (for better or worse) throughout the drama - Baek Yi Kang, Baek Yi Hyun and Song Ja In. Their experiences might not be the same, but you can see how much they have changed from when you saw them in the first episode, and compared it to the last episode. The change is not abrupt, but is developed nicely through their roles during the revolution.


Other Random Observations:
1. The Battle at Ugeumchi was very difficult to watch - it’s heartbreaking.
2. Beautiful and haunting opening theme song that sets the tone for the drama.
3. A few unexpected comedic scenes sprinkled here and there throughout the drama.
4. Slight romance - enough to keep this romance lover satisfied and tugged my heartstrings.
5. Same director as “Six Flying Dragons”, so you will notice some ‘Easter Eggs” and many actors/actresses that appear in both dramas.
6. ML’s Father - Worst Father of the Year


Completed: 1/17/2023

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Not good enough to be a Medical, Legal or Rescue mission drama.

Even though I lowered my expectations, I am still disappointed. I like both leads, Leo Luo and Janice Wu, and am excited to see them in a drama together again. Despite their decent acting, I think the script is just not good enough.

When watching “Light Chaser Rescue”, I was reminded of 2021’s popular “You Are My Hero”. I enjoyed YAMY a lot more. It’s more fun and more balanced. As my title said, “Light Chaser Rescue” is not good enough to be a good medical drama, a good rescue mission/adventure drama, or a good legal drama. The romance storylines lack chemistry and it’s really rare for me, a romance lover, to feel bored of 2 out of 3 romances, especially the main romance.


Strengths - One of the strengths of the drama would be the acting. Leo Luo and Janice Wu met my expectations and the supporting cast is solid. I would not say anyone is exceptional, but no one is too bland or annoying either. I also really like the OST. It features a few good songs, not overplayed and suited the moods of the drama.

Rescue Missions - The first 5 episodes of the drama are great. It starts out with an exciting earthquake rescue mission and serves as a good introduction to the cast. I was hopeful that this drama would exceed my expectations due to this first mission. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. I would say there are 3 major rescue missions throughout the drama. The earthquake one in the beginning, the mudslide rescue in the middle and the snowy mountain rescue at the end. But in between these 3 major events, the rest of the missions are quite simple and not a lot of details are shown. Speaking of missions, I still don’t quite understand why the Light Chaser Rescue team is called for some of these missions, when other government authorities might be more appropriate.

Romance - Among the three romances, I am most interested in the sweet and innocent romance between Xiong Fei and Luo Yuan. I was a little conflicted about how assertive and stalkerish Luo Yuan was in the beginning. But on the flip side, I admire her confidence in going after the man she wants despite her disability. I like how their romance is developed and though I don’t know sign language, I am glad to see that Luo Yuan continues to sign throughout the drama and does not only text. The main romance between Luo Ben and Zhan Yan is somewhat bland. I am not feeling the chemistry and maybe it’s because of the characters’ personalities. When they are happily in a relationship, that’s when I am most bored. I feel the chemistry more when they are having relationship problems. Just because their romance is not the cute and fluffy kind, that doesn’t mean a mature romance can’t have chemistry. After watching Janice Wu in “Discovery of Romance” with Qin Jun Jie recently, her chemistry with Leo Luo pales in comparison big time. The romance between Zhou Ming Ming and Ding x 3 is OK. It’s quite predictable and nothing to write about.

Inconsistencies and Weirdness -
♦︎ When you are hospitalized, I assume the doctors should prescribe you medicine. Why would you take the 999 cold medicine (aka product placement)?
♦︎ I thought Xiong Fei quits being a rescuer, but then he continues to be in all missions.
♦︎ The newbie rescuers only just started physical training and then they have to go into a burning building for a test. Isn’t that too fast? Or did the drama just skip forward all the other required trainings that could be fun to watch?
♦︎ I wonder what kind of medicine a normal family has at home that a kid can accidentally take and cause you to lose your voice permanently.
♦︎ It would be helpful to have real professionals that have access to helicopters to help with the snowy mountain rescue. Right?
♦︎ Those rescue ropes look quite thin and flimsy - or are the real life ones like these as well?


Other Random Observations:
1. I really can’t stand the white makeup on everyone’s face.
2. We really don’t need the scene of the two kids and the balloon in the last episode.
3. Xiong Fei is my favorite character. The actor, Xu Shao Ying, is not really super handsome. But there’s something about Xiong Fei that makes him so likable and I want him to have everything he ever wanted. He gives off a very positive vibe.
4. Leo Luo is REALLY skinny. When he’s in a period drama, he’s wearing layers of clothes, so it’s not as apparent. But in this drama, I can’t help but wish he is not dealing with any health concerns.


Completed: 12/9/2022

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Mature romance + Life lessons taught through food and mealtimes

Completed - 4/10/2022 - 8.25

"Dine with Love" brought together two individuals who have very different priorities in their lives. As they get to know each other, they fall in love and also change themselves for the better. Many meaningful quotes and lessons are shared through food and meals with loved ones. There is no shortage of cooking and delicious food scenes, and it's a great drama for romance lovers and foodies.

What I Enjoy:

1. Lessons through food and meals - Meal-time is very precious to many cultures and not just the Chinese. The Chinese title of this drama, "陪你一起好好吃饭" can be loosely translated to "I will accompany you to have a good meal". There is no shortage of conversations while at the dinner table between families, friends, co-workers and lovers, and I've enjoyed every single conversation. Through cooking lessons by FL, ML learns the meaning behind each dish and shares that through his TV show appearance. Along the way, he changes his way of thinking and his priority in life.

2. Yu Hao (ML) and Su Ke Lan (FL) - It's refreshing to see two leads who are calm, rational and talk through doubts and problems (for the most part). Although they have different priorities in life, they are able to rationally discuss work and life, and let the other person see their point of view. They might not always agree with each other, but at least we don't have petty and childish arguments, and they can agree to disagree. Su Ke Lan (FL) though might seem timid and quiet, but she has a quiet strength and stubbornness. I am all for more female leads who are like her. You don't have to be an abrasive CEO or a tomboy to show strength. We have enough of the cute/innocent, abrasive/rude, outgoing/tomboy female leads. How about just a lady who is strong, rational, talks normal, wants to fall in love but doesn't lose her brain afterwards? Yu Hao (ML) starts out as a typical cold CEO but has a warm and sensitive side to him. He has the biggest character development in the drama. I really enjoy seeing him change and learns to live a different life.

3. Romance - The two romance storylines in this drama contrast with each other pretty well. Yu Hao & Su Ke Lan have a slowly developed romance through getting to know each other, to making the initial step to cross the friendship line. On the other hand, Han Meng & Song Wen Xing have a fast-tracked romance that is hot and passionate. Seeing how both storylines develop was interesting. Additionally, I really like how Yu Hao is taking his time before making the jump and confesses. He thinks carefully and wants to be fair, and not just acts on impulse. It does take a little while, but I think it's worth the wait, and it's a big part of his character development. Once the leads got together, there is a decent amount of kisses and fluffiness for a few episodes.


What I don't quite enjoy:

1. Pacing - I think the pacing of the drama would be better it's the typical 24 episodes, 40-min each format. There doesn't seem to have enough happening to fill all the time. As much as I love Yu Hao taking his time to confess, the push-and-pull between the leads is taking a little too long in the first half of the drama.

2. Not enough screen time of leads together in the last third of the drama. I understand why, but I still feel dissatisfied especially I waited for so long for them to finally be a couple.

3. Same old trope of Unrequited Love alliance - C-drama really needs to get rid of annoying characters who won't take "no" for an answer when the leads are not interested. In this drama, we have the annoying actress Zhang Bi, who just won't stop her shenanigans in wooing Yu Hao. And of course, she has to pair up with Director Jin Yi to form an alliance and then they fall in love in the end. This trope happens in so many romantic comedies. I also don't like the ex-girlfriend returns plot, but at least I don't see that as often as the unrequited love alliance.


Mixed feelings (ENDING SPOILERS):
I am unsure about the ending. I can see why Yu Hao chose to do that on the TV show. But I much prefer seeing a private moment between the leads as they reconcile and confess their feelings to each other again. I was waiting for a moving, heart-to-heart declaration and I think the gesture is too 'grand' that it doesn't fit their personalities. It's without the doubt that it's a moving ending, esp. with the behind-the-scene video montage, and everything that Yu Hao said. But the TV show format feels like they are bringing all the characters back for one big hurrah at the end. Why would the ex-girlfriend and investor guy be invited back to see the proposal? They don't need to be present. I also feel that a proposal comes a little to suddenly. Let's reconcile, get back together, show me some cute and fluffy scenes, and of them figuring out how to live together harmoniously, before a big TV show proposal.


Other Observations:
1. I kind of miss Gao Yan Yu's glasses. 🤓
2. A couple annoying characters but bearable - actress, FL's ex-bf, ML's ex-gf
3. On paper, Director Jin Yi does seem like a better fit for Su Ke Lan = kind, loves to cook, loves children and volunteering, thoughtful and considerate, at times shy and cute. But we all know love doesn't work that way. Definitely no second-lead syndrome here!
4. I am still unsure what kind of company Yu Hao has. Is it just a Foodie App? But how come his company also owns supermarkets?
5. Songs are not overplayed and quite lovely.
6. I want to see more of the business storylines and not just the TV show.

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Could have been great but sizzles out in the second half

Completed - 11/13/2021

I enjoy fantasy + historical dramas and am attracted to the plot summary of "Lost Love in Times". However, after watching the drama, I realized that the MDL synopsis only describes the first 5 episodes of the drama. This drama has so much potential and I enjoy it quite a bit in the first half of the show. However, it lost its steam and the story became just a repetitive court politics drama where everyone fights for the throne. There's not enough magic or battles to keep me engaged.

What I enjoy:
1. Production Value - This drama might not have the same budget as "The Rebel Princess" but you can tell that money is there for it to have such elaborate costumes for its characters. The women have nice beautiful outfits, creative hairstyles and accessories. I really like the style of the princes and their unique little bow in the front of their costumes. They even have different accessories for their hair buns! I don't recall seeing that in other dramas. For some reason, the actual emperor's palace sets do not look very grand, but the princes' accommodations look pretty big and nice, and give off a very comforting feel. I would love to see more CGI with the magic, but what they have, I enjoy. I really like the colored butterflies. What a beautiful and classy way to show magic.

2. Love Square - This drama must have one of the healthiest and most amicable love square between our main and secondary leads. We have our second male lead, 7th Prince, who is not jealous but love our FL passionately yet quietly, and willing to do anything for her. He is not pushy!! We have our second female lead, Princess Duo Xia, who did not turn evil because her love was not reciprocated. She patiently waits for her chance, is not jealous and befriends our FL. How rare is it in C-dramaland?

3. 7th Prince (2ML) - I might have second lead syndrome in this drama, which I usually don't esp. for a historical drama. I like the 7th Prince so much more than our main lead, and feel that at times he has better chemistry with our FL than ML. I enjoy the scenes where they're playing music, simple gardening together and the scene with the blue stone. I can feel his love for FL and the quiet longing and heartbreak. I don't think he's better looking but there's just something about him that makes me love him more.

What I don't like:
1. Main Romance - The whole drama is based upon this great love and romance in the 1st world. Otherwise, FL won't go through all that for ML. However, the setup of this great romance is quite lacking and happens too fast. FL and ML fall in love, got married and willing to die for each other, all within the first 5 episodes of the drama. This drama is 56-episode long and I think it can afford to dedicate a little more time to show us how this great romance develops. Once we enter the 2nd world, the new romance is developed a lot better. I enjoy how they got to know each other, what they went through together in all the fighting and scheming, jealousy and all. But once they got together, the romance came to a stall and fizzles out. Even though there were romantic scenes, I don't feel the chemistry between them. I am not sure if this is due to acting, writing or editing. I also don't think there are enough scenes of the two together in the second half.

2. Pacing - I was cautiously optimistic in the beginning, because the pacing is quite good in the first 30 episodes.
However, it slows down in the second half. We have repetitive scheming for the throne and court politics. We cycled through all the princes but not enough backstory for each of them. There's a lot of telling instead of showing. The plot about the marriage alliance also drags on for far too long.

3. Last 2 episodes - I feel like something is edited out and instead of showing the events that happened, we were told about the decisions. I am especially confused about the ending. Why is FL not going back to the 1st world but stayed in the 2nd? Isn't it the whole point is to go back, otherwise she will die? Or is the time traveling has always been back to the 1st world all this time and they are not parallel worlds? Why is Elder Tao Yao alive? I love a happy ending, but this one doesn't make sense for the two Elders to be both alive again, in either world.

4. Not enough Magic/Action - I would have loved to see magic being used more often in this drama. They tend to only use magic to send messages to each other, or the rare battles. I hope to see more battle scenes - with actual fighting and magic. There's a lot more action in the first few episodes and the last few episodes. When they do fight, the choreography was great and the actors did a great job in sword fighting to make it realistic. I don't see any weak sword wielding or someone who can't hold a sword straight. I just wish there's more action instead of so much court politics, or strike a better balance.

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Excellent acting and production but needing more time to flesh out the stories.

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25

To everyone’s delight, Netflix dropped all episodes of “Dear Hongrang” for us to enjoy. This drama boasts an excellent cast of actors who can actually act. I’m particularly looking forward to Lee Jae Wook’s performance, as all the comments and reviews were praising him. Moreover, the other Jae Wook, Mr. Kim Jae Wook is one of my favorites as well. Despite a very interesting plot and excellent acting, “Dear Hongrang” failed to slam dunk due to its writing and execution.


Acting
Without a doubt the acting for the whole cast is excellent. There’s no weak link despite a very large supporting cast. Lee Jae Wook and Jo Bo Ah have two roles that are memorable and hard to portray, yet they did a fabulous job. Despite the outward strong and proud personalities, our main leads suffer from tremendous trauma and torture. The inner struggles and pain were acted well during subtle and non-subtle moments. Kim Jae Wook gave such a chilling and eerie aura as the prince, Jung Ga Ram as the devoted and obsessed brother, and the veteran cast of parents. One thing I found with Korean serious historical dramas is that their acting rarely disappoints. The standard is just so high.

Plot
It’s nice to see a historical drama that is not about fighting for the throne/crown or palace politics. “Dear Hongrang” has such an interesting premise, not only a long-lost son returning to reclaim his rights, but the mystery surrounding his disappearance that led to a much larger and complicated conspiracy. Since there are only 11 episodes, the story moves really fast, actually a little too fast in the last few episodes. The drama spends more than half of the episodes on figuring out whether the returning son is the real Hong Rang and all the family drama. It did not leave enough time for the romance to develop (more on that later) and on the mystery/thriller part of the drama. The last few episodes felt rushed with many things left unexplained and unanswered. Who is the Snow Man? What is his background and deal? How can he fly around like that? Who is the crazy painter and his connection to the villain? Why are those secretive places not guarded heavily especially when important rituals and illegal stuff are happening in there. I also want to know more about the secret agency. Where do you get the funds? How did you train the assassins? There’s so much I want to know, yet there’s just not enough time. Despite me complaining that dramas are too long sometimes, there’s enough for the story here to make it last 16-20 episodes.

Romance
I should be really moved by this forbidden love, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite hit me with all the feels. The fault lies on the writing and the time restraints. There’s not enough time for the drama to show us how they fall in love. One minute, Jae I is questioning the identity of Hong Rang, next minute she starts to believe he might be her brother and the next she’s in love already. During those middle episodes when they were supposedly falling in love, I do not feel any chemistry between Lee Jae Wook and Jo Bo Ah. Even though Hong Rang fell first, and he said he missed her, something is just missing for me. On the other hand, the second male lead, Sim Mu Jin has a better unrequited love written. I believe in his feelings for Jae I, and why he loves her and can’t live without her.

Production
Great production with beautiful cinematography, realistic sets and costumes. This drama has a lot of violence and abuse, thus, it’s not for the faint of heart. But I applaud the drama for having realistic fights and scenes of torture, because the plot really does call for them. I don’t recall a revenge on a villain being so fitting and satisfying. It was a surprise, but how thrilling it was to see the villain’s end. The OST is hauntingly beautiful and complements the scenes so well.


Despite my criticisms, overall, I had a great time binge-watching this. I really wish “Dear Hongrang” could have been longer and certain plot lines could have been written and developed better. As a romance lover, I am sad that I am disappointed as this could be an epic forbidden love. The drama fell short of excellence.


Completed: 5/26/2025 - Review #583

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Uncut = Too long. Could have been so much better if edited out fillers

Who will enjoy “Duang With You”? This drama is probably not for everyone but a pretty selected audience. Here’s what I think. “Duang With You” is best enjoyed if:
1. Are a lover of fluffy and cute romance and don’t mind sound effects to add on the cheese.
2. A fan of love-at-first sight
3. A fan of persistent, almost stalkerish type behavior to pursue a love interest
4. Looking for a stress-free drama to not think about the craziness in the real world

Honestly, I don’t quite hit all these categories myself but I was in search in the #4 category and I knew what I was getting myself into. So, with expectations calibrated, I dive into Duang’s world.

Plot/Pacing:
As the title of my review suggests, this drama could have been so much better if it’s edited to be shorter and tighter. A drama that relies on the romance between Duang and Qin and nothing much, having 12 long episodes is just too much. Some of these episodes are 1 hour and 20 minutes long. We’re not watching a Thai lakorn with twists and turns, or birth secrets. There is just not enough to fill all those hours. I was under the impression that the uncut version means steamy scenes not being edited for public TV broadcast. But in this drama, I think uncut simply means the director includes everything and nothing is edited out, steamy scenes or not. There are actually some very meaningful conversations between the leads that are important to the character development. Yet, those don’t come often and are overshadowed by filler scenes of friends fighting for snacks, leads nose kissing each other, banter about doggy jealousy, or minor characters having too much screen time. I wish time was better spent, esp with Qin’s family drama and the secondary romance.

Acting:
Acting is a mixed bag here. I personally think TeeTee is the best of the bunch. He is Duang! Cute and charismatic and you just can’t not like him. Unfortunately, Por needs a little more practice. I distinctly remember a scene where Por/Qin sat next to young Qin and both of them were crying. The contrast in that crying scene was so evident that the young child actor did way better than Por. The rest of the cast did fine. None is exceptional and also none is a disaster.

Characters:
Duang is cute, no doubt about it. TeeTee is a better actor as Duang, than Por as Qin. TeeTee is already such an adorable actor that I don’t think the drama needed to add extra cheesiness and sound effects. They should let TeeTee shine on his own. Duang is the greenest flag and I am fine with him having Qin as the center of his universe, since he’s young and this is a rom-com. However, I am not a fan of his stalkerish and persistent behavior (not a fan of this in general). But that’s his charm in this drama and I’ll look past that as well. I wish Qin would just give us a little more instead of a nonchalant bitchy look. I think this might have to do with Por’s acting as he’s quite new to the industry. I am glad to see him slowly open up and really grow. Qin has the biggest character growth, and I do enjoy that part of him. I also really like Duang’s friends, Jamie and Pae. They are fun, chaotic and true friends of Duang. They stuck by him during his stalkerish pursuit (and explain when he could cross the line) and call him out when he’s out of line. Although they weren’t hopeful that Duang will win Qin’s heart, they accept his ‘unique stupidity’ and cheer him on. One of the best scenes of this friend group was when they were singing “Do Do Re Mi” when they sneaked into the Music Department. I actually laughed out loud at their silliness! Duang’s family is also hilarious. We can totally see where he got his personality.

Main Romance:
Even though I might not agree 100% on the persistent pursuit, I do think it takes a Duang to break down the walls that Qin put up. This is a classic case of opposites attracting and complementing each other. I would have loved to see more scenes of Qin being jealous and pouty, instead of bitchy and indifferent. This is actually quite a slow burn romance. It took them forever to get to the ‘talking stage’. I’m an old lady, and I have no idea what a ‘talking stage’ is. At first, I thought it’s like flirting and seeing each other, but not actually dating. Kinda like the some some relationship in K-dramas. But Qin and Duang did more than talking and flirting, and it got intimate and also calling each other partners (not lovers or boyfriends). I guess that’s how young people define relationships these days and I have a lot to learn! Although I love their real kiss scenes, I got beef with those supposed cheek kisses. The lips never touch the cheek. It’s a nose kiss! Many might love the intimate scenes, I am in the minority. I am glad that the drama doesn’t shy away from telling us Duang and Qin are not virgins and are horny young men. But the director doesn’t seem to be able to pick between sweet and sensual intimate scenes, or sexual and horny. In the end, the actors did their best, but the intimate scenes feel confusing and indecisive. But to end on a positive note, I really love the last scene at Freshy Night when Qin was on stage at Freshy Night. The lyrics of the song, paired with flashbacks, brought tears down my cheeks. That was a great ending to recap everything that happened in the last year.

Secondary Romance:
Jamie and Marvis could have been such an interesting and contrasting romance to Duang and Qin’s. They are sexier, flirtier and have such sizzling chemistry. Yet, not enough time is dedicated to their sexy beginning, and how they might be falling for each other. Their interaction lacks depth, even though they make such a good-looking couple. I wish they were given more time instead of all the fillers we get.

Production:
The drama does look pretty. With nice big apartments and houses, some interesting and unique clothing choices for Qin and Marvis. They also have money to go to Japan! I’m glad the characters are not always in their university white shirts, but also have some cool casual wear. Since it’s a Thai drama, there are product placements, too much lipstick (though thank goodness not bright pink). Lastly, I want to applaud the OST. This drama has really great and lovely songs, sung by the cast. I got the OST playing while I’m writing this review.


Do I recommend “Duang With You”? Only if you fit what I listed in those 4 categories above. This is a young romantic-comedy with a lot of cheesiness and fluffiness. It’s not for everyone. But if you can get past that, it’s a story of how two opposites attract and complement each other is the best possible way. I just wish the drama is a lot shorter, and edited in a way to tighten the storylines and give more screen time to others that are not the leads.


Completed: 4/18/2026 Review #683

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Simple but comfortable Time-Traveling drama with good leads chemistry

“Always Meet Again” was an impromptu watch as I was looking for something light. Well, it turns out not to be as light as I thought, but not too angsty or sad either. The plot is quite simple. Jang Hye Seong traveled back in time and met his first love. At first, he tried to avoid him but ended up actively trying to change the past for him. Was he successful? You will have to find that out yourself. One thing good about non-Chinese time traveling dramas is that there is no censorship. So, you don’t have to worry about the lead waking up from a dream, or it’s a novel within a novel. Those could be so darn frustrating.

Despite this being a very simple plot, I actually quite enjoy it. The acting is better than I thought for a low budget production with not very experienced actors. Lead actors Woo Jin Han and Shin Jeong You previously starred in “A Breeze of Love” together. I find their acting improved from the last drama and the chemistry is good. They look like they are pretty comfortable with each other.

The earlier episodes are OK, but the story gets better towards the latter half. I also find the acting gets better as the story goes as well. The drama doesn’t really have many heart-stopping cute and fluffy scenes, nor heart-wrenching sad scenes. It’s just a really comfortable watch, yet in the end, I did get a little more emotional. I was rooting for ML’s success in changing the past.

Having said that, my biggest complaint probably lies in one not very logical decision. If you’re so desperate trying to change the fate of your loved one, and know that riding a bike could lead to a very bad outcome, why would you go on a trip on a bike? You have already put 4 locks on that bike, why not take the bus or the train? What’s with the introduction of potential color blindness, but with no explanation whatsoever. Why? What’s the connection to time traveling? Is it a barrier to being a painter? What's going on? Another minor complaint is very subjective since I am not a fan of love at first sight. Lee U Jin seems to have fallen for Jang Hye Seong rather quickly, like one or two encounters. But this is a short drama, so I guess that’s ok. Lastly, there’s too much bright light back lighting. I am blinded by several scenes and that’s not romantic to me when I can barely see.

I do truly enjoy the drama for what it is if I don’t think too hard on the plot holes. The chemistry of the leads carries the show. I enjoy watching scenes of them together, and just being together. It feels natural, nice and warm. In the end, I did get the emotional highs and lows that I want in a drama. I would recommend a one-time watch if you like time traveling.



Completed: 3/27/2026 Review #678

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A very lovely ending, though I wish these episodes are incorporated in the drama itself

Ep 1 - 7.5
Ep 2 - 8.5
Average - 8.0

There really is no good reason for breaking up these special episodes into such short ones, except for creating and prolonging the hype. And because it’s broken up, I’ll have to evaluate the episodes separately.

I was disappointed in the first episode and was concerned that it might undo the happy vibes and positive reviews I’ve had for the drama. Was it a bad episode? Not necessarily. Was it great to see a longer, more close up kiss? Definitely. But the episode of the game has no substance. The focus is on the latter part when the make out session happens. Yes, I like a longer kiss, but it was not a pretty kiss. It’s forceful yet not passionate. Therefore, I was worried it ended on a vibe that’s different from what the series gave me.

However, episode 2 restored my faith and what I like about the drama. It was cute and fluffy, the personalities of the leads are still there. Most importantly, the honest and open communication of feelings are still there. It feels that they have really grown as a couple and are more comfortable with each other. It’s nice to finally see Hioki hear Watarai’s side of the story, even though as viewers, we already know. Additionally, we got a little more skinship that feels romantic and passionate. Well, it's still a somewhat disappointing kiss to me. But this episode is so much better than the first one.

I wish the drama had incorporated these special episodes into the drama itself. If ep 2 was the ending of the whole drama, then I would say the drama ended on a high note. Instead, episode 10 ended on an OK note.


Completed: 1/6/2026 Review #658

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Flashes (but unsustainable) of Excellence with many raw, witty and sarcastic dialogs

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25

I was excited to watch another good sismance show as it’s been a while. The first episode showed great promise! I love the witty, sarcastic dialogs, showing how these best ‘friends’ are not the typical I-will-die-for-my-girlfriend-type vibes. My favorite sismance drama is “Remembrance of Things Past” and I’ve been trying to find another one that hits me the same emotionally. Unfortunately, “Dear Enemy” is not that. Maybe the more slice-of-life feel to it doesn’t hit me the same way with a more dramatic plot in the other drama.


Sismance/Sisterhood (for the most part)
As I said, I love the first episode. The dinner between the 3 ladies and Zhou Mu Sun was excellent. The fake smiles, the fake praises, the subtle and not-so-subtle jabs at each other created this delicious scene. I love it when Luo Man and Chen Kai Xi are at odds with each other. I love how they can lay everything down, yell at each other, hit where it hurts the most. And of course, at the end of the day, they are still best friends for life, and will do everything to support each other. Their friendship is precious, even after not seeing each other for years after college. However, there are also many scenes where it feels dragged out. There’s a lot of talking and not a lot of action. Sometimes they sound quite preachy.

Chemistry between Luo Man and Zhou Mu Sun
I was eating up the chemistry between the two since the very beginning. They are mature, intellectual, sarcastic and like word gymnastics and twisters. Their push-and-pull was excellent. But above all, they are honest with each other, and expectations are set at the very beginning. I don’t really know if I should say their romance is slow burn or not. As a romance lover, I do like to see their romance take up more screen time than anticipated. Yet at times, it feels like the back-and-forth lasted too long, with the pauses breaking the rhythm and chemistry. But that very last scene of them together at the restaurant was excellent. It was so honest, so true and what a slap-in-the-face wake up call.

Luo Man vs Chen Kai Xi
What a fun character she is! I love her and the actress, Gai Ye. This is the first time I’ve seen Gao Ye in a main role and I don’t remember her at all in the two guest roles I’ve seen her. Luo Man is the fun at the party. I look forward to whatever comes out of her mouth next. Such a firecracker who doesn’t give a damn (or pretends not to). Because she’s such a fun character, her friend Chen Kai Xi feels like such a boring housewife to me. I am not sure if I like Michelle Chen’s acting here, or just dislike how her character is written. When Chen Kai Xi is not having a confrontation or heart-to-heart with Luo Man, I find her super bland. Her storyline does not bring anything new or any excitement. Compared to the fun work life and romance Luo Man has, hers is when I feel the drama drags on.

Chemistry between Luo Man and Fang Chi
Their story could have been better if given a little more time to develop. The first encounter was interesting, but that awkwardness didn’t quite carry through to the initial development of their relationship. Fang Chi is cute and adorable, shy but not shy. I actually quite like his character and it’s a great contrast to the chemistry between Luo Man and Zhou Mu Sun. The shooting of the documentary is my second least favorite part of the drama (1st is the marital problem). It only provides Luo Man and Fang Chi to be at the same place at the same time, but not enough depth to build on a possible romance.

Zhong Qing Cheng
Wang Peng is so beautiful in this drama as Zhong Qin Cheng. I haven’t seen her in a while, and I like a more mature Wang Peng. I enjoyed her story and her scenes in the first half of the drama, but then she seems to have fallen off the face of the earth, and only pops up when needed to advance the other storylines. I wish Zhong Qing Cheng has a more integral part in the sisterhood. Her part in the last couple episodes feel really rushed and incomplete.


Despite this not being a perfect drama, I would still recommend “Dear Enemy” if you are looking for a strong sismance/sisterhood drama. When it was good, it was really good. The three women are strong and smart. They have their own background story, adventures and challenges in life. It’s lovely to see how far they have come and the growth and understanding they have of themselves. But if I still feel a little distracted and bored during these short 24 episodes, then something is not hitting me right emotionally.


Completed: 12/7/2025 Review #650

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Welcome, Singapore! First S-drama completed, added and reviewed.

(previously posted on the Feeds before Singapore was added to the database)

"The Sparkle in Your Eye" is a small budget production with only a few members in the cast. The acting is pretty good and I love the theme song (though it's overplayed a bit). The leads have great chemistry but the kisses are disappointing. LOL.😘 The drama has a slow start but gets better as it goes. It started with a light-hearted tone of fan meets idol in the shooting of a BL drama.

Then the drama changes from a rom-com to a melodrama. The plot is still keeping me interested but man, it also pisses me off.😡 I understand why Pei Jia was hesitant in disclosing certain info to Su Yi. But it is unacceptable that he's so vague in his 'warning'. He is putting Pei Jia at risk and you know what, he should blame himself. I tried to be empathetic but it's hard. I can't say I am satisfied with the ending and felt that there are still loose ends.

However, given this is a low budget production, it is actually pretty good. I have definitely seen worse. It would be better if the drama cuts down on the number of flashbacks It also doesn't hurt that I found Chen Ye Sheng (who played Pei Jia) to be quite attractive. 😉

Final rating: 8.0 (adjusted to low-budget productions rating system)

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Simple and cute. A great cozy watch after a long and stressful day

Thanks to an MDLer who posted about “You Want Some?” on the feeds, I was able to check out this sweet and cute Korean BL Vertical. I’ve seen many Chinese Verticals, and this would be my first Korean one.

The story is simple yet interesting. Two college students bet on who is going to fall in love with the other first. It’s not hard to guess why one of them suggested this bet in the first place. After a long stressful day, this is the perfect stress-reliefer. The acting is decent for a low budget production as I have seen much worse from a regular Korean BL. In about 1 hour and 12 minutes (I watched the consolidated movie version), “You Want Some?” is able to tell a coherent story and shows us how the leads develop feelings for each other, have some minor bumps in their relationship and still gives us a satisfactory ending. The chemistry is good and I like the back-and-forth flirting, especially from the simpleton and flustered male lead. There aren’t any annoying characters, just one ‘villain’ who showed up towards the end. I don’t remember much about the music though.

If you don’t mind a low budget projection and have an hour to kill, this is an easy and entertaining watch.


Completed: 6/21/2025 - Review #593

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The leads did not steal my heart and I don't care much about them

Subjective Gut Rating: 7.25

The male lead is quite important for me in a drama that has a strong focus on romance. If I like the male lead, I tend to rate the drama at least a 7.75, if not an 8.0, even if the drama is only so-so. Unfortunately, the ML in “Omukae Shibuya-Kun” aka “Going Home with Shibuya-Kun” did not steal my heart.

I was hoping I would get past his awkwardness and find him cute. That didn’t quite happen and it's more because of the writing than the acting. Don’t get me wrong, there are several scenes that are quite funny and I laughed out loud. But as a whole, I find Shibuya-kun overly weird without a lot of character development. His tears don't move me and after a few times, I got a little bit annoyed. He might have changed a little at the end, but it was too little too late. The female lead also doesn’t impress me much. The acting is OK but I think the writing of the character is missing a certain something to make her lovable.

I am a fan of the initial guessing of feelings and I do like that part. It doesn’t take long for ML to fall in love with FL and vice versa (and I still don’t quite buy this love at first sight). For a J-drama, it took quite a long time for the leads to get together, and that’s a problem here. Despite a likable supporting cast adding some flavors to this awkward romance, I just don’t care much about the leads and not really rooting or not rooting for them to be together.

The highlight for me is little Rizumu. This girl is so cute and speaks her lines so well. The few scenes of the BL dramas are quite fun. I actually don’t mind seeing more behind-the-scenes shots of the fake dramas.

I was looking for a cute and adorable romance with decent/good kisses that can melt my icy heart. “Omukae Shibuya-Kun” did not meet my expectations. It’s not horrible, just a little below-average. I probably won't recommend this as there are so many other cuter and sweet manga adaptations out there.


Completed: 3/29/2025 - Review #560

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A rollercoaster ride of emotions brought to you by excellent acting

“What Comes after Love” tells a simple story of young and innocent love, going through the challenges of everyday life, and coming to the realization that only love is just not enough. These young lovers reunited 5 years after their breakup. The drama tells their love story through flashbacks to the past and present, and is narrated from both leads’ perspectives. There’s an added colorful touch with regards to cultural differences between Japan and South Korea.

After the series ended, I couldn’t decide if I liked it or not. There are so many frustrating moments where I want to strangle the leads because of the lack of communication and the lack of action. Towards the end, I did feel the interactions between the leads become somewhat repetitive but not to the extent that I dislike the drama. I just want them to speak up or do something!

However, I cannot deny the fact that I love this romance from innocent puppy love, to regrets and pain. Their smiles, laughter and passionate love for each other is so contagious. On the flip side, the longing, pain, depression, loneliness and regret break my heart. But none of the emotional rollercoaster could have happened if not for the excellent acting from Lee Se Young and Sakaguchi Kentaro.

Both actors are perfectly casted. I am not sure how Lee Se Young’s Japanese sounds to a native speaker, but it sounded perfect to me. This might be one of her best roles yet. Kentaro has this dorky and shy charm. He conveyed the unspoken words through microexpressions on his face and his eyes. His character is a man of few words and Lee Se Young has very few lines in the last couple episodes too. Yet, I feel every emotion that they’re trying to convey.

If you like a melodrama of lovers reconnected after a difficult breakup, I would recommend “What Comes After Love” for you. The cinematography, music and the use of literature complemented the plot and the acting so well.


Completed: 11/5/2024 - Review #509

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An easy slow-paced watch with repetitive flashbacks and a decent OST.

I seriously went into this without expectations at all. I am not sure what attracted me to watch this, maybe because it was a Taiwanese BL and I mostly have a decent time watching them. Then I realized “First Note of Love” is actually a Taiwanese/Thai co-production and that was interesting.

One reviewer commented that this should have been watched as a movie or binged. I agree because if I had to wait weekly for 1 episode, I would have given up. The pacing of the drama is slow and full of repetitive flashbacks. If I watched this weekly, I would complain I wasted 30 mins on basically only 15 minutes of substance. But since I binged it, the flashbacks got to me. Additionally, one song was played on repeat for half of the drama. Even though I like the song, I was getting sick and tired of it.

Having said all that, I have a generally good time watching “First Note of Love”. I like the acting, the story of healing and getting over a loss/trauma, and I was looking forward to a great comeback performance. The comeback performance was fun, but definitely not the grand finale I was expecting. The romance is sweet and angst-free, but I think Neil falls in love with Sea a little too quickly. I found the secondary couple really cute and want to know more about them. The use of both Thai and Chinese is better than I thought and I actually look forward to their conversations to see what language they will be using. We got some pretty good kisses but I wish the supposedly sexy scene was shot better and more passionately, and not in slow motion with filters of forced-romantic lighting.

The ending is not super impactful and the professional decisions made of their future is a little head-scratchingly vague. Objectively, this should probably be rated at 7.5 but the personal enjoyment factor is at an 8.0.



Completed: 11/2/2024 - Review #507

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