Completed
Midnight Diner
22 people found this review helpful
Oct 18, 2011
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 10
Rewatch Value 7.0
I loved this drama. It's quiet and thoughtful. Each episode can exist on its own. The story is original and the cast did a wonderful job. Although there isn't much music, the music they use is very good. The opening theme song is amazing. I immediately googled it and will buy it as soon as I can find someplace to get it.
I recommend this drama to anyone who is looking for something different. There isn't anything supernatural, there aren't any ikemen or suspense, but it draws you into the hearts and minds of the characters. It perfectly communicates the loneliness that can sometimes find you when you live in a big city.
If only I could find a Midnight Cafe here....hehe.

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Completed
River Flows to You
22 people found this review helpful
by Qin
Aug 1, 2019
52 of 52 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 8.0
This drama would be one of few the dramas I would remember. I felt empty after I finish this drama. The drama is very suspenseful and I would recommend watching it. Many parts of the drama was dramatic and overall sad. It’s not like the other drama these days where they let the antagonist off so easily and the antagonist apologies to the main characters. Also the main character is not that weak and need so much attention cared to our main characters these days. This is a great and sad drama. :))))))
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Completed
Itoshi Kimi e
21 people found this review helpful
Jul 22, 2012
11 of 11 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 10
Rewatch Value 8.0
Itoshi Kimi e is a heartwarming, uplifting, simple yet elegant drama. As one can guess from the synopsis the plot isn’t very original. May be it was in 2004 but in the past few years we’ve been presented with countless dramas in which the main characters are diagnosed with rare diseases. That is the very reason why I didn’t pick this drama up sooner though it had been on my watching list for a long time. If you look at only the basic storyline, it may not appear to be something extraordinary but the intriguing metaphors, conforming cast, moving performance and adroit direction altogether work out to distinguish
this drama from the ones sharing similar plot-line.

The story is depicted in a narrative style. Each episode starts and ends with deliberate, thoughtful insights of one of the main characters- Shiki. The drama follows a very classic style accompanied by beautifully fitting music and subtly progresses to unfold various events and develop the relationship among the characters. It tells us the memorable yet unlikely love story between Shunsuke, a talented and famed photographer, who is about to go blind in a few months and Shiki, a kind-hearted and unpretentious pediatrician, who seeks to define her role in the final moments of her beloved one. I said ‘unlikely’ because the role of Shiki wasn’t supposed to be the one who stands by Shunsuke at the end; rather it was meant to be that of a “mere audience”….. as she herself described it. One of the many things I liked in this drama is that it does not use the word ‘love’ lightly or take this intense feeling for granted rather it seeks to find out the true meaning behind it. As a result, we get to enjoy the detailed, gentle, fateful encounters which brought these two destined persons together. The meaningful sub-plots, perceptive dialogues, appreciative characters stir our emotion, compel us to ponder over life and appreciate what we have even more.

This drama has an ensemble of beautiful characters. Each of them shines in their own way and enriches the main story with their own follies, hardships, sadness and joys of life. They are not perfect but they tried their best to do the right thing from their own perspective and that’s why they felt so real. They are not persons who disregard the pains of others only because they didn’t have the misfortune to experience those themselves and that’s why I loved all of them. I promise that the characters will surprise you, will make you cry and laugh along with them.

I’ve always liked Fujiki Naohito but in this drama he was simply gorgeous. Kanno Miho did a fairly good job as an innocent, honest, young doctor. The rest of the cast was just impeccable.
Although the storyline hints at being pretty solemn, it’s not tearfully sentimental. It’s also a drama about family and friendship with lots of funny, humorous moments which make the mood lighter at the appropriate time. There are some dramatic, cheesy and predictable moments but it doesn’t affect the overall excellence of the tale.

I decided not to over-hype it but don’t think I succeeded. The plot isn’t unique after all and I’d recommend it only when you are in the mood to try something slow, earnest but significant. The very last scene of this drama is one of the most beautiful ones I’ve ever seen in a drama. Even if you don’t like the drama as much as I did and decide to drop it, I’d ask you to watch the last few moments of this drama and I believe it’ll be able to touch your heart.

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Completed
You're All Surrounded
94 people found this review helpful
Jul 18, 2014
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 9
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
Sequel??? I hope so. This drama has a fresh story line. It has almost anything a person could want in a drama. It has suspense, romance, comedy, action, and a bit of melodrama. The chemistry between the actors is excellent. There is consistent character development. The writing and directing is so well done. The best part is that I enjoyed each and every episode. That has been hard to find this year in dramaland.

All of the acting was good. I will just point out a few things. Love him or hate him (I happen to love him), Lee Seung Gi can kiss. I had no idea that Go Ah Ra that plays Na Jung in Reply 1994 was the same person as Eu Soo Sun. She just shot up the ranks of actress that I like. I love Cha Seung Won's dorky characters. He is just too cute. Is Jeong Dong Hwan going to play freakishly scary characters in every drama from now on? He seriously gives me the creeps when he does that smile. BBBRRR!!!

The music is appropriate and sometimes funny.

I will rewatch this at some point. I'm tempted to rewatch it right now. Seriously.

I highly recommend this drama.

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Completed
Luoyang
70 people found this review helpful
Dec 29, 2021
39 of 39 episodes seen
Completed 15
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.0

The wind rises in Luoyang

2021 has not been a particularly prolific year for detective investigation and wuxia themed C-historicals. The only one that I had completed this year would be The Imperial Coroner, which was quite good for a low budget web series. There were probably a couple others that I recall encountering but nothing large-scale in terms of the budget and prominence… until Luoyang came along. This is a highly anticipated production for several reasons.

> It is headlined by Wang Yi Bo, Huang Xuan and Song Qian. WYB obviously has his immense popularity and fanbase, but I also think he is a talented actor who has much to showcase if given the right script. The critically acclaimed and award-winning HX needs no further introduction while SQ is no stranger either with a fanbase for her music productions and acting honours in recent years as well.

> One look at the source material for the adaptation tells you pretty much what to expect. The story is based on Ma Bo Yong’s eponymous novel. For those in the know, Ma Bo Yong is the author of The Twelfth Hour in Chang’an, from which The Longest Day in Chang’an is adapted, as well as The Wind Blows from Longxi which is currently being adapted to a drama.

> Ever since the teaser appeared earlier this year, expectations have been soaring, judging from social media responses and even here on MDL. I was super impressed from what little had been shown because it looked very much the top quality content that it promises to be.

Luoyang is directed by Xie Ze, who helmed Jun Jiu Ling this year as well as the high profile Yang Mi fantasy, Legend of Fu Yao. Qing Mei serves as scriptwriter, after her interesting work on The Eight last year. Principal photography took place entirely at Hengdian World Studios between November 2020 and March 2021. This iQiyi co-production is big budget which reportedly involved in excess of 5,000 sets of clothing and modeling accessories, as well as more than 15,000 sets of props. These efforts were meant to accentuate the prosperous scenes of Luoyang during the heyday of the Tang Dynasty.

The story is set during the interregnum period of the short-lived Wu Zhao Dynasty, itself a part of the great Tang Dynasty. At this time the imperial capital was relocated from Chang’an to Luoyang. The fates of three unrelated individuals are intertwined as they cross paths during investigations into a mysterious murder case which puts them on a collision course with an enigmatic secret organisation that has nefarious designs on the reign of China’s only Empress regnant, Wu Zetian.

What I Liked

The production quality. Specifically the art direction, set designs, action choreography and most obviously the money well spent on the sheer numbers of extras. From the first minute of the first episode, you could tell immediately this is top-tier content. Luoyang actually resembles a real city, rather than merely a production set. The huge crowd of inhabitants walking the streets exude a metropolis feel to the bustling city centre. Although this was filmed at Hengdian, you simply couldn’t tell because the production team managed to mask the obvious very well indeed. The action sequences of the choreographed martial arts moves, the coordination of mass fighting and the frenetic street chases are absolutely superb entertainment. Meanwhile, the inner palaces and the throne room settings are gloriously opulent and majestic, thanks in large part to the visual framing of the scenes. The general appearance of this drama is reminiscent of The Longest Day in Chang’an, with the exception of a more polished colour grading and less grain in the overall visuals.

The premise and the plot. The Tang Dynasty and Empress Wu Zetian historical settings are favourites of mine. The infusion of an intriguingly extensive overarching mystery with a profoundly conspiratorial connotation and no lack of convoluted twists makes Luoyang all the more enthralling. It is complex, fast paced, eventful and unpredictable - it’s truly been a while since we had such a smartly-written mystery. The reveals are timed to perfection without letting the cat out of the bag too early or being underwhelming to adversely detract from the gripping nature of the storytelling. The story continuously builds and engages right to the climactic ending.

The main characters and portrayals. Huang Xuan plays the gritty investigator Gao Bing Zhu, the perfect ancient iteration of the hardboiled detectives in crime noirs. This is a deliciously layered and multifaceted role that suits the range and depth that he possesses. In fact, most of the powerfully emotional moments in this drama feature his scenes. Wang Yi Bo is the stoic but brilliant engineer and scion of a prominent house of imperial engineers, Baili Hong Yi (aka Er Lang). In many respects, this character is an exact replica of his Lan Wangji in The Untamed. I actually prefer his brooding interpretation here compared to the playful character in Legend of Fei where he just can’t stop smiling. Making up the dynamic trio is Victoria Song Qian’s female inner guard, Wu Si Yue. This is an interesting character who is the only one of the three leads that initially embodies the values of justice and professionalism in her conduct, whereas the other two have their own vested interests and personal motivations. It’s safe to say that Song Qian’s performance here indeed warrants the tag of strong and relentless FL.

Of the supporting characters and cast, I have to mention a number of performances that have left quite an impression on me. The veteran Yong Mei plays Wu Zetian in what has been a uniquely refreshing take on the iconic historical figure. Most depictions hitherto have been utterly colourful, fashionably stylish and, of course, hugely intimidating. Her version is understated, subtle and nuanced. Whilst the image appears less menacing and even motherly, given the twilight years of her reign, I still feel the ominous undercurrent that threatens to burst into life beneath that deadly calm exterior. Despite the limited screen presence, Zhang Li deserves credit for her portrayal of Yao Niang, particularly during one of the scenes of acting masterclass between her and Huang Xuan.

The drama features a total of six original songs in its soundtrack. My personal favourite is the contemplative ending theme by Huang Shifu, Longing of Heart. Full listing as follows:

长风送 Chang Feng Sang - 宋茜 Song Qian
心念 Longing of Heart - 黄诗扶 Huang Shifu
无关 Wu Guan - 汪苏泷 Wang Sulong
笑黄梁 Xiao Huang Liang - 李振宁 Li Zhenning
天机 Tianji - 李常超 Li Changchao
风起洛阳 Wind from Luoyang - Winky诗 Winky Poem

What I Didn’t Like

The somewhat trippy camerawork, particularly for the action sequences. The cinematography has been somewhat inconsistent in this respect, although it does progressively improve. I do understand that it is a stylistic choice in the way the fight scenes are presented, to immerse viewers into the atmospherics of the scenes. The quieter and emotional moments, on the other hand, are generally better framed.

I did not appreciate the melodramatic aspects of the plot pertaining to FL’s brother persistently attempting to marry her off or frequently constraining her investigative efforts. Likewise the story arc relating to a certain side character and his unhealthy obsession with a long-lost childhood love interest.

I need to rant about one character in particular, Liu Ran. Somehow a majority of C-historicals seem to favour this particular characterisation. The whiny, clueless, and besotted airhead who constantly annoys by ceaselessly crying out for the object of her affections. In this case, I think I’ve heard the name “Er Lang” being called out hundreds of times throughout the whole drama. Usually such characters would eventually experience tremendous growth but not so here. Her trajectory remains constant right to the end, unfortunately. However, I do not blame Song Yi for the portrayal. She could only make do with what she’s given and I know she has a lot more substance than that.

The last thing that irked me - the ending. Without spoiling it, let’s just say that while the story does achieve closure, the final outcome isn’t ideal. There is a huge room for improvement in this aspect but I fear this is as good as it will ever get for us viewers.

Final Thoughts

All things considered, Luoyang is most definitely one of the better C-drama productions and investigation themed historicals of the year that shouldn’t be missed by fans of the genre and for those interested in trying their hand at C-historicals. At only 39 episodes in length, the storytelling is brisk, intense and coherent which is very well-suited for the binge.

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Completed
Theory of Love
70 people found this review helpful
Apr 6, 2020
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 9.0
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
Ive seen quite a few Thai BL dramas, and i must say this is the one Im most impressed with so far - a not so particularly good yet believable story, good character development, nice sets, amazing costume, great cast. The show doesnt feel cheap - It feels like a korean drama.

Off really looked like a matinee idol here, and Gun is such a believable actor. And that train scene?!

No cheesy high school-like scenarios. The story and the lines are well written for the age of the characters. Thoroughly enjoyable. This is the first Thai BL so far that i wished there were more than 12 episodes, i almost didnt watch the last episode cause i didnt want it to end.

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Completed
My Sassy Girl
46 people found this review helpful
Aug 22, 2011
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 10
I've only heard good things about this movie - and after watching it I can see why (: For a movie that came out a decade ago it's done really well. If not for the cinematography you wouldn't know the difference.



The story sets off in the future and then we come to learn of this miss "sassy girl" who takes over Gyun Woo's life after they meet. The story had me laughing from the beginning. I wasn't sure where the story would wind up turning until the end of it where it comes full circle and ends with a cute ending (: It's definitely one of the best romantic comedies I've seen. Miss "sassy girl" , you never learn her name, but her character is original. And poor Gyun Woo, you can't help but feel sorry for the unfortunate events that continue to happen to him in the movie - at the same time laughing.



The acting is terrific - I have no complaints at all about any of the actors in this movie.



As for music - there really wasn't any main song to this movie. The only song that sticks out is the instrumental "Pachelbel Canon" by George Winston - if you don't recognize this name I'm sure you'll recognize it upon hearing it in the movie (:



My rewatch value is high - I'll definitely watch this movie again - I really enjoyed watching it!



Overall - I think this is indeed a "Classic" and if you're someone who enjoys romantic comedies I think it's something you need to watch (: So if you have some time and looking for something to watch I recommend this movie! So - watch it (:

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Completed
Flower Boy Ramen Shop
46 people found this review helpful
by rachel
Jul 3, 2012
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
A very youthful, lighthearted romantic comedy, with minimum melodrama and lots of laughs!

Even though Jung Il Woo is pretty much the star of the show, he is well and truly part of a tightknit ensemble cast that have great chemistry together. Each character of the ensemble have their own quirky personality traits, and their own obstacles (personal or otherwise) to overcome as the show progresses.

The Ramyun Shop is used very effectively as the one thing that holds all of them together. Truly a family away from real family.
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Completed
The Novelist
46 people found this review helpful
Sep 1, 2018
6 of 6 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.0
I've been a bit iffy when watching Japanese BL because for the most part it never really delivers on the realism with lackluster kiss scenes and barely any action till the final episodes. After watching the first episode of 'Pornographer' I thought this would be the case yet again. But as the series commenced I was quickly proven wrong. With only 6 episodes at just over 22-minutes each, the story was filled with rich development that was brought to life by a phenomenal cast! The chemistry between the two male leads was excellent and the intimate scenes where beautifully executed that at times I thought I was watching a soft-core porno!

STORY: 9/10
The story of 'Pornographer' is more complex than it lets out to be. A young student crashes into a man with his bike who just so happens to be a pornographic novel writer. The novel author is injured and hurts his left wrist (which is suggested is his dominant hand). Since the young student has no money to pay for the hospital bills, he offers his services to the be the writer for the porno author till his hand recuperates. During this time together, the two develop a strong and meaningful relationship as the young student learns more about the author, who he calls 'Sensei', and becomes a fan of his writing style. He also learns that his Sensei has dreams of becoming an author outside the porno genre and that for now porn novels is what is sustaining his finances. The story sounds cut and dry, but there is a lot of mystery introduced into the plot as the young student gets Jealous of other characters that interact with his Sensei and when he starts imaging himself in the same sexual situations with that he writes about in his Sensei's novels. I would have given the story a perfect score, but unfortunately the ending left me without closure. I would hope there is a second season for this drama, but I'm not sure if there will be. Open-ended endings are nice, but I like endings where I am sure things have been properly resolved.

ACTING: 9.5/10
Every single actor in this drama gave glowing performances. Both main-actors played their characters amazingly well and their chemistry was through the roof. I especially enjoyed the editor character that came in later, he was extremely hunky and had a deep voice that made my heart swoon, All-in-all the whole cast was excellent!

MUSIC: 8.5
The music was good. It was a bit cheesy at times but it helped movie the story along and capture the feelings of the characters,

REWATCH VALUE: 8/10
I'd say this drama is good for one more watch but after that it may lose it magic. It's too short and there is no point looking into it much deeper than what is given to you unless season 2 is in the works. Other than that it would just feel incomplete.

OVERALL: 9/10
I really enjoyed this drama and I highly recommend it to any BL lover. Both main actors are not only easy on the eyes but have great acting chops. Their chemistry was also wonderful and the story itself is filled with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

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Completed
Miss Hammurabi
46 people found this review helpful
by shrimp
Jul 18, 2018
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 3
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers
This drama.. Ohhh boy.. It is very good. It talks about things and topics that needs more attention. In this drama there were enough of serious and comedic scenes non of them overpowered each other, what made the watching more enjoyable.

Story:
I liked how the story doesn’t have focus on romance but to the problems that any person can live through in their lives.

Characters:
I loved the fact that L finally got a main role in this drama and he proved his talent in acting. He had to play a serious and close- hearted character whom he did great! He was so cute that sometimes my UWU screamed so loud that I was even surprised.
Go Ah Ra’s character was the reason I fell in love with this drama. And how later on in drama her past was told and what she did go through as a teen.
Chemistry between characters was good too. How everyone tried to understand and help each other.
What I appreciated was the fact that Im Ba Reun confessing his feelings to Par Cho Oh Reum didn’t make things awkward between the characters, but let them understand the situation that is happening and bordering the characters.
Second lead character relationship was adorable too. How they interacted to each other.
I felt attached to every character in this drama.

Music:
OST was REALLY good. It didn't bother to stay focused on the scenes, but it felt more like the music completed them. It gave the right feeling to the scenes.

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Completed
Head 2 Head
46 people found this review helpful
by Aaku Finger Heart Award1 Clap Clap Clap Award1 Reply Hugger1
Nov 4, 2025
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 10
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

Head 2 Head? More Like Living Rent-Free in My Head

This series honestly sneaks up on you. What starts off feeling like sharp banter, rivalry, and chaos slowly turns into something way heavier and endearing. I didn't even realize when it happened- one moment I was entertained, the next I was deeply and emotionally invested. My only complaint is how short the episodes are and the occasional abrupt scene cuts which actually did not bother me as much, because JeromeJinn, they make it completely worth it.

Jerome and Jinn are pure chaos in the best way. They started off as rivals who were constantly at each other's throats- insults, glares, nonstop competition but let's be real, that was just them flirting in denial. Every argument, every petty moment, every attempt to one-up the other was just unresolved feelings screaming for attention. Their chemistry is insane. The trailer calls them each other's nightmare, but all I see is them being each other's world. These two walk into a room and the gravity literally shifts. Their entire world just... orbits around each other. Unintentionally, intentionally- doesn't matter. Whether they are racing, arguing, or simply existing in the same space, it's always them against each other and them with each other, basically always them together.

Spoilers Alert!!

What really elevates the story is how it handles the darker elements. The dreams, visions, and accidents don't exist just for shock value, they slowly change the tone of everything. There's this constant sense that something bad is coming, and J's decision to not tell Jinn becomes its own source of tension. I understand why he does it, but watching him carry that weight alone is painful. The fear is quiet, personal, and suffocating, which makes it hit harder than any dramatic twist. Also, I get why some people feel the dreams are repetitive but isn't that the entire point of the series? Every dream sequence builds on the last. They're not just repeating for the sake of it; they're accumulating. Each one adds a new layer, getting heavier, more serious, and disturbingly real.

I have a lot of favorite moments- like a lot, every episode it just adds up. If I had to mention one of my absolute top favorite then one is Jerome's realization. J admitting he never hated Jinn and that he does not want to forget about the diary- oh my god, that whole scene. The way it played out, the atmosphere, the tension, the way they looked at each other, every word he spoke... and especially the vision of the future that followed, where they softly held each other's hand in the air as they looked at each other- that felt like a promise, like something they didn't have to say out loud because it was already written between them and to top it all off, "Not a Crush?" playing in the background blended so perfectly with the moment- it was perfect. My heart genuinely could not handle it. It was raw, it was beautiful, it was them. Every single second of that moment just cemented why I am completely, hopelessly obsessed with this series.

Also, I cannot not mention the hospital scene after Jinn's head injury. It's painfully beautiful. J is drowning in guilt, convinced the accident is his fault, while Jinn sees it as life being unpredictable and refuses to let J carry the weight of fate itself. What breaks me is realizing Jinn’s biggest fear isn't death- it's J slowly destroying himself with guilt. Even the suggestion of breaking up isn't cruelty; it's desperation. And that kiss? Not romantic... pure panic. A wordless don't say that. Then the line, "But if something happens to me one day, I'll believe you did your best."
This... this has my heart. Jinn isn't asking J to stop caring- he's asking him to stop hurting himself. I have so many more favorite moments and scenes that if I start listing them, I might actually fill every single page of that diary- you know the one that was first Jinn’s and now belongs to Jerome >_<

And then there's FarmVan- a whole different flavor of emotional chaos. Van hijacks Farm's space, steals his snacks, takes his bed like it's his own. And Farm, my sweet, soft, painfully in love Farm. He lets him. Every. Single. Time. Their chemistry is explosive and so is the tension between them. Every glance, every touch, every little flirt makes my heart do somersaults. But here's the thing- Van's insecurity is real, and he's constantly sabotaging himself. He tries, at least with Farm but it's never enough to stop him from hurting Farm in the process. And Farm... my sweet, soft, endlessly patient Farm. He loves Van so fully it hurts.

Also, I never could hate Van. He made me furious, but he also made me care, and that balance is hard to pull off. I understood what he was doing and why he was doing it, even when I couldn't agree with his choices. And honestly, that's what makes this series so strong- it's incredibly consistent with its characters. No one suddenly acts a certain way just to push the plot forward. Every messy decision, every bad call, still feels rooted in who they are. Nothing feels out of character, and that's what makes all the emotional beats hit so much harder.

Also, shout out to Mai who has been third wheeling, actually no fifth wheeling so hard I am convinced he deserves financial compensation and also a partner at this point. He has really suffered enough. I adore his friendship with them. And while we're at it, I absolutely love the mums and their friendship too- warm, grounding, and quietly perfect.

And I am in love with the OST, especially "Turns Out It's You". I have had it on loop for days. The lines- "I told myself no, but turns out it's you. I told myself don't, but you are the one." that is literally J and Jinn in TWO LINES. It screams them. In fact the song bleeds them. Also, "Secret Crush" is just as good and this is J's POV. And "Not a Crush?" is Jinn's POV. I love all the osts including Friend Next Door and all those unknown background music which I still don't know the names of.

This series might not be perfect, and I am sure it has it's flaws, but for me, it's nothing short of perfect. It has a way of pulling me in and making every moment feel unforgettable. I'm so damn in love with this series. Highly Recommended!!

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Completed
Old Boy
46 people found this review helpful
Dec 22, 2011
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 10
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 10
Came across the title of this movie somewhere, can't remember now it was a really long time ago, and a group were discussing the storyline. It is a popular Korean movie. Well, it sure got my attention with its twisted, yet fascinating, turn of events. You will have to watch it to know what I'm talking about. The storyline is bizarre, just the idea is actually pretty original. At the beginning the viewer is pretty much hanging by a thread, on the verge of bursting out of his/her demand what was the reason that got all those unfortunate things inflicted on the main character. At moments I felt overcome with the information that was slowly unrevealed. So twisted, I can't get it out of my mind no matter how hard I try. There is a good reason this movie is so well-known. It earned it.

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Completed
Hwarang
113 people found this review helpful
by Pliuzz
Feb 22, 2017
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 7.5
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 5.5
Hwarang began at the top of my list for most anticipated drama. It boasted a star studded cast as well as the fact that it was pre-filmed which seemed to promise a quality show that would become "the next big hit". As it turns out, the drama became a pitiful case of lost potential.

The story was lacking, to say the least. It didn't seem as if there really was one sometimes to be honest. The episodes were mainly made up of small conflicts that didn't seem of much importance to the central story at all. Even the the climax of the main story was resolved rather anticlimactically in the last episode. I often found myself wondering what the heck happened after an episode, not because I was shocked by the events, but because nothing really did happen. The story trudged along at a horse and buggy speed and it seemed that our lead female Ah Ro was just along for the ride. She didn't seem to have any purpose in the story, but to give our leads some angsty tension (not that it was needed because they had enough of that on their own). The main couple had no chemistry whatsoever and I even found myself bored at their scenes. And lets not even begin talking about the plot holes. There were many and they were extremely noticeable.

The acting was mediocre. This is an average amongst this large cast; some were better than others. Going back to the issue with the main couple, I believe it wasn't totally the fault of the cast. Park Seo Joon had amazing chemistry in his last drama with Hwang Jung Eum and Go Ara did well in Reply 1994. While they are not exceptional actors, they have shown good acting skills, and even they could not salvage how stale the plot was. Minho's acting became a lot more natural though and Taehyung did well with his emotional scenes.

The OST itself is pretty good and some of the songs were actually quite memorable. I did notice though that the music editing was not very good throughout the entire drama. It cut off weirdly and some of the music didn't even fit the scene, which is disappointing coming from a show that was prefilmed and edited.

Overall, it was only slightly enjoyable to watch so I will not be rewatching. I would like to give some honorable mentions though to my otp Ban Ryu and Soo Yeon, Sung Dong Il the designated ahjussi of kdramas, and Park Hyung Sik's face (it's beautiful :')).

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Completed
Sweet Home Season 3
89 people found this review helpful
Jul 19, 2024
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 9
Overall 6.5
Story 6.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 4.5
This review may contain spoilers

What did I just watch?

I was very excited to watch this season as it has been a long wait, but after binging it the entire day it ended with a very unsatisfying ending.

I'm happy that the ending was a happy one even though a lot of characters died for absolute no reason, the main trio did deserve their happy ending together. That's also where the problem lays within this season, I feel like only the trio got their happy ending and all the characters from the first season which we loved very much, had a sad ending for no reason.

In this review there will be a lot of bad points but the story also had some good points: surprisingly it was fast paced, each episode flew by, literally. The acting was also good, especially how Eun-yu's and Yi-Kyung's characters had been played out but then there were also characters that felt a bit monotone. I'm sure there's more but the bad points, for me, are the ones that weighed more than the good ones.

First of all, why is Eun-hyeok a robot?
In the first season he was also kind of a robot with no emotions as he only wanted his sister to be safe and then at the end, we finally see him crack a real smile and even tears! I had hoped to see him again with a bit of more character development but it actually got worse... we also didn't get to see his process of monsterization, only the end product . He was the only character I was so excited to see again but he basically didn't have any personality which was very unfortunate.

Second, lots of characters in the second season were added which was a bit complicated to understand at first but it's normal since the season 1- crew step outside into the open world. It's normal to meet new characters and it's also normal that some of the characters just exist and others actually have a purpose but I feel like almost every single new character that had a bit of potential just died off or just wasn't worth a few more scenes...
For example, we get introduced to Chief Ji, the lady who was in charge at the stadium before the army arrived. She is very mysterious and seems to be a badass character but in the end she's just a coward who feeds her monster son humans and because of the guilt decided to end it.
Another one is the priest, he acts very calm and had potential to actually become someone important but in the end ran off searching for the crazy lady to end up running away with her but wait where is their story? We only get to see him in a car accident and that explains how they have such a strong bond...
Another frustrating one is the old man with the girl on drugs. He's a very strong character who's very calm and seems to know what he's doing and could get very far in life but suddenly he becomes a monster and end ups dying because why?

All these and more characters that were introduced in the second season could've become something that could have had big impact on the ending but it seemed to me that they were only there so both seasons could be more than a few episodes.

Third, why did they do the season 1 characters all so bad? Did they not deserve a happy day at all?
Yi-Kyung who had been fighting since day one, trying to find her fiance, giving birth to a monster and raising it, fighting its psycho father, .... did she really have to die off?
Sang-wook was just there to be possessed by the villian and his existence was basically wiped away, the only proof he was actually in the two last seasons were the appearance of his body and one time he tried to fight back the monster inside him but oh! suddenly in the end he comes back to life! only to burn to death the next second ...

I'm gonna stop rambling now... it was just a very dissapointing day for something I had been waiting on for so long... I'm gonna go cry now

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Completed
A Gentleman's Dignity
89 people found this review helpful
by VeeKim
Nov 21, 2012
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0
Overall: A Gentleman’s Dignity is one of the cutest Flower 40’s (F40') of all time and of course, not a typical Korean drama. The storylines are well written and delivered from the first episode till the last one. Four friends, who are always protecting each other in whatever situations, always be there as true friends. One thing I need to tell, I never felt they are 40’s while watching them.

Acting: They’re having their own personalities as characters. DoJin is a cool handsome lonely man, Taesan is a warm-hearted friend, Yoon shy nerd, and cute attorney, and Jungrok is the hottest playboy on earth haha. Actually, I just want to tell you guys that I’m smiling while typing these because they’re so funny. Kim Haneul and the other 3 divas also did a very good job in supporting, although you saw these divas fighting each other sometimes, I bet they failed to get on your nerves. they’re pretty too. In each of the opening episodes you better get prepared because these F40’s will make you laugh like crazy except when Yoon’s wife's death moment. I didn’t realize I cried my tears out, those without-word scenes really touch my heart deeply, I never cried that much after Secret Garden.

These F40’s really did an excellent job in acting, flawless, cutest, funniest, and great chemistry between the cast especially Dojin, Taesan, Jungrok, and Yoon. You’ll miss Dojin's Betty, Taesan's cursing skills plus Hwak!!, Jungrok's ring and Yoon's nerd glass.. They made my day. AGD is a mixed-feelings drama, funny, sad, dreamy and desires, exciting and loving and this is really the best romantic comedy ever aired. From my personal view, although ImMeahri can be irritating sometimes I pity her. Her relationship with Yoon makes me cry so many times, the cutest forbidden love story. The way Yoon hides his feeling toward her sometimes can be frustrating at a moment but luckily they live happily in the end.

Music: Every time I hear High High, I just imagined the 4 of them gathered and making havoc everywhere. LOL. That song really makes my heart jump excited every time I listen to it and Jonghyun’s song called “ My Love” is in an acoustic version, omg he really has an angelic voice.

Rewatch value: I did rewatch them and I will rewatch them after this, especially the opening of each episode.

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