Reviews

This is a film about the exposition of vanity and the price people pay for fame, and this theme carries the story through all of it's tragic intensities. No, this isn't your run of the mill cutsie story, but it is a mature, edgy, dark piece of art. I love how visually spectacular every scene is. You can tell they put a ton of effort into every set. I can't get over how aesthetically pleasing the film is. And Erika's acting was exceptional! Most of us know how amazing she was in 1 Liter of Tears, and she is no less amazing here even though the roles are worlds apart. In 1 Liter of Tears she played a sweet, strong, optimistic girl battling a terminal disease. In Helter Skelter she plays an adored celebrity who behind the scenes is lost in a very dark place. And let me say one thing, tortured people torture people. This film shows the extreme end of overdose on the drug called fame. One reason why I've never envied celebrities too much. And I should warn you that this film is for mature audiences only. Seriously, be prepared for some mature scenes. But all in all, it's a 10! I loved it! There's a lot that can be learned from this film.

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Brilliant potential, if only … but still worth watching overall. Great minister characters.

To give a general sense of this drama, I would describe it as something that falls between Six Flying Dragons and Empress Ki in terms of tone, themes, characters, and storylines. It had a strong start, and I absolutely loved the politics in the early episodes, but as it went on, there were aspects that began to lessen my enjoyment considerably. I do think there were elements that were great throughout, but this drama didn’t fully live up to the potential it had.

Perhaps the best thing about this drama is the way it re-explores the themes that dominate sageuk politics. There are a couple normative principles that generally underlie the hero-villain dichotomy of the vast majority of sageuks. 1) Strengthening royal authority is good. 2) Revenge is a justifiable motive. (The former is more deeply enshrined than the latter.) This drama throws both into question. So while the initial set-up might seem like a standard plot in which a weak monarch fights back against a minister whose power eclipses that of the throne, this is not necessarily the stereotypical storyline you’ve seen many times before. Despite some major shortcomings in the plot of the second half (more on that later), I’d still say it’s one of the better political historical dramas I’ve seen for the parts it did well and for the way it casts a familiar subject in a different light. I also enjoyed the fact that, while it is not recounting any true historical events, it is more authentic to the period than many historical dramas.

Another major positive point is that all the characters, including the supporting characters, have their own unique motivations. This drama isn’t populated by cardboard cutouts who are scheming just because. So there’s really a good cast of varied and interesting characters in this drama. Some of the characters are virtuous and dutiful idealists. Some are ruthless pragmatists. Some would sacrifice anything for their principles. Some want power for the sake of power. Some see power as a means to an end. Some want to do the right thing, but are concerned with their family first and foremost. Some don’t care much about politics at all and are entirely motivated by their personal relationships. Some seem righteous, then ultimately flinch, while others manage to stay the course. There are individuals possessed of unfailing loyalty, as well as those that switch sides multiple times. Characters who are in over their heads. Characters who maintain their calm in every situation. People who are abide by custom rigidly. People who will bend custom, but not break it. And people who are willing to throw custom right out the window. I could probably go on … Shout out to the Minister of War, Park Gye Won’s wife, and Park Gye Won’s son — my favorites among the supporting characters.

As for the leads … I found Lee Tae quite compelling in the early episodes, but by the halfway point, I was starting to feel that his characterization was rather all-over-the-place. I wasn’t sure if he was suddenly acting out-of-character, underwent sudden character development, or what, but whatever it was, I lost most of my investment in the character. I was able to predict where the character’s arc was headed, so it’s not as if what the drama was doing with the character was completely incoherent, and I actually think it was a great idea; the execution just needed to be improved significantly (see points 1 and 2 of my second to last paragraph). I think Jang Hyuk stole the show. Compelling character. Compelling actor. I won’t say too much, because I think uncovering the layers of the character was one of the enjoyable aspects of the drama. I liked the female lead overall, and although Kang Han Na’s portrayal did not make as strong an impression as Jang Hyuk’s on me, I thought she was good. I will say that although the female lead had a number of qualities I admired (she’s committed to her principles and devoted to those she cares for), I didn’t necessarily find myself rooting for her. I think this is partly because, unlike the two male leads, she doesn’t have clear political ambitions to get behind and partly because the drama sometimes failed to portray her internal thoughts and emotions sufficiently clearly or give her relationships enough weight (I place the blame on the drama’s storytelling more than the actress).

I wouldn’t really recommend this if you’re looking for a romance. It’s primarily focused on the politics. I do think the romance in the drama is interesting in the sense that it isn’t predetermined that the characters will make their relationship their top priority, as is the case with most dramas, but I can’t say I was ever deeply invested in the relationship. This isn’t a drama where you get to watch the characters fall in love, and though I could still understand the connection, I began having issues with how the drama portrayed Lee Tae, and it’s hard for me to get behind a couple, if I don’t care much about one half of the pairing.

Although there was drum instrumental that I sometimes found to be a bit over-the-top as well as some blatantly anachronistic Beethoven compositions, I enjoyed the soundtrack, especially the instrumental music. It’s more on the minimalist side, in accordance with current trends. I definitely think it added to the atmosphere and gravitas of certain scenes. Every visual element of this drama (cinematography, scenery, costumes, props, etc.) was gorgeous. On the whole, it’s a well-made drama with well-directed scenes, convincing performances, and great production.

I think there were really four primary issues with this drama, which unfortunately detracted from its quality significantly. 1) The drama favors dramatic reveals over allowing the viewer to follow the characters as they make important decisions and execute their plans. This was one of my initial little complaints early on, but it became particularly egregious in the second half. The writer seemed to think this made for exciting twists, but really it just robbed the viewer of the ability to relate to, understand, or get behind the characters while the action was happening; instead we got to hear about it after-the-fact. Plus, the reveals felt rather cheap; it would have been more exciting to be held in suspense, knowing what the plan was and wondering whether it would play out or be foiled by the characters’ opponents, or perhaps even questioning who we want to root for. 2) A couple major characters (Lee Tae and the Queen Dowager) have very bizarre character development. I think if the drama had been longer, they perhaps could have made this feel more natural with some proper build-up, but with what we got … some of it felt very out of left field. And in one case, it seemed like they were developing Lee Tae in one direction (very suddenly and not very convincingly, but still) only to totally drop that as if it never happened. 3) There is one plot arc in the second half that is just poorly written. Some of the issues are related to the former two points, but it’s also just a real drop in the quality of the politics, where suddenly everything (including the way certain characters are behaving) is very “convenient,” and if you stop to think, it doesn’t make much sense. It was quite a disappointment, since I initially loved the drama’s politics, and suddenly I just couldn’t take it seriously. 4) This drama probably should have been longer. I think certain developments in the storyline and characters could have been done more believably or given more weight if they happened less rapidly. I also think it could have helped to increase my degree of investment in characters or relationships, assuming they used the extra runtime well.

This drama had so many great things going for it, which almost makes me more upset about the aspects that were done poorly. Still, although it’s really too bad this drama didn’t live up the great potential it had, I would generally recommend it, since it was a largely enjoyable watching experience for me, and because it’s worth watching for the way it deviates from the standard idealistic Joseon prince/king storylines. In any case, I don’t think I’ve seen a drama with such good minister characters since Six Flying Dragons.

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Appreciable attempt...

The literal translation might be "shooting stars" but I still wanna call it "shitting stars" for 2 reasons: firstly, it has 똥:tong (poop) in its original title and the very fact that they've used asterisks (**) for the international title. So, even though many people say it's shooting, the intentions of the makers is very clear, huh!

Produced by "Mays Entertainment" and created by "Studio Dragon", "Sh**ting Stars (별똥별)" is a romcom plus idol-life drama. Written by Choi Young Woo and directed by Lee Soo Hyun, the show was originally broadcasted on tvN while iQIYI took charge of international distribution.

The show could be a romcom drama having the main couple at the center, surrounded by many other lovelines, but deep down, it portrays the life at Entertainment agencies, as personal managers of celebrities and members of a a PR team, all of whom are indulged in cleaning up the mess created by the stars, hence justifying the intended title.

Oh Han Byeol (Lee Sung Kyung) is the PR team Head at Starforce Ent. and a long-time close buddy to the topmost actor in Korea, Gong Tae Song (Kim Young Dae); both of them are like sworn enemies and the story mainly follows their story, as they develop feelings for each other. Kang Yu Sung (Yoon Jong Hoon) and Park Ho Young (Kim Yoon Hye) are two managers at the same agency, while Choi Ji Hoon (Ha Do Gwon) is the director. Cho Ki Ppeum (Park So Jin) works as an ent. reporter whereas Do Soo Hyuk (Lee Jung Shin) is the legal advisor to StarForce.

Other familiar faces in major roles are: Lee Seung Hyub (N. Flying), Jang Hee Ryung, Kim Dae Gon, JunQ (MyName), So Hee Jung, Choi Ji Woo and Jin Ho Eun. There are many rookie actors who did deliver well. Also, you'll see many guest roles including Kim Dong Wook, Lee Sang Yeob, Jang Ki Young, Song Ji Hyo, Moon Ga Young, Chae Jong Hyeop, Lee Ki Woo, Kang Gi Doong, Lee Sang Woo, Park Jung Min, Seo Yi Suk and Lee Joo Woon.

Plot development is average yet decent and likable. The pilot episodes and the follow-up didn't create any impression, ngl. But it suddenly became interesting from the 4th episode, idk why. The furtherance is smooth, with so many up & downs and several peak moments, accompanied by twists and revelations. Except for the first few episodes, I didn't really see it going down or dragged or exaggerated. Imo, the 13th & 14th were the ones where the show was at peak throughout, and everything is put to rest by the end, opening a smooth path for the finale week. Thr ending sequence and the finale ended in a grand way. So overally, it might not be very good in sum development, but it was nice and decent with minimum flaw and damage.

The show as an usual romcom, that too in 2022 did not require immense talent to create, however, maintaining the decent quality throughout is what should matter the most. In my opinion, the writers have been able to achieve so to a great extent, if not entirely. And provided that the writers are both debutants, they should be appreciated and encouraged for this was able to be acknowledged by a huge number of audience. It was a wise choice in their part to make it more about the "behind the scenes" workers than the stars, and also giving sufficient share to each of the couple development, adding the character goals to it.

Lee Soo Hyun PDnim who has debuted only 2 years back, has been able to create about 4 moderately acclaimed pieces and I believe this drama also belongs to the same category. His previous experiences surely has helped though this was his first romcom, unusual of his genre. The decent job in case of screenplay, screen-editing, sound editing, sequencing, etc. should be appreciated. Setup in modern urban vistas, there was no need of visual excellence, and everything has been kept simple. The extraordinary failure of cinematographic work in Africa should deduct a point from overall though.

There are 5 OSTs in total and all likable, perfectly blending to the drama and properly utilised throughout. "Shooting Star" by Nam Woo Hyun is alluring track with tranquil music describing how it feels to be in love. "How I Feel" with Kim Jae Hwan's captivating vocals has a jolly rhythm and a piece of confession. "My secret, My everything" by Sondia and Vincent Blue brings back the vibes of old K-romcom OSTs, I cry every time I listen; their harmony is everything. "Departure from a Country" by SuJu Kyuhyun is a melancholic yet alleviating song with stimulating lyrics. "Won't give up" by Choi Yuree is is a softcore track about assuring one about staying by their side and comforting for ever.

What I liked...

# Chemistry development between Tae Sung and Han Byeol was very fond, sweet and likable. Even though they get together sooner than expected, the follow-up journey was nice as well.

# The second couple (won't say who) were the cutest, I'll cry. I wish they had more screentime as couples or their prior development but I'm actually very happy that the couple existed. Let me cry again. The same goes for the third lead couple as well. Let me informq that there are 6 couples in total and each of them are uniquely heart-winning. Look forward to them.

# Park Ho Young, as a person was sweet and her acting is so adorable no matter the situation. The cheerful character she played, surely will remain in my memory.

# Kang Yu Sung, as a responsible and handsome manager did give me flutters throughout. The man is so charming, I will literally pluck stars for him. The character was well written.

# My Lee Jung Shin did shine in the show as well. Him in formal is paradise. The couple chemistry might have come very late but it was nice.

# The PR team, Manager team and the entire organization have been an amazing experience. I don't think such importance was given before? The office scenes were mixed bags of emotions, depicting various situations.

# Emphasizing mental health issues in idol dramas is common but this show did a good job in exposing variable sides of it and also throwing light upon the "behind-the-scene" efforts from the companies, which might not be entirely real.

# Dae Soo calling Yuna-yaaaa was so funny yet so pleasant, I swear. I will miss that for a while, hahahaha.

# There are more than one bromance in different forms though none of them is greatly emphasized, starting from co-stars to managers then between stars & manager and then stars and staffs, and what not. Each of them were fluffy.

# I love the very way the OSTs has been utilized in the show; not only they're good on their own, the appropriate use during the melodrama is actually well-handled. I don't usually see this as a specific point but this drama made me realize so.

What I didn't like...
# Kim Young Dae's acting was a bit off imo. Outstanding performance should be expected from a lead but I guess he was still not prepared to takeover the ML role. It wasn't bad actually, the thing is he needs more training and polishing, and definitely has the potential to become a good factor.

# Unnecessary crossovers did irritate me. The "Find Me In Your Memory" appearance was fine and relatable but the "Penthouse" one was annoyingly cringey and wasn't necessary. Def felt like a filler.

# The cinematography in 1st ep was disgusting, infact, very much overdone. No, seriously, Africa doesn't look like that irl.

# The less of the 2nd couple came to me as disappointing when I realized that even with the seemingly lees screentime, they outshined the lead couple.

Final Remarks... The pros definitely outweigh the cons: in simple, it was a good show to look forward to. Unlike a lot of people, I think it a fairly average drama with very few flaw, which makes it a decent one time watch, yet something that everyone should watch, provided that these days, old-styled romcom dramas with good production values. Go ahead.

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I don't know if I would recommend My Daughter Seoyoung to EVERYONE. For starters, this drama is 50 episodes long, so some parts are bound to drag and it needs patience. It's certainly not for people who make ep-to-ep analysis. I don't even know what I was thinking when I picked this one. Usually I pick dramas with episodes not more than 20. This was my first 50 episodes drama(Ok, Technically, Lee Soon Shin is the Best is my first 50 episodes drama, but that one's still airing). I guess I was bored.

Anyways, coming to my opinion on this drama, I loved it (I guess that's pretty obvious from my ratings. lol). This drama didn't drag for me at all. I didn't skip anything. The relationships were so beautiful. The father-daughter relationship full of emotions that every daughter can relate to. I mean, let's face it, at some point we've all fought with our dads. But we still love them unconditionally. That's how kids are programmed into this world (wait, did I just quote Anastasia Grey? I think I did). Obviously, things between Seoyoung and her dad are at another level. But she still loves him and their reconciliation is beautiful. There are other amazing relationships that took my breath away. The brother-sister, the husband-wife. I loved Seoyoung's mother-in-law and OMG HER BRO-IN-LAW IS SOO HOT!! I really like him (not just because he's hot though, lol).

I can't believe Seoyoung felt so lonely when all these people were in her life, loving her and encouraging her in their own ways. Her husband is just..PERFECT. I think I'm going to rewatch this whole drama in a couple of decades. In fact, I think I'm going to buy this on DVD. All the high tv ratings for this drama aren't for nothing. This drama fully deserved them. One of my favorites.

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A turning point in the Korean LGBTQI+ film industry? Kinda.

I was not having high expectations for this series, to be honest, but I am glad it could prove its worth to me and hopefully other viewers too. The Korean LGBTQ+ film industry is growing and improving its series in terms of production and duration., which is noticeable when watching this drama. It´s definitely a good decision to watch “First Love, Again”. In the following, I try to justify my recommendation briefly and concisely.

PRODUCTION
Nothing extra outstanding nor something they failed in. However, it gets closer to the normal high standard of Korean dramas. One thing I´d like to highlight is that the use of light and shadows in this series was on-point. Compared to other Korean LGBTQI+ series the dialogues and monologues have been better in both quantity and quality. The story feels less rushed than usual, and I am sure we can expect similar dramas to be produced soon.

PLOT
The plot is, I mentioned this in the heading, unique and exciting to watch. I especially enjoyed the soft pacing and the comedy side of a more serious story. Both characters seem to not be written as extraordinary people, but rather normal citizens like you and me. One of them just happened to remember their incomplete love story and is trying his best to make their ends meet so that his consciousness can finally rest in peace. Other than Yeon Seok remembering his past, there is no superpower or characteristic that makes him less ordinary, except for his multilayered personality and his weird humour. Additionally, I also enjoyed the sweet moments Yeon Seok and Jeong Ha Yeon had. So cute. However, towards the end it kinda got boring.

ACTOR
What surprised me the most though is that it´s the first appearance in a drama (on MDL) for both main leads. This get´s even more confusing when you witness their solid performance in terms of facial expressions and natural behaviour. So what can I even say? They did a good job, and I am glad that Jeon Chang Ha and Jin Gun were chosen as the main leads because they matched the characters and thus the entire series is harmonious.

The Supporting Cast also showed a satisfying performance in their roles. I can't think of anything that I would have found disturbing or unfitting. Well done. Especially Song Han Hee showed off in her role as Mikael. I adore the idea and origin of this character, firstly that they are genderfluid/ non-binary and secondly that the series mentioned their identity. Good job!

OVERALL
As I said in the beginning, in terms of innovation and production, this drama is definitely recommended and it is indeed a good decision to watch “First Love, Again”, as it is a turning point in the Korean LGBTQI+ film industry.

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A striking retell

Excerpt:

“He lived a thousand years and he’s beginning to learn to love. But he is yet to understand that love doesn’t come from just one person”

“I have nothing but time” he said....

****
This short film is an adaptation, a compilation, or whatever you call it of the 2008 film of the same name - Painted Skin. The original movie which runs close to 2 hours, tells the story of Xiao Wei (Zhou Xun), a fox spirit who feasts on human hearts in order to maintain her beautiful and youthful appearance. General Wang Sheng (Chen Kun) rescues her from a band of Xiongnus and brings her home. Peace didn’t last long in that house as the demon falls in love with the general who happens to already be married to Pei Rong (Vicki Zhao). Thus, this heartbreaking plot proceeds to show the length the demon will go with her tricks and schemes to get the man she loves and the length Pei Rong will go to protect the man she loves.

In this short film which is about 30 minutes long, we have a condensed version of the plot but with a twist. This short movie swaps the sex and roles of the characters. Xiao Wei (played by Ding Cheng Xin) is now a man. While Wang Sheng (He Cheng Xi) and Pei Rong (Wang Chu Ran) are still a married couple, they have now switched roles. Pei Rong is the general protecting the town, while Wang Sheng stayed home recuperating from an injured leg. So in this film version, it's Pei Rong that rescues and brings Xiao Wei home to her husband. And the rivalry is between Wang Sheng and Xiao Wei.

The visual was aesthetically pleasing. The majority of the movie was shot in the general’s courtyard but the cinematography was beautifully executed it accomplished creating the tragic, poignant ambiance it intended to. The initial meeting, the unspoken suspicion, the subtle and not so subtle rivalry, all took place in this courtyard. The little sword fighting scene it had was very well done.

The acting was surprisingly very good. I was especially moved by He Cheng Xi’s Wang Sheng. He managed to emulate the despair, the fear, and raw emotions his character was feeling. This is not to say that his counter-part Ding Cheng Xin’s Xiao Wei was any less captivating. He succeeded in conveying his character’s seemingly sweet and fragile as well as cunning side beautifully.

This retelling removed the fillers and supporting characters and all the extra fanfare that went into making the 2 hours original movie and just focused on moving the plot around the three characters. Because it did just that, the emotional impact was even more powerful than what I felt with the original. I remember when watching the original, I only watched it for Chen Kun (a girl’s gotta do what a girl's gotta do). I enjoyed the film but I don’t recall it invoking the kind of emotion this mini-film did. Maybe it’s because it’s been a while and I forgot.... but I think I’ll remember this one.

Another thing this movie did differently is it put the focus on Xiao Wei and Wang Sheng. How they interacted, how they competed, how they observed each other. In the end, it may seem you are left to wonder - Who did they love exactly?

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Heartwarming and Heartbreaking

This is one of the few BL mangas that Ive read, and this is a very faithful adaptation with very little seasonal modification. To be honest, im not even sure if we should consider this a BL drama. This is not for everyone - so be warned.

The series feels funny at the beginning but its masking a very sad, serious and depressing tale.

Koki saw an angel just as he was passing out after being stabbed. He woke up and recovered and when he went home he saw the angel - now devoid of his memory and with broken wings, the feathers falling off and is affected by koki's feelings. While spending the days trying to figure out how to heal the angel's wings, theyd'd discover the truth about themselves and become each other's strength. Later on they decided to date - and just as things cannot get any better, the angel felt that his wings are healed and is ready to fly, suddently diappearing. Was he really an angel, did he really appear to Koki, or was he just an imagination? Upon a visit by Koiki's mother, she saw a small feather - and that gave Koki the strength and hope that the angel wasnt imagination after all. he was real - and he will live his life. Or did he?

I was dreading to watch the last episode- after all, we all know from the start that this is a temporary setup. Seeing Takashina disappear and Koki realizing he is gone for real broke my heart. He knew that once he helped the angel heal his wings he will be gone for good and yet he cannot NOT help him. He loved him selflessly.

If not for the supernatural angle, the story between the main leads is a little suspect and can be uncomfortable at times- Koki was an adult man and Takashina is actually just in middle school so the age gap is a little concerning. The casting, however, is perfect! They pacing is as fast as the manga and everything was focused into advancing the story.

But like i said in the beginning, this series is heartwarming and gives hope, but it is also equaly heartbreaking. Its not for those looking for light and racy scenes, and if Im being honest, the ending could be translated into different things, but when the angel said he could have taken it slower - it could have meant Koki died too soon or he did eventually took his own life anyway.

Either way, im giving it a 9.0 for being different and for making me feel all lthese feelings i never thought id want to feel.

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Fortune favors the bold.

Flourished Peony 国色芳华 is the first part of a sweeping two part story about a woman's quest to restore her mother's legacy and control her own destiny. It is set during China's cultural golden age when peonies were sought after as the "Queen of Flowers", a symbol of beauty and prosperity. He Weifang or Mudan (Peony) is a merchant's daughter with a rare talent for cultivating exquisite peonies. She is exploited by her grasping in-laws who have designs on her dowry and disdained by her husband Liu Chang, who pines for a county princess. She intrigues corrupt Flower Envoy Jiang Changyang when he overhears her wickedly praying her husband be plagued with piles, baldness, unfaithful concubines and bomb out in the imperial exams. Amused and empathetic, he helps her end her loveless marriage and finances her business ventures. Cheering her on from the sidelines, he lends the rare helping hand when she is in over her head. She gets him out of a tight spot and an unspoken trust, friendship and romance flowers between them.

Mudan’s journey—from a submissive daughter-in-law to an independent businesswoman—unfolds amidst feudal Tang society, where class divisions, filial piety, and arranged marriages were societal constraints on both men and women. While the narrative highlights the systematic nature of women's subjugation and their lack of legal rights and agency, it is framed in the context of a feudal society where no one truly has free will. Thus, a promising scholar from an official family cannot hope to marry a county princess, a county princess can no more choose her husband than a merchant's daughter, and even an insouciant Flower Envoy must entertain a union not of his choosing. I really appreciate this kind of social commentary that is sharp, yet balanced and contextual.

Mudan has fantastic business instincts and is a confident, persuasive, and a savvy risk-taker that dares to seize the moment.She is ahead of her time and champions modern values in terms of women's rights and roles. While the obstacles women faced are realistically depicted, fortune favors the bold and Mudan overcomes them confidently and resourcefully. This kind of too capable, superwoman character would be suffocating and alienating if Mudan's resourcefulness and confidence were not also flaws that drive the plot. Anyone else would keep a low profile upon learning that Liu Chang and his dreadful parents are in Chang'an. Not Mudan!. With a misplaced sense of invincibility, she glories in her success and growing reputation, inevitably bringing herself to the vengful Lius and the jealous Youzhen's attention. Fear not, her plot armor is so thick that some poor patsy inevitably pops up just in time run into the white truck of doom for her! Thus she never truly suffers the consequences of her miscalculations and over-confidence.

Even though Sheng Yi's arc could have been tighter, her story is moving, realistic and compellingly portrayed. She is the most miserable and oppressed character in this story as a result of both her low status, her gender and her upbringing. Even though her actions are controversial and frustrating, I empathised with and rooted for her the whole way. Unlike Mudan, Sheng Yi is a product of her times; it is natural for her goals to be aligned with prevailing social norms. Whereas Mudan's modern values and opinions don't quite fit with the ancient Tang society. Sheng Yi makes a passionate case that not every woman wants or needs to be Mudan. Sadly, Mudan cannot fathom how given a chance to be free, a woman would choose to cling to traditional roles. Her tone deaf conversation with Sheng Yi where they both talk past each other highlights how two people can care deeply for each other without understanding one another. This is one of Mudan's blind spots as learning nothing from Sheng Yi, she blithely steamrollers Lv Gengchun into turning her medical practice into a for profit business.

This storyline unfolds at a slow pace that is barely noticeable as the atmospheric set and costumes, the rich dialogue and the tension between the deep and complex characters is immersive. Even though many plot arcs are quite cliche, the characters are captivatingly written, with flaws that can lead to significant setbacks and/or their downfalls. Both Liu Chang and Youzhen are insufferably arrogant characters who go to extreme lengths to get what they want only to learn they don't want what they get. Wei Zheming is persuasive as Liu Chang, an erudite but weak character who genuinely believes himself to be a better man than her really is. While the antagonists are smart or powerful enough to pose a credible threat, they spiral downhill into cliched obsessive archetypes for the convenience of the plot or to elevate Mudan or Changyang. But their stories are not over and there could be a reversal in the second part of the story that delivers a more nuanced and complex antagonist than what we have seen so far.

As someone who is no fan of romance, I find the delightful slow-burn connection between Mudan and Changyang to be the highlight of the drama. Unlike too many other stories that rush into love, this relationship develops organically and leisurely. The chemistry between Yang Zi and Li Xian is palpable and their bond feels deep, mature and authentic. They are both consummate actors that skilfully convey how their characters are savoring that delicious, giddy moment where they know they will be lovers but they are in no hurry to take that next step. Instead they are just basking in the strong foundation of their mutual trust and friendship while anticipating the passion that lies ahead. I love how Yang Zi has disappeared into this role and is not just Yang Zi being Yang Zi. And it has been too long since I have seen Li Xian's crooked smile and how he effortlessly conveys that there a lot more to Jiang Changyang than what meets the eye with just a few subtle expressions. I can't wait for the second part, which should reveal more of our enigmatic Flower Envoys and take his relationship with Mudan from confidantes to lovers.

The first part of the story ends somewhat anti-climatically with Mudan almost too effortlessly accomplishing what she sets out to do and with many sub-plots left open. The profound social insight, engaging storytelling and fantastic acting papers over some of the more predictable sub-plots. Unlike most empowerment dramas, it avoids separating the male and female lead but still indulges in some contrived plot points just to prove that women can make it with minimal help from men. Even though Mudan and Changyang's story is unfinished, I like it well enough so far to rate it an 8.5/10.0. If everything ties up well, my final rating for this story can be a 9.0 or even better.

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the disappointment meter is broken

7 years.... of love?
the title must be a joke because i did not see much of the development of the main couple's relationship.

when i thought season 1 was bad, this was just sad to watch. after seven years of being together, one picture of their gay partner and a woman somehow set alarming signals for type's side. instead of being mature and talk to tharn about it, he takes it upon himself to sAve tHe dAy. oh don't get me started with the misogynistic remarks type made and the tiresome bl line that was rearranged but still means the same thing.

where is the trust in this relationship?
definitely not in episode 10 when tharn gets hella pissed because type supposedly kiSsEd fiat when it's so evident type pushed the guy away? again, i ask: WHERE is the TRUST in this relationship?

after seven whole years, both of these grown ass men can't sit down and talk on how to fix the flaws in their relationship.
now... you may think: this can't get any worse, right?
you're in for a surprise because it can get worse! type, a whole grown ass person literally thought it's a good idea to kidnap fiat and threaten to break his leg. am i watching a romance drama or a thriller drama?

i couldn't find myself rooting for leo and fiat because of how unlikeable fiat's character was. the writer failed to give us any proper backstory of why we should root for fiat. yes, his father left him when he was a kid and so leo took him in but what else is there? your past trauma doesn't mean you can be an A+ asshole.
leo could've been a tolerable character but it frustrated me to see him continuously forgive fiat's actions even though he knew damn well it's not right. it was so annoying to see him take fiat back in when he should've left him be. episode 11 was just sO bad with us being clowned with the whole "i aCtUaLLy loVeD yoU tHe wHole tiMe" and leo actually agreeing to type's idiotic plan from episode 10.

what's more disappointing is that this could've been a story with focus on tharn and type figuring about each other's remaining insecurities, finding ways to understand each other and also an explanation on why type refused on marrying tharn. put aside the multiple couples, filler scenes of unnecessary characters like the creepy eavesdropping guy and the failed k-idol trainee. instead, show us glimpses of the past seven years (not just from s1) and how much this relationship developed, make us believe that these two were truly together for seven years and also show us actual maturity between these two.

i was willing to watch this second season with a clean slate and no recollection of first season... the final episode looked like the perfect beginning for the drama but sadly, this drama didn't make a redeeming comeback. some scenes of tharntype and other couples being cute were nice but that's about it.

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I liked it, but I just wasn't a big fan of it. Seeing how high the ratings were, I was expecting a different thing. I guess it has to do with the fact that I needed a heavy-plot type of story but this was more of a slice of life-ish show, which is perfectly fine, don't get me wrong. I just wasn't feeling like 'oh my god, this episode was so exciting, I need to watch the next one right now!'. I was more like 'finished this episode, I'll see the next one tomorrow if I have time'. You get what I mean? It's weird.
Acting was great though, characters and the band itself were soo wholesome! It's nice to take a break from dramas with too many shitty characters. Anyways, as I always say, I base my ratings on overall enjoyment. The show was not the best of the year but it was a comfortable and cozy watch. 7.5.

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Have you watched a drama that you want to know how it ends but you don't want it to end because if it ends, you wouldn't find anything equivalent to this? Well look no more. The story of this drama is one of a kind not the regular thief and criminal, cat and mouse hunt. If you're tired of the gooey romance and the common love triangles, and you want something more substantial go for it because this deserves all the praises it can get.

Story : the story is almost flawless and fast paced enough that there isn't a single episode that wouldn't give you a high. The twists and turns that happen are almost realistic and you will find yourself getting slipped into the story.

Acting : Ma Dong Seok and Seo In Gook. DO i need say more? the characters in the drama are played so well, you start believing in them. They take you a roller coaster ride and they do it well!!

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Not too bad. But not too good.

This is probably worth watching - probably most of the first half, and the rest with judicious fast-fowarding. I'll start with the bad to end on a positive note:

- Gun is not a good actor. He's a good comedic actor, and when this series is being OTT or comical, it works. When it strays into sappy melodrama, which it unfortunately does far too often, then it's excruciating to watch his scenes. Lots and lots of melodramatic crying, and anger all at a loud volume with teeth bared. You'll learn to FF.

- The plot is totally predictable, and almost every moment you can see coming. The enemies portion of the story ended way too soon and suddenly you could almost hear the Tchaikowski Romeo & Juliet overture firing up. Actually, that would have at least made it funny. The problem was that you didn't get enough time to invest in the relationship, which for me was carried entirely by Boat, who is extremely attractive and also a good actor.

The good:

- Bank's storyline
- Bank's smile
- Bank shirtless
- Bank.

I'm being funny, but Pitch & Bank are likely to be what keeps you watching what is otherwise a forgettable experience. But be forewarned, they are not in it much, and apparently a large portion of their scenes were not included, which seems mystifying and criminal. Maybe the actors woudn't allow any producer "bad touch" and were being punished.

Boat is a really good actor, He does drama, comedy, and action very well. He's good at subtle expression and letting his eyes show you what he's feeling, as opposed to Gun, who only has one setting: OTT loud and teeth-baring. There are a lot of action scenes, and they're actually pretty good by BL standards.

I would advise you not to do what I did, and watch too much of this on normal speed for fear of missing any Bank.

Story: 7. The predictability was unfortunate, but the overall plot was decently laid out and coherent. The romance went from 0-90 too suddenly, but all-in-all it wasn't bad. There were no toxic females - there were women who liked the boys, but they weren't at all manipulative or scheming, and they never really got in the way of the main ship. They were sincere, honest, and mature, and if anything they were cruelly used by Sky. Although Juno needs to learn to take a hint faster. There are a lot of tropes, especially early on, but some of them are obviously exaggerated to the point of satire, which I appreciated.

Acting: 7. I'd probably have rated it 8 or 9, but Gun was a 2, so he dragged down the average. Boat is very good, and Tenon (Bank) is strangely enthralling - I guess he manages to pull off a sincere innocence that's endearing.

Rewatch value: 5. I'd give it a 1, but there's a scene with Bank in a tank top and a scene with Bank shirtless that I'm likely to rewatch many, many times. It may not be coming through, but I like Bank.

Overall: 7. I generally don't like to go below 7 unless it's really terrible. This is not - it's entertaining, although it loses steam by the end. If they had left out some of the repetition (how many times does Sun need to leave Sky unattended resulting in his abduction before he learns not to do it? He never learns not to do it.) and put in more of the secondary couple, this would have worked much better.

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Don't Shy Away From Being Yourself ❤️

Life becomes a little easy - when you find people who accept and love you for who you truly are. This message is exceptionally narrated in this movie through the main leads who are deemed "different" by society but manage to hold on to each other and fight through prejudices/biases of society, friends, family and their own self to eventually loving and accepting themselves for who they truly are.

From the moment we're born, society judges us for our looks, height, skin color, skills, sexual orientation, behavior, and more. Biases and prejudices are ingrained in people’s minds upon first meeting us, and while some may change with understanding, many remain. Despite progress, there’s still a long way to go to eliminate these judgments in today's world. "Love in the Big City (2024)" is a commendable step in the right direction, and I applaud the cast, crew, and original novel creators for this remarkable film.

The movie powerfully portrays the challenges of "being different" through a heartfelt narrative that evokes a range of emotions—smiles, tears, and everything in between. The female lead is someone I've admired for a long time, but this was my first time seeing Steven Noh in action. Known from "Pachinko," his portrayal, even within a limited emotional range as his character demanded, showcased his immense talent. The main leads bond together on the common ground of being labelled outcasts and the movie progresses from their 20s to early 30s showing us how they fight the societal prejudices, missed chances at love, inner fear of showing their true self, facing their family, overcoming failed relationships to ultimately accepting their own true self, and being proud of it.

The line "How can being yourself be a weakness?" resonates as the film’s strongest message. Personally, as someone who has faced various judgments from young age from strangers/close relations alike movies like this offer a solace of sorts - a feel-good factor that reinforces the importance of learning to love your true self, before seeking it elsewhere.

The film does not come across as preachy - but rather resonates with me (and am sure others) because it does not shy away from showing the good/bad and ugly side of journey towards self-acceptance. Profound, Powerful, Engaging - from start to finish, would highly recommend it as a must watch ❤️

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The world-building that lacks the necessary detail.

I knew what I would get, but I honestly wanted to love it. I adored the first two episodes and thought they were as strong as an introduction can get. And then it led to nowhere.

The idea was there, it just lacked the necessary detail to make it truly engaging for me. Too many questions were left hanging, the folklore was barely touched, the backgrounds of the characters were shallow, the motivations were not set up that well. I don’t even want to talk about the villain on the human side, because that was some next level of clownery.

Loved the “first act” - the introduction to the characters, the initial set up for the story, the questions that were asked that we were supposed to get the answers for as the drama progressed. All that got me curious - I wanted to know more. The variety of the characters was perfection - we had the hardworking and strong female lead who just tried to survive, the scholar that tried to solved the decades long mystery and the sceptic detective who tried to make sense of all the unexplainable. And behind it all an evil force that seems untouchable and always one step ahead.

Sadly, the second act was just too damn long and not written well enough. Some stories were just dropped without proper explanation, how the ghosts work and what can be done with them was not explained either. A 30 second google search can give me more information about all the types of ghosts that were introduced. They just never explored any ideas they introduced.

What's more, I was just too frustrated with the characters. It took them too long to learn from their mistakes and their actions often were simply stupid. Hae Sang was unnecessarily cryptic refusing to explain anything to anyone until it was too late, San Young was all over the place it’s actually hard to even describe her character, and while Hong Sae was fun to watch, for 80% of the show he seemed out of place for the story written - his bits felt more like crime rom-com than supernatural thriller.

For a story like that to work, you need one of the two: rich and interesting folklore or great teamwork. Revenant had none of these. As I already said, the whole world buildup was weak. As for the scooby gang - we had to wait way too long for them to actually start working together, and when they did… the drama ended.

All that said, I adored the casting for the leads. It was refreshing. Oh Jung Se in a serious and stoic role is what we needed. I'm far more used to seeing him in more animated and exaggerated characters, so this was a fun new take.

Hong Kyung going from Oh Beom Seok to Lee Hong Sae is something I thought I would struggle with, but surprisingly, I had no issue putting my hate behind me and enjoying his character in Revenant.

Park Ji Young as a "weak" character was also so weird, but so good! Kim Tae Ri's role was not surprising since her career is short enough to not be type cast yet. She was also smart enough to take roles that are rather different from each other since day one. Loved the duality of her performances even if I was not obsessed with how Gu San Young was written. Kim Tae Ri just simply never dissapoints with her acting.

The production was great. Can we all collectively appreciate the lack of black eyes as the indicator someone is possessed? No cheap snapchat filters for ghosts. Amazing use of light and shadows, good special effects - it never felt like they overused them. Even the supernatural events felt realistic and grounded in the presented picture.

I guess I just have a love-hate relationship with Kim Eun Hee’s writing. I am obsessed with how creative her ideas are, but I’m also pissed at how she cannot truly execute them in a correct way. I feel like she needs someone who will ask her questions about her stories. How does it work? Why did the character act this way? What was the origin of that issue? How does this premise work into the world you built? Answers that will fill the framework of the idea she has.

Overall, was it a fun watch? Sure. Did it have a lot of issues I just cannot see passed? Yes. I knew the directing would be my style based on the people behind it, I knew I would have specific issues with the writing based on the past works of the writer. I knew I would love the acting and I knew I would overall enjoy it, but I would not be amazed. And that’s exactly what I’ve got.

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Subtle yet deep romance with a thrilling plot

This drama has something very subtle yet beautiful about it. There has been a few dramas like that that I can think of. For example, Doctor John, Goblin, Nine: Nine Times Time Travel - that underlaying melancholy and pain of the characters, the steadily growing plot and the subtle but deep connection between the two leads.

The story started out in a rather subtle way. We got hints of the plot elements there and there but the context wasn't fully there. With time, the drama goes deeper and deeper and all the connections between people hold so much more weight. The leads' romance was a slow burn but they're adorable together. Life is really tough for them, somehow there are a lot of enemies surrounding them, but their connection is genuine and beautiful. It is equal amounts of cute, fluffy and mature, deep. Thinking about our reserved yet polite and kind male lead, Jeong Hoon, and his sweet, tender smiles that just lights up the whole screen, makes me giggle and roll in the sheets. I love him. He deserves all the best things and more.

It's a SLOW BURN, okay, but oh how delightful it is to be the witness of that. If you're into that.

It surprised me how much...mystery/thriller elements this drama has, but somehow it has a perfect balance with the surrounding smaller plotlines and the main romance. Also, despite hating a great amount of characters, we also get to love even a greater amount. What's even better is that the characters are not one-dimensional, they actually have complex sides to them. We actually get to KNOW a variety of characters. Basically there are little to no characters that are thrown just for the sake of filling up space.

Doesn't mean this drama has no flaws at all, though. More than flaws, it's the use of kdrama cliches. It doesn't make the drama bad, we love kdramas despite seeing a repetition of things over and over again, it's just a bit frustrating to see this otherwise fascinating drama take on a kdrama cliche approach. It felt original in its strong execution, cast and plot but sadly it still got stuck in some of the 'kdrama rules' that this wonderful story could have lived without.

Has this drama used its full potential? Well, no. Does it have some superb, never seen before ending? No again. But at the end of the day I don't regret the time spent watching it and am still helplessly in love with its characters.

I guess my advice for the future viewers would be to watch it for the tone (melancholy, slow burn, melodrama) and cute romance while enjoying the surrounding thrilling mystery, but not get too deep into thinking everything has to makes sense in the drama. Best way to dive into this is by toning down your expectations a liiiittle bit to not be disappointed.

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