I strongly recommend this, a love story that makes you flutter and cheer so much for the happy ending. One of my favorites for sure!
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However, this series has also created some of the most annoying characters on TV, ever - Aim, Jeed and Earn. Its not that these characters were written to be antagonists of the show - the characters, the way they were acted and the artists - were all annoying. Id like to scratch my tv everytime I see Jeed smirk on screen. These 3 characters were so unrealistic and unbelievable in their parts that everytime I see them on screen I just want to click fast forward. Grace was a villain and to say that i li ked her more than Jeed is just a testament of how annoying this Jeed character is.
Ive rated rewatch value to 6 because it is just painful to watch 36 episodes. If its 36 episodes of Phun and Noh being cute together, i would have rated it a 10. I give this an overall rating of 8, again, just because of Phun and Noh and if i can remove the Jeed, Aim and Earn from the whole series I would have given this series an overall rating of 10 - so just keep your remote handy and click when you see Jeed and Aim and Earn.
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Nirvana in Fire Season 2: The Wind Blows in Chang Lin
29 people found this review helpful
Closure
While NIF2 works as a superb standalone story, it is best appreciated if watched after NIF. Also be aware some of my comments may be spoilers for NIF so best not to read this if you haven't watched it.NIF2 is the story of the changing fortunes of the Changlin family as together with the Liang empire, they navigate a changing of the guard. While the story skips a generation, the ghost of Lin Shu "haunts" the drama. After all, the powerful Changlin Army is the legacy Prince Jing created in Mei Changsu/Lin Shu's memory. Xiao Tingsheng, the now elderly Prince of Changlin instills in his family the same moral values, duty, honor and loyalty that were innate to Prince Jing and Lin Shu. His sons Xiao Pingzhang and Xiao Pingjing grow up with and share a deep bond beyond blood ties with their imperial peers, especially the Crown Prince and their cousin Xiao Yuanqi. Their proximity to the throne and unbalanced power in the court is feared and envied by many. This sets the stage for political plots and intrigue at the highest levels of the court that pose many challenges for the Changlin family. This brings the free spirited and fun loving Pingjing back from the famed Langya hall to aid his more responsible elder brother Pingzhang, the heir who already shares their father's duties.
In NIF, we can only imagine what young Lin Shu's life was like. NIF2 invites us to experience being in the bosom of a close and loving family at the epicenter of power in the empire. We laugh and we cry with them, their friends are our friends, their foes our enemies, their hopes our hopes and we feel the pain of their losses in an acute and very real way. The script-writing and plot in this drama is deep and masterful in a way that rivals that of NIF. While political plotting, revenge, justice, loyalty, morality, duty and envy are still strong themes, it dives more deeply into relationships between sovereign and subject, parent and child, husband and wife and siblings and cousins while exploring the fine line between good and evil and nature vs nurture. Unlike NIF, the story does not revolve around one core character but a number of key characters. Like NIF there are many grey characters and even the good characters are very realistically written with their own strengths and flaws. These lead characters evolve over time as the story-line spans a generation shift and explores how these characters deal with change. The second half of the drama focuses on the younger generation and this is where weakness in the acting emerged as these demanding transitions are played out by younger and less experienced actors. That said, overall the cast was very strong and well populated with many veteran actors.
Newcomer Liu Haoran's Xiao Pingjing was stellarly portrayed from start to finish. He managed to "grow up" from the immature, playful, outspoken, impetuous and slightly irresponsible younger son to be a skilled pugilist, brilliant general and military tactician, the rising star of the Changlin family. This actor immediately conveyed that Pingjing must be what a young Lin Shu (whom we never met in NIF) would have been like. He is the young actor to watch coming out of NIF2. Sadly his love interest Lin Xi was played by a limited and forgettable young actress. Lin Xi's father was killed before she was born so she is an aloof character, a talented and capable lady doctor. She had to make a terrible, controversial and life altering decision in this drama. This is an awesome part that a better actress could have killed. This one wore a perpetually tragic expression and when pressed to defend her decision she overacted, wailing in a completely out of character way. There was no chemistry between Pingjing and Lin Xi and as a couple, they were not convincing. Pingzhang and his wife Meng Qianxue on the other hand were touchingly in sync with each other. Fortunately this is not a love story although there is more romance than NIF. Both female leads were strong and well written characters but only Meng Qianxue's role was well acted.
In the second half of the drama, cousin Xiao Yuanqi also comes of age, clawing his way up despite the disgrace his father (the youngest son of Prince JIng) brought on to their branch of the family. Yuanqi is a chameleon and the most interesting, complex and empathetic character in the entire drama. To be fair it is a challenging role, one that actor Wu Haochen was not up to. While his performance was technically good, it was also pedestrian and boring. He simply lacks onscreen presence and charisma. I didn't want to watch him and would either tune out or tune into whoever he was sharing the screen with. This was too critical a role for them to have miscast so badly. The character itself was exceedingly well developed, it just didn't come to life in the right way. It is why for me this drama is not a perfect 10 even though the script, plot and story-line can hold its own against NIF.
NIF broke my heart because even though Lin Shu/Mei Changsu got his justice, it was his final act. What he lost could never be recovered. I was inconsolable for a long time. Watching NIF2 was cathartic because NIF2 shows us that his legacy and everything he stood for lives on in all the lives he touched. And despite its own tragic moments, in NIF2 we get to imagine that maybe Lin Shu came back to fulfill his final promise. That gave me the closure I badly needed.
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it started and ended with a documentary
⚡ our beloved summer brought us inside of woong and yeonsu’s journey as individuals and as a couple. the slow burn romance that one falls in love to as they watch more. we felt the flutters, frustrated, and cry with them.⚡ordinary that’s extraordinary. we resonate with how the characters are struggling, and how they are facing their unresolved issues. we have been woong, yeonsu, and jiwoong in our lives. we have the 3 idiots personality within us.
⚡our beloved summer reminding us — it’s not a dull life we are living, but a dazzling one. in times where we felt we’re alone, there’s someone who’s always there. you’re not alone. it also reminds us — our year hasn’t ended yet, there’s still more to come.
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2-Storyline/Plot : That's what captured me about this drama; the story about revenge, hate, action and even romance, the whole concept was was so deep.
Every episode i get amazed by events and several twists that made it very appealing whether it was action twists or romantic developments.
3-Acting/Cast : After this drama Yamashita Tomohisa became one of my favorite actors; he really did his role perfectly; the kind of cold, affectionate character that made me very invested in his character. There were Horikita Maki too, she was cool but not that great as a character. I actually loved the acting department though there were too many weird characters.
4-Music : Yes I remember the music, it was quite good.
5-Rewatch value : There are a lot of moments that deserve the rewatch plus it's short therefore, it's easy to do so.
6-The ending : I liked it even though i was expecting more but either ways it was nice plus there's the film so it's not actually an "end"
7-Overall : Kurosagi is a drama that can make anyone fall in love especially action-revenge lovers (as myself).
I had so much fun while watching it. My all time favorite part when Kurosagi says "Bang"!
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Ironically, it had been sitting in my ptw list for a good year, waiting - so I thought - for me to be in the right mood for its somehow heavy subject. It came as a big surprise that this was the perfect moment and Algernon ni Hanataba wo is the show that finally reminded me why I fell in love with Asian dramas in the first place and became an addict so many years ago.
It enchanted me and pulled me into its world five minutes in. I hadn't even realized I was marathoning with bated breath until I exhaled.
The show is built on two different levels: the plot itself with its events and the story told by the characters. These two levels aren't of equal importance, that is, if you watch for the events it may disappoint you, as it suffers from the typical Japanese brevity and sudden, unexpected turns. However, this drama is meant to be valued for the thoughts it provokes and the way it does so, hence my perfect mark.
I won't lie, it made me cry. A lot.
This is a beautifully heart-wrenching story of diversity and the need to conform, be 'equal'. While most of us aim at being smart enough to earn more, have success in life and even wallow in our self-esteem, Sakuto dreams of becoming intelligent for the people around him to love him. This makes his journey all the more tragic, since it inevitably raises the question whether he was happier when only half cognizant of his surrounding or when he fully grasped the meaning of everyone's motivations and finds out that being a genius can be a sentence to loneliness. It also heavily probes on the benefits of intelligence when it's attained at the cost of humanity, empathy, compassion and even love.
I believe each single character in this drama has a precise purpose in terms of typecasting the different approaches to what is generally considered 'normal'. Here's a word I hate when referred to human beings, but it is the core of this tale, in its literal meaning of 'conforming to the norm'. This means that all the characters revolving around Sakuto find their justification only in connection with him, they represent the wide range of 'normality' as opposed to the extremes Sakuto's going to experience.
Which is not to say that they didn't act well. Quite the opposite: what fascinated me here is the fact that each actor played its part in a different way, according to his/her role in Sakuto's life. The same can be said about the direction, which plays a precise role too with its use of symbolism, archetypes, flowers, colours, camera focalization. Even Algernon is a great character. Tiny details are everything but irrelevant, a trait I always, highly appreciate.
And at the risk of being called biased, I maintain Yamashita's acting is impressive here. I was deeply moved by the sheer movement of his hand, the subtle, slow changes in stance, walk, gaze. I loved Sakuto as a viewer, as a woman, as a mother, as a sister, as a friend, to the point I desperately wanted to hug him and never let go. I could go on, but I'm becoming verbose and perhaps a little too emotional too.
The music is the only trait of the drama that gets a mere passing grade. I wish Japanese shows in general would put on their Osts the same amount of effort they spend on photography and characterization. The only song played here is very suitable to the story, but repetitive to the point of losing all its impact.
I've already rewatched many scenes soon after completing an episode. I simply couldn't help it. There's no doubt in my mind I'm going to re-watch the whole drama soon enough, certain it will lose none of its emotional impact on further viewing.
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And yet, I loved it! I marathoned through it in a couple of days, and enjoyed every episode. I laughed, smiled, grinned. One may object that a drama is either good and to our liking, or it isn't. But the reasons why I like watching something aren't always as clear-cut and defined as I would like to think: I can remain cold in front of a masterpiece, and be enthusiastic of a piece of trinkets.
Hence my tepid marks, which reflect what I hope is an unbiased estimation, not the degree of my liking it.
Fact is, I truly loved the characters. Kohei, the bodyguard played by Nishijima Hidetoshi, is incredibly endearing. I had never seen this actor on screen before and at first sight I thought he was the complete opposite of an eye-candy. But his character is so sweet and lovable, I ended up liking him a lot. Kim Tae Hee, whom I could barely tolerate in My Princess, is adorable here, contributing factor the Japanese language, which renders her voice deeper and more pleasant.
The great actor Takanabe is hilarious. He seems vain and utterly stupid, but we soon discover he hides his own complex, and from that moment on, I dare everyone not to root for him, if not as a lover, at least as a friend and professional actor.
All the other characters do a good job, including Taecyeon, who surprised me with his very good Japanese. The bad guys aren't given enough screen time to get on our nerves.
The music is fine, mostly in the second half of the drama.
Surprisingly, I think I'll rewatch this drama one day. It was a perky watch, which I recommend to whomever is in need of something light, funny, romantic without being melodramatic or mushy.
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This review may contain spoilers
Quiet in its voice, thunderous in its impact – a drama of nuance, humanity & whispered revolution
Between Wind, Clouds and Change – "King Maker: The Change of Destiny".Some dramas tell about history – others tell how history is made. "King Maker: The Change of Destiny" does both. It's also a historical KDrama that doesn't just focus on battles or hero myths, but makes the art of face reading (Gwansang) the narrative compass: Whoever wants power must understand people – and themselves. The story takes place in the late Joseon era, a time of political upheaval and dynastic power struggles. But instead of swords, the drama talks about people who deal with knowledge – and read faces. The series is based on the novel "Wind, Clouds and Tombstone" by Lee Byung-joo and creatively reinterprets historical events.
At the center stands Choi Chun-joong, a man not only talented at physiognomy, but who has a deep sense for the movement between fate and choice. His gift for reading personality, future, and intention from a face makes him a valuable advisor, but also a target for political intrigue. Park Si-hoo plays Chun-joong with subtle intensity – a man who thinks more than he speaks, but whose presence fills every scene. At his side is Princess Lee Bong-ryeon (Go Sung-hee), who struggles with her own tragic gift – seeing the fates of others. Go Sung-hee gives Bong-ryeon a quiet dignity, shifting between vulnerability and determination.
I´d say the quiet, deep relationship between Chun-joong and Princess Lee Bong-ryeon gives the series an emotional warmth that goes far beyond grand gestures and touches through small, sincere moments. Their love is marked by separation, reunion, and the burden of fate – less passion, more loyalty. Their romance is not the center, but rather the emotional backbone – giving the political drama a human depth. It's like a river that always flows, even as the banks change. Their bond is based on shared gifts – face reading and destiny reading – and becomes a kind of spiritual complicity. It shows how intimacy lives not in big gestures, but in shared understanding. The romance is quiet, but sustaining – an echo underlying everything.
The series doesn’t follow a classic hero’s journey, but tells of entanglements: between the power-hungry Prince Lee Ha-eung, who loses himself between reform and control; between officials who renegotiate their loyalties daily; and between people whose moral decisions influence the system more than titles. Especially impressive is the calm, almost tentative narrative style, using time jumps not as breaks, but as mirrors for human maturity.
The drama convinces with a finely tuned ensemble performance. The relationship between Chun-joong and the ambitious Prince Lee Ha-eung is a prime example of ambivalence and power psychology. Jun Kwang-ryul shines as the power-conscious Prince Lee Ha-eung, whose performance captures the full moral complexity of the era, balancing ambition and regret. The supporting characters are also carefully and multi-layeredly designed – from scheming officials to tragic outsiders. They’re not just decoration but part of a system that enables as much change as it prevents. Particularly interesting is the cultural background: The art of face reading – called Gwansang – gets a tangible, almost magical significance in the series. It’s not just a trick, but a mirror for responsibility, freedom of choice, and compassion.
What makes "King Maker: The Change of Destiny" so special is its quiet, poetic narration: Political intrigues, conflicts of loyalty, and personal sacrifice are not made sensational, but are shown with respect for the characters and their development. The love story between Chun-joong and Bong-ryeon is tender and believable – it grows out of mutual understanding and shared worries, not dramatic coincidences. Their relationship stands for mutual respect and quiet strength.
The production scores with atmospheric camerawork, detailed costumes, and a fitting soundtrack. Every scene feels lovingly staged and invites the viewer to let the slow unfolding of fate and change wash over them.
"King Maker: The Change of Destiny" is not a loud drama, but a quiet, intelligent masterpiece, convincing with its humanity, well-placed accents, and deep appreciation for tradition and change. Anyone willing to embark on a journey of delicate nuances, fascinating history, and gentle romance could as well love this KDrama.
This KDrama is a moving homage to the quiet forces of change, to the power of perception and humanity. A series for heart and mind – and a recommendation for anyone wanting to feel how history, magic, and love can meet on soft feet.
--------------------------- SIDE NOTE: GWANSANG in "King Maker: The Change of Destiny" --------------------------------------
Gwansang continues to shape the cultural self-understanding of many people to this day. What appears as “face reading” in historical dramas like "King Maker: The Change of Destiny" is more than just interpreting external features. It is an echo of ancient shamanic practices, an intuitive grasp of truth—deeply rooted in Korea’s spiritual history. Even today, many people seek counsel from face readers or shamans when it comes to fate, love, or decisions. Between tradition and trend, this art lives on—as a mirror of a culture that never completely loses sight of the invisible.
In Korean culture, the art of Gwansang has a centuries-old tradition. It is the art of drawing conclusions about character, fate, potential, and even future events from facial features. The forehead as a sign of wisdom, the eyes as mirrors of the soul, the jaw as a measure of determination—these are all classic elements of this ancient teaching. But Gwansang is more than physiognomy in the Western sense: it also touches spiritual dimensions, for behind the visible form, an invisible echo often resonates—an aura, an energy, a truth between the lines.
As a cultural practice, Gwansang becomes an ethical touchstone in “King Maker: The Change of Destiny.” Here, especially through the character of the “Taoist” or "Fortuneteller" Choi Chun-joong, Gwansang is not portrayed as magic but as an intuitive science that influences political decisions. The art of face reading is not romanticized but reflected upon. How far can one really see? Where does perception end and wishful thinking begin? The face becomes a map—not for destiny, but for decision. Princess Bong-ryeon, in contrast, represents another, intuitive level: she senses destinies in advance, has visions, and follows not the logic of what is visible but the inspiration within. Their connection brings together two paths of knowledge: calculation and intuition, reason and empathy. In this way, the series shows that true understanding happens not only through the eyes—but also through the heart. And so, King Maker ultimately becomes a meditation on responsibility: those who read faces must also be able to look within themselves.
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This review may contain spoilers
Down With Love is a Taiwan drama and I must confess that it's among one of the best Taiwan dramas I have watched plus one of the best that has been produced so far. It features 2 wonderful leads Ella Chen and Jerry Yan, and some couple of really good actors.
The storyline is really nothing new - a boss falling in love with a nanny he hired. The amazing thing with the plot is the twist. I will try to summarize without giving spoilers lol. A boss who already has a girlfriend (the gf is a big time actress) falls in love with a nanny he hired. This same boss has a best friend, while the nanny has a sister.
Things got complicated because they were all trying to save their friendships instead of their relationships. Jealousy, how it feels to be lonely, how it feels to miss an opportunity and strive to have another chance were all expressed in this drama.
The acting was superb. Ella Chen can sure make 1000 different face expressions. Jerry Yan also proved to be one hell of a boyfriend. There was chemistry between Ella and Jerry, there was also chemistry between Ella and the guy with the supporting male role (Michael Zhang). The character Hui Fan was well-shown, she really looked pathetic.
The OST was really good also. It also included songs from S.H.E
I tapped some stuffs from DWL. First is been truthful to yourself (you are in love with someone, just get down to it and don't beat around the bush), there some cases you have to let go and be happy for the other person (as in - Let a bird go, if it comes back to you, then it's yours), you can't find out the answer to something without giving it a try. Lastly, no matter the case, you've got to continue with life and be happy.
I sincerely hope you guys would enjoy Down With Love.
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I laughed and cried with the characters all along. I watched the drama in 2 days, but came to dearly love the characters.
Though it did not end as I was expecting it to end... not gonna spoil that for you...again...enjoyed every moment of it.
The parallels between the 2 families with the same problem was brilliant...I fell in love with Haru's family, and came to deeply understand the despair Miwako's mother was in, though there moments I just wanted to punch her in her face...but who knows, how I would be in that situation...
This is a very deep human drama I think. The IS term is being used to explain people that they have learn to accept themselves as they are, and only then try to change themselves, or show themselves to others... If you don't know who you are, who does? Your parents? Your friends? Who knows? You are the one who decides.
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This drama will have you laughing (literally) non-stop.
The main cast is very good and the cameos are just as great (and countless), wit some of them beeing: Song Joong Ki, Jung Joon Young, Kim Jong Kook, Laboum and others..
Also, the music is unexpectedly good, I personally had no idea MFBTY participated, so I was pleasantly surprised. And aside from all the comedy, there's also romance and lots of character development!
This is a very sort webdrama even though it's 20 episodes long, so you can easily finish it in a day. If you watch this You definitely won't be disappointed.
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Kurode Kanbe is an acknowledged figure of the Sengoku period –the most chaotic era of Japanese history. He came from a humble clan in Himeji Castle but he distinguished himself through his impressing battle tactics. I will stop here to not spoil those who are unfamiliar with the history of the main character.
This taiga drama illustrated the life of the historically-famous strategist. It wasn’t only a numeric retell of his life story. On the contrary, Gunshi Kanbei was more focused on the emotional side more than anything. Which implores that you will get to know the story without the clinical heavy/slow pacing.
Sengoku Jidai is known for its numerous battles, renowned generals, political clashes, lots of betrayals and utter turmoil. This drama didn’t only illustrate Kanbe’s personal battles but it also included all of the major events that occurred during his lifetime. And since he was close to several main figures of the era, Kuroda Kanbei found himself entangled in all of those continued wars. He was forced to make critical decisions and became a key character in the unification of Japan.
That aside, Kanbe’s familial life was also put in the spotlight. His relationship with his vassals, his wife and his offspring was vastly explored and beautifully dramatized. But the over-idolizing was probably a bummer. Kuroda Kanbei wasn’t exactly a selfless man like the screenwriting pictured him to be. He was known to be quite ambitious. They didn’t focus much on that side except near the end. But again this isn’t a documentary and the main historical points were left untouched.
As usual in Taiga dramas, the cast was relatively loaded. Okada Juichi was marvelous as Kanbe. He’s definitely a rare Johnny’s –an idol of high caliber. I am so glad I got to first meet him through this. Other cast members were pretty fitting. But the ones who stood out the most were Egushi Yosuke’s Oda Nobunaga (one of the best portrayals of the legendary character), the penetrating performance of Takenaka Naoto as Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Nakatani as Kanbe’s wife, Tanihara Shosuke short yet amazing portrayal of Takenaka Hanbe and other remarkable talents like Tanaka, Kuroki, Uchida, Ikuta, Matsuzaka, Hamada, Tsurumi and Takahashi.
The directing was noticeably improved from previous taigas but it’s nowhere near perfect. The cinematography was catching. The sceneries and outfits were as usual historically accurate despite some insignificant flaws.
The smooth flowing of events in Gunshi Kanbei proves that this is an impeccable example of how taiga dramas are supposed to be.
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This review may contain spoilers
THIS DRAMA IS NOT FOR THE FAINT HEARTED
I decided to write a review because I have noticed a lot of comments about this drama and that the rating is low probably because of what was presumed to be understood.I have watched 12 subbed episodes and 4 unsubbed ones. I am currently learning thai and I understand little by little of the language, the rest I just use google translate and base it on the scenes and how it was executed.
I will try to stay away from spoilers as much as possible.
I got curious with this drama because I wanted to know how Ben will fall in love with Fah despite the complicated relationship chart. After watching the first episode I got hooked mainly because of the actors.
PLOT: the main plot of this drama is revenge over revenge. The cheating was a product of the revenge scheme by Vichuda. We have the first generation love triangle (Orn-Tharn-Vichuda) and the second generation; their children with their romantic feelings and complicated side characters. Aek loves Fah not as a sister but I am not sure if Fah feels the same. PP has romantic feelings for Aek (or she thinks she has). This is already complicated and then comes into the picture the other characters.
This is not for the faint hearted because we do not normally see a mother who sleeps with her daughter's husband. That is just top notch immoral but at least in this drama the mother and the daughter are not biologically related. (doesn't really lessen the disgust).
This drama has emotional and mental abuse from parents. Vichuda emotionally abuses PP whilst Orn emotionally, mentally and physically abuses Fah.
This has attempted suicide, drugs and alcohol.
This has a lot of cheating in it.
The men in this drama are actually useless and to be honest. I am waiting for character development from them.
As seen from the trailer and relationship chart the characters are entangled in a very complicated manner with their feelings making it worse.
This is usually not my cup of tea as I know that this drama will give me stress. WHY do I still watch it? Despite the drama basically full of negative things it is still so juicy that it makes it really addicting to watch. Even with the lack of morals obviously, I still watch this drama because I wanted to know how the writers will wrap this up. The drama is fast paced, almost each secret gets revealed each episode so you really wonder, what is then left and how will it end after all is revealed?
What I also liked in this drama is dialogues, even with subtitles, some dialogues have double meanings. It is like mind games, you dont know what's next.
ACTORS: The main reason this drama is as it is is because of the actors.
ORN ( The mum): Ive seen her in some dramas as supporting roles and I must say she acts the crazy mentally unstable mum perfectly well. You just love to hate her because she portrays her character without conscience so good. She can haunt you in her nightmares. I compare her character similar to the Grimm's brother fairytale version of the evil witch step mother who is jealous to snow white as well as the witch who kept Rapunzel captive all her life. That is how evil her character is.
VICHUDA (the older sister): from the ones that I have seen, you can clearly see and feel the change in emotion when she is hot and cold with her daughter.
THARN: This character, aside from being the father... He has no balls from the start, not sure if he will grow some as the series will progress
FAH (FAH also in real life) : This young newbie actress can act. I love how she portrays from being hurt to scared to conflicted in just few seconds. Her subtle smirks, grin and eyebrow movements can convey disgust, sarcasm and provocation all at the same time. She portrays the character of a woman with strong will despite the abuse. You understand her character and why she endures with the situation and tries to live well for what is in front of her.
I actually love how she is indifferent but polite at the same time. With her and Ben, it is believable that she portrays annoyance with him but at the same time respect him as a husband. She is so pretty even without make up, very fitting for like snow white or rapunzel trope haha.
BEN (BIE THASSAPAK): this is my first time seeing this actor and I have to say that he really plays his part well. I believe that if he is not the actor the story might not be as interesting because he made his character not a one dimensional playboy. You as a viewer gets curious with his motives and see how he will deal once he finds out that he bit more than he can chew with the mother.
AEK (JOSS): Joss fans might hate me but the actor is weak here. I dont see any chemistry with Fah, or as a brother in love with his sister. Alongside Ben, you cant feel the tension. I only felt his character and was able to finally see that tension on episode 9. I know that he has Fon as a love interest here but his portrayal of Aek is weak that I dont want him to be with Fah. The character of Aek is careless and rash and does more harm to Fah than good. If he would portray his character better despite those characteristics I would probably really root for him. I have other actors in mind, if they were Aek, tension would be greater and that you will really do not know who Fah will end up with. As for now he is just giving me nothing.That aside he does have chemistry with Fon.
Thinking other things, Lee Thanat could be Aek because he also has chemistry with Fon.
PIPI (PLOY)- she plays the part of a rebellious teenager well for me despite her being actually older in real life than FAH. Suicidal and depressive teen, with her mood instability, I think she did it well portraying where her behavious is rooting from. Good chemistry with her love interest.
OFF (RON)- being a supporting and side character, as usual OFF is good at whatever is given to him. Ive seen some of his works but not BL. I dont watch BL
FON (NARIN): Ive seen her in some dramas and she has been stereotyped into cute roles. At least in here she is believable as a serious teacher and her character is at least different from her usual cute characters. (she is still cute here though)
AUNTIE: haha whoever she is I am rooting for her. She is basically the conscience of this drama. Does she not fear being fired with the things she does haha...spoiler that surprise menu served to Orn haha.
MUSIC: othe music is melodramatic full of pain and hurt with love trying to emerge.
that other song though the one played when one is in pain is just emotionally great
That is just a short review Ill come back again when this drama is finished
Okay Ive finished this drama for quite some time. After episode 14 it went downhill from there. Few scenes for the main characters and more on Pipi and Ron which I hated.
The talent of Faye and Bue got wasted when their storyline was set aside.
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Then a recommendation came from a friend and the intense need to watch it, and... the rest is history.
Now, for my review:
Story: No one could contest that this was a beautifully written drama. I appreciate that they modified the themes to suit that of the modern generation, having bullying as the universal issue these days. I'm sure that at some point of the story we were able to relate to the characters' plights and mirror ourselves to them. I personally did.
Acting/Cast: This department was almost perfect, except for some side characters that felt stiff at some scenes, but the main characters, especially Shinichi and Yoshimoto-sensei, were practically having an acting talent showdown. Everyone in the family were superbly cast.
Music: I'm not a fan of somewhat cheerful music, but I like the satire in every note of the music to the scenes in this drama, thus still the high score. Endless Game's catchy tune got into me after a few episodes, and it was basically Yoshimoto-sensei's character song.
Rewatch Value: Since this is mystery, the enjoyment value goes down since you already know what happens after you've finished watching it for the first time. But watching it with friends, it was very fun observing how they react at the scenes in the drama (and being blown away with it).
Overall: This is a drama that will be etched to my memory for a very long time, and unless I encounter another drama as intense as this (or more than that), this will stay at my favorite drama list's top 1 spot for a while.
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This review may contain spoilers
kawaaiiiiiiii....
As expected from a JBL, it was a top notch production. The details they went into creating the costumes from the manga was astonishing. And of course the cuteness-factor was over 10. 🤣They showed us two persons with each two personalitites. Extrovert AE turns into introvert Enaga because he want's to learn at a fashion school. He is a top model but he has to hide his normal appearance otherwise it would create trouble for him and the school. Chiaki is an introvert and shy whenever he is is not at home, but he turns into an extroverted energetic designer after he opens up to Enaga who he has to be partnered with for a fashion competition.
Chiaki turned to fashion after he had seen AE on a runway and he also turned to fashion to give him courage to be the person he wants to be. Both character struggle in their own way. But Chiaki struggles more when he develops feelings for Enaga still not knowing that this is his idol/bias AE. But as it is also in real life, the truth will come out.
Both actors portrayed their characters to perfection imho. Everything was done just right. The only thing not as perfect was maybe the kiss - but I can forgive that, because at least it was not a deadfish kiss . 🤣 For me it's a show to recommand and for most it will be a light breeze in the autumn when there is some cold but also a lot of sun and it will make you smile most of the time.
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