For me, the MVP of this drama is Kim Woo Bin. He's the reason I wanted to keep watching no matter what. He mastered the charming jerk persona as Joon Yeong, and I was impressed by his range in this drama (from confident smirk to ugly tears). The story is so over the top, so It would've been easy to over act, but his character felt natural and real the entire time, which makes this crazy story work. I definitely became uncontrollably fond of him (sorry, i couldn't resist), and not just because of his shirtlessness. I missed out on Heirs, so this is my first time watching him, but certainly not my last.
He is paired with Suzy, who I think is a pretty good actress (even in one of my least favorite dramas ever "Big"), but she had her work cut out for her playing Noh Eul. Noh Eul is an interesting character, but also a frustrating one to watch. She also has a lot of weird wide eyed moments in turtlenecks, that kept reminding me of Shelley Duvall in "The Shining". Suzy has great chemistry with Woo Bin, but I think his charm deserves most of the credit for that. Suzy makes Noh Eul likable, and easy to empathize with, but there are moments where her actions are pretty ridiculous. That's a reoccurring theme for most of the characters in this show. They do things that make no sense, but the actors are good so it's ok.
That brings me to the rest of the cast. I think they all did a really great job considering how completely unbelievable most of the characters are. Jin Kyung is stellar as Joon Yeong's mom, but the way the character was written annoyed the hell out of me. Im Joo Hwan played his duality well, but the more melodramatic the story got, the less I liked his character. The junior romance subplot was also pretty cute. All the characters were memorable to me only because of the performances, but the characters themselves were often contrived, and lacked any real depth.
Speaking of lack of depth, I think that is what stopped me from really getting into this drama. In the beginning I was drawn in by the flirting, but then story turned into a revenge plot filled with greed, and betrayal, and everything you've already seen in other melodramas. Soon I found myself just watching the boring revenge plot just so i could see what would happen to Joon Yeong. I think that was the one redeeming thing about the plot. The cast's performances in the last 2 episodes got me in the feels so bad I was emotionally exhausted by the end, and was definitely underprepared in the tissue department. I finished the drama satisfied, though not impressed, which sums up this drama pretty well.
Overall, this was a great display of Kim Woo Bin's talent, but a pretty forgettable drama. The soundtrack is forgettable, the plot is forgettable, and even the title is forgettable. Still, I was entertained enough to want to keep watching, and It also didn't feel too long at 20 episodes. It was certainly cliché, but there are enough unexpected elements to keep things interesting. Interesting enough to watch again? No.
If you like melodrama, and tragic romances, there are a lot of things to like about "Uncontrollably Fond". There is not enough actual romance to satisfy true romance fans, or comedy to even justify having that listed as a genre for this drama. You also have to completely suspend disbelief, be able to empathize with horrible people, and be willing to believe the unbelievable... which is not a crazy request in dramaland. I can only recommend this drama with the disclaimer "Buyer Beware".
They also totally missed an opportunity to promote tissue boxes with Woo Bin's smiling face on them.
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This review may contain spoilers
Neo: I love you both, equally and at the same time.It was so very apparent how much Neo loved them both but especially the way he adored Shin was amazing. Because towards Miw he was very manly heroic and protective, the typical dashing hero, you know? But the way he… mellowed around Shin, his whole behavior simply softened. Like Shin said to Miw, “[Neo] gets my sensitivities and your abrasive loud mouth.” They obviously both gave him something he needed.
And the same went for Miw and Shin. They both loved Neo very much, that was their common ground but at the end of the series, it was obvious they started to feel something for each other, too. For Miw, both Neo and Shin were softer than her but differently so. Neo was more her equal so she could be brash with him -but she couldn’t be that way with Shin without feeling guilty. Shin was squishy and soft and so he made her softer, too. For Shin, both Neo and Miw were true and genuine, but whereas Neo was kind, Miw was brutally honest.
So, if you want to watch a genuine polyamory story, not a love triangle, then do watch 3 Will Be Free. Because their poly love is not just explicit - as in sex - but also discussed openly.
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It's a short web drama, so there isn't a lot of plot thickening which might be one of the reasons why I loved this one. I hate extreme and complex historical court politics. I just care about the OTP. The show gets to the point and focuses mostly on the main couple. There are cute and romantic moments, a great OST, pretty cast, nice wardrobe and scenery- what's not to like. Only thing is, acting is a little meh at time, but I'm understanding about it, the main cast are all new.
I think this drama deserves a higher rating, an 8 at the very least. I don't think it's subbed yet, but hopefully it does soon and all ya'll people who didn't master Chinese yet can enjoy it too.
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Story : The story is very normal, little cheeky and stretched. Its obvious that stories like these are driven majorly by the "guy-girl-living-together-and-trying-to-keep-it-a-secret" plot. The guy shown as a cold and mean jerk whereas the girl is cheerful and enthusiastic. The writers of this story threw the "Boss-employee" relationship in this one. And ofcourse, to spice it up, "The Dating Ban".
Acting/Cast : They lightened up the story, they brought it to life. I really liked Aaron Yan and Kou Puff, their characters and how well they portrayed them. Lin Lyla as Ding Jia Yu, did a little bit of over acting (especially her "crying" scenes). The side characters were good, only the weird thing being, in a plot of "Forbidden Love in Office", everyone liked the other employee and ended up in a relationship (except the character of Dean!), if you noticed.
Music : It is simple, less and plain. As always, "Unstoppable Sun" by Aaron Yan is a song beautifully sung.
Rewatch Value : Yes, I have to be honest that despite this drama being stretched to 21 episodes, I do have some moments that I'd wanna look back at and if some of my friends ask me to watch together with them, I would. But, watching it alone in one go again will be very boring as the story will be known and it'll just feel like a drag.
Overall, A light story and if you're looking for Rom-Com (like I was until I stumbled at this!), then this is it, you're reading the right review. Enjoy watching. :)
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Lighthearted Comedy with Depth
I loved this drama! The actors were amazing, especially with their spot-on comedic timing. What I really appreciated was how they kept things light, even while dealing with some pretty serious cases. They didn’t let the comedy take away from the heavier themes but also didn’t let things get too serious—it struck the perfect balance. A lot of shows like this start off funny but end up feeling way too heavy by the end, but that wasn’t the case here, which I really enjoyed.I also loved how they gave credit to almost all the extras at the end—it was such a nice touch, and it gave me the chance to relive some of the funniest moments from the show.
They also did a great job subtly touching on deeper issues like the struggles of parenting, athletes not living up to their potential, the scars parents leave on their kids, following careers you’re passionate about, and dealing with loss. They handled all of it thoughtfully without going over the top.
A couple of personal highlights for me were Kim Dong Wook’s goofy smile and the character of Dong Gu—they both brought so much charm to the show. This is definitely my second favorite, right after Gaus Electronics!
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I finished the series within three days. Then, I had to take a one-hour breather before I could write this review because I couldn't form coherent sentences.
I didn't read the webtoon so please don't judge me but I couldn't understand why some people thought the story went downhill midway. For me, it didn't. It got darker yet at the same time had more substance. The scary part though was that I'm convinced that the writer and the actors were able to show logic out of insanity. What does that make me?
Anyway, here are the actors who are to blame if ever I get admitted:
1. Park Hae Jin - except for MLFTS, I haven't seen any of his other projects although I've planned to watch Bad Guys for a while now. MLFTS really didn't do much for me if not for his performance as the second male lead. I thought he could be the next Gong Yoo. This series intensified that belief. From the beginning until the end, his character was simply captivating. I was torn between loving Yoo Jung and being cautious of him. His character was so strange and so complex and PHJ portrayed him brilliantly.
2. Lee Sung Kyung - there had been a lot of issues about her overacting in this series. I'm sorry but I have to disagree. LSK's portrayal as Baek In Ha is possibly the best I've ever seen her do. I first saw her in Doctors and thought she was so-so if not a bit annoying. Imagine my surprise when I saw her as Kim Bok Joo. Gone was the stylish chaebol. She was instead replaced by a short-tempered and impulsive eating machine. Now combine the two personas and add a little bit of crazy to the mix. The result? A completely flawed character that you want to hate and pity at the same time.
3. Ji Yoon Ho - I first saw him in Sweet Stranger and Me and thought he was rather cute. He wasn't cute at all in this series though. He portrayed his role quite well that I can't wait to see him with bigger roles.
In case the other three escape, here are the rest of the reasons behind my strange behavior:
Seo Kang Joon - Baek In Ho is probably the only normal person among the main characters. He easily captured the hearts and sympathy of the viewers and even though I love PHJ, I seriously wouldn't resent it if In Ho ended up with Seol.
Kim Go Eun - I still maintain that Hong Seol isn't as innocent and normal as she pretends to be. She has her own air of cruelty around her; enough for her to plot her own revenge or look the other way when her boyfriend does it for her. On a lighter note, can someone give KGE a break already! If she isn't surrounded by a goblin, a reaper, and ghosts, then it's another kind of crazies!
Nam Joo Hyuk - Eun Tak and Bo Ra's characters and romance were so heartwarming. NJH is simply so adorable! Can I adopt him?
I almost forgot the amazing portrayal of Lee Na Yoon as mini In Ha. She definitely had the same expressions as LSK, don't you agree?
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Toyko In April Is...a good start with a weak ending
Overall: I would categorize this series as more slice of life/realistic with angst but also sweet moments too. The beginning was very promising but it kind of fell apart a bit with too many flashbacks, plot cliches and a rushed ending. I give it a slight rating boost because it did try to tackle some social issues. Aired on GagaOOLala and Viki. 8 episodes about 23 minutes each.Content Warnings: workplace bullying and several major content warnings which I've added in a spoiler comment
Note: the characters in the past are 15 years old
What I Liked
- tackled more serious issues
- there are hints to certain story elements and as we go on we get more explanation
- younger actors did a good job, I thought it was good they kept it PG in the flashback in episode 3
- good consent in episode 3's flashback
- good morning after, avoided the cliche
- there is miscommunication/poor communication but it's mostly understandable
- sweet moments
- consequences shown for 1 trash character
- production value (use of colors, light)
Room For Improvement
- too many flashbacks including scenes we just watched in the recent present, it made the series feel choppy
- ending felt rushed
- instant reconciliation for that mom, she didn't even apologize for the huge amount of pain she directly caused, ugh
- in episode 3 I wish they had just left it at Ren saying sorry because it was odd/unrealistic that Kazuma did not correct him
- being in the rain and the other thing that happened in episode 3 do not cause a fever/illness but because of the timing that is what the viewer is led to believe
- gay for you trope
- (end of ep 7) people can have a freeze response but I think if they had made Sanada's actor a taller person it would have made more sense
- Yagami makes no sense to me at all
- the pretty single tear down the center of the cheek crying doesn't work for me
- several running cliche scenes
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This show was so lighthearted compared to other historical dramas
I remember watching the trailer for this show on YouTube about a week before it came out and getting really excited because I honestly love historical dramas.When I first started watching the show, it was a little slow in the first place however I never judge a show by the first episode because it takes time to introduce characters and the setting and ended up getting excited for a new episode every week as I fell in love with this show.
-Story-
I loved how this show took its time laying out the story episode by episode. I truly enjoyed how everything came together and how the characters ended up in the end as it seemed very natural and not forced upon. Whenever there was a flashback, puzzle pieces were connecting in my brain and I found myself following along in hopes of guessing the ending before they revealed it haha.
-Acting-
Loved both the FL and the ML in this show and especially loved their chemistry. However, as many pointed out, the ML's acting wasn't top notch as some drama lovers expected. Nonetheless, I felt the ML's acting improved throughout the show and really portrayed his character well. Not only did the male lead portray his character well, but I'd like to shed some light on the actors of the fellow historians who I would like to thank for depicting and channeling their characters so well, that I constantly found myself laughing whenever they were all together, always finding something to get worked up about.
There are so many other things I could write about for this show and how lighthearted it was compared to other dramas but these were the main points that really hooked me into coming back each week for a new episode
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This review may contain spoilers
I cried so much watching the later half of the series. This series lived up to its name. I would've cried even more if I didn't care about how terribly puffy my eyes would get the next day.Excellent story. I thought that there would be some bits of romance compared to the movie but there's more friendship than romance. I love it. Great casts. My favourites would be the ones who played Aya's parents. I cried watching every heartbroken moments from them. I love the music. The melody and lyrics fit the story well.
I don't know if I would watch it again without any tears. The story really gets to me that I can't explain how much I enjoy it. It shows us the value of family, friendship and life. It taught me a lesson of the value of my life too. It's sad that the real Aya and other people with the same disease, or other incurable diseases, had to go through all this in their lives. I don't know how to end this review lol but hoping there's not spoiler in it. Fully recommend anyone to watch this.
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When the drama becomes your reality
Be my princess is a contemporary rom-com starring Jeremy Tsui and Zhou Jie Qiong. Mu Tingzhou is regarded as the best actor in the industry while Ming Wei is a rookie. She gets the chance to act with the best actor in her debut drama but things complicate when Mu Tingzhou gets in an accident.
As Mu Tingzhou was a very dedicated actor, he researches too deeply for his character and gets attached to him, so he ends up remembering only that character's life after the accident. He starts taking himself as the "Grand Tutor" and Ming Wei as the "Princess Wei" in real, as it was in the drama. So this is how the story starts…
My thoughts —
✧ 50% main center is "Amnesia" so how is it? At the starting, it's all nonsensical thing but I still laughed at some points. It's like a trip ~ first its stupid so its funny, next it starts getting draggy and that's where you feel like "Ah! This is too much now" they should have shortened the amnesia's length. the extent of repetition is horrible
✧ The other 50% goes to romance. The main leads were Ming Wei (Zhou Jie Qiong) and Mu Tingzhou (Jeremy Tsui)… I had quite a love-hate relationship with these two characters. Did I felt their chemistry? Yes but No… for this moment I like them but for this part I hate them… I liked their historical parts more…
✧ for acting – Zhou jieqiong is better than my expectations and Jeremy Tsui went downhill this time… or maybe because I just saw him in the Autumn ballad last month where his character was far more better so that good impression of him is clouding my judgement now…
✧ The supporting roles has - Xiao Zhao (Hu Yun Hao) and Ming Qiao (Wu Jia Yi) who add some good comedy and they have their own story going on too which is often more interesting than the main couple. Infact I was loving them until…… they made it all awkward for me. Uff these unnecessary plot twists!
✧ the costumes and the setup. every angle looks so fairytale like, it's all designed to give you princess vibes especially Mu Tingzhou's house, like a royal mansion and this has a very lovely frame overall. They did well with the historical setup also
✧ And rant time… just when will they get tired of adding extra love triangles to the story. God! stop this stuff please!
I would say, this is a very mood dependent drama. If you're in the mood for particularly amnesia related thing or rom-coms with good faces, you will enjoy it. Just a heavy dose of cliche, sugar coated with strange elements. A story that starts with amnesia and ends on romance.
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Strong cast and interesting plot, but it felt choppy and rushed
GMMTV knew what they were doing when they put all of these actors and actresses together. They all have a good following and loyal fanbase, so the series was in for a lot of attention. However, knowing what the cast is capable of with a solid plot, I ended up a bit disappointed.The plot had some interesting twists and surprises, but I feel like it wasn’t really well executed. With most of the characters being in focus for 2-3 episodes and with a lot of other things going on, their relationships appeared very rushed. It felt like they simply weren’t given enough time to deepen the connections between characters, and for the viewers to see their love for each other truly blossom. On one other hand, I actually liked how we had focused only on one or two couples per episode, as it made it easier to follow and the episodes didn’t feel as choppy. But on the other hand, this made the series as whole feel a bit choppy.
I did find it annoying how one couple got a lot more attention and screen time in comparison with others. It does make sense why, because a lot of attention was paid to their past and how their story was connected to how The Jungle boys met one another. But I also think it could have been done and over quicker. It made it seem like they were one of the few (if not the only) couples that was given enough time to kind of develop their relationship. It also made the rest of the couples’ plots look even choppier and even more rushed. Certain things also lacked proper closure and were left feeling unfinished.
The Jungle are rich playboys with some honor. Sadly, their code of conduct is something they don’t always stick to. I liked how they addressed the importance of consent, both clearly and implied in multiple instances. I didn’t like how some of them didn’t follow it. There were at least two times, a different member of The Jungle each time, where consent was not given.
The idea of each character representing an animal was intriguing. I was curious to see how they will incorporate that into the storyline. It was both a hit and miss for me. They did really well with some characters (e.g. Gale as a rabbit), while they completely screwed up some others (e.g. Irin as a butterfly). I think it could have been done much better and taken more into consideration story and personalities wise. They were matching animals to how a character is, made it a big part of the plot with the narration as well, but then dropped the ball when it came to the execution.
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I know the review is already long as it is, but there is a little bit about each couple and Hunter written below. It just expands on what I have already addressed above.
Pentai & Gale / Jaguar & Rabbit: I think the two of them are a great pairing. They are the first couple we are introduced to, and I must say it was a cute story. They are two estranged childhood friends who get to meet again. I like how the conflict between the two of them was resolved fairly quickly, but it also felt a bit rushed at the end. Lee and Mook had great chemistry and I really liked how they portrayed their characters’ emotions through their eyes.
Nanfah & Pladao / Tiger & Gazelle: They first appear as more of a background couple, but their story progresses constantly until we get an episode that is focused on the two. They are the couple I was the most confused about, I was never sure if I wanted them to be endgame or not. I just think the two started in a very weird spot and I don’t think they really made it out of it. The lying at the start, keeping secrets, making a fool out of her… I don’t think any of those were addressed appropriately. Nanon and Punpun had good chemistry, and Punpun showed a lot with her facial expressions.
Nannam & Nithan / Viper & Squirrel: I honestly expected Nannam to be the bad guy, to be the worst member of The Jungle. I was mistaken. I loved how sweet he was with Nitham. She might not be someone who can lie, but she is still brave and daring. That is something that enabled her to match with Nannam so well. I loved how the rest of The Jungle treated Nannam as the baby of the group. Nanon and Mild were adorable together, I really liked their playfulness and how it translated through the screen.
Nannon played both twins perfectly, I loved how easy it was to tell them apart based on their mannerism. I know there were other differences, like their hairstyles and the way the two dressed, but that’s part of the styling. It was the way he stood, the smiles and grins… little things that really added up.
Hack & Irin / Tarantula & Butterfly: the two were on fire. I love a good enemies to lovers story, and theirs started so good. They don’t bother hiding their dislike for one another, even if certain scenes make me question if Hack really hates Irin or not. We don’t really get a lot of background information on Hack, but we do learn a bit about Irin. I personally found Irin to be not very likeable character. She annoyed me. A lot. But Hack also had his moments that made me want to shake some sense into him. Krist and Lookjun had great chemistry though, and made a cute couple.
Nathee & Florence / Wolf & Flamingo: I love a strong and confident female character, someone who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go for it. I also really love Nathee’s duality between his daytime self and his nighttime self. This is one of those instances where I actually liked the fact that the two characters know each other from before. It added to their story, it wasn’t just something that was there to be there. Florence being the one to pursue Nathee was just a cherry on top. Luke and Aye were great together, I really enjoyed the looks they gave one another.
Pine & August / Lion & Lioness: Pine is probably the character I dislike the most. I thought that his past would give us a reason for why he is such an awful person, but knowing what has happened made what he did to Irin even worse. At least in my eyes. He is closed off but loves playing the hero. To be honest, I think it’s the attention he likes. August is an interesting character. She has her flaws, but I loved how true to herself she was. Always. If I said I was surprised by the bad guys in their story, I would be lying. I think Off and Pat were great together, it showed that they are comfortable with each other off screen too.
Hunter: I swear he is everywhere! He knows everything, hears everything, and remembers everything. I loved how attentive he was and that he took care of those who entered his bar. I liked the mystery around his character, it added to his charm. I do admit that what we do get to know about his past makes it easier to understand why he likes The Jungle boys. They are very similar. Both in good and bad ways. Mix did absolutely amazing in the role!
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The peak of gay romcoms! The most influential JBL came back better than ever!
Ossan’s Love (2018), arguably the most successful Japanese BL, is a favorite of mine. It kind of suffers from being made in 2018 and that made me a bit reluctant when I heard it was getting a sequel season 5 years later; Could it live up to today’s standard? Or will it drag on and fall into that 2018 humor?Well, thankfully, OLR has moved with the times and served one of the most poignant examples of a sequel surpassing the first season. Everything is praiseworthy in this new season. The characters are so much more lovable, the conflicts as silly or as serious they are get resolved fairly quickly, respecting that all the characters are adults who can, more or less, communicate and solve their issues. I can also see the influence of post-OL BLs in this, especially the focus on domesticity. Haruta and Maki’s relationship progress is adorable to watch and there wasn’t a moment I would change between them. Izumi and Kikunosuke initially felt too random of an addition of characters but by the end of the show I grew to appreciate them. Kurosawa this season was much more likable as well. The slice of life aspect is not dull, not even for one moment because of its comedy and occasional drama. I also still think OL’s has the best female cast out of most if not all BL, even if they’re not the focus a lot. Chizu and Choko are a delight to watch every time and even in their limited screentime they feel fleshed out.
Production quality is also much higher this season and it’s so nice to see the change it was able to make after its success. Keeping Sukima Switch for the new theme song was a great nod to the first season’s theme song. The final episode was so satisfactory that I don’t even feel like complaining about how sad I am to let go of this show. Even if you didn’t like S1 a lot you should watch this as I can confidently say it’s one of the most wholesome, well written romantic shows you can find.
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A Realistic drama
Not the usual ending for Kdrama but it is exactly how relationship ends in real life. The whole story itself is so realistic that you cant really tell whether its a drama or a real relationship. There are fluffy and sad moments.On the other hand I like how they put the animations specially the cells. Its like watching another drama.
Short Kdrama but worth your time.
Music is also matching the actual drama.
This drama can be tagged as a melodrama instead of a romance or romantic comedy theme..
And what I learned from this is yourself is your greatest enemy. And dont look for a person to complete you. Look for a person to be with you when your complete.
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