Reviews

lackluster worldbuilding and a disappointing ending (watch suggestions)

Overall: Feb 22nd 2025 update - after the special episode I bumped up to 6.5. I can't bump it up more because the special had even more completely nonsense worldbuilding. However, I'm happy we did get the special https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIcdgalcMUE&feature=youtu.be

I gave this series a 7.5 up until the final episode where I dropped it to a 6. 6 episodes about 40 minutes long. Aired on YoYo English Channel https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTB73Ibi_X3FNNIaLL1ZThNGuT0l-fFOL (not available in Japan or South Korea); GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/5066/i-will-turn-back-this-time-2025 (not available in Japan, South Korea or Thailand) and Heavenly (I believe it's available in South Korea/language is Korean) https://heavenly.tv/en/detail/839

Content Warnings: past intimate partner abuse/violence, blood, fight, death (it's complicated), slap, homophobia, near suicide, punch

Watch Suggestions (to skip a ton of angst, moping, terrible parent, etc)
- watch episodes 1-3
- in episode 4 skip 12-21 and 22:15-38:30
- in episode 5 watch 29-31:45 (stop at 31:45, trust me on this)
- skip episode 6, there are some sweet flashbacks starting at 23 minutes but I didn't enjoy them knowing how it ended
- watch the special episode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIcdgalcMUE&feature=youtu.be

What I Liked
- relationship progression felt realistic
- supportive friends
- sweet/caring moments
- production value

Room For Improvements
- the cliche running scene and what happened at the end of episode 1
- 2 sponge baths in episode 1 was one too many
- a character didn't have a reason not to reciprocate in episode 3 because the "warning" came much later in the episode
- stereotype of handsy effeminate man
- toilet humor
- cliche saw something, made assumption and didn't communicate (luckily it didn't last long)
- convenient/nonsense worldbuilding: the mysterious guy refused to answer the question but left vague threats, didn't clearly established if the 2nd time was a different situation/world with the parents
- depressing parental stuff
- cliche noble idiot when that was more painful than telling him the truth (which would sound a bit crazy but he could have tried to explain the situation)
- nonsense stuff: everyone was very trusting in episode 2, why wouldn't he spend the whole day with him at the end of episode 3
- terrible ending: especially because it's from China the sad ending where 1 guy will be sad his entire life and they will never end up together felt homophobic, even the final phrase "if we are destined to part, then what is the meaning of our meeting" made me think "if this series was destined to have a homophobic sad ending, what is the point of watching it"

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I don’t know where to start to express my feelings toward this drama, if you’re watching it from the beginning till the end and you will know and understand how I feel. It's a huge big feeling like you want to scream it to the world. You need to watch it”. THIS IS MUST WATCH DRAMA OF THE YEAR.

Overall: Innocent Man or Nice Guy or Chakan Namja is not an ordinary drama you see nowadays, because the leading characters both are smart, not easily be fooled around and they both are having a strong personalities, you will love them no matter how intense and cruel situations they were in. From the very beginning, this drama is having very good pacing, never felt bored or trying to skip it because each scene is too precious to skip it. For a moment I wonder, do we need to sacrifice that much for someone we love? Until the 19th episode, storylines explained why this story was made and executed this way. If really such an innocent nice guy really happens to exist in this real world?

Acting: Song Joong Ki as Kang Ma Roo, I was shocked when I fell for him and his cold staring eyes, how can this cute guy can change my perceptions toward him and he can be so manly just with both of his eyes, he is so talented and flawless in acting, seeking revenge against someone he loves so much, too complicated how he endured mixed feelings, but he never failed to convince me and I believe in him from the first scene till the last ones. Moon Chae Won as Seo Eun Gi also succeeded in portraying a smart, arrogant, and stubborn young lady and the only daughter of the Taesan Group owner. She is an awesome girl who can be in any personality and she did it well, funny thing about her, no matter how rude and harsh she is but I bet you still love her for being bold and strong. Park Si Yeon as Han Jae Hee also did a very good job in acting although I hate her character in this drama she succeeded in being a ‘femme fatale” in this drama. Her character was confusing me from the start, LOL, I tried to understand her but I’m still confused about her true feelings toward others. Supporting roles like Jae Gil the funniest, Choco the warmest, Att Park the shy one, and Att Ahn the mysterious lawyer on earth haha. All mentioned characters did a very good job as supporting lead roles also they have a strong character of their own, their side stories can be scary and cute too.

Music: Suspend weird music, I wonder why they chose this music for a melodrama in the beginning but now I understand and can blend it well with the story and Song Joong Ki’s song, “Really” only one word can describe it. WOW!. I really have no idea this guy can sing really well, his voice is smooth like his face, and sounds so innocent.

Rewatch value: To be honest, I already rewatched it. I did roll back the best scenes from previous episodes while waiting for the finale.

I’ll nominate this drama for TOP 5 dramas in 2012. Hope Innocent man will win a lot of awards because you already owned my heart.

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The Honest Review You've Been Looking For

I'm confused. There are so many rave reviews... but it fell really flat for me? Did we watch the same drama?! & is it just me or does it seem like drama fans are really overpraising these days? I'm someone who relies on this site to help me know what to watch next... but the ratings seem to be getting increasingly less accurate imo. So, if you're a lurker of this site (as I was until today), I encourage you to join & leave your honest ratings/reviews! Please! :)

But yeah, this one wasn't it for me. I'll explain why:

******************* SPOILERS AHEAD! ********************

1.) The "romance" was PAINFULLY one-note! We witness the immense pain & loneliness in the prince's life. The writer makes us long for someone to swoop in & show him real love. Enter scene: a royal servant girl with the demeanor of a princess. She witnesses his pain & decides to help ensure his seat on the throne. She becomes extremely dedicated to the prince, more-so than her job requires. We (the prince & us- the viewers!) are led to believe that she has developed deep feelings for him. This is the first time the broken prince has felt this level of care/loyalty... so naturally, he grows fond of her. He confesses his feelings... we are holding our breath in excitement, but... she rejects him? Hmm... interesting. Ok, make me beg for it! I'm okay with that!!! :P

But here's what really set me off. This rejection element is repeated over & over & OVER!:

"I want to be with you..." "Not until you have safely secured the throne."

"Let's be together- now is the time..." "It will never happen."

"We met as children, we are destined to be together!..." "It means nothing to me."

"I'm willing to sacrifice everything for you, just love me!..." "But, I want to be free to go to the market with my friends!"

That is literally the "romance" in a nutshell. Just her rejecting him 20 times, despite the fact that she constantly looks at him with lovesick puppy eyes. It's painfully repetitive... & illogical.

2.) Her refusal to be with him made no sense. I cannot understand why a girl who had no real future would be so quick to turn down the opportunity that literally every other girl was dreaming about. An attractive, intelligent, kind, powerful, rich man who has displayed his love, loyalty & willingness to sacrifice? HARD PASS!!!! LOL! Imo, more backstory was needed to support her strong objection. I mean, there was the brief mention of the king not being a suitable husband because he will have many lovers & forget about her when she's old. Or there was the fact that she had a general distaste for the lifestyle. But... ok? What's her better alternative? As a palace maid, she has to remain chaste/can't have a lover. So... she'd rather never experience love or motherhood & do chores all day with her besties for the next 40 years? Then retire with them & read/eat chestnuts all day? That's the dreamy lifestyle she's clinging to? Spending 80 years everyday with the same 3 women? Make it make sense.

3.) Her love for him was unclear- down to the last episode! Even after being together for many years... he still has to ask her if she ever truly loved him. & I don't blame him! Because as the viewer, I also felt confused & frustrated!! I can't understand why she was so damn hot & cold with him! One minute she's caressing his face & looking deeply in love, then suddenly she's like, "yeah when you see me in the next life, please just keep walking?!" I know she mentions to her friends that she had to play hard to get (for some reason that I still don't fully understand, tbh)... but I don't think she was playing hard to get on her deathbed, lmao. Did she ever even love him?? I still don't know!

4.) The prince/king was put through way too much tragedy. I can appreciate a bittersweet/realistic tale... but this was too far imo. First his dad is "crazy" & killed as a result. Then he acts as his bi-polar grandfather's personal punching bag for about 20 years. Then he FINALLY sees a glimmer of hope in his life... which somehow turns into years of ego-bruising torment. Then he's finally winning for a minute... until his baby son dies in his arms. Then shortly after, the love of his life ALSO dies in his arms- after saying she hopes in their next life he never approaches her. REALLY?! If you're going to write that dark of a life for someone... they deserve some version of a happy ending (a happy after-life is a lazy cop-out!). When the credits rolled, I felt frustrated & wanted my 20 hours back.

5.) The pacing was horrid. The first few episodes were great... but many of the middle episodes felt like repetitive, pointless filler. Then around the 90% mark, after 18 hours of never-ending build-up, we finally get our reward- we get to see them happy together- for approximately 15 minutes. Yeah. There's a massive time jump that skips over all of their happy times together. Because apparently the writer hates San & doesn't want him to have any joy in his poor little fictitious life. *sigh* I would've loved to have seen the full pregnancy, the birth of their son, them adjusting to parenthood, etc. The good stuff was skipped over & it broke my heart. This drama was 20 hours long & contained so many insignificant scenes that could've been/should've been dropped for the key moments that truly mattered.

6.) There are a few annoying plot holes. But I'm not even going to get into it, because this is already getting way too long. Ok just one- the 2nd concubine deciding to bring Deok-Im back to the palace because she heard she was close with the king... but she's a crazy jealous-type who can't stand anyone else being close to the king? lol

7.) This a high-production drama, but in the end, when the king & others are meant to be in their 50's, not a single wrinkle is on anyone's face? They really thought just adding a beard & putting some powder in everyone's eyebrows was enough? *scratches head*

8.) The 1st concubine was 11 years old at the time of filming. Even though there were no sex scenes... it made me uncomfortable to see such a young girl being brought in to portray a prostitute. I realize that in the olden days, girls were forced to have children young... but 11 years old? Not many girls are fertile at 11 years old. It just felt distasteful & like something they easily could've avoided.

I see so many people saying that this is a masterpiece... the "best sageuk ever!". No. Not even close. It has some great acting (lee junho, lee deokhwa, oh daehwan) & beautiful scenes... but the storyline is weak/repetitive & the ending is rushed/shitty. Just before this drama I actually watched a similar sageuk, The King's Affection, which I would say was far more enjoyable than The Red Sleeve. But for some reason it has average reviews in comparison. It really blows my mind. Again, are we watching the same dramas?! >_<"

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A Mature Storyline

I had not expected , I thought this would be same Thai traditional cheesy BL story but I was wrong . Gmmtv did a great job .

Disclaimer - I wrote this review according to my own thoughts . This review may contain spoilers . It will be change according to the upcoming episodes .

Story - Po , a heartbroken soul , was wondering a good job but everytime for being honest he failed at the interview . He recently broke up with his partner ( Earn ) and tried to heal his broken soul . He suddenly got a job at a big entertainment company and he was tasked with documenting a boy group's ( MARS ) final concert before their disbandment . Thame ( the leader of MARS ) about to make a solo debut in South Korea for a misunderstanding with his bandmates .

Impression - A mature and emotional story . The way the actors expressed every details ,is excellent . Thame and Po , both of them were trying to understand their hearts with each other's companion . The cinematography and visuals are top tier . As William is here then the music must be good , yes his beautiful voice stole our heart . The intro was so beautiful , one of the best intro I ever seen .

Overall - Try one episode , you will understand . I am giving 10/10 .

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Some comparisons between the drama and the novel

At the time of writing this I have watched 28 out of 30 of the episodes of the drama. Some none spoilery thoughts :
- I love the main leads. The acting is great and both are very good looking. (I am a big Jeremy fan)
- The drama within a drama about the love between Grand Tutor and the Princess is filmed so well, I would totally watch this if it was a real movie!
- The amnesia part went on for ages and I wish they spent more time on developing the love story between the leads once the anmesia resolves.

I ended up reading the novel because I felt the last episodes were rushed. Here are some differences that I found interesting.

Warning : Super spoilers of the drama and the book so don't read on unless you want to be spoiled!

The novel is 108 chapters and is the love story of Ting Zhou and Ming Wei, the Award Winning “King of Film” and the rookie actress. They act in 3 dramas/movies together which provide the background setting of the novel :

1) “Grand Chief Cabinet Minister” (iQiyi translation!), a tragic story of the Grand Tutor and the young Princess Ming Wah – Ting Zhou becomes so entrenched in his character that he goes into a psychosis where he believes he is the Grand Tutor and Ming Wei is the Princess, as in the drama. By chapter 42 we are out of the amnesia but in the drama this took up 2/3 of the episodes.

2) “Dragon King” – a sci fi story set in the future where Ming Wei is part of a space exploration team trying to "conquer" a new inhabitable planet and he is a Mythical creature that is some sort of Dragon Snake that inhabits and protects the sea on this planet. It’s described in detail just like the Grand Tutor Princess story and is actually quite engrossing (but also another tragic ending – under team command she “seduces” the Dragon King and betrays him and he is captured. He is angry and hurt but she thought it was better that he be captured than killed. She was trying to think of a way to free him but dies trying to protect him) Outside of the filming the romance is driven by him who is obviously developing feelings for her as Ting Zhou, but she is resistant because she doesn't want to confuse her feelings for the Grand Tutor with her developing feelings for Ting Zhou. There is a lot of push and pull in their relationship in this part but both the readers and the characters are clear that Ting Zhou is not Grand Tutor, and Ming Wei loves Grand Tutor but he has left, like an ex-boyfriend.

3) “White Snake” – based on a famous Chinese Legend (it’s been remade numerous times in real life). Ming Wei plays the White Snake that cultivated 1000 years to become human and falls in love with a human. In this version he dies and she thinks he reincarnates into another man so she marries him, only to find that in fact he reincarnated into the monk that was sent along to capture her. Ting Zhou plays both the human character and the monk in this movie. The movie is directed by Ting Zhou’s father. Outside of the filming Ting Zhou and Ming Wei are dating but in secret, they want to see each other (especially Ting Zhou who is head over heels) but to stay in character they stay apart. It's really steamy whenever they are together though!

After the amnesia ends in chapter 42, you essentially get 60+ chapters of Ting Zhou falling in love, wooing Ming Wei, and then being a crazy in love boyfriend! Once Ming Wei agrees to go out with him, he is like a sex crazed schoolboy and can’t stop kissing her. (He is 30 years old and never had a girlfriend before) I can’t even count how times they kissed, each time described in detail by the author. He is cold on the exterior throughout but with Ming Wei he is caring, thoughtful, madly in love and gets jealous of himself as the Grand Tutor.
Ming Qiao is quite different in the novel. She just graduated high school and goes to college to study Automobile Engineering, and is only a very small part in the novel. She is a cool, quiet girl with few words but loves her sister. She only interacted with Zhao Xiao a few times and it’s only hinted in the last chapter that he had shown some interest her and realises how pretty she is 3 years later at the Wedding. The drama elevated her into a whole second couple story line with Zhao Xiao that wasn’t in the novel.

Ming Wei’s biological father Xu Xiu took advantage of Ming Wei’s mother after she was drugged by some old rich CEO at a function where she was playing the Guzheng. She marries Ming Qiang, who is a motor mechanic but loved her and accepted that she was pregnant from the assault. Xu Xiu approached Ming Wei after his father commented that her smile was like Xu Xiu’s mother’s and Zhao Xiao gets DNA sample from her hair.

Zhao Xiao’s family is a lot better fleshed out in the book. The patriarch is actually Zhao Xiao’s grandfather. He has 2 sons, the first is Xu Xiu who has 2 sons, Zhao Xiao and his older brother. They all adore Ming Wei once they find out who she is but she keeps her distance from them all. Grandpa has a second son who is the father of Lin Lin and another brother who is the boyfriend of Wong Ying Ying. The brother’s character is merged with Ming Wei’s ex boyfriend in the drama. Therefore Lin Lin is Zhao Xiao’s cousin. She is a spoilt brat but only has a small role in the book. She comes back to pester Ting Zhou whilst he still has amnesia, and triggers Ming Wei to leave she is petrified that when he is no longer the Grand Tutor he would leave her. Lin Lin comes back later when Ming Wei and Ting Zhou are dating and tries to spill a drink on Ming Wei but the whole Xu family pretty much blocks her from interfering because they know they are dating in secret and the whole family loves Ming Wei. But she never calls Zhao Xiao her brother like in the drama.

In the novel we know the name of Ming Wei’s biological father by chapter 21. She only reluctantly acknowledges him because he gets into a near fatal accident on his way to visit her in hospital when she breaks her wrist filming another movie after White Snake.

Ting Zhou’s family always liked Ming Wei and was encouraging their son to pursue her. They never even interact with Lin Lin, so no scene where Ting Zhou’s mum gets pushed over by Ming Qiang. No Lin Lin slapping Ming Wei or Ming Qiao slapping Lin Lin.

Was there a proposal up to Episode 28? In the novel Ting Zhou was the presenter of the Best New Actress award at one of the big award nights, which Ming Wei won. After he presents her the award, he gets on one knee and says “I am changing career to become a Director. Miss Ming, I want to use the rest of my life to make a movie, will you be my female lead?” *swoon*

Finally, Ting Zhou never says whether he regains his memory as the Grand Tutor. In the wedding night scene just like in the drama he gets on his knees and says “your servant Mu Ting Zhou thank the Princess for marrying him” At that moment Ming Wei realises that Ting Zhou gets on one knee, but only the Grand Tutor gets on both knees, and concludes that he must remember, but still won’t call himself the Grand Tutor because he is still jealous of him/himself. End of novel.

So essentially the drama is based on the first 40 chapters and then is only very loosely based on the rest of the novel. Whoever adapted the drama must just have loved Grand Tutor a lot! I wonder what is in episode 29+30? Hope you found this interesting!

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chaotic and ridiculously good // perfect blend of comedy and historical genre

Surprisingly I enjoyed the series considering the fact that i dislike historical dramas a lot because they are too boring and dark for my liking. The writers did a really good job in mixing chaotic and comedic moments between the characters and also the dark theme of a puppet king and the battle of power between officials. Unlike many other so-called "rom-coms" that are only funny in a few episodes, Mr Queen brought a lot of laughter in every single episodes and it didn't seemed forced or cringe thanks to Shin Hye Sun and Kim Jung Hyun's amazing acting. I was not surprised by how well Kim Jung Hyun fits the role of Cheoljung considering the fact that he's a master in this type of characters but Shin Hye Sun's acting was WOW Having to act as both gentle and a chaotic man stuck in a woman's body, it was very natural which really helped in the comedic aspect. I would highly recommend people to watch this if you are looking for a funny drama with a mixture of an exciting plot!! #TeamNoTouching

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My alltime favorite drama was City Hunter until I saw Healer. Great plotline with unexpected twists and turns that keep you interested and on your toes, Great chemistry in the romance sector, awesome action scenes that made me sad when they were over, fitting music that made it even more magical... This drama made me an emotional sobbing wreck at points and at other I was squealing in happiness (yes I actually was squealing, no there wasn't anybody else in the room), at other points I was holding my stomach with tears running down my face from laughing so hard. I love this drama so much & the only negative points are that after watching it 1. you have end of drama depression 2. you can't be satisfied by watching a different drama bc it just does't measure up 3. you realize that your life is uninteresting and find yourself fighting imaginary enemies and being Healer and then being embarrassed when you realize what you were just doing

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Stunning cast & visuals BUT horrible script, badly executed plot & editing

This drama is my 2024 Biggest Disappointment. I had high expectations for the first instalment in the Fox Spirit Matchmaker series since it was iQiyi most anticipated high budgeted drama for 2024. As a xianxia lover + hopeless romantic + fan of the cast, I thought for sure this would be an easy 10/10. But unfortunately, this drama felt like I was introduced to the most stunningly beautiful wedding cake, only to be told it’s inedible. I truly feel the drama had the potential to be one of the best xianxias but it was totally ruined by the script writers whose budget must have been 0.99$... oh and don’t get me started on the horrible editing.

The drama is about the female lead who is an ancient fox and Chief of Tushan, a magical land where fox spirits can live freely and humans are not allowed in. Except one human, the male lead, who, as a child, is rescued by her due to his magical blood. 16 years later, an evil fox shows up and tries to destroy Tushan and kill all humans. Also, part of the story is the Grief Tree, a place where humans and spirits can ask for love blessings. The female lead indirectly serves as a matchmaker to the three side couple whose stories are also woven into the plot.

The story that’s off well and is quite enjoyable in the early episodes although I always felt something big was missing. Up until episode 20 it was a decent watch but then the drama created a useless amnesia plot that ruined everything. The last episodes were the worst and the ending kind of made me feel like it was a waste of a watch.

Are all Fox Spirit Matchmaker dramas connected?
The world and characters are interconnected but each drama is a different story. IMPORTANT NOTE: this drama directly spoils the ending for the prequel Love in Pavilion.

THE COUPLES:
✨ Ancient Fox and her Human Disciple (Yang Mi and Gong Jun) main cp / cold woman and warm male vibes. Badly written love story. Read my negative point below.
✨ Carefree Fox and her Cheeky Prince Spirit (Cristy Guo and Miles Wei) second cp / bickering friends vibes / ep 5 love story beings. My favourite ship, I love them dearly however I hated the way they treated the male lead during the amnesia plot. All of their scenes were super adorable but at the same time they didn’t really have much of a love story.
✨ Human Princess and her Spirit Bodyguard (Bambi Zhu and Yang Shi Ze) third cp / Aladdin and Jasmine vibes / ep 7-13 love story. The best side story of them all with great political intrigue. The actor’s chemistry was fantastic. The plot had some much potential to be expanded into a full story.
✨ Human Detective and her Flirty Thousand-Faces Spirit (Sebrina Chen and Mao Zi Jun) forth cp / Beauty and the Beast vibes / ep 21-29 love story. Great chemistry, their love story had a lot of potential but not enough time to be fully explored. I loved the message of inner beauty. The only thing I hated was the massive red flag that guy displayed at their final scene.
✨ Mischievous Tree Spirit and her Dummy-cute Human (Chen Du Ling and Zhang Ling He) fifth couple / Fairytale vibes / ep 30-34 love story. The most hilarious and funny side story. Their screen time was extremely short but the actor’s chemistry made up for it.

POSITIVE:
- Good-looking and well-known cast.
- Stunning costumes.
- Beautiful scenery and a world that looks truly magical and fairy-tale like.
- Awesome side couples/stories. Hands down the best part of the drama is the side couples and their stories. Granted, they had limited screen time but were still impactful. The chemistry between the actors was sizzling and the only reason I kept watching. The stories were woven well into the main plot and it all felt connected
- Badass women. Pretty much all the women in the drama were always high ranked, independent and powerful.
- Male eye candy. All the men in the drama were feast for the eyes. I loved seeing Gong Jun as the male lead, his cheeky and youthful character was different from the unhinged and morally grey roles I had previously seen him in. Miles Wei was very charming, Zhang Ling He was super hilarious and Mao Zi Jun was wonderful to watch.
- Stunning artwork. A bit off topic but worth mentioning that the drama released more than beautiful 10 different art works with all 10 characters.
- Brainless watch. Well, it’s not exactly a positive but some days I was very tired so watching this drama was easy as it didn’t require much brain power.

NEGATIVE:
- Badly written main lead’s story. No proper foundation, no proper development and totally butchered in the second half. I feel the best love stories are those where we follow the leads, meet up for the first time, face challenges and fall in love. But in this case, the main leads have already lived in the same place for 16 years and then the male lead suddenly falls for her. Their love story doesn’t help the controversial fact that she has known him since he was a child. However she did look more like a mentor than mother figure to me. On top of all that, 98% of the time, the female lead was cold and wooden towards him which didn’t allow for any chemistry to be explored. The nail in the coffin was the amnesia plot after ep 20 that was totally useless, stalled any sort of development and in fact ruined the couple completely. In the end, I couldn’t root for the leads at all and in fact felt the male lead deserved better.

- Clown villains. Black Fox is the most one-dimensional villain I’ve ever seen. We are never given a backstory of her motives. She just wants to kill humans. Her only real superpower is boring the audience to death with her dialogue. Her scenes are useless and frankly embarrassing to watch. Her subordinate is just as useless, repeatedly failing to kill the heroes. The only worthy villain is the White Fox who unfortunately the writers never allowed to gain power and be an actual threat. He had a good backstory and unhinged personality to be a compelling villain that could have elevated the plot.

- Repetitive plot. The main plot was an absolute joke of useless and boring repetitions of heroes vs villains, tons of illogical parts and stupid things the characters said and did. Many things were happening but actually nothing significant or impactful ever happened. The worst past was the amnesia plot which lasted for 10 episodes and was beyond useless as literally nothing happened.

- Lackluster fight scenes. No martial arts ever used, just static hands up in the air and colours coming out of them to “fight”. In the rare cases of a weapon being used, the fight scenes end after 2 seconds.

- Horrible editing. All scenes are cut weirdly. This is especially noticeable when the emotional scenes end abruptly as the audience is not given enough time to process what’s happening and connect with the characters. All the key scenes end up anti-climatic. Sometimes, the characters pop up out of nowhere and you do wonder where they came from and what they were doing.

- Surface level relationships. As discussed above, the main love story was badly executed. The rest of the couples also suffered from a lack of build up and their dialogue at times felt forced and/or odd. I could argue that they didn’t have enough screen time for their love stories to be explored. But I do think the issue lies in the fact that the drama spent more time focusing on the useless plot rather than developing the characters, seeing them interact with each other and building the relationships between them. I never felt the characters were real people, I never felt I knew anything about them, who they were, what their dreams and fears were. Everything just lacked depth.

- Wooden female lead. This is my first time seeing the actress so I don’t have much data to go by. At the start of the drama her character was stoic and expressionless which suited her role as a Chief and ancient being however during the whole drama she lacked any sort of personality and portrayal of feelings. She could easily pass for wood in the forest. Towards the end though, when her character was evil, the actress did shine as the writers actually gave her a personality. Overall, I feel her character was badly written but I also wasn’t quite impressed with the actress’ micro-expressions.

- Underwhelming ending. It was boring, cheap, cliche, and lazily written. To satisfy the audience, the writers literally introduced a new random concept in the last 5 minutes of the drama.

OVERALL:
With a heavy heart, I award this drama as my 2024 Biggest Disappointment. A pretty package without any substance inside. iQiyi flopped badly with this one and I feel sad for the cast for being given such a bad script. Granted, it’s not the worst xianxia out there but due to the huge anticipation and money invested, it was a total waste of a production. The potential was definitely there but the execution was horrendous. I suppose, it’s only worth watching if you really love the cast, you are new to cdramas and/or you want a brainless watch after a tiring day. I can only hope the next two instalments don’t follow the same fate as this one.

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Housewives like a Golden Fish: being trapped and desperate to be loved

Let me be the first one to give my review to this drama since I've been anticipating this drama a lot.. I'm so excited to see Gun chan finally get a role in a mature drama.. also getting involved in an affair with older woman. I imagine this drama will be too hot to handle, and I guess they give us a super hot scene in episode 1 and episode 8. As the beginning of the secret affair, and in the end of their relationship.

My prediction is right. Gun chan is totally did well.. with his acting, also he looks very handsome, cute, sweet and warm through his role.

Warning! If you are under 18 years old, please do not watch.. because every episode, you'll see some sex scenes with different couple, and not every scene is sweet. It's infidelity everywhere!

Now about the main leads.
I think the most interesting story is about Sakura, Haruto and Takuya. Well.. no one is right since they're having affair.. but I can understand why Sakura get tempted by an angelic Haruto since she's finally getting courage to find her freedom after meet this sweet guy. Besides the couple name is Sakura (a spring flower) and Haru (means Spring) are totally completing each other.

The way this drama make a golden fish as an icon is totally relevant. It's successfuly describe all the house wives situation inside the fishbowl.. and they can't runaway without help. Each of them are desperate to be loved and cared.

I love how this drama can make me be more curious.. I finish watching 8 episode in 1 day.. it's totally worth it.

Get ready to be angry, upset, headache with Takuya as lowly husband.. I can't understand the way he love his wife by getting affair with many women.. like his neighboor, his subordinate, even his friend's wife. Like WTH is wrong with him. And how crazy he try to control his wife until did some domestic violence.

Luckily there is Haruto... a hero in the rainy day... he come at the right moment.. he is offering a warmest hug, sweet smile and extra care... No wonder Sakura fall into his embrace. Besides.. he is young, energetic and ikemen (handsome).. who can resist this temptation?? Lol.

The past story that makes Haruto is kinda obsess with Sakura after they meet again is a little bit make sense, but not that strong enough.. maybe I'm expecting a situation in the past that will be more dramatic and complicated... but this is just a mini series drama..so it's already good enough.

Now let's talk about the ending.
It's an open ending. But I guess there's some clue that showing the main leads (Sakura and Haruto) go back together...
In the last 5 minutes, they show us Haruto stop by in convenience store and grab 1 mineral water (probably for himself) and 1 highball beer (it's Sakura's favorite), and he rush back to his car like gotta leave somewhere. Meanwhile, Sakura is alone in the beach while smiling.. seems like she is waiting for someone.
I assume they're going to meet again after 2 years (as they ever made promise to watch the fireworks there together someday). At least this is the reality that I wish can be happen. Since I'm rooting for this couple so much.

Besides, Sakura finally divorce with her husband, and manage her own salon (reaching her dream). She finally can leave Takuya but still maintain a good relationship. I'm a bit panic for a moment that Sakura will choose Takuya.. Because if I were Sakura.. I will never forgive and get back to the crazy husband eventhough he get his lesson and be better at the end. Standing applause to the drama production because I almost believe that Sakura will choose Takuya over Haruto.. like seriously? But thankfully she still choose to seperate, and be brave to stand alone while chasing her own dream independently.

The ending shows a good ending for others couple too. If you are 18+, I strongly recommend this drama..and you'll love Haruto so much! He is kind and lovable!

Gun chan acting as Haruto is no joke.
Love the main lead couple so much. It's only 8 episodes.. s you can finish it in 1 day.

I will not talk too much about other couple since every couple has their own struggle, and it's quite satisfying result for some of them... and everyone is getting back with their own husband. It's kinda annoy me to see some "fetish" scenes and also how they describe every housewives are not satisfy with their own husband, so they're runaway to find another happiness through a secret affair. However it's totally make sense.. it's realistic.

I hope there will be an extra episode or special movie for Sakura and Haruto.. even just 15 minutes... I wish to see them reunite again and get married, also have kids. Probably Haruto can run his father business and maintain his store as well. He deserve to be rich! LOL.

P.S. I love the drama ost. The song is romantic and so wonderful!

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Alrighty! So I absolutely love the original Korean drama, but I also absolutely loved Ikemen Desu Ne as well. I just completed this drama, when I first started it I attempted to do so immediately after watching You're Beautiful. That just didn't work, but after a hearty 6 months in between I can truly appreciate the loveliness of it. They changed enough of the story to keep one interested plus it is much shorter than the Kdrama. This is fantastic because it is painful to watch angst filled episodes when one already knows the outcome (well for me atleast :P ). I really liked how they fleshed out some of the side characters a bit more like Mio's aunt and the director of the company. I also think Shu's character had a bit more depth here. The only character I really wish there was more development in was Yuuki. Perhaps this was a good thing though as one's heart is not wrenched out here as it is in the kdrama.

Acting and Music wise it was extremely well done. A lot of the same songs were present but altered. The actors all did a wonderful job. The gal acting as Mio was just wonderful and brought a sweet spirit to her without coming across as a ditz.

If you've seen You're Beautiful, give this a shot. It is a Japanese drama through and through, don't look for something exactly like the Korean one, it is fun because it is different. I don't think one can say this one is better or truly worse than You're Beautiful because Kdramas and Jdramas have such different themes and stylings.

Anyway lovely drama, hope some folks give it a shot!

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Well, I was weary about this one, knowing the history of LGBT+ representation in dramas (a lot of fanservice, not enough representation) but I was pleasantly surprised. This is a good drama, in more ways than one.

First, let's get the main issue out of the way, I would have liked to see a trans actress in the lead. I think IVAN would have been perfect for this role. But even though I find the choice conflicting, I can't undermine how good the writing is or tear down this step forward, so I'm just putting it out there now.

Miki's story is inter-woven with introspective moments, and it doesn't shy away from showcasing violence, abuse, transphobia and heartbreak. Still, Miki is one tough lady and moves forward with her impeccable fashion style and her identity intact. Her relationship with once High School classmate Goto, who comes to live with her in her apartment, is a delight to see develop, as Goto learns more about Miki and what life is like for her. Goto is an amazing character whose masculinity is strengthened by his vulnerability and his openness.

My props to Sakaguchi Riko because the story handles the subject a lot better than I expected, especially considering it uses the right terms for everything (Miki identifies herself as a lesbian trans woman from the very beginning), something that does not happen usually in Japanese media. It's very common for dramas and variety shows to use the "gay man" umbrella for everything they think fit and trans women sometimes get involved in that. I can't say much about that because it's not my identity to give an opinion on but, from my perspective of an outsider, this drama shows it all very well and the storyline serves to include a lot of related topics, as well as other general identity searches, when it comes to life as a young adult, career, dreams and relationships.

It's a pity that it's just 4 episodes long, I hope we can see more of this series in the future.

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IS IT WRONG THAT ALL THIS HEALS MY INNER CHILD?

I love a good story...who doesn't? Throw in bullies getting what they deserve and I'm in.

As someone who was bullied throughout my childhood, this was therapeutic...something in me was at peace watching that POS taking those kicks and punches.

Seriously try watching it...if you're stuck being timid or weak at work or school to keep your job or just in general, WATCH THIS!!! You want to yell at your boss because they're being evil little shits but you can't cause you need the job? WATCH THIS!!!!

You'll heal things you didn't know you had.

I want part 2 already; with another culprit getting it. She's like the clean-up crew fr.

Shin Hye Sun delivered and then some, she's becoming my favourite actress with all her amazing work. I especially loved the braided look.
Lee Jun Yung was also exemplary...I mean we hate him but I'm going to look for more of his work cause his acting is amazing....plus he looks good being all evil and shit.
The supporting characters...esp the victim did a good job too, you could be immersed in their emotions while watching.
All in all, this was an awesome movie...totally worth the hype.

NOTE TO SELF; Korean youths are terrifying, every time I see a bullying scene in a KDrama or KMovie...I want to crawl up and disappear.

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Each other's "other half"

A driven plot, convincing actors, beautiful love stor(ies), sweet length, no fillers.

The screenwriter really created sweet and thoughtful ML and SML- the kind of men women dream of. Case in point: 1. ML wishes he can take sth to share the burden of his pregnant wife. He says its unjust that creation of a child, the pain of pregnancy and childbirth is only borne by the mother. 2. SML whose both a noble and a general helps SFL wash her stained clothes. He says doing laundry doesnt matter male or female. Even a female can wield the sword.
(_^-^) Im a sucker for men who respects women and cherishes their women.

Back to the story. I love the intrique and I love the kind of romance potrayed. The main CP has been married for 3yrs so theres this kind of simple everyday couple normalcy and then theres also this intimacy. Which Zhao Yi Qin and Rain does beautifully. Then theres the second CP, between a cold general with own motives and a kind princess. Her personality and kindness is just right to melt this general. I wanna say both female leads are so pretty and natural in their acting.

Lastly a short drama does not mean cutting corners on quality. The story flow seamlessly, no weird edits, the costume and setting all are lovely. Wish we have more of this kind of dramas produced- a riveting story, touching romance without wasting time on stupid misunderstanding or fillers. As of July, its my favorite short drama this year.

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10Dance: The Score Card

Takeuchi Ryoma: 9/10
Machida Keita: 7/10
Takeuchi Shirtless: 999999999/10
Machida Suited: 100/10
The Kisses: 9/10
Machida finally agreeing to kiss another man: 999/10

Takeuchi’s Dancing: 9/10
Machida’s Dancing: 7.55/10
Doi & Ishii’s (Underrated) Dancing: 8/10
Choreography: 7.99/10

Chemistry: 7/10
Heat: 8/10
Spice: 5/10
Syrup: 1.5/10

Latin stereotypes (offensive): -100/10
Latin stereotypes (well-meaning): -10/10
Every gratuitous mention of Cuba and Havana: -25/10
Every comparison of those repressed Brits and Japanese to those hot-blooded alcoholic Cubans: -10/10
That particular comparison of the Queen to Fidel Castro as the erstwhile embodiments of Britain and Cuba (wait, I need to throw up): -101/10

Script (there was none) : 0/10
Cohesion (there was none): 0/10
Characterisation (thanks mainly to Takeuchi’s acting): 5/10
Story (as it was not told): 2/10

Cinematography (except the Latin parts): 7/10
Cinematography (the Latin parts, aka, the Tropicana filter): 2/10

The Can’t-stop-thinking-about-them Score: 9/10
The Ending (aka, Sequel Baiting, aka, Edging): 5/10
Not having a 10Dance in a movie called 10Dance: -5/10

Reader’s Digest:
DO SAY: Dance is neither about technique nor stamina. Love is what makes it whole.
DON’T SAY: Then make it whole!

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Warm and fuzzy atmosphere, it hurts a bit but in a good kind of way, oh and lots of pining

Soramame and Oto meet for the first time and as a watcher you instantly know they have a connection which only deepens as they get to know each other. Both of them are talented in different fields but what they have in common is that they aren't living up to their true potential yet. They can rely on each other and help each other tackle the various hurdles life throws at each of them.

They banter with each other like siblings but at the same time you know they care for each other deeply. The mutual pining will tug at your heartstrings, it may become a bit frustrating at times but all in all their journey is quite plausible to me and I enjoyed it a lot.

It has to be said that the romance part of the series is not the main focus, each lead has a lot on their respective plate. If you're looking for a drama where there's an abundance of skinship or where the couple starts dating in the third episode or so, this drama might not be the right fit for you.

The atmosphere is what I love a lot about this drama. You get those warm and fuzzy feelings when they sit together at dusk (!) sharing what happened that day or to give the other a push in the right direction if they're stuck with something they're working on at the moment. The title of the series fits really well because a lot of the scenes take place in the quiet evenings when you can see the last sunrays of the day on their faces. The setting is very intimate and I liked the conversations they held.

The music underlines the cozy atmosphere, sometimes with a nice song and with the slow piano and strings version of said piece at other times - or no music at all which leaves the deepest impact. I already checked out Yorushika and put some of their songs on my playlists.

I'm by no means an acting expert but I think the cast did a very good job. They made me laugh and shed a few tears (which is not something that happens to me a lot when watching a drama) so in my opinion they accomplished their goal.

Rewatching a series is not something that I do frequently but I can safely say this one will be a candidate.

This has become one of my favorite romantic dramas from Japan. Most of the times there's a point at which I get bored but that was not the case here although I have to admit the ending was a bit drawn-out.

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