Loved the Taste Even Without the Long Beans
This show wont give you any bitter after taste. I fell inlove with the first episode, was consistent till the end!At first i was worried - there are so many cooking themed Thai BL shows that has disappointed me in the past - from "Bite Me" to "Baker Boys" to "Cooking Crush". For a country blessed with the richest treasure of cuisine, these shows ended up making me crave for more. So I am really glad to say that this show stands out among these titles.
The story also wasn't that unique, to be honest, and although it wasn't perfect, it is entertaining and adeptly executed. There are some plotholes here and there and there is very little character study but I liked how they showcased the food and I specially liked the competition angle of the show although we can see from a mile away that Plawan will definitely win it all.
For me Sailub as Oab and Garfield as JJ (are both delicacies cooked to prefection) were the anchors of this show. Pon as Plawan just like Benz as Metas were both annoying at the beginning - but as the series progressed their characters kind of grew on me to the point that I liked the four main leads equally. Some of the acting in the first episodes seems a bit overdone, but as you continue to watch it and get used to its flow then it became tolerable and to an extent enjoyable.
When Khaosuay appeared i initially thought they would fall into the trap of putting annoying girls (common to a lot of BLs) but Im glad that they didn t go in that direction and wrapped her story properly plus Belle is so gorgeoous you really just cant hate her. I would however say the most annoying character of the show was Kleua for being the pretentious sneaky villain of the show -they should have used a much stronger 3rd (or 4th if you count Khaosay) character in the Oab-Plawan love story because the matchup between Oab and Kleua just isnt equal enough and there's no way you'd believe Plawan would choose Kleua over Oab.
One thing I strongly hate in this is probably the very obvious product placements - yes, they were incorporated in the story but comeon a chef cooking instant noodles for his partner at a restaurant?
Did the series show enough to be unforgettable? Probably not, i would probably forget about its story after a few months. I dont even think it will win any awards anytime soon. Did I enjoy? Like i said, yes, immensely and its become one of the few things I look forward to every Friday. Will I recommend? Yes, very strongly and most definitely.
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No spoilers ahead
*There are many Negative talkers about this drama I will like to tell them that it is a perfect drama with a great story and a perfect cast.
When you will start watching this drama you will feel like it is boring and it is not moving forward but trust me that's the main point to build a perfect plot for the story and after when you will come across more episodes you will feel like it is amazing*
For me, this drama was perfect it has everything that I need in a drama romance, slight action, business, and stunts and much more that you can not imagine.
It was a great journey to watch all the episode from the beginning without escaping anything and watching perfectly.
I personally enjoyed watching it.
Now for the story......
Kang San Hyuk(our male lead) is the CEO of the investment company RLI. He disguises himself as a rescue worker with the 911 special rescue team to find out about a development project of the forest.
He has memory issues, and cannot remember key details about his childhood and longs to unlock the secrets of his past.
Jung Yeong Jae(female lead) was a resident of a surgical hospital who wanted to succeed. However, due to an unexpected incident, this ace doctor was sent to a deserted hospital in the middle of nowhere: Miryeong Forest.
“Forest,” tells the story of a man who has everything except a heart and a woman who has lost everything except her heart. They have what seems like serendipitous moments, but they meet in a mysterious forest – and the pair feel strangely drawn to one another.
What is the key role the forest plays in their intertwined destinies…
Peace out.
Aniket Yadav
@theaniketyadav
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If you're so busy during the week and want a short drama you can watch and finish in a single week end. If, like me, you always crave for heart warming romance that can fulfil your heart with warmth, tender and love, makes it flutter and put sparkles in your eyes. This one can perfectly do it
I didn't expect much about it and I was so surprised to enjoy it this much, well, I have to say, it really was my heart that enjoy it the most !!!
Along all the drama my heart couldn't stop racing and missing a beat each time there was a cute romantic scene between the leads. Even when they weren't together and we saw Lee Kang Hoon doing something for her behalf.
It's been ages I didn't feel this way when watching a drama, it was exactly what I was searching for and exactly what made me click next episode right after the end of an episode. Luckily for me it's a short drama, otherwise I might have ended like a zombie who didn't sleep for days in order to finish it. Lol.
Kang Hoon is the typical cynical chaebol we meet in lots of kdramas. I didn't really like him first but we fast discover that his love transcend him and he's in fact so touching and so lovable. Of course he's not the kindest one towards the girl but we know that it's just a shield to protect his heart to being hurt. And knowing that makes his moves so touching and cute. That's when my heart fell. Sung Hoon was a pure revelation for me, I know for sure I wouldn't feel this way if it was an another actor. He gives life to his character with perfection. He's not a perfect actor but he's the one for this drama. And omo omo that deep charming voice of him.. Rrrrh. Just talk, I could listen to you for hours without ever get tired of it. XD .
The female lead is also the typical poor but very proud girl we meet in lots of kdramas. She's tough but she has her weakness. It makes her so real, a girl we can definitely relate to. Finish the non-stop-crying-sobbing-exasperating main girl. I loved so much following her, waited to the heart for her nemesis to be crushed, craving for her feelings to grow...
The romance between the two characters was so cute, so fluffy, so heart warming, so true and never ever stop to make me Aww and fall. I'm a little mixed about their chemistry. They do have a good chemistry, we definitely can see and feel the feelings between the two but when it went to kissing that was a little disappointed. I wish they didn't have the dead-fish kind of type kissing. It always killed the mood. But that was okay, it was not the endless-awkward-turn-around-camera kind. We can easily get over it.
This drama in fact reunites most of the clichés you can find in dramaland but thanks to its short length it's never boring and don't have the time to be dragging. And thank god that's a good point ! Who never gets tired of the endless loop of ex-lovers intervention or family disagreement ? Here, you won't have the time to get bored or sigh of exasperation. Every problem is solved quickly and naturally.
That's really refreshing.
A real bonus to this drama is the Manga type image at the beginning of each episode. So cute.
I just have one last word, Don't think and go watch it !!! :D
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More Horror, Less Comedy, Good Lessons
Daebak Real Estate is the kind of rare Horror Kdrama which has more horror side to it unlike many other horror comedy Kdramas where even the ghosts are part of the comedy and the scenes are clearly over-edited. Some horror scenes in this were really scary. In fact, every horror scene felt intense.About half of the story is about the basic steady plot that's going on smoothly & slowly, gradually involving more characters, one by one along with many connecting plots which are more or less related to the central story.
The story involves 4 major characters: Hong Ji Ah (Jang Na Ra), a skilled and stupendous exorcist, continuing her family business of exorcism through a real estate agency, Daebak Realty. Oh In Bum (Jung Yong Hwa), a conman disguised as exorcist who later turns into a psychic to help Hong Ji Ah. Together they discover the past about their families, that they had forgotten in the course a tragic incident. Joo Hwa Jung (Kang Mal Gum), the real estate agent at Daebak Realty. Heo Ji Chul (Kang Hong Suk), Oh In Bum's partner-in-conning who also joins Daebak Realty as a Chief.
The storyline is a good one and the direction is well-organised. One or two episodes felt a bit slow as they were just busy investing stuffs but manageable. Have some tissue paper by your side as at many instances, it will be too overwhelming because there are lots of crying scenes. Also, watch it with a minor TW because there are some triggering scenes which are obvious for a horror drama. Every character did their acting well, especially Jang Na Ra again proved her skills.
Romance part of the leads in the drama is almost zero yet some conversations seemed like flirting but who is complaining about that? Not me! Hong Ji Ah's character is cold yet very very strong but she's soft from inside too. She'll make you cry more than anything else. I can't just see NaRa noona crying. Also, my Yong crying few times made it worse for me TT.
Another thing to point out is cinematography. In most of the cases, the horror dramas hugely rely on VFX and editing even for the horror scenes to look scary but in this drama, they used cinematography to keep the atmosphere simple and look natural and at the same time give off the horror vibes.
OSTs of this drama aee good too yet it felt under-utilized a bit but I think that's fine because their intention was to keep it intense. The bg themes are thrilling and melancholic I must say. And Jung Yong Hwa's OST is definitely a catchy one.
Note: If you're expecting anything very extraordinary, you've come to the wrong place; but it's not bad at all. It's worth giving a watch because the story is definitely a good one :)
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Messy & Inconsistent Script At Its Finest
Can you see how cool is the entrance of drama? Will the drama stay cool and maintain its quality? Boy what a roller-coaster ride the drama gave its viewers – it will certainly stay with me for a very long time without a doubt.Unfortunately, the only thing the drama did right is that they made Wang So a sage and a wise king. Other than that (aside from Lee Jun Ki & Kang Ha Neul’s amazing acting), I have nothing good to say about this drama. Sadly to say, this is one of the worst Kdramas I have ever seen (this probably because I usually drop bad dramas but I didnt for this one obviously since I dont love myself lol). This drama has one of the worst writing, directing and editing I have ever seen from a Kdrama. And for me this is a big indication of how awful is the drama since I dont really notice all those before (except bad scripts in general) but I truly feel it with every fiber of my being with this one.
Script: The script is the worst offender of this production. I seriously confuse why this writer got hired since her writing is very inconsistent and terrible. It is full of plot holes, unexplained happenings, dragged and rush script, poor characters’ developments and most of all, full of ridiculous and illogical plots. It seemed like her characters didnt seemed to function like a normal human beings would. I need the drama to make sense but I find myself wondering most of the times of why this and that happened. I need a legit and reasonable reasons for something to happen. Not just something you pluck from the sky thinking that you can fool the audiences. We have brains Ms. Writer, you cant expect us to buy your ridiculous plots again and again.
Directing: People said good thing about the director and his previous works but the direction quality of this production is pretty awful in general. The close-ups, soap opera zoom style and no direction input to new actors (according to Seohyun) made the directing suffers greatly esp for sageuk dramas which are known for quality production. I expect a creative directing or pretty shot from the director but instead I got the opposite of what I’m hoping for.
Editing: Hands down the worst editing I have come across from a Kdrama (and I have seen really a looooot over the years). The choppiness and shoddiness of it is out of this world. They dragged the storyline in the beginning and squeeze everything in the last 5 episodes. The fact that we have like 2 time-skips in a matter of 2 episodes are just laughable. And the fact that some of the plots didnt make sense due to the editing makes it really jarring and dreadful. I dont expect this from a pre-produced drama obviously.
Acting: Like I mentioned above, Lee Jun Ki is soo amazing as Wang So. His eyes conveyed lots of emotions and it just break your heart when you watch this drama as his character is very tragic and unloved. Kang Ha Neul is amazing as well. His characters is so underdeveloped and later forgotten by the time we reached the end (he has like 3 minutes screen time in the later episodes lol – what are you doing Ms. Writer?). The actress who play Lady Oh was great and IU improved a lot as the drama progressed. The rest of the actors are pretty much forgettable esp Seohyun as Woohee.
Soundtracks: Got to admit that the drama has one of the best OSTs for this year. But unfortunately, most of the songs are not suitable for a period drama. Why put a rap as part of the OSTs? And English words in the songs are so jarring when it was played as the background music. For goodness sake this is a sageuk and not a modern day drama. To have ‘baby baby boy’ playing at the background really killing you softly inside. :P
Money: This is a million dollar pre-produced drama but I really cant see where all the money went to. Goryeo and the Palace looks empty most of the times. Where are the servants, guards, armies, noble men, and the citizen? Why the attempted coup looks fake and underwhelming? Why the wigs look so fake? Why we can see the net for the mustache? Why the sets look cheap? Why the Palace only limited to the grand hall, court room, king’s bedroom and the hallway?!! Where did all the money went to?
I’m glad I didnt really care for any of the character so this drama didnt scar me like The Slave Hunter and Warrior Baek Dong Soo did. The writing got pretty bad at the end that I dont have emotional attachment to any of the characters anymore. One thing for sure, I will stay away from the writer’s future work – I ain’t gonna put myself in the same situation ever again.
By the end, I just want to see how this mess will conclude and boy it didn’t disappoint – I spent my time rolling my eyes watching the last 2 episodes (no tears since I was so mad with the ridiculous plots). :P Like I mentioned above, the only thing the drama did right is that they made Wang So a wise king. But thinking back, they should make him go all evil and greedy so the reasons behind everyone leaving him (even Ji Mong) will make more sense. I dont mind a tragic ending but I need it to make sense. I give this drama 4/10. I try to rate it higher but this flawed, and awfully illogical executed drama didnt deserve anything more than a 4.
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Major roll-eye (◔_◔) to the writer for her insistence of making Wang So the most tragic character ever – with very illogical reasons for everyone to leave him at the end of the drama. >.>
Wang So is a flawed character without a doubt – his obsessiveness or him killing the monks and horse but somehow Wang So’s fate is just very tragic from the moment he was born right until the end where he is left alone and lonely.
It is more tragic then any other Kdramas’ characters because it is his own family who dislike or abandoned him. Its not his friends or people that he has no blood relation but his own family members.
1) He lacked of love since he was a little kid. His own mother hurt him and left that big scars on his face and later throw him away.
2) His dad use him as a captive and send him away to other tribe to console some lady who lost her son (What a terrible childhood!). And he is not loved by the lady or his adopted family (Surprise surprise ◔_◔).
3) The tribe lock, starve and sent him to the wolves that he ended up having to burn his only friend that is Mr. Tree since it was so cold during the winter (or is it because of the wolves?).
4) His Crown Prince brother, Moo ask him to replace him during the masked dance since he think someone is going to assassinate him. So its okay for So to die on his place? Both of them learn martial arts so its weird for Moo to ask him that request (But of course, So’s life is not that important I guess?).
5) His father’s reaction after the mask was removed – not worry about him being injured but quickly call for Moo and his safety.
6) He killed all the monks (what a fool lol!) for his evil mother but she still disowned and disgusted with his existence (stop Ms. Writer, stawp!!!).
7) All his brothers except Baek Ah didnt treat him right. Moo used him for the dance/marriage and Eun is too dumb(?) to care about his feeling when he ask So to show his scars. The rest just plain hate him without any legit reasons.
8) His mother call him for family dinner only to ask him to kill Moo. Attempt to use him to do her dirty work instead of accepting him as her son after he proved his worth for her attention.
9) The woman that he love; Soo didnt trust him enough that he ended up having to kill Eun with his own hands. By the time Soo decided to stop thinking about the future and be honest with him, it was too late.
10) His loved ones; Beak Ah & Soo are used again & again that forced him to do things that he hate to save them from harm.
11) He never wanted to be a King but later changed his mind since he is tired of bloodshed and everyone using him when they are on the throne (His father –> Fight Kitan, Moo –> Marriage with his niece, Yo –> Using Soo to threat him). He wanted to stop the killing cycle and Yo’s ruthless reign (Or so he thought ◔_◔).
12) He didnt want to marry evil princess Yeonhwa but the love of his life Soo said ‘its okay’ to straighten his position as the King and assured him that she wont give up and she is okay with the arrangement. (Which she didnt since no one will be okay with that kind of arrangement tbh).
13) His happy times with Soo are so brief that she left him and stay with Jung because she is pregnant. She is not honest with him and trust him enough that he will protect her and the baby. She probably think So will treat her like his father did to Lady Oh.
14) In the end, despite writing all those letters how she love and yearn for him, she still doesn’t trust him enough to tell him about their daughter. She probably think he would not respect her request about wanting the girl to stay out of the Palace. (Of course she couldn’t tell him via the letters, but still! ಠﭛಠ)
15) Everyone leave him for such ridiculous reasons; Baek Ah (??) and Ji Mong for he only loyal to the weak King Moo? Really? Why are you feeding us this crap Ms. Writer??!!1 And why I’m still watching? lol
16) Have to live the rest of his lives alone and lonely with someone that he hate. Cant love his son as it is a product of an evil Queen Yeonhwa...
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How the Easter Bunny & the North Star Got Boyfriends
Okay, Pond, imma need you to blink twice if you need help. Cuz, P’Hill had like 2.5 facial expressions throughout this drama, and one of them read like he was either secretly mapping out the exits in his head or counting backwards from hundred waiting for lunch. Also, in case you didn’t hear it when they mentioned it for the billionth time, P’Johan is going to Boston, you know, Boston? yeah, he’s going to Boston. BOSTON.Listen, the year just started, so I wanted to keep quiet and go sit my somewhere without reviewing this drama, buttttttt, I sat through 16 (surprisingly 17) episodes of... yeah, so imma rant about it.
I'm not even gonna sugarcoat it, Johan and North made this drama. I was this close to given up before their story started, then I was like, finally, some meat on this dry arse bone. North was my favourite character, I found everything he did enduring. For him, I stayed until the very end.
The premise of this series looked good on paper. Four couples with four different stories, and a cast with leads I’ve previously enjoyed watching. When I first heard about it, I was like, sign me the eff up! Unfortunately, the execution of the story was all over the place, and I ended up bored and waiting for the whole thing to be over. Let me explain.
HILL & TER
Boring. The story of these two started off intriguing, then immediately became boring. They spent the beginning episodes making it seem like these two didn’t know the other had feelings for them, only to reveal later they did more than friends did?? HUH??? So what was the whole point of them not knowing if the other liked them? And it was soooo repetitive, they kept going back and forth with their feelings like they was playing pingpong. Literally this was their whole plot:
HILL: I am not asking, this is me telling you that I like you and I'm going to pursue you and make you mine.
TER: OMG, North, I don't know what P'Hill wants from me, but I think he likes my sister Christmas Tree.
HILL: Let's go on a date. I like you, like a lot. Let's make out.
TER: OMG, North, I am sooo confused if P'Hill likes me or not. Yes, we made-out and basically act like married couples, but we are not together. I don't think he wants me as a boyfriend.
ME: Go hug a tree you Easter Bunny.
Like??? Arrrggg, they dragged the whole plot with unnecessary mediocre drama that in the end, I just rolled my eyes whenever one of them started talking. Just, No. Also how the hell didn't Ter know he was the guy in the face-mask? And who the hell was taking those picture collages of Hill in Ter's mother's restaurant during that time he was in the face mask? Man had a whole photo album as proof and I was like hmmm, how?? Hahahaha, alright, do you I guess. Though, I did like that backstory, it was so heartwarming and sweet. More of that from the beginning would have made some good difference.
Listen, is it just me or did Pond not wanna be here? I don’t know if it was the way the director wanted him to play the role or not, but he came off as disinterested and flat-out lost throughout this drama. Sometimes it felt like he wasn't sure where he was or what was happening, which made his acting stale. Very unfortunate, cuz he’s one of the best bl actors out there. Please, watch '180 Degree Longitude Passes Through Us,' if you haven't, Pond was amazing in it.
Earth (Cooheart) playing a childish adult character… literally why are uni students acting like children? He’s a talented actor, and they turned Ter into a whiny overthinking child. And all the sound effect. Gawwwd, please let 2025 be the year thai bls leave the cringy sound effect and grown-up childish behaviour behind. Yes, I’m asking for a miracle, I’m optimistic, we only 9 days into the year, let me have this. Anyway, I loved the friendship of Ter and North, loved all their antics and conversations.
All in all, I felt very disappointed with Hill and Ter's plot. Their story dragged and became uninteresting really fast. I wish it could have been better. It’s sad, cuz these two actors had good chemistry and could have done so much more if they’d gone in a different direction, or they’d at least given them a better script to showcase their talent.
JOHAN & NORTH
First off, yes, Johan is going to Boston, just a heads up. Now, this two lifted the rating of this drama for me. Sure, they didn’t have much going on, but at least their story wasn’t boring, and I liked North’s character a lot. That scene in episode 15 when he cried, I felt every emotion, it was such a beautiful scene. He was my favourite. But dayum Susan, did everyone and their mama have to have a crush on North? Also, did anyone else go, 'Kamol, come collect your man, Kim is out here wildin' when Ton showed up as Day? Lol.
Anyway, I loveddddd the chemistry between these two leads. I’ll argue that the second kiss in A Time of Fever was the best bl kissing scene of 2024, but that kiss in the cafe between Johan and North is worth mentioning. And their backstory was also so interesting, like how long Johan waited for North and didn't want to steal him away from his girlfriend. When North cried after hearing it, I was like, same Susan, same. No, these two deserves more episodes and like another season.
That being said, I was not a fan of the whole money playing a bigger part between them, kiss me and get so so, send me a video and get so so, my brother you like him, just give him the money without all the strings. And the part where North suddenly became sad and quiet, and basically unable to function because Johan went to Boston made me roll my eyes. Sure he missed him, and not getting a call from him made him anxious but damn Susan, y'all doing too much.
Speaking of Boston. I’ve heard astronauts going to the freaking moon talk less about their travels. Did the scriptwriter enjoyed hearing people say Boston, or like it was a big deal in their novel? CUZ, I GET IT, JOHAN IS GOING TO BOSTON!!! They mentioned it so much, I legit thought something was going to happen to him when he left, only for us to not even see him at the airport. Dude went for like two screen changes and like three sequence of North looking like his husband went to war with his left foot. Like??? Give it a rest.
OTHERS
The other two couples didn't have any or little to no screen time, so I'm looking forward to their stories in the part two, heard there was gonna be a second season for them. Though we did get Fah and Typhoon looking real hard and sad at each other for like a couple of seconds, so I'm curious to know what's eating them. I legit laughed out loud when Arthit said he got bitten by a piranha and all the friends were like, that's your friend. LOL, the way no one wanted to claim him.
OH, I lowkey liked Ger and Nao's side story. I kept screaming for Ger to just tell him, cuz dude was clueless as eff. Ger being in love was so cute, and North teasing him for it. Wish he was braver and didn't waste so much time pining.
FINALE:
The story was wrapped up nicely for the two main couples, so there were no loose ends. They both had their happy endings. North and Johan's mother being snitches had me laughing. The dinosaurs finally came around, so it seems the happy ending is gonna be forever and ever. That last scene with the Hill and Ter and the necklace was cute. Seeing the scene of the four friends together at their drawing club, I wanted more of them, the way North said 'huh, that's how your face always is?' had me rolling, the poor sleepy cat. As for the side couple, Ger and Nao are apparently going to Boston together...seriously, what's there? Hopefully he braves up and confess in Boston.
All in all, this could have been waaay better than it was. The beginning dragged and just when it picked up and got a bit interesting it ended. I'll still recommend it, if not for anything, for Johan and North's story, cuz those two did their thing, but that's like towards the end of the series, so you gotta sit through all the other mess. I am looking forward to more work from these four leads. Pond already have ResetTheSeries coming soon, so I'm excited for that. I'm always down for anything Cooheart, and I want more MaxzyBas, so I'm seated for them all.
Season two was announced so I can't wait to see the story of the two others, and hopefully get glimpses of the old couples.
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A waste of time
Nevertheless is a K-Drama adopted from a webtoon with the same name. Before watching the kdrama, I have already read and finished the webtoon.*SPOILERS FROM THE WEBTOON*
In the webtoon, the story was straightforward because we know that PJE is just playing with Nabi. Nabi knew this NEVERTHELESS she still wants him. However, PJE continued being a player and Nabi ended up with Dohyuk, who had more depth in the webtoon.
Now that we have gotten the overall storyline from the webtoon, lets talk about the drama. I came into this knowing that the writers would definitely change up some parts because we know that kdramas doesn't like to be faithful to its webtoon counterpart (True Beauty). My expectations were not met at all. This drama is just 10 episodes of repetitiveness and back and forth from the main leads whereas the background stories were definitely more compelling. I will be analyzing the main leads only for this review since some of the characters weren't in the webtoon.
1. Park Jae Eon: In the webtoon, he is your charming playboy who can't commit to a single girl. He tried to but his efforts were diminished by Nabi when she told his gf a very off-putting comment which ruined his relationship with Nabi and his gf. This scene happened in the drama. HOWEVER, somehow, for some unknown reason, he forgives Nabi and is suddenly infatuated with her for no reason. What makes her different? Well we don't know. The writers completely took a different approach and painted Park Jae Eon as a victim with a sad background story and can't convey his emotions blah blah blah. The story was supposed to be realistic but it turned out cringey and predictable. A typical "bad-boy-turned-soft-when-he-falls-in-love". People who like PJE only sees him through Song Kang's face. Prove me wrong
2. Nabi: In the webtoon, Nabi was more outspoken. In the drama, she's more passive. There is nothing compelling about her. Nothing interesting. She is a very bland character who needs to find herself first before committing and jumping into relationships. One minute shes angry at PJE and the other shes not. Like, what make up your mind?!?!
3. Dohyuk: In the webtoon, he is cute but as we got to know him we found out that he did it with a girl who had a boyfriend. Hence thats why we see him saying that he always falls for girls who have boyfriends. In the webtoon, he ends up with Nabi. In the drama, Dohyuk is just too smitten with Nabi that he sees everything in rose-colored glasses. Basically he'd do anything for Nabi. This kind of character could definitely bore some viewers so that's why I think the writers should've added more dimension to his character. Well, they should've added dimension to all of the main characters.
All in all, I wouldn't rewatch because the episodes are too long and the leads gets on my nerves. The OST is really good tho. The acting... well.... it could've been better. I think this drama would've been better if it was just a short webdrama instead of a long 10 episodes with 1 hour each drama.
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What a mess
No. Just. No. Please don’t give Dan Worrawech any more directing jobs, please!My expectations when starting this series were very low already. Admittedly, the story was better than I expected; it was still a very obvious “The Gifted” rip-off, but the plot development was for the most part unpredictable (which is also due to the fact that it was so random, though). Looking back, there were quite some truly thrilling moments (in the middle of the overall mess). Therefore I must admit that the screenwriters did an okay job – but what Worrawech made out of the material is below my worst expectations. Sadly, not one of the actors was able to show off their acting qualities. Only Ohm managed to save some parts; but Nanon and many others seemed to find themselves back in acting class throughout all the ridiculous sequences of scenes. The two main bad guys were somewhat better than the rest of the cast, but that might be because their characters were much better written than the others.
How can you throw in so many serious topics like drug use and trafficking, gambling, child abuse, kidnapping, attempted and actual murder, bullying and attempted mass shooting, and make it become such an unbelievable mess? There was not a hint of an underlying “message” (like in “The Gifted” or “A Gift to the People You Hate”), the motives of the characters (both good and bad guys) were unconvincing, plot holes everywhere, cringeworthy dialogues, fake dramatic moments (how often do you want to stamp your foot or push a chair just to show everyone that you are angry?) and unnecessary romance with no chemistry. Oh, and let’s not forget the 12-part commercial: it was actually well done (unlike the series), but who thought it to be a good idea promoting this kind of drink after a storyline dealing with the negative effects of recreational drug abuse? Yes, Mr. Worrawech, you have truly outdone yourself!
I don’t want to keep ranting; I know from the comments that many people somehow managed to enjoy the series, so apparently there’s an audience for it somewhere out there. Good for you. But try for a moment to imagine the same storyline done by a director who knows what they are doing – it could have been so much better! Since it kept me watching, I won’t rate the series as low as my review may sound like. But generally speaking I wouldn’t recommend watching this to anyone.
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This review may contain spoilers
WISH I COULD USE THAT ERASER
Yes, yes, Fourth is adorable as Atom. He's super cute, the babiest of the babiest. Give him a sippy cup and a blankie. Clouds, cotton candies, rainbows, poppies, whatever... cute!But listen. For the life of me, I couldn't keep myself from going 'SHAKE YO BOOTY, SHAKE YO 'AS' whenever Gemini came on screen! I am embarrassed. I am ashamed. No really. In that one episode where the poor guy got bitten by a whole arse snake, I went. 'PUT YOUR HANDS UP IN THE AIR 2X.' Though, speaking of snakes, what in sorry arse reaction was that??? His reaction was literally like... oh...yeah....I guess a snake...bit me? CHILD???!
Anyway, this drama is not for people with rational thinking. I think it was made for a waay younger audience. Cuz like, Atom brought his blankie and plushie to a hotel! So yeah, that should tell you the audience this was made for. So if you are looking for something deep, my brother, go look elsewhere.
That being said, thanks to the many ads in this drama, (literally how many times did we have to see Kongthap poke himself in the eye to put in those lenses?) especially that yellow ice tea, which is in basically every drama, I finally went and ordered that yellow ice-tea, now tell me why it tasted like sawdust and cheap cargo shorts? It tasted like Wednesdays, don't hate it, don't like it. I supposed it's on me, should have known to stop ordering stuff in dramas when that seaweed snack tasted like chili and air condition.
Listen, I'm sure many people were frustrated with some of the decisions the characters made in this show. Like the nonsense misunderstandings , overreacting and miscommunications. Me personally, I wanted to reach into the screen and shake Kongthap in the last episode when he agreed with Atom that they should tell their parents about their relationship, but then immediately became a third party during the telling. Cuz how the eff you gonna sit there like a tree, blinking like a goddamn christmas light while Atom go through that alone? Mfer said and did nothing while Atom's self-esteem chipped away at the words his mother said. Arrggg.
As for Kongthap's mother, did she really need to be so vague and take those long arse pauses and make poor Atom cry like that? Damn woman made me yell at her and her son, while trying to wipe Atom's tears through the screen.
And yes, we can argue that Kongthap himself was nervous and scared, but literally he could have at least tried to say something instead of becoming a light pole with a flickering lightbulb. Even when it was Atom's turn to tell his mother, homeboy still went, 'ma'am Atom has something to tell you' This CHILD!!
PLOT:
Going in, I was afraid it wasn't going to live up to the hype and the wholesomeness of the Japanese version, which it sort of didn't. Because this version was much different. However Fourth held his own, orbit some over-the-top-scenes and Gemini had the whole clueless adorable house poppy look working for him, which frankly is his go to in all his characters, still, I think they did their best with what they were given.
As for the source material, they took the name of the Japanese series, a few similar scenes, then sort of threw the rest of the script in the rubbish, then did their own thing. Which gave us a fuller story, about first loves, the anxiety of getting into uni, and how hard it is to come to terms with your feelings and sexuality. It's sad that all those changes was packaged with over-acting, stiff kisses, awkwardness and childish behaviour. It would have been great otherwise. But personally, base on the changes, I think the writers did a good job adding something new so it doesn't just a repeat the original.
CHARACTERS:
First off, I'd like to give credit where it's due. Although the acting in this was nothing to write poems about, the finale showcased how far Fourth has come as an actor, and how far he can go! He did such an amazing job that I felt every bit of his emotions in those heavy scenes. I look forward to seeing him grow more in his acting, and to take on more serious roles, cuz I can tell he'd nail them.
Atom and Kongthap were frustrating at times with all the childish misunderstands and problems. Atom started the series with no dreams and in love with a girl, and ended up working endlessly to be a better version of himself. I liked that we got to see him struggle with what to study, it felt relatable. I cheered on him when he finally achieved his goals and grew as a character who didn't seem to have a care in the world, to a promising change man who had more hold on his future. I also liked how Kongthap opened himself to the idea of returning Atom's feelings and was supportive of Atom. I did like the relationship between Atom and Kongthap, although due to all that nonsenses problems, I came to enjoy the relationship with Half and Mudmee more at times. They felt so mature towards the end. Half knowing he wanted to be a better version of himself for her instead of following Mudmee's dream was great. I applauded that part, I was like yes, finally some grown-up decisions that doesn't come with overreacting and nonsense.
Also those kisses though. Damn. In the finally, I was like... Kongthap honey, at least move your neck, or lips, or head, do something child, you're in high-school. He gave Atom nothing, which makes me think Atom would have been better off making out with those chairs instead. But again, given the audience, I wasn't holding my breath that we'd get more than stiff kisses. They almost had me with the firework kiss though.
Half and Mudmee were such good supporting cast and made it enjoyable to watch them. Half is a whole mood on his own, he seemed so chill with everything most of the time, my kind of vibe. I look forward to more work from both the actors.
Anyway, although this wasn't deep, and came off mostly childish, I think GeminiFourth fans would really enjoy it. I'll recommend this to anyone who likes middle-high-school first love series. Watch it if you have time and looking for something light to watch. I look forward to GeminiFourth's next series.
SHAKE YO BOOTY SHAKE YO AS'... God, why am I like this? Wish I could use that eraser to erase that Gemini performance, cuz every time I come across him, it's the first thing that pops into my mind. ^^
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This review may contain spoilers
Masterpiece of 2024!
I began watching this drama for Jang Ki Yong after loving him in "My Roommate is a Gumiho" - 2021. It didn't took long before I started watching the drama not for him, but because of how amazing it was. Let's discuss all aspects:Storyline:
The plot is beautiful. It all goes amazingly and the bond between the leads is something quite new in the drama world. I get a different vibe in comparison to other dramas.
The superpowers plot is not overdone, and greatly written. Something I really liked is the bond between Ina and Gwiju especially in ep 9. And Ina and Junwoo are such cuties !!! <3
Characters:
Besides the villan mother we do have great character development. I like how Donghee and the grandma are finally realizing the price of their past actions and doing some growing up. Dahee was first presented as a negative character, but we quickly learned she's a sweetheart as well. Her bond with Ina is a pleasure to watch. And her with Gwiju... again I really like their relationship.
OST:
Thumbs up to Lee Sora's OST. <3
Acting/Cast:
The acting is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Especially Jang Ki Yong's in ep 10 accident. It looked extremely real and natural. Chun Woo-hee is slowly becoming a favorite of mine. She's doing a great job. Also Claudia Kim and So-e are showstealers. I am glad we can see Caludia's gorgeous visuals in the end! And MOON WOOJIN!!! I first watched him in "What's Wrong With Secretary Kim?" and was shook when I saw him again in "Castaway Diva". I really enjoy watching him act. I am sure he'll become an amazing actor as an adult. Can't wait to see him portray adult roles in the future.
Overall:
Give it a try, you might find yourself enjoying the drama!
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traditional Thai romcom
Overall: this has a lot of frequently seen Thai romcom elements including a ton of comedy sound effects. My favorite was the last arc with Faifa and Wine. 24 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on GMMTV's YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLszepnkojZI7tY-4JZhpydsT6fIpemt3l&si=f7ir8p1MqNiXYXtL and WeTV https://wetv.vip/en/play/feag2shxw6mx76l-Perfect%2010%20Liners For all parts, they should have aired 2 episodes per week instead of it taking 6 months to air and I was not a fan of the constant comedy sound effects.First Arc (episodes 1-8), actors Book and Force play Arm and Arc
Content Warnings: non con touching, non con picture taking/sharing
Watch Suggestions (if you're not a fan of the cold/jerk pursuer trope and if the comedy doesn't work for you)
- watch episode 1
- episode 2: part 1 6:15-7:35, 8:45-11:40, part 2 beginning to 1:30, part 3 2:40-5, part 4 4-end
- episode 3: watch part 1, part 2 watch 6:20-7:10
- episode 4: watch part 1, part 3 start at 3, watch part 4
- episode 5: watch part 3 starting at 2, watch part 4
- episode 6: watch part 1 (can skip or watch parts 2 and 3), watch part 4
- episode 7: watch part 1, part 3 9-10:20 and part 4 16:30-end
- episode 8: watch part 1 15-end, parts 2, 3 and 4
What I Liked
- I did laugh a few times
- subverted tropes
- easy to understand premise
- sweet moments
- nice to see a lot of GMMTV actors
- Pond & Sand breadcrumbs were sweet though some ignoring boundaries at the end of ep 5
- Tay Tawan cameo
- the friend groups
Room For Improvement
- started with the present, then flashback, the flash to the present and then back again the start of episode 3 felt jarring
- has the nonsense 'be a jerk to the person I like' "plan" (though it is nice that the other guy had a bit of a spine and pushed back)
- non con kiss in episode 5 part 4
- love rivals/jealousy
- the "I don't like you smiling at anyone else, I don't like you going around acting cute" in episode 7 part 4
- (neutral) the comedy sound effects didn't make me laugh
Second Arc (episodes 9-16) actors Perth and Santa play Yotha and Gun (dynamic is a hyper child-like character with a reserved stern character)
Content Warnings: punch, fight, non con kiss, blood, violence, non con touching, gaslighting
Watch Suggestions (to avoid one character being hot/cold)
- watch episodes 9 and 10
- episode 11: watch part 1, part 2 skip 2-7, part 3 skip 6:30-11, watch part 4 until 16:45
- episode 12: watch part 1 9:20-11 and 13min, part 2 watch 4-end, part 3 7-end and part 4 beginning-1:30 and 13:05-end
- episode 13: watch part 1 3-4:45 and 16:30-end, part 2 watch 1:40-2:30
- episode 14: watch part 1 beginning-8 and 13:40-end, part 2 5:50-10:15 and 14-end, watch part 4 5:30-9:05 and 14:45-end
- episode 15: watch part 1 2:30-14:15, part 3 3-end, part 4 9:20-end
- watch episode 16 (can start part 3 at 12:40 to avoid nonsense mom drama (why didn't she say something sooner???)
What I Liked
- caring moments like tying the tie
- supportive mom/sister
Room For Improvement
- the one character acts like a child (brings a blankie to university, sleeps with lights on, cat on his shirt, his childish mannerisms)
- a ton of new characters were introduced quickly
- how a character said another character had to take responsibility for his feelings
- a character was frequently drunk
- a different character punched someone for hugging his boyfriend
- the non con kiss to prove something
- treating a character like an object ie saying "quiet dog" in episode 13
- being hot and cold without communication
- "you started this"
- when asked why a character likes another character he can only come up with "he's cute"
- the cliche power of love magically healing deep trauma/phobia
- being pushy, "I don't know means yes", nope yes means yes or nodding your head means yes
Third Arc (episodes 17-24) Actors are Mark and Junior who play Wine and Faifa (dynamic is a peppy people-pleaser with a reserved character)
Content Warnings: slap, internalized homophobia, unwanted outing
Watch Suggestions
- watch episodes 17 and 18 (can start 18 part 3 at 11)
- watch 19-24 (can start ep 23 part 3 at 5:40 unless you enjoy the mom drama)
What I Liked
- caring moments
- one of the very rare examples that prominently features internalized homophobia
- good intimacy (though too much space between bodies which I think applies to all of the couples)
- nice finale
Room For Improvement
- the over the top character, though he at least doesn't feel like a 5 year old
- though it was nice to see previous couples, by the third arc they took up way too much screentime
- didn't care about the mom plot at all and wish the boyfriends would have first consulted their partners
- (Yotha & Gun had another round of "can I (have sex with you)" and "I told you before no one asks about that")
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I liked the beginning of the show and I really liked the last couple of episodes, but I actually struggled to push through the middle part. Somewhere around 11- 16 episodes, I put the drama on hold. There just weren't enough events to really push the story forward and the funny moments weren't enough to keep me going. I didn't really feel like I need to know what is going to happen next.
I don't know why, but I wasn't a fan of the way how Dong Gu's character was written. I liked how he was supposed to be the counter balance for the happy-go-lucky Joon Ki and Doo Shik in the first couple of episodes, but I didn't like him being childish and petty around Yoon An later on. I also wasn't particularly fond of the love triangle in this show. Even though I can't deny that Waikiki has a lot of really funny moments, I found the humor to be a bit too slapstick for my taste. The bodily function humor and the rivalry between the two male leads just wasn't my cup of tea.
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Bitter Sweet Journey
Production , cinematography, world/year events and scenery were all excellent. The music/OST also was very well done.LIKES:
The acting of both ML and FL was very good. All the actresses and actors did phenomenal jobs in their roles; the supporting cast, the cast for sporting and news events, all the extras too. The Director did an amazing job for this drama. I felt that the ML and FL had amazing chemistry, but so did all the younger couples. The friendship, love and rivalry flowed nicely throughout the storyline and plot. All the sports competitions and training about Fencing, was the best from all similar dramas. It was as if you were at the competitions yourself as the viewer. The theme of growing up to handle hardship and happiness, while never giving up on hopes and dreams was mostly well delivered. I liked how most of the relationships were concluded. They showed plenty of growth for all the main leads. I enjoyed that the story was based on the diary being read by Na Hee Do's daughter. I didn't notice if there were any "FX". I liked how they concluded or tied in the book store from beginning to end.
DISLIKES:
Baek Yi-jin's mother was very annoying and I wanted her to just shut up. Maybe it was how the writers wanted that character.
Throughout the drama there were some moments that made me say WTF [See spoilers at the end of this review]. The ending felt a little rushed and should've been changed to 2 or 3 more episodes. I think time management became an issue in some of the episodes, especially noticeable in the last 2 episodes. The ending was a little too open, based on what the viewers were fed about the ML Yi Jin and FL Hee Do.
OVERALL: Everything up until the last two episodes was great, interesting and had me enraptured. I would recommend this drama and might re-watch it in the future.
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[SPOILER ALERT ]
I liked that Baek Yi-jin's brother and Seung Wan reunited at the end, to give more depth to their characters.
I disliked that Hee Do didn't show as much growth as Yu Rim. Same with Baek Yi-jin, as a reporter he grew, but as an adult there wasn't much character growth. I was thoroughly annoyed that we don't find out who Hee Do married and had a daughter with. Having focused in the beginning on the fencing and going to the olympics for Hee Do, then at the end nothing of the stress and excitement of going to the olympics and winning gold was shown. In the end I hated that they didn't show Baek Yi-jin and Na Hee Do reuniting (even as friends) at the end and final episode. It made the adult Hee Do seem pointless. Also some of the flashbacks in the final episode, ran too long and they could've used the time better.
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could have been amazing
Overall: imagine if Muffin was actually a police officer and we saw her beat up some baddies in one of her outfits, or what if the mafia boss was actually a secret huge romantic at heart? There were so many ways the writing could have been innovative with this premise, but the cliche writing really ruined it, especially in episode 6. It is based off of "The Ideal Relationship" which I have read but I reviewed the series on its own merits. 8 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on iQIYI.Content Warnings: deaths/murders, non con touching/attempted sexual assault, violence, drugging, manhandling, stalking, attempted murder, kidnapping, manipulation
What I Liked
- the intro credits style was an homage to the source material
- how Guy was set up as a queer character from the beginning
- the video gaming sequence, unfortunately we only saw 1 sequence
- cute/sweet moments
- Guy showed agency
- laughed a few times (although mostly at huge plot holes/nonsense writing)
- Wahl's girlfriend in episode 6
- (neutral) comedy noises
Room For Improvement
- cliched/nonsense writing (i.e. Tew's idiotic "plans", Guy probably had 6 bullets in his revolver but seemed to shoot waaaayyyy more than that in episode 8)
- Kenji's backstory makes zero sense, maybe if Tew had used him as a human shield then it would have made sense, they made him into a cliche cartoon villain with nonsensical actions/motivations, even episode 7 didn't make enough sense for his motivation, also way too much screentime taken by Kenji
- the voice over was a fast way to set up a character/beginning but not my favorite way to start a series
- the music was sometimes not what I would have preferred, also think they could have removed the comedy sound effects and just let the comedy come through on its own
- tropey (ie multiple accidental fall and catches)
- avoiding physical affection in episode 5 (although Guy was better by the end)
- cliche plot point in episode 6
- Wahl had way too much screen time, needed to devote some of that to Guy/Tew building their relationship
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Cringey Leads With No Chemistry and Rather Forgettable Plot
STORY:The plot was basic and nothing new or unique. Long-time BL fans have seen this done (and done better) a thousand times before, and I felt like nothing new was added to the genre. The pacing was severely rushed in the first episode, as if the writers wanted to cram in as much from the book as they could (read: quantity over quality) but to its credit, the pacing and scene selection did improve as the series progressed. I understand that the writers only had four episodes to work with, but that makes it all the more important to carefully select which scenes from the novel to adapt, make sure the writing is super tight, and that every single word and interaction has meaning behind it so that not a second is wasted. I also felt like episode four could have been cut completely and we wouldn't have missed anything, since the climax and resolution occurred in episode three. The series overall gave me the impression that the writer (of either the novel, screenplay, or both) cherry-picked their favorite scenes and attributes from other, popular BLs and dumped them all into this story, leaving me feeling as though I watched a low-budget, fan-made homage.
CHARACTERS/ACTING:
This is where I had the biggest issues (and if you've read my comments, apologies for the repetition). Oh, where to start? The main leads had absolutely no chemistry together whatsoever, and that made their "love story" very uncomfortable to watch. Gun was gross, cringey, a creep who had no respect for Bar's boundaries at all. From the very first episode, we see Gun constantly force himself into Bar's life, touch Bar without consent, control who Bar can and can't speak to, and proclaim that this is all in the name of love. Meanwhile, Bar responds with looks of disgust, discomfort, and flat-out refusal, until halfway through and he suddenly does a 180 because how else can they end up together? The problem is that Bar never indicates he enjoyment of this attention from Gun; he doesn't flirt back, and he always looks sour when receiving it. Even when they became a couple, he still looked uncomfortable with Gun's "affection," leaving me confused as to why these two got together in the first place. I think that for a character like Gun to be portrayed successfully, the actor needs a certain charisma that Win unfortunately did not possess. I also needed Folk to deliver something in the emotions department that his character was into this courtship from Gun, but he failed to deliver there as well. The relationship left a very sour, toxic taste in my mouth.
As for the other actors and characters, nothing to write home about. They, like the plot, felt like stock characters that are used in just about every BL, and none really stood out as distinct and memorable.
OVERALL:
Some really enjoyed this. I clearly did not. I can handle worn tropes, low budgets, less than stellar acting, and subpar writing--to an extent. But I need something special to make up for those shortcomings, a spark that just wasn't present in this story. I can't say I'd recommend the series, mainly because I got more disgusted by Gun the more I watched, but it's only four episodes and a rather quick binge, so if you're interested, why not? I'm left hoping that the next two installments of this franchise won't leave me quite as disappointed.
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