Reviews

Deserves the praises it's getting

When I first read about the story, I wasn't expecting this series to be amazing though I thought it could at least be decent. It remains that the story isn't exactly the sort that blows one's mind with twists or unexpected plotlines, but this turns out to be a good thing. It is a relatively simple story that is turned into a series that is made very well in practically every way.

In the story, Tian, who suffers from a heart disease, gets a heart transplant. He finds out that the donor is a volunteer teacher in a remote village, and he decides to volunteer for the same job. But this is BL, so you can obviously expect a romance here. At first, I was wondering if Tian would just fall in love with his donor's boyfriend and turn into some kind of replacement for her. But this is certainly not the case. The heart donor is in love with Tian's love interest when she's still alive, but her feelings are actually not reciprocated.

The story doesn't go out of its way to pander to BL fans. Again, this can be a good thing. The other characters are given a chance to be portrayed with nuance, which makes the story of the main characters better. Whether it is the villain who has an understatedly menacing aura or the kindly village chief who is surprisingly wise, the characterization enhances the story. I haven't read the original novel, but I dare say this is a wonderful adaptation because it is so easy to spoil things even with a solid original story that is followed faithfully.

Mix, who plays Tian, has a rather challenging role. Apart from the complicated emotions the character undergoes, Mix has to portray the change in Tian after his heart transplant. But it's not a 180-degree change (and there are subtle developments after the heart transplant too), so it's harder than playing two different characters. Mix manages to play Tian before and after the transplant impressively well. It's not often that we have a new actor who manages to portray the character's emotions without any lines, as Mix does in the last episode when he looks around the hut wistfully and starts tearing up.

Earth plays Phupha, Tian's love interest well enough too, though I'm not sure if I entirely understand the character. Phupha's liking for Tian is quite obvious and he even progresses to blatant flirting with Tian. Yet, it is later revealed that he knows Tian's identity (Tian's father is an influential man) from the start, and he later behaves as though Tian should leave the village and forget about him because Tian has a better life to lead. (Oh, then what's up with all the flirting in the first place?) But perhaps this is love--maybe when he falls more deeply in love with Tian, he wants the best for Tian, even if it means he has to lose Tian?

Perhaps one weakness of 1000 Stars is that it's so good that it belongs to a class of its own and loses some of the trademark fluff of the BL genre. There is, for instance, side BL couple at all. And while most BL focus on the BL romance at the expense of everything else in the story, 1000 Stars doesn't sacrifice the other elements of the story. (An example is when Tian is about the leave the village in the last episode. We can see that he is genuinely emotional about leaving the village and the children he has taught, and it's not just about Phupha's absence or his yet-to-be-fulfilled romance. ) One other series that I think is like that is Until We Meet Again, but it seems that praise for 1000 Stars approaches unanimity more closely.

Ultimately, 1000 Stars is a BL series that BL fans can appreciate for its strengths, but it is also a really good series to watch even if you aren't into BL (well, as long as you have nothing against male-male romance).

Read More

LOVE this drama. The main reason I watched this was because of Toda Erika and Ninomiya Kazunari. I wasn't a big fan of Nino before but I started watching Arashi variety shows and found him to be very good-looking lol. After watching Ryuusei no Kizuna, I have become a Nino fangirl xD

Story: Great story. Probably the best thing about the show. The storyline seemed really interesting and it sure was. I was relieved that it wasn't very dramatic and was actually very funny because I'm honestly sick of watching melodramas.

Acting/Cast: I think this was the second best thing about the drama. Nino is seriously an amazing actor. Now I know why people say he's the best actor in Arashi. Erika was good here, better than any of her other roles I've seen her in. I haven't watched Nishikido in anything but I think I'll add some of his dramas on to my plan to watch list :)

Rewatch Value: I gave it a 10/10 since I'm already rewatching it even though I just finished it 2 days ago.

This is an amazing drama and I would recommend you to watch it. I loved every moment, from start to beginning and I assure you that you won't be disappointed.

Read More

Started great and then fizzled out

It started out strong. Smart and independent FL. Powerful but not overbearing and super BF material. Their chemistry was good and the balance between romance and other genres was great. Somewhere after ep. 20ish it lost its original spark and FL started becoming too emotional. ML was awesome all the way through- the character was written well and the actor did fantastic!

The story really fell apart during the last 2-3 episodes. All reasoning fell out the window and things felt clumsily wrapped up. The investigations always required some suspension of disbelief with the flimsy “evidence” and leaps of logic but I was willing to let it slide. The big climax and ending was just too cringe though. I am still sitting here and asking how no one else suspected the antagonist when he was so not low key about his attempts at influencing the court and the young puppet king. So much eye roll. Ultimately I started this as a 9, it dropped to 8.5 midway and by the end, we’re at 7/7.5.

The only thing I’m walking away from this drama with is that I’m glad to be introduced to a great new actor and I’m excited to see what he does in the future.

Read More

Disappointing by the end

That was a weird drama. They lost half of the characters in the middle and even the direction of the plot. While Song Lin becomes more and more warm and generous, Zhou Feng gets to be self-centred to the point where she chooses to turn a blind eye to the fact that Su keeps using her to get at Song and stays loyal to Su even when Song needs her, and even when her own career would benefit from helping Song. The only moment she thinks of going back to working with her boyfriend is when she's jealous of another woman helping him. If the genders were reversed viewers would never let the character get away with it. That totally put me off from the main couple and I just skipped the last episode, not caring for the ending anymore. 6/10

Read More

I’m not sure why, but I didn't really like the drama. Either the plot was presented in a strange way, or I just wasn't interested in it that much. I didn't feel any chemistry between Chen Xing Xu and Yu Wen. There wasn't any spark between them. Yu Wen's performance was rather lacking or maybe it was just her way of portraying the character. I'm not familiar with her previous works, so I can't say for sure if it was her acting or her character that turned me off. However, I'm already familiar with XingXu, and I'm once again impressed by his acting. He truly excels in such roles! I really loved his character!
The drama is easy to watch and it’s also short, so it's worth watching at least once. I won't be too critical, as I didn't have high expectations for it. The ending is happy, so it's not that bad.

Read More

Super, Super Short Review

If you want to laugh your head off, bust a gut, and be in a good mood all day, Run BTS is the variety show for you.

In a nutshell, Run BTS is basically BTS being wackos. They have all sorts of fun with activities, challenges, games, sports, etc. It's highly entertaining to watch them have fun and be crackheads. It's hard not to binge watch this because the episodes are short and it holds your attention.

I gave it a ten not because I'm biased (maybe a little though) but because I genuinely enjoyed it. If you ever want to release all your stress or you're in a bad mood, watch this variety show. You'd feel better in no time.

Read More

I must say that I dont usually watch this kind of dramas. This is pure action/adventure with a bit of mysticism. However I just finished Eternal Love of Dream and I desperately needed to watch another drama by Vengo. I looked up the list in this website and this one was the one that stood out the most. BEST CHOICE EVER!

I watched the 21 episodes in one day. It's not 5:18am and I am writing this review instead of going off to sleep. That's how good this series is. It's a mix of The Mummy and Idiana Jones, but using Chinese mythology. The characters are awesome, both main and second leads. They are fully rounded and each one has a role to play. You will come to love them, hate them or pity them... but they won't leave you indifferent. Nobody is cartoonist or one-dimensional and even the "villains", if you can call them that, are very human and there will be moments when you empathize with them.

The series takes place during the Republican Era. I knew nothing about it but fortunately you don't really need to know anything about that era to understand what's going on. The drama is self-explanatory. Costumes and music are great. The plot is intriguing, it will make you hold your breath in the right moments. It starts slow. In fact, I skipped most of the first and second episodes. But once Vengo's characters joins the main expedition group and they go down the mountain, that's when shits gets real. I wasn't able to stop, I just had to know what happen next!!!

The acting is fantastic. I began to watch it because of Vengo but everyone acts their roles incredible well. Vengo is awesome, though. He is super handsome and his character is so different from DH Dijun, but he nails it in every scene. He looks so tan in this series!!! He was so pale as DH, but here he has a tan and he also has freckles! He is a pleasure to look at, but what really makes him stand out is his acting. I felt his pain and my heart broke for him.

About the ending. If you are like me and love spoilers, I will tell you that it is a sad ending BUT Vengo's character survives. So there is that.

As I said, this is not your typical romance drama. This is full of adventure, mystery, danger, human emotions and a little bit of flirting. It' fairly short, just 21 episodes, so the pace after the first 2 eps is great and you won't get bored. Please, if you love Vengo and enjoy movies like The Mummy, please watch it. You'll love it. It's in YT fully sub in English.

Read More

Too little depth, too much background noise

There is a lot of detail in the story, but it doesn't make for a lot of depth. Crucial parts are missing and the relationship between Qin Qing and Zu Yuolin is all background noise and an extremely distracting cacophony towards the end. Part of it is the acting of Yi Daqian - he's not up for a main lead yet and somewhere after a few episodes I suspect the writers tailored more to his style as it became a bit less annoying, but still he can't carry the role. And it makes the depth of the relationship unfounded and unbelievable. I think he can improve, he's just not there yet - he's still at the level he played in Eternal Love of Dream.

Who is ready for a lead role and I would've loved to see more of is Song Luo. I missed the arch in the U.S. and would've loved to see how she adjusted and if something would come of the friendship turning romance or not. Overall the females were more expressive, more vibrant and better in their acting. Dilireba, Zheng Shuijing and Zhu Yin are a pleasure to watch. The elder generation is just oozing acting experience, show for example by the way Zhou Younian supports his wife and also handles her stubbornness with flair and subtlety. It really feels like they've known each other for decades and even when mother Ruhui knows she's being handled by "Old Zhou", she can't help but let a smile of endearment escape her.

Don't kid yourself though. The mothers in this series are extremely overbearing and manipulative. Acted brilliantly, but still getting under your skin, making you bite your fingernails, plead at the screen and beg for them to gain some restriction.

But in the end it is the writing that lacks here. The main story arches could've been done in 24 episodes, maybe less. How it ended up at 51 (45 on DVD and streaming) is mainly because they started to write it as a soap opera. Which is all well and good, but then make a soap opera and don't postpone the ending of a finite series that everyone is waiting for. Writing fillers and product placements that are just far too obvious is not entertainment and I skipped over most of the issues that Qing Qin faces in episodes 38 and beyond cause it was just too hard to bear.

The animosity between Su Yushan and Song Lin is also underdeveloped. Sure - they are competitors, but the hate that Su Yushan displays is truly villain worthy, yet we don't have this big thing that happened between them. Maybe he overplayed his role or the writing just give him too many tools to be evil, but with very little response and background to be justified.

However, the parts that are good, are excellent and that's why it still ends up at a 5.5. Just be ready to skip entire arches if you don't find them interesting.

Read More

Good movie, great acting, but it hit too close to home for me. Literally anyone, and that’s pretty much everyone that has been in a serious relationship of any kind that ends, will totally relate to this. Sometime, no matter how hard you try, you just can’t keep that magic. Like any other new relationship at first, it’s exciting, interesting, fun getting to know each other, it has that “feel good” new feeling. After a while, you can’t picture yourself without that other person. Then it starts to feel repetitive , nothing new anymore, and at times boring, the magic gone. Even the desire for intimacy disappears. It’s time to call it quits. That is this movie in a nut shell. It just didn’t feel good after a while as I watched it. BUT, it was good if you can keep your own past relationships and memories at bay. I just couldn’t.

Read More

Give this at least 1 episode

The narrative is fragmented at the beginning and it's also a slow burn but once those interlocking stories connect the drama will become engaging. It has gripping mystery like it will literally suck you in, every time a story connect to another will leave you nodding, it is so satisfying. Aside from the mystery I also like the chilling mood/atmosphere of this drama, it helps to arouse my curiosity. It is well directed drama; it knows how to lay clues and when to build tension.

Theme is revolved around T R U S T like father losing the trust of his daughter, gossiping neighbors , characters committing infidelity, trust leading to bullying, talking behind someone's back in a professional environment, someone who blindly follows others or beliefs, it is everywhere and it is impossible to miss. There is also another underlying layer here which is what people want versus being practical, people always dream, it might fade but another dream will replace it or an imposing parent will kill it.

I will give its music a perfect ten. It plays a huge part on how this drama builds its tension. It is a brilliant piece of music which underlines the mood of this drama. That aerial shot of those houses was brilliant, it seems a small detail but if you think about it deeply, it is the theme this drama wants to convey. Great acting from the cast, from the supporting cast to leads like Odagiri Joe, Risa Naka, Kuroshima Yuina, Anna Yamada, but the best performance should go to Risa Naka. Anna Yamada is a great young actress too. I am excited to see her future roles.

Overall it is great mystery drama, if you think of mystery dramas, this is I think the best you can get this year and it can compete to the best of the best mystery dramas/movies around. My only complaint is its ending; it is underwhelming and feels a bit rushed. I was expecting a huge climax but didn't get what I want. Also, the reveal is predictable or maybe it's just me because I've already seen lot mystery dramas. Lastly, thanks to HPriest for subbing this drama.

Check my Blog for other reviews & other JDramas stuffs. (｡◕‿‿◕｡)
https://thatjapanesedramaguy.blogspot.com/

Read More

What do you think is more important, the story or the story teller?

What do you think is more important, the story or the story teller? I think it's the story teller and this drama is the proof, this story of this drama for me is nothing new, from plots to overthrow the crowned prince to the crowned prince falling in love with a lowly palace maid, if you've been watching k-dramas for a while now then this drama doesn't offer much difference in terms of the story BUT it REALLY excels at the story telling. The entire cast of the drama have created this which is nothing short of a mesmerizing gem. Everyone, the actors, the directors, the producers, the camera crew, the editors, etc. have all contributed greatly and it shows. Their work demands attention of the viewers and as one of the viewers I couldn't help but appreciate their efforts. I have really enjoyed my time with this drama, hope you will too!

Read More

Unexpectedly Good!!

I would have to say for a short web drama, I didn't expect I would love this drama so much!! It is really like a chinese ancient remake of Mr&Mrs Smith. Although I binged and waited for this drama (even watched it raw), I will remove my rose-tinted glasses to give an objective review.

This drama is hilarious, it knows how to push my humor buttons, but soon it loses the novelty and comedy effect as the jokes become a little repetive. The drama also does a good job in balancing humor and seriousness, the first few episodes leading up focused on it being funny, but after the climax, it tones that down.

As it is a 10-15min drama for each episode, the story is jam packed without any dull moments.
***SPOILER***
However, I do think the part on politics and motivations for their mission could be written better, it seems a little underwhelming and weird to me (or it could be that I didn't understand the politics part using my limited chinese vocabulary).
***END SPOILER***

The chemistry between the two leads was amazing, I hope we can see them paired up in another drama. And their kissess oh gosh!!
***SPOILER***
Their kisses were unlike 2 wooden sticks, it was deep and intense, they didn't shy away!
***END SPOILER***

All the characters even supporting characters like the aunty who sells kite were very lovable except for wen fang. I have this love hate relationship towards him. I think its the way that he was written as a dumb but also very pure character so can't really blame him. So just be warned that he can be annoying, but also cute at times.

The production also seem high for a 180min drama. This drama seemed to have a variety of costumes, pretty good soundtracks and I also do like how the scriptwriter uses the fl occupation to discuss about certain topics. The camera language and editing was decent except for this one / two scenes which the episode ending scene and beginning scene didn't connect, it really takes people out of the story... Apart from that I think the production team did a good job in producing this drama.

Nonetheless, this drama really has exceeded my expectations, I laughed a lot and I recommend watching it after a stressful day, super enjoyable! Its really a hidden gem and should deserve more hype, sometimes all you need is a simple and light hearted story. Definitely recommend! Overall, I would rate it 8.3, so rounding it up would be an 8.5!

Read More

This series is literally one of the BEST BL drama's I've seen in a long time. It has an amazing cast, amazing writing, and each episode deals with really profound issues that I have never seen discussed in any Asian BL TV series I've watched in the past Here's the break down:

 STORY: 9/10
The story revolves around 6 gay men, with the main characters being Arm and Pom, two best friends who room together. Their lives, and the lives of the other characters, connect through a series of events that take place throughout the show. The writing and development for each character is well thought out and I grew attached to each character very quickly, despite it being a 5 episode series with each episode clocking in at around 29 minutes. What's really great about this show is the issues that it deals with are so taboo but yet eye opening and  it was handled in such a smart and educational. As a gay man in my 20's I really appreciate this sort of series. It's all very realistic, maybe too realistic for those expecting a fluffy BL drama... this show is definitely not for kids and not for the close-minded. The romantic and kissing scenes are so on point. I don't know if the cast is LGBT+ in real life but they sure had me fooled.

ACTING: 9/10
The actors in this series are phenomenal. They truly were invested in their characters and each actor gave their respective role layers and depth. Highlight actors for me are the ones that play Arm and Nat, but every actor in Gay Ok Bangkok really gave Oscar worthy performances, in my personal opinion. Very raw and realistic performances.

MUSIC: 9/10
The sound track was super good and changed in each episode, but it still managed to maintain overall tone throughout. Fantastic!

REWATCH VALUE: 9/10
I would say this is an easy rewtach for me. Everything about this series impressed me and I did not want it to end OVERALL: 9/10 Excellent! The only reason I did not give this drama a 10 out of 10 is because it's only five episodes and I felt as though the last episode was a bit choppy, the way it ended. But they make all that up with season 2, which you should all watch if you have not!

Read More

My Cuter than Cute School Band and their President

This drama had me smiling from ear to ear while covering/faning my face with my hands from all the cuteness/cringe/fluff.
The story itself is neither new nor revolutionary and there are even a few highly annoying elements that had me rolling my ayes and complaining about them getting in the way of my fluff but they are so few that the overall fluffiness takes over.

This drama is packed with well written PPL, it is in your face ant there is no way one earth you can miss it it and while being completely misplaced it still mangas to add to the story, the humour and the fluff that it practically stole my heart.

The next great thing this drama has to offer is flirting done well. the flirting in this is playful, creative age appropriate and does not seem to cross others boundaries or make anyone uncomfortable. Offering a nice dare I say wholesome feel to it as well as a process to the development of romance not only between the leads but also between the other characters.

The friendships, the ups and downs and the very human reactions to different situations are also well written and fun. and while I will admit that some of the turns of events where more interesting than others, the less interesting parts took little screen time so I am willing to overlook them. At times it can be hard to distinguish between fantasy/dreams and drama plot letting us not only hear the inner thoughts of the lead but also showing us a bunch of different scenarios. This adds a little bit of spice as well as kept me from trusting what I saw on screen. It also made way for even more fluff... and cuteness. It also nuanced the story, showing that life and fantasy can be both near and far apart... Basically saying reach for your dreams while acknowledging the work and people behind it... thee is also a really good depiction of falling down and getting back up again done slightly annoying but also done right.

The parent-child relationship in this drama make way for quite a bit of food for thought giving us both the fluffy side of parents who love and support their kid no matter what... the whole I love you no matter who you love yada yada.. do not bully your kid... if the world is against them make sure to be their happy place nice to see and indeed the way I hope and wish all parents would be....

The show also makes way to acknowledge the society we live in without letting take over from the fluff.


So basically this is 85% fluff, 10% real and important scenes, 5% annoying highly bingeable 99% lovable. But it will have you cringe and thing oh how cute so many times your cheeks may hurt from all the smiling.


I also want to add a few more lines about the parents, however this may be a spoiler for some, it should not be but just in case it is I decided to add it at the bottom so feel free to not read it.

What got to me the most and probably pushed me to overlook all the annoying elements of the show was a particular scene in this drama that was extremely powerful to me where a parent read the room took a step back with the words. "I was going to ask but I have never seen him look this terrified". Being able to take that step back as a parent, to self reflect and try to figure out how to create an environment where your child is comfortable to open up to you about their sexuality, is a way to show viewers not only what they should do but also a how to change and create a more open environment. Parents are human too and part of the society we live in, but a good parent is willing to be part of the change and so on.

Read More