Reviews

A Queer Story Like No Other

This was an incredibly refreshing queer story. It told a brand new story in a unique but befitting way that, despite the slow pace, kept the show in my head and sent me re-watching episodes every week while it was airing. It didn't rely on dialogue to tell us everything that we needed to know, and it didn't need to. And the soundtrack, cinematography, and symbolism throughout makes it truly worth every re-watch.

There were a few scenes that felt slightly over-acted - but they were in the minority. And I still feel like some plot points were breezed over in order to make a more, and unnecessarily, complex plot/climax. But overall, this is a show that I will definitely be going back to time and time again. And I look forward to the more diverse stories that this drama will help encourage.

*Please see my comment below for a note to all non-Mandarin speakers for once you get to a certain plot revelation and start to angry at the subtitles.

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Error! Error! Error!

I really like this drama cause the lead actor act well and both of them have a great chemistry. Actually Semantic error is one of my fav manhwa so my expectation is so high BUT THIS DRAMA SLAP ME HARD! ITS REALLY GREAT and y'all have to watch and support this masterpiece.
Some part its different from manhwa story (as long as i remember) but thats not much i guess. The soundtrack is good and match with the plot ❤️🤯
I dunno why but for me, this drama have a potential if the production wanna make a season two! Cause i'll wait if the really make that!!!

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I'm Happy and Merry That it Ended Quickly

The wedding singing sequence in the first episode captured me. (Side note - the decoration on that venue was absolutely fantastic), I thought it was a strong promising start. Unfortunately things didnt get better after that.

What i dont understand is if this series is meant for streaming or web, why cant they just add few more minutes per episodes. Aside from the obvious intention of patching the episodes together to transform it into a feature length movie - Is there a standard format that requires them to squeeze the playtime like this?

I love short series - when done right. The problem is, Korea has bombarded us with quite a few luckluster short series that are not only under developed but are totally forgetable and that is exactly what we have here. There is nothing in the series that made me want to care about the main leads. Characters keep making questionable choices. There wasnt enough to tell us their backstory, and they didnt develop their love story in a way for me to care about them.

The only thing i liked is the music bcause these two leads can really SING. Jae Hyun's finale song is heartmelting.

The sad truth is Im just glad it ended quickly and i can just put it behind me and forget about it. If these are the caliber of series that GagaOOlala can offer, i think they will have a hard time capturing subscribers.

Rewatcheability - 4 just because Sung Tae is so cute
Story - 5. What story?
Songs - 9
Overall its a 6.5 and thats me being generous. Watch only when youre stuck in a traffic somewhere.

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Short and Sweet Cliché

Honestly Once Upon A Small Town is like a breath of fresh breeze. The last couple of weeks, the dramas that I have been watched/watching are quite heavy and dark and this is the perfect drama to take a moment from those dramas and relax.

It's not a long story which is one of the main reasons I started the drama (Only 12 episodes and each episode is around 35 mins). The story is quite simple with the typical Seoul person trying to adapt to the countryside. (Reminds you of Hometown Cha Cha Cha)

Although I found the SML to be bit too passive aggressive. And at the very beginning I was a bit taken back by the FL as she didn't really seem to do her job as a police officer. In the end I just put aside all logic and just relaxed watched the drama as the other dramas which I am currently watching is making me go through a rollercoaster of emotions. Tbh there are many things that seems not so logical and sometimes a bit cringe but still it's enjoyable. Last two episodes seem to be a bit rushed since they had to put everything in two episodes.

Overall Once Upon A Small Town is a sweet and endearing drama that will make you relax and smile throughout its episodes. Perfect drama to take break from the current heavy and dark kdramas.

Ps. there is ALOT of animals as an animal lover I was very very happy.

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Seriously ???????

I can't leave without writing a review, it's the first time I've done it, but I'm so disappointed and angry that I really feel compelled to write this. the drama is about a person who after being killed by "the villains" reincarnates as a member of their family several years in advance (more than 20 years) with all the knowledge of the future, of his new family with whom he worked in his first life, he is reincarnated as a slightly marginalized child in his new family for one reason or another, but despite this he succeeds in the first episodes in investing the knowledge of his past to attract the attention of his grandfather, CEO of the biggest company in Korea, and made a lot of profit from it, he earned a lot of money and entered the best university in Korea and even created an investment company which will later help him a lot in his revenge plan. this is the beginning of the drama.

I was very enthusiastic and I said to myself that it is the perfect drama. until he started messing around in the middle of the show and I really started to wonder, do you deserve this chance the universe has given you??? why deserve such a miracle if you are not going to exploit it well. but that was a normal frustration coming from someone who loves drama, it didn't stop me from continuing to watch, despite the fact that none of the women in this show, including FL, was satisfactory in my opinion, I just closed my eyes to the fact that the aunts, the grandmother, the girlfriend .... were all either stupid or mean or weak and insignificant in the course of events.

But. the end, is the biggest disappointment I've ever had in Kdrama. I can't accept that the screenwriter decides to screw up the drama this way with such an end. I just feel like I wasted my time watching this series. I do not recommend, run away from this drama it's a big waste of time.

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This isn't a typical "scriptwriter has it all laid out for you" type of drama. In fact, it's probably the most confusing drama I've ever seen. But it doesn't mean it's bad. In fact, the scriptwriter had her own logic regarding parallel universes and time travel, and it's our job to figure it out as the audience. So if you're into puzzle-solving and piecing things together, then this drama is for you!

The drama starts with bits and pieces of the two worlds, with an overwhelming number of characters (and their dopplegangers, which you may or may not recognize--). There's a lot of foreshadowing going on, as well as important details that will come in handy later on. Hence I suggest that while you're watching, you may want to subscribe to an analysis/explanation YouTuber or something (I had the benefit of being able to understand the Taiwanese YouTubers who did episode-by-episode analyses afterward. It helped me tremendously after ep 7 or 8).

Midway through the drama, things really start coming together and then the originally-slow storyline starts picking up. I think it took me til ep 9 or 10 to really appreciate the complexity and the plot development of this drama -- we follow Lee Gon on an unpredictable puzzle-solving journey to piece together how this world works and how he can save the world from being ruined by Lee Rim.

After finishing the last episode, I began my rewatch journey and suddenly *everything I saw in the first few episodes made sense.* After learning who's who, it's a lot easier to see the significance of every detail presented at the beginning and how everything fell into place at the end. Hence this isn't a one-watch drama -- it's something where after you go through it once to get the gist of it, you will want to go through again to pick up clues to the puzzle and interesting little details that didn't make sense without context.

The main love line didn't make sense to me (since I'm not a huge "destiny/fate" person and the character development wasn't that convincing). However, you will want to keep watching the show just to see how the other characters' relationships develop, and how Lee Gon strives to defeat the evil. There's so much going on with all the characters that having a faulty main lead romance won't kill the drama. Until the drama picked up, I totally watched it for Jo Yeong x Eun Seop. Favorite bromance. Amidst all the killing/deaths, the scriptwriter also did not forget to put appropriate comedic relief, so I found myself laughing a lot during the show.

Gotta commend the acting -- Woo Do hwan and Kim Go-eun especially, who had multiple characters to play. I really hope they win acting awards (and that Tae-ra is just a foreshadow of what will happen in real life next year ;)
The OST was also great. Not as great as Goblin, but I would put this on repeat.

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I was trying to wait until the season had finished before writing a review but I don't think I can wait any longer >.<

I'm going to start by saying that I didn't hate this drama. In many ways it was really good.... however..... compared to season 1, Dream High 2 is a little disappointing.

I like how the plot this time round is completely different, I liked that there was a new cast of actors to play with and that the writers gave us an entirely new story of the problems idols face once they've 'made it' rather than more students trying to achieve their dreams of becoming idols. I also like that the couple pairings could go either way, this drama has kept me guessing the whole way through (but often for the wrong reasons).

The story had a lot of potential but I felt was slightly let down by the characters. Hae Sung is fairly lukewarm, she doesn't have much fight and her relationships with other characters are unclear. For example 14 episodes in and I have no insight into how she feels about Yoo Jin. And what reasons (besides the fact he's an idol) does she have for liking JB? I just don't know.

Im Jae Bum did very well to get the part of JB as his debut part and I initially felt his character was very strong. I disliked him for his arrogance but at least I felt something about him. As the series progressed his character became more and more confusing, I failed to notice the point at which his character began to change and develop, it went from one extreme to the other so I can't decide if anything he actually does is serious or not. Furthermore the JB and Hae Sung story line is unconvincing, both characters are so watered down and fickle that I just can't work out what their motives are for doing anything.

Yoo Jin was one of my favourite characters but I also felt as a main character, there should have been a little more focus on him. He seemed to get shunted into the background slightly towards the second half of the drama but every second he was on screen I enjoyed. He's funny and his emotions are convincing, his 'G minooooooor' had me in tears of laughter.

Overall Rian was by far the best character in this drama. I began the series thoroughly disliking her but as I came to understand her more she began to grow on me. She's the only character, in my eyes, that really shows a true passion for performing. The others didn't appear to have much fight in them, however much they claimed they did, for this reason Rian shone in this drama more than all her co-stars put together.

One redeeming feature of this drama was the music, there wasn't one song that I disliked or bored me and 'B class life' is probably one of the catchiest songs I've ever heard. The drama really lives up to Dream High 1 in this category.

Overall I did enjoy this drama, the individual story lines never dragged on for more than a couple of episodes each and SOME of the characters are likable. However after about eight episodes or so I stopped feeling excited about new episodes coming out. I think it was the characters that did it for me, I don't think the actual actors are to blame but the way the characters are written, many being weak and unconvincing.

I was putting off writing a review in case my views on this drama dramatically changed, but with 14 episodes of dreary characters and confusing plots I don't think there's going to be a sudden change in the last two episodes. Sad but true.

Alone I think the drama is pretty good, but anyone who watched Dream High 1 will agree that in a fight, Go Hye Mi would definitely floor Hae Sung.

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Crazy Satisfying

10/10. This was rom-com done right. It had all the elements I love--slapstick comedy, character development, heart-fluttering kisses, no draggy misunderstandings, a mystery that kept you on your toes, and a satisfying and unproblematic ending. Sure, the ending was more like a gift-wrapped up and tied with a nice, perfect bow, but hey after all the previous Kdrama endings we've been through (if you know, you know), I think we all deserve a satisfying one that leaves a smile on our faces. Hands down, this will be one of my favorites! Thank you Crazy Love Production and Cast!

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At the beginning this felt like the modern version of Beauty and The Beast...
Yai the lost son of Khun Baisan comes back to his farm to get his inheritance and revenges his father's death from his stepmother...he appears as cave man with non-modernized behavior...scares everyone and pretends to be a gangster...he enjoys tormenting the beautiful young maid Pin...and forces her to be his wife...but he turns out to be a loving prince charming!
A very interesting plot...with one crazy villain...nice supporting characters...a mixture of Action, Drama, Romance, humor...that kept me hooked throughout the long 22 eps...it was smartly written that there was always something going on...no place for speed watching...I expected it to drag a lot but surprisingly it didn't...it also has many cliffhangers that will make you keep watching and it was filmed during airing which somehow made the drama quality even better!
The male lead character was smart, strong, dependable, playful, and very warm...a real prince charming...and Weir played this character perfectly...it's hard to imagine any other actor in his place...
But the female lead character was quit annoying - too good to be true - she was also very naive (he even used to call her stupid child) but she wised up a little at the end!
The N'ek and P'ek chemistry was very good...their scenes would always make me smile!
The music puts you in good mode...and I'm glad the main songs were sang by our leads!
I don't usually re-watch dramas but maybe in a couple of years when I forget it enough!
In short if you guys want a well-written Lakorn with lots of twists and turns with a cast that has a good chemistry and a refreshingly charming male lead character...I highly recommend this one!

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I'M INVESTED

Review for the first two episodes:

This series has totally hooked me with just the first two episodes! The chemistry between the lead characters is fantastic, and the mix of heartfelt moments with genuine romance is really well done. The characters feel real and their relationship is evolving in an engaging way. Each episode leaves me eager for more. If the rest of the series is as captivating as these first two episodes, it’s definitely going to be a standout show. I’m excited to see what happens next!

Review for the 3rd and 4th episodes:

Chefs kiss! This show is a must-watch! The two main leads deliver outstanding performances, and their chemistry is undeniable. The story really picks up in episodes 3 and 4, and it's no surprise the ratings jumped from 7.9 to 8.2. If you're looking for a series that will keep you hooked, this is it!

Review for the 5th to 12th episodes:

I have nothing more to say about this series; all I can say is that it is indeed a masterpiece.

Every episode had me hooked, and the emotional depth and beautiful cinematography only added to the experience. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a well-crafted drama. It leaves you wanting more, and I’m definitely hoping for a Season 2 to explore the story further!

Fingers crossed for a Season 2!

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I’m really glad I decided to start “The Village: Achiara’s Secret” which I can say it’s probably one of the best Korean dramas this year (and one of the most underrated too, sigh!). I’ve been hooked with it since the 1s° episode and I spent hours thinking about the culprits, the other character’s story etc.

PLOT:” Achiara is a small and peaceful village in the Korean countryside where nobody commits crime ; not other parts of Korea where a mysterious serial killer kills people on “Rainy Wednesday”. That’s what people say to Han Soo Yoon, the new English teacher, when she arrives from Canada. Unfortunately, the shy Soo Yoon discovers a corpse right away! Seeking the truth in Achiara is not simple: everyone has a secret or a reason to hate and threat someone….
One of the many things I really appreciate is the absence of romance/story line: no distractions, no useless moments or stupid parts! Also there aren’t many characters with side stories: dragging level is like 0%.

ACTING: to be honest, at first I didn’t like Moon Geun Young’s acting and way of playing Han Soo Yoon ^^” I thought she was emotionless and below average but, episode after episode, I realized that she probably is the only actress in Korea able to portray this kind of character: shy, scared, with low self-esteem. However I can’t totally say she did a great job; the other actors did WAY better than her
BTOB’s Joung Jae, for example, impressed me in a positive way (also because he’s only 20 years old…) and I read that many Koreans thought he was a professional actor, not an idol. Actresses Jang So Yeon, Shin Eun Gyeong and actor Choi Jae Woong did a wonderful job too

REWATCH VALUE: I wouldn’t rewatch it because I already know who the culprit is but I think this is a series that everyone MUST watch soon or later!

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AMAZING ROMANCE MOVIE - RECOMMEND IF YOU LIKE FLUFFY, HEALING, ARRANGED MARRIAGE TROPES

THIS MOVIE WAS AMAZING!! I came for Imada Mio, Meme, and some fluffy romance tropes, and I walked away happy.

now look, the plot was extremely fast paced and rushed, which makes sense since they had to compress so much manga and light novels into one film. the lore and worldbuilding was all given over voiceover and I absorbed *none* of it. I had no idea what was going on in terms of the magic system wise throughout the movie but it didn't matter because....

I came for the romance and the romance delivered. Imada Mio and Meme were just so cute together, their chemistry was decent too. my fav trope is a couple healing each other and I was 100% left satisfied on that score. yeah, the FL cries and whimpers a lot and can be a damsel in distress but it makes sense bc of her awful childhood. it was heartwarming watching the ML build up her confidence and strength thru sheer kindness. and it was so touching to see her melt his heart. another fav trope - seemingly badass general is actually a shy, awkward softboi? check ✅. and Miyo turns out to be badass and not defenceless and worthless like everyone told her before her marriage... but I won't spoil it.

I loved seeing other actors I stan in this:
- Tao (she served so hard I didn't even mind all the flashbacks scenes with the admittedly gorgeous kimono)
- the Kanokari ML. no, idk his name. yes I appreciate him. yes we exist.
- the ML from Neko.
- my new crush, Takaishi Akari from JK to Haijin. even tho the latter was so evil in this. nice acting tho.

my only complaint would be that this movie needed more time with the couple instead of the fantasy/action elements. bc, let me be honest, I didn't come for that and neither I did the rest of audience I think.

otherwise I really loved this movie. as a romance movie, it was a solid 10/10, but I wish that was all it was. shoutout to the sound effects, visuals and gorgeous cinematography as well.

so, overall, i'd say this is a solid 8.7/10. def lived up to the hype.

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This drama is basically a fish out of water concept combined with music and humor. Modern Farmer is easily one of the funniest dramas that I have ever watched, I found myself laughing to the point of tears several times. This was due to the massive amount of pop culture references sprinkled throughout as well as the quirky characters. The wide array of fun and interesting people in the village as well as their interactions with each other and the band members were easily the highlight of the series. One of the most glaring flaws of this drama is the central romance, it really did not work. This is not due to the actor's abilities but due to poor casting choices. Lee Hong Ki is supposed to be playing a character older than he actually is but he unfortunately has a baby face and looks younger than his current 24 years. Lee Honey is a beautiful actress but she looks her age and is supposed to be playing a character very close in age to Hong Ki, this doesn't work and the age gap is obviously apparent. Besides that fact which other dramas have dealt with before, is that the two actors don't have a lot of chemistry. The whole romance is put on the back burner for most of the drama and only becomes a central focus during the latter half. Since so little effort is put into developing the romantic aspect of their relationship, it just never feels authentic when it actually happens. Also, the story is pretty lackluster and almost becomes an afterthought, the character interactions and reactions are the main focus of the drama. As such, whatever little plot exists developed at an extremely slow pace. I was hoping that the last 3 minutes of the last episode were a dream because that ending seemed really odd, lazily written, slightly depressing, and surprisingly realistic given that the entire drama never shot for a true to life scenario. This drama is great if you are in the mood for something light and funny, but look elsewhere for a substantial plot and romance.

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Through the Storm: Wei Ruolai’s Riveting Tale in ‘War of Faith"

The pacing of this series is praiseworthy; it maintains a swift tempo without sacrificing the complexity of the story. Each episode builds upon the previous one, creating an engaging tapestry of events that leaves viewers eagerly awaiting the next twist. The narrative never drags, ensuring that the audience's curiosity is consistently sparked.

Wang Yibo's portrayal of Wei Ruolai is a highlight of the series. His delicate performance accurately captures the multifaceted nature of his character. From the evident disappointment and heartbreak felt during his rejection at the central bank to the raw, unfiltered grief displayed at the loss of his brother, Wang Yibo's range is fully showcased. He conveys the innocence of a newcomer in the political maze, contrasting with the depth of his sorrow, demonstrating his strong acting skills.

The series excels in humanizing the political narrative through its characters. Wang Yibo's Wei Ruolai is not merely a pawn in the grand scheme of espionage and finance; he is a credible figure whose personal growth and emotional journey are as central to the story as the broader historical context. His interactions with other characters, especially with senior advisor Shen Tu Nan and the mysterious Shen Jin Zhen, add layers of complexity to his role.

I must add that Wang Yibo’s portrayal of Wei Ruolai is truly exceptional. We can observe how much the character has evolved from the beginning of the drama until now. The progression is remarkable!

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A life drama full of great messages, but a romance it is not

The first and foremost thing viewers need to know when coming into this drama is that this is not a romance drama. It is a life drama with a few romance plots. It's slow. It's meandering. It's chock full of time skips. There's not a lot of focus on developing romance or chemistry.

As a life drama, it's about our many main characters finding their way through life. From elementary to high school to university to working life. On their relationships between each other, their romantic partners, and their family. And how their respective character flaws need to be overtaken before they can get what they want. As viewer, we are taken on a ride to see how they come to terms with a change in future plans, grief, insecurities, trauma, distance from loved ones, and more.

We get to feel the nostalgia of watching how people communicate/d through the passage of time. How certain technologies made it easier, but were still subject to the same difficulties because of the people using them. But through it all, we were able to see a friendship that lasted through multiple decades, even as the people within it changed. And we got to take a look at several different family dynamics, and how they are still family regardless.

I loved this drama. It had a nostalgic and comfortable atmosphere that I enjoyed sitting in with each episode. I also enjoyed seeing how our mains grew as individuals and all possessed some trouble or another that I could relate to. There wasn't much focus on relationships, but I think that's okay. Because it wasn't the direction this drama was trying to take.

If you're coming in expecting your typical BL, you'll be sorely disappointed. The Life/Slice-of-life genre is not for everyone. So if that genre is not for you, I highly recommend skipping. Because it is actually a good story. But it's a good life story, not a romance.

However, I do wonder if the drama might have been too ambitious with the amount of main characters it was tackling. All of their stories were told completely, but I didn't get to emotionally connect with them as I usually would have liked, despite their performances being pretty solid. In my experience, most life dramas with such a big array of characters will choose an episodic format, which helps establish to viewers that they aren't meant to emotionally connect with the character too much. But by putting all of their storylines together into the same episodes, it made me feel like I was expected to connect deeper than what I actually did. Nonetheless though, it is a quality that is common with life dramas, so I can't really hold it against this production in particular too much.

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