Reviews

Fighting Hand-in-Hand

This drama is a much-needed drama with a sweet romance to compensate the angst in the recently aired Love and Redemption, and numerous other open-ended dramas. It has a super handsome new actor who is making his debut and it is also one of the many cross-dressing dramas released lately. The story is semi-serious with cute and funny moments littered throughout. The pace is good and the storyline is not complex. It is certainly a very relaxing watch.

This is a story about palace power struggle. Right from the start, the antagonist is already made known to the viewers. Though unknown for the protagonists with no concrete proofs that all the mysteries and crimes they’re trying to solve are linked to the antagonist, nonetheless, the eventual outcome does not surprise them.

The Prince of Qi (Zhang Ling He) is a wandering prince who holds no political power. He has a great relationship with his younger brother who is the Emperor, but a nemesis of his uncle who wants the throne. He disguises as a wealthy aristocrat as Pei Zhao and frequents the brothels. There he meets and falls in love with Su Ci (Sebrina Chen) who disguises as a man working as a high-level investigator. Pei Zhao is patient, forgiving, condoning and protective towards Su Ci. He is strategic and very intelligent. Su Ci is upright, unbiased and detailed which makes her a great investigator. Together with their friends, a medical genius, a skilled sword man and the best cook, they make an ideal team with enviable friendship. Right from episode 1, Pei Zhao and Su Ci begin to work hand in hand, literally, solving crimes and unfolding a bigger conspiracy. They’ve never been separated since, everywhere they go, they go together and everything they do, they do it together. It is really very comforting to see they are always at each other’s side and trusting each other. Any misunderstanding is resolved almost as soon as it arises because they are being very honest to each other; it is indeed very heart-warming to see the couple holding hands all the time.

I’m delighted with Zhang Ling He’s portrayal of Pei Zhao/Prince of Qi. This is his first drama but his performance is beyond my expectation, far more convincing than many other more experienced actors. He has a very handsome face and a well built body. Acting as a flamboyant playboy and later as a devoted lover, Zhang Ling He’s performance is believable and lovable. I cannot help myself but looking at his handsome face all the time.

Su Ci has a calling – to find out what had happened seven years ago when her whole tribe was massacred, leaving her the lone survivor. Her investigative prowess helps her unravel the conspiracy and eventually bring justice for her tribe. Sebrina Chen has cross-dressed in several other dramas and she is very convincing, dressing as a man. Having a matter-of-factly demeanor, Sebrina Chen’s portrayal is authentic and wonderful.

The second couple is perhaps the cutest and sweetest side couple. Their love for each other is unmistakable and they help solve many crimes together. The other cast members are both good looking and wonderful in their respective roles. The ending is concluded properly with justice served - the good is being rewarded and the bad is being punished, and the lovers are happily ever after.

This is indeed a very enjoyable drama not to be missed.

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Move over Hana Yori Dango or Hana Kimi. This is definitely the best Jdrama I have seen till date. This is what I call a must-see. Even people who generally don't like Japanese dramas should watch this because they don't know what a marvelous show they are missing out on. I am so thrilled that I watched it because these kinds of shows nowadays are rare.

While the story of the show is nothing out of the ordinary, it turned out to be a lot different from what I expected. I thought it would turn out to be predictable and cliche from start to end, but it left me pleasantly surprised at a lot of places. There were certain twists that I had thought would happen but they were pretty different from what I was anticipating. Also, the ending was also contrary to what was expected. It was not at all obvious. I would have liked to make a lot of changes to it, but the current one makes great sense.

While the characters weren't extraordinary, their traits were very relatable. I only found Nobuka's character to be having very unbelievable and fictional traits. I don't know why there is a trend of certain dark and depressed females in Japanese dramas. These depressed females all have the same of look of the ghost from Ring movie. But I suppose it adds to the fun part. But really, I have neither seen nor heard about people like her so I can't say if it was based on fact or entirely imaginary.

I didn't like Shuji that much for the majority of the show because there seemed to be no character development at all till the last three episodes or so. Even Nobuka's character hardly grew. That was very unsatisfactory. Also, the most ridiculous thing was that while almost all situations were being dealt practically, why couldn't just Nobuka just go to a therapist to cure her mental issues? That part was very absurd. In spite of these shortcomings, Maki Horikita played the role excellently. She was very cute the way she kept nodding in a typical way. And the way she kept walking with her head hung low was very cute. The funniest scenes were the 'Nobuta Power Enter' ones. I can still laugh at that because it was done so well. Maki really proved to be a versatile actress and she has anyway done a lot of great shows.

The second guy, Akira was probably my favorite in it. I was so taken in by his character and loved him entirely till episode 6 or 7 because he seemed to be developing in the best way. Also, the actor Yamapi (who plays Akira) was simply brilliant throughout. During the last few episodes, the character of Akira stopped growing and became a victim of bad writing and inconsistency, hence reducing his charm. But it had nothing to do with the acting. Still, I cared more about him than other characters on the show.

And I was so impressed by Erika Toda. She's stunning and acts really well. I can't wait to watch her in Liar Game! I was so happy to find out she is the lead star of that show! I was worried during this show's progress that she would turn out to be the antagonist and thankfully that didn't happen, so I was happy in that aspect. She played a sweet girl and came off as very likable. Shuji was an idiot for not falling for her.

And I have to mention the character of the vice principle. Her character was pure genius. All the best scenes and dialogues went in her basket. She is the perfect kind of teacher that students can have. I would love to meet such a person in real life. It really was one of the best characters of the show with the best characterization, hands down.

Apart from all this, the sub plots were all excellent. Most of all this show portrays friendship very beautifully. Also subjects like teen depression, bullying and peer pressure are raised splendidly. Most of all, they provide with lessons to be learnt in the end. And the fact that life has to move on in spite of everything, and one should treasure the best memories of youth seem to be the core messages of the show. And of course, it tells us to live life fully and appreciate the life we have and the people we have around us.

The writing deteriorated in the last two episodes but it didn't go beyond a certain level of unreasonable. Plus, nobody overacted in this drama so I am thankful for that. It gets dragged a but but it is well within the limit of bearable. And for the rewatch value- it was enjoyable the first time so I am sure it can be watched again (even if I won't).

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Every episode flowed like a beautiful river. The drama was a mixture of romance, family, love, culture, and comedy. It's so light hearted yet leaves a strong impact on the viewers. The story follows 3 couples and a single man on a tour in France with their Korean tour guide. As the episodes unfold, we learn more about the individuals, their lives, and relationships. I usually never go for multi-couple dramas because it gets confusing and takes away the focus from a singular storyline but was TRULY amazed at how well-written and smooth this drama was. I feel like I've gone on a tour of France and a tour of these people's lives, all within 12 episodes. There's never a dull moment and within just 12 hours, you'll fall in love with the characters! It's slow but for good reason.

I've never watched a drama so refreshing and yet heartwarming as this one. It has a little bit of everything and defies the norms of Korean drama standards, going above and beyond to give viewers a realistic and yet magical experience. The drama really teaches you to stop judging and see things from alternate perspectives. Whenever you think something is "as is", it's not and theres no other way to explain it apart from you watching this drama.

You won't regret it!

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*** This is going to be one of my longer reviews because when a show hits you good, in all the right places, I think you deserve to know exactly why. Please bear with me. ***

After almost a year in dramaland and close to 30 dramas, I've finally, finally found a bonafide favourite. A Korean favourite and an overall favourite. I've watched many dramas that I've liked & enjoyed, but none comes even close to how much I love Lovers!

Lovers is the kind of drama I've been waiting for since Oct 2012 when I first took up residence in dramaland. It was just what I needed to pull me out of a minor slump. I chose it at random because it's a combination of two of my favourite genres, gangster/crime and romance so I said what the heck, just watch one episode and see how it goes. I fully expected to be disappointed. Well, that one episode turned into 20 in less than 48hrs.

And damn … what can I say about Lovers except that this drama is really a wickedly delicious lesson in Sexual Tension.

I'm an avid fan of romance, but lately I’ve become rather disillusioned with Asian romance dramas. It's mostly because of all the recurring cliches: separation because of overseas work or study, random cancer diagnoses, stupid nonsensical love triangles etc but it's also, perhaps mostly, because I hate fake intimacy. A LOT.

I hate the fake kissing, the cheesiness, the characters' lack of sexuality and just the general feeling of watching two grown ass adults act like pre-teens stealing pecks from each other when no one is looking. I can understand that for younger and more conservative viewers this might fly, but at my age I want to see an authentic relationship between an adult man and woman. And let me tell you, this is exactly what I got in Lovers!

Sometimes great sexual tension is better than the actual thing. If most dramas of this genre were half as good at building that tension, as Lovers did, I’d die a happy watcher having never seen two people kiss.

The AMAZING build-up of passionate feeling between Kang Jæ and Mi Joo completely blew me away. Massive props to the director and actors who were able to play up an attraction so palpable that you experienced their every emotion. I loved the banter, alternately playful and frustrated, the subtle flirting, the stolen glances, the longing, the internal struggle, the denial … all of this served to create such mad chemistry you could easily catch your breath and forget to release it.

When they’re finally intimate … it’s like dessert, only more satisfying than the main course. Moreover, if you’re a child of Hollywood like me and you do not want too much left to the imagination, fret not … you can look forward to steamy, lip devouring kisses. Hey, a smoking, HOT red-blooded mob boss like Kang Jæ wouldn’t stand for anything less! Even better? Mi Joo doesn’t want him to! To me Lovers sets the tone of how a romance between adults should play out. The characters act their age in life and love. None of this silly, wide-eyed playground stuff. The typical drama cliches are kept to a minimum or they play out in a way that's logical, rather than frustrating as they tend to be in other dramas.

I’m just decidedly pleased with this drama overall. It’s well written, well executed and well acted.

Given that I like to attack life's struggles with a gangster's swagger, I love that the romance is set against the backdrop of Korean gangland. From the safety of my own living room, it’s a fascinating world to inhabit for 20hrs. Now you may have to suspend belief a little given the absurdity of certain scenes, for eg 2 bands of pipe wielding gangsters invading a hospital en masse and having a go at each other, but no one thinks to summon the police. LOL In spite of this, I love the machismo, the fight scenes, the car chases, the assassinations, the bromances, the loyalty, the code of ethics.

Best of all, the leads are amazing! Kang Jæ is totally badass. Tough as nails on the outside, but melt your heart soft and sweet on the inside. If you have a weakness for bad boys ...
By far one of THE coolest male leads I’ve ever encountered. He lives hard, play hard, fight hard, love hard. And is 100% sex on legs. No wonder Mi Joo calls him her Dimpled Gangster. Male audiences will hate or envy him ;) and female audiences will want … well, HIM! (ha!)

As for Mi Joo, for once I have no complaints about the female lead! I love her, she is awesome! She’s smart, silly and confident all in one nice little package. She’s a breath of fresh air from typical female leads who are annoyingly aloof, stubborn, mercurial and uncommunicative all in an attempt to portray a ‘strong’ woman (I’m looking at you, Joon Young from A World That They Live In, Soo-in from Love Story in Havard).

Her and Kang Jæ’s love is a delicious slow burn. They had no intention of falling in love, but basically grew on each other over time, as fate brings them together time and again, until they realize … wow, this person is really amazing. To me it felt very natural and organic, rather than constructed as say … when one or both characters are made to fall in love at first sight or there's some ridiculous childhood connection.

Story wise I think the show is golden. Badass mobster trying to go legit, but not being able to fully untangle himself from the dark side. Throw in romantic and familial complications and you’ve got yourself one captivating drama. And there are some hilarious, laugh out loud moments too.

There wasn’t any poor performances here either. I was pleased to finally meet the (in)famous mr. Kim Nam Gil, who delivered well as Kang Jæ’s dongsæng and left hand man. Basically every actor did an amazing job with their role. No one stood out as annoying or unconvincing, not even the child actors. Lee Seo-jin, as Kang Jæ, has netted himself another fangirl! To me he played his character just right. With just the right amount of emotion, or lack thereof, befitting a top gangster.

I can not relate to other reviewers who said this drama dragged. I personally never skipped a minute of any scene, a first for me. In fact I rewatched several scenes whilst in the process of watching the drama. The great sexual build-up and the machinations of the mob world kept things fast paced and action packed.

Even the music, which I normally don’t notice, captured my attention. It helped that the lyrics were translated so I knew what was being said, and as a result the score seemed very appropriate in amplifying the overall mood of the drama.

If I have to criticise anything about Lovers it would be the ending. It’s perhaps a tad rushed. If ever there was a drama that needed to be 21 episodes, this is it. That said, it works as it is and I LOVE the show regardless. I recommend it to anyone who’s looking for more than your average run of the mill romance. Something with a more mature spin, and a little danger thrown in for added excitement. As of now Lovers has taken the # 1 spot as my all time favourite Asian drama. It was a bit underrated when it first aired, but then … the best dramas usually are. :)

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The winner REALLY deserved it all.

I loooove every bits of this show. The games, the participants, the drama...

The games was good overall. It's actually a simple games, most of it from board games I'm pretty sure we all played it before like Monopoly, Tic Tac Toe, Scrabble, Tangram, Gomoku, etc... but with upgraded rules that sometimes very difficult to understand and made my head dizzy when I try to follow 🤣 Well, sometimes it's indeed very stressful (I recalled myself crying out loud when Dongjae eliminated because of the nasty betrayal), but it's also fun, thrilling, and exciting.

But most of all, I'm very, VERY happy with the way this survival ends.

Ha Seokjin deserved it all. He's the most calm & collected since episode 1, a great strategist, and his tenacity just... wow. I knew him since Problematic Men era, I knew he's a great opponent everyone should watch for; but I didn't expect he'll be THAT GOOD. Every single episode he played every game skillfully, with everything he's got. It's truly mindblowing to watch (yes, I'm referring to his grande plan in episode 9 OMG how can he calculated all that???)

And I believe he's the only one who understood the rules of this survival game perfectly. I really like his statement (angry statement, if I may add) after Dongjae eliminated, "I want to see a skill-based elimination."

Indeed, because up to that episode, all I see was Orbit trying to save everyone—even the one who did not deserve to be saved. Alliances is needed, yes, but I don't think that was what Orbit did; he acted like a peacemaker but actually he's more like a dictator, giving instructions to everyone who followed him.

Not hating on him though, I'm trying to understand the way he think but obviously... trying to save everyone while you're in a survival show is kinda nonsense. The one with mind games and all, to be exact. It's a good act, but it's not for this show. Well, if that was actually his strategy to make all those people followed him and using them as a jumping stone to be in the finale... wow, he's good y'all 😂

This was the great drama to add, and because of that I fall more deeper to Ha Seokjin's charm. I'm rooting for him since episode 1 and very happy when he wins. All in all, watching this show was like my personal journey as Ha Seokjin fans; I'm happy to realize he's that smart, kind, and humble as a person, and I'm just happy so many people find out about him as an actor (well, and youtuber) through this show. Hopefully he gain some fans (I really want to gatekeeping him though HAHA) and be more successful in the future. Respect to all participants, I really enjoyed their friendship, and their betrayal 🤣🤣 Also, kudos to the great crew behind this show!

Season 2, please?

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Masterpiece

Story: very good ;
well written , comedy was smart while using very well the grotesque.

Soundtrack: very good ;
Not once i got bored by it, it helped the story perfectly.

Visuals: very good ;

Empathy to characters: very good;
It's not every drama these days that manage to get me attached to the characters.
In this one, i felt some attachment even for side characters.

Casting: very good ;
Everyone did well, but Shin Hye Sun stole the show, she is perfect.
P.S: Bae Jong Ok as queen dowager deserves an award.

Realisation + direction; very good ;

Pacing: Good

I'm not giving it 10, because i never give 10, but it came as close as possible.
I don't know why i waited so much to watch this.....

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The most beautiful period Thai Queer series of the decade

It is only September as I'm writing this review but I believe it's safe to say I Feel You Linger In The Air (IFYLITA) is the BEST Thai series of 2023 for me. Everything from story, plot, pacing, acting/cast, music, rewatch value. 10/10. IFYLITA deserves all the hype in the world and it was absolute worth the wait of over a year since the cast announcement back in March 2022, the actual production period spanning over 8 months from November 2022 to July 2023.

STORY
Being transported back in time isn't an unfamiliar fantasy trope but this is the first time I've seen Dee Hup House pulled out all the stops for their production. Based on the popular novel "The Fragrance of Love" (หอมกลิ่นความรัก) by Violet Rain, IFYLITA tells the story of Jom finding the true destined love of his life in the most unexpected circumstance and after being heartbroken by a cheating ex. Even though I've been a fan of the novel, I think the series is outdoing the original work because it's been able to adapt the novel to fit with the pacing of a series without losing the spirit of the novel. The supporting characters who pretty much disappear by the time Khun Yai and Jom get together in the novel are all now given their own background stories and subplots. The team has done so much world building to create an immersive experience but still shows respect for the original work (especially the iconic dialogues between Khun Yai and Jom have been adapted exactly as is). So far, everything has been perfect. The drama in each episode just gets better and better as the plot starts to unfold for every single characters.

ACTING/CAST
Nonkul and Bright are absolutely phenomenal in their respective roles of Jom and Khun Yai. Nonkul has been playing mostly "alpha" brooding male roles in his more recent works so it was refreshing to see him in a completely new light as a shy, heartbroken, gay little architecture who just wants to find love. Bright is bringing Jane Austen Male Lead A-GAME for his FIRST ML ROLE EVER. You can tell Bright practiced a lot to portrayed Khun Yai as close to the novel as possible (the way Khun Yai walks with hands behind his back, his posture, him speaking in the different local dialect but at times speak in the dialect that Jom can understand...). From their acting alone,one could tell how much love Nonkul and Bright have for the original novel and the amount "homework", care and dedication they have to crafting their characters to be as close as possible. It is not easy to act with so little dialogues but their lingering gazes, the subtle touches, the micro-facial expressions... absolutely immaculate acting to make their characters come alive so vividly. I won't go into details about the supporting characters but I do want to point out how incredibly detailed the production team is in the casting to have everyone speaking in that old local dialect to accurately portray Chiangmai in 2023.

MUSIC
IFYLITA has some of the most beautiful OST songs. I love how every time Khun Yai and Jom has their cute, lovey dovey moment, the OST 'Jom Kwan' by Asia7 starts playing! The lyrics are so lovely because it's written from the perspective of the lovesick Khun Yai who's so endeared by Jom that I just melt into a puddle every time. As the Plumeria/Frangipani flower is a huge symbol of the show, I love that the most important moments are accompanied by the OST 'Plumeria' by Cocktail. In addition to the OST, the scoring and sound editing is excellent as well. IFYLITA has very dramatic score and I can honestly say some thrilling scenes are hard-carried by the horror-movie type score and sound effects.

REWATCH VALUE
I think I will come back to watch this series every year. It's the perfect series for autumn weather and it's one where you can fully immerse yourself to be transported back to Thailand in the 1920s. There's just so much cultural, historical lessons one can get from this series. IFYLITA feels really authentic and invested. Honestly speaking, IFYLITA is like the famous time-traveling Thai lakorn Love Destiny but make it BL, get rid of the CH3 lakorn editing and infinitely better cinematography. Like they are COUSINS to me.

PRODUCTION
Gorgeous, beautiful cinematography, color grading, brilliant writing. There are so many things to praise about the production of this series but if I had to choose one thing, it would be the excellent details of this production. Making this queer period series is an ambitious project for Dee Hup House. Nonkul mentioned in an interview that one of his biggest worries for this series was the visual effects because in order for this book to come alive, it would have to be much invested for everything to look nice and Dee Hup House DID IT! Every shot is dazzling, cinematic like watching a Netflix-level budgeted period series. Small details like props, outfits, cultural events are also paid great attention with a view to craft Thailand in 1927 as close as possible.

OVERALL
While IFYLITA is enjoying moderate popularity in Thailand, I still think it's an underrated gem for a queer series that deserves much more international recognition. I think anyone who is looking for a well produced, invested period series with two eye candy for the leads, should give I Feel You Linger In The Air a chance. If you're looking for a fast-paced, plot-driven queer series, IFYLITA may not be the series you're looking for but it is the perfect one if you're in need of a refreshing multiple queer romances plot with decent pacing and looking to be transported back to Thailand in 1920s with our protagonist, Jom.

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Parents, you can't choose them. When I watched this show, I remembered how lucky I was with the parents I have.

So what exactly is the show about? I mean you have read the synopsis, and maybe would like to have another push towards why you should watch this incredible show. And believe me, when I say incredible I mean that in every way.

The show is most definitely about the relationship between a mother and a child, and how the two main characters tackle the trials they are given during the course of the show. So what makes it so good?

Maybe you could have guessed it, the character interactions. Ashide Mana and Matsuyuki Yasuko deliver a great performance regarding the interactions between a mother and a daughter. Their trials will make you laugh, cry or just smile weirdly because it's so cute *ahum*.

I mainly stated the two main characters here, but the supporting cast is great as well.

The story progresses in a well-written manner while never forgetting the realism they need to maintain during the course of the show. The story doesn't let you play ball, they throw the ball at you from the get-go, and you will keep following the ball until it finally reaches your glove. The pacing in the show may be slow to some, however incredibly fitting due to the shows Slice-of-life nature.

Because of the well-written storyline and the great acting, you will start rooting for the main two characters hoping they will get that final happy ending, because as you could’ve guessed, the story isn’t a light one. It’s about acceptance, Overcoming trials without giving up, family and so much more.

So why do you need to watch this? The well written story combined with great actors deliver a touching emotional story. This show will stay with you for a long time. It is one of those shows that makes you ponder for a bit while remembering the show, coming to the conclusion that it was a great watch.

So I heartily recommend it to anyone who doesn’t dislike slice-of-life shows. Because if you do watch it, you are in for a treat.

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This slice-of-life/office drama dares to be experimental in its portrayal of a career woman and the people that support and fight her on her journey. It constantly creates hits and misses, mostly hits, as it bucks the kdrama formula. The show centers around a core cast of female characters, and it wonderfully depicts these women as (or more) complex human beings as (than) men, varying aspirations/dreams, varying ethics/morals, and varying actions/dialogue. It exemplifies the positive impact of having a female screenwriter leading its fun and compelling female-centric story.

Two smaller points I want to point out here because it does not really fit elsewhere. First, the camerawork creates some beautiful shots using the environment and open spaces (Who remembers Angel Ta Mi?). But, sometimes it butchers the emotional delivery of some scenes as it zooms and rotates into the actors’ faces. Second, the rich, experimental story immerses the viewer, and the PPL (product placement) becomes especially jarring as it breaks that deep immersion. Still, I will remember this drama for its highs, not lows, and easily recommend this to all drama viewers as a great example of a modern Korean drama.

Story:
The story is surprisingly refreshing given that the average age of its main characters skews older than the usual mini (16 ep kdrama). No young chaebol inheriting his director position from his grandfather, the women in Search: WWW clearly worked hard and sacrificed much to reach their positions. Given the main female leads’ maturity and high social position, it is a challenge to add believable conflicts, especially given its genre. Search: WWW overcomes this struggle and shows that everyone can grow, no matter how mature, and that there will always be a bigger fish, no matter how high you rise. So, its fallback to some typical kdrama conflicts is understandable and not a blemish.

I wish the same could be same about the main romance in the drama. I want to make a distinction between the content of the romance and the pacing of the romance. The pacing, like the overall story, is refreshing, and relationships grow and stumble at unique points. It weaves itself with the office plot to deliver entertainment in every episode, especially the secondary romances/relationships. However, the content of the main romance is a bit shallow upon closer examination. It attempts to highlight the age and ideological differences between the two leads, but they act like they are designed by the same aged person(s). Specifically, the male lead acts like how someone in their 30s/40s imagines someone in their 20s.

Ultimately, the main drivers of a slice-of-life drama is its characters and not its plot points nor romance. And I can go on and on about the depths and strengths of the entire crew of characters, even the slightly obnoxious Morgan. To keep this review a reasonable length, I will just say that the characters are 10/10, and I somehow found myself rooting for each one of them, protagonists and antagonists alike.

Acting:
Starting with the actresses, the leads are a minimum 9/10. I hate (read “love”) to nitpick but Jeon Hye Jin could have shown slightly more range, given the nuance of her character, beyond the serious/contemplative facet. Also, Lee Da Hee is one of my favorite actresses, but she is almost getting typecast into the rash archetype. The main female lead, Im Soo Jung, is faultless, but don’t get me wrong, all three are amazing in their own ways and carry the show together.

Out of their male counterparts, Lee Jae Wook is the most memorable, and I look forward to his potential growth (he’s 21 when shooting this drama!). I am also impressed with Ji Seung Hyun, who I underrated because his profile shows that he’s mostly been on support/guest roles. As you can tell, expectations do color my judgement, and my expectation for Jang Ki Yong did not get met, but he does have some redeeming moments near the end.

Music:
Search: WWW has one of the best OSTs I’ve listened to in recent kdramas. “Well-rounded”, “In sync”, and “Complementary” all perfectly describe the musical core of Search: WWW. It is impossible to not like at least one of the songs in the OST and very likely that you’ll love them all. I usually write very short reviews of the music, but I need to take the time to rave about the musical cast.

First, shout out to the fierce women of Mamamoo, extra for Moonbyul with her writing credits. Could not have picked a better kpop act to mirror the strong female characters of the drama. Second, Jang Beom-Jun bringing that husky Busker Busker voice that was extremely popular in the early 2010s. Sam Kim was also popular around the same time, but I am not as big of a fan. Kudos to Sam Kim, Elaine , and O3ohn, even though I do not know much about them. Third, huge props to Lee Da Hee for fearlessly busting out her singing chops. Fourth, OST veteran, Kim Na-Young, who has been killing the music charts with her latest single, “To be Honest”. She delivers another great performance for Search:WWW.

Take it how you will, but the music is the strongest aspect of this drama. I didn’t even skip the parental advisory, so I could sing along with “show you a bad girl”. The OST flawlessly supports the drama and keeps true the show’s topics and themes, and all the songs are still worthy of a listen without knowing anything about the drama.

Rewatch Value:
As high as the relisten value is for the OST, the rewatch falls a bit short, which I usually judge on story or cast. The story’s female-centricity is refreshing but no longer unique in kdramas. I find the women of “Because This is My First Life” more relatable and the women of “Sky Castle” to be more entertaining. In terms of cast, I’m a bigger fan of the previous works by the main cast, such as “Chicago Typewriter” and “Beauty Inside” (“Misty” is high on my “to watch” list). Jang Ki Young is equally mediocre in his past works (“Kill It” is low on my “to watch” list). Ji Seung Hyun mostly does support/guest roles. However, I do look forward to Lee Jae Wook’s next drama, “July Found by Chance”. So, it’ll be difficult to find time to rewatch Search: WWW.

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I'm here to support Kitiwhut Sawutdimilin "Newyear". I'm here to support a gay man interpreting a gay character, because maybe y'all don't know, but for mostly thai BL dramas directors is a requisite to be straight to get gay characters roles.

Newyear (the one who interprets Pond, the main character of this series) auditioned for 2 Moons The Series (also a BL thai series) Wayo's role, and was rejected because he's wasn't "manly" enough. 2 Moons The Series director said that all the six gay men characters of 2Moons The Series MUST be interpreted by straight men.

I know maybe this isn't the best BL drama, not the best plot, characters lack in depht, we all know that. But i think it's pretty entertaining to watch, It's a cute boys love story, and although I know it isn't the best thing in the BL world, I can say I absolutely don't hate the 20 minutes per week I spend watching it. So well, that's all: I'm here to support Newyear, and all the others who also are amateur actors, I hope him to be able to get more thai dramas' roles in the future.

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I definitely love this drama as much as I loved the ANIME!

At first I doubted if I should watch this drama since I really love the anime/manga and I don't want to be disappointed seeing the actors/actresses ruin the story. But since I really love the story I watched it... and I made the RIGHT CHOICE!

This drama was definitely a SUCCESSFUL one! For the story, I must compliment that they gave justice to the original story... They haven't made a lot of changes... almost the same, so much like the anime, but still, definitely worth watching.

For the actors, I really love the character of Tsuruga Ren in the anime (Dung He Lian in this drama), and I should say Choi Si Won has portrayed Ren's character well (just don't mind the voice dubbing). And I also did love how Ivy Chen portrayed Kyoko. Dong Hae was not bad as well... I really loved how all the cast portrayed their individual roles...

Music was definitely cool and awesome. Rewatch value (though I usually don't rewatch dramas), I would definitely watch this again after a couple of years... Overall, this was great!

You would definitely laugh your heart out! You'll enjoy watching this and for those who have watched the anime, you would enjoy this as much as you've enjoyed the anime version...

I definitely want to see a second season of this drama where they could include a lot more of scenes/story from the MANGA...

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I expected this to be a typical teen romance movie, but it stole my heart. The story tricked me until the very end. I loved every bit of it.

You get a double story in the end with her and her mother's love story. This certainly is the perfect mix of gushy romance with coming of age.

Much MUCH better than Romeo and Juliet by far. It's more satisfying than sad at the end and worth the watch! Perfect for a girl's night. My friends dread subtitles but they had nothing to complain about when it was over.

Although, I give the music a nine because I wouldn't necessarily go out of my way to hear it.

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24 eps seem too short for the first time!

"Our Secret" is a drama with a good plot, lovable characters and excellent acting. the actors in this drama aren't that famous (edit: this was before hidden love) but their acting is really good; definitely how a high schooler would behave, in my opinion. it's fast paced with little or no filler scenes so overall it was a good watch. it felt so nostalgic (even tho I haven't finished my high school yet).

the ML was portrayed splendid, props to the actor. he wasn't oblivious but seemed to get along with people around him quite well unlike other leads who act like they are allergic to humans or whatever. no super rich high school 'chaebol' heir so it makes the viewers easy to empathize. the way he looks at the FL melts me uwu. he really set the bar high for a "boy in love".

the FL did an excellent job in expressing a desk-mate who gradually falls in love with someone who she never thought she would and thinks he doens't reciprocate her feelings. she portrayed a girl chasing her love in a charming way and we can't help but root for this cute couple pairing.

the side characters weren't annoying. they had their own story to tell, making us cheer for them even with the little screen time they had. I loved the friendship among all of them.

I really had fun watching this!! trust me, it's a really good watch/re-watch!! ♡. if only someone would look at me the way ML looks at FL... I should prolly stop dreaming *cries in Chinese*. jokes aside, this is definitely a drama that'll stay with me for a long time. I could literally feel the emotions conveyed in the story. wow, what a ride! best of luck to all the actors' future works! signing off.

I'm in love with Chen Zhe Yuan if it wasn't obvious already ♡

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Okay, let's see. What can i say of this movie?
It is cute all over, it doesn't bore you, it doesn't make you skip any parts, it enters your heart, grows inside and leaves happily.
I am neutral about the music, there was a german song in the beginning, it was quite fun to watch Daikichi's fantasy and the music fitted it but other than that one song i don't really remember others, means they don't really stand out.
the story is nice, i love Daikichi and Rin's relationship. they do no cuddling, no "i love you so much daddy" but you just feel the love. It is the success of both the story and the actors.
so if you want to have a change of your cliché someone-dying, someone-fighting-so-hard-for-love movies, take the shot, you won't regret it.

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A Fantastic Reinterpretation of the world of Parasyte

Parasyte the Grey somehow managed to tell a compelling story with great characters within a short six episodes. Every single scene moved the story forward. Exposition scenes were well done and did not overstay their welcome. Character introductions and motivations were precise. You're quickly told who everyone is and what they're here to do and the story starts running and never stops.

The actors themselves did a terrific job. Especially Jeon Sonee as the lead. Her mannerisms and the inflection in her voice switched between two roles brilliantly. You quickly get attached to her character and want to see her be in her better place and show rewards you (breaks your heart too) for that. And it's not just lead who develops but the side characters as well. Particularly Koo Kyohwan and Lee Junghyun's characters.

I don't see this show as a horror but it definitely delivers on the action, sci-fi front. As to be expected with such a great director. The action is fast paced and well shot. The brief worldbuilding that we get is enough to get you invested in this changing world. The music was nothing special but definitely fit the atmosphere.

You definitely need no knowledge of the original manga or anime adaptation to watch this. It's a splendid story on its own. But it does excite them with that ending scene in the finale.

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