Reviews

A magnificent rollercoaster of multiple and tridimentional emotions

I couldn't believe my eyes when this masterpiece came out, out of a blue, when everybody had stop believing it will ever aired !
And, let me tell you : it didn't disapointed :

The actors were so wonderful in it ; it felt like I was absord in the screen, in the beautiful and profound world of the unknown. I thought before such beauty existed only in my mind but it turned my calm word in a full rainbow of hope, with a glimpse of faith in God.

The frame were exquisite, the special effect wonderful, the eyelashes of Chu Wanning stunning and even my cat was watching for two days in silence.

I was very surprise to see the mature scene between the two leads ; it was really moving considering the censorship...I guess the censors were amazed too by the accuracy of the adaptation and the perfect longing in the lovers eyes.

I was so pleased I force my 100 years old homophobic grandma to watch ; she didn't hear all the dialogue or could read the subtitles but she couldn't turn her eyes. It even cure her depression ; she is so energetic now that when she goes out for jogging, I can't follow her (I have two Olympic games gold medals in athletism)

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slice of life done well

Overall: this is a slice of life series set in 2005/6 and follows the characters from age 16-18. The writer is the same writer as Addicted (and the book it's based on). The plot/characters are extremely similar but I'm going to rate this on its own and not as compare/contrast. 24 episodes 30 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala & Viki.

BL, Censored BL or Bromance? the answer becomes more and more apparent as the series goes on, I really hope that "lip balm" was brand new lmao

Content Warnings: past murder, attempted murder, attempted rape, sexual assault, torture, mutual bullying/pranks, violence/fights/beaten up/punches, blood, manipulation, intimate partner violence, side couple under 18 and over 18, non con picture taking/posting/cyberbullying

What I Liked
- clear characters/motivations (and showed realistically why characters' feelings towards one another changed, showed why the cousin made the decision that he did)
- showed why Wu Bi was immediately interested
- Wu Bi was impulsive/hot tempered but he did apologize for his actions (later in the series he says that he acts tough but is soft hearted which is true)
- sweet moments
- some funny moments
- happy Wu Bi did that to his uncle
- episode 3 fight scene was not realistic but it was super fun
- Wu Bi and Su Yu clearly communicated at the end of episode 4 and several times during the series
- production value (some really beautiful use of light and reflections)

Room For Improvement
- should have taken out that whole bizarre doctor playing/injuring thing with the kids in episode 4
- nonsense things: could have given the thugs a reason to target Su Yu (like his dad owed them money), also no one called the police with a group of thugs running with weapons in broad daylight? the guards just walked behind Wu Bi, how did Wu Bi know it was that 1 guard out of all the guards
- I disagree with Su Yu's dad, not all parents love their children and even when they love them, if they are awful people then the children do not owe them love in return
- the dubbing, especially with that Taiwanese character
- not a fan of the song with the little girl singing
- the series covers 2 years and it felt a bit choppy at times/more like vignettes
- the green screen at the beach
- although I understand the ending is true to the book, a second season is definitely not guaranteed and that's not a good way to end a series (maybe they could have made a short special episode in case season 2 didn't get made or something)

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Not Just Good, But One of the Best

If you are looking for:
- a simple but heartfelt romance with emotional depth
- charming leads with excellent chemistry
- polished execution and pleasing aesthetics
- intimate scenes that feel both sensual and emotionally grounded
then this series may be for you!

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Things I like
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(1) The Creative Direction
This series has many strengths: pleasing visuals, an endearing cast, a consistent musical identity, and, of course, a main couple with undeniable chemistry. TeeTee Wanpichit is especially charming as Duang, bringing so much warmth and energy to the role that it becomes easy to stay invested from start to finish. Por Suppakarn also gives Qin a strong presence, making him compelling even in his quieter and more guarded moments.

But if I had to give one special shoutout, it would go to director Nathawat Piyanonpong. A series like this may look simple on paper, but making a straightforward love story feel this engaging requires both vision and execution. The emotional beats land, the romantic progression feels natural, and the series never loses its charm. Without strong direction, a plot like this could have easily felt ordinary. Instead, it feels assured, intentional, and consistently enjoyable.

(2) Qin’s Growth
For a while, I found myself wondering why the series was titled Duang With You. By the final episode, the answer becomes very clear. The title is not just about Duang being physically by Qin’s side, but about how deeply Duang changes Qin’s emotional world.

This works especially well because of the contrast with similar moments in the earlier episodes. By the finale, Qin’s happiness feels open, genuine, and closely tied to Duang’s presence. He is no longer the cold, guarded person who chose distance and emotional restraint. Instead, he becomes someone capable of vulnerability, honesty, and mutual love. Por Suppakarn does an excellent job portraying this growth, especially in the crying scenes, because Qin is not simply written as a cold male lead. He is a character shaped by pain and a difficult past, and that gives the role much more depth when he finally allows himself to feel and receive love.

(3) The Intimacy
For a series that feels this heartwarming and straightforward, I honestly expected the intimate scenes to be fairly basic or brief. That was clearly not the case. The scenes here are thoughtfully choreographed and shot, and what makes them even stronger is that they are not there just for visual appeal. They carry emotional weight too.

What I especially appreciated is how the intimacy feels tied to the characters and their relationship. These scenes are sensual, but they also feel tender, vulnerable, and believable for two young people who are fully opening themselves to one another. Because of that, they come across as meaningful rather than merely decorative, which makes them all the more effective.

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Things I wish were different
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(1) More Depth for Qin’s Parents
It is honestly hard for me to pick major complaints about this series, but if I had to nitpick, this would probably be my biggest one. Qin’s parents felt like the weakest part of the storytelling for me. With their limited screen time, both characters came across as too similar, and because they almost always appeared together and mirrored each other’s reactions, they ended up feeling less like two distinct people and more like a single narrative force.

Because Qin’s trauma is such an important part of his character, I wish the series had spent a little more time exploring the parents’ perspectives in a more layered way. In the end, much of the emotional weight of that storyline was carried by the two main actors rather than by the writing around the parents themselves. Even the maid (May God bless her) left a stronger impression in the early childhood scenes.

(2) The OST
The music in this series suits the tone well, so this is not really a complaint about quality as much as variety. I just wish the OST had been a little more experimental at times. Since Qin is a jazz student, and since the series gave us that lovely music showcase scene where Por Suppakarn sang jazz so well, I found myself hoping the soundtrack would lean further into that side of his character.

Because of that setup, I was expecting a bit more jazz influence, or at least more genre variation across the series. Instead, the overall musical style stayed fairly consistent throughout, aside from a few scenes. It still worked, but I think the soundtrack could have added even more personality if it had taken a few more risks.

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Best scenes
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1. Post-basketball match (Episode 6)
For me, this is one of the standout scenes of the entire series, and also the moment where TeeTee Wanpichit truly shines as an actor. Within a relatively short span of time, he is asked to carry multiple emotional shifts, and he does so very well. We see the affectionate and devoted Duang that the audience has already grown attached to, but this scene adds so much more on top of that: concern, frustration, hurt, helplessness, and finally relief.

What makes this scene so strong is how naturally those emotions build into one another. It never feels exaggerated, and that is why it hits so hard. By the time Qin apologizes and begins to reciprocate Duang’s feelings more clearly, the emotional payoff feels fully earned. This is also the point where the relationship starts to move beyond one-sided affection and into something more mutual and balanced. For that reason, this scene is not only emotionally effective, but also one of the most important turning points in the series.

2. Bye bye teddy bear (Episode 8)
These young actors can really act. The tears of relief that Duang sheds after Qin chooses him are the kind of moment that stays with you. It is tender, heartbreaking, and impactful all at once. For me, this is one of those scenes that will still be remembered long after the series ends.

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Takeaways
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The base formula that this series follows is not exactly unique. In fact, there have already been many series built on similar settings and storylines. What makes Duang With You special is the execution and the passion that can be felt throughout all 12 episodes. The two leads are incredibly charming and do a wonderful job embodying the characters from the source material.

The ironic part is that the original novel is called Not The Best, But Still Good, and yet this adaptation may well be one of the best series in the genre so far.

I wish nothing but continued success for the actors, the director, and the entire team behind this series. Everyone involved clearly brought a great deal of effort and heart into this work, and I hope that passion opens the door to even more success and opportunities in the future. I truly look forward to seeing more great things from them.

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Massive Potential, Yet Poor Closure

Come on, who doesn't like this type of K-Drama/Series?

The thrills, the tension, the hype every episode - discussing and debating theories, It was everything.
A classic whodunnit.

A Series where everyone is trapped in a kind of mysterious events and they're working together to figure out the truth lies behind. Similar to spirit to the like of AOUAD, DAS, and Alice in Borderland.

The concept of the series is fresh, The Werewolf/Mafia game, the excitement is simple: Citizens vs Mafia, every episode we will be greeted by new things while slowly finding the Mafia and uncovering the truth behind everything.

That's the core concept of the entire series and IT'S PERFECT with the fresh casting, dynamic characters, and every other the potential that it had.
Every watchers was engaged and onboard for the tension and cliffhanger every episode - a perfect K-Drama was created.

Until the actual plot arrived...

Lee Yoon Seo, the girl who is the center of everything. There's always a lead in every K-Drama, right?
She seems to be haunted by a mysterious girl from the beginning of the series and we are all wondering:
- Who is she?
- What is her connection to the game?
- Is she a past player of the game? or the game creator?

But then...
Who would've thought that those exciting mystery plot will eventually taint the entire goodness of the series?

Well, not a single person before the whole Park Se Eun story comes to light... everything was falling down afterwards - I don't even need to recite what happened at the ending.
We all expected everything was a game or some sort, just that there's no point of a never-ending revenge done by Se Eun's parents as the watchers are not even emotionally engaged with her story that much, it was just an icing on the cake - unfortunately a bland one.

Season 2? would love to see how it goes, though it will be very difficult to make up the disappointment.

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I wish they could create a better closure, this K-Drama was great and fresh, nothing could satisfy me more than this type of theme/genre. It is very unfortunate that such brilliant idea and massive potential the series had - tainted by the pointless closure.

Props to all the cast, regardless some of their annoying characters - they're the MVP of the series, especially:
- Cha Woo Min as Go Kyung Jun - scene stealer for the earlier episodes of the series
- Ahn Ji Ho as Jin Da Beom - scene stealer for the last episodes of the series

Was it worth the watch? absolutely, wished the mafia game could stay longer - it was fun and totally enjoyable - a total 10/10 minus some flaws in the rules here and there.

Was it satisfying? not at all - at least not for everyone.

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Once you start you can't stop watching - A Quality thriller drama with WELL-WRITTEN & ACTING !

Connection - The breakdown of my thriller slump.
Short synopsis :- There were three best friends In college days - Jun So, Yoo Jin, and Jang Jae Kyung. ( but time separated them.) Now that Jun So has passed away in mysterious way. Yoo Jin and Joon Jae Kyung will work together to uncover the truth behind their friend's death. One is a detective, and the other one is a reporter - a great combination !! Meeting after 20 years after their seperation, they have to work together to uncover the truth behind the mysterious death of their friend. this duo is quite funny when they're working together.

BEST THRILLER WITH UNIQUE AND FRESH PLOT

Connection is a detective crime investigation thriller that adopts a unique story point from the classic thriller genre. The story is set in the Narcotic Control Unit, where our main protagonist, Jang Jae Kyung, is working. This is not a simple thriller, as we watched before, because the main element in this drama is that our main protagonist is a drug-addicted Narcotics Detective; this is what made Connection a unique thriller drama from the other thrillers.
It’s not my first time to see the main protagonist as a question between the system of law and society. The theme is complex because the line of drug addicts will raise questions about the duty of morality and the responsibility of Jang Jae Kyung’s investigation. Because the person who has the responsibility to catch drugs and keep the city clean becomes drug addicted, when we hear this point, it's very normal to expect him to step down from his position and go to rehabilitation, but Jang Jae Kyung chose not to step down from his job in order to uncover mystery and truth of his friend’s death.

MY RATING || 9.5 - 10 || SUSPENSE/STORY DEVELOPMENT & NARRATION.

The story-telling is exceptional. Every episode is well crafted; the story narration is excellent, like using the past events connecting to the present ongoing events to form a well-structured story without creating the space for confusion in the ongoing story, even though multiple new characters will be introduced and every character has clear writing.
The plot keeps you hooked till the end, and as the investigation progresses, every clue leads to the burning question: What happened 20 years ago? Who is the doctor? Who killed Jun Seo? What does the mastermind of the game want? Because as we learn about the past friendship of Jun Seo, we discover that Tae Jin, Chi Hyun, and Wong Soo are the main suspects, and everyone has a motive to kill Jun Seo or want Jun Seo dead. And the events led to Jun Seo's death. Here are two different people that we have to guess: 1) Who is the killer? 2) Who is the doctor? At some point, we thought we knew who they were, but next, the EP gives the answer, “Our guess is wrong.”. I think some of us will guess who the doctor is after some episodes, but until then, the suspense around the doctor's character keeps us hooked on the ongoing story. And a very small comdey plot that helps to laugh even in the serious mode. This trio Jang Jae Kyung, Yoon Jin, Heo Joo Song is quite funny when they're working together.

FAST PACED PACKED THRILLER - BONUS POINTS

The Gossamer Suspense around every character makes us suspect every character except Jung Jae Kyung; it feels like this person is behind everything. Because every character had their own motive to be involved in the crime or somehow related to Jun Seo’s death. When the main and sub-characters are driven by the motive, it’s a good sign to expect more suspense and thrilling moments from thriller dramas, and “Connection” is the same drama. The plot twists and character motivations in this drama keep you on the edge of your seat. The more episodes we complete, the more suspense we will get from the drama. This is how the pacing continues till the end.

What I loved from the plot development

1) Solid Start and Good Pacing: From the start, by establishing the core story and the introduction of characters, Connection will catch the attention of us and challenges to complete every episode without skipping.
2) Engaging Characters: The creation of interesting and multidimensional characters, their motives and actions in the forming of suspense around those characters.
3) The suspenseful momentum in every episode.
4) Good storytelling and screenplay.
5) I disliked some characters and their motives at first, but as the story progressed, each of those characters became likable—good character development.
6) The dark atmosphere in this drama gives the absolute best thriller-dramatic experience.
(I don't no disappointments, where everything is just a perfect picture )

ACTING - 10/10

JI SUNG
Ji Sung is always an exceptional actor. I’m watching Ji Sung dramas from The Devil Judge, and after watching the TDJ drama, I became his fan. For kdrama fans, he is well known for his script selection; he had fans for his script selection too. After TDJ, he came with the ADAMAS drama, which is also a thriller, but I was disappointed with the drama, but his acting was outstanding like always, even in a dual role. After almost 2 years, he is back again with CONNECTION, this time again with a new combo of writer Lee Hyun and director Kim Moon Kyo, who have experience with 2 projects. In this drama, Ji Sung played the multi-dimensional character Jang Jae Kyung. This is not his first time acting in complex roles; he has to portray two different kinds of emotions in his two-faced character role as a detective and drug addict. It’s not as simple as watching him in a drug-addictive role; without a proper way of portraying these types of complex roles, they will be written off soon in any drama. Throughout his character, we feel sad for him, we cry for him, and we start rooting for him. The emotional weight is less, and it is suitable for JJK characters. This is one of my favorite acting roles in 2024.
JEON MIDO 
This is my first drama with Jeon Mido, and I don’t know about her acting that much. But Yoon Jin's character is really fitting for her, although sometimes it feels like an anti-main role. Her acting makes it even brighter in her role. I'm going to check her other works now, thanks to Connection.
KWON YOOL
This actor, Kwon Yool I was watching him in the Voice drama; he is one of the best actors in antagonist roles. The way he portrays his roles in every drama makes it even more fascinating; the cool and coldness in his acting is just a delicacy to watch. Actors like Kwon Yool or his anti-character roles are always challenging for the main characters in every drama or movie; this is the specialty of Kwon Yeol's presence in a work. I am always looking forward to the projects that make him the main protagonist in a drama. In this drama, Park Tae Jin is a pure evil character, and we hate him till the end. But what made him evil is not himself, so somewhere I hope for his good side, but once the twist blows, I just hope for his ending. Pure acting brilliance from Kwon Yeol.
SUPPORTING CAST
The other actors, Kim Kyung Nam, Jung Soon Won, Yoon Na Mo, Cha Yeob, Jeong Jae Kwang, Jung Yoo Min, Lee Kang Wook, and Park Keun Rok—each of their characters and acting are noteworthy performances. I enjoyed every minute of their screen presence. Also, the teenage actors who acted in the main lead roles—Cho Han Gyeol, Kim Min Ju, and Lee Hyun Soo—are just simply benchmarks for future potential actors; decent performances from these three I’m rooting for them to watch more dramas.

WRITTING, DIRECTION AND SOUNDTRACK DEPARTMENTS.

I’m honest here; somewhere I was not fully confident in writer Lee Hyun and director Kim Moon Kyo’s this new typical thriller. The subject/plot of their drama is quite hard to deal with, and without proper execution, it may turn into a messy plot. But I was wrong about them; their perfection shows how carefully they took every step forward to deliver a good thriller for us. It starts with formation. Casting like Ji Sung, Kwon Yeol, Jeon Mido, and Kim Kyung Nam as the main leads and supporting cast is a mix of well-known actors and establishing actors. Each character's role is well written. A good screenplay leaves no scope for confusion. The soundtrack is pretty good—not that much space for song tracks, but the background music tracks are amazing and enough to carry the whole drama without song tracks, especially the ending theme music track of eps, which is one of my favorite thriller music tracks.

ROM LINE BETWEEN MAIN LEADS :-

For those who are expecting Rom between main leads; At first, I had some doubts after watching the first episode, like the female lead (Jeon Mi Do) got married so, how the makers going to convince us with this element relationship between Jae Kyung & Yoon Jin. But after watching the second episode, I'm convinced with the story about their relationship. It’s a thriller so expecting the Rom line between main leads is nearly impossible but we will except sometimes when it depends on the story demand but not in this type of thrillers, if anyone curious about Rom line in this drama – I say No.

STORY/PLOT DEPTH :-

This drama is not just a simple thriller; it also explores the theme of friendship, which also adds more depth to the drama. Ignoring a friend is not a crime, but it depends on how we are convinced that we are not ignoring them but just making new progress in our lives. Use the friendship to improve ourselves as well as others, but avoid getting greedy with them or influencing them to make mistakes to make yourself a profitable person. Even though life is hard, never touch the dirty money because it will hunt all your life. Forgive the friend who resented himself for his previous actions, because we never know why they acted like that at that time. Forgiveness is part of life, so give it to them when they are still here (sorry, I think I wrote quotes on friendship). This complex friendship between the main characters is the crucial element in this drama, which keeps the plot running forward and leads to various crimes, from small to large, taking the lives of people in order to protect themselves.

ENDING - Ending is quite emotional and heartwarming - A Perfect Ending, we get answers for all questions. And I don't want to talk much about ending.

Finally:-
A Good thriller, and Yes, I enjoyed the pace of the drama and everything ! Too often, all thrillers start strong in the first half but lose their maintaining same momentum as first half in the second half, leaving me with some disappointment, like getting bogged down with unnecessary side plots and losing their momentum in the story or in creating the suspense (I experienced it with Adamas). The writer Lee Hyun and director Kim Moon Kyo succeeded in carrying the same momentum of the drama till the very end and delivered one of the best thrillers. This one of my best Investigation Thriller and placed in my 10 list.

If anyone wants a perfect binge thriller to watch, I recommend this drama. Highlights of this drama for you
Fast-paced, well-written, great acting, no slow episodes, well-maintained suspense.

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Of the few dramas I have watched, Panda and Hedgehog was easily the most disappointing. It had such a strong premise and beginning, such cute characters and a storyline that just made you smile with every episode. In fact the happy feeling from the first 5 episodes is fairly reminiscent of the way To The Beautiful You made me feel.

Then they turned Pan Da into this annoying caricature of a woman, and started trying to throw in twists that were obvious from a mile away. I know there is a Korean term for it, but for me, this show just kept jumping the shark!

But enough negativity, since there really are some good things about this show that make it worth watching. Firstly, Won Yi. She made this show worth watching, she was so ridiculously adorable and over the top, I swear I have a minor crush on her! Also, Hedgehog's character was so fun to watch, even when the crap hit the proverbial fan. He was like the Energizer Bunny, not stopping for anything. His "1, 2, 3 Go!" was just adorable and watching his feelings develop (very quickly, I might add) for Pan Da just made you love him all the more.

The cast of supporting characters also really helped in making this a fun drama to watch. I will admit, I cried pretty hard towards the end, and I wouldn't have if it weren't for the amazing job the cast did with a sometimes ridiculous script.

If you are looking for something cute, fluffy and no where near groundbreaking or deep, then this is what you want!

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Kim Soo-Hyun’s Sublime Return To Thrillers…

Remake dramas can often go down two selective routes; diverging from the originality of its predecessor, or offering viewers a production en par with the original. Thankfully Coupang Play’s first series led by director
Lee Myung-woo, ‘ One Ordinary Day ‘ ( a remake of the original BBC series ‘ Criminal Justice’), offered viewers a fairly knockout adaptation with arguably darker explorations of the criminal judicial system, an intriguing setup as well as a brilliant cast lineup ( most notably A-list actor Kim Soo-Hyun as the main lead).

The series focuses upon seemingly “ model student” college-student Kim Hyeon-soo (Kim Soo-hyun). In an effort to apparently gain popularity Hyeon-Soo decided to hook up one night with Hong Kook-Hwa ( Hwang Se-on); a mysterious yet beguiling troublemaker. However Hyeon-Su’s fantastical night is cut short as he wakes up to a horrifying sight. Seemingly framed for a crime he didn’t commit, few seem to believe his plea for innocence- apart from gruff lawyer Shin Joon-Han ( Cha Seung-won). Alongside soft-spoken novice lawyer Seo Soo Jin ( Lee Seol), Joon-Han is determined to prove Hyeon-Su’s innocence yet as further problems arise in the case, the true question of justice begins to become more clouded along the way…

‘ One Ordinary Day’ delivers anything but mundanity for viewers - its heavy-going and macabre themes upon murder, crime, prison, corruption and injustice will likely not appeal to everyone. Whilst the first episode admittedly offers viewers a fast-paced and adrenal-infused episode, the latter episodes do hit a slight rut at times of struggling to maintain the same alacrity. ( Admittedly whilst some of these scenes were necessary for slowing down and building -up setups and characters, they’d sometimes disengage episodes from keeping viewers captivated by moving at a quicker pace.)

Casting top-actors in a lesser-known and more mature production can always be a gamble for both the actor as well as the company. However Kim Soo Hyun does not disappoint bringing forth a gut-wrenching performance as the main lead . Hyun-Soo is the ultimate enigma for viewers- a bright student and seemingly a kindhearted son, but his myriad of reckless decision-making causes him to start his hellish journey throughout the series. Naturally whilst the storyline never wanted to give too much away about Hyun-Soo’s ultimate final verdict , there were admittedly moments in the series surrounding Hyun-Soo which felt as though they could’ve been shown in more intrinsic depth. ( Including further insight into his relationship with his parents , his experiences with peers during his younger years ,Hyun-Soo’s college life as well as about his fight for survival in prison.)Even if the drama had offered these some of these moments as merely “Red Herrings” it could’ve allowed for more opportunities to have seen a multilayered onset for Hyun Soo as a character.

Alongside Kim Soo Hyun is costar Cha Seung Won who played the role of the unkempt lawyer with an air of rugged charm. Yet admittedly whilst there were intriguing elements to Seung Won as a written-character, the deuteragonist could often lack some greater and definitive focus on his backstory. Of course this isn’t to say that Shin Joong Han is a poorly-written character by any stretch of the imagination; the male lead is far from being a perceived as an impeccable guardian angel and instead nearly plays devil’s advocate in the courtroom - he has his own demons to deal with, personal motives for taking on his clientele for and is widely dismissed by the inner-circle of judges and prosecutor as being “ third-rate”. However the storyline could’ve admittedly been smoothed down more if the drama had given opportunities to understand more about his past.

Combined together with the vivid cinematographer of Lee Myung-Woo of vivid neon night shots against the mundanity of the court room , ‘ One Ordinary Day’ becomes a suspenseful reverse-psychology series where versatile themes surrounding corruption, drugs and abuse were played carefully with the murky lightning of flashbacks presented a moody and unsettling atmosphere against the lucid mundanity of tension. Inter played when necessary with the spine-tingling OST, ‘ One Ordinary Day’ was surprisingly masterful when it came to delivering some of its impactful scenes for viewers.

Naturally this brings us onto one of the greatest downfalls for ‘ One Ordinary Day’; the ending. Naturally the ending wasn’t inherently rushed with a notably slow-paced speed weighing down a major proportion of the final episodes in order to build-up towards the finale. On the other hand whilst the ending is certainly surprising for viewers and did seem to present a powerful statement message towards the unstable corruption of the judicial system in South-Korea, it did admittedly feel slightly anticlimactic for viewers with certain original links and questions remaining unanswered even by the final episode.

Nevertheless whilst the series could sometimes struggle with attaining constant and steady pacing as well as shaping out certain subplots, ‘ One Ordinary Day’ was a fairly thrilling and gripping series which offered brilliant performances by our cast and especially Kim Soo-Hyun as well as Cha Seung Won. The ending was admittedly slightly unexpected and failed to wrap up some more quintessential loose ends for viewers, but did undeniably deliver the reminder for audiences that ‘ One Ordinary Day’ was harrowing within its portrayal of the judicial system.

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A Dream Come True: Big and Park Deliver Magic in “Me and Who”

Wow, the first few episodes are absolutely amazing!
Did not expect to see Keng and Namping cameo from Khemjira in episode 1! Mandee Work, you’ve done it again, combining two excellent BLs airing at the moment: Me and Who and Khemjira.

I loved Big and Park in Monster Next Door, and they look even better here. The story brings a refreshing new genre with a non-university theme, and Park’s black hair looks so much more natural and fitting than his blonde hair in his previous role.

This series is fantastic, so fun and engaging. Poor Phopthorn works at a convenience store, and suddenly his soul transfers into the body of Apo, a billionaire with a handsome fiancé, Suriya (Big), who has the power to read minds. Imagine being poor all your life and then waking up as a billionaire with a hot, tall, and handsome fiancé, talk about a dream come true. The fake marriage between the meticulous Suriya and the high-spirited, chaotic Apo begins, creating the perfect mix of chaos, charm, and chemistry.

Every detail is beautifully crafted, from the elegant costumes and stunning mansion to the music and smooth cinematography. And can we talk about that random giraffe walking past Apo’s room? If this isn’t rich, then what is?

Big and Park’s chemistry is undeniable once again, and the balance of romance, comedy, and drama is spot on. Their dynamic is electric, full of tension, humor, and sweet chaos that keeps you glued to the screen.

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I prefer this over the "series" version

I watched the series version of this as it released but never left a review for it because I only recently added all the Asian shows/movies I've watched to MDL - and rated them - very recently. And when I say recently, I mean a week ago haha. However, the movie cut for WISH YOU was released onto viki and now all the English subs are loaded now, so I just watched it. I wasn't going to rewatch this until I heard there was an extra twenty minutes added that wasn't in the original series cut. That definitely interested me since I only scored the series a 7/10 due to the flow not being quite right and the story not making complete sense.

With that, I'll start my review.

Story: Honestly, a solid 8/10 from me. This type of story and the amount of development in it really fits a movie format more than a series. One of my biggest gripes with all of the Korean BLs is that they release them in 8-10 ten minute episodes instead of just releasing it as a film in the first place. But also, I'm not going to complain that much because at least South Korea are making BLs in the first place, ya know? (ones that aren't tragedies or sad haha.) Anyway, I only gave a 8 because I still feel as though the characters are a little under developed. In the end, we still don't know all that much about either of them except that Kang In Soo's dad is a CEO who doesn't want him pursuing a music career. The writing is great, the cinematography is great and so is the aesthetic. Great quality all around. What I'm really happy about is that the story MAKES MORE SENSE in the movie cut and it FLOWS NICELY (woo!) and it's all because of that extra 20 minutes. Even though the added scenes may not seem important, they are. For example, in the series I'm pretty sure they didn't show that Sang Yi was in a band early on like they did in the movie, so that scene where Kang In Soo sees him playing the keyboard makes way more sense lol. Plus, we got to see Kang In Soo hear the arrangement he doesn't like and them eating after he walks out while he avoids the topic with Sang Yi - which is why he says "Say it" to him when Sang Yi won't drop it after lunch/dinner. There argument makes more sense that way. Another example is when we see Kang In Soo after the kiss as he plays the guitar and thinks about Sang Yi, I think this was an important scene to include rather than the story skipping straight to the next day when everything happens like it does in the series. And even the scene later in the movie when we see Sang Yi go to Min Sung (In Soo's friend/manager). That whole searching scene adds a lot honestly. All of the added scenes that they originally cut out of the series are subtle moments, but they make the story flow way better and helps with the logic of the story as a whole. Thank God I wasn't left feeling confused by the end this time.

Acting/Cast: Not much to say but the cast did a great job and I think everyone was casted perfectly. I especially loved Sang Yi's acting. They had great chemistry too which is always important.

Music: The OST for this WISH YOU is amazing. I really love all the songs but Wish For You is definitely my favourite. I listen to it a lot. I even learned it on ukulele and learnt all the words despite being a native English speaker. Both Kang In Soo and Sang Yi are great musicians.

Rewatch Value: I feel like this is strictly personal preference so take my opinion with a grain of salt here. However, I only gave the rewatch value of this movie a 7/10 because I'm not a rewatcher in general. I only rewatch shows or movies that really stick with me or that I become obsessed over. This movie is super cute and maybe somethings others would love to rewatch, but it's not obsess-worthy for me. Again, that's just my personal opinion! Although, technically I did rewatch this since I watched the original series and then this movie cut of it.

Overall: I highly recommend this! It's cute, revolved around music, and it's only 1hr 42mins of your time! (:

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Had A Lot of Potential But Fell Incredibly Short

I was looking forward to seeing what this drama had to deliver because I like the tomb raiding, Republican era type of genre too and apart from Elaine Zhong and Wang Yang, I was completely unfamiliar with the cast. This, however, was a very disappointing series that shouldn't be marketed as a tomb raiding drama, but a romance/conspiracy one.

Pros: By far the best and favorite character was DYQ followed in close second by LYS. This drama was essentially theirs. I love how LYS went from a potential antagonist and constant thorn in DYQ's side to literally his big brother though not by blood. Just the two of them could have run this series together and it would have been way better then it was. Once LYS gets past his misunderstanding, their relationship as brothers in arms and brothers in general due to sect position, is a fantastic sight.

Other favorite characters were He Biao, Yanzhi (who needed a way better ending then just being left behind in Shanghai), the kid cook, brother San (who honestly really needed to take notes because of how much he didn't understand lol), as well as everyone from all other sects that always showed up to help DYQ. Shady Shifu was a great antagonist as he literally hid under their noses the entire time, even if the audience figured him out long ago. When it came to production, Republican era is always gorgeous and this was no different, the sets and costumes were stunning. The martial arts aspect was pretty good though I wish more of it was shown.

Cons: Where to begin? This series had probably one of the messiest plots I've seen in a while. Usually, c-dramas at least have a strong start but this series spent the first 11 episodes chasing after an artifact and talking in circles about a supposed engagement attached to said artifact. Kunlun mountains were nonexistent and barely mentioned at the time. Everything was about the dragon bone, it was boring. The dragon bone ended up not being much of anything even remotely useful in the end.

Why I didn't put WS' character in the pros because it was very hard to like her. She spent those 11 episodes essentially pouting and whining about why DYQ didn't acknowledge an engagement he never agreed to. Her character growth happened suddenly and without warning when somewhere in episode 21 DYQ took whatever LSD she was smoking and confessed his love and they got married shortly thereafter. It was so fast and unbelievable that it felt like a whiplash. Sure, he showed some signs of having a small crush on her but not full blown "I love you". I did like her evolution more or less around the time they got married but still felt there was little believable chemistry between her and DYQ. Like we were supposed to like them together because they were the leads not because they had any actual chemistry and that just didn't jive.

Another thing that was poorly done, was that the weasel or brother of LYS and Fengling, got more screen time then DYQ did for probably the first 15 episodes and he was truly a useless character even before he went to work for her Ladyship (a mysterious and powerful figure whom never appeared save for her hand and chin; an unnecessary trope and considering how often her name came up, they should have revealed who she was). All of his screen time, I ffw'd in the beginning of the series; I couldn't handle him on screen. This freak of nature had an obsession with WS that went beyond the norm and even after the near sexual assault after drugging her, they were still able to talk later on in the series and he was able to send her off to get married. When he was finally officially killed off, instead of telling the gang a vital piece of info he saw, he ended it by rambling to WS about being in the next life with her. The lack-brain plot and gimmicks are inconceivable to me. Lord, please make it make sense.

Fengling was just an absolute loss of a character, started out sweet and caring and in a flip of a switch turned into an obsessed woman delusional over DYQ and absolutely power hungry and murderous while throwing adult sized tantrums when she didn't get her way. I expected her to meet her end at some point but that would have been hard, so production literally gave her a 5 minute redemption in the second to last episode. It was laughable and just beyond stupid.

Commander Fat Ass was as useless of a character as Her Ladyship, there was no reason to even have him there. Just to have as an evil filler like the weasel's stuttering friend. Literally nothing about this had anything to do with tomb raiding but just uncovering lies and conspiracies. It should be renamed to something like "Kunlun Mountains Still Unknown" or "The Conspiracies of Penta-Sect" because the title has zilch to do with the series. The OSTs were absolutely inappropriate for wherever they appeared; at least one belonged in a modern drama while the other sounded more like a lullaby.

Also the ending was beyond rushed and never explained how DYQ ultimately escaped from the collapsing ancestral hall. One minute everything is collapsing and soldiers are getting killed by flying boulders, the next minute we are brought to a "Western Clinic" without any warning of how much time has passed because there's an obvious time jump; DYQ and WS are running a clinic where he's a doctor, there's a picture of Fengling and a very much upright He Biao on DYQ's desk and kid cook looking all grown up runs in with a letter and picture of LYS and Brother San who are in the army fighting someone. It all came together like kindergarten macaroni art. I think DYQ figured out that star map thing in those final moments of the collapse scene because he went from sad smile to happy smile before it panned to the clinic.

I'm not sure it's editing, review board, or what is to blame for this series just appearing like a botched Frankenstein project but that's what it essentially was. Had a lot of potential but fell incredibly short.

Would I recommend it? No, I would not. Unless you are a fan of any of the actors, this is too much of a mess no matter how beautiful production itself is. Don't give yourself a headache unless you're incredibly bored.

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First half 10, second half 0

I managed to finish this drama, just out of morbid curiosity to see how far they would go.

The first half of the drama is fantastic: the dynamics between the characters, scenography, ost, thematic... A little gem that left a good feeling after each episode. I really enjoyed it.

The second half was horrible: it becomes out of nowhere an extremely misogynistic CEO-poor girl drama (and it also has many script flaws).It gave the feeling of watching a pamphlet about what a young woman should desire and how she should behave. (it really makes me wonder if it was made as a propaganda to promote traditional marriage).

If you want to watch it go ahead, (he looks amazing... why deny it) but chew it a little before swallow because everything in their relationship is wrong. Kisses without consent, infantilization of the woman, wife waiting at home for the husband to return, the general idea that you have to put up with your partner shitty behaving because he loves you... just to name a few...

A pity, really. It promised a lot and ended up this way.

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Princess Agents Fans ....... Drama Gods Blessed Us with This Masterpiece

The anticipation for this drama was so intense that watching anything else felt like a complete waste of time. But let me tell you, the wait was absolutely worth it! It not only met but exceeded all expectations.

Cast: We have Lin Geng Xin, his portrayal of a deity is nothing short of divine. From his physicality to his subtle nuances, he brings a mesmerizing depth to the character that is unparalleled. And then we have Zhao Li Ying, the ultimate badass actress who knows how to kick some serious butt. She embodies her role with such fierce determination that you can't help but be in awe.

Now, let's check off the boxes. Forbidden love? Check. Age-gap romance, the delicious flavor we all secretly adore? Double check. And let's not forget about the scorching chemistry between the characters. Unlike those dramas where the tension fizzles out, leaving you disappointed, this one keeps the fire burning from the very first episode. The stolen glances, the palpable attraction, and the simmering tension will have you begging for more.

Speaking of strong characters, this drama knows how to give us a badass leading lady. She's not just there to show off the male lead's weaknesses; she's a force to be reckoned with herself. Though, call me superficial, but I do appreciate when the male lead exudes that alpha energy. I mean, it's okay for the female lead to be alpha too, but let's not make her stronger than the poor guy, ok?

And let's not forget about the soundtrack! The OSTs in this drama shine brighter than a supernova. They perfectly complement every scene, tugging at your heartstrings and making you hum along. It's like the icing on the cake, adding that extra touch of magic to the already captivating storyline.

But wait, there's more! This drama is a feast for the eyes. Gone are the clichéd moments and predictable storylines that plague many Chinese dramas. Instead, we're treated to a visual masterpiece. The attention to detail, the beautifully crafted scenes, and the overall artistic flair make every frame a work of art.

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No logic, no cohesiveness, no brain… and I have no self respect for watching this.

When watching this movie, every new revelation made me ask one simple question “why?” - everything about the characters, their relationship and plot progression was so unnatural all I could do was laugh about the piling up cliches.

Alpha male with a soft heart and an innocent kid with a warm nature will give you a second hand embarrassment with every little ridiculous interaction and painful dialogues. Who needs decent writing when you can just throw poorly executed cliches at your audience?

And the ending? I don’t think I would manage to write something similar even on crack. What happened? How high were the characters? How high was the writer? It took me 30 minutes to finish the last 10 minutes. I kept pausing because my brain could not take this level of prolonged idiocy.

Acting wise… I think it’s time for me to leave the delulu land and admit Zee is not really a good actor, he is just good at delivering heart eyes. It truly pains me to say, since I basically wrote an essay about how amazing of an actor with great potential he has 4 years ago. On the other hand NuNew did quite well trying to deliver good performance even though the script made it an impossible task.

Overall, I regret watching it alone. I think this is a perfect title to group watch and joke about all the stuff that makes no sense. The movie truly invites you to rant your heart out.

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