Reviews

A film that is so my cup of tea, I want to write a 'Thank you' letter to the writers, directors, editors and Kim WooBin, who was the reason I actually payed attention to this and decided top watch it.
Speaking of Kim WooBin, I would like to start of with a few sentences to praise his acting here. The director of the movie praised him in an interview about his acting skills and how he worked in action scenes, and I would like to praise him on that as well. A role like this - tough gangster - fits him better than a forever-stuck-in-high-school ones and I am now looking forward to his next movie, in which he will be as bad ass as in this one.
Continuing about the cast - PERFECT! Even minor characters were executed perfectly and extremely believably and really made me believe in what they were doing.
As for the plot, as in what they were doing, I have not seen Friend 1 yet, but I will see it very soon, and even though I didn't know the full back story, the flashbacks and back-stories helped perfectly, drawing the full picture. The plot was not messed up with billion parallel stories and was easy to follow, if one paid attention. Plus, the story-line made me think of several rather philosophical issues.
Might seem odd, that a movie about Korean gangsters can do that, but it made me think about a lot of things. When friendship and loyalty is pushed a side to gain power and money; when a line can be drawn in mad run for the previously mentioned; what is family - blood related one's, or those who run. starve and fight with you - these were the questions I thought about and couldn't come up with an answer, as that's how philosophy works.
Maybe if YOU, will watch it, you will find the answers of these questions or ask your own, but, indeed, this movie can not leave you indifferent.

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Ending ruined it for me

This could have been one of my favourite dramas but unfortunately it became one of the ones I’m most bitter and upset about. I actually didn’t watch a Korean drama for months after this. I think whether or not the ending is unsatisfying for you depends on your interpretation throughout the drama but I don’t think that I interpreted it wrong. I watched this while it was ongoing and I was nervous about the ending because I had heard what happened in the Chinese version, however I think I would have preferred that.

I was quite surprised at the plot as it entailed a man in a woman’s body falling in love with another man. South Korea is quite conservative so I was skeptical about whether they would go through with it in the drama, but after the two characters slept together I didn’t think there was any backtracking that. The queen seemed to have completely disappeared, and it wasn’t even hinted at that she was still alive. Well they did manage to backtrack it and I think it completely lowered the quality and completely undermined the entire drama. I think this because of the following reasons:

-The king fell in love with Bong-hwan’s personality and quirks, he hated the queen before Bong-hwan arrived and literally tried to kill her. I didn’t watch the special episodes but I know they showed scenes of the king meeting the queen and hinted at prior romance which makes no sense due to the reason above.
-We never really got to know the queen because she was barely in it so I had no attachment to the character yet she was the one who ended up with the king.
-I felt the writers used the idea of two men falling in love to make the drama interesting/different but then didn’t have the guts to see it through, which honestly was a very crappy thing to do. They shouldn’t have bothered with this storyline if they weren’t brave enough to do it properly or they at least could have changed it a bit so that most of the drama wouldn’t be romance between Bong-hwan and the king only for the ending to happen.
-The king said he felt like he was missing something at the end which made me so sad and I was also so upset that the queen never told the king the truth. It felt as if she was just riding Bong-hwan’s coattails and deceiving the king.
-I’m guessing that what the writers meant to portray with the ending was that the king and Bong-hwan were friends and the queen was still in the body, which caused the romantic feelings but that wasn’t shown properly at all (this is literally me guessing the explanation), and I think it was purposefully misleading and ambiguous to make it “interesting” which again is a really crappy and cowardly thing to do.

In conclusion, the ending is why I gave it a low rating. I’m still shocked at how they managed to do a complete 180 in probably the last 15-30 minutes. I normally wouldn’t change a rating so drastically simply because of the ending, but unfortunately, even though the rest of the drama was really good, the ending unravelled all of it so it was a dealbreaker for me. The acting was very good and it was also very funny. If you’re aware of the ending and okay with it you will probably enjoy it.

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Promising start but could have more episodes for character development

If you like Xu Kai, you can watch through all 28 episodes. You can watch how devoted he is to the female lead. His acting is still on point and he expresses his feelings quite well done! For other actors, they are good as well.

The story synopsis and first few episodes looks really promising and it is enough to make you continue with the rest of the episodes. It was through the middle of the show where the story started to get complicated with new characters introduced. and then boom, we have reached the last episode.

This drama focus on too many side characters with little explanation and until now, when I watched the last few episodes, I have so many questions I need to ask lol. Ending feels like "Wait, that's it??? Shouldn't you be giving me some explanations? I cannot guess!" "Are they just stuck in the other realm forever??!" Honestly this ending needs so much explanation!

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It's about damn time Yoon Park becomes the ML!!!!

This is the first time I watched a mini-drama because I tend to choose longer stories that I can binge watch/ follow along for a few months BUT this drama was such a highly anticipated drama for me since it was announced. The plot is absolutely right up my alley and the main couple just oozes with chemistry and visuals. Choi Sooyoung and Yoon Park is just giving me everything I needed and I'm especially so soooo happy to finally see Yoon Park as the male lead in a romance drama. He definitely deserves to get more leading roles in dramas-- he gives such a perfect boyfriend-soft boy-green flag vibes. (kind of on a tangent, but I remember thinking how even though his character cheated on PMY in Forecasting Love and Weather, when they finally became friends again later he and PMY had more chemistry than PMY and SK did). I look forward to seeing Yoon Park as a ML in more dramas in the future, and hopefully a full length romance with Sooyoung soon!!!

Anyway, I definitely think the drama could have used a couple more episodes just to give us more cute/romantic scenes and to wrap everything up smoother BUT even with just 4 episodes, this drama was giving SO MUCH. I was surprised at the amount of story the cast were able to tell in just the 4 hours of the show because when it ended, it definitely felt complete. I also love that this wasn't just pure fluff and that they tackled serious life issues.

Like what everybody in the comments are saying, this show also has some really good OST and because it's just 4 hours worth of jam packed drama, it's going to be so easy to re-watch.

Just wanted to share one of my fav scenes in the show-- Its when they visited their high school, in the beginning of the scene, JungSeok was asking KangHee if she had something she wanted to tell him. KangHee was shook and asked how he knew she wanted to tell him something and JungSeok just walked straight towards her and whispered and laughed his response. I thought that was such an intimate moment for them.

Anyway, I hope you give this a try and enjoy it!!

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Spy is really boring. The entire drama is a build up to anticlimactic finale. The story has a great premise and sometimes I was really curious as to what was going to happen next, but for the most part I felt like I was just waiting for something to happen, Anything to happen. It went around in circles...Who has the hard drive? Who will get the hard drive? Who is going to betray who next? If it weren't for the characters and the actors portraying those characters then this entire drama would be a flop. I have watched dramas that are character driven, but I don't believe that was this writers intentions. Maybe if there had been more action during the drama then it would have been better. Anyway, I thought the actual directing and gritty feel to the drama was well done, but not enough to make this drama interesting.

All the actors did a really good job and I will admit that for the most part the dialog was good. The stand outs though are Yoo Oh Sung as Hwang Ki Chul the bad ass spy from North Korea that had no problem doing whatever is necessary to get what he wanted, He is an excellent actor. Bae Jong Ok was also brilliant as Hye Rim. She portrayed this strong character really well. I think I enjoyed her character the most. Then there is Kim Jae Joong as Seon Woo. He really is getting better with each drama that he takes on. His character was smart and fun to watch.

I like the music in this drama fine.

I won't rewatch this.

I don't necessarily recommend this drama, but it isn't a waste of time.

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The BEST Remake Hands down! Unique

I don't know where to start with this review, this is the best Hana Yori Dango remake of all times. The characters all the way to the plot was amazing including the production.

Storyline/Plot: I loved the plot because it stayed true to the original source material, however I liked that they added their own uniqueness to it to make it more interesting. I enjoyed that they added symbolisms from what the characters were wearing from the colors down to the jewelry's, locations, and props. Furthermore, the characters had something meaning full about them despite how we are introduced to them. Also, they did a really great a good job by adding on to the message that Kamio was making when she wrote Hana Yori Dango. Moreover, I liked the way that they portrayed the relationship each of the characters. Even though, this version had a darker take, it was far more the most realistic. On the other hand, the one issue I had was that I didn't like how they portrayed Hana's character as she was more of a badass in the Japanese version.

Acting/Cast: This was my first time seeing Bright and Win, which I did go back to watch 2together while watching this so I could have more information on them both seeing how popular they are. Brights acting was good in here, he did a better job playing Thyme than Lee Min Ho did playing Jun Pyo. Even though Bright was 23-24 at the time, he could pass as a teenager/ highschooler. Furthermore, bright was really submerged in his role that you can't even tell that he is acting. The only issue that I had with Bright acting wise was that he needed to work on his more emotional scenes because he comes off as cringe or rather weird along with Tu. As for Win, I was skeptical with his portrayal of Kavin because I was used to him playing a character like Tine Teepakorn from 2gether, so I didn't know what to think about him playing Kavin. Yet, I was taking a back as I kept watching because he did so well that I couldn't imagine anyone playing Kavin but him. I like how he focuses on the character's emotions. As for the other actors, Dew and Nani they did an amazing job as well and I look forward to seeing their future work.

Music/Ost: I love all the Ost since everyone such as Bright, Dew, Nani, and Win all had they are part in the Ost. I love how all the actors had their Ost based off of their characters all the issues that they were struggling with. My favorite was Gavin, Bright's, and Win's song including Shooting star and Who am I?

In conclusion, I don't think in the near future that we would get another remake as good as this one since the Thai version has raised the bar TOO high. I am looking forward to all the actor's future works.

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Why woman love? Could be because apparantly they are incomplete without a man?

This drama seems to be some kind of tutorial towards how to win the heart of a woman, could also be the heart of a man... But after watching 24 episodes I can not tell you why women love... If you figure it out please do feel free to tell me, but apparently women who get married choose to give their all to the man they marry and that is also apparently worth waiting for... A strange message in a drama that seems to try to empower women... But besides that the most important thing seems to be sincerity wether it is love, friendship or work... Be sincere and love will prevail... or something like that.


@ Things I like about this drama:


-The friendships, most of the characters are lovable and even if there are a few characters that seem to need help, there are no really truly annoying characters.

-The humour, there is not a lot of it, but this does have some pretty gunny scenes here and there with good fun bickering humour.

-The Male lead is a sweetheart, fine he is a bit of a spoiled brat in the beginning but he is a sweet spoiled brat, not afraid to show affection, take charge... go on the thing line between persistence and stalking... ok maybe he is not that perfect but he is mostly nice, patient and understanding... and does not force himself on the girl even once.

-The female lead is kind of bland but does have her moments, the combination of the two is pretty good and the best part about her is that even if she is supposed to be stupid in love she is actually pretty smart... Shocking for a C-drama I know!

-The OST is pretty good (maybe a bit overused, for those who binge, but pretty decent)


@Things that bothered me:


-The Second Female lead... How her delusional, clingy... behaviour was not only accepted but enabled by the people around her.

-The 9999999 PUBLIC love confessions with flowers, balloons and what not... For a drama promoting sincerity... there are ways to show sincerity without involving pollen and peer pressure.

-The endless love monologs... We got it you love her, you love him...

- Endless flashbacks the dram would be several hours shorter if they just cut the flashbacks in half.

-Inconsistency... one moment the guy knows the girl is allergic to flowers the next he buys her a huge flower bukeet ...

-Extremely heteronormative Family, Couples propaganda ish... Fine a woman can take charge but she does seem to need a man to be complete, and She is allowed to be a career woman but again, she needs a man... Did I mention that no woman is complete without a man?


So to sum it up, it was okay, nothing really new and the few parts that had potential to be revolutionary fell short... But I have seen a lot worse and it is pretty funny, and do not forget all the good stuff I mentioned above so it is definitely an okay watch.

Bingeabilaty: Ok but not high

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Enigmatic. Perplexing. Healing.

This series begins with loss…with people finding support in one another through the trauma of losing someone they love. Like a train ride, it starts very slowly, gradually gaining speed and momentum until…it hits a wall.

The writers beautifully incorporate so many metaphors throughout the story that, as a viewer, I constantly found myself looking for answers. Why can’t you just tell me what is happening? Because that would dumb me down.

This is what I admire about Japanese writers. They have a creative way of challenging our intellect without resorting to cheap tricks. Here we simply watch people dealing with loss, grief, marriage, love and the things we keep hidden. And just when you think you understand where the story is going, something happens that changes everything.

Because you’ve already become emotionally invested in these characters, your reaction is exactly what the writers wanted…anger, confusion, disbelief, frustration. Call it whatever you like.

But like hanging a T-shirt out to dry, understanding takes time, patience and acceptance.

That’s when the train starts gaining momentum.

Then, just as you’ve surrendered to the idea that perhaps this journey is becoming boring and monotonous…the train hits the wall.

Suddenly your emotions are pulled right back in.

What just happened?

Was that real?

Was that a dream?

And once again, you’re questioning everything you thought you understood.

The acting is superb and remarkably natural. During the last few episodes, I purposely turned off the closed captions. I wanted to listen to their voices, watch their eyes and study their body language. Sometimes those things tell a story all by themselves. By watching this way, every revelation became even more shocking because I wasn’t being told what to think…I had to interpret what I was seeing.

And perhaps that is what this entire series has been asking us to do.

How well do we really know someone we’ve loved for years?

You can sleep beside someone every night, build a home together and create what appears to be a loving and peaceful marriage…yet never share your deepest thoughts, fears and secrets. We sometimes reveal only the parts of ourselves that we believe will preserve that happiness, while keeping our real selves safely hidden underneath.

Is that still love?

Perhaps the title itself provides the answer.

A T-shirt doesn’t dry simply because the washing machine has stopped spinning. Pull it out too soon and it may still be wet. You have to hang it up, expose it to the air…and give it time.

Maybe people aren’t so different.

And perhaps love isn’t about keeping everything clean and perfectly folded. Maybe it’s about finally exposing everything we’ve kept hidden and discovering whether, after all of it has been washed and hung out to dry, we still choose the person standing beside us.

I’m on episode 9, however the series ends it would make me feel good. Because finding love and even losing it after is still better that never to have loved at all.

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It felt perfect in every way

Okay, so, to start, I've never written a review before (and I've loved mannnny shows) so that should give you an indication of JUST how much I loved this. I've also watched most BOF adaptations, some I've loved some I didn't enjoy so much, and this is undoubtedly my favourite.

Disclaimer: I've just finished watching the last episode, so my emotions are running high. Prepare for the gushing.

Let's start with the casting. Whoever was the casting director for this absolutely nailed it. From F4, to Gorya, to Gorya's friend, to Thyme's mother, to all of the side characters: they all played their roles exceptionally well. The acting was trully wonderful. The actress who played Gorya impressed me so much. Her crying scenes hit the heart, and just her overall performance had me in awe. Gorya is a FIGHTER. I loved Bright as Thyme. Now that I've seen this actor play him, I couldn't think of anyone better to play the spoiled bully who turns into a soft teddybear. He's expressive, fiery, and funny, yet sweet enough to make you swoon (more on that later). Ren is another great casting. In other adaptations, I've sometimes found his characters to be a little bland. Not this time. You can tell from the start that his character cares for Gorya, and that's something I appreciated. And that pencil holding? Perfect.

Storyline/ script: okay, so I was a little worried about this at first. I thought "right, I've seen this before, and this is probably going to be another regurgitated version". Boy how I was wrong. From the very first episode, I knew this was different. It has a different feel, a life that's entirely its own. I really don't know how the script writers managed it. It's like they watched all other versions and corrected the annoying parts. The heart of the story is still there: the red card, F4's bullying, Gorya standing up to Thyme, Thyme slowly falling for Gorya, Gorya seeing change in Thyme, the evil mother etc. But the way they've done it in this version is SO refreshing and speaks to the times. If you don't want to watch this because you feel you've watched it before, WATCH IT. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

Character development: THIS YOU GUYS. THIS. Okay, okay, so I've read people saying "why do they keep remaking this show it's so toxic", but I'm here to fight that. Yes, the bullying is bad. Real bad at the start. And Thyme is spoilt, arrogant, and aggressive to begin with. BUT, and this is a huge BUT, this is where the heart of the story lies, and where this version has really excelled in its story telling. It never justifies bullying (it raises awareness and expresses how wrong it is), nor does it ever say "this guy is horrible but he's rich and goodlooking so he gets the girl". No. That would be toxic. Gorya never feels remotely attracted to Thyme at the start. That only happens when she sees his good, sweet side. The part of him that's so far been trapped beneath the twisted words and manipulation of his mother. The magic and beauty of this story lies in how Thyme develops as a character. He really, really becomes someone who's worthy and deserving of love. And it's his love for Gorya which brings about this change. That's my favourite thing about this story - it sends a message that anyone is capable of change and therefore deserving of love. But there's character development all around. The script writers really made sure every character got their story.

F4: perfect. Perfect in every way. The 4 actors have great chemistry with each other, and its a joy to watch their friendship as it continues to blossom. They always have each others backs, and when they fight, they fight with reason. Some of their fight scenes are amazingly shot. When F4 are together, it's like watching 4 friends in real life. They have so much fun together.

Gorya/Thyme: I'll save my real gushing for this last part. GORYA AND THYME OMG THEY ARE THE CUTEST COUPLE AND THEIR CHEMISTRY IS INSANE. I've never rooted for Gorya and Thyme as much as I have in this version. There are so many sweet moments between the two of them, but their arguing/ fight scenes are also hilarious to watch. Every time Thyme looks at Gorya, you can see how much he adores her. He really will do anything for her. The same goes for Gorya. In other versions, I've felt so frustrated with the girl because it takes her SO long to finally admit/ realise her feelings. In this version, there is none of that angst, and I've been left extremely satisfied with it. Gorya's love for Thyme is seen early on. She knows and understands her feelings and she isn't afraid to show it. GORYA AND THYME FOREVER.

Will I be watching this again? YES, ABSOLUTELY.

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Rivals, Workplace Romance and Unrequited Love That Lasted Years, Best 2026 Japanese BL

This is officially my favorite Japanese BL of 2026. I discovered it two months late, but bingeing all nine episodes and the special in one go was absolutely worth it. ❤️ I honestly could not stop watching. Every episode left me wanting more, and I was completely hooked from start to finish without a single boring moment.

The story follows Ryo and Zen, two men who have been competing with each other since their high school days. Whether it was academics, sports, or even something as ridiculous as who received more Valentine's chocolates, they turned everything into a competition. Years later, they reunite as coworkers in the same sales department, and their old rivalry immediately starts up again. Their constant bickering, challenges, and competitive personalities make every interaction entertaining. After one drunken night, their latest competition takes an unexpected turn when they make a ridiculous bet to see who can make the other fall in love first.

One of my favourite parts of the series was the high school flashbacks. They were perfectly placed throughout each episode and slowly revealed how Ryo and Zen first met and why their rivalry became such a huge part of their lives. I also appreciated that younger versions of Ryo and Zen were played by different actors instead of relying on the main cast with school uniforms. It made the flashbacks feel much more believable and immersive. Let's not forget the young actors who played Ryo and Zen. Even though they only appeared for a few minutes in each episode, they did a wonderful job and deserve recognition for their performances too.

Watching them reunite as coworkers while continuing their endless competition was hilarious. Their chemistry was fantastic from the very beginning. This is definitely not one of those stereotypical "dead fish" Japanese BLs. The intimacy felt natural, passionate, and surprisingly bold. The kissing scenes had incredible chemistry, and the famous riding scene was incredibly hot while still fitting the story.

What I loved most was the twist. At first it seems like two rivals trying to outdo each other, but the truth is far sweeter. Ryo has actually been in love with Zen ever since high school. The rivalry and endless competitions were simply his awkward way of staying close to the person he loved. I thought that was such a clever and uniquely Japanese way to tell a romance, and it completely won me over.

This drama perfectly balances romance, comedy, heartfelt moments, hot NC scenes (first time I seen a peach 🍑 in a Japanese BL), and an unrequited love that has lasted for years. It is a fantastic Rivals to Lovers story with coworkers, high school rivals, plenty of bickering, and a love hate relationship that gradually turns into something genuine and heartfelt.

They fight at work in front of everyone, but behind the office, they end up kissing and making out. The title Fake Fact Lips definitely lives up to the series.

It is such a beautiful series with an amazing background score and soundtrack, and I am so in love with this BL. I really appreciate how mature it feels, with adult characters navigating relationships while working in an office. The misunderstandings are resolved quickly instead of being dragged out, which makes the story feel refreshing and realistic. Their confession, when they finally said "I love you" to each other, was absolutely beautiful. The heartfelt embrace, paired with the romantic background music, made the moment even more emotional and unforgettable. I love this mature take on a workplace BL.

Japanese BLs always surprise me with their creative storytelling, and Fake Fact Lips is another reminder of why I keep coming back to them. I rarely give Japanese BLs a perfect 10/10, but this one absolutely deserves it.

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