Reviews

I loved this show and hated the ending, but not for the reason you think.

This is pulled from a bit meta analysis post I put on tumblr, I'm usign this as my back up so I'll be covering lots of stuff. Historical context, language stuff, filming techniques, and finally a full review including all my issues with the ending. Here's th equick review first:

I truly loved this time travel romance. IFYLITA is an exquisite BL, from filming techniques to narrative framework (much like Until We Meet Again). Steeped in history and family drama it edges into lakorn (but no as much as To Sir With Love and with way less scenery chewing). This is an elegant and classy BL... from Thailand which normally doesn't even try for classy. The main couple (both as a pair and individuals) were excellent, particularly Bright (Yai) whose eye-work acting style is a personal favorite of mine. Pity about the ending. Oh it wasn’t that sad but it wasn’t good either. This show should easily have earned a 10 from me except that it fumbled the… erm… balls. Argh. Whatever. 9/10

Some Historical Context for I Feel You Linger In The Air - Thailand 1925-1932

I love history and so here's some info that any Thai watcher would likely know, but the rest of us might not... ready?

The Historical Stage:

Burma (now Myanmar) to the west is occupied by the British. The French hold Vietnam to the east. Everyone is bickering over what would become Cambodia & Laos. China occasionally gets involved from the North (also, lots of immigrants from China at this time accounting for a large percentage of the merchant/middle class) Eventually, Japan would invade during WWII. In part, The Kingdom of Siam was kept a "neutral" party because none of the surrounding colonial powers wanted to risk offending any of the other players in the area. Siam re-negotiated sovereignty in 1920 (from USA) and in 1925 (from France & Britain). But during the time of this show (late 1929) it was back to it's customary type-rope balancing act of extreme diplomacy with the allied western colonial powers that surrounded it.

Recognizing that Thailand was never colonized (although it was invaded), it's boarders were constantly nibbled at and it was "ambassador-occupied" off and on by westerners whose military backing and exploitive business concerns simply outmatched the monarchy, especially in the technology department (as well as by reputation on the global stage at the time).

In other words, the farang in this show (James & Robert) were always gonna be both the baddies and the power players of the narrative. (Farang is the Thai word for non-Thai's of European descent, the word means guava.)

The king of Siam at the time (Vajiravudh AKA Rama VI) was initially somewhat popular but also regarded as overly extravagant since Siam had been hit by a major postwar recession in 1919. It should also be noted that King Vajiravudh had no son because he was most likely gay (which at the time did not much concern the Siamese popular opinion, except that it undermined the stability of the monarchy leaving it without an heir).

He "died suddenly" in 1925 (age 44) with the monarchy weakened and succession handed off to his younger brother.

In 1932 a small circle of the rising bourgeoisie (all of whom had studied in Europe, mostly Paris), supported by some military, seized power from the monarchy in a practically nonviolent Siamese Revolution installing a constitutional monarchy. This is mentioned in IFYLITA in the last few episodes but did not (apparently) appear in the original novel.

Siam would then go through:

dictatorship, WWII, Japanese invasion, Allied occupation, democratic elections, military junta, the Indochina wars, communist insurgency, more democracy and popularization movements, multiple coups, more junta, more monarchy,

eventually leading us to the somewhat chaotic insanity of Thai politics we have today. (Which is, frankly, a mix of monarchy, junta, democracy, egocentric popularism, and bribery.)

The Filming of I Fell You Linger in the Air

The director if this show, Tee Bundit (Hidden Agenda, Step by Step, Lovely Writer, TharnType), has never particularly impressed or offended me as a director. I would have called him simply "workmanlike" in execution: not offensive, serviceable.

So much so that I spent some time hunting for info on IFYLITA's cinematographer (who remains uncredited on MDL) because this one, of all Tee pantheon, is ultra stylish. It, frankly, felt too good for him.

Specifically, there is a repeated visual motif in intimacy scenes of either Yai or Jom being filmed from behind a screen/drape/curtain making them seem more translucent, like a ghost or spirit. While the other half of the pair is filmed with sharp clarity. In the first half of the series this is more likely to be Yai (an unknown and mysterious element), as the show progresses, it's more likely to be Jom (the person outside of place and time, destined to vanish all together). This cleverly conveys story, tension, and foreshadow (future shadow?)

Occasionally we shift over so they both become obscured and then clear again.

This stylized version of dirty framing and filters is used to foreshadow and then constantly remind us about that Jom slipped (and is slipping) through time and the disconnect that causes to his sense of reality and purpose, and to his burgeoning relationship.

For example, the scene where Yai is drunk and asleep in his bed. The first time Jom is sitting in a chair drawing him. Yai is blurry behind the screen while Jom is solid and sharp.

This filming technique combined with dirty framing is being used to give the watchers the impression of looking at something we maybe shouldn't, like we are being creepy and intruding on their private time. After all, they can see EACH OTHER clearly, it's only us who have the visual impairment.

This gives us a sense of doom and discomfort and slight sensation that we shouldn't be there. We shouldn't be watching. But ALSO that we too are outside of time, filtered by the future.

In other words his sense of displacement is being used to trigger ours visually.

It's all quite clever.

It's both beautiful and atmospheric and discomforting and touch stressful. Meaning that it is ALSO a visual vehicle to drive narrative tension. As effective as scary music, perhaps more so in this show (since I personally found the musical motifs and refrains somewhat overused.)

Linguistic corner

The word for reflection and shadow is the same in Thai.

Note on the por/phor/phô honorific in Thai

I have not encountered it before in BL. I am indebted to @embraceyourfandom for the following information;

Phô is a paternal honorific, luang phô is used for respected monks. It basically means father. And is oft seen as male honorific for village elders. It's also used as a male prefix in the names of several occupations like:

พ่อครัว phô khrua (khrúa= kitchen -> chef) พ่อค้า phô khá (khá= trade -> merchant) พ่อมด phô mót (mót= person of occult knowledge -> wizard) พ่อบ้าน phô bân (bân =house -> butler) - most relevant

So, Yai's use is probubly foreshadowing that Jom will be a butler for his house, and is primitively referring to him with this title.

All that said, phô can also be used by a "man who is older/higher on hierarchy to refer to a younger/lower on hierarchy man with intimacy and/or affection."

I think all this has to do with Jom's demonstration of education. Yai figured out early on that one of the reasons Jom doesn't belong and cannot fit in with the servants is that he is more educated than a peasant (of this time period), which for Yai adds up to him being originally from a higher status and possibly wealthy family, especially since Jom speaks English and has travelled (he has a non-northern accent).

There is very little Thai middle class at the beginning of the 1920s since trade is being dominated/dictated by the West, or Chinese merchant operations, and Siam is a monarchy. So for a nationalize Thai citizen educated means military, landed gentry with trade operations (like Yai), royal/political/diplomatic connections, or... none of the above. This changes, especially in the south, throughout this decade (as it did in other parts of the world). So there is a rising bourgeoisie going on in the background but it's not that obvious in Chang Mai at this time.

What Jom's educated lack of status means to Yai is that Jom's family either got wiped out or politically disenfranchised possibly as part of the 1912 attempted coups (or even WWI)? This would be mystifying for Yai because Jom doesn't act like he comes from a military family at all. So his background and status is very confusing for Yai, but Yai does know one thing...

Jom is NOT lower class by the standards of Yai's temporal worldview and existence.

For a young man to be educated and yet entirely alone is very dangerous and suspicious. Also, let's be clear, Jom doesn't look or act like a laborer. He red flags "cultured" all over the place.

Yai is paternalistic and caring towards Jom out the gate because Yai has a big ol'crush but also because he recognizes "his own" is trying to survive while isolated and scared.

Yai wants to rescue Jom. Yai is an ineffectual 20 year old gay intellectual. But poor thing sure tries.

Let's Talk About How I Felt About I Feel You Linger in the Air

The historical aspect was great.

I adore historical romances and we almost never get them in BL. I was always gonna be biased towards this show. (As indeed I am towards Nobleman Ryu's Wedding, Tinted with You, and To Sir With Love.) Aside from some classic Thai BL production issues (less than normal, this is very high production value for Thailand) and my issues around the sound track and repetitive repriens (which frankly were more noticeable because I binged the last half) I have no complaints on that score (heh heh).

The surrounding support cast were all quite good and we even got us some lesbians!

The emotional and narrative tensions were excellent.

Any issues I had with pacing came from focus on characters that didn't interest me, but probubly did interest others. I wasn’t wild or particularly interested in the family drama or the side characters/couples, but they were necessary to make this a fully fleshed story with historical context and to give Yai much needed characterization. Also this use of a ensemble cast is very close to Thailand's lakorn heart, even thought this one had way less scenery chewing ludicrous soapy drama (thank heavens).

I was delighted that external threat, stressors, and conflict drove this plot. That's refreshing in BL.

I have no arguments with the chemistry and kisses and sex scenes were tasteful and lovely, occasionally even heart-wrenching, and it's nice to see Thailand especially use physical intimacy to drive plot, and not the other way around.

I love historicals partly because every tiny touch can have such lingering significance, they're very elegant in their chaste physicality. This show didn't need to move into higher heat, but I'm grateful it did because even that was very well done. Thai BLs can often feel clumsy around intimacy, but not this one.

The final sex scene before Jom and Yai separate forever utilizes the ubiquitous director's-favorite-romantic-moments-flashbacks (required of all Asian romance dramas) but with acceleration and tension driven by the noises of sex, which I've never seen/heard done before. In other words: climax of sex = climax of the romance story, I see what you did there, Tee. Clever. Very clever. Bit on the nose… erm… on the… well you know what I mean.

Like all Thai BLs this wasn’t perfect, but for me this is as close as Thai BL gets to high quality romance and that’s what I want the most from my drama watching experience (if not necessarily my Thai BL experience).

But... and you knew the but was coming didn't you?

I absolutely hated the ending.

It wasn't sad, don't worry, but it also wasn't good. SPOILERS HERE ON OUT

There is a long drawn out separations sequence and then Jom returns to the present, drowning from a car accident. Jom is "rescued" by an moustachioed iteration of Yai from the distant past (who we met once before) and then wakes in hospital. Some time later, Jom returns to the house in Chang Mai where Yai turns up and they reunite.
The end.

There is a stinger featuring Jom once more hurled back in time, only further, meeting the warrior mustache Yai once more.

Okay, that's all I knew and all I saw.

Confused? So was I.

If this had been a regular time travel romance: Yai would have been the EMT or doctor attending Jom when he woke up and their "this time period" romance would commence. With either shared memories, or not.

Had this been set up for audience comprehension in line with the original novel, we should have had flashbacks from both Present Yai (he's not the same one, as it turns out) and deep-past Moustache Yai interwoven throughout the series. Preferably with some focus on Present Yai's quest for reunion with Present Jom AND Present Yai's own experience with visions and memory of his past lives.

A full explanation of the ending is here. This explanation of the 3 different Yais makes me like our ending more. But I shouldn't need to read Cliff's notes from some random y-novel reading fan on Tumblr to understand what's going on in a series!

There is supposedly a special happening with Jom + Present Yai.

There was unquestionably a failure in adaptation in the finale of this show.

As a fan and watcher, what I actually felt was deeply confused and hurt.

I also felt that this was a disingenuous un-earned throw away happy ending, since I had no idea who this new Present Yai was and no investment in his character. I simply didn't believe he was the same Yai (Bright is too good an actor, he was clearly a different older personality).

So the fact remains that past Yai, our Yai, the 20 year old boy we grew to understand and love, is abandoned in the past to suffer alone for the rest of his life. And THAT is an unhappy ending for one half of my beloved pair. Yes Jom gets a new Yai in the present day, but it's not the same Yai. They have no developed relationship, and Jom is doomed to leave even this new Yai and slide into the past once more. That's barely even happy for now for Jom's character.

As a result of my deep sadness for 20-year-old Yai in particular, I'm not going to be able to rewatch this show. The whole thing was rendered not just confusing but the opposite of comforting by the final 15 minutes. I'm tempted to dock it two whole points - one for the ending and the other for the lack of rewatch potential.

But the first 11.5 eps were SO GOOD.

This is one of the only times where I am actually hoping for a second season, while simultaneously being wary of the screen writing and production team's capacity to give us a satisfying one.

Industry wise? I honestly don't think we can hope too hard for a full season 2. This was an expensive show with flawed/limited distribution and little sponsorship. I don't see how they'll get funding for a second season. Unless we see this show up on like Netflix or Viki, I urge you not to hope too hard and be disappointed.

In all honestly?

I started typing up this blog post thinking Thailand was finally, after 5 years, going to earn another 10/10 from me but I just can't in good conscious give it that. It's been days and I'm still upset about that last episode.

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I didn't expect anything from this drama while I started to watch it. But this drama really surprised me.
The drama contains 18 episodes, 9 minutes each. So if everything is summed up it makes 3 whole episodes.
Most of the short Chinese historical dramas doesn't have a solid political background and plot twists. It mostly centers around the chemistry of the main leads. So like any other short drama I also didn't expect much. But surprisingly this 3 episode drama covered both political solid story as well as showed chemistry between the main leads which I hardly found in any 24 or 36 episode dramas.

Short dramas generally doesn't have that much eye-catching costumes. This drama also didn't have varity in costume but the designs of the few costumes that were seen were very good especially of the Emperor and the empress's.

Of course, due to the short period of time the story was not executed perfectly. Since the time was numbered the story had to go fast and it didn't get enough time to develop the characters. But if it was given a few more episodes to execute properly I am sure it would have make a wonderful story and may have become one of my favorite historical drama.

By the way, this drama is available in YouTube.

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This is a mess

I truly can’t understand where it all went so wrong. Well, I can. It was the middle of the season. The story they tried to tell in the second half of the series does not make sense. It’s impossible that the story was finished when the show went into production, or they had to wrap everything up in 2 episodes. We had several “case of the week” episodes in the start and not much happening to build an overall world or explain any backstory. I was not super worried because I thought the series had 15 episodes. But then, I saw the finale trailer after episode 8 and my jaw dropped. The last 3/4 episodes are so so rushed. It’s basically information dump. Suddenly we have 3 parallel worlds and 3 Guns. And the 200 year old protagonist doesn’t know about that. The true big bad, with the VERY original name of “The One”, is extremely boring and goes into long monologues. Not even Gun and Nanon can save that.

Another major problem is that there’s not a single episode where one of Gun’s characters is not unconscious or needed one to be saved/rescued. And then we have the effects… they keep get worse as the season progresses. It’s really bad green screen and CGI monsters.

The only good aspect is the solid cast. Which are completely wasted on a terrible plot and weak execution.

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Doubt - blinds

"When you truly want to understand someone, but you can't, you end up having doubts. You can't trust your own judgement but you can't help it. "

Kicking off 2025 with this absolute gem -easily the best decision I made in 2024. It’s gripping, magical, and downright thrilling -I was hooked the whole way. The acting? Flawless. And the cinematography? Absolute fire! With a show that defines itself with every episode here you really trade deals with doubt.

When your dad’s a criminal profiler, what do you master? Lying like a pro. Doubt dives into the tangled web of a father-daughter duo who share nothing but a million lies. As they tackle a case that only deepens their divide, the daughter becomes the prime suspect for her own profiler dad. Intrigue, tension, and a family in freefall - sold!

Patience isn’t really my thing, and waiting for things to unfold? Definitely not me. But this show shattered all my theories at every step. Some twists you might see coming, others you simply buy into because the narrative sells it so well. It’s not your typical adrenaline-fueled thriller - it thrives in unthinkable layers, driven by the intricate web of human relationships. And let me tell you, it’s executed with absolute perfection, down to every last detail!

The acting, the gloomy cinematography, the emotional chaos in every character, and a storyline that ties it all together seamlessly—it’s a masterpiece. Just when you think you’ve figured out how things will unfold, you might be right, but the journey to get there? Oh, it’s something else. Sign me up to endorse all such shows !

But I must say Doubt isn’t for everyone - its slow-burn style might test thrill-seekers. But for those who crave psychological depth and intricate storytelling, it’s unmatched. With deliberate pacing that builds suspense while keeping you hooked, Doubt cements itself as a must-watch in its genre.

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Watching it while it was still airing in China, so perhaps I did not get the best quality of the video. I remember fondly this drama captivates me to continue watching. It has such a great ratings in China and very fast the hype spread to other countries. People talking so much about this drama.

For me, was watching for the sake of very popular well known actors / actresses. Next the beautiful setup, the beautiful costumes, the beautiful OST make this watchable.

As for the plot, understand follow a book, not really my type of plot but ok to watch. Not extremely exciting either. Sometimes I do not really understand the story, quite profound. Can’t understand especially for part for Ye hua & bai Qian story.

Overall, I do not really get what captivates me in the drama to continue but I did finished the drama & even firsthand.

This drama is watchable in my view but not overly fantastic.....

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" Someday or one day " was an exceptional drama.

Honestly, most of the drama from Taiwan that I've watched were a bit boring, except from the comedies. So, I was not really looking forward watching this, or even picking it up. Plus, there was a lot of buzz around it, which mostly means that the drama is just popular and not that good. So, for those second thinking watching this because of its popularity, my advise is to give it a try.

The drama combined my favourite genres, melodrama (and boy did it have lots and lots of dark themes, tragedy, drama, pain and angst), school romance (first love, youth, innocence, freshness, sweetness) and mystery (with lots and lots and lots of twists that didn't really tire the viewer). The plot was beautifully presented, with things getting confusing at times, but if you stick to it, they do explain things and, in the end, the conclusion is satisfying and original. So, the story was great, with many leyers and a solid mystery and an intense romance.

The characters were realistic, as well, and they didn't overeacter, which I appreciated a lot. For example, the girl didn't start obsessing and dramatising things, clinging on the boy, even though she had been looking for her boyfriend who looked exactly like him for years, missing him like crazy. On that note, the leading lady was perfect, and she did an amazing job with the two characters. Her 2019 one was actually very likable and entertaining. The comedy moments were much appreciated too. The rest of the cast did an amazing job as well. Finally, the pace was perfect and the

So, overall, nine out of ten.

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I really wanted this to be great, but.......

Going into this drama I had such high hopes that this would be a great watch, it contained a story that I was familiar with, having previously watched the donghua and it was to feature Xu Kai as the male lead. I 've seen several drama's of his and generally enjoyed them
Unfortunately having trudged my way through 40 episodes of this drama, for me, it was a real mess. Based on the plot it amazes me that the demons actually lost. Throughout much of the drama the demons were clearly more intelligent and made sensible plans. Ironically, any plans that they did make didn't even have to be that good, as their opponents were actually rather stupid.

If this had been a boxing match the referee would have stopped the fight and awarded the victory to the demons. It was not even close.

From the opening episode I was instantly concerned on what was to come based on the appearance of one the casts prosthetic mask. I assume it was a mask and not CGI either way it was just plain bad.

The script gave our main cast very little to work with throughout and the carnage that swept through so many of the cast might have been a relief to some, as at least they could get away from a nonsensical plot.

I don't know if the director purposedly wanted to avoid any similarities to the donghua, if so, they certainly accomplished it. All the things that I enjoyed about the donghua and had me so excited to see the live action version were missing.

There also seemed far to much screen time given to characters other than the leads. In some episodes, if you blinked you would have missed Xu Kai And Gulnezer Bextiya despite them being the leads.

To some, the happy ending that was given to our main leads might have been welcome, to me it felt completely forced and very contrived. After watching it, and getting over the fact the demons actually lost, I came away thinking that was some kind of an attempt at fan service. I was suddenly supposed to forget the previous 39 episodes and be pleased with the ending! Sadly, it didn't work.

The performance of the cast, despite the flaws with in the plot should be admired, they really did try. Despite all the limitations they were presented, the cast did a good job, I did like the chemistry between the leads unfortunately the lack of screen time didn't help them though.

Xu Kai spear skills, which I'm told were real were also excellent and certainly a highlight when we got to see them.

I really did want this drama to be great but even Xu Kai and the efforts of the entire cast couldn't save it.

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I'll admit right off the bat that I was itching to write a review on this, but I actually watched the drama a year ago. I still remember it vividly though, and of course Min Ho. nomnomnom

I really enjoyed the drama, probably more than I thought I would. I liked a lot of things about it. I'll be honest and say that I was really suspicious about it at first, because, well, portal through time? I mean, it doesn't get more cliche and wierd than that. But, oddly, I think they pulled it off really well. Not to mention the age difference between LMH and KHS--10 years! I couldn't tell a bit, I really liked her character. She had a pretty good back bone, if I remember correctly. She was really funny, too.

I liked the pace of the relationship, too. It was slow and steady, but I believed it. It was truly beautiful if you ask me. Their love was right up there with GX and MC from Autumn Concierto. There may not have been a lot of kissing and things like that, but there were cute moments, too. The little things, I liked those. The simple gestures were very telling. In the beginning and a little of the middle, I was frustrated that there wasn't much interaction between the two, but then I began to be okay with that. Siting on his lap and holding hands, things like that, they were more important to me. I still wish there would have been ONE more juicy kiss, but that's the dirty drama noona inside of me talking. hahaha

I have to admit, the drama and main evil-doer in the show really bothered me, and I won't lie and say that I didn't skip over some parts in the middle and end. I think it was more because of his annoying face than the drama itself. I can get past some difficult stuff, but his character just really annoyed the piss out of me.

This drama deffinitely had me crying a couple different types, especially the ending. A lot of people don't like the ending because it was vague, but I think they just left it to our imaginations. They're together, that's all that matters. What, you wanted to see a wedding? Meh, I was just happy with the ending they gave me. I thought it was really clever, too. The supernatural aspect of the story... I really thought I wouldn't believe it. I thought it would get too cheesy and weird, but it actually wasn't so bad.

Also, the mystery of the story I liked too. Believe it or not there is a little mystery in it. You find out at the end, but throughout the whole story you're slowly piecing things together. It's really strange, but I liked it. A mystery within a melodrama within a romance. It really nabbed everything for me. It's in my all time favorites, or close to it, if not for the damned annoying guy. -_-"

I'll be honest and say that this is the kind of role I wish I saw LMH in more. I've seen him in several other dramas, and I really appreciate him in these darker more serious roles. Not only because he's completely SIZZLING HOT when he's serious in that armor, but because I think he gets stuck in immature highschool roles too much, and I don't think Heirs is the last time we'll see him in a highschool role. I haven't seen City Hunter yet, but I kind of want to so I can see another serious character.
LMH doesn't get all the credit, though, KHS was very good, too. Not only did she not look a day over 25, but she was a good actor, too. If I'm not mistaken, this drama was her comeback. She took a break after she had a kid (or 2?). I can't believe she looks so beautiful, I really liked it. She played her character well, too. Eun Soo was a very bright, but funny girl. She was smart, and she could be serious, but she was also fun, exciting, and almost a little impulsive. The character development in this drama was good, too, including the Emperor and Empress. Their relationship was kind of funny, to be honest. I found myself engaged and interested in their relationship just as much as LMH and KHS's. The side plots and romance in this show were very thought out.

It's sad that some people really don't like this show. Some don't like the set, or the story. It's true, this story was actually supposed to be something else, but something happened and their budget dropped off so the magic and editing was a little underdone, to some people. But I, personally, am a story and acting kind of person over a CGI and appearance person. I liked it for what it was, not what it could have been.

If you are interested in a serious Lee Min Ho, a touch of magic, and a historical drama this is the one for you. I highly recommend it!

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Even If It’s Propaganda — It Doesn’t Change The Fact That It Happened

If you’re watching Dead to Rights (南京照相馆) expecting a safe, dramatized war story, you’re in for a brutal wake-up call.

Based on real events during the 1937 Nanjing Massacre, the film follows a postman, A Chang, who pretends to be a photo developer for the Japanese military to survive. Inside this false identity, he secretly turns the photo studio into a temporary refuge for Chinese civilians and soldiers. But in the face of unforgivable violence and horror, A Chang risks everything. Smuggling people to safety and preserving photographic evidence of the atrocities.

The story and visuals are brutally honest. This film does not shy away from the horror. It doesn’t soften the truth to make it easier to watch. Instead, it forces you to sit in the reality of one of the darkest chapters in modern history and to understand it for what it was: genocide, terror, survival, and silent resistance.

The performances in Dead to Rights are just as unforgettable. Every actor delivers with such rawness and restraint that it’s easy to forget you’re watching a movie. There’s no overacting here, just honest, human reactions to inhuman cruelty. I have never jump-scared in a movie before… but the tension in this film had me on edge the entire time. It’s not a horror movie, but the fear feels so real that your body reacts anyway. This isn’t just a film you watch but it’s one you feel in your bones.

But beyond the emotional weight, Dead to Rights is also visually stunning in the most haunting way. The cinematography is rich, atmospheric, and deeply intentional. Every frame felt like a carefully composed photograph, echoing the film’s themes of memory and documentation. The visuals don’t just show violence. They capture emotion, stillness, grief.

Some are calling this film CCP propaganda but honestly, that kind of reaction says more about the discomfort of facing truth than the film itself. You don’t have to take the movie’s word for it. A simple Google search will show you the reality. There are real photographs from the time: babies impaled on swords, civilians shot point-blank in the streets, bodies piled like garbage. These aren't exaggerated for film but they're documented, and they’re horrifying.

Because of Japan’s censorship and silence around this part of its history, many in Japan still grow up unaware of what truly happened in Nanjing. That silence is not just painful, it's dangerous. It allows wounds to stay open and accountability to fade. Dead to Rights may be confronting, but it’s confronting truth. And often, the real thing was worse. Far worse ... than anything a film could show.

There’s also been criticism about young children watching this film and coming away with anti-Japanese sentiment. And while it’s a complex issue, I think we need to ask: why are we blaming the Chinese government for children’s reactions… but not the parents who took them to see a film this raw, this heavy? This is not a movie for kids and that’s clear. But the responsibility lies with the adults who chose to bring them, not the filmmakers who told the truth.

And even if this was CCP propaganda... it wouldn’t change the fact that it happened. The events of the Nanjing Massacre are real, recorded, and undeniable. No amount of political framing erases the truth of what survivors endured. What matters now is that we remember, that we educate, and that we don’t look away.

In the end, Dead to Rights doesn’t just tell a story. It preserves memory. It confronts silence. It says, “Look. Don’t look away. Someone lived this. Someone died here. You can’t pretend it didn’t happen.”

And for that, I believe this film is not only necessary but it’s a masterpiece of remembrance.

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How might one describe the taste of peppermint? Refreshing and cool? Slightly sweet? How about the “clean” sensation left over once the candy has gone? In this intense and emotionally raw film, the peppermint transforms from mere confection into the reminder of one man’s lost innocence—and arguably, that of South Korea after the war. Though we might bite into the peppermint hoping for sweeter breath, whatever has dirtied the mouth still remains. So it goes with the attempt to live decently again, once personal sins and harrowing experiences begin to take their toll.

One might notice something unusual about Peppermint Candy straightaway: it’s backwards. It affects a non-linear structure, forcing the viewer to witness the lead’s story in reverse chronology. We start with a broken maniac ready to commit suicide on some train tracks, and end with a starry-eyed youth, happy and in love. What must have happened between these two points to result in such a drastic change?

That is what the viewer must uncover, journeying back through the years 1999 to 1979. The film separates into several segments to allow this, pinpointing only the most important details of the character’s life.

These specific years represent tremendous importance to the narrative, especially those sequences spent in the 1980’s. That decade was a particularly troubled one for South Korea; police brutality and government-sanctioned violence were not uncommon, as seen from the infamous protest crackdowns portrayed here in unabashed detail. The country many of us know and love today was a totally different place in that era.

Peppermint Candy relies heavily on visual motifs, particularly moving trains and the namesake sweets themselves. Trains appear at pivotal moments, usually during (or after) an unfortunate action taken by the lead. When I noticed this happening, the effect chilled; my stomach automatically dropped and I almost felt cold. Because the story segments are also broken up by footage taken from the back of a train, the effect is twofold. Note also the pensive string music which accompanies these instances. Other details become apparent over the course of the film; names and objects which make no sense in one part suddenly burst with recognition in another.

After seeing him as Kim Yong Ho, our tragic main character, Sol Kyung Gu definitely has my respect as an artist. He impressed unilaterally, whatever incarnation of the man he needed to portray. I hated and feared Yong Ho, I judged and even pitied him—but above all, I understood him. All this thanks to a masterful performance by a true talent. Moon So Ri also acted memorably, despite appearing very little; her Yun Sun Im was so built up, so discussed, over the course of the film, that it would have been easy to disappoint. She did not. The supporting cast does just as well, playing off the leads without drawing away focus.

Those viewers who devour character studies, art films, powerful acting, or are just looking for something different might take interest in Peppermint Candy. Please be warned that this movie contains varying degrees of violence, brief nudity, and depicts suicidal tendencies. Certain scenes can be disturbing.

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First of all I must say that I really enjoyed this movie
I didn't expect it to be so good^^

In comparison, with the manga the story line was changed in some ways.....but I really liked those changes which is not usually the case but the way it was much better than the anime because the anime is like one third of the manga ;)

The cast was perfect and the acting was also good expect of few scenes of Futaba... I think her facial expression were a bit exaggerated.

The music was great and all in all it was the best manga-anime-adaption I´ve ever seen and I highly recommend it especially for the manga and anime fans of Ao Haru Ride :3

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STORY: Black has been one of my favourite dramas, even though it is boring at times. Sometimes it feels like you need a flowchart to keep up because it does get quite confusing. The murder/prostitution cases are all connected in one way or another and it is surprising. But the problem is that some are connected in *unrealistic* ways. It is weird how they are all linked and just when you have one thing figured out, another piece of evidence joins the puzzle. By the end of the journey you are hit with emotions such as sadness, excitement, frustration and overall exhaustion. The ending was kinda satisfactory. It was bitter sweet. But I read somewhere that it was supposed to be a really sad ending and the director changed it to a somewhat happy ending last minute, thus making it a tiny bit tacky. Also, Go Ah Ra's character could have had more development, but that is just my opinion. In addition, you can tell that some parts are utter garbage and boring filler.

ACTING/CASTING: I have read a lot of comments stating that they don’t like Go Ah Ra and her acting. Saying that she portrays the character to be a whiny brat. Her acting was mundane but it was satisfying enough to display the character. As for the other actors/actress’ I believe that the acting was wonderfully done, showing true emotions. I couldn’t stop crying during episode 17 and 18 because of the Song Seung Heon’s acting. Also, Woo Hyun’s portrayal of his character was accurate and remarkable.

MUSIC: The music was standard but I really liked the original sound track. My favourite from the OST would be Another Me sung by Min Chae. But I also loved the others. If you haven't checked out the original sound track for this show, you definitely should!

REWATCH VALUE: The re-watch value is kinda high. I have already seen some episodes twice.

CONCLUSION: Black is a good K-Drama. I recommend this drama and I hope you give it a chance. I am sad that it’s over. It had its good and bad parts. Beautifully shot as well. Massive credit to writers, the director, actors/actress’ and other staff for making this drama. And I know I might be biased but this drama does hold a special place in my heart. No matter how boring some parts were.

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Was It Love , Or A Waste of Time?

As Korean romance dramas go, “ Was it Love?” certainly wasn’t one of the worst Korean dramas out there, with some intriguing themes tackled such as motherhood, parentage and abortion as well.

What is fair to say, however, is that “ Was it Love?” had so many opportunities throughout the drama to play upon its own cliches of the mysterious father, particularly through Noh Ae-jung ( Song Ji hyo)’s daughter, Ha-nee ( Uhm Chae-young )’s being allowed to bond with her potential fathers in equal manners such as ;
famous actor Ryu Jin ( Song Jong ho), financial head Koo Pa-do ( Kim Moon Joon) , P.E. teacher Oh Yeon-woo ( Koo Ja- Sung) and novelist Oh Dae- Oh ( Son Ho Jun) respectfully throughout the entirety of the show.

Although Song Ji hyo did captivate some of the elements of her character’s determination upon screen at times ( in addition to the scriptwriting ), her acting at times seemed a little wooden and thus didn’t help in making Ae-Jung’s personality seem often very lacklustre.

Of course that’s not to say that Ae- Jung was quintessentially a terrible character as there is no denying that Ae-Jung did seem to share genuine love and affection for both her daughter and her mother Choi Hyang-ja ( Kim Mi Kyung) throughout the drama . On the other hand, “ Was it Love?” ‘s biggest flaw soon became apparent by the scriptwriters’ decision to cram-in as much plot focus upon the aspects of Ae- Jung’s seemingly lingering “chemical” relationships with each of the respected male leads of the drama. Although it was undeniable that most of the actors were fairly brilliant in their respected roles, there were too many cliches which brought lacking emphasis upon characters such as Pa-do ( especially with the whole doppelgänger trope) and Yeon- woo as plot devices , rather than as individuals over the course of the drama.

As a romance drama there isn’t anything entirely wrong with this format, however, in making this decision, there was little actual focus upon Ae- Jung’s development as a character as well upon her familial bond with her daughter.

Although an undeniable driving factor of the series was the actual question of Ha- nee’s biological father and the miscommunication between daughter and mother adding to the final climax , it’s fair to say that the ending revelation could not help but severely highlight and question a lot of Ae-Jung’s decisions.

It’s natural to see what Ae-Jung was trying to do in shielding the truth from Ha- nee; she had raised her for nearly fourteen years a as a single parent and Ha- nee finding out the truth about her father would threaten their relationship a lot. On the other hand what did not seem particularly fair was that it hadn’t crossed Ae- Jung’s mind even when her mother mentioned Ha-nee’s interest in finding out more about her father, to at least sit down and give Ha- nee, the respect and liberty to ask about the matter . This was initially ( regardless of events ) quite a selfish act committed by Ae-Jung , both for Ha-nee as well as her father, who is later revealed to be oblivious to the fact that he even had a daughter in the first place.

This is also what bothered me a little but about Ha-nee’s sudden shift from intrigue and wonder over her father to suddenly acting hostile the minute she actually finds out who he is. Whilst I can understand Ha- nee acting this way to some extent when she learns of some of the events and hardships her mother was put through, it just didn’t add up to Ha-nee’s character by not having a moment of actual intrigue or an attempt to get to know him more affectionately, even once in the show ( without being forced of course). If the plot tropes and cliches weren’t bad enough, the cliche of Ha- nee’s ending is even stranger with little actual necessity or purpose apart from wanting to give viewers a “ happy ending”.

Overall “ Was it Love?” is a perfect example of a “ throwaway drama”; easy to binge- watch without a second thought, but certainly lacking within memorability, characters and plot development as a consequence of cliches and tropes adding little value to the actual drama. Whilst enjoyable with certain comical elements, the show was certainly a waste of time if you’re looking for something to actually invest in.

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