Reviews

I am going to start this review by saying what every woman who watched the show wants to say: Ki Dong Chan, marry me. If you don't want to watch this drama for the plot, watch it for this man. If there was an award called "The Biggest Heartthrob" Ki Dong Chan would win that category, hands down and no questions asked. This man is not only incredibly handsome, he is also smart, loyal, funny, selfless and on top of that kicks ass like a pro. I've probably never seen a more attractive character in any TV show.

Okay that's enough time wasted on my preferences in male characters, now for the actual review.

When I first clicked in to rate this show, I gave the drama a 9. But then I did what every normal person does after watching an insanely good show - went to spazz to my mom about it - and I realized that I used the word "masterpiece" to describe this drama so many times that I had to come back and change it to a full 10. It was that good.

Plot vise this drama really is a masterpiece. I was sitting on the edge of my chair the whole time while watching and I bet you'll do the same. Just when you think you've caught on to the plot and know how the scenario is going to play out, something new and unexpected is thrown in your face. I was confused for the most part and you will be too, but don't worry, cause in the end, everything will click into place and you're gonna be left with your mouth gaping open, thinking that how on earth does such a complicated story come down to such a simple trigger. But I'll say no more, I don't want to spoil anything.

One of the things that I really liked about this drama was that after I was finished, I was left with a sort of full feeling. This is one of the few dramas where there is an actual message in the plot; something that says something really important about the world. It's a theme that becomes evident already in the plot and is carried out throughout the entire drama: a real mother will do anything to protect her child. I definitely liked how the theme was portrayed in the drama via various characters.

Cast and acting was top class. I've always respected Lee Bo Young but I was still amazed how spot-on her interpretation of Kim Soo Hyun was. She was a very convincing devastated mother but somehow also managed to incorporate a tough woman image into the character. She also had great chemistry with her co-actor, Cho Seung Woo who plays Ki Dong Chan. Now, I already talked about him but if it didn't become clear yet, I'll spell it out for you. I'm in love with this man. He is not just an amazing actor but also a great singer (and insanely dreamy). Search up his musicals, they're great.

I'm also going to take a moment to mention Kim Yoo Bin who plays the role of Soo Hyun's daughter, Han Saet Byul. Her acting is what it is, I won't comment much on that but considering her age, she is pretty great. She is one of the most promising child actors right now and I'm sure we're going to be seeing her a lot in the future.

And then, last but not least, I want to talk about one of the two idols who acted in this drama, Baro. I was really surprised and even a bit worried when I heard what kind of a role he'd be taking on, just because playing a character with an intellectual disability can be very difficult and also very emotional (doesn't sound exactly right but I hope you get the point). Turns out I worried for nothing. Baro was great in his role and following his character, Yong Gyu, and his friendship with Saet Byul was very heartwarming.

There isn't really much that I want to say about the music for this drama. It was good and suited the scenes and there was a nice range of songs from emotional pieces to more intense and dark ones that went well with the action. I have nothing to complain about so full ten it is.

One last thing that I want to mention is that this drama could be considered horror as a genre. There isn't any real massacre or slaughtering (well there's a bit) but the psychological war that goes on in this drama is really terrifying. I had a hard time watching some bits alone in my room, late at night, so just take a little caution on that.

Rewatchability is definitely also very high because the plot is very confusing until the very end and I think it would be fun to watch the drama again, just to see how different the events look when you know exactly what is going on. However, I had to dock one mark because there are certain events in the drama that I do not wish to see twice. In the end, the plot does revolve very closely around the theme of murder so that shouldn't come as a surprise.

I tried to make this review short, I really did, and look at what happened XD Anyways, my final verdict is that "God's Gift - 14 Days" is absolutely a show worth watching. Even if you're not into thriller-suspense kind of themes, give it a go because, come on, there's Ki Dong Chan in it.

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"Don't You Cry in Front of Them. Because We Didn't Lose.."

It's clear I'm not the only one who was deeply touched by this series and everything it had to offer. On top of getting to see the most iconic duo of BL, we see a genuine story full of power, materialism, vengeance, self-deprivation, love, and discovery. This series has done something I've never seen ever in a Thai series, and that's talk about the problems associated with their government, on top of openly supporting the LGBTQ+ community with no hesitation. Not Me has yet again set the bar for others series to come. Not just BL alone, but for any show coming out of GMMTV. Period.

Let's Dive In.

Not Me is an astonishing drama of students fighting for what they believe in, and in the midst, they fall in love. This is why I enjoyed Not Me as much as I do, cause it wasn't just a BL -- it would be stupid to only categorize it as such. On top of boys being in love, we have them fight for justice, we see the tearing and repairing of the system and its lousy implications within the community, we see a deeper corruption within the workplace, and we get to watch all of it play out, with the protests, the fight for equality, and the yearning for peace and righteousness. This series will be one I hold dear to me. I'm sad to even see it go, and can't help but have an abruptly large wave of dejection cross through me as I write this.

Let's start with the things that could use working on since there is little to nothing that needed improving: I do wish that we got to see more of Gumpha's personal life. Other than him being the gang leader, what else did he have to offer? Who was he outside of that? Did he have a family? That's the easiest explanation why we all had our thoughts about him possibly being the traitor of the group, cause we know little to nothing about him. For him to only turn around and not be the traitor, just a guy we don't know all that well. I would've loved to see more of him and his life.

I wish GMMTV would just get rid of their ridiculously ads altogether, since, in my eyes, they really aren't in the need of money from outside companies. Keep them, sure, but just have the ads at the beginning and end of the series, and that's should be it. It caused me to be drawn out when they would start drinking these random drinks, or when they all drove the same car. However, this series was probably one of the first that made it look as subtle as possible. so I do appreciate that.

This is only me being nit-picky, but there were so many different times when they all should've died. Jumping rooftops, running away from the cops, getting shot, being held hostage. I mean, can I really believe that Black (small, tiny little Gun) could out-do multiple SWAT-looking dudes? Or even have the capacity to un-arm them? No, absolutely not, and in a real situation, he would've died, instantly. Again, me just being nit-picky, and of course, the series couldn't go very far if they actually died in a situation that would've realistically gotten them killed.

Sorry cause I'm being nit-picky again, but it was hard for me to grasp the fact that Gun and Off were supposed to be playing scary gang members when they are -- just the complete opposite of that. So in those terms, it was hard for me to completely get into their story when all these actual scary-looking guys were frightened by Black. it took me until maybe the middle of the series to take them seriously. Before then I kind of giggled at their scary attempts or even their fighting sequences since they both have the build of teenagers going through a growth spurt and puberty.

Onto everything else that was relatively perfect: All the romances were incredibly detailed and written by Gods. Sean and White played an incredible love story, although a bit faint in the beginning, it came on strong by the end. Seeing how hard Sean fell for White really hurt when he's being brutally beaten up on the ground by who he supposed was White. Him just sitting there and begging while he's bleeding was so hurtful to see. I didn't have any doubts about this pairing, since it was being played by Off and Gun, who just got it without even having to try. Their intimate moments were so vibrant and so patient while also being so romantically sensual. God, only they could do it. I'm happy that they got their happy ending, there's nothing more that they needed cause they already had it.

Moving onto Yok and Dan, they were just so sexy in a dismal way. Anytime they were together, you just felt this drift of sadness. They were both battling with their own demons but still did it together which made it even more substantial. Dan feeling comfortable to expose himself to Yok like that in such a vulnerable way -- *chef's kiss*. The subtle looks they shared, hugs, feelings, even the very rare times they did share a kiss, it was so impactful on screen. When we find out that Dan is somewhat the traitor, you physically feel the pain in Yok's eyes and the tears that can't stop falling, His artisticness mixed with Dan's as well, was perfection. I'm going to miss them dearly, but I'm stoked to see First in The Ecplise alongside Khaotung.

Gram and Eugene are a nice surprise. Like others, I thought Gram was secretly in love with Black, but in other events, we couldn't have been more wrong (lol). I didn't think I was going to be able to read into their romance, but closer to the end, I just become so obsessed with their relationship. Gram cared for Eugene more than he could even realize himself. Their ending was as I wished it to be, and I loved that we get to see a healthy hetero relationship that's not full of toxic behaviors or weird patriarchy. I won't speak too much on Todd and Black since we don't get to see their relationship as much, but the way the writers were able to add subtle hints and implications, while also giving us a very dramatic, but however the most beautiful somewhat confession scene is bewildering. Their love was a for-sure messed up one, but in some way, you can't help but long for them.

Onto the plot that was seamlessly perfect. The revelations, the secrets revealed, the turnabouts of situations we all analyze at the beginning -- it was just so much fun to see how everything turns out. Gram actually being in love with Eugene and not Black, Dan being the one who killed Sean's dad, Black and Todd being in love, Dan being the traitor. This part of the series was fun, getting to theorize and then see it play out. Which is why I give a huge applause to the screenwriters who did an above-and-beyond job. And also for them to add in their troubles of the government and be confident enough to show it on screen. Speaking politics in a series is hard, cause for some, that can be their dropping point. But this series speak out on what corruption and unfairness looks like in their country, and while doing so, they teach others outside of Thailand that not everything is peaches and roses. Even for them to speak about situations going on outside of Thailand was a surreal surprise, for example, the BLM movement in the US. If I could, I would give the screenwriters anything they wanted.

The acting is superb. There is nothing really more to say. It's just absolutely perfect, and they couldn't have picked a better cast. Them all being able to cry without trying too hard, the underlying pain we could see as they tried to act strong. Urgh, it was all just so good. Gun was by-far my favorite. The way he is able to play two completely different characters which such vastly different personalities, and do it FLAWLESSLY is beyond me. Episodes 12-14 really just spotlighted how versatile of an actor he is. His performance as Black in these last few episodes took my breath away. The way he's able to carry the emotions of Black in his eyes, his voice, his posture. Black is a tough guy who doesn't cry, but Gun plays him so perfectly that you see the hurt and anger through so many other ways. A moment that I can't ever forget was in episode 12 when Black simply lets a few tears drop while hugging White to implicate his sadness, but to also still hold the facade he has, ist's BRILLANT. On top of this, there are the others' performance moments that just blow my mind to pieces.

Last thing, the wardrobe fit so nicely. The grunge, the dirtiness, the dark colors urgh, it's so good. Also just going to applaud the makeup department with the bruises and cuts and whatnot. I remember physically not being able to look at Sean's face cause it was so disgusting. And I loved it. Some of the most realistic makeup I've ever seen.

Ratings:

Story: 9 - I'll take a star off cause I wish we would've seen more of Gumpha and his story. Other than that, everything is pretty close to perfection. I didn't speak much on White pretending to be Black, but that was excellent too. Getting to see him figure out Black's life, trying to find justice, while also trying not to get caught (which he does so bad at lol).

Acting: 9.5 - I can't see anything wrong with any of the acting, even when I tried my best to think of something. But everyone did perfectly. The only thing I could think of was that at the beginning, I was drawn out a few times from Sean and White/Black, just cause I couldn't stop seeing Gun and Off, but that would be it.

Music: 8 - God, the OST was amazing. The way the songs alone caused so much emotion out of me. The time when Yok and Gram were having a heart-to-heart moment? Yeah, I was weeping cause of the ballad. Them in the van crying cause they're scared to die? the sad instrumentals that played in the back? Yeah, I was weeping, Music was one of Not Me's strongest aspects. God, I'm going to miss it.

Rewatch Value: 1 - This series was a tough one for me, cause I was mad at how the justice system was treating them and the way they were hurting, and it physically caused me to hurt too. I think this will be my little gem to remember, but I think it would be too tough to continuously rewatch. I might go back to some of those beautifully vulnerable moments being the main pairings, but that's it.

Overall, this is a high recommendation. I remember being worried about Off and Gun in this because I loved Theory of Love so much, and I was scared that I would have a different feeling if they were to play completely different characters, but I loved the more here than I ever had before. If this is the last time we are to see them in a BL together then I'm not disappointed. They left with a bang, and we are to for sure remember them for as long as we can. Thank you Not Me, for being such a standalone series not afraid to speak up on topics so endearing. I shall miss you with all my heart.

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I watched this drama a year back and I was pretty excited when I heard all the praises for this drama and learned about the sky-rocketing ratings. But honestly speaking, I left disappointed. And I'd like to call that the generation gap of dramas. This drama is too old school for my taste. I neither find the jokes funny nor do I get why the characters don't confess/move on. It did drag for me and some of those shirts Bi Rain wore were ATROCIOUS.

So why did I give it an 7 overall (instead of a 5 or a 6)? Well, even though the couple was frustrating, they were pretty sweet together. And I liked the acting and the chemistry. And I admit, some stuff was really cute.

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Great start, but idk what happened...

If you watched 2moons you will recognize the actors Kimmon, Copter and Bas.
Though I personally liked them more in Gen Y the series where the mains are not Pha and Wayu as in 2moons but instead it focuses on Mark and Kit, who appeared in 2moons as Ming and kit, and as the support couple.

Story: I think the story is fine, nothing amazing or extraordinary but just fine. Mark is the best friend of Wayu who is dating Pha, who’s best friend is Kit. Mark catches an interest in Kit as soon as he lays eyes on him and decides to approach him. Kit at first, doesn’t seem interested at all but more annoyed.
Yet, as time goes, the change and growing trust for each other is visible and interesting to watch. Their relationship has a good dynamic and it will become clear that they somehow go well togther despite being so different. As they bicker and argue a lot, their sincerity and care for each other is there.

Acting: Their acting is pretty well performed. Kimmon and Copter are both actors from earlier and no beginners. I can also see they really improved a lot. They capture their characters well as the handsome and charming, yet deep caring Mark and the tough and clever Dr Kit. Their characters are very different but if you're open for it, you will grow to understand them both. Coming to their chemistry, it's there and have improved a lot as well.

Extra:
I think one of the best things about this serie is the fact how being “something else than straight” is seen as something so normal. And yes, it is very unrealistic I know, and I do think it's important to reflect reality in dramas but to be honest, that part was still realistically performed. I know that it would never happen in reality but wishing is free right? And I do wish it was like this in real life too. Even if it is far from reality "being not straght" is something that should’ve been normalized long ago. There are no struggles with the thought of being gay or even about sexuality at all. They just like someone, a person, and isn't that enough? Mark and Kit doesn’t seem effected by liking a guy at all and none around them seems to look at it as something unusual either.

EDIT (finished it):
So I finished the serie now and first of all I wanna say, this serie started off really well but what actually happened towards the ending? Despite that I can say now that I will watch season 2.

After Markkit got together they had some happy moments that gave me a happy feeling as well. Towards the end their story sort of ended and they became a support couple while the main focus started focusing on the love triangle for Thanu, Wayu and Phai. For me it was hard to decide who to ship with who because the dize did not get thrown for a while, some of them were just lacking personality and it all could feel very dragged out sometimes. Their story got boring sometimes because it just moved too slowly or felt too dragged out from time to time. Some of their scenes were too slow or just straight up unnecessary. Despite their love triangle drama they were all kind people and deserved good (especially Phai, such an angel honestly). I hope this gets clearer in season 2.

We also get to follow two other boys, this was a sort of "hate-yet attracted to each other" relationship with some real serious tension. Two of Sansab's friends, Pok and Tong. At first I wasn't that interested in their story because their story literally came from nowhere. But it did get a bit more interesting later on. It was too toxic for me sometimes though which I didn't like but in the end, what got me stuck was probably the excitment in their tension. It was on a surprisingly high level and I could feel their insanely strong hate yet desire for each other if that makes sense? I really hope this gets cleared up in season 2 as well.
About Pha... I understand why they hid his face in the beginning. At first I thought it was because they could not include Pha's original actor God, but it doesn't seem like that now when Big has the role. Pha's sudden return though... no. I don't like that, it's the least they need now tbh.
The end of this season 1 left me with a lot of questions. Now all I can do is wait for next season.

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I actually happened upon this show on accident. Dramafever was glitching out on me, and instead of playing the next episode of Warrior Baek Dong Soo (great historical drama by the way) it played the first episode of Healer. Man, did I get sucked in. After finishing the first episode I had to force myself to finish WBDS before eagerly starting the second episode.

Now, before you get all judgey judgey with me and skip this review because I gave it all 10's, you should finish reading my review :) I don't just toss out 10's whenever a drama slightly moves me. Although I may not be that much of an experienced watcher, my personality in general is just very picky. Therefore, no I did not just randomly decide to be nice and give all 10's on a whim. This drama is truly amazing. KBS, you deserve a pat on the back. I think just by looking at the ranking of this drama, it's safe to say it's one of the best dramas of the past decade. Hell, it even broke the 9.0 mark. Kudos to all the writers, actors, PD, etc etc who made this amazing drama happen.

I actually found the story to be quite intriguing. It starts off as just a story about a night courier and people he's somehow connected to, but it branches out. You would think that the entire drama would just be about Healer and his love life with the female lead, but no. The supporting cast got just as good of a story. There was the main storyline, and then there was the story about the previous generation that was slowly unveiled throughout the series. The one fatal weakness of writers these days, is one way or another there are always parts that drag on. But not with this one. This drama always keeps you on your toes, and problems are never left open and unsolved. I find that a lot of writers tend to forget about the problems they created early on, and then towards the end of the drama they go "Oh right! Better write that one back in. Darn, should've used that for the middle episodes." Thus, the dragging middles and the rushed endings. So, if you're worried about it dragging, don't even fret my friend. KBS got yo back.

The cast was PER. FECT. EVERYONE was amazing, not even joking. A good writer can't create a great drama without great actors, and that's exactly what this drama had. First let's start off with Park Min Young. She's actually been getting a lot of hate lately because of how she looked in the drama, but let's just take a moment to let that sink in. How she looked. How she looked?! Yo, just because someone does not look like a Victoria's Secret model does not make them a bad actress. I don't see Behati Prinsloo getting Oscars. Why? Because she's not. an. actress. The character of Chae (Choi?) Young Shin is an anti-social girl who is not the least bit concerned about her appearance. Her only friends are her father and ex-convicts. You think she would be buying Naked palettes and Coach bags? I really hate how people automatically start judging actresses and actors based on their looks. Like hello? What's their job again? Oh right. TO ACT. If their job was to look pretty they would be models but guess what? They're actors. So stop judging Park Min Young just because her character wore loose clothing and applied minimal makeup. She wasn't even ugly in the drama. Honestly, I think she's a great actress and beautiful one at that. Now onto Ji Chang Wook (swoon). I might be just a liiiiittle biased but he really is an exceptional actor, one of my favorites. He's portrayed both hero and villain, and I think that really helped him improve his acting. I've never watched any of Yoo Ji Tae's dramas, but now I'm definitely a fan. I absolutely LOVE Park Mi Kyung. Like LOVE. By far the best ahjumma actress ever. She's played elegant and rich, poor and mute, and now hacker and essential hobo. I love her so much, she's just so dynamic. It also seems as though she's never embarrassed, because some of her outfits in this drama....WHEW. Ji Won To did a really great job too, I bet seizures are hard to fake haha.

Nothing really stood out to me music wise, but the reason I'm giving it a 10 is because the music was just so appropriate. Whoever did music selection and editing really has taste, because the music came right on time, and fit perfectly. It made you feel happy when needed, made you feel sad when needed, and most of all gave you so much feels you feel like your heart is going to explode.

Overall, watch watch watch watch watch make SURE to watch this drama. I don't care what lengths you have to go to, but this is a must. One cannot call oneself a dedicated watcher if you have not watched this. However, like many people have previously stated, don't let this be your first drama. As a first drama, it's exceptional and great and amazing...but other dramas can't compare. After finishing this, many dramas will fall short of your expectations. Therefore, you have to watch something that's inferior so you can both appreciate this drama and later dramas. I know, I know, my amazing review has you on your toes wanting to watch this drama, but endure it. If you're just starting out, I recommend My Lovely Girl, Monstar, and Heirs. Not that these dramas were necessarily bad, they just started out good and got slaughtered by the writers. Oh and one more word of advice, if you're just starting out don't watch a melodrama. There will be too much crying and angst for you to handle. Plus since you're just starting out you'll most likely be too confused to even be emotionally impacted. Happy watching!

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Backwards, outdated and downright misogynistic. AVOID.

(PSA: This is a rant rolled up as review bc i could not keep my cool writing about this cesspool of a show. Thus it contains some swear words. Just as a head's up.)

For a family drama written in 2022/2023, TRHC is oddly stuck somewhere in Joseon era, or 1970 if we are feeling generous. Worst of all is that all of these backwards views of the writer is covered under a mantle of pseudo LOOK HOW MODERN WE ARE progressiveness at first. But you always get glimpses of his true views here and there, those bits of misogyny, how a woman is not allowed to exist without a man and husband, can't do anything without a man. Or his obsession with bloodline superiority portrayed by the grandmother at first who feels like a writer mouthpiece of his own views in hindsight.

Because for a show supposedly about how family is chosen and that chosen family is just as valid as bloodlines, he does his damnest to portray adoption in the worst light. As something lesser and THE fatal flaw a person can have. Later on ML is also CONSTANTLY ridiculed for wanting to take over the father's role for FL's baby because he is not the true blooded father, not valid nor good enough and every character lets him know so. While the literal shithead of dna giver of the child is elevated to the writer's favorite pet the narrative tries to manipulate you into feeling sorry for a literal stalking, harassing, cheating, blackmailing, threatening and gaslighting abusive bastard who made the leads life hell for 30 eps plus. But he is the "father" of FL's child so he has a "i can do what i want" permit of the writer who seems to sympathize with abusive men treating women like shit and objects to possess waaaaay too much, if you ask me. Yikes. But of course none of the stalking and domestic violence is ever addressed or SML held accountable in any way or form, nope. Of course not. It was just there for shock value and to show you that this poor poor man just did all this because he was lonely, had a bad childhood (???), and was upset of not seeing his child or something. Awwww. F-- OFF. The trivialization of abuse (that starts not just at physical, mind) is staggering and super disgusting, but totally in line with this writer's overall misogynistic views.

Which perfectly shows in the complete obliteration of FL Yeondoo's personality in the second half as well, Because except for her apologizing and cowering to everyone no matter what and why, if she is allowed to speak at all, she does nothing, is allowed nothing. In latter eps you even have ML, her then legal husband, speaking FOR her even if she is directly addressed by others and yikes. Not to mention how her career fell sideways and was forgotten about in favor of her letting it housewiving out till the writer remembered she once was a star instructor five minutes before the very end. Which okay if a stay at home mom is what she wants there is no problem, but there was NEVER any discussion about her future, nor what she wants to do going forward. The complete lack of agency while two men have the worst written, and factually and law-wise incorrect, custody battle over HER child, for whom she is the sole custodian parent, is more than appalling. It is downright sexist. (In fact, no female character is allowed to exist or act without a man in here, again yikes.)

While the show was airing, we have talked at lengths in the comment section why the romance is not romancing, especially of the leads who are like roommates raising a baby together, post timejump. A lot of it comes down to this writer and simply baaaaaad directing, but there is more to that. It is the pure dislike of the writer for romance in general. Watching this, you get the clear impression that he always found romance and calm scenes boring, and not just in regards of the leads. Every romance subplot we had in the first half was dropped after the worlds worst and most unneeded timejump, and forgotten about. The singular one we had aside the leads (romance, what romance?) with the youngest couple was a trashfire of circular on/off nonsense going nowhere. But oh well that fitted into the rest of the repetitive narrative dragging on to the point of complete suffering. Which, coincidentally was THE motto and theme for the last quarter of TRHC. Joy was killed as was the lead's romance before it could ever fully bloom and develop by this hack. And it got replaced by a onslaught of perpetual misery piled on misery, especially for the leads. Whose actors looked progressively more exhausted the longer this overwrought, pointless drama dragged on, reflecting the audience perfectly. It feels from eps 1 to 50 AJH and BJH have aged several years, and with this abysmal script and dialogue they were forced to follow i am not surprised. Because for the viewer aka myself, it was also just pure suffering and exhaustion to watch the backyard bin Iteration of Groundhog Day with everything repeating over and over, down to what i would call the worst written drama in recent years after Woori The Virgin.

So, in case you are insane enough to still want to watch this trainwreck on top of a flaming pile of garbage... my advice is still to run away and find something better to do with your time. Like take a walk, work out, pet a dog. So much that you can accomplish in 50 hours that is not watching this dungfilled, backwards ass mess. Failing that however, you best watch eps 1-33, mentally slap a one year timejump under it and go to eps 39, watch that. Then jump to 41 to see the leads register their marriage and then go DIRECTLY to eps 50 for closure. Do not stop at start and look at the mUh bLoODliNEs Kim Junha writers pet show this drama becomes in the last ten eps. I repeat: DO NOT STOP AND GO DIRECTLY TO THE ENDING EPISODE and thank me later for having spared you ten hours of your life as nothing of value happens in there. Except a lot of pointless bs and abusive man apologia but that is right in line with this wreck of a writer. AVOID.

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Generally speaking, I usually have the opposite effect for over-hyped things. The more hype a thing has, the more likely it is for me to not like it. I went into watching Eternal Love with low expectations and as I had predicted at the time, I didn't find it too extra ordinary in the beginning.

STORY:

Eternal Love is comprised of the following three stages:

Episode 1-15:
This is when Yang Mi plays Si Yin and we are mostly being introduced to the characters. Ye Hua and Su Su meet up. It sets the pace of the story. This part doesn't have any wow factors, rather it provides an undercurrent of mild amusement. At this point you're not completely invested in the story but you also cannot let it go.

Episode 16-30:
Now this part was just plain torturous. This constructs the build up towards the main plot. It showcases Su Su's and Ye Hua's love and all the hardships she had to face as a mortal. Even though their sweet moments were heart warming, over-all this is literally the deadest portion of the show. It's not exactly the shows fault, rather the sypnosis's. We already know that SuSu is going to go blind and kill herself and honestly, I just felt like only after that, the true story would kick in which is why I had to fast forward some scenes because the whole wait did get, frankly, very boring. I understood that it was necessary for the character development and it provided a strong basis for the story to continue but that didn't mean that I found the drag-on particularly enjoyable. But since my intuition said that the light at the end of the tunnel would be very bright, I persevered.

Episode 30-58:
And this is when the show sky rockets to its summit. I think Episode 30 was by far the best episode made. From here onwards there are so many emotions; one great scene followed by another and suddenly I went from being half-heartedly interested to full on obsessed.

Acting:
Damn, I think I have a little bit of a crush on Yang Mi. She's such an absolute star to be honest. She portrayed her different personalities excellently. From the youthful and mischievous Si Yin, to the kind-hearted and vulnerable SuSu and finally to the boss ass queen Bai Qian; she simply slayed. There is this utter grace with which she speaks and moves that you can't help but be entranced by her. She was the true embodiment of a Queen and a total badass. Her fighting scenes were so empowering and the way she wields that Jade Purity Fan; just dang. She's a woman of power to her core and when Ye Hua forcefully kisses her once, she doesn't just let it be -nuhhun- she bestows him with a five fingered bitch slap 'cause ain't nobody messing with the Queen of Qing Qiu.

Mark was also a very nice surprise. He expressed a multitude of emotions just with his eyes. He didn't have to speak or show rather even the slightest twitch of his face spoke volumes. To be honest, I really fell in love with Ye Hua's character in the later part of the show. He's so selfless and devoted in his affection for Bai Qian that you can't help but root for him. Mark's delivery of Mo Yuan's character was also very impressive. Mo Yuan is a personality that demands respect and he gave him the elegance and majestic aura that was required.

Their chemistry is sizzling hot and both of them compliment each other to the max. I love how their love story transcends all worlds and they're two people destined to be together. I mean towards the end I was so committed to seeing their happy ending that for the first time in my life, I deliberately went to seek out spoilers just so I could have a consolation that everything wouldn't be in vain. Even though the ending is pretty sappy and the consequent events just turn out to be interestingly very very convenient for everybody, I think I wouldn't have opted for less.

The most annoying part of this show probably has to do with everything that was related to the Ghost Realm. Xian nu is literally the world's dumbest villain to ever grace the screens. I mean sure if you gonna be a negative ass bitch, filled to the brim with inferiority complexes, the least you can do is actually have some brains to execute your deviltry, instead she remains pitiful throughout and besides being an annoyance, doesn't amount to much.
Never fear though, because her husband matches her toe to toe as far as stupidity is concerned. Li JIng has a constant "woe-is-me" expression plastered on. He always acts like he is the most tragic person alive and he's constantly throwing pity parties and pining after someone he wronged. Like really bitch, if you gon' whine about how pathetic your life is and how you're suffering so much you should've thought better when you decided to waste your life being a nuisance and cheating on someone you supposedly loved. Smh. I was very thankful when both of these roaches finally ended up dead 'cause they literally belonged with each other in hell.

One of the best things about Eternal Love are the side stories. I had so much love for Dijun and Feng Jiu. Dijun, with his constantly amused face (as if the whole world was a huge joke to him) and Feng Jiu, with her endearing personality and child like tendencies really won me over. This show has so much character development and attention to detail. With excellent emotional delivery and story writing, I think the hype surrounding it is more or less justified.

One thing that I found hilarious was how little Bai Qian truly cared for her son like, ain't nobody got time for that but A-li is legit a ball of adorableness and the few moments they share together are absolute bliss.

Rewatching a 58 episode show is no easy feat so I don't think that I'd be doing that but there are definitely some iconic moments that I have already watched a thousand times over and will continue to revisit.

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Let The Last Thing I Forget Be You

Story:
The pacing for the story was perfect. It did a great job developing the leads relationship and had them gradually get to know one another. It wasn't a "love at first sight" moment or a childhood crush but just 2 normal individuals, with completely opposite personalities, that just slowly got to know one another. The chemistry between Gu Wei & LZX was so natural it made you question if it was a literal drama or us stealing a glance into someone's relationship. They made you laugh, cry, and get fully invested into them making you want to take sides when an argument ensued and caused you to question who you believed was right or wrong. But, in the end, it felt balanced with the right amount of humor, romance, and a bit of slice of life. My only issue really was with the side characters who I felt didn’t have much to do with anything and caused more issues than not. The main issue being SanSan and probably the only one. Even though there were other characters that liked the leads I felt they had character development and were able to change after realizing it wasn’t meant to be. The only one that just couldn’t get things to click was SanSan - the friend that you wished never got involved in your troubles. Overall, I felt the storyline was beautiful and had a great ending that felt it wasn’t rushed but gave all the answers to the questions you may have had. There was even an incredible wedding which invited all the characters and just felt like one big joyous moment. The entire last 2 episodes were just extraordinarily done and really tugged at the heart strings.

Acting:
The acting overall was incredible. The main leads Xiao Zhan & Yang Zi did an amazing job portraying their characters and had great chemistry. The way Xiao Zhan would just glance at LZX and added elements of the nose rub and his line delivery were just perfect and cute. When he was going through his traumatic experience, he did a great job portraying each one of those details. Yang Zi and her relationship with her in-drama father was perfection and made me feel the sorrow that a family member would have in those moments. But I do want to mention the actor that played LZX’s father – in the last 2 episodes – did a remarkable job and really added a lot to the story and just made the entire last 2 episodes just completely beautiful.

Music:
The OST’s for this drama were fantastic. Xiao Zhan & Yang Zi did a great job and the moments they added the musical pieces really added more to the story. Even the instrumentals they had for the violin & cello were just beautiful – I still hope I can find the song when they played at the restaurant.

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ITSAY = PERFECTION

ITSAY is that precious feeling that no one can ever steal from you. Never ever. I'm writing it to you.

This drama, which has stirred all our emotions, is what you call EXCELLENT. The vibes it gives off are so deep & beautiful that it makes you feel nostalgic. The kind of storytelling done in the series is something that leaves no heart unprevailed. It is indeed the rarest of the rare Thai BL drama you'll ever witness.

Fabulous direction & screenplay, heart-warming dialogues, stimulating plot devices, awesome acting by the cast and most importantly, 'astounding' cinematography, oof.
Another fact that makes it unique is how incredibly they've introduced props like hibiscus, coconut, etc and utilized them well.

SPECIAL mentions to Bilkin and PP for offering their natural, simple and outstanding acting skills to this already precious story. Their dialogue delivery, accurate expressions, smiles, cries and everything made us smile & cry as if we were a part of their beautiful love story. Thank you so much you two. You guys have won over our heart and you along with the series will always be in our thoughts and dreams.

I really really hope THAI writers continue writing such beautiful stories and then the makers adapt them into series. How amazing that will be than watching the same cliché highschool/uni stories with romance and intimacy!

I swear "I TOLD SUNSET ABOUT YOU" is such a delightful thing to witness, I feel blessed. My life somehow feels complete. Eagerly waiting for I PROMISE YOU THE MOON- IPYTM (ITSAY part2).

THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE!

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This show is love. This show is life. This show is everything.
The first 2 episodes were like meh i wont be too excited for this drama next week. I might even skip it. Who the hell is that ahjussi and Uee is too young for him thats just a mood ruiner. And its like the drama told me *hold up son, we are the real deal* and it hit me from episode 3 to 16. The drama started killing people with its perfection, cute and beautiful moments that arent forced ( its not cheesy its bittersweet ) .
I see people talk about chemistry between acting couples. Here it wasnt chemistry it was lioe rocket science. Beauty overload and the mood of the show was just like old kdramas with the musoc and clothing and just how they value the family and love and emotions.
Best drama i finished this year. ( yes i like it more than the epic ones )
This will be my first review on this site and probably the last because my feels are all over the place.
"Promise that you'll meet me in paradise inevitably
No matter what, I'll keep your love forever with me"

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this show isn’t blooming

The first episode of this drama is point blank amazing. It sets up a really good story with a strong female lead. I expected this show to stay that way, to stay just as engaging as the first... but it didn't

Our Blooming Youth leans more towards a political mystery than an action. I expected a lot more fighting from the female lead since she was really good at it in the first episode. Her character is just weird to me, she is supposed to be really good at solving mysteries but the way the audience knows that is pretty dull. They just say she did it with her father and was good at it, there barely is any flashbacks to her life with her family. That is an issue.

Min Jae Yi wants to find the culprit behind her fathers murder. For some reason that is intertwined with the crown prince because of a letter she got. The letter tells her to protect the crown prince and her father does as well as she's dying. She has to disguise herself as a male to not get caught and to investigate. So that was what I can tell after the first few episodes, and now onto episode 14 it is the same thing. She is still disguised and the progress is really slow. The more I watched the more annoyed I became of her character. She does a lot of talking where it sounds like complaining or whining… at the beginning she wielded a sword and was super cool- what now? Where did that go? She just talked and confronts people.. from an outside perspective she clearly would be annoying.. it hurts because she CAN fight. But there is little to no action here and it comes in abrupt spurts.

Of course this is all my opinion. But come on now, I can't help but compare. Shows with. a mystery driven plot can do well, and they are able to be engaging. The whole disguise and mystery aren't working because the build up was so poor. They don't have any flashbacks of Min Jae Yi being young and showing how she cares for her family, there is no threat to her because in the end I know she is a main character and there will be no harm. The steaks for their mission to find the culprit is so low and lost. A lot of this drama is filler scenes with the main gang hanging out... crown prince, Min Jae, her maid friend, her maid friend teacher.

It was ok at first, but it slowly made me become so bored. I am not stupid and I can understand what is going on. I watched 50 episodes of the Untamed and knew all the characters names, convictions, why they did what they did, the mystery. The Untamed just did it right. It engaged me because it took a careful setup to show why these characters are doing what they are doing without telling you. I wish Min Jae's character took time to reflect on the deaths of her family, they could have developed them as characters rather than them being dead. That way I would want to find out just as much as she did, I would have a reason to care. Right now it is just the plot. Her family is dead and she loves them just because. I mean of course they are her family but they could show that bond between them and show how much it pains her to have it cut off rather than having the audience make it up for themselves.

Straight up some characters don't need as much time and time is wasted on them. The teacher friend guy in the pink outfit is a comic relief and at this point the maid is to. The interesting characters like the crown prince really take a back seat. It is such a shame, the crown prince before him died- I mean they could have him feel guilt and shame. He does.. a little.. but the story goes and cuts to any other place but his.

He is involved with the mystery and is supposed to have a curse on him. I think the writers forgot about the curse after a few episodes. His arm works, he is just paranoid. It is fine but he is one dimensional, slowly being flattened by the writing. His relationship is supposed to be a blooming romance with Min Jae Yi, and they apparently were childhood friends? That whole plot thread serves no purpose whatsoever. It is just a cheap way to have a connection between them because there is no chemistry or spark.

Min Jae Yi liked who she was betrothed to (which is another interesting character I wish they would actually spend time on). They spend time on characters, but its all talking.. its so boring and is all over the place. I could know these characters names but I don't. It's not my fault and I am capable, but I shouldn't have to look things up and write things down when watching a drama. I don't hate the drama, I just am so disappointed.
Min Jae Yi kind of gets annoying because she isn't even doing what she wanted to in the first place. Half of the time its her looking worried and remembering and failing to remember, I don't really see her do anything.........

Park Hyung Sik's drama Happiness that I watched before this served him much better. Just watch that if you like him. He is cute and not cold, not saying he is bad at acting here. I just do not like his character. The crown prince is bipolar I swear, like he flips on a dime and has people he trusts and then doesn't trust. The only reason why is because he's paranoid.

Don't even get me started on the villain. The villain I do not even know the name of. He just wants power I think? He sucks as a character and a villain and a threat, he has done nothing other than probably killing Jae Yi's family and other people. But I don't care anymore.

I have to finish this drama because I'm almost done. Maybe its a slow burn. Then again a slow burn should be engaging. So I recommend to people that like political dramas and that's it? It's just boring and not doing what it is supposed to do. This is completely unbiased, maybe it's not my style. Still I have watched similar things... Iljimae is older but a much better revenge plot mystery drama, watch that instead. This show is so bland.

Now by the end of it I become so .. bored? I don’t know honestly. It felt like a satire and a disservice to the actors at the last episode. I’m talking about the twin brother plot line. That was so cheap because they didn’t show how this kid existed, that he was his brothers shadow. Like he was there as a plot device rather than a character and I could write a whole essay on why he is and how it could’ve been done better. They crammed so much but it still was watered down and I didn’t care. Now that’s just me. But this drama honestly isn’t all that it was cracked up to be. Maybe it’s because I expected more tension overall, romance wise, plot wise, it was just standard and compared to older historical dramas I’ve seen it didn’t have a lot of heart. It’s too bad honestly.

In the end good guy wins bad guy looses. Why are they good and bad though? You don’t get that- it’s just your main characters. That is all, no backstories further than what you knew at episode 2. The main group of characters don’t get developed and neither does the bad guy. That is how I sum this up. What about the curse? It’s not real. What about the family that was murdered? It’s just the bad guy that did it? Why? I don’t know because he’s bad … I’m sorry I’m trying my best here.

The reason why I am so harsh is because of the potential. There are parts where this show is good, but at the end I lost all interest that I don’t care. It’s a shame to me.

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aggressive pursuer/reluctant pursuee

Overall: although the writers tried to make the aggressive pursuer/reluctant pursuee a comedy, it did not work for me.. Aired 2 episodes per week on GagaOOLala and Viki. Same production company as Our Dating Sim and My Sweet Dear (you can see a poster of the series in the office).

Content Warnings: harassment, non con picture taking, kick, non con touching, punch, manhandling

What I Liked
- laughed a few times ("my love for you isn't unconditional, I care about your looks" great line/writing!)
- there are tropes but they are done well
- sweet moments
- the last restaurant scene in episode 8
- some good kissing/actual mouth movement
- turning bedroom lights on and off at appropriate times
- Lee Jun was able to separate his work life from his personal feelings
- Lee Jun did end up having some agency instead of just an object others fight over

Room For Improvement
- dislike this type of dynamic where someone won't take no for an answer, the harassment lasted way too long and was too much
- this couple's relationship is doomed, where is the trust, where is the communication, where is the respect?
- never any explanation for why Ha Ram was so aggressive/smitten
- a scene was during the day and then suddenly it was night time
- the ignoring thing was stupid
- what Ha Ram told to their coworker in episode 7 without first consulting Lee Jun
- I don't mind people who are just looking for the short term but that should be clearly stated before going on a date (that guy needs a spin off series)
- voiceovers

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And Yet, We Loved..

Love’s Ambition works so well as a story about love, loss and second chances.. I think, because it feels like two love stories in one.. The first is about how Xu Yan and Shen Hao Ming meet, get to know each other, fall in love and self destruct.. The second is about how they find their way back to each other after that and also find their true selves.. The business aspect of the drama, well I would call it the most weakly written part of the show.. Anyway, I loved how the drama showed what both of them lost after they separated and why it mattered that they found each other again..

The main leads of the drama aren’t your usual 'green' characters.. Both are grey, shady even and the ML in the first half leans a bit more toward the darker side as we saw when the big reveal takes place.. They both have their flaws, but his are a bit too much at times.. He is one sneaky, manipulative man.. The FL isn’t exactly a saint either, the first 10 minutes of the drama give us a glimpse into the roots of her problems and the lengths she will go to protect her new identity, life and future.. Whatever her reasons, she is building her life on lies and sooner or later, it has to fall apart for her to truly start over and find real happiness.. The same goes for the ML, his beliefs, image and cunning nature all needs to break down for him to find himself and become worthy of her..

“A life built on lies..
I tried my best to make it a fortress..
But how can there ever be a castle on sand??”

Before I say anything else, I have to mention this, Zhao Lusi’s acting is on another level.. She nails the emotional and crying scenes every single time.. It’s so convincing that you can almost feel her pain.. It’s not really the writing that makes you empathize with her, it’s her raw, agonizing performance that draws it out of you.. It truly was a showcase of great acting.. Her character was better crafted than the ML’s.. She was clear about who she was from the very beginning and we never once doubted her love for him or the reasons behind what she did.. And Zhao Lusi carried the character with such effortless perfection..

And William Chan truly deserves credit for portraying a character who is unlikeable, sympathetic, pathetic and pitiful, all at the same time in the first half, yet somehow still manages to win our love and support in the second..

I think this is something the drama actually got right.. They first showed the ML as a good guy, a green flag, absolutely in love with the FL, for a good 10 to 12 episodes.. Then out of nowhere, he turns into a manipulative man.. And guess what?? The writer changes his mind again, suddenly, he truly loves her but just doesn’t know how to express it.. So this cold, brooding, cunning man becomes a jealous, insecure mess in the second half of the drama.. But the reason it worked for me was because his character didn’t feel inconsistent.. Even as he became that jealous man, he still stayed true to his earlier personality.. Cunning, shrewd and composed, but this time, he showed his love more openly, even through all the whining and interference in her life..

I honestly think the ML could have salvaged everything if he had just handled it better.. When she found out about his child, if he truly loved her, they could have talked it out, found a solution and saved their marriage.. And I genuinely believe she would have forgiven him, because she really did love him.. Instead, he goes on a rant and acts like an absolute jerk, even though he is the one who did and hid things that were far worse.. I mean, he literally had two chances, the girl herself went to him, apologized and told him she loved him and he still couldn’t climb down from his high horse.. What a waste..

The supporting cast was good, but there were no standout performances.. Honestly, apart from the two leads, there wasn’t much for anyone else to work with.. What’s up with all these other characters?? They have almost zero personality, not even Wan Peng.. No wonder the performances ended up feeling shallow..

After seeing her past scenes, I honestly wished she wouldn’t forgive her parents.. Even revenge would have felt justified.. But at the very least, she shouldn’t have forgiven them.. Not even in the last ten minutes of the drama just to wrap things up neatly.. But well, they got their happy ending anyway..

There’s been some talk about how she completely forgets her dream of becoming a news anchor.. But the way I see it, she wanted that job not because it was her true passion but because it represented everything she thought she needed to feel whole.. Respect, control and a version of herself untethered from her painful past.. For someone whose early life was marked by helplessness, becoming a news anchor was her way of taking back control of her own narrative.. But after the breakup, she no longer needs that kind of validation.. She has already been exposed, hurt and stripped of her perfect image.. In other words, she stops chasing recognition and starts building something real.. She is no longer running from her past.. She is building a future with full awareness of who she is and what she has been through.. So while it may seem like she forgets her dream, it’s more like she outgrows it..

Overall, it’s a stunning drama with a great, great soundtrack and despite my issues with the pacing, it never drags on too long.. No matter how uneven the writing gets, Zhao Lusi’s acting remains superb, with William Chan doing his best to keep up.. Not that it’s his fault, she is just that good.. My favorite part of the drama comes after their separation, the angst, the workplace dramas, the role playing.. Basically everything this " almost divorced " couple does.. I only wish they had cut down the business subplot a bit, because the comedy in the middle phase was so good and deserved more time and honestly I could have done with less of the business stuff.. I am giving it a nine.. I love myself a happy ending and Love’s Ambition gave me one..

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