Reviews

What a RIDE!! I'm so thankful

I actually feel sorry for people who dropped Playboyy in early episodes because early episodes are kinda confusing I can't lie.. Everyone is just randomly having sex with other characters out of nowhere.. But that's the things that makes Playboyy so unique and amazing. You can't understand what's going on but you get addicted anyway. Like for real I rewatched it every episode at least 3 times and everytime I noticed new things!!

Actors are so bold, sincere and comfortable so it makes everything better because even in cringey scenes I enjoyed it so much! In some bl's they don't even let different ships actors interact with each other but in Playboyy nearly every character has at least 3 different ships like poor/lucky Dech literally made out with half of the cast because he played 2 characters...

Choice of music were amazing as well. I listen the opening credits everyday :)

Other thing that made Playboyy so special was the comment section. Everyone was so unhinged, funny and polite at the same time and I enjoyed coming to this amazing comment section every week. Let's reunite in season 2 comment section!!! <3

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At first I was a little put off by Healer, simply because I am not a big action drama fan. But once I sat myself down and watched the first episode, I was hooked. Healer is not only an action drama but a story of deep emotional connections, romance, and fabulous plot twists. The writers of Healer certainly did everything right, they constantly kept me guessing until the very end. And the actors knew they're characters and portrayed them so realistically. This drama gave me so many emotions at once and constantly made me excited for the next episode. In short, Healer is a drama that will keep you on your toes, and keep captivated every second. 20 episodes of greatness.

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This drama surprised me by keeping me interested. When I first started this, I wasn't sure if I would like it. It is a mix of supernatural and mystery. There is one big overall conspiracy mystery and little mysteries along the way. I know that some people may find the ending anticlimactic, but I enjoyed it.

Like most people, I feel like Kim Jae Wook as Lee Hyun Joon stole the show. He has an important role and I think he played it well. It is hard to write a review without spoilers. So, I will just write that I thought his ending was appropriate. He did what he thought was important and that was all he needed. So Yi Hyun was good as Yang Shi On, but I don't think that she is the best actress. Some people find Taecyeon lacking because he is an idol actor. However, I thought he was witty and cute as Cha Gun Woo. If it weren't for him acting with So Yi Hyun, then I don't think I would have finished this. I actually thought he pulled her up. The other actors are good too. I liked seeing Kim Ye Won again as Jang Hee Bin. I wonder when she will get a main role?

The music isn't anything I remember.

I may rewatch this if I am looking for something light to watch.

This is not horror. I didn't find it scary at all. If you like mystery (although, I think to a certain extent most people will figure things out quickly) with the mix of supernatural, then I recommend this drama.

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Refreshing

people are saying it's a twink version of addicted, I've not watch that series so I don't know much about that but this is really interesting, refreshing and heartwarming series. I don't care if it's bl or not their chemistry is everything to me, story is interesting first I thought wubi know that suyu is the son of his stepbrother that's why he is purposely teasing him but turns out he didn't know god knows what will gonna happen when they both get know that they are actually stepbrothers. I also got to know about the govt thing I don't understand why are china govt so against to LGBTQ community, Chinese bls have so much potential if they got chance seriously

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Heart-wrenchingly beautiful but with a dose of humor

This short 6-episode drama hits me with so many different emotions. It’s the perfect length to tell the story of Ram U (ML) and Hui Wan (FL). Their story was told with a combination of flashbacks of happy times (for the most part) and the present-day timeline of grief, guilt and depression.

I’ve only seen Kim Min Ha in “Pachinko”, and she’s excellent in it. It was quite refreshing to see her as an outgoing and boisterous teenage girl. It’s hard to imagine she’s 29 years old, yet can play the role of a teenager and a depressed college student so well. Gong Myung has this baby face that’s so adorable as a teenage boy, and he’s actually 30 years old. They both acted beautifully and really toy with my emotions.

This drama reminded me of the best part of “Seasons of Blossom”. A similar story of grief and depression that was beautifully done. But in “Way Back Love”, the focus is just on them. They make me laugh, cringe, and cry. If you really think about it, the plot isn’t very unique. Just as I said it reminded me of “Seasons of Blossom”, it also reminded me of similar K-dramas when a Grim Reaper is involved. But the storytelling, the acting, the cinematography and the OST all work harmoniously together.

Maybe because I am in a mini K-drama slump, and this beautiful drama pulls me out of it, for that it deserves a high 9.0 rating. If you are in the mood for something heart-wrenching but beautiful, I recommend “Way Back Love”. With only 6 episodes, the pacing is great and you don’t feel it drags when its tone changes to be more melodramatic.


Completed: 4/20/2025 - Review #568

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Things to Love: The developing chemistry between the leads & Chen Mai Dong's grandma!

Ep 1 to 3: I wasn't a fan of Zhou Yu Tong, because I have only ever seen her in one drama that was Begin Again, where her acting wasn't all that great. But 3 episodes in and I like her character, this one suits her more and her acting is on point. So far, the ML is pretending to not be interested in her or even remember her from the school days. What's more, he tries to give her a wide berth. So, we don't have much in the name of romance. Right now, I feel more chemistry between the FL and his grandma, they have cool sismance going. The FL's siblings are hilarious.

Ep 4: The ML keeps insisting that he really doesn't seem to like the FL. The FL doesn't deny that she finds him attractive or liked him in the past.

Ep 5: Nothing ML's character does makes sense so far. If he is pretending to not like her or even not remember her he should have done a 180 when he wasn't in her or grandma's company but that wasn't shown properly. Instead, in this episode, we get to see him abruptly reminisce about old memories with FL, as if he never pretended that those memories didn't leave a lasting impression.

Ep 6 to Ep 8: Okay. These three episodes were so much better than the previous two, added a lot more depth to the characters. I liked the FL a little since the beginning but these episode made me really appreciate her character. It is good to see her be independent and not drop everything on the off chance that she would hit it off with a man.

Ep 9 & 10: The FL has moved backed home temporarily, which is still an obstacle between the two. Since none of them have considered moving places to make it work. So, I'm not sure what the ML has in mind when he has decided to pursue her. They'll need to reach a middle ground where that is concerned. But the slow burn between the two has been nice to watch and they did start with better chemistry than some of the dramas that I have watched. Now, as they spend more time together, it is easier to notice the sparks. (I am a bit partial to Li Xian's character, he and Yang Zi have a place in my heart since I have watched Go Go Squid) It will be nice to see how it unfolds.

ep 11 & 12: Wow the ML has some serious mood swings and the FL isn't that far behind him in that area. But they are so damn adorable. What I love the most is the kisses, the look warm and inviting to watch. I can't wait for the next episode to see how her mom reacts to catching them.

Ep 13 & 14: The mom's reaction wasn't that bad. It was pretty normal keeping up with her character. She seems to be more understanding than normal small town parents who wouldn't have accepted the current status of leads relationship. The leads are so damn adorable together, they'll make you laugh along with them.

Ep 15 & 16: I was really mad at the FL for saying what she did to the ML when he has been nothing but kind to her. Even before, he was a bit aloof but he always treated her well. But like the ML, I came to forgive her for that. It came from trauma and she even apologized for it numerous times, giving him an explanation of why she reacted the way she did. I hope they end up together and find a way to make it work.

Ep 17 & Ep 18: Nothing of import happened. Just another nice episode with the ML visiting the FL's home in ep 17. Ep 18 was mostly focused on grandma Lin so it was a bit sad to watch.

Ep 19: I couldn't help but laughs at the ending, with the way our favorite Grandma was staring at Chen Mai Dong. The rest of the episode was okay, but as of now, all of it seems like a filler and their relationship only takes the center stage for me. I like watching them be together, it makes me happy.

Ep 20: The start was so beautiful and the end was so sad. Even though there's one more episode left, I knew they had to somehow resolve their conflicts and they didn't do it. So, I thought we might have an open ending. But why did they end this episode like that? I'm worried now! On to the next episode.

Ep 21: Oh thank goodness. For a moment there, I thought that we were going to have a sad ending. Even with a sad ending, it still would have been a better drama than "Uncontrollably Fond". Both of Chen Mai Dong & Zhuang Jie made their own mistakes, including not communicating more openly. Often times, even when things were said, it felt like they both didn't understand each other. Thankfully, they were able to resolve their issues and made it.

I liked the first half of the drama better, I was more engaged with the drama. While the second half wasn't bad, I mostly loved it for the happy moments between the two. Ofcourse, if it hadn't been for the grandma, the drama wouldn't have been the same.

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Not as bad as Squid Game but still... unnecessary

It was good, the cast, the acting, the games. But did we need this 3rd season? Absolutely not.

Everything just felt so forced. I think Usagi just needed therapy, I don't really get why she thought that going back to the games would let her meet her father, like girl, he's long dead, what were you expecting to see there? My dad is dead too but I wouldn't go back to those games just to see him or whatever, like it doesn't make sense. Girl suddenly trusted this random ahh man that she met once and suddenly they're fighting life and death together like what lmao. I really did not understand her reason for going back to play the games, even ended up risking her own life, her baby's life, and her husband's life. It felt so forced, like please, you need therapy and more communication with your husband. I lost it when she reunited with Arisu and she was like "I wanted to see you!" and I'm like girl you wouldn't be in this situation in the first place if you didn't go back here.

It's also forced that this citizen wants Arisu as a citizen in Borderland too, like bro was literally just a couch potato before he got to Borderland, it's not like he's the only one who survived the games. I don't really get the point of Borderland Jesus either, like ok he explained that this place exists between life and death but it's not like we didn't know that already? It's just so confusing.

The other players were good characters, but I didn't feel as much emotional attachment as the ones in S1 and S2. The acting and CGI was amazing as always, I guess that's the only good thing in this season. I would've been happy if they just inserted a small scene in the last ep. of S2 with their new lives, like literally the last part of S3 with Arisu and Usagi happily married and with Arisu talking to everyone at the end.

Anyway, I don't even wanna talk about that America bit in the last ep., main character syndrome country fr when will Netflix learn that not everything needs an American spinoff.

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This was just amazingly beautiful

I loved the first ep, it made me tear up when they met .. the ending was just so sad, I cried for 5 days with this and moreso thru the whole story but the end was just so sad and beautiful... And make sure to watch the "together forever" 7 min special. It's a happy ending, I still cried with that one too. But I'm so happy they followed the novel it was so beautiful and I give this a 10. All the characters were great, even the jerk Yan Ke, he was even an awesome villain.

I'm very, very pleased with this and I love both lead actors and I have gained new ones that I now love and hope to see them more in. It's funny and romantic, heartbreaking to where your chest will hurt but you most definitely get a happy ending. It followed the novel so well. Please always give dramas a chance, you'll be surprised how much emotion you'll feel and I haven't ever been a huge fan of the FL, I def like her in some dramas and this one, she has made me appreciate her so much more. This is wonderful, thank you to the cast, the director, screenwriter and producer and production staff .. y'all ALL served this drama to the max.

Such a BEAUTIFUL story. I haven't cried so much in a good min and got a happy ending that made me cry. WELL DONE, 10/10 ❤️❤️❤️

Keep up the amazing work! And always, can't wait for Arthur to have a new drama. I've always loved him. And to the new actors / some I'm familiar with, keep it up and hope to see y'all again in the screen!
Always remember how much you guys touched the audiences heart here. Great work! ❤️❤️❤️

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Choppy, Campy, Cute

So my take on this drama is that Xu Kai's role in this took a little while for me to get used to because the character he plays (Wan Lu) is soooooo conceited. I kept on watching though because Sandrine's character (Wan Wu) reminded me of myself and some of my best friends... kept me laughing myself silly

Altogether, I think I started warming up to him in the episode where his ego takes a serious beating and he shows some much needed humility and vulnerability... his likeability score before that episode wasn't very high.

The connectivity of each episode sometimes felt ever so slightly choppy... sometimes a "theme" would be introduced that would carry for maybe 3 or 4 episodes before that would be completed and another "theme" begun. This choppiness made the storyline feel more like a tv show than a smooth plotline, focused drama.

However, once I started the show, I didn't feel like dropping at all... the action, and tension were constant, the humor was funny most of the time ( to me), although I know others might prefer less campy comedy and more seriousness in the dramas they watch.

The start of the very first episode felt extremely cryptic and confusing, and half way through the drama when I began to suspect that Wan Lu was Ouyang reincarnated, I had to go back and rewatch the first episode to understand the from the strange occurrence of his birth. At the end when it's revealed otherwise, I had to read other fans assessment to discover that he WAS supposed to be Ouyang reincarnated in the book. I'm not sure why they changed that --- it makes a better storyline and also makes it easier to believe that they fall in love, because while I liked the not-serious, playful flirting between the two, I don't know how I feel about real budding feelings between WL and WW...I don't know if they can pull off the chemistry they need if they are supposed to fall in love. I guess we'll see since this show seems to be heading toward a second season.

I'll be keeping my eyes open, cuz it entertained me enough that I'll watch it as long as it has the same people acting in it.

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While Queen Woo draws you in with its scope and brutal epicenes in the beginning where it promises some good political intrigue as fierce battle between tribes that make up the ruling class of Goguryeo it never truly becomes anything more than a very paint-by-numbers historical spiel with some interesting characters and fantastic cast that never really lives up to it’s potential.

It certainly feels like a historical drama that is meant for the big screen and not necessarily a tv show where it both felt stretched out to fill up its eight episodes runtime but also not deep enough and a bit too rushed with endless number of flashbacks to explain to us how the characters had arrived at this point of the story. If it had twelve episodes with three distinct arcs (the rise to power, the fall and the fight) all told from the perspective of Queen Woo it might have worked out and felt more like a complete, fully fleshed out story.

There is enough action, and you can see that a lot of effort was put into the epic which makes it seem like a very long film and the scenes are well done, but I’m not sure if the drama works too much on the epic for the narrative itself. It’s never said anything more than that this team was brutal. Most of the nuances in the story are missing. The drama seems to let the actors, and the action and violence do a lot of the dramas heavy lifting. The narrative is too standard and nothing we haven’t necessarily seen before in historical palace politics.

The excessive sex and violence often feel quite perplexing or just straight up oddly presented within the story and really doesn’t convey much about the story, the society or the characters. Often it just seems to be forced in there just because they could and it would make the story more daring, but it just feels lazy way of telling us about the characters and some of their ruthlessness. There must be a point with the things you put in your story.

You can’t just endlessly give us characters acting unhinged and deranged if it has no value or adds any nuance to the story. It’s just there for the shock. The characters must be built up, little by little. You must work for the things that happen within the narrative for it to work properly. While it’s fun for a while, and shocking, and can be brainless mayhem that’s exciting to witness, it gets tiresome after a while if it leaves nothing more. No nuance or reason.

Queen Woo certainly was one of those interesting characters on paper, but she feels a bit too much like a puppet in this whole game at times, and I am sure that angle could be compelling as we see her slowly come into her own, but the drama spends a whole of time getting there and I am unsure if the payoff was worth it. She is clever, she is calm under pressure and has a lot of prospects as a character. But she also comes off as somewhat of a girlboss female character that was too much written for modern audience to really become more than a standard female character in a historical drama.

The drama seems aware of its own flaws, as it’s so intent on covering up its lack of proper narrative with shocking scenes, flashbacks and battles, but the story itself is something that’s been told so many times before in costume dramas like this, aside from the violence and the nudity when it comes to kdramas, so it never becomes anything grand or special. It forgets that it is supposed to tell you an interesting story. This drama certainly had an idea, but an idea is not a narrative. Impressive in scope and quite entertaining once you turn your brain off and just enjoy the cast, the battles and costumes but if you peel back any of the layers of the actually storytelling you see that there isn’t too much there.

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10/10 for this romantic comedy series, all thanks to JoongDunk as FadelStyle

JoongDunk and FadelStyle made me forget about it. Many other BL fans would come to watch a BL series just for the gay kiss but I even forgot The Heart Killers a BL series. It's like... when you're watching a nonBL nonGL series, usually you want to see the couple not because they're a man and a woman but because of their characters, alongside their own story.

Tbh, I didn't have any clear picture for action aspect since director and the cast have been always consistent said The Heart Killers was a romantic comedy; action was its sub-genre only and presented as this series' concept. But it's surprised me, ngl. In a positive way. I think all of us agree they could have shown Lilly's related plot better, especially the clousure. However, Fadel with his background that forcely adopted under Lilly's wings also ended up as a hitman enduring consequences of his profession, is a very well-built character that has been impressed me greatly. He is the complex character everybody's rooting for. Throw-in Style in the mix, who is another super interesting character with his shameless personality but truly witty, a philosophical thinker behind his dark jokes, there I got a perfect pairing I've been loving so much while enjoying the whole wild ride from this series.

JoongDunk together have done a fantastic job in bringing life to their each character. Acting is about making something believable and they're obviously tailor-made for portraying FadelStyle. I'm feeling proud watching their remarkable progress to reach this far. FadelStyle's story and their dynamic are things I crave and savor every week.

12 episodes of romantic comedy series The Heart Killers. I had good laughs AND, unexpectedly, good cries too, all thanks to JoongDunk as FadelStyle.


***

I posted this on comment section at first, after watching Episode 11, and it's still relevant until the final. The Heart Killers is a highly recommended series if you're looking for entertainment in your free time.

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challenging the idea of normal and does it matter

Overall: This series has realistically flawed characters who are trying to figure out how to make each other and themselves happy. They are challenging the idea of normal and does normal even matter to them and their happiness. If you're looking for a steamy poly relationship or a fluffy romcom, then look elsewhere. 10 episodes, 24 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala.

Content Warnings: non con photo taking, harassment, homophobia, sexism, non con kissing/touching maybe turned consensual, teacher/former student, and there is something and I've put it on a comment

What I Liked
- challenging norms/ideas such as monogamy, how putting others' happiness before your own can actually be a burden to that person, addressing that just because someone wants to be in a poly relationship (and also that they are bi/pan) does not mean that they are attracted to every person
- diversity (polyamory, gay, bi/pan, lesbian)
- Misaki and Yuuki standing up for one another and against the father
- Misaki was smart and figured out who was taking the pictures
- Misaki seeking communication and carefully thinking/changing
- sweet moments
- production value

Room For Improvement
- sub par kissing, 1 kissing partner did not move his lips and it looked strange
- some plot conveniences/wish they had more time to delve into some parts more deeply
- Yuuki's "plan" was terrible in episode 8
- reinforced negative stereotypes about poly relationships (we see so few representations in media, so I was hoping this would play out a bit differently)
- the open ending, it really could go in a number of different directions

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A Dark Backstory Movie, With A Gruesome Duration Length…

Satou Takeru reprises his role once more as the redeemed former-warrior Himura Kenshin, only this time stepping back in time with the events of his past when he went under the alias Battousai. The storyline flitters between the " impending threat" ( though in typical Kenshin fashion, a villain who rarely escapes the realm of memorability after the movie) weapons dealer Yukishiro Enishi ( Araki Towa) as well as Kenshin’s relationship with Yukishiro Tomoe ( Arimura Kasumi).

The biggest thing to say about ‘ Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning’ is that it is arguably more profound and violent than previous Kenshin movies. A particular gruesome scene appears on screen as a man writhes in agony with blood spurting out of his wounds and mouth, whilst the cinematography combines between moody and epic battle scenes, the vivid hues of festivals and the mundane and dull palettes of everyday life in Japan .This is no surprise considering the nature of the themes of assassins, fights and mercenaries found throughout the story but screenwriter Otomo Keishi purposely sets a vast shift and darker tone from previous movies throughout the storyline. Satou Takeru is brilliant as our main lead, adding a notable more stoic, hostile and mysterious ambience as the antihero of the movie rather than the beloved hero we have come to know in earlier ones. En par with Takeru was undeniably Arimura Kasumi as the suave and gradual love interest of Kenshin, Yukishiro Tomoe. The chemistry between the leads was evidently slow-burning and not your typical status quo romance( especially from what viewers can remember from the events of ‘ Rurouni Kenshin: The Final’ and the conclusion of the movie ) , but dynamic , heartbreaking and undeniably the intriguing highlight of the entire film.

On the other hand the storyline isn’t without its more sound flaws. Whilst Araki Towa is a brilliant actor, his onscreen persona as antagonistic weapons dealer Enishi is unimpressive and lacklustre to say the least. The plot threat of Einishi certainly keeps the plot moving, but his actual appearance and memorability do not quite reach their full potential. Adding on top of the trickier issues of the film production was the gruelling duration length of 2 hours 18 minutes which can slowly trial even the most patient viewers’ attention span.

On a more nuanced note it seemed an odd move by screenwriter Otomo Keishi to have released ‘ Rurouni Kenshin: The Final’ before the events of ‘ Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning’. Whilst the movie does help to foreground a lot of the events from the previous storyline in more vivid detail (and understand more about Kenshin’s past), it would’ve seemed arguably a sounder move to have released this prequel movie first in order for viewers to grow sentimentality towards Kenshin and understand the greater impact of the events of the final movie. ( Therefore I’d recommend to newcomers or those still waiting to watch ‘ Rurouni Kenshin: The Final’ , to first complete ‘ Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning ’ in order to understand the events of the former.) However, the finale of the film did deliver a beautiful shot of cinematography which stuns viewers with the shocking revelations and events to follow.

To conclude ‘ Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning’ delved into the backstory of the beloved hero from the previous films with finesse and darker violence. The movie sometimes failed to reach its full potential or facilitate its antagonist towards being nothing more than a quick plot device and its tedious duration length , but the delivered performances by Takeru and Arimura, the stunningly filmed scenes and pretty much all of the performances by the main cast were well-deserved treats for viewers

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