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At first, I wasn’t too eager to watch this drama: an older woman-younger guy kind of stories weren’t exactly my favourite, the main actors were complete strangers for me and the number of people on MDL who saw this drama wasn’t too encouraging also. But then, after few days of fruitlessly searching for a good drama to watch I became a bit desperate and thought “ whatever, if it sucks as much as I think it does, I’ll drop it”. And I watched episode one.
...
Then, after two days, I woke up from a trance and realised I’ve watched it all. And absolutely loved it! Main actors, the chemistry between them, the script, the humour, the older ahjussi with mysterious something on his butt, her meddling mother and his aggressive sister, being shockingly open (as for Korean standards of course) about sexuality... I loved everything. The only thing that stopped me from giving this drama a full 10 was the ending, which seemed a bit rushed and kind of out of place.
So what I try to tell you in this review is this: seriously, go watch it, it’s too hilarious and sweet and touching and awesome and... I could go on like this for ages! The point is, you won’t be disappointed. That’s all.
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Rules are made to be broken.
The bold and unconventional baroness Ban Hua is a one of a kind character. Her doting uncle is the emperor of Daye; her father the hedonist Marquis Jingting has more money than God; she inherited her grandfather General Ban's martial arts prowess and she has a wardrobe to die for. For her, rules are made to broken and her flamboyant devil-may-care attitude and daring exploits have the noblemen smitten and dazzled and the noblewomen choking with envy. If there is one stain on her charmed existence, it is that all her engagements go down in flames, to the amusement of the Daye elite.When the incomparable Ban Hua's path crosses with that of the elegant Rong Xia, Count Chengán, Daye's most talented and most eligible gentleman, their courtship becomes the talk of the town. The best thing about this drama is Ban Hua and Rong Xia's character design and their hilarious and sizzling interactions that light up the screen. The comedy is very well written and blithely presented by the lively cast. The Ban family is one of the most uproarious and delightful drama families I have seen in a long time. Ban Hua's biggest fan, her charming, spendthrift rogue of a younger brother Ban Heng is my favorite character. Both Guan Xiaotong and Hou Minghao hit all the right notes in their performances. Guan Xiaotong delivers a curious air of exquisite vulnerability that softens Ban Hua's imperiousness and arrogance. While Hou Minghao's Rong Xia is looks too handsome and unattainable and is so measured and powerful in a soft spoken way that he is the perfect foil for Ban Hua's impetuousness.
Unfortunately the plot does not at all do justice to the all-around strong performances by the cast. The history between Daye's aristocrat families and secret plotting that led to the Rong family's downfall is quite interesting and well conceived. I enjoyed watching Ban Hua and Rong Xia learn to trust each other and work together against their enemies. The drama would have been best served wrapping up after the take down of the villain of that early arc. After that, the plot feels very forced and succumbs to tropey, boring and contrived delusional love rival tropes. All of the progress the couple makes is undone to create unnecessary misunderstandings and ridiculous and unimaginative palace coups. I was left with the impression that the couple can't communicate or work together and is surely doomed to divorce. The second half is as boring and ridiculous as the first half is interesting and engaging. Rong Xia's character in particular is destroyed as he goes to inexcusable lengths to save his love. The character interactions are funny throughout and that is the only thing that kept me watching until the end. It is still overall a decent watch but nothing to write home about. This is overall a 7.5/10 but the first half feels closer to an 8.5.
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Absolutely beautiful and astonishing with being unique!
Having a storyline without any plot holes, mesmerizing cinematography and CGI, great acting, and almost perfect execution with the most suitable soundtracks and OSTs. 'Rattan' nailed in every aspect giving me pleasure and a smile on my face... till the last minute of the show. Surely made a place among my most favorite once. Being a fan of fantasy and mystery finding such drama is the best thing for me.Story:
Revolves around Si Teng who is from Yi Tribe, in other words, an alien, and Qin Fang who's helping her first unwillingly but not for much time as gradually he starts to know her and also like her. Here's a perfect combination of mystery and romance genre without overlapping each other but side by side complementing each other is another strong point of the drama. Well, it's a female-centered plot so it mainly focuses on Si Teng's story and her journey. The unexpected twists and surprises are the best thing, we can definitely say it's so unpredictable without any typical cliches and overused troops in it.
Characters:
Si Teng being the center of attention, her character is one of the best FLs I've ever encountered. Strong, intelligent, elegant, stunning but still upright and kind (Though she doesn't like to admit it) her character is the soul of the show. Being badass her cuteness and sometimes adorable actions never fail to put a smile on our faces. Qin Fang aww he is just so sweet and adorable, his willingness to help and do anything for Si Teng to any extent is just amazing. They both compliment each other and make a perfect pair for sure! Another character I would like to mention is definitely Yan Fu Rui he is really a show stealer at many points, in the mystery and romance genre he is the one who makes it to comedy too! being super cute he has definitely nailed it.
Cinematography:
One of the most beautiful cinematography I've ever seen, with a mesmerizing scenario, stunning greenery the cinematography becomes the most astonishing aspect of the show, it surely is a feast for the eyes to see such beautiful locations and set.
Other things I would like to point are...
Music and OSTs at the perfect scene and enhancing the beauty of it with it.
The costumes being most beautiful and elegant surely beautifying everything with it.
I would really love to appreciate the child actress who played the role of Si Teng... the role was made for her.
Though ending not be in everyone's like still for me it was the most suitable and perfect ending.
Last not least Wafang didn't get much screentime after the first few episodes but he was such a cutie.
So overall I loved it, and hats of for being so consistently good from the starting to the end.
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No matter what “they called”, bromance or what so ever, but the love story amongst of those two (Yi You and Yi Ling) were very clear especially when their eyes met. 👀
Sometimes we don't really have to label a series as a BL from kissing scenes let alone sex scenes, but with very good storytelling it can satisfy some viewers like I did.
Translate to Indonesian:
Meskipun cerita yang sedikit kurang masuk akal, namun chemistry antar dua karakter utama yang dibangun secara perlahan sejak episode pertama membuahkan hasil maksimal hingga akhir.
Mau mereka sebut ini hanya sekedar bromance, tapi kisah cinta keduanya sudah amat jelas terlihat dari kedua mata You and Liang saat bertemu.
Terkadang kita tidak harus mencap sebagai BL series dari adegan ciuman apalagi sex, dengan pengisahan yang sangat baik sudah dapat memuaskan penonton seperti saya.
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This is not for those who are intimidated-shy with well-done nude love scenes and these actors did a very convincing job in all aspects - not too many and not too explicit, remember this is about making babies & lusty love for this triangle. This movie reminded me of a chess piece roles... Pawn helps/loved King; King loves Pawn; Pawn services Queen; King alone & in love; Queen loves Pawn; Pawn is always sacrificed. Would I watch again? Probably not, too many more to discover.
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The Interest of Love. A story of four imperfect flawed people learning to love
making their mistakes, falling and picking themselves up again. Yes the plot of the drama can be frustrating hence my rating but it's a drama that makes you think. Certain scenes ect can be dissected non stop getting a different outcome every single time. And well that's life. I think that's what both the writers and the director wanted to achieve. The characters here aren't perfect and cardboard cutouts. They are flawed and realistic. Sometimes their choices leave the viewer scratching their head with either confusion or frustration.At it's core tho, it's a slow and interesting story that shows a complete different side to love. Love isn't all rainbows and sunshine. Sometimes it's pain and heartbreak. The Interest of Love shows that well. SuYeong and SangSu are two very damaged characters trying to find their place in the world and their lives. One is idealistic and romantic while the other is emotionally damaged and closed off. The second leads carry their own pain and burdens too. MiGyeon(SFL) especially is someone who has been hurt heavily by both her past and SangSu and although she makes you hate her at times she also makes you root for her. She is the one who picks up herself the most and learns from her mistakes. The best character of the drama and my favorite. She made me proud. In the end I think both SuYeong and SangSu let go of their past trauma & learn the lesson they are meant to but not as well as MG.
The realism, slowness of the drama and the open interpretation of the ending can turn people off but I'd say give it a chance. It's a deep drama that makes you look at love in a different way and think about things differently. I enoyed it even if both SY and SS frustrated me at times. Will I recommend it? 50-50 it depends on taste. If you want a simple, slice of life drama then IoL is definitely not for you. If you want a slow, true to life drama then I suggest watching this: may not regret it. I didn't.
I think the cast did an incredible of portraying these characters. I have found some actors I really liked while watching this.
Overall I give this an 8.0 because there were certain parts I really enjoyed while others left me frustrated. While I re watch? probably not. As much as I liked the cast, I think it's a one time drama. It might lose it's appeal with re watches.
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The acting was really well done by everyone especially the crazy Seh Hee/See Hee.
This is one of those movies that makes you think. The end is a WTF just happened. I didn\''t really understand but it was still an interesting movie so I\''d recommend it.
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This review may contain spoilers
A Masterpiece People Are Sleeping On
I don’t usually write reviews, but Shadow Love has completely blown me away, and I feel like more people need to know about it. This is easily my favorite drama of 2025, and trust me, I’ve watched a lot.The premise itself is fresh and bold: a superhero story set in ancient China. It feels like a clever answer to Marvel’s global success, but instead of copying, the production makes it uniquely Chinese in both spirit and execution. The world-building is rich, the action is sharp, and the storytelling ties it all together in a way that feels both modern and deeply rooted in tradition.
At 38 episodes you’d expect some drag or rushed arcs, which is a problem in many long Chinese dramas. But not here. The pacing is masterful. Every storyline is given enough space to breathe, and nothing feels confusing or underdeveloped. I never once felt lost, and every subplot tied back beautifully to the main narrative.
And then there is the chemistry. Cheng Lei and Song Yi absolutely light up the screen together. I know some people hesitate to watch because they are hung up on Cheng Lei’s previous roles or Song Yi’s off-screen rumors, but honestly, that is a shame. Their on-screen connection is electric, mature, and natural. They bring out the best in each other. And yes, Cheng Lei has plenty of shirtless scenes sprinkled throughout, which definitely does not hurt (I may have replayed a few too many times.....🥺🥺)
Speaking of Cheng Lei, he was born for action roles. His fight scenes are exhilarating, but what impressed me more was his range. In his previous dramas, he often played cold, domineering types. Here, he is carefree, playful, and charismatic, yet still deadly when needed. His ability to switch between these personas shows just how versatile he really is.
As for Song Yi, this was my first drama with her, and I’m stunned. Some viewers have criticized her use of a bow as her main weapon, calling it impractical, but honestly, her fight choreography is still compelling. What really sets her apart, though, are her emotional performances. Few dramas have ever made me cry the way Shadow Love did, and that is largely thanks to Song Yi’s ability to embody grief and vulnerability with such raw power.
Overall, Shadow Love is a drama that deserves way more attention than it is getting. It is not just another historical fantasy. It is a rare combination of gripping storytelling, stellar performances, and unforgettable chemistry. If you are sleeping on it, you are missing out on what I would confidently call the best drama of the year.
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Papol played by Boom is a rich guy who have lived with trying to win the affection of his father,but only got rejection and neglect.In his mind the new wife of his fathers is a intruder to the perfect happy family he always dreamed of,and therefore he hates her with all his being and looks down on where she came from.So in this story he meets the very passionate Pantawan and gets drawn to her bright nature while also despising the attraction he feels for her.Pantawan is a hardworking young woman who has to sing and dance in nightclubs to get great pay for her foster mothers gambling debts.She despise Papol on sight for his cruel behaviour and injustice view of her life.But Papol never expected her to be the mysterious owner of the beautiful voice he wants to represent to his new music company-and both find themselves working together.Both characters shares the pain of feeling abandoned,and finds themselves falling in love.Papol did everything for Pantawan to love him when she didn`t love him.It was a courtship and chase i loved to watch.But after their marriage in ep 10 a despicable twist happens,and i literally wanted to claw his eyes out.Papol is a main-hero who have a heart he doesn`t understand,eyes in which he does not see and ears in which he don´t hear.But you find yourself cry your heart out,getting angry so hard you want to hurl your computer across the room...but sigh for what the power of love can accomplish.Papol and Pantawan are characters that only can fall in love once,but its a kind of love that stays for always.
I found myself having second lead syndrome for Non played by Great Sapol,he had such a great character and was the greatest friend Pantawan could have had.Loved how he stood up for her!The younger sister Pat is a character i can`t stand.I still haven`t forgiven her for what she did to Pan early in the story because of her unlogical jealousy.I couldn`t relate to Pantawan`s real mother,she did so many things i found so unloyal and humiliating,i never cared about any of her "pain" or "regrets".I absolutely love the first 10 episodes..they were exciting,cute,sexy and romantic in so many ways..but it just kinda fell down from there for me.I do hope Boom and Pimmy co-star again,since their chemistry is truly exceptional and shattering,loved how they could look deep into each other eyes.!
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Actually a pretty good drama! (wanted to write a positive review since there aren't many)
I just finished this drama and I saw a lot of bad reviews on it. I must say, I think this drama is not bad at all. The music is perfect, the cast is wonderful and the story is decent. Don't watch this if you're expecting a very adventurous and perhaps seductive drama (this is just a heads-up because the poster is slightly misleading).Story: Alright so the story. Since this review will not have spoilers, I'm just going to talk about what I think about it. The story gets slightly repetitive and there isn't TOO much of a development to it. HOWEVER, since this drama is mainly focused on the romance, I do think this is good. First off, the story that is shown is probably not enough to bore you, although there are a lot more better story lines out there, this drama is mostly focused on the romance (as I already said before). 2. Other than watching the interactions between the main couple, the secondary characters are very interesting and well written. 3. The romance is quite nice with a handful of adorable moments in there. It's very entertaining to see the contrast between the characters when they're working and when they're with their love interest. Also, I HAVE to bring this up. There is no toxicity in the romance of both the lead couple and the other secondary couples. There is no taking advantage of or romanticizing some kind of toxic behavior.
Acting/Cast: They chose a very good cast to act in this drama. The actors and actresses all portray their characters perfectly and they all have a defined personality to them. The acting is also wonderful, it allows us, as watchers, to experience the story the same way as the characters do. I think the leads have very good chemistry and acted the roles flawlessly. I also enjoyed the side characters a lot, there was some character development and it was entertaining to watch the different side characters.
Music: I think the soundtrack of this drama was lovely, it fit the scenes well and DAMN that first ost (Fire Dance) is so catchy. The music really helped portray the emotions in this drama and it was a very nice listening experience.
Rewatch Value: I must say, I would rewatch a lot of scenes 100%. I would probably not rewatch the whole drama as it is slightly lengthy but I definitely enjoyed watching it the first time.
More of a personal opinion (you don't have to read this if you don't want to) MIGHT INCLUDE MINOR SPOILERS:
I personally LOVED this drama. I came for Liu Xue Yi as this is his first modern day drama as the male lead. I think everyone did wonderfully and this drama certainly did not deserve all the hate that it got. I think I liked this slow-burn drama, I think it is more of a realistic relationship and I loved this journey.
SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
I enjoyed that the male lead did not just try to express his love to the female lead in the beginning since he knew she had a boyfriend/fiancé.
Also LOVED Lin Si Yu's character development. Ship her with Wang Ji.
I like how Xu Qing You is independent. Hate when female leads just depend on the male leads.
Thank you for reading my review! I hope this convinced you to give this drama a try :D
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This review may contain spoilers
Once in a millennia
I created an account just to add my review. Please give this drama a chance. There were no promotions or support from its platform because there are no traffic stars in here, but the story, the cast, and crew were well worth it. This drama easily became my top 3.Chao Feng and Qing Kui stole my heart in this drama. Because the director isn’t well known to flesh out his characters emotionally, especially when this drama is a comedy and avoids heavy feelings, the actors have to rely on limited scenes to build their chemistry. Chemistry is the most important element in every story. Without tears, it’s hard to feel the true love between the characters. The entire cast was great, but Chen Mu Chi and He Xuan Lin took it to another level with their crying scenes. It’s so hard to find actors/actresses who can cry so beautifully now. I just watched a break up scene in a currently airing drama and the lead actress had absolutely no tears, but people were praising and raving about her amazing acting. I was puzzled on how the director even passed that scene?! A lot of the post 95 female leads can’t compare to their predecessors who can cry fountains on cue. Yes, I treasure tears and ones with emotions, too.
It was extremely refreshing to see Qing Kui cry at all the right moments, making every scene heart gripping. Tears never made her weak; she was smart, strong, and brave yet kind and gentle, genuinely changing Chao Feng from a bad boy to hero, effortlessly. Chao Feng’s close relationship with his mother, the sacrifices he made for his soldiers, saving Qing Kui every time, risking his life and millennia long war with the Void Empress, was nothing but impressive and touching. When Chao Feng’s tears flowed out of his eyes in front of Lamu’s house, to when he was carrying his mother on his back after losing all his powers, to when he married Qing Kui in prison, to when Qing Kui died, if it weren’t for Chen Mu Chi’s tears, those scenes would’ve been passable but not awesomely memorable. I am so proud of my pair for jerking hearts with their beautiful crying scenes. The leading pair were more comedic relief, but my second pair delivered all the emotions and moved the audience beyond with their tears. I’m not sure if that’s how they intended the drama to go, but the story wouldn’t be complete without Chao Feng and Qing Kui. They executed all of the tears, feelings, and chemistry so well. I hope they get to collaborate again, soon.
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This review may contain spoilers
It’s Not That Bad
For a change, it seems I’m on the opposite end of an unpopular opinion.I placed spoilers at the end of this review.
I thought this was an interesting and funny series. I don’t know how much it mirrors the French TV series (Call My Agent!), but I thought this script was good. However, It’s not perfect. There were some aspects of the script that I did not like. See spoiler alert at the end of this review for more information. I thought the cast was wonderful. I liked the group dynamic and that all of the characters were likably flawed. I also loved seeing the various guest actors in each episode playing mock versions of themselves. The one main critique is the pacing. The series starts off strong but gradually losses energy throughout the series. As for the ending, see the spoiler alert on my take of it.
Random Note: As stated above, I did not see the French TV series this was based on which is probably why I enjoyed this series. Is the series perfect? No, but I don’t think it deserves all the hate it’s getting. I’ve seen far worse dramas than this one.
******Spoiler Alert******
The relationship development between Ma Tae Oh and So Hyun Joo is inconsistent for the first half of the series. It does not progress in a natural way.
I did not need the hinted incest love attraction throughout the series between two of the characters. This was unnecessary and seemed out of place. It also served no purpose in this series (for now at least).
Everything towards the end of the last episode is hinting at a second season. If so, the ending is perfect. I would absolutely watch it. If not, then I’m completely pissed off how they ended it.
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1This cute romance could have had more depth
What starts as an ordinary "opposites attract" romance -- Ji Won is shy and avoids public scrutiny, while Jeong Woo thrives in it -- with inconsistent characterisations and tropey situations, turns out to be a drama that has a story to tell about homophobia in professional sports. Unfortunately that is only after it's found its stride near the end of the third episode, which is late in a drama of eight episodes.Overall, it feels as if the writers found it too challenging to adapt the original novel into an eight-episode drama, couldn't decide which kind of story they wanted to tell, and just kept it to the bare bones of the romance part.
(Disclosure: I haven't read the novel, so I can only assume that it has a much more detailed and hopefully deeper story.)
I feel more than the usual disconnect I sometimes have with the Korean acting style, and I feel it's only in part due to the actors being rookies. I think most of it is the script, which leaves large parts of the two main characters unexplored, and doesn't give the actors much to work with:
* Why does blow Jeong Woo hot and cold in the beginning? What are his emotions and his motivations at that time?
* Who is Jeong Woo, where does he come from, why does he play basketball, what does he want in life? What has influenced him so far?
* Where exactly does Ji Won's anxiety about being observed come from? Does it have to do with the (hinted at) abuse he suffered from his first coach?
* What is Ji Won's relationship with his parents like? What part did *they* play in his youth?
* Does he know he's gay before meeting Jeong Woo or not?
* How old is he, and in which year are the basketballers? (I think one of the friends said Ji Won was 22, and they are all the same age -- are Jeong Woo and his friends in fourth year then?)
* How much time passes between scenes and over the course of the drama?
* Several times there are inconsistencies or it's obvious that characters reference happenings that are never shown, or mentioned anywhere else in the drama.
With it, the most interesting parts of the story are only hinted at: How much impact the rampant homophobia in professional sports has -- and how it forces athletes to hide large parts of themselves. How public scrutiny of celebrities can affect their psyche. How abusive the system can be for minors who often are at the mercy of their trainers.
The story had the potential to be much more than another cute romance, which is a shame.
Some thoughts about the directing and editing: I wish the director had been a bit more adventurous. She shows that she is capable of making interesting decisions, like having the camera shake in one emotional scene or using background music sparingly, and letting silence speak for itself. But in more than a few scenes, dialogues are delivered while the characters are standing in front of each other, facing the other character head-on; or walking at a snail's pace -- which reminds me of the static scenes in "Light On Me". This also contributes to the feeling that the acting is seemingly not that good; which is not quite true, because as soon as the actors get to do something and their characters have a clear motivation for their actions the scenes become much more lively and approachable.
One thing that suprised me in the best way: When one character comes out to his friends, he uses the words "gay" and "bi", which is a very rare thing in BLs.
Was it good?
The drama was better than I expected, in that it didn't pretend that all is easily accepted in BL-Land, but that homophobia, especially in certain places like pro sports, exists and restricts the lives of queer people.
Did I like it?
I liked it fine, but mainly because I didn't expect much. It also wasn't the deepest of K-BLs.
Who would I recommend it to?
To those who generally get on with the style of K-BLs, like campus romance and Korean cuties.
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A RARE GEM
I 'm a long time c-drama watcher and I've never written a review for any drama before.But after watching this show, I KNEW THAT I HAD TO WRITE A REVIEW!!!!
STORY: 10/10
This isn’t your typical high school romance drama. Yes, the FL and ML meet and become friends which turns into something more like in all school dramas. And yes, there are other typical high school tropes/cliches. Honestly, I was fully expecting this to be just another regular high school romance. But, this drama was so much more than that. This drama is really about a bunch of high school students that due to different reasons, weren’t able to pass/take the college entrance exam to get into university. These students ended up having to sign up and join a class together to repeat a year of high school in order to prepare for the next college entrance exam.
The story was realistic and the acting was so natural. It really captured the life of a high school student and the pressures and struggles of studying well to get into a good university. But it also really showed the support that the students got from their peers, families, and teachers as well! Being a university student myself, the story and characters really resonated with me!
There was romance in this drama, but it definitely played a smaller part. However, overall it was pretty cute! :)
There were 24 episodes which was a great length! I usually skip a lot of episodes in c-dramas as they get long and draggy. BUT I DIDN’T SKIP A SINGLE MINUTE OF THIS DRAMA. I had to binge watch all the episodes until I finished it. It was truly a refreshing show.
CHARACTERS: 10/10
All the characters had great chemistry! Especially the FL and ML!
This drama also did a great job dedicating episodes to focus on various side characters. It didn’t take away the story from the main leads at all! I seriously loved every single character and their addition to the story. Mostly every important side character had a great backstory and displayed their own high school experience. Lots of important topics were showcased through these characters including mental health, bullying, family issues, different passions/dreams, etc.
PRODUCTION: 10/10
Loved the unique style of this drama. Every episode began differently with different montages, comedy scenes, etc. While the ending credits included videos of characters or real life high school students sharing their thoughts.
It felt like the director and the writers really put in the effort and thought to make this show really meaningful!
OVERALL A 10/10 AND A MUST WATCH!
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♥ 17.3 about a sex ♥
This drama is about 3 high school girls who are trying to find their sexuality and more about sex topic in high school. Sakura is serious, Tsugumi is not interested to date anyone, and Yuna is experienced in dating a lot of guys. Sakura falls in love with a guy in her high school but she is still not ready to do it. Do you think at the age of 17 is early to do it?As a Japanese I think age it's very early, it's better to fall in love and do it with the right guy. Even in the age of 20s some people are scared to have sex but that's how society is in Japan. I think this drama is really worth watching as it's soft, and cute romantic ♥♥♥Was this review helpful to you?
