Reviews

The Cherry Magic Effect — A Comforting Fairy Tale?

IfI told you that no other show than Cherry Magic ever gave me the feeling of comfort and feeling home would you believe me? I randomly came across this Japanese Drama and it changed me in many ways and I’m not exaggerating here. While dealing with my mental health and my depression to be specific during COVID-19 times — I felt the loneliness and unhappiness inside me growing. The impact and feeling this little drama left in my heart exceeded all my expectations. Even though it did not magically make my problems disappear, it did motivate me to keep trying.

Suddenly I found myself in the comment section, commenting paragraphs and paragraphs of random thoughts, observations, admiration, analysis, random niche memes, and a good dose of crushing on the very talented actor Machida Keita. The comment section was never empty. Someone was always commenting, replying, always talking. The warmth of the comment section felt like the best, never-ending hug. This special community found its way into my heart. I truly think that this series attracted very special people, the best kind of people. This is the truly magical part of this experience.

I started to host watch parties for CM to share my joy and discovered how healing the experience of watching and re-watching this drama actually is. I never enjoyed rewatching anything. It is simply not something that gives me that much joy. So, I never really got what people meant by their “comfort” show. However, it changed with Cherry Magic. Almost every single episode made me feel like a teen falling in love for the first time again — extremely happy, giddy, and butterflies in my stomach. Every re-watch felt like an entirely different experience.

But the fact that this is my first Boys’ Love (BL) drama made me do a lot of research and late-night reading. I never felt comfortable to watch a BL drama before. I did not know why something would be classified as Boys’ Love instead of LGBTQ+. I found out there are many different readings and academic perspectives on this genre. So I came to the realization that in no way Cherry Magic is a perfect drama. I am someone who can love something but still views things from a more critical perspective.

You can read the whole article/essay here:
https://aylind.medium.com/the-cherry-magic-effect-a-comforting-fairy-tale-316ea781796d
I also included academic sources and more information on the BL genre.

The Concept of Romantic (Boys) Love

Up until the Meiji period, homosexual acts were practiced throughout the Tokugawa and Edo periods in Japan. In the Edo period, the writers wrote about the relationships between older and younger samurai. Edo writers' idea of love differed from the Western concept of “romantic love”. During the Meiji period, however, Japan was influenced by the west.

The concept of romantic love which involves self-sacrifice and was particularly popular in the ’70s shōjo mangas has western roots. Those popular shōjo manga’s narratives were melodramatic and serious.

“Sex, for the heroine, is often the ultimate form of self-sacrifice where she must prove the truthfulness of her love by “overcoming” the fear and pain associated with the act, rather than accepting or even enjoying it.
The shift from shōjo romance to BL signals changes in the conceptualization of love, from the surrender of the female body for the sake of love to the mutual exploration of love, sexuality, and erotic desire between two protagonists.” (Saito, 2011)

Reality or Fantasy?

The Boys’ Love Genre originated in Japan and was originally created and consumed by women essentially in response to the Japanese obscenity laws in the 1970s which caused a restriction of representation of male-female sexuality. Thus it is “a fascinating example of (fear of) government regulation leading to self-censorship, leading in turn to the creation of a whole new field of fantasy and desire/identification for countless readers of this new subgenre” (Orbaugh, 2003).

The distinction between fantasy and real LGBTQ+ people is one I personally cannot make. Despite the fact that I can see why people might regard the BL genre as a form of entertainment or escape from norms and society, it feels not appropriate to make this distinction. Furthermore, BL media seems to be the most mainstream media for the LGBTQ+ community in Japan, therefore it does have an influence on how the community is perceived by others. It has the power to empower the LGBTQ+ community and to push boundaries, instead of alienating and dehumanizing them further. The expression of desires and sexuality without the sexualization and fetishization of homosexual relationships should be normalized in mainstream media. This is why media is such an important tool. Most academic research seems to focus on mangas and animes, but with the Live-Action genre, we are dealing with real human beings. It makes things even more complex.

Another interesting aspect would be that we are literally able to see Kurosawa’s fantasy scenarios with Adachi through the magical abilities Adachi possesses. The distinction between reality and fantasy takes another dimension and creates an inner conflict between Adachi and what he wants.

Playing it safe?

After reading an interview with one of the screenwriters, I came to the conclusion that CM attempted to create a romantic comedy that would attract all kinds of viewers, thus they tried to stay away from being labeled as BL. I read that the production wanted to not hurt anyone with this production, so they tried to be careful. The production played it safe. They tried to stay away from labeling CM as part of the stigmatized BL genre. Therefore, by portraying this “universal” and “gender-free” love, they did attract a lot of different viewers. However, while attempting to hurt not anyone, this “neutral” approach might not be satisfying enough for some viewers. Is it possible to not label your work as BL genre but also avoiding to call it LGBTQ+ media?
An accurate representation of the community does not mean that the story cannot focus on joy and positive themes. By depicting a fictional world where the identity of an LGBTQ+ person is limited or censored, it might make people who are still figuring out their (sexual) identity feel like their identity and desires are not “normal” or “impure”. Therefore we have to be more careful about labeling romantic stories of LGBTQ+ people without physical intimacy as “pure”. Those dichotomies of pure/impure imply that that physical intimacy between LGBTQ+ people is not considered as “pure”.

Hence why it is important to ask ourselves, if this approach makes it more approachable for conservative viewers, viewers with heteronormative ideologies and might offer us a more fantasy image on real same-sex relationships — A fantasy image that might offer escape and entertainment or harm real LGBTQ+ people by being stereotyped?
On one hand, this drama might be much better in comparison to other BL dramas where sexualization and fetishization, and non-consensual intimacy, rape happen quite often, but on the other hand, people who usually don’t watch dramas and movies that are labeled as BL, might not be content with Cherry Magic. Not everyone feels strange about the way kisses, etc. were handled because they wanted to see some steamy scenes and fetishize gay men. Some people just want a more accurate representation of minorities.

We should not have to lower our expectations because this is a Japanese Drama or BL drama in general. Change cannot happen in a blink of an eye, but there’s a difference between writing a kissing scene and teasing a kiss into the script. I live by the approach that valid criticism can only be helpful for future production. The unexpected international popularity of Cherry Magic showcases that there is a need for media that is comforting and romantic, without unnecessary toxicity and death. You cannot deny the impact pop culture has on society. One has to recognize that Cherry Magic is a step in the right direction, where consent plays importance. Adachi is never forced by Kurosawa. Adachi does not have to prove his love by having sex with Kurosawa. They both respect each other's boundaries and feelings.

Restrictions, Imagination, and Queer Interpretations

“I like the way he can easily say that there’s more to life than just love.”

One of the reasons why this drama seems to appeal to a lot of people on the ace spectrum seems to be the romantic approach in the drama. The protagonist Adachi seems to want to be only physically intimate with Kurosawa due to the romantic connection he has with Kurosawa. However, even if Adachi is supposed to be on the ace spectrum, the teasing of physical intimate scenes is what makes this drama marketable and can irritate people. I would have been totally fine with no kissing and teasing but a short sentence by Adachi saying that he is just not interested in it would have been sufficient. On the contrary, the second couple; Tsuge and Minato share several kisses with each other. So I guess it is ok to wonder why Adachi and Kurosawa did not share a kiss? There is a scene where both of them are waking up in a bed together. Unrealistically, they are both wearing white t-shirts. This might reflect Kurosawa’s fantasy we saw in the first episode, but it also further removes this scenario from reality.

In contrast, Wood (2012) argues that “…ambiguity and uncertainty is productively queer and open to a wide range of interpretation and fantasy.” Therefore, the censorship might appeal to a wide range of viewers and leave room for the imagination of the viewers. This also leads to also to more fan creations.

Furthermore, the screenwriter confirmed our assumption that Fujisaki — a character which is a Fuijioshi in the manga — is actually on the aero or ace spectrum. It would have been wonderful if we would have gotten more scenes with her. Aero and ace characters are rarely depicted in media. Fujisaki is a supportive character who does not interfere with Kurosawa and Adachi. She offers her insight and advice like a true friend.
I have been reading that this drama is made for the Japanese society in mind, and some Japanese LGBTQ+ people seem to enjoy this drama and some do not. It is only fair to recognize those valid critical voices. TV Tokyo sold the rights for Cherry Magic to various international streaming services — such as WeTV and CrunchyRoll and the Blu-ray/DVD has English and Chinese subtitles. Globalization will continue to play a role in how this genre is viewed and marketed. This “label-free” story attracts different people from different cultural backgrounds — people with different intentions and opinions will watch this show. It is nearly impossible to come to a conclusion on such a sensitive topic. The BL genre is not black or white. One possibility for future adaptations would be to hire another scriptwriter who has the experience and can offer a more realistic view of the LGBTQ+community.

Magical Music — To Build a Home

Something that makes this drama even more special is the magical OST. Every music piece was so carefully chosen. I am pretty sure that music really makes you feel at home with these characters. The way they make use of silence is just so impactful in capturing and emphasizing certain moments. Just like the way, the magic abilities of Adachi were not used as a simple plot device, the silence helps us to focus on the raw emotions, moments, and conflicts between the characters and most importantly themselves.

How to Escape — Run Adachi Run

In this drama everyone is running, running away from their problems, running to confront their problems. Both Adachi and Kurosawa are running away from the possibility of happiness and pain. Adachi is afraid to face reality without his magical abilities, his low self-esteem and self-doubt are stopping him until he physically pushes away the person he cares about deeply. Love is not a permanent way to heal our own wounds. Accepting love when you have a hard time to see yourself as worthy of giving and receiving love, can be really difficult. Cherry Magic also offered us a way to escape from the real world. From a cultural perspective, we are in need of the warmth and closeness this drama has offered us during these trying times. Not everyone likes a hug, but when it has become the reality that we should distance ourselves to feel safe, it feels comforting to see Adachi and Kurosawa hugging each other in front of everyone. They touch each other's hearts.

The Magic of Communication

One of the things I dislike the most is when my beloved characters in TV shows and movies are not able to communicate or all of a sudden magically solve their problems. When I think about my favorite couples, my weakness for good communication and dialogue-heaviness is a characteristic that connects them all. Love does not mean to overcome misunderstandings and obstacles by simply accepting love. It means to be vulnerable and also to understand that sometimes you are not able to speak the same language. We, humans, are very complex beings. There seems to be an agreement that someone with low-self-esteem is not able to give and receive love when they are not content with themselves, while I agree that it is very difficult, the process of gaining confidence can be a life long struggle for a lot of people. Thus, I think we should be able to let people inside our lives while communicating our problems. People with low-self-confidence deserve love and I am not talking about only romantic love. We can independently grow together. But of course, there is a risk of being codependent on each other.
There is an emotional scene where Kurosawa thinks about how he wants Adachi to realize how special he is and how he should be more confident in himself. What I really love about this scene is that Kurosawa is aware that he cannot be the person who saves Adachi from his misery, it is on him. Only Adachi can save himself. Kurosawa loves Adachi for who he is. But can Adachi love himself? Their relationship reminds me of love Rae and Finn’s relationship in My Mad Fat Diary. Rae has a hard time accepting herself and Finn’s love. She sees Finn as an 11 and herself as a 4. Both Adachi and Rae struggle to see what their partners see in them. Rae pushes Finn away and so does Adachi. In both stories, they both deal with their lack of confidence in a different way.

My other favorite scene has to be the restaurant scene in episode 10. Everything about it, the subtle acting, the banter — it’s just perfection. We can see the growth of Kurosawa and Adachi, together and independently in that scene. Adachi wants Kurosawa to feel comfortable around him, he does not have to be perfect for him to love him. The potential of their relationship and growth is so visible in that scene. However, we can also see that Kurosawa still struggles a lot with the way he is perceived by others and seeks assurance from others. Kurosawa mentions several times that he is happy around Adachi and that Adachi makes him happy and that being with him is enough which shows us that Kurosawa needs to learn that he has control over his own happiness. Kurosawa is far from perfection, he has his own struggles and conflicts. I wish we could have more time to explore Kurosawa’s world and him making mistakes and learning to accept the imperfect parts of himself. To be honest, they would benefit from therapy :D All my faves deserve free therapy.

Given that each episode no longer than 25min long, which definitely does not leave a lot of time to show deep character developments and complex storylines, Cherry Magic is still able to touch on important topics and create dimensional characters the viewers care deeply about. I do not remember the last time when I cheered and cried this much for two fictional characters. However, the conflict in episode 11, seems to be timed poorly. I wish the last episodes would have been longer, so the pacing seemed more natural and less rushed. The pen scene in the last episode seems too sudden and not natural enough for me personally.

Despite that this drama is not by any means perfect, it is one of the few really good things that came into my life in 2020. I would recommend it to everyone who is in need of some happiness and clumsy first love in their lives. This show has it all. I hope you can experience the Cherry Magic effect.

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"We would like to talk about things that are never talked about on Korean television."

It's not too common to see Korean dramas with South Korean society’s taboo subjects in the story such as sexual orientation, mental disorders, drugs, rebellion kids, etc. This one has everything mentioned and a bit more. The drama It’s not just about the young people and their youth, but also about parents and the lack of responsibility and/or support many of them have towards their kids. It may seems like a basic short drama, but it talks about some really important issues and I appreciate how diverse the characters are. Each one has their own struggles in life to deal with and you can even relate to them.

But like I mentioned before, Discipline is a short web drama. It doesn’t have a long time and investment for a perfect development. However this wasn't an obstacle for the director/writer. They still did a good job working on those previously mentioned issues despite the short time. I may be a little too biased because this kind of story about rebellious youth and friendship is totally my thing, but I assure you this is a worth to watch drama. Just the fact it breaks the traditional on Korean series is a good reason why you should give it a try.

Furthermore, it would be really great if this web drama could gain a long version (like kdramas usually are). Discipline has an important story to tell and this could definitely be as good as it is if it had more time for development.

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This show was unexpectedly interesting from episode 1. I have to hand it to Jang Ki Yong and Nam Da Reum - they were both amazing actors in this (and props to the casting director, because they did well choosing NDR for the younger Na Moo/Do Jin). My complaints lie in the back end of the story, and most especially with the last 2 episodes. I'm not sure if the pacing got off due to pre-emptions for the World Cup and elections, or if they made changes in the story. But the last episode was just super cheesy and didn't fit the tone of the rest of the show at all. One scene in particular - that I won't spoil - was just corny, and I was cringing so hard about it. (Surprisingly, a scene that a few commenters found tear inducing. I felt quite the opposite about it.)

While the story sort of floundered mid-way, I can't say enough about the cast - the acting was on point. Jang Ki Yong and Nam Da Reum were kings of facial expression. Heo Joon Ho was appropriately terrifying. Kim Kyung Nam elicited unexpected feelings towards his character as well. Seo Jung Yeon was perfect as the selfless mother to sons that weren't even hers. And Kim Seo Hyung, the reporter, was even more hated than the villain of the story. I had no complaints about the acting.

I doubt I will ever rewatch this, and honestly if I had just known the ending for our star-crossed lovers, I would have been happy to have skipped out on the last episode altogether.

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Mixed

I didn't hate it, didn't love it. Honestly, I'm mixed about what score to give this because overall, it was good, but there is a giant glaring problem, and that's that it gets pretty meh during the last two episodes, which isn't good considering that there's only 6 episodes, 20 minutes long.

Let's Dive In.

My initial take on this series was good, I enjoyed the plot, the build-up, the difference of seeing them as teenagers compared to adults and their getting back to knowing one another. I understand Miyata's past trauma with Takashi, but boy oh boy was it annoying to see him constantly being pushed away. I think this would've worked better had the episode been a bit longer, but for what we had, there just wasn't time for the back and forth. On top of that, the breakup and the getting back together all happen within the span of the last two episodes, which is where it starts to fall for me. But I loved their dynamic, I loved that their intimate scenes were handled so graciously, and enjoyed the majority of what I watched.

Ratings:

Story: 7.5/10 - It was good. Meh at some parts, but mostly good.

Acting: 8/10 - Good! There wasn't much room for super-heavy scenes, so most of the acting was mediocre.

Music: 6/10 - didn't pay attention to it.

Recommendation Value: 6.5/10 - Ehh, I've seen better J-BLs, but again, I didn't hate it. I still would say to give it a shot if you have time.

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Palatial Mediocrity

I. The Good
First up, let's appreciate the elaborate costume designs. The costume team outdid themselves, for both the ML and FL's costumes (except for that decision to add two shoulder handles on the imperial robe). It's been awhile since I've looked at male costumes and thought, 'That's a gorgeous piece of work'.

Another gorgeous piece of work is LZH (ML). I agree with the comments that LZH's nuanced and compelling acting chops has what it takes to promote him to full-length drama cast. One could see the physical changes as he assumes the demeanour of the crown prince or discarding it like a robe to embody the persona of the second prince. He singlehandedly carried all 3 hours. That's not to say that XZZ's (FL) acting was bad; LZH so brightly outshined everyone else that it left searing afterimages preventing us from observing anyone else. I did love LZH's sizzling chemistry with XZZ, especially when he was flirting with her as the second prince. Special mention should also be given to HEY (ML's sidekick, Du Bin), for his expressive comedy and chemistry with LZH, reminiscent of Gao Hanyu in Legend of Fu Yao.

The choreography for the fight scenes were so graceful and well-executed, it was like watching a dance. In the first episode itself we are treated to beautiful, fluid sword work by the ML and the seamless performance as the FL whirls around to assassinate her own assassins.

It has an open-but-leaning-towards-happy ending, which appears to be the concept of this drama. At the end of 24 episodes, you realise that the drama comprises shadowy wisps of storylines held together by elaborate costumes, ornate sets, dynamic chemistry, and whimsical humour.

II. The Bad
The plot is boring. The premise starts out strong: The solemn crown prince ML has a flamboyant twin brother who seems determined to aid Shattered Star Valley in undermining the royal family. The ruthless Shattered Star Valley assassin FL is assigned the task of assassinating the crown prince. Taking on the identity of the Duke of Yin's daughter, who is destined to wed the ML as his crown princess, she plans her murderous plot during the day. In a twist of circumstances, she is compelled to obtain royal sperm from the second prince, only to find out that the second prince is a Shattered Star Valley covert operative who has no qualms flirting with his sister-in-law. However, the storylines were predictable and uninspired. You're left watching it only for the sporadic comedy and gorgeous views.

III. The Ugly
There were some scenes that were so excessively unbelievable that it cut through the mood and slapped me like a giant flapping tuna. For instance, in episode 6, when the FL prevents the assassin from killing the real Duke of Yin's daughter, she's shot so hard, she's pushed 2 kilometres out from the forest, into the open, and over a cliff.

There were also scenes that dragged out for absolutely no reason such as when the ML is rescuing the FL from her homicidal aunt or the moments before the imperial physician is about to stab the ML's acupoints.

IV. The Verdict
This is a visually magnificent, easy-to-watch drama, if you are able to ignore the banal plot. I would have rated it an 8 or even a 9 but for the storyline.

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With a similar concept as Iljimae, Strongest Chil Woo is action drama that takes place in the 1600s. The drama has a lot of really cool fighting scenes and the 3-17 episodes have a lot of story packed into them. I liked Iljimae better, but this drama was still pretty good. Although the description said its like a Korean Zorro, it really isn't. The drama was more like a robin hood meets three musketeers with different costumes and specialties, than a zorro. I really liked the cast except for Koo Hye Sun's character, which I fast forwarded through all of her parts. I don't know what happened with the writing of her character, but I couldn't even stand to see her parts. Its unusual to hate the female lead but she was so annoying! Anyway, there's a really happy ending, really positive themes, and a few cute guys, so you should check it out. It doesn't drag as much as other period dramas and you can always fast forward through the long meaningful glances.

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STORY: A student is in love with his teacher, which borders on obsession. He chases his teacher in an attempt to get the teacher to admit his feelings. It's a short video and starts right in the middle of the story so it took me a minute to figure out what was going on. I watched it blindly without reading a review.

ACTING/CAST: Decent. There isn't really anybody else besides watching these two interact.

MUSIC: Unmemorable.

REWATCH VALUE: If I'm bored one day, maybe.

OVERALL: I felt a lot of pity for the student throughout the show but the ending is satisfying.

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The Shades of Justice

In this gripping thriller, we delve into a world where the boundaries of justice are not clearly defined. The story revolves around a young servant who masterminds a heinous crime, leading to the murder of his master's entire family, heirs, and servants. With their wealth in his hands, he vanishes for years, only to be confronted by justice two decades later. This short drama, spanning just 12 episodes, is a rollercoaster of enigmas, mysteries, ironies, suspense, and dark humor.

Constable Qu Sangeng, portrayed by Bai Yu Fan, embarks on a harrowing journey to uncover the gruesome murder of his beloved superior, whom he regarded as a father figure. Soon, a string of similar murders emerges, all pointing to a common culprit. Qu Sangeng must untangle the web of connections between the victims and decipher the motive. The trail leads back to an incident that occurred two decades ago at the Lu mansion, which was razed to the ground, claiming the lives of most of its occupants. Only Lu Zhi, played by Yu Yao, and a handful of others managed to escape.

As the narrative unfolds, viewers will empathize with Lu Zhi, understanding the circumstances that drove him to commit these atrocities. As a clever adolescent, Lu Zhi believed he had executed the perfect crime, unaware that someone held knowledge of his dark secret. This mysterious individual resurfaces two decades later to exact vengeance on those responsible.

While Lu Zhi's story is the genesis of these events and the serial killer's vendetta sets Constable Qu Sangeng on his quest for justice, they are not the central characters. The focus of the story shifts to Qu Sangeng and his decision to prioritize justice over personal vengeance, as well as Song Chen's struggles, portrayed by Ning Li. Both the adult Lu Zhi and the serial killer make only hidden or fleeting appearances as the story progresses.

Every character seems to harbor a motive and arouse suspicion. As the present-day plot unfolds and investigators attempt to piece together a complex puzzle, flashbacks shed light on the events from two decades ago. While the drama hints at hidden and illicit affairs, there is no central romantic subplot, reflecting the societal norms of the era.

Without good translations, some viewers may find this drama hard to understand as it is laden with riddles from verses and poems by the ancient sages. Even those well-versed in Mandarin and written Chinese may find themselves struggling with certain scenes and story elements, as the narrative moves swiftly and some details remain unexplained, catering to a more discerning audience. Rewatching becomes essential not for cherishing particular moments or characters but to gain a deeper comprehension and capture the subtleties that might have been missed.

My Verdict

This thriller is an adrenaline-pumping ride, offering a captivating storytelling format, top-notch direction, and commendable performances, with Yu Yao's portrayal of the juvenile Lu Zhi and Ning Li's portrayal of Song Chen standing out the most.

What makes this drama truly striking is its realism, even in today's world, in depicting the complex backdrop of wealth and power. Characters like Lu Yuan Bao, portrayed by Zhang Xi Lin, who transformed from a bandit to a wealthy and influential figure, highlight the murky waters of power dynamics. The story also portrays corrupt government officials who can be easily swayed, and the wealthy who, despite their outward respectability, remain to be despicable and thuggish. The concept of justice is portrayed in shades of gray, demonstrating that what one person sees as justice may be viewed as injustice from another's perspective. This theme resonates with the contemporary geopolitical landscape. For Qu Sangeng, choosing justice over personal vengeance is a wise choice given his superior's role in his father's death which he remains unaware of.

Great watch!

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Wow. When I decided to watch this drama, I didn't think it would be very good. Boy was I wrong. I never cry for dramas or movies any more, but at the end of this the tears were flowing! I never expected how it ended, though I guess I should have seen it coming. I loved the story line, and the change in the characters as the story progressed was significant. The last episode wrapped it all up nicely, though not in the way I prefer since I like "happily-ever-after" stories. Even so, the ending fit perfectly, and even now, thinking about it I feel sad :( . Watch this drama if you want to watch something you'll never forget. It will stay with you for a long time to come. It's sad, but you probably knew that already. Totally worth it. Amazing.

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"I had no regrets until I met you"

Oh Wong Kar Wai, you truly know our hearts and how to play with them and tear them apart into indistinguishable threads.

Happy Together, unfortunately overshadowed by Wong's other beautiful and worthy works like In the Mood for Love and Chungking Express, is a raw depiction of a volatile, chaotic, but passionate relationship of two men from Hong Kong. The film, outlined in a tone of melancholy and loneliness, follows the deteriorating relationship of Lai and Ho, two conflicting personalities that can't seem to find peace. Its not a comfortable watch, nor it is a romcom as its title may suggest.

As with any film by Wong Kar Wai, the cinematography is beautiful and worth re-watching for that alone. Also, Chang Chen is adorable and deserves more love, please watch it for him, please.

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a painful watch

Came here after seeing some recommendations about this on Chinese Youtube. And where to begin... I have so many thoughts and it's just so difficult to put them into proper words...

All in all, an amazing drama with an amazing story that brings out such raw emotions. Each of our main characters have incredibly fleshed out lives, and almost complete character arcs (I say this because I'm looking forward to a second season with recurring characters). They're relatable and human like the rest of us are, and I really appreciate how much show has brought to light some issues that are not always talked about. Social commentary done in this drama was also very well interwoven into our character's lives, and I especially loved how show never failed to steal a jab at widespread corruption issues here and there. I also loved how each scene was a build-up to the big issue. A mere 10 episodes, but each felt so compact and so complete.

My favourite aspect about this drama would be how each character is written. From our main characters to our supporting characters, almost each and every one showed character growth. It really is nice to see change for the better in some characters that I initially disliked. It might seem slightly idealistic, but I'm willing to believe in good.

This isn't one I'd be willing to rewatch often, simply because of how emotionally draining and grounded to reality it is, but it's definitely one I'd recommend. It's a really well-made story with great acting across the board (regardless of how small their role is), and I can't wait for Season 2!

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Psychopath Diary; Where A Loser Can Mistake Himself For A Psychopath...

It’s fair to say that Psychopath Diary is perhaps one of the few Korean dramas out there which actually dares to tackle a genre not often seen in South-Korea called “ Dark Comedy”. Naturally this isn’t a theme which interests everyone out there, however, Psychopath Diary is outrageously funny and equally morbid within its tackling of our Male lead Yook Dong-Sik ( Yoon Shi Yoon ) believing he is a psychopath over the course of the drama.


When viewers are first introduced to Dong- Sik, he is an unlikely male lead. Although respectfully Shi Yoon has taken on some quite suave roles as the “leading”man in dramas such as Hit The Top and My Cute Guys, his drab outfits and curly perm help him to blend into the role as the “ everyday” and “ meek” office worker by appearing in his role as Yook Dong-Sik.

To put it into simple words, Dong- Sik is the embodiment of a “ scapegoat” and a “ loser” ( at least in the beginning of the series); a “ nuisance” to his colleagues and family ( particularly his austere father), depressed and someone who certainly wouldn’t even say boo to a ghost. Ironically his fate changes when a failed suicide attempt leads to him developing retrograde amnesia in the same sight when a serial killer ( Park Sung hoon) left behind his own diary after a murder around the same time . By being given the diary which is mistakingly believed to “ belong” to Dong- Sik, he is ironically led into believing he is a ruthless psychopath.

As you can imagine, this leads to a series of many misunderstandings and dark humour within scenes from Dong- Sik trying to “ remember” his talents by watching a bunch of serial killer movies ( such as American Psycho) to miserably failing at remembering how to lie out some coverings to cover up blood when he attempts to carry out one of his plans. However, as the series progresses, there’s also an added level of surprising progression around some of our characters in particular with our female lead and Police Officer Shim Bo- Kung ( Jung In- Sun) not as a romantic interest, but an intelligent cop in her own right with quite a heartbreaking revelation about her family life , as well of course , Dong- Sik revealing his intelligence when he begins to pursue a cat and mouse game with our charming killer Seo In- Woo ( Park Sung-Hoo).

Yet there’s no denying that whilst Psychopath Diary was a morbidly enjoyable watch, it isn’t a flawless show. The pacing of episodes in addition to the progression of storyline sometimes felt disjointed and a little dragging in addition to the comedic element ( sometimes pushed a little too far in scenes ). In addition to this the cinematography could have been more progressive and intriguing ( specifically lighting) as well as perhaps some more depth into our brushed antagonist Seo In- Woo and what made him actually tick as well.

On the other hand, Psychopath Diary was an undeniably satirical, witty and a social commentary upon many elements of Korean society ( e.g. work , drama cliches and lifestyle). Although not flawless, it is certainly enjoyable for those who are looking for something with edgy comedy, an intriguing plot and of course characters as well.

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JUST STOP!!!!!!!

If your looking for a BL workplace series PLEASE PLEASE go watch Bed Friends or A Boss & A Baby. The story is slow the character development is worse. The side characters are way more interesting. The 2 main characters had no chemistry. Who ever decided to make this show should rethink the people incharge of casting & scripts. I loved the 3 side couples &honestly think they would have developed their stories more because they all had a lovely chemistry.Nothing really happens until episode 8. I have never dropped a show in my life but i found myself fast forwarding through the last 2 episodes & they should have ended it at episode 11 because 12 is just a hodgepodge of randomness.

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So charming and yet so simple

I really liked this story. It was a little simple but so sufficiently well done as to prompt me to watch the entire series in one sitting. I think that speaks volumes in itself. The young actors are nuanced even when the plot is straightforward - adding a dimension beyond the script. I was concerned about the female support role (Winting?) ... and I kept thinking "what is her problem?" and why is she entitled to intrude into another family so rudely. That said, perhaps there is a cultural divide between China and Australia that makes it hard for me to fathom her motivation. It did not ruin the show but it did annoy me a bit.
The boys do carry the show and I like the elements of competition and collaboration that are very reminiscent of how brothers do actually behave. Bravo to the team.

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This drama is great! So beautiful, so touching, so sweet.. I love it!

Story: the story is wonderful, romantic, and dramatic. It's touching, so real. We can find love, true love, this kind of love that stay with you for life. For life, and after.

Acting/Cast: oh, God, Vic is amazing! He's perfect in this role, he's perfect for this kind of roles! He makes me cry so many times.. Eun Hye is really good, too. She plays the role of this little sweet and strong girl, and she can play it perfectly without say a word. Her eyes talk for her.. The rest of the cast is perfect, they're good actors, from Megan Lai, to the stubborn Andy Hui, to the funny Lin Mei Xiu. Thanx to all for their performances!

Music: touching, every song is perfect for the moment and for the emotions our lovers are living.. Beautiful the scene where Eun Hye/Shen Shen sings using sign language.

Rewatch Value: absolutely, I want to rewatch it!

Overall: this is a 9! A different final maybe could turn it into a 10.. But, I know, in the deep of my heart, that this final is a perfect final for this perfect story. This love story is absolutely THE love story.


"For the martians"... I know, we are a lot in this world. I hope we can find soon..

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