Reviews

Here for Nam Ji Hyun & man she is back as an attorney.

I wasn't very keen on watching a legal drama since it takes a detour from the genres of dramas I have been watching lately, but since Nam Ji Hyun is here and she has very few dramas, I had to watch this one. I am so glad that I did.

This is the first time I have seen Jang Na Ra in anything but she is good. I like the current dynamics between the two, they are certainly going to be fun to watch.

Ep 1: The first case, the husband and wife needed to get an divorce, what a jerk. Not only did he continued to have affairs but he refused to let the wife go. He drove that woman crazy, not that she wasn't a little crazy to begin with.

Ep 2: Whoa the cases are something, the second one was even more of rollercoaster than the first one and the way it was handled was ingenious. Although I do feel sad for the kids who lost their father. In the beginning it seemed like the adulterer were winning but thankfully one of them is going to loose. I just hated the cheater and his smug smile. He did not care about his wife or even feel any remorse.

Ep 3: The parallels between the case and Cha Eun Kyung life were so on point. I wonder how cheaters have the audacity to always pin the blame on their partner. They weren't attentive enough, so instead of cheating you could have had conversations or therapy. If that did not seem like a solution a divorce prior to getting together with someone else!

Ep 4: It is only episode 4 and I am so done with the lack of accountability on the part of the cheaters and their affair partners. It is absurd that when called out they are the ones who feel they have been wronged. They don't offer any apologies instead claim that their spouse was at fault. Eck...... (I have been using this word a little too much, but there are people like that)

Ep 5. When are the cheaters going to get their comeuppance? I would have understood them growing apart and even wanting to divorce, nothing wrong with that. But trying to frame a partner who has been loyal to you is kinda low. Doing that just to make themselves feel better for cheating. The person he cheated with is kinda trash. She has an inferiority complex and wants to take it out on the Cha Eun Kyung. The poor kid is gonna suffer because the dad was the only parent that looked after her all the while. Had he not cheated or even been a little remorseful, it would have made sense to give him the custody based on that alone. Since his wife was busy with work, he thought cheating was the solution. Having another family behind her back was the solution. Yes that will solve all the issues in your marriage and make you all one happy family.

Ep 6: Okay that ending was a boss move in terms of dealing with someone so shameless. Give her want she wanted and then take it away. Ingenious. Now, coming to the dad part of it, Kim Ji Sang is a good father and if it is one or the other I hope he gets the custody with Cha Eun Kyung getting visiting rights, because that seems like how they have been living. The only worry I have is the influence Choi Sa Ra will have on the poor baby because she isn't that keen on taking in the child.

Ep 7: Okay, it looks like Cha Eun Kyung is gonna come around and probably settle with Kim Ji Sang. Shared custody hopefully with condition that she doesn't neglect her daughter so much. Coming to what's happening between Choi Sa Ra and Kim Ji Sang, I was surprised. I thought that Ji Sang was gonna actually marry but what can you say just desserts.

Ep 8 & 9: I am never one to blame an affair partner when the partner is the one who cheated and had made a commitment. However, it is hard to find any redeeming qualities where Choi Sa Ra is concerned. Ji Sang is not going to win any nice guy competitions as well, he was all ready to abandon Choi Sa Ra and their baby. It takes two to tango my friend, you gotta reap what you sow. Here's to hoping that he'll think things over and be as decent a parent to the baby as he was to his daughter. My heart breaks for the little Kim Jae Hee who had to make such a tough decision.

Ep 10 & Ep 11: I am glad that they worked it out for Kim Jae Hee's sake. The apology for cheating was long time coming, a child had to explain it to him that what he did was wrong. Even though Sa Ra didn't seem like a good person, what happened with her was sad. I keep feeling that we haven't seen the last of her.

Ep 12 & Ep 13: The new case is terrifying. That guy has so many anger issues and he takes it out on people who are physically weaker than him. Not only does no one reprimand him but instead they sweep it all under a rug, enabling his need to abuse people. That poor woman predicted her own murder she was so sure because she knew no one was going to help her. What as sad fate. I wish this wasn't a short series but a longer drama. maybe they'll give us a second season. Each episode is so interesting to watch.

Ep 14 to Ep 16: By ep 15, it felt like the events had already reached the end. Ep 15 had an interesting case just showing us why there's a need of third party to resolve things because when tempers run high people stop caring about each other but are more concerned about their own feelings. I am glad that the couple parted on good terms since they both wanted different things in life. I did feel like we got less moments between Han Yu Ri & Jeon Eun Ho. They were cute together. At least, they'll work it out with each other. The last few episodes were a bit tame compared to the rest of the drama, but I'm glad that I watched it.

I do feel like it would have been more interesting with more episodes and cases.

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???? Not quite sure what I just watched

Soooooo looking at the host of other 10/10 reviews here I'm not quite sure if we've watched the same show. Because what I've watched was a disjointed, complicated, outrageously unbelievable mess of a show that definitely is not worthy of 10/10.

First of all, WHAT ON EARTH is this plot like what even??? High schoolers performing SURGERY. MULTIPLE TIMES. It was the most ludicrous part of the story and I took off points for this. The whole school being full of pill poppers was actually more believable than whatever the hell the surgery scenes were supposed to be. With such a short run time of only 30 mins per ep, I don't see why there was a need to introduce so many random ass side plots and plot complications that could not be resolved adequately. It was confusing as hell to watch. This was especially evident in the last 2 episodes where the pacing was all over the place and show was jumping from scene to scene almost randomly. I thought I was watching fan edits on Tiktok with those hastily spliced scenes.

Secondly, is this supposed to be a GL or what????? Maybe I'm blind or being deliberately obtuse but other than that makeout dream scene in ep 4, I'm not really feeling the supposed GL aspect. Sure, Jaeyi is oddly fixated on Seulgi the moment she lays eyes on her and goes out of the way to help her, but this could be explained by Jaeyi wanting to find out what their fathers are up to. Seulgi kind of just mopes around sadly with her backpack but probably wouldn't have given Jaeyi the time of the day if Jaeyi hadn't forced herself into Seulgi's life at the start. I guess on some level they DO care for each other, perhaps on a level sliggghttttlyyyy higher than a platonic relationship but because there isn't any confirmation of it right till the end, there is still that degree of plausible deniability. Comparing it to Jeongnyeon, which was also similarly marketed as a GL - I felt like it had stronger GL undertones despite not having any overt displays of affection between Jeongnyeon and Jooran. Of course, the rushed and nonsensical pacing here did this show no favours in trying to convey any subtleties in the feelings between Jaeyi and Seulgi. I've seen another review call this queerbaiting and yeah, it does kind of feel this way. If you remove that kiss scene, it would have just been a regular ass high school drama. The writer/director could have at least given viewers a scene of them confessing their true feelings or even ANYTHING but the only thing we got was Jaeyi and Seulgi passing notes to each other very UNDISCREETLY in class (as if her father wouldn't have found out??). They never had a proper conversation till the end, and it's honestly sad.

Lastly, I'm not entirely convinced on the director's/writer's casting choices for basically all the high schoolers in the show. I'm going to get mad hate for this but cmon, Hyeri does not look 18. Neither does Hyewon, even though she's the youngest in real life. Oh Woori who plays Choi Kyung looks the most like a high schooler probably because her dressing in the show is the least mature out of the 4 leads. But Hyeri is pushing 31 and while she looks youthful, she doesn't look young. Don't get me wrong, the acting is phenomenal and probably the best part of the show but for a show that is set in a high school, it's kind of important that the actors look the part. Even the extras are not convincing as high schoolers. It's like the "hello fellow kids" meme with adult actors essentially cosplaying as high schoolers. After a while, I kind of got used to it, and it was easier to look past it when they were in the school uniforms but holy shit in those scenes at the club - the immersion is totally gone.

If you've made it this far it might seem like I hate this show, but trust me I do not. It's actually a pretty compelling watch, thanks to those 10000000 mind-bending and confusing twists. The cinematography and music are actually pretty good too, even though the plot suffers. The acting is great too - Chung Su Bin and Oh Woori shine as relative newcomers to the acting scene.

In short - give this a shot but don't go in expecting a real GL romance or a plot that makes sense.

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Story: The story revolves around a young boy who was 'cursed' with a mysterious aura suppressed within him. Because of this curse, he secludes himself from others and yearns to be normal. After he is accused of murder due to his 'curse', he runs away in an attempt to discover the truth behind the murder, and along the way he finds love, friendship and family. In his journey to find the truth, he uncovers more than he has ever imagined - his 'curse'.

Acting/Cast: I literally fell in love with every character in this - from the main characters to even the minor supporting characters. Yang Mi and Li Yi Feng were a very sweet couple but a little dull at times. But I can't help but love them. They have a very rather bitter sweet relationship. Not sure why, but it did get a little annoying hearing her call "Su Su" all the time.. XD My favourite 'couple' were probably Zheng Shuang and Ma Tian Yu... their cute bickering was adorable. I love how naturally they appeared with one another that I always looked forward to watching their scenes the most. Who impressed me the most in this was probably Qiao Zhen Yu - I have never seen him nor heard of him before but his portrayal of his character was brilliant. *SPOILER* He played one of the best villians I've seen IMO. It doesn't hurt that he's quite good looking too!

Music: I actually loved both the opening and ending songs - they were beautiful. Though I don't really know who the singers are as I'm not very familiar with Chinese music. I love the sound of chinese oriental music so much! Even the background music that was played during any battles was rather upbeat and 'exciting'.

Rewatch Value: I don't rewatch shows much because I don't have time to and there's always so many new dramas coming out. But, I would be willing to sit through this again with english subs as I'm sure I must of missed something because I'm not 100% fluent with chinese especially when modern speech isn't used.

Overall: I highly recommend this drama especially if you like the ancient fantasy type dramas (aka wuxia). The story was wonderfully written and the actors did an amazing job with giving us this drama. Like any other wuxia dramas, the costumes are beautiful! I guess the only drawback is the 'awesome' CGI effects that they used - very typical CGI in these dramas. I know some people who cannnot stand the CGI, but to me they were beautifully created so I don't mind too much.

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In its monstrosity hardly dealt with war crime pulled off the dusty shelf in vividly stylized mode

The Netflix production “Gyeongseong Creature” turns out to be quite an idiosyncratic mix. Studio Dragon had the opportunity to experiment and make full use of an illustrious cast. Despite some clichés, "Gyeongseong Creature" is not a banal K-drama that you quickly forget.

Basically it's another hero´s quest of some hero against his will, discovering unexpected sides of himself. It´s another ´mission impossible´ right into the lion's den - in this case: the military hospital of the Japanese colonial army base in the middle of the capital of the Chōsen colony in 1945. It is not the fair maiden who is to be saved, but the kidnapped, impregnated courtesan of the chief of the Japanese police. It turns out that a 'dragon' - in this case an artificially created monster - also has to be overcome along the way. The hero is flanked by a motley crew of long-standing and spontaneous companions...

Now this old wine comes in a freshly spiced-up Korean-style bottle. The personal touch of "Gyeongseong Creature" is precisely that Gyeongseong in those final months of the Pacific War, when Seoul bore that name. The historical setting as well as the historically and socially significant issues of Japanese colonial rule give the plot its selectivity and a quite serious foundation, so that "Gyeongseong Creature" does not simply offer interchangeable run-of-the-mill entertainment. Here, a painful chapter of South Korean suffering is intertwined with personal fates in the form of loosely interspersed critical events during colonial rule that is officially (by Japan) to this day preferable neglected, not to mention rehabilitated. With this Netflix production it has been nonchalantly thrown onto the World Channel to be proclaimed and acknowledged in HD.
This involves in general: the arbitrary racist violence and oppression against the Koreans as well as the systematic torture and execution of suspected resistance fighters in Sodaemun Prison; the forced military conscription and bullying of Korean soldiers within Japanese units; the forced recruitment or abduction of comfort women for (mass rape for the pleasure of) frontline soldiers... And specifically in the case of this story: the monstrous machinations of Unit 731 as part of the Imperial Japanese Army, which went down in history for its inhumane experiments on human subjects. Although these experiments actually took place mainly in Harbin in Manchuria (see side note below), they were for this KDrama also imported to Gyeongseong for a compact narrative stringency.

Against this background, "Gyeongseong Creature" tells its fictional story with artistic license. In some scenes you may get the impression that you have lost your way in a parody. Despite of such incomprehensible human menace and distress, the story presents itself at times completely unimpressed by any seriousness. There is room for humor and coolness, (which sometimes made me think of a parody of 'James Bond' or alike production). There is this reluctant hero who sometimes appears naive, sometimes quite cheeky and self-confident. He´s someone who has learned to achieve his goals, but who prefers to stay out of any trouble, wearing a stylish suit. And then, out of nowhere, he can withstand torture and injuries as if it were nothing at all. You can't really take this seriously. And yet...
In contrast, there is plenty of objective seriousness and expertise from the two foreign travelers on their detective mission. Pleasant extra: a clever, self-confident FL who is quick-witted in every respect.
In contrast, there is also the extremely dark world of medical experiments (and their artistic documentation) – underground on the military site.
In contrast, there are also the monsters, the army and the imprisoned test subjects.
And in the middle of the perfidious chase, the great feelings of humanity shine through: familial bonds and solidarity as well as wounded pride and jealousy act as driving forces, flanked by patriotic resistance and questionable scientific ambition. It's hardly surprising that Cupid also shoots his arrow in passing.

Not only do the individual characters at times feel like caricatures of themselves, Gyeongseong's production, choreographed in light and colors, also seems to come from an unreal fairytale world. While the pawnshop shimmers in all colors, the Japanese research laboratory is stylized as a dark dungeon beneath the military prison. And then there is the Moonlight Bar on the one hand and the police chief's property on the other - each of them control centers with a certain (political) impact. All of this is impressively aestheticized again and again in hand-picked scenes and settings. Sometimes you can feel like you're in the theater and then again like you're in the high-resolution digital world of a computer game.

So is the KDrama worth watching? On the one hand, "Gyeongseong Creature" takes itself very seriously with regard to its historical contemporary themes, but on the other hand, in the clichéd exaggeration of the individual characters, it apparently doesn't. This KDrama mix chosen for "Gyeongseong Creature" is, in my opinion, quite daring. However, I mean this in a benevolently positive way, in the sense of 'feeling free to experiment'. You might have to get used to it - but easily so. The (let´s say) rather 'banal' entertainment element - the Mission Impossible in view of the numerically superior Japanese military and the monster creation - is effectively intertwined with painful historical reality in a strikingly piquant and catchy manner. During the action-packed and visually stunning ride through the episodes, the KDrama subtly but consequently throws its barbs of memory at the audience.

The KDrama surely is offering cinematically solid entertainment with a star cast, but at the same time, based on the different personal backgrounds of the main and supporting characters, it demands acknowledgement of how the Japanese dealt with Koreans at that time. By stylizing the manifestation of Unit 731's monstrous experiments and research in the form of a concrete monster with superpowers, "Gyeongseong Creature" symbolically brings the unsatisfactorily dealt with war crime off the dusty history shelves in an unmistakable monstrosity.


...
Well, a second season has already been announced.
This will obviously be set in contemporary Seoul, though. We´ll see...























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SIDE NOTE: --- Unit 731 of the Kwantung Army of the Imperial Japanese Army ---

From 1932 onwards, Unit 731 of the Kwantung Army of the Imperial Japanese Army under the leadership of Ishii Shirō was stationed in Harbin, the largest city of the puppet state of Manchukuo in northern Manchuria. Around 3,000 mostly bacteriologists carried out experiments on living people there. The test subjects imprisoned and tortured there were predominantly Korean and Chinese civilians as well as Soviet prisoners of war. Later, including American prisoners of war, too.
Unit 731 of the Kwantung Army of the Imperial Japanese Army was disguised as the “Main Branch of the Epidemic Prevention and Water Supply Department.” In fact, Unit 731 in Harbin is responsible for the most cruel experiments on living humans. Later, field research was also carried out using the biological weapons developed in Harbin. The victims based on this research alone were mostly civilians - tens of thousands came together over the course of the war years.
I would like to ad that the main perpetrators of these war crimes by Unit 731, who had the full support of the later Japanese prime ministers and the Japanese imperial family, remained unpunished in exchange for the research results that they handed over to the USA...


PS:
There was no offshoot of Unit 731 in the fictional Onseong Hospital in Geyeongseong. That's fictional.
There was no Onseong Hospital in Gyeongseong either.
However...


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SIDE NOTE: --- Gyeongseong Japanese Military Hospital ---

The main KDrama setting is a colorful look and feel of Gyeongsong (Seoul at that time). The focus is on the architecture of the Republic's former Defense Security Command Center. On the area between the palace and the old town of Bukcho a military hospital was built by the Japanese in 1928. The Onseong named Hospital in "Gyeongseong Creature" is fictional, but the architecture that takes center stage is in fact related to a real Japanese military hospital before later actually becoming part of the Republic's Defense Security Command Center.
Until about two decades ago, this area was an urban area closed to the public and with bad memories for the people - not only of the activities of the colonial rulers, but also of their own military, which staged a coup against the people here in the 1970s. Furthermore, many South Koreans were tortured and mistreated there (by the security officers of South Korea's dictatorial regime). Until recently, human rights was an unknown concept behind those walls.
The ensemble could have been demolished, but the people decided to preserve the building as a memorial. The historical witness is now part of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. The bloody past is thus being countered with something positive: the imagination and emotional power of modern art.

Here, with the KDrama "Gyeongsong Creature", the dark past of this military area bearing a bloody and painful past, which began with Japanese colonial rule and was later continued by South Korean government officials, comes to life again with artistic license, too - as representative contemporary witness in HD.

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The production and cast were promising. The storyline was quite messy.

The entire artistic production would receive 9/10 from me for a romcom drama like this. The direction was great; the set and props were outstanding; the cast was full of both eye candy and skills. The cinematography was amazing. It was good to look at. I just wish they gave much more effort into blending their multiple genres together.

THE CAST:

I'm never a fan of any of them, but I believe they did a really great job. The set of 3 leads owned their roles. I even believe that the writers wrote this story with Park Boyoung in their mind. Tiny and cutesy role is definitely for her, and she's a good actress as well. This is only my second drama with her, however, and I believe that the next one with her is gonna start boring me a bit. Her tone and acting is just so *her* like she was in Oh My Ghost. This happened to me with Hwang Jungeum in every single drama she was in as well.

THE STORY:

The story, however, was a strange mix of romance, comedy, supernatural(?), police investigation, and even bloody thriller. How would they mix into a good storyline? There's no way. I believe they needed to take out at least one, or tone down each of them to make everything flow.

The dynamic of this storyline is super strange. It was like an incredibly bumpy road instead of a smooth rollercoaster. The comedy element was almost too forced that it wasn't funny. Some parts were even disgusting that just made me fast-forward throughout the show.

The thriller part started out really strong in the beginning which tipped off the consistent cute and comical tone of the entire Do Bongsoon character. That villain character was just too over-the-top that the entire sub plot around this guy doesn't fit in with the tone of this story at all.

Plus, the entire reason Bongsoon and Hyungshik got together was because *his* case, not the one in her neighborhood. He was being threatened, and that case was solved so easily and quickly. It was definitely just there to bring the two together.

The love story between the two/three leads was nothing special. Nothing really developed or had an impact on any characteristic change. It was just there out of nowhere. I have to admit that they were cute and fluffy together though. They were almost too cheesy together and I usually don't prefer that kind of super cringy stuff, but I believe it helped even out the darker tones regarding the villain. It still isn't the ideal way for such purpose.

But all in all, I wouldn't keep watching until the end if it wasn't entertaining. Like I said, I liked the cinematography and the cast a lot (surprisingly, given that I'm never a fan of any of them). It was something to watch in my free time and I did take my time to finish it. The bad parts weren't soooo bad that it let me down. At least the first episode started off nicely. If you wanna see for yourself, I don't recommend you against it. I have a reputation for dropping series halfway through if the first few episodes are slow and have too much flashback. This one was fine.

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Aaaaand now I'm a mess.

With the final episode done, my face tear stained, eyes puffy, and nose looking like it could put Rudolf to shame... I wonder what I'm supposed to do with my life now.

I feel like a mess. A huge mess. I have been stalking my own TV since freaking OCTOBER! You know the second a new episode dropped, my nose was in the TV and best bet, I haven't made plans to do anything in fear of missing a episode. Lol

구미호뎐 was so gosh damn phenomenal. I just want to spend the rest of my days talking about how much I loved every inch of this show. I have this weird obsession with 구미호 anyway so when I heard there was going to be a show about it starring two of my favorite people - There was nothing else left to do except wait. I needed no other reason because I was instantly hooked. Whoever thought to put Kim Bum and Lee Dong-Wook in a show together... I love you. and thank you for traumatizing me. Okay not really thankful about that last part, but thank you for putting this amazing masterpiece together.

This show is the perfection of a roller coaster without going on those monstrosities (I said what I said) --
There were characters I adored from the start and ended up HATING! There were characters I hated that I ended up loving... but funny enough it ended with me loving everyone. Well... minus the bad people. Hot or not, I still don't like you 이무기 (Imoogi)!! Even though there were a lot of times I wished you weren't a dickbag.

ANYWHO! Every single episode held so much that sometimes I felt like I held my breath the whole time, only able to breathe when it was over. Lol It held a bit of a trance, I suppose. Not complaining. I love shows like that. It's rare for that to happen as well - So I know this show will stick with me forever and will always be a favorite of mine.

Everyone's acting was off the charts amazing, there wasn't a single terrible person that was casted and I really really REALLY hope this wins awards. That's how amazing I believe it is. Not only the whole show, the cast, storyline, even the MUSIC.. just... EVERYTHING should be won when it comes to this show! I'm talking Parasite level of awards. Fight me if you don't agree. lol

I knew getting close to the end it would be sad. It's inevitable, but COME ON!!! I wasn't expecting THAT! I don't think I have cried quiet that hard since I watched Goblin.... and my face turned purple from crying so hard watching that. You can imagine how I looked watching this...... please don't imagine. I'm sure it's scary AF. Lol

The only and I mean ONLYYYYY issue I had with this show isn't even really just a issue, more of a confusion? And that's how it ended the way that it ended. I don't understand? Was he? Wasn't he? kinda thing. So I am really confused. I'm kinda hoping they release some kind of statement about it or extra little piece to explain how that happened when all through the show - we heard different. While I'm happy, I'm confused and maybe a little scared? Also... I wish it could have ended happier, if you know what I mean. If you watch it, and I hope you do -- I hope you'll agree with me that that person deserved happiness too.

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Rather Bizarre Ending

Believe in Love is a partly xianxia, partly non xianxia drama. The xianxia elements are not pronounced throughout the story, as most of the characters are all normal humans living an earthly life, until towards the end when some elements of xianxia come to light. This is another story revolving around cuisines and food, and it is my fourth one in a row. Despite the tag that says “comedy”, there is very little comedy here, or comedies that don't make people laugh. Nonetheless, it’s quite an enjoyable light watch with some “angsts” for some viewers.

Hua Yinan (Huang Shengchi) and Lu Yue’er (Zheng He Hui Zi) were lovers in their previous life as General Mu Yuan and Xiao Man. Mu Yuan died and Xiao Man perished while trying to save him. Thousands of years later, they meet again living on an island -- Hua Yinan as the son of the owner of the island and Lu Yue’er as the daughter of the owner of a small noodle shop. With mysteries and unexplained circumstances, Hua Yinan is told to marry Lu Yue’er in his father’s will before he can inherit his father’s legacy as the rightful owner of the island and all his properties, including the biggest and best restaurant on the island. Hua Yinan is reluctant to marry Lu Yue’er as he doesn’t like her and the feelings are mutual. Through various encounters that make them save each other’s life, Hua Yinan begins to fall in love with Lu Yue’er. So when she agrees to marry him, Hua Yinan is overjoy. He inherits everything the will promises he will. Comes our antagonist who was the antagonist in their previous life as well. What follows become a test of their true love for each other.

The whole cast is new to me including the main leads. Huang Shengchi is good looking and despite having acted in many dramas, this is my first drama of him. His portrayal of Hua Yinan is convincing with a mild demeanor and a soft romance towards his love. Likewise, I have never watched any of Zheng He Hui Zi’s dramas, and her portrayal here is equally convincing as the naïve Lu Yue’er or the arrogant Tang Yingying. Her outfit is rather unconventional with bared shoulders, accentuating her narrow frame, making her looking like a little girl. Their dynamics together are sweet and authentic with a lot of intimate scenes. The antagonist is vile and hateful, and Xiao Kaizhong's portrayal is very convincing. The second couple, Su Tang (Zhu Rong Jun) and Du Ruo (Hou Dong), is quite a joy to watch, and the stepmom and step sister are so horrible that you want to slap them. These supporting actors are great in their respective roles.

My Verdict

This drama is not great nor very bad. It’s easy watching though it can be rather slow pace as there is a prolong romance play which can be welcoming for some romance buffs, but boring for others. The last episode turns into a love triangle with a xianxia fight with superpower. The endings have multiple plot holes and questions not answered. It's rather bizarre. Overall, watch it for light entertainment and don't be too bothered with the details.

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Shameless exploitation of BL audience to promote a music career.

It's a good thing Pete can sing, because if he had to fall back on his acting skills he'd starve to death. He doesn't really act at all. He does appear to have memorized his lines, though, so there's that. Tonliew is adorable as Yoshi, and that's largely why I stayed with this.

The plot is stock - a standoffish star ends up as the temporary charge of our main character, who has to navigate his star through a maze of ill-wishers including the usual malicious ladyboy, which is becoming such an offensive stereotype that I'm going to start boycotting series with characters like this, and also a cartoonishly evil rival actor - you may not be able to spot him. (Hint: he's the one wearing all black at a Thai beach resort).

I can't recommend this, but it's so short that it won't hurt you to watch it.

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Soft vibes, steamy kisses, and zero drama—Shimane serves BL comfort with heat!

P and the adorable chaos twins Pan & Plai are back from Kiseki in Tokyo Chapter 2, and it honestly feels like we’re third-wheeling their Japan trip. No toxic drama, no love rivals. just wholesome vibes, good food, and a random “hey let’s all move in together” plan that somehow works. 👫👬✈️

Plot? Sure… if you count “friends hanging out, sightseeing, and convincing their Thai pals to shack up in Shimane” as a plot. But honestly? I’m not mad. Sometimes you don’t need rollercoaster drama, just soft, slice-of-life moments that feel like a warm blanket (with occasional spicy scenes to keep you awake 😉).

Speaking of spice… THIS is how you do intimacy in BL. Every kiss? Hot. Every NC scene? Steamy but not cringe. Realistic, tender, and just the right amount of “oops, did I just replay that?” energy. 🔥

Look, I get why some people say “it’s boring” or “there’s no plot.” But let’s be honest, we’re not here for Shakespeare. We’re here for pretty boys, beautiful Japan scenery, and NC scenes that actually deliver. And on that front, Season of Love in Shimane absolutely nails it. A cozy, low-stakes binge that hit the spot on my Sunday night.

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coming of age/slow burn

Overall: this could have been a 10/10 except for a fatal flaw. It is adapted from the book "Mou Mou" by Mu Su Li; however, I reviewed the series based on its own merits. 12 episodes about 45 minutes each, 2 episodes per week. There is an extra scene after the initial end credits in some episodes. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4661/the-on1y-one-2024-e01 ; Viki https://www.viki.com/tv/40680c-the-on1y-one ; iQIYI https://www.iq.com/album/the-on1y-one-2024-2ge4shuunbp?lang=en_us ; WeTV https://wetv.vip/en/album/3om6e76t014bzqy and Netflix https://www.netflix.com/mo-en/title/81907297

Content Warnings: non con kiss, fight, past child abuse, past death, kidnapping, threatened violence

What I Liked
- the lead characters and their dynamic (the tension, chemistry, micro expressions)
- sweet/protect moments
- many familiar faces (Zach Lu from HIStory 2: Crossing The Line (teacher), JN Yu from Be Loved In House I Do (quirky friend), Jed Chung from Light (classmate), Stan Huang from VIP Only (PE teacher)
- family interactions felt realistic
- symbolism with the closet
- color symbolism orange and blue
- multiple platform international release

Room For Improvement
- what stopped me from giving this a 9.5 or 10/10 was the fact that the director/writer made a very risky bet on a season 2, in order to do this they made the story drag with side plots/characters I didn't care about (like the female teacher and that random kidnapping???) and ended it in an unsatisfactory way, there has only be 1 Taiwanese series to get a season 2 (We Best Love), because it was a China/Taiwan collaboration a sequel feels even less likely given censorship and how even censored BL has been mostly shelved for the past few years
- ep 1 voice over with incorrect statistics (we don't meet 1,000 different people every day)
- actors who viewers have seen play adult characters played high school characters
- too many flashbacks
- the NSFW scene was odd compared to an earlier dead fish lip press
- the animated intro didn't match the overall vibe

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I enjoyed watching the series. It captivated me. I was intrigued. I watched it especially for Cheng Yi. Let me tell you, this series wouldn't exist without him. It wouldn't have achieved the ratings. You wouldn't have gotten the score you were hoping for. It was given an 8, which I think is normal, but it would have received a lower score. Let me say that from the outset.

The story is twisted. In my opinion. If you ask why, it doesn't follow a single plot. It gets very complicated. They've taken all the characters from the martial arts world. There are fight scenes with all of them. They're all presented separately, and they've united to form the Power Gang. This gang is initially portrayed as evil, but later we see that it's a very good gang. It works for the national good. So, can such a gang even exist? At least not a gang. He also poisons the men he employs. If he doesn't give them the pills, they die. He keeps his men under his control. So, you figure out the rest.

The real important thing is the relationships between the four siblings. The eldest brother is the heir, the second brother is neutral, the third brother is the daughter and stepbrother, but they're harmonious and affectionate, and they also have a medical background. The fourth character is the most intelligent and beloved. He's his mother's favorite. His father's secret favorite. His father and mother are murdered. This is how the conflict begins.

Now, the dominant character is the older brother; he takes responsibility, saying he knows everything and can do it. He's uncompromising and very narrow-minded, a naive character who can be easily deceived and convinced. He's a very honest person, but he can't stand anyone putting him in his place. The second brother constantly flatters him and says he's on his side. The female character tries to find a middle ground. The younger brother says he'll do it. He says, "Trust me." They don't listen to him, especially the older brother. They act like they're the younger ones, "How can we trust him?"

I tried to establish the characters here. To me, the second son seems implacable, naive, uninformed, and uncouth, far inferior to his brother in martial arts, yet uncertain in comparison. That's what we're shown. However, later, this character transforms into someone who rules the country. I didn't think it was appropriate for someone so naive, uninformed, uncouth, and ineffective in martial arts to be portrayed at this level. Let's say he took on certain things through a mask. Is he taking on the character as well? Is he taking on the mindset? While they're conveying martial arts, are they also conveying the mind? I didn't understand that. I couldn't make sense of it. There were many things I couldn't make sense of, but I'm saying it's clear.

Another issue I'm having trouble with is the Emperor poisoning the Power Gang Leader. Then he asks, "Where is this guy? Let's reward him. Call him. They say he's dead." He's surprised. I don't understand that at all. What's the point of meeting a man he poisoned himself with such shock and sadness? Did I misunderstand? I don't know. It was absurd. Why would the Emperor have his own country crushed and conquered? These were meaningless things. I couldn't understand those things at all. I couldn't grasp them. It didn't work.
Another incident involved the meaningless crowd around Cheng Yi, whom everyone agrees on. They don't contribute to the game. In other words, the casting choices were also flawed. I didn't like them. There could have been much better characters and actors suited to him. Some were simple, some were meaningless. We were torn between laughing and crying while watching. For me, the emotional scenes—the scenes of the mother and father's death, the brother's death, and the sister's death—were incredibly moving. Cheng Yi, with his red eyes, truly did justice to these scenes, crying. Some people wondered why he was crying, but even I was moved by the scenes. Beautifully shot, well-shot, good fight scenes, good production and direction. Good costumes. I liked it.
Cheng Yi carried the series single-handedly. Well done. A great performance. I found it successful. It makes you watch. I'm curious and looking forward to watching his next series. Why did Gulnezar Bextiyar, whom I found meaningless, appear in this series? She seemed to have no role. She was a meaningless character. This actress was unnecessary. I'm talking about Gulnezar. I wouldn't have played her. I liked Elenor Lee. A good performance. Xu Zen Xuan performed very well. Well done. Liu Meng Rui performed very well. Well done. I really liked Ding Xiao Ying. She suits the role very well. Well done. Johnny Zhang put in a lot of effort. He did justice to his role. Well done. Edward Zhang started badly but ended well. He made us feel the villain. He made us feel bad. Besides them, Xiao Yan, Ding Yong Dai, Hu Ke, Lu Yong, Zhang Yi Ge, and Julian Cheung were the actors who stood out to me. I was expecting a much better series. It didn't end well. Everyone died. Would I watch it again? No. Would I watch it if there was a sequel? Maybe.

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Cute!!

Loved it till 18th episode and then it felt like it was dragging on. Finished the last couple of episodes in 1.5x. The sibling dynamics were a treat to watch and the cast acted well. I just liked "When I Fly towards you" better because I was watching them parallelly and the general lack of misunderstanding and cliches in When I fly made it a better watch than Hidden Love. One thing that I did like about HL is that female lead was not a damsel in distress and could take a stand and not just for herself - but for the male lead as well. All the female characters written by this author are strong and know their mind - I truly appreciate the fact that these characters are unlike the naive/weak/gullible ones usually found in dramas,.

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It's the same but different at the same time

Wrap up the drama in one sentence: A university student and a video game maker were stuck in a loop to survive in a bus explosion tragedy.

THIS IS NOT YOUR TYPICAL C-DRAMA
There is no unnecessary love triangles, misunderstandings and golden fingers.

WHY SHOULD YOU WATCH THIS DRAMA?
If you like mystery and thriller stories. Who is the culprit? At the first glance, everyone seems to be the culprit. However, when the drama unfolds, the background story of each character in the bus is unfolded. Suddenly, you understand the reason behind their seemingly out-of-place action.

The repetitive scenes. They're the same, yet they're not. Every time the same scene is played, it adds subtle changes, for instance, minor details, if you're a mystery geek, you can actually try to deduce the plot. The producers have made it possible throughout the drama.

Every character is this drama is the main character of their own story. They are living their own life, in real bone and flesh. The drama tells their story so articulately and beautifully that I can put myself in their shoes and feel their happiness and sorrow alongside with them.

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Music, Friendship, and Second Chances

Rearrange has been such a pleasant surprise. The band can actually sing, and the best part is there are no over-the-top comedy or cringe moments. Although it’s set in high school, the writing carries a maturity that makes it stand out. I especially love how the story shifts between the younger Win and Nut, and then jumps 27 years later to show the older Win, who regrets never confessing his love earlier. It’s another time travel story, but one that I’m genuinely enjoying every minute of.
The series also makes you think: what would you do if you had the chance to go back 27 years to when you were 17? The cast, acting, and plot are excellent so far, and the attention to detail in the “back in time” scenes is remarkable, from the old cars to the heritage houses.

By episode 8, we finally got the long-awaited first kiss, and it was worth the wait. Win climbing the ladder into Nut’s room mirrored an earlier scene, but this time it carried new weight because Nut already had feelings for him. Their kiss was sweet, natural, and full of charm, easily the highlight of the series so far.

That said, I do have two complaints. First, the build-up to their romance felt rushed. For most of the series, there were just small hints, then suddenly Nut liked Win. With Nut also spending time with Lin, it almost felt like I missed an episode. A bit more focus on their one-on-one moments would have made the progression smoother.

My second complaint is with Win himself. If I had the chance for my 44-year-old self to go back and meet my 17-year-old self, there are so many things I’d want to change. That could make for such a powerful plot. But in this series, Win doesn’t do much with his second chance. History simply repeats itself. He briefly admitted his feelings to Nut, but then brushed them aside as if they meant nothing. For twenty years he regretted not confessing, yet when fate gave him a chance to change everything, he still didn’t take it. It makes you wonder, what’s the point?

Overall I really enjoyed this series. It’s super cute and I liked it even more than High School Musical. Everyone got the happy ending they deserved, and it left me smiling.

I love both Nut and Win and wish the story gave them more time together to build their chemistry. The show has everything: school life, music, friendship, and family conflicts. I just wish Win made bolder choices, especially given the title Rearrange. Still, it’s a beautifully made series.
Rating: 9/10

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