Tropes: office romance, identity theft, cohabitation, messy gay
This is a complicated and engaging plot about professional ego, reputation, safety, and trust, but not much about romance. Or maybe it is but it’s a romance about an editor’s love for a writer’s work? Or for the writer himself? And is there a difference?I think this would have worked better as a romance if the Writer had known the Editor in (at least) a friendly way in the past/at school as well - so there was more established dynamic to their instant affection and shacking up. Apart from my qualms around the romance thread, the plot is actually good. It’s very angsty and tense for something so simple, which suits this length of show.
As a BL it kinda isn’t (sorry to say) though, there’s no BL tropes dropped and no real romance beats. This is about dishonesty and pride and there is an elegance to the theme. Which is essentially the idea that possession is not love, and therefore, those who love the Writer have to prove their love by letting him go. Honestly, I’m not sure how to rate this show as a result. This is a blog about BL and this wasn’t that.
RECOMMENDED (but not if BL is what you’re after)
P.S. For a change I like the OST, Leo is one of my favorite main singers among the honey-voices of Kpop. Speaking of, Leo is stupid pretty here.
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This review may contain spoilers
This military drama killed it, as did Yang Yang
Glory of Special Forces opens with a bang with a team of 7 elite soldiers mounting an assault on a drug lord’s stronghold. Bullets and grenades are flying fast and furious in all directions as the soldiers’ attack are met with fierce opposition. The scene cuts to protagonist Yan Po Yue [YPY] as he takes a hit and plummets into the water. The sequence ends; the next time we meet YPY again he is entering the military academy as a recruit. The bulk of the drama charts YPY’s journey as an arrogant, selfish man-child who transforms into a first-rate soldier through grit and determination.From the onset, drama creates a military training setup that is expansive, realistic and gritty — the sense of being in a war zone and getting caught in cross-fire gave viewers those ‘oh-sh**’ moments. As for the training that the soldiers must undergo, there is no let-up in pacing as the soldiers are relentlessly challenged and tested. Only the best, in terms of physicality and aptitude are accepted; and of course, that includes not pissing off your commanding officer. And that’s where YPY finds himself, constantly at odds with his superiors.
About Yang Yang who plays YPY. In here, he’s shed his pretty boy image, and turned in a performance that’s committed, believable, even psychotic at one point. No easy task since this role appears to be more emotionally and physically demanding than his previous ones. Seeing him scaled walls, traversed hard terrains, and dodged bullets made viewers cheered him on. We wanted him to succeed however hard the tasks were, and however much he was side-lined by his superiors.
The world of YPY would have been one dimensional if the director had just trained the spotlight on Yang Yang. Accompanying him is a supporting cast that’s strong and effective in adding layers to the story and YPY’s character. The perfect foil for the stiff and stubborn YPY is platoon mate Wu Xiao Tian, played by actor Jiang Long. Previously seen in The King’s Avatar as funny motormouth Huang Shao Tian, Wu Xiao Tian is wonderfully irreverent, cowardly and in the end, a much-needed catalyst that transformed YPY. Actress Jiang Lu Xia’s turn as sharpshooter Guo Xiao Xiao is brilliant and her pain become ours as we watched her struggle to accept her friend’s death. Unfortunately, lead actress Li Yi Tong’s role as Captain Ai Qian Xue is less effective, and didn’t come across as being relevant to the plot. At best, she’s an attractive injection in a testosterone-filled military environment.
As with most military genre, jingoism as subtext is inevitable. But the director has deftly tempered it with powerful action sequences and tight storytelling. Its annoyance quotient is nothing compared to watching non-Chinese actors bombed at carrying out a simple English dialogue. Perhaps they've run out of budget to hire someone to edit those lines.
Overall, this is a rare instance where I didn’t fast-forward a 40-odd episode drama to catch the best moments. I stayed throughout to watch a protagonist’s simple quest to be the best, and the love of brotherhood that helped him achieve that quest. And yes, those ‘oh-sh**’ action sequences were one of the best hooks in TV-drama land.
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Story- UNPREDICTABLE. The story starts off slow (not to the point of being bored) and is too focused on the character of Hae Ryung (not UEE's character)but by episode 10 things start to pick up and become super interesting because it focuses on UEE's character. The last episode made me want to rip my hair out. The ending kept in line with the unpredictable theme. Its probably the worst ending Ive ever seen in my life! Seriously if it werent for the first 23 eps having solid writing i would have rated the story lower just because of the sorry ending.
Acting- UEE can act her butt off! She changed my opinion of her (hated her in YB). The rest of the cast all made thier characters believable. I really despised the character of Hae Ryung though (very pathetic and no character development until the last ep.)
Music- Nice enough music that was memorable but nothing that i would be obsessed with.
Rewatch- If it werent for the ending Id probably would have rewatched it in 2 yrs or so but i have no wish to rewatch this drama, although it is at least rewatchable.
Overall this drama had huge potential but the lack of a believable romance and the nonsensical ending really ruined the good feelings i had about this show throughout its run. I'd still recommend this drama though because the writing is good and the acting is very good.
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Quick, satisfying and easy to watch
Have you been watching historical/wuxia/xianxia dramas and been disappointed in how they finish off the villains? Perhaps they don't show them being punished, perhaps the punishment is too light or perhaps, and I hate this the most, they give them a redemption arc and a happy-esque ending?Well worry not because this 21 episode mini-series has handled all the villains perfectly. Short on time they could not really show long torture sessions but they did the next best thing <3
The writing was good, they did stumble once in the end but then again as a mini-series they did not have much time to continue blundering so that saved it. The acting was good enough. The FMC has the chops for long series heavy screentime characters. The MMC however needs either more acting lessons or a different character- his expressions were too smiley (?) for this role. The side characters were good too.
All in all, for a short drama, this is worth your time and I would definitely recommend it
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The story reminded me a lot of The Master's Sun although this came out first and was probably the inspiration for the latter. I loved The Master's Sun and I loved this as well. It's not your typical romantic comedy as some horror elements and melodrama were thrown here and there. The mixture of the genres was definitely something new for me but it still had that typical "parting and reuniting" that most romantic Korean movies are known for which is just fine.
Acting/Cast: 9
Going into this movie I did not know who the male lead was but I completely adore Son Ye Jin in The Classic which was the main reason why I picked this up. Son Ye Jin is fantastic as usual and the male lead is definitely someone I'll look into in the future. He has a lot of titles under his belt so that's great. Their chemistry was not the best of the best, but it was there. It was subtle and not forced.
Music: 7
There were no catchy or memorable soundtracks I heard. Mostly, I would hear something and look it up on YouTube and discover another Korean singer but this was not the case. Still giving it a 7 for it's great horror sound effects.
Rewatch Value: 9
Definitely has rewatch value! I know a lot of people can relate to the female lead's dilemma (although not necessarily including the "seeing ghosts" part), but most of us has had times where we were all alone. This movie definitely made me feel better with the thought that someday someone will come into our lives and be there for us. I know I've experienced that scene where she ate half the cake in one sitting. LOL!
Overall: 9
A solid 9 for me. Watch it now!
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Overall, I recommend this drama if you are looking for something light and romantic to watch. The show has compelling leads who elevate the show from being just fluff. I enjoyed watching the show and I am sure that you will too :)
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But know that when it comes to love, I know nothing.
The chemistry between JoongDunk is through the roof! Before we even get a few minutes into the first episode, the two of them are giving each other love eyes. I think they both did an amazing job portraying their characters’ emotions. Even though Kluen (Joong’s character) does appear a bit cold at times, he shows a lot through his eyes.Their friends are probably the most supportive and patient group of people ever. Kluen and Dao keep going around in circles when it comes to their feelings and relationship. I can’t even imagine the amount of times the rest of the boys got to hear them moaning about their emotions. And yet they never ignore them. They are full of suggestions, some more helpful than others, but they never discourage Kluen and Dao. And the fact that Dao’s brother and Kluen’s mother probably know everything about the two is adorable!
Kluen & Dao: I am a sucker for second chance romances. As well as the right person at the wrong time plots. I feel like the story of Kluen and Dao is both of those and I was definitely here for that. Kluen is aware that he absolutely sucks at talking about his emotions, so hearing him tell that to Dao was really nice. I don’t think Kluen is cold or arrogant, but I do think he is more of an introvert. He has one close friend, Noel, and he is not one who really enjoys participating in events or meeting new people. This also might tie into the fact that he finds it hard to express his emotions to others. Dao is a bit more of a social butterfly. He can be shy, don’t get me wrong, but I think he finds it easier to make friends and there is something about him that makes people comfortable around him. I really think that the two are a good match for each other.
Let’s talk about Typhoon. I really hope he gets his happy ending at some point (Our sky 2, I am looking at you). He is a genuinely good person who wishes happiness for the ones he cares about, even if it means he is not the source of their happiness. He had his moments, I admit that, but he is still a character I really enjoyed watching. The fact he didn’t get into a relationship right away also speaks volumes about his character. He is not looking for a rebound, he is looking for his perfect match. Which is a very mature thing to do. And the right one too.
The locations are beautiful. The OST has this soft sound to it that I really enjoyed as well.
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This review may contain spoilers
Gaya Sa Pelikula (2020): A Romantic Pinoy BL Series Par Excellence
I consider “Gaya Sa Pelikula” a romantic Filipino (Pinoy) boys’ love (BL) series par excellence that paid homage not only to Pinoy dramatic and romantic comedy (romcom) movies and our most popular love teams but also to Thai BL series. Posters and scenes were adapted from Pinoy dramatic and romcom movies such as “All of You,” “A Very Special Love,” “Don’t Give Up on Us,” “Filipinas,” “Got 2 Believe,” “Hintayan ng Langit,” “LSS,” “One More Chance,” “Sana Maulit Muli,” “She’s Dating the Gangster,” etc. There were also appropriations of Thai BL series “Theory of Love” movie poster series as well as acknowledgements of OffGun and TayNew on the “Gaya Sa Pelikula” post-credits. Some say that there were too many dramatic and romcom clichés and BL tropes (like the fake/pretend relationship trope), but hey, who cares, they really worked on this series!Even with all the clichés and tropes, “Gaya Sa Pelikula” still managed to look fresh because of the well-developed multi-dimensional characters it created. Even with their conflicting views on genders, sexualities, and relationships, both Karl and Vlad were relatable. While Karl's not ready to come out yet, Vlad’s out and proud. I’ve known a lot of Karls and Vlads in my life so I really found them realistic. Ate (Older Sister) Judit, Anna, and Tito (Uncle) Santi were not simply intervening side characters (who definitely meddled out of love, whether we agree with them or not) but relevant players with depth. Being generally a slow burn, “Gaya Sa Pelikula” felt dragging at times but because of strong characterizations, episodes always ended strong.
There were corny dialogues and monologues here and there but they were negligible given the mostly excellent screenwriting. I can understand why others think some lines were preachy but they were powerful messages nevertheless. Screenplay, with its English and Taglish sentences, was generally natural -- at least for middle to upper class Pinoys. Overall, I think the script was largely impeccable.
The strong screenplay actually aided the acting of the lead actors, Ian and Paolo. While there’s always room for improvement (Ian needs to enunciate better and Paolo needs to avoid exaggerated movements), for newbie actors, they did pretty well. For sure, both Ian and Paolo were far better than the newbie actors of other Pinoy BL series! They have outstanding chemistry together and both are very good-looking! As for the supporting cast members of “Gaya Sa Pelikula,” Adrienne and Yesh were great while Franco was ok.
Minus some dark lighting and grainy camera shots, audio-visuals were quite satisfactory with very clear intentions. Every graphic, every item, every shot, etc. seemed to have clear purpose. The soundtracks, while mostly not originally made for the series, were nonetheless perfect for the scenes. The original soundtrack, “Kilometro Zero” by Juan Miguel and performed by Ian, was of course, my favorite among the soundtracks.
In summary, I would definitely recommend rewatching “Gaya Sa Pelikula,” a romantic Pinoy BL series par excellence. Even if you’re not satisfied with its finale, you should rewatch it because it’s a terrific set-up for the second season. Given Juan Miguel’s wonderful Wattpad story about Karl and Vlad, which was said to be the basis for the sequel, Season 2 promises to be even better than Season 1.
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The cases were great and so many details were planned to make them solve the locked room mysteries. Often the suspects were obvious, but the way they realized it wasn't.
The music was good, it matched the drama perfectly.
The acting was good, too. There weren't many dramatical or tearful / painful scenes to play, but everyone stayed in character and did a good job.
The story itself was okay. I was more fond of the characters because there wasn't much development in the story, it pretty much stayed the same.
I was completely disappointed by the ending, but it's not going to change my score. I'm hoping for a sequel or special now, though I think it's unlikely.
You should try this drama anyway and give it a chance. ;)
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1A very good sequel that does not disappoint!
When I saw "Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty II To the West" (SToTD S2) being aired in iQiyi many weeks ago, it caught my attention, so I decided to watch season 1 when season 2 was still airing. While I'm a bit late to season 1, on a positive note, I get to watch them back-to-back, and I don't have to wait months and years for the sequel.Season 2 started where season 1 left off. Due to some events that happened in Chang'an, Lu Ling Feng was deployed to Yunding, a county located in the western frontiers of the Tang Dynasty. As he, Su Wu Ming and the rest of the gang travel westward, they encountered strange things, solved mysteries, met diverse people, and experienced adventures together.
SToTD S2 is a very good and engaging series, and it's now one of my favorites, along with season 1! I was looking forward to each episode and trying to solve the cases with our protagonists. The overarching story and individual cases are generally well-written and seamlessly executed. The pacing is just right and they're not boring. My favorites are:
• 2nd Case - The Death of the Coroner (仵作之死)
• 5th Case - Mystical/Tongtian Rhino (通天犀)
• 6th Case - Drunk in Yunding or Yunding Wine (name of the wine) (云鼎醉)
• 8th Case - The Provider (供养人)
The 4th case is the one I like the least, and where I have some lingering questions.
The cast, from main to supporting, did a great job portraying their characters. I like the continually growing dynamics, humor, and camaraderie of our power team - Lu Ling Feng, Su Wu Ming, Pei Xi Jun, Fei Ji Shi, Chu Ying Tao, and eventually, Xue Huan (who rejoined the team later).
Yang Xu Wen nailed the role of Lu Ling Feng, who has matured and grown a lot since season 1. He was able to show the different sides of LLF - serious, funny, well-educated, intelligent and observant, a great fighter, and a proud man (because of his background) who has learned to be humble. LLF is not showy with his affections, but he protects the people he cares for. His romance with Pei Xi Jun is not passionate and fiery, but sweet and more subdued.
Right now, I can't think of anyone else but Yang Zhi Gang who could portray Su Wu Ming so well. He has a sharp mind, often thinks one step ahead, is observant and a top-notch investigator. Sometimes, he would appear cowardly, but he's actually paving the way for an escape or baiting the suspects. I like how Yang Zhi Gang can pull off a comic scene with a straight face.
Now on to Pei Xi Jun, well portrayed by Gao Xi Wen. At the start of season 1, I find Pei Xi Jun's character a little off-putting, but she has grown much throughout season 1, contributing to many of the cases, and I have come to truly like her. One has to continue watching to understand and appreciate her character more. In season 2, she definitely holds her own ground. She's smart, charming, loyal, is a gifted painter, and made important contributions to the team as they solve the mysteries. Also, she and Lu Ling Feng have great chemistry and make a good pair.
Fei Ying Jun aka Fei Ji Shi (Chicken Fei) is another interesting character. Being the doctor in the team, his expertise is masked behind his shabby appearance. His rapport with the team, especially with Lu Ling Feng and Su Wu Ming, and love for chicken and wine are endearing trademarks of his character. The actor, Chen Chuang, delivers the quirks of Fei Ji Shi pretty convincingly.
Chu Ying Tao, played by Sun Xue Ning, complements Pei Xi Jun. PXJ, being the daughter of a once high-ranking official, is well-educated, refined and has a sheltered upbringing. CYT is straightforward, has good fighting skills and is well-versed in the world of jiang hu (江湖). These two have developed a sisterly bond. Lastly, I'm so glad that Anson Shi reprised his role as Xue Huan. He has grown taller but is still adorable, retaining some of his childlike demeanor.
The music is good and fitting for the drama, although I prefer the ending theme song of season 1 more. Production quality is commendable; the settings and costumes are beautiful. I also like the fight scenes; they're well-choreographed and skillfully executed.
I'm looking forward to season 3, which I hope would be shown next year, in 2025, or at the latest, in 2026. Aside from more interesting cases and the political maneuverings/gripping main story, I also hope they would further develop the 2 main couples' relationships, especially that of Lu Ling Feng and Pei Xi Jun.
Final verdict: SToTD S2 is an excellent sequel, and I highly recommend it. For those who haven't watched both seasons and thinking of diving into S2, I suggest watching S1 first before S2 to get more context, know how the characters got together, to understand their background, and gain a better appreciation of them in season 2.
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A Promise of 3-course Sweet dessert tasting, but the last course was Espresso!
Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75** I did not read the web novel. The review is solely about the drama itself.
I can see why so many are disappointed in “The First Night with the Duke”, especially after a very fun first 7 episodes. It’s like you are promised this very delicious 3-course dessert tasting but the last course was a cup of dark and bitter espresso. I expected the focus of the plot would change to be about ML’s backstory and his relationship with the king, and I understand that. The disappointment is in the writing and execution, because many of us signed up for sweet desserts and not a cup of espresso (at least give me a sweet frappuccino!).
There are two reasons for me watching this:
1. The plot of FL trying to play matchmaker for ML and 2FL but ended up falling in love with ML. I like this trope!
2. Ok Taec Yeong - need I say more about how tall and handsome he is, and with beautifully sculpted muscles?
Well, for these two reasons, I am quite happy! I came into this looking for a romantic comedy and it was delivered in the first 7 episodes. As I said, I like the trope and I love the obsessive tyrant who is possessive, clingy and gets jealous…and he’s actually NOT mean to his girl! I had a really fun time watching those early episodes. I wasn’t expecting anything amazing but I got what I wanted. The acting in general is not bad and the chemistry between the main leads is pretty good. We got a couple of not-totally-steamy scenes and good kisses. They are cute together as a couple. The supporting cast is OK. The mean girl isn’t too mean, and the ‘innocent’ girl is to be expected. No plot twists here.
But things go downhill with the introduction of another character at the end of ep 7. That’s when the shift in tone happened. We got revenge, palace politics and a fight for the throne in the last 4 episodes. The comedic tone disappears and we’re left with a typical historical political drama. The writing is fine, the villain is fine and the king is fine. It’s all very average but where was my promised dessert for the 3rd course? I don’t want espresso now! “The First Night with the Duke” is unable to balance the comedy throughout the drama.
Since this is a fantasy drama, I am not going to be picky about the how and why FL was transported into the novel. There really can’t be a ‘realistic’ explanation because it’s not real. You can only judge whether it's creative or not or it's the same old same old. But you can totally tell that you are NOT watching a C-drama because the censorship police did not come and give you the standard ending to a Chinese transmigration fantasy drama (know what I mean??).
Overall, I have a decent time watching “The First Night with the Duke”. It’s only 12 episodes long and at least I enjoyed two-thirds of the drama. I don’t hate the last quarter, I just wish it was executed better. I would only recommend this drama if you like the actors or this particular fantasy plot. Otherwise, you can save some time and watch something else.
If you read the web novel, can you drop me a comment and let me know if it does a better job in balancing the comedic tone throughout? Was the politics handled in a much better way?
Completed: 7/29/2025 Review #608
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When I read the summary i found the plot interesting so i decided to immediately start watching it. There were so many scenes that made me laugh out loud, and I really enjoy dramas with lots of comedy.
What really made me absolutely fall in love with this was the heartfelt and meaningful moments that made cry buckets and think about my life.
The acting was good and I think the romance between the two reads felt real.
Overall this is something you should definitely watch
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The story isn’t dissimilar to most high school K-dramas. But the amazing thing about K-dramas is their ability to take the same storyline and types of characters, and present them in just a slightly different way to audiences. There’s definitely a lot of cute in this show and generally makes for an enjoyable and light watch.
I can’t say Eunji didn’t do a good job in this show, as she seems to do in every drama she is in. But one thing that does disappoint me is that the character Yeon-doo does remind me of the other spunky female characters she’s played in her previous shows. I do hope she tries out other types of characters in her future projects.
I’ve not seen Lee Won Geun or Ji Soo in any major projects before this. I’ve only seen LWG in Moon Embracing the Sun but that was such a small role. These two are a revelation in this show! Their characters are quite different from each other, but they share a close friendship on the show. It really looked like they were having fun playing these characters. They both stole my heart in this show, so it’s hard to go any further without turning into a rabid fangirl, so all I’ll say is I’ll certainly be on the lookout for both these actors in their future projects.
Super props to Chae Soo Bin for playing what seemed like an absolutely irredeemable villain who went all out to ruin the lives of our protagonists, yet with an interesting backstory that still managed to pull at my heartstrings everytime. I just wanted to give her chance to redeem herself every time, no matter how many evil deeds she had done.
On a whole, the cast have great chemistry and make the show such fun to watch. Of course, there’s also the fact that it’s a high school drama and personally there’ll always be a place in my heart for high school dramas.
Another good thing about this show is it’s short at 12 episodes. The ending did feel slightly rushed and that’s a small stain on this show. Otherwise, highly recommended!
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A different drama
Almost every episode had a twist that leaves you dumbfounded and the leads did a superb job displaying such grey characters. My problem is that the main villain felt like a caricature compared to Hai Yiping. Kangping prince in the end came out as a royal who was lucky enough to have clever subordinates than being clever himself. His ending was also anticlimactic, and his arc didn't quite fit the tone of the whole drama making it look like an afterthought story addition, making the last episodes a bit draggy.The main story though is truly hitting the spot. Torture and rape and the trauma caused are nicely delivered making the pain and suffering of the victims real and not just a McGuffin.
Now the romance felt like a much needed sneeze that was never realised despite the constant nose tingling. I'm sure you know how it feels. There was such potential there, especially in the last episode when they fell into the water. That would have made it chef's kiss.
All in all, the drama deserves more hype. It's one of the few that focus on 2 nobodies trying to make something better for their country, without any real ties to royalty and wealth and the only one I have watched that shows the strengths and depths of women power and friendship without turning them into simps halfway through the story.
P.S. the OST is shockingly good. It's the second drama I did not skip the intro
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