Reviews

I don’t know why, but for some reason Chinese dramas lack that little “it factor” that makes Korean dramas so good in comparison. While I’m watching this drama, I can’t help but compare it to Hometown Cha Cha Cha, since I’m watching the two side by side. There’s just an emotional element and cohesiveness that’s missing in My Fated Boy and other Chinese dramas and I can’t for the life of me figure out why. My main problem is that the side characters in this drama had absolutely no impact on the plot. Some side stories made no logical sense to me, such as the cousin (?) of Lu Zheng An who was pursuing (?) the FL. I never really understood the point of him having any sort of storyline since it was completely separated from the main plot and followed no logic. Similarly, the friend or relative or something like that of the Second FL had no existing contribution to the plot. There were some scenes of her and her husband, my I mentally checked out when I was watching those parts because I just didn’t quite understand their point. What I’m trying to say is that besides the love line, the entirety of this drama was just dull, directionless, and all over the place. I also couldn’t for the life of me justify the ML’s intense attraction to FL. It seemed obsessive-level to me because he literally molded his entire life around her existence, from the location that he lived, to the job that he pursued, to the way that he acted around her. If you find this type of person in real life, you'd most likely discover serious attachment issues and stalker tendencies. Cute in the drama, not cute when you think about it for more than a couple minutes. All in all, there was a great lack of engaging story, likable and realistic characters, and direction to the plot. I had this drama rated a lot lower initially, but I was satisfied with the lack of a cliche break-up that I bumped it up just a little bit. I wouldn’t recommend this.
Ps: did I mention it took me 2 months to sludge through this drama?

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Heartwarming Encouragement

I'm sure the synopsis will explain the romantic plot and the struggles/growth the characters go through, but I think it's really important to highlight just how heartwarming this show is. It felt like a big 10 episode hug.

It's been a while since I watched a drama that is an original script and not adapted from book/manga. Not to say adaptations are bad (not at all!), but I really liked how the actors got to actively collaborate on creating their characters. It made it feel real for me.

Also, there isn't a bad person in this story! The support they provide to each other throughout it is such a lovely reminder to be kind to others. Nothing is a burden and characters are quick to consider adapting things or situations for their friends, family and loved ones.

While it seems like a lighthearted romcom on the surface, I think there's much to be learnt from this drama.

Happy viewing! And keep your spirits up! Fight!!

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Suspense

The multiple timelines really brings everything together, and this is the first CDrama I watched that wasn't some happy and chill romantic comedy related to divorce or high school. Very dark, thrilling story, with everything coming together at the end, making it pretty hard to rewatch but amazing the first time around. The suspense is real, with amazing music and cinematography and actors that make the characters feel so realistic. I don't usually write reviews, but this piece of art really stuck to me and I rank it among the same tier as TV Shows such as Game of Thrones (earlier seasons), and it truly felt like an adventure watching it with my native chinese parents who understood it better than me most likely. Of course, there were some tiny plot points not explained in the end but they were not too important, and everything truly tied together and made the story bittersweet, as it truly was dark and sad with some hidden and obvious messages towards the end. WATCH IT 10/10

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Confusing, Critical, Cringe, and Comedy!

I was genuinely interested in this movie because of the summary. To confess, I have not read the manga and watched the anime. I am not a fujoshi but I kinda knew what I was getting myself into.

Confusing - Now I really can't get the point of the movie, is it fanservice? is it the message that fat chicks can't get hot guys? I can't take away any point from this movie. It was purely filler content to pass away some 90 minutes of my life.

Critical- I do agree that being slender grabs eyeballs but making that a criteria for dating felt derogatory. Anyway, I'm placated by the ending given to the MC. Also, well, it could have been a fat princess in the school drama segment instead but that would miss the point of this movie.

Cringe- Can't separate cringe from these type of themed musicals. What really was biggest cringe is the exaggerated weight loss scenes and the fangirling scenes.

Comedy- It was the only good point of this movie given that the quality of production was low, acting was amateurish, story felt random. I laughed hard many times.

"Boys! Please Kiss Him, Instead of Me" is something utterly absurd movie to watch when you are utterly bored and even if you don't, you wouldn't have missed anything.

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Very clever, very clever indeed!
The film is subtle, has an unmistakable lightness, no nudity and sex scenes, just a few kisses and hugs. That is the idea behind "Yes or No" to make it understand if it impacts, introduce an opinion without being invasive, the protagonists are incredible, the chemistry in the cameras freight was the best.
"Yes or No" talks more about this journey to meet, first love, among other things. The plot is not so unique for this type of film, but that's how the story is told, in ways that are curious and exciting.
It's funny, but throughout your mood there is a very big prejudice of acceptance on the part, and humor is just a way of trying to make people understand that we are different and because of that our choices are also. The film is not set in a happy fantasy world where a homosexual statement is found with open arms. He manages to address several issues affecting lesbian youth, but mostly with a subtle and light touch. Highlights for them, Aom Sucharat Manaying (as Pie) and newcomer Tina Supanard Jittaleela (as Kim). Highly recommend!

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I have a lot of mixed feelings about The Endless Love/The Journey from Tonight is White. It's not quite your classic idol drama, but it's also not a true slice-of-life school/youth drama either. I would say that it's a good, light watch. It features a strong relationship and likable characters. I didn't get very emotionally invested, but it wasn't a struggle to finish, and it reminded me a lot of A Smile is Beautiful/Love O2O.

THE GOOD: The characters (all except for one), the relationships, and the general plot and pacing.

The characters are all really likable, realistic, and not annoying, with the exception of one romantic rival who has a long plot arc I could have done without. You Yan is probably one of my favorite female drama protagonists because she's so reasonable. The plotting and pacing of the show is excellent. The drama never gets dragged out (with the exception of the aforementioned plot arc, but even that one kept things interesting) and all the episodes move along quickly. You Yan and Ye Bai have a lot of trust in each other, which is always nice to see in a drama relationship, and though their relationship isn't perfect, the struggles they go through feel very real and they respond in real ways.

One thing I really liked about this show was how meta it was about the drama genre. Sometimes an episode would end with a cliffhanger that in any other drama would spiral down into some cliche mess, but the next episode would show that the cliffhanger is hardly a cliffhanger. Instead of prolonging the drama, the characters would act in a reasonable manner.

There were also a few meta moments in which the characters would say, "this is how things would be if we were in a drama," which was ironic because that's exactly what would happen. At one point, Su Shan tells You Yan that if she were in a drama, she'd totally be a Mary Sue, which I found hilarious because You Yan totally IS a Mary Sue-type character, but she's such a likable one.

THE BAD: The acting, one ridiculous plot arc, and incongruities in the feel of the show.

The acting wasn't terrible, but I thought Chen Ruo Xuan's performance as Ye Bai was particularly stiff and the rest of the cast was just okay. Ye Bai had a cute relationship with You Yan, but as an individual, I didn't find his character convincing. The ridiculous romantic rival plot arc really dragged the show down. The first few episodes were great and then BAM we get hit with this drama. I didn't like it because the show was doing so well with avoiding cliches, and then this character came in and was a romantic rival stereotype.

Another thing that turned me off was how the show hovered between being an idol drama and a school/youth drama. There were moments when it tried to be realistic and meaningful in the way that it treated the characters' realistic struggles with the transition between college life and adulthood, but then sometimes there would be ridiculous and unrealistic gestures that remind you that this is an idol drama. I like both genres in different ways, but I didn't like the way that this show hovered between the two genres. I wish it would have chosen to be grand and idealistic and unrealistic, or stuck with being realistic and true to life.

OVERALL: I don't regret watching this drama, but I probably wouldn't rewatch it. It has a lot of feel-good moments, but overall I didn't feel invested in it. The characters and relationships have a lot of similarities to Love O2O, but The Endless Love has a lot more drama.

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The best drama I've seen since King of Baking. This drama has heart, and a lot of it. It hits home in a way that a lot of drama's can't even try to. It's about friendships being tested by things that are inevitably going to happen in any friendship - but on a whole different level. Almost instantly do you make room in your heart for the cast - - their all so different yet there's one thing that brings them close together: Their need to belong. Their need to succeed. Their need to just find out who they want to be, while they all seek their common goal: playing music for fun, with each other - forever. It's all about finding yourself and not giving up - your goals or your friendship - to get to that one place that you all feel is 'where you belong'.
The cast was absolutely beautiful. The characters were all portrayed well and the best thing was it wasn't just believable, but it actually felt real. I've laughed with these characters, cried with these characters, and even got pissed with these characters. It's an instant connection - Honestly I haven't met/talked to ONE person who isn't head over heels in love with this drama. What the actual heck are you doing with your life if you haven't watched this drama yet?

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The premise of two people from different cultures like that of Japan and USA sounds very interesting. I mostly got to watch what I expected would happen. The thing I liked most about this film was how realistic it was.

Since I am also an Asian, I could relate a lot to it. I read some opinions about people online who said that such problems regarding cultural things don't exist anymore. But I disagree. In fact, in a lot of Asian countries families don't exactly get thrilled if someone plans to marry a person from the West or any other country. This is exactly what is portrayed in this movie. The thoughts and reactions were absolutely perfect.

Both Saori and Tony have an excellent relationship in this film. The way they manage to work it out in spite of being different was amazing. Plus, their struggle to seek approval of their families and peer was also depicted nicely. When they had problems and insecurities, even that was very understandable. Although most of the movie revolves around these two people, it gives you a good feeling. There was hardly anything dramatic or tragic in this film. It manages to maintain its mood and pace until the end. There are a lot of cute and heartwarming moments throughout the entire film.

The events of the entire film are simple. I would say they did drag it out more than necessary (but that happens with most films). Since it was a semi-autobiographical manga originally, this movie also ended up feeling like a documentary. But I do not regret watching it. Plus, this is one of those movies to enjoy while relaxing and not thinking much. I loved the simplicity of the whole film. It is a must-watch!

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Felt like a state sanctioned anti-suicide infomercial

Ok. So I know the rating and review title might be confusing.

This show has some great acting, the quality of production is fantastic. The music was great. Some of the stories were really interesting and it’s for the most part well-written.

HOWEVER, if I hadn’t been watching with someone else I would have dumped the show. It felt like I was being lectured about suicide but in a very strange way. Korea has a very high suicide rate and maybe that plays into it, but some of the message delivery was clunky and anyone with an ounce of common sense can throw the reasoning out of the window. Maybe they hoped to make people think again about giving life a chance, maybe scare them into carrying on. I dunno guys, it just fell flat.

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I can't even begin to explain how I feel about this drama. This deserves like a 15/10! The story line was absolutely brilliant, the acting was phenomenal, the music was perfect!

Not only was this a romance, but it was political, comical, emotional and was very war based. The writers of this could not have done a better job. The actors brought the entire drama right to life. I cried countless times during this, and not only because I was sad, but because I was so over happy too.

The story line, though very much like Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliette, in the sense that the families hate each other, but also a lot like the story of Tristan & Isolde (If anyone has heard of it). They are all based along the same lines, and I tell you they are all beautiful.

This drama was just outstanding! By far the best drama I have ever watched yet. I HIGHLY recommend it.
And my opinion is no way biased due to any of the actors in this drama. I had only known of one actress in this drama, before watching it, and it was Kim Yoo Bin (She plays Seung Yoo's niece, in which I did not know she was in it until I started watching it.

Anyways, watch it. If you love a lingering romance, action or politics, this is definitely a drama for you! You have my word!

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When I first saw an article about "Aftermath" on allkpop, my immediate reaction was that I wanted to watch it. The idea intrested me, and I'll admit I have a bit of a Dongjun bias. I felt a little disappointed when I couldn't find it subbed anywhere, but it gradually slipped my mind. A few days ago I checked on dramafever and saw that they had the whole series, so I just marathoned it all in one go.
Story: The thing about "Aftermath" is that the premise sets up the drama like it's entirely about Dae Young's ability, when in reality that part only makes up about 50% of the actual drama. The show deals more with the aftermath *pun intended* of his ability's uses, and how it affects everyone around him. "Aftermath" also spends a fairly large chunk of its time on it's love story; which is cute and all but not exactly what I was expecting. I still adored this webdrama, though. It had an interesting blend of suspense and high-school life that felt a bit choppy, but worked overall.
Acting: Dongjun is one of the better idol actors, and I'm glad he got this opportunity to develop his acting skills. I think he has a lot of potential. Here, he was pretty good- not amazing, but better than expected. Kim Min Suk has always been adorable, Joo Ah Seon was nice and I can see her going places, and Kim Geun Hyung was brilliant. Seriously, he stole the show. I'm keeping my eyes out for him in the future.
Music: A lot of random Ze:A because, why not? Not that I'm complaining, of course. Other than that, there's a few ballads chucked in there because that's a drama staple.
Rewatch Value: Since this whole thing took a little more than two hours to watch, I'd say there's a decent chance at that.
Overall: Great story, good actors and really creative directing, "Aftermath" really took me by surprise. I really wasn't sure what I was expecting when I started, but I'm glad I did. 9/10.

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90% of this drama is pretty much the perfect romcom. Despite it being an office romance, the day to day operations at the workplace don't suck too much, which is extremely RARE in this genre. The main romance is beautiful and a bit novel too within the contract marriage category. (well it's not really a contract marriage, but the drama is structured like that) There are two side couples, one of them is amazingly funny with endless bickering shenanigans, while the other is really really boring, but the boring couple had very little screen time, so it's not a huge deal. Triangle haters can watch this too, since the secondary love interests don't amount to anything in this drama. Also the couples I cared about did not have any arbitrary -or justified- breakups, just how I like it.

So why is it not a 10? Well, boring couple aside, we still go through many of the cdrama greatest hit cliches & some of them are really creepy too I suppose. I really hated the scene with the teddy bear for some reason, the art of cinematography died there a little bit. Also the final episodes have some weird content that is kind of propaganda-like about harmony between banks/clients and whatever else.

When I just started watching this I asked the comment section that since this drama kind of features an early marriage with cohabitation does it have any bed scenes? I think I've gotten a negative answer. Now that I'm done watching I can confidently say that at the very least sex is low key implied long before the final episodes. This is well done I think, I don't need sex scenes, or even the camera zooming in on a thrown away bra, but it still feels somewhat plausible & mature.

The plot is not amazing or anything, but most of it is rather well thought out for a romcom.

Obviously the rewatch value is high, I'll be back!

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Perfectly watchable short form rom-com

This was not the easiest show to follow but it was a fun little watch.

Zhang Xiaohua is a rookie spy who was given her first real mission and is pretty psyched about it. She needed to assassinate a traitor to the royal spy network/association that she's a low ranking member of. There's also money forgery stuff involved.

She maybe sort of succeeds but was held up and foiled by the ML, Luo He. He's a hot shot second in command of a group of bandits. He chases her and she only gets him off her back by saying, "while you were dealing with me, my target is dead!" But was she really?

Then Xiaohua is told that she needs to go integrate herself with the bandit group because they have a super secret list of spies and it'll be a huge problem if that list gets exposed. So now she's pulling out all the tricks trying to get Luo He to take her in. She's a pretty shoddy actress and he's not getting fooled so she settles on pretending he kidnapped her to fool his assistant instead.

She tries lots of unsuccessful things to try and find the list once she's there, including a very unsuccessful seduction of the bandit boss who has a jealous wife. Luo He takes lots of chances to flirtatiously try to get her to come clean about who she is and what she's trying to do.

It honestly kind of lost me and wasn't super interesting at this point. I found the actress grating in how she overacted the comedy and I was just not getting what anyone else's motivation was.

The first big twist/turning point (SPOILER):
Oh but wait! Luo He is actually a seasoned, higher ranking royal spy! They're actually on the same side, he's actually just been undercover this whole time and he wants the list too. But how can two spies trust each other?
(END SPOILER)

There's actually a few more twists after that, but the first one was when I started being more interested in the plot. The romance was cute. The comedy was pretty bad and felt pretty forced. But the twisty plot actually got more interesting, which was nice.

Unlike many shorts, it does have a Happy Ending and is totally wrapped up at the end. I didn't think any of the actors did a stellar job, but I think it was perfectly acceptable to tell what ended up being a somewhat interesting story with a cute romance. I also enjoyed the music.



Random favorite part: her messenger bird is a chicken.

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