Surprisingly ADDICTIVE!
I wouldn't say everyone will like this kind of drama, but I LOVE IT.It's not the usual korean drama that comes with a cheerful starting, couple fall in love and followed with the story climax. Some people might not like the "psycho" theme drama because of the dark and depressing content, but I find it pretty addictive of its UNUSUAL setting of characters, story presentation and the chemistry between the main leads! As the female lead is a fairytale story writer, the show uses a "fairytale story telling" method to bring out some principles of life that touches the bottom of your heart, which I find it very special!
You will FALL IN LOVE with the two main leads, because they are not the usual main leads you will find in other dramas. The girl is cold on the outside but warm in the inside whilst the male lead is other way round. They both had some bad memories that shaped their behaviours; they hurt each other, but they protect each other as well :) So I would say their interaction and chemistry are the highlight of the show!!!! Not to mention, the three main leads (including the brother) acting is SUPERB! The brotherhood among the two male leads is very touching too and it will make you cry T^T
For those who are a scaredy-cat, be aware that there are some horror scenes too. Well, it doesn't really have physical ghost in the show (in case you are wondering), but because the main female lead had some dark memories, so she will have bad dreams and having sleep paralysis.
Although there were some parts not being well explained, I think you shouldn't be too serious about it and enjoy the scenes and stories this drama has brought to us. It brings joy, intense, sadness and also heart-warming relationships that makes you smile :) I love all the main and side roles and also their sweet and nice characters, the entire casting was pretty pleasing and I enjoyed watching it a lot!
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This review may contain spoilers
I honestly don't know where to begin... (Also this is a bit long/rambling because I JUST finished the last episode, so I have a lot of emotions)STORY:
The first 16 episodes were great - so much going on, but it was all so entertaining. But then come episode 17 and it was a completely different story with somewhat different people - even though it was all the same people. Even so, I kept going. Episodes 17-53 though not as great as the first chunk of the drama were still decently entertaining to watch. Especially between the first two parts of the drama, there were just so many discrepancies about what was going on that they never resolved because it really felt like two completely different stories at times. And then somehow the final episode, ep 54 - my mind just went blank and I'm still not sure what I was watching... So I'm gonna rate this as 3 different parts.
A) Ep 1-16
B) Ep 17-53
C) Final ep 54
A) 9/10 - The first few episodes were so great. There was plotting and manipulation but it felt somewhat new and refreshing. Rong Zhi and Chu Yu's relationship was angsty but amazingly enticing to watch. The other characters at the Princess' manor were equally entertaining. It was a constant - what's going to happen next? What is Tian Ji Pavilion going to do? What is Chu Yu going to do? What is Rong Zhi going to do? Really fun to watch and definitely the best part of the drama.
B) 7/10 - the main core of the drama. The majority of the drama was focused on this part of the story - though it really makes viewers question why the drama was written to essentially be 2 different stories. Aside from the two main characters being the same people - though arguably their personalities were a bit warped - the rest of the drama was completely different. The setting moves out of Liu Song and into the kingdom of Wei (where Rong Zhi is now the Prince Regent leading the government for his nephew, the emperor) and Chu Yu is sent from Liu Song with the intention of peace through marriage. While this was the main core of the drama, it was definitely outshined by the first section of the drama, but nonetheless it was still an interesting watch.
There was a lot of framing and manipulation, which comes standard with these types of dramas, but honestly it was made a bit worse because there were SO MANY different people scheming that by the end it just feels like everyone was against everyone. Really it was hard to root for anyone just because of how much manipulation was going on.
Secondly, while miscommunication between the main pair is always a given, it was just a bit much sometimes. You have two very stubborn personalities, with one also constantly scheming to obtain power, but of course neither of them were willing to talk things out and would just essentially give up when the other was upset. It made it really hard to ship the main pair sometimes because it seemed like they were never going to be able to communicate well and understand the other person's feelings.
Lastly, between the second female lead actually playing two different characters there was WAY too much screen time attributed to her (specifically as General Huo Xuan) and honestly it got way too overbearing and annoying that I (and as I've read many others) pretty much skipped through all of her scenes. The writing really made it seem as if they wanted the second lead actress to be the main actress. Between the war zone story lines, to her story lines with Rong Zhi, to her story lines with Gu Huan - it was just way too much time focused on her and not enough on the main actors.
C) 5/10 - The final episode. There are literally very few dramas that have me honestly lost about what the hell happened by the end. Even this drama, everything seemingly went together up until the final episode. Maybe it was because they rushed the ending? Which is ridiculous because they had 54 episodes to work out this whole story, but the last episode was just super weirdly paced and there was so much going on. I honestly don't know if it was a happy or sad ending just because it depends on how you look at it, I suppose. By the end of it, I really just want to know who the writers were supporting this whole time because the way this ended - unless they're planning a sequel - just didn't make sense to me. In 40 minutes time, they crammed in so much stuff with no explanation and they were just like "Welp, that's it." Such a let down.
ACTING/CAST:
Song Wei Long (Rong Zhi) - As the male lead, I feel like SWL did a pretty decent job carrying such a weighty drama. He is definitely a young actor, so hopefully he will progress over the next few years, but even so I think he did a good job. Many people criticize him for not showing emotion very well, which I agree with to an extent. If it was any other character, I'd wholeheartedly agree that he was bad in that regard, but for this drama and this character, I think it still worked out well. Rong Zhi from the beginning was a very complex character who was very reserved, meticulous, and brilliant. For someone who is a genius at manipulation and scheming, I appreciated the fact that he was terrible at expressing himself and his feelings because it showed some kind of weakness in his personality. If he was great at everything, it would have made me dislike him honestly because no one can be perfect at everything.
Guan Xiao Tong (Liu Chu Yu) - A lot of my feelings about her probably come down more to script than it does to her actual acting, so it's hard to give her a fair review. In the first part of the drama, she was portraying Zhu Que of Tian Ji pavilion who took over the life of Liu Chu Yu to complete a mission. This character was smart and cunning, but had compassion and morals. Her character and acting were very entertaining as she portrayed the cunning Zhu Que but also the murderous/lustful Liu Chu Yu.
In the second half, it gets more confusing because you have the real (but not real) Liu Chu Yu and Zhu Que completely disappears (though it's the actually the same character). By now she's just a fairly basic female character. She's still smart (or just really lucky) as she gets herself out of trouble (with tons of help, of course), but she now harbors this idealized sense of morality - even though she is also a part of an imperial family and should be used to the scheming by now. And yet at every turn, she criticizes Rong Zhi and the others for fighting for power, even though it is something to be expected of people in power.
Again, these are all issues I have more with the writing for the character, more so than with Guan Xiao Tong's acting abilities. I think for what she was given, she did a good job - but nothing mind blowing.
Bai Lu (Huo Xuan) - I'm giving her a shout out mostly because I actually REALLY enjoyed General Huo at the very beginning and thought she was really entertaining, but eventually I just stopped watching most of her scenes because there was just way too much focus on her and it got annoying. She honestly did a really good job though (from what I didn't skip xD)
REWATCH/OVERALL:
I'll honestly probably watch this drama again some time in the future because even though there was a lot of stuff I didn't like about it, overall I still enjoyed it as a drama (aside from that last episode). It was nothing groundbreaking or particularly memorable, but for some reason, I was still really intrigued watching it and still felt it was fairly entertaining.
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The plot is sweet enough, but I truly fail to see its purpose. The premises, that is, a girly girl who lifts heavy weights, could have been everyone else that comes to mind – a clown, a dock worker, a truck driver or a simple student. The sport of weightlifting itself does absolutely nothing to deeply define this girl, except for 2 details: 1st, the hardship of balancing love for this sport with the basic womanly needs of being pretty; 2nd, the ridiculous choice of main actress, who is as believable as a weightlifter as I am as the first queen of Goryeo.
In Cheese in the Trap, the last drama I saw her acting in, someone called her "a giraffe", which I'd say is quite accurate a description. Lee Sung Kyung is tall, thin and beautiful, and her acting here consists of an alternation of pouts and a goofy gate that should lead us to believe she's not feminine. While watching, I spent a lot of time deciding whether I should raise one eyebrow or both.
The humour is off, at least for my taste. I didn't laugh once. There's too much screaming and wrestling, and most of all, there's too much eating. When I enter the realm of Korean drama, I'm psychologically prepared to see people eat at every opportunity, but here they really don't do much more. The quantity of food – and junk food – shoved into everyone's mouth is such that I got nauseous.
Acting is average. None of the actors shine in his or her performance, possibly because the script has no room for deep characterization. This isn't even a coming of age kind of story, since all characters end up being basically the same they were in the beginning, but with a partner. All the interesting cues, those that somehow delved deeper into the emotions of some characters, are conveniently skimmed and resolved in the space of a few minutes. Everyone lies to everyone else and calls it either friendship or protection. Bah.
There is some music… I think.
Never to be rewatched. Once was enough to establish this is not my kind of drama and simply forget about it. My 6 is due to the fact that I completed it.
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This review may contain spoilers
One Word Description: Boring
Suffering from insomnia? No worries, here's an effective solution. It won't fail to help you to fell asleep. da da da 'Doom at your service' powered by tvN network.Disclaimer: This review is written by my utter frustration. Still, I tried my best to point out the pros and cons. So please don't mind me.
You are making a soup, you bought all fresh ingredients and veggies, added all exotic spices. Soup is simmering for many hours and it smells so nice and even makes you hungry. You have a beautiful set of crockery and cutlery. Now the soup is done, then you take a sip and the 'Moment of Eureka'........... you forgot the salt. But you can't take it back as it's already been served. As salt is the soul of every dish without it everything is tasteless. The same thing happened with drama. It doesn't have a soul, it's just trying to become somewhat majestic and ends up becoming nothing.
Everything is so pretty... pretty actors, pretty sets, pretty cinematography, pretty clothes, and most important the 'petty' story. It's badly written has no logic, draggy with many plot holes. The conversations aren't meaningful rather vague. Where plot twists aren't interesting, surprising, or have the ability to hook the audience and keep them on their toes.
The thing with fantasy is, it's a vast genre without many restrictions, rules-regulations it depends only on imagination, the main problem is the 'story' which lacks in 'creativity' and becomes repetitive after one point circling. We live in 2021 and the plot is about 'A damsel in distress with knight NO Doom who's gonna save her.' is this intriguing? I found only the second leads storyline is interesting in the whole mess (But they don't have screentime lol), and as I person who doesn't give fuck to second leads it's the superlative thing. Just because the lead storyline has literally nothing captivating.
Tak Dong Kyung has a most miserable life. If you are having a bad day just go and watch the first episode Oh No not for lifting your mood, because you won't feel your day was bad after watching her day. I don't have a particular problem with her character just she lacks common sense lol. Her many decisions are just stupid, why even she made it if she was gonna return to the same point. Kim Sa Ram/Myeol Mang, well he is good-looking... um very good looking oh yeah his hairs look cool. Wow, I have literally nothing to talk about his character lol, he seems to hate humans but then why he has a soft corner towards Dong Kyung. I am confused by his actions, firstly what the heck was his plan? and secondly why the hell he started to like Dong Kyung? He isn't human, right? he can't sleep, eat or drink then why does he have human emotions? There's a conversation where the male lead says he can't cry (time stamp 54:58 14th ep). And in that very scene, he is crying... seriously, does this make any sense.
Talking about Deity hats off, they played dirty with her character. She doesn't have her own personality as it depends only on the flow of the story what will be her actions or her behavior. Whereas any other side characters don't have a major role, as none of them actually has contributed. Only Deity is part of the main plotline.
We didn't even get time to explore characters individually coz they had to mix Loveline in between so abruptly. Where is the process? out of blue, they were head over heels, without giving a simple reason or explanation to it, their romantic relationship development went from 0 to 100 in the blink of an eye. Well, I know you don't need a reason to like anyone but as a viewer am I not getting fool? As it gets bombarded (We have to use our imagination power to find a reason wow, what creativity). I mean WHAT? so they made one cliche trope around the 12-13th episode, but without brain lol, well I mean if you are doing something stick to it, why just do something to consume time as you have left nothing with the story. Due to failed execution its pace, great acting was in all vain.
Drama has an amazing casting Park Bo Young and Seo In Guk look good together with great chemistry, whilst with all supporting cast, it would have been a blockbuster. Music is one of the few things I liked... it has some beautiful OSTs 'Breaking Down' by AILEE would be my favorite. There were some scenes I particularly liked, some had good humor that made me laugh too. Seon Kyung's character is quite fun and refreshing. The cinematography is stunning, with great visuals. Pretty much eye candy.
Fun Fact: For those who don't know Seo In Guk is also a singer and he has sung one of the OST 'Distant Fate.'
Maybe for the beginners of this genre, who have many things yet to explore this might be a pleasant watch. But as a person who has watched almost everything of this genre in K-dramaland, 'DAYS' has failed miserably to show me something new and refreshing.
Still, you insist. Go watch it and waste precious 16 hrs of your life.
Enjoy! Have fun xD
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This review may contain spoilers
This drama needed a soul......it was so lifeless and cringey
The minute you label the genre as romantic comedy, then a thousand expectations are dropped but yet only a handful remain.And if you can't even met those then the drama needs to be trashed.
ML : basically the only person/object/character worth watching. He is the only reason I endured 16 hours of cringey material.
FL : goddess of goodness. I wish more girls like this existed - but they don't because her character was fake and so was her smile. Outrageously created do-gooder, star winner......just nauseating.
Main Couple : I couldn't find the chemistry within 16 hours of torture. Romance is tepid, no sizzle, no heart fluttering scenes. Please don't call it a romance if you cannot make our hearts flutter. It's the only request we have for you.
The friendship between 3 females : they should really edit out all the scenes with the 3 friends because it is an embarrassment to young women. Who behaves so idiotically? Are these stolen clips from a 70's drama?
Bad coworkers : Yea,right
Trip to Thailand: ridiculous joke
Arab Prince: The comment and review sections are filled with this so go figure.
This drama had a hope, some good bones. Unfortunately they wanted a quick fix so the whole thing came crumbling down.
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This review may contain spoilers
The Inferno ran out of fuel
This season of Single's Inferno was a whole mess, and if I had to sum it up in eight words, it'd be: Tarzan & Jane: A Dumpster Fire in Hell. The show's attempts at forcing drama and romance were cringeworthy, and the cast was just...meh. The whole thing was a skippable snooze-fest and that’s putting it lightly. Netflix has officially driven Single’s Inferno into the ground, and Season 4 is the flaming wreckage. What started as a mildly entertaining dating show has devolved into a predictable, lazy mess where one contestant hoards all the attention while everyone else fades into irrelevance.This season’s culprit? Sian, the show’s leading lady, who spent ten episodes collecting male validation like Infinity Stones, culminating in a finale where three men lined up to get their hearts stomped on for the privilege of losing to Junseo—the human embodiment of the Cart Titan.
Let’s talk about Junseo. Every interaction was a performance, from the unnecessary back-and-forth with Minseol (as if he’d ever pick her) to the grand finale where he slung Sian over his shoulder like he was Tarzan reclaiming Jane. His entire existence was exhausting, yet somehow, Sian was enthralled. She didn’t want stability, sincerity, or basic respect…. hell no, she wanted someone who’d play mind games with her for ten episodes straight. And she got exactly that.
Meanwhile, the actual interesting contestants: You Jin, Hae Lin, and Min Seol barely got any fucking screen time because the producers were too busy shoving ‘the Sian show’ down our throats. The editing was trash, the pacing was horrific, and it was obvious Netflix has no idea what the hell they were doing. Instead of genuine connections, we got the same old and haggard love triangle formula dragged out like a bad K-drama. The way they were expected to choose people based on looks alone and like a 5 minute conversation pissed me off.
The best part of S4 was Theo, the greenest flag of all the guys and You Jin, the most bubby down to earth girl from the women. They are the reason why I’m giving this show 2 stars because they at least gave me something to look forward to and had me rooting for them even though both were so overlooked.
Lowkey, this season's panel was better than the others, but Dex needed to ditch them and get back to the inferno immediately! Ji Yeon deserved better than what she got like it was so obvious her and Tae Hwan were not compatible. I honestly would’ve liked it more if she turned him down at the end. And, tbh, the wild card men should've all stayed - what was the point of that whole thing, anyway? Jonghoon was hella bland and much too relaxed for my liking. Bro was just there for free vacation like Habin from season 3. He literally put in zero effort, and that "relationship" with Hyejin? Forced, fake, and chemless. Same energy with Jiyeon and Taehwan - I called it from day one, they had zero sparks.
This season was TRASH, and the fact they're making a S5?! HELL NO!!!! WE DO NOT WANT IT!!!!
At this point, it’s clear the show is beyond saving unless they bring in regular people instead of these performative plastic diva’s and lazy ass men. Bro the way they need men who actually try instead of them sitting around waiting for women to chase them. Like, I could try to understand if these men thought they were some prize or were super fine, but that wasn’t the case this season. They were all so unbelievably MID. The most decent looking guy to me was honestly Theo or Dongho. Every single one of them was mid compared to the Season 1 and Season 2 cast. It’s safe to say Single’s Inferno’s flame has officially burnt out.
This franchise needs to die expeditiously!
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How's the story: does it exist? I don't think so,
Jung Jin Soo is creepy, monsters are funny (literally), Min Hye Jin is reckless but cool (But what's the use?), Kyung Hoon is... wait what's his role? lol. My brother is annoying, Oops sorry this is unrelated. Well, so is the show apparently."When one person suffers from delusions, we call it a mental illness. When the society suffers from them, we call it being normal." -Anonymous
One of the few things done right is the portrayal of society and its mindset lol... I'd rather won't comment on how religious things are shown... but the whole setup of how people (normal people not the crazy dudes) think... was relatable.
For 50×6=300min (approx), I was staring at my laptop screen, was legit for nothing coz this drama is just so random. Some random characters with some random backstories, with their random purpose put together and bunch of super annoying characters are thrown...wait, that explains poster well. Drama ends up being a hot mess that doesn't serve justice to anything, anyone... characters, actors-their acting.
I'm curious what's the writer trying to show actually...Story is like some scattered pieces joined together without giving proper time to explore any character well. I didn't the webtoon to I've no idea abt the background story.. but just judging from the drama. It lacks in many ways, it's confusing, writing just sucks, editing is choppy, the whole cult thing is crazy, why some characters exist... then they just vanish in a thin air. Other than Jung Jin Soo's purpose everything has loose ends, should I call it a Netflix thing so they can create seasons per season.
I do not have a problem with bad CGI even though it made me laugh at the monsters... they legit look funny, or even cinematography. They can have a small budget it's understandable... but what's wrong with lighting? Okay, I get that Netflix is been trying this for a while now... making dark lighting and cinematography to suit the theme of thrillers, but that doesn't mean it should be this bad that I had to check the brightness of my device two times. With bad color grading, it's weirdly dark.
The acting is spot on. Yoo Ah In legit gave me chills... but he doesn't look himself and if he's the sole reason if you want to watch the whole thing, you'll be disappointed he's dangling carrot. I appreciate Kim Hyun Joo's performance too. Park Jung Min and Woo Jin Ah slayed in a very small amount of screen time given.
I think the main problem with it is they just tried to do many things together is a small amount of time. Trying to put many characters... many things happening at the same time. But this season is just meant for the introduction and things are explained in later seasons... I may ignore it but right now I'm just thinking of it as an individual drama.
It doesn't have many surprising, thrilling, action factors. I didn't find it the least bit scary nor any jump-scaring moments. It's gory, disturbing at times...you might get disgusted on many occasions but I won't call it a good horror.
It doesn't bother to explain anything, just wreck your brain on your own. Nothing is impressive... nothing. I admit it's different but not in an extraordinary way. It's just normal... might be good as time pass, as I'm the least bit entertained and thrilled. I just hope the second season (if it's gonna happen) will prove me wrong and this is just a build-up for it.
Am I being harsh? yes. I should be.
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Violence galore lacking meanings and life lessons, too much side stories, good acting
UPDATE: I still think this non-linear storytelling doesn't work well for a 20-episode drama. Many characters were left underdeveloped, their back stories felt like unimportant side stories. I wish they'd cover the core story sufficiently here... So I'm not really looking forward for the 2nd Season.I have mixed feelings about Moving, I found this action show to be unique and gripping although I do not gravitate to watch a superhero genre. I really enjoy the suspense and stake built within every episode; At any moment the storm is coming and the action really starts where anyone can die. The pacing is fine and what's great is that all the characters are given their moments to shine. Another pro is the CGI, they are great quality and really believable.
Moving spends a lot of episodes introducing us to its many characters and setting up the story. The first 7 episodes highlight the kids' superpowers and friendship while hinting to us that their powers might bring more trouble than they’re worth. It gives us glimpses of the mystery and danger to come. I love the healthy relationships between parents and children throughout the show. I also want Bong Seok to be happy, although I'm not completely sold on a romance between him and Hee Soo. While I appreciated the parents' stories as well, after the 13 episodes of our character's backstories, I still have very little attachment to most characters besides Bong Seok. They are not fully fleshed out. This is way too structured, by the time I get invested in these characters, their story is over already (@,@).
Watching the 2nd half have left me feeling bitter and it does not recover till the end. My main issue is that the writer and director purely highlight violence is romantic in these backstories. In a world dominated by conspiratorial and corrupt governments, the only way you can survive is by murder. Also, the portrayals of North Korean villains as monsters could have been more intriguing if they're written as more morally gray characters. Their superpower is used to kill, not for self-defense, and sorry to say, I really dislike it. If that's the case, then what's the difference between heroes and villains?
-Sept 2023, Yovita
Find me on Instagram: @kdramajudge
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Interesting but Unmemorable
Let me start with some disclaimers because, as you'll find out, my rating for this mini-series is much lower than the majority of other reviewers/raters. Suffice it to say I have always struggled with Japanese Dramas.I think their stories are interesting -- especially those that delve into the dark psychological aspects of human nature. However, almost all, without exception, have failed to elicit any emotion from me. For whatever reason, I often find that characters in J-Dramas fall flat. Alice in Borderland, unfortunately, is no exception.
Another important thing of note is that this review pertains only to this drama. I'm aware the story is based on a manga that I have not read, and the truth is told, I don't plan to check out. So keep in mind that I jumped into this series without knowing anything about it.
PLOT: Interesting, albeit left mostly unexplored
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The world (aka country/reality) in which this drama takes place is hands down the most interesting aspect of this series. So much so, that wanting to know more about the world and explore it through the "escape rooms" game-dynamic kept me engaged enough to finish this one in three days.
Sadly, the series had to juggle too many characters, so the world itself was left vastly unexplored. Of course, this is only the beginning and I've heard rumors of a second season, so they may simply want to keep some mysteries to resolve in the sequel. If so, I'll probably watch it in hopes of getting some answers to my numerous questions, though I won't really be holding my breath for it.
CHARACTERS: Flat and forgettable
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Rather than talk about each of the main characters, I'll talk about them as a whole, since they all share the same problem and that is... none of them are really fleshed out.
You could blame the length of the drama, certainly. But that would be a cheap excuse. These characters lack complexity and it was that alone that made me feel nothing for them. They could've all died by the end and I wouldn't have shed a single tear.
Now, there was an attempt at building emotion. But it felt superficial, rushed, and "formulaic". I knew when a character was going to be axed because we got to hear their sob story through a quick dialogue with another character.
To be frank, if you like being engaged by the characters this Drama may fall short for you. But if you don't mind simple characters we don't really "get to know", so long as the world they inhabit is interesting, then this will make a decent watch.
MALE VS FEMALE CHARACTERS: Problematic
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I want to take a moment to express a problem I have with Japanese Dramas. Mind you, I haven't tried that many... but my avoidance of them has to do precisely with the reasons I'm about to briefly delve into.
This Drama is male-centric. Meaning, male characters tend to be given more depth than female characters. As such, the drama gave almost every male character some kind of motivation which explained why they made each of their decisions.
Unfortunately, female characters were left unexplored and at times, downright untouched. Even Usagi (the FL) was stripped from giving her depth by focusing her flashbacks on her father, rather than on her own life/aspirations. There's only one female character (a transgender gal) who was given a brief but beautiful story. Her aside, though, female characters were depicted as disposable, selfish, useless, and/or simple eye-candy.
Unlike female characters, male characters were usually portrayed in a nobler way. Even minor male characters were shown willing to sacrifice themselves for other men/friends. While female characters were killed off for reasons verging on the absurd (like showing the audience the dangers of a room, for example). I don't want to add spoilers here, but if you're interested to know more, add a comment and I'll explain using the spoiler tags.
FRAMING: toxic male gaze
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The above points lead me to talk about how the Drama was directed because it's one of the most problematic areas and maybe the aspect that spoiled my enjoyment the most.
Many of the decisions here were taken with the idea that "sex sales" and, of course, most times that means female bodies will be exploited. So as the series crossed into the last quarter (when they reach the beach), a rule was set that everyone should walk around in a bathing suit to ensure "no one can hide any weapons".
The result was having most female characters walk around in small bikinis while male characters got to wear baggy trunks and shirts. The fact that they didn't march around shirtless nullified the supposed "purpose/logic" of the rule. To the point where we even see a few of these male characters taking out weapons from the back of their swimming trunks...
But perhaps more intolerable than this was a scene that involved what would've been a gang-rape had the scene not been interrupted. Luckily, the director decided not to undress the character who gets kidnapped and almost assaulted (which I believe is supposed to be an underage girl).
Yet, the entire scene still felt crass because the camera hovered over the assailant's shoulder, making the audience complicit by showing the scene from his POV instead of the victim's. The result is that sexual assault ends up portrayed as something quasi-erotic, rather than as something horrific that is happening to the victim. This didn't settle well with me, as this has been a technique I thought we'd move past with the rise of the #metoo movement...
OVERALL: On the fence
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To be honest, this one is a tough one to recommend without putting on the table all the additional notes/flaws I've pointed out in this review. I think the world is interesting enough to make this drama watchable --binge-watchable even!-- and the "escape room" games were hands-down the best part.
However, the characters are not memorable or even original. They felt cartoonish to me and ultimately unengaging. I also hated the directing and the constant "butt framing". The disparity in how the genders were handled was especially jarring, so I wouldn't recommend this one if you care about that at all.
I also think this show calls for some trigger warnings because we see: attempted gang rape, executions, and a number of shootouts that may hit close to home to someone living in the USA; as it is reminiscent of many real schools shootouts in the way they were portrayed. So keep all that in mind if you decide to watch. If any of these things trigger you, I'll recommend staying away from this one.
If, on the other hand, you don't care about these things and like watching psychological mysteries (which are constructed like anime), then you'll probably really enjoy this one.
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How to be a people pleasear | lack of romance
So sad to watch another drama where the FL is an example how to be a boxing bag, how to be a victim, how to not trust yourself at all, to be a people pleasear... the toxic life of koreans.... to be abused but to continue the contact, working with abusers. I dont understand how can be an example for young girls that whatch this kdrama.How can you have, treat with kindness, even visit a frind that always wanted nothing for you. Bullying is a thing that koreans like so much... it become a normality to entrain.
I would have loved to see how she fights for her, how to gain self-confidence, to be in her own power, how to stand for yourself, how to speak for yourself.
The romance is absent completely.
There are some beautiful stories also and for this I give it a 5 but I don't recommend.
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EYECANDIES
While i cant say anything bad about the 4 main cast, who may be some of the best looking cast in any BL show, the story and the execution is a bit lacking.The plot is a typical Thai BL setting - boy hates (or pretends) to hate another boy only to fall in love in the end - whats worse is this time we got 2 of that (or 3 or 4 if you count the side characters). There is no real climax to the story except to make these guys fall inlove with each other - there was very little time for the characters to grow. Initially they were trying to tell the backstories of Zon and Tutor, only for all of that to not matter in the end. There was no antagonist and no real (or very little) conflict and the finale felt like it was really rushed - nothing really happened in the final episode, other than Saifzon's first time.
If they didnt try to be so serious in the beginning and just made it a completely light hearted romance drama, things would have been better.
Saint is always amazing but for me Zee stole the show. The way he cried when they broke up and the way he begged Tutor to take him back broke my heart too.
Thank god Tommy was cute enough that even if his character is so annoyingly written I cant still hate him. Jimmy is just charming and cute as hell. These 2 deserve a better series of their own.
Will i rewatch the series again - maybe, only for the EYECANDIES, and if i am locked down again at home for a long period of time. Otherwise not at all.
I do understand the pressure of finishing a show in the midst of the covid pandemic - we all know that the production was heavily affected by it. And because of their effort to not hang the fans in the middle of the show, im still giving the show a 7.
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Someone please hand Jung Kyung Ho an Oscar. It's such a shame that I never knew this actor existed. His acting messes with your mind and emotions because the way he portrays "Doc Son" no one else could have. He adds his own element of mysteriousness.
When gruesome fights and drug deals can excite you to this extent you know you got yourself something special. The action is ecstasy. When the fights start it's like you're watching something blissful.
I think the greatest thing about this show is it's realistic factor. I see realism within the characters and their pasts. There is so much complications and emotions going on that you go on the journey along with them.
Less the complications the better? Not in this case. You just want more and more of each thing whether it be complicated or messed up because it still delivers and grabs a hold of your attention.
Our OTP. Action and romance together it has the tendency to get mushy and "throw it all away for the woman." BUT not in this case. Our main lead knows the difference between professionalism and personal business. They're such a pleasure to watch because they compliment each other very well. They add heat. They add comfort. They add soul. This couple is a package between amazing chemistry and realistic expectations.
This show will never stop surprising you. Every cliffhangers has left an emotional scar. When you watch this show you'll be glued to your seat and you'll be literally in the face of the screen because you don't want to miss a single aspect of this drama.
It's dark. It's bloody. It's got drug deals. Power. Corruption. Heat. It's got everything. How can you turn yourself away from this.
I feel like I'm not talking about Heartless City/Cruel City If I don't mention that this the best drama of 2013.
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This review may contain spoilers
One of the better GMMTV shows but far away from a 10...
As usually the show started strong, but while it did not fall of a cliff it was a bit flat in the later episodes. The comedic parts are often over the top as usual and the finale did not catch me at all.At least the script was better than normal, but of course the predictability was a given. So it's a light-hearted show with few ups and not many downs, on the good side overall. But it will not leave an impression for me. While their chemistry was good, I felt there was not much tension between them and I also didn't feel that longing after three years and the reason was a bit "boring" imho.
It's pleasant to watch, it's heart-warming most of the time, but it misses the spice I have expected after all the interviews of the MLs I have seen before the show. It was just "safe" as usual by GMMTV. Success with the fangirls for the reunion of a fan-favorite couple, earning lots of money with fan-meets, concerts and merch. And that's what's a three billion ($ or €) industry is all about in most cases. Sorry to say, this series is very far away from the 10.0 many have given but we got disappointed by GMMTV much more before. Overall a decent show which can be watched without much brain-power but also a show which will not drive us insane with a stupid script either.
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missed the mark (watch suggestions)
Overall: though this is based on a book which has 2 other live action adaptations, I tried my best to review this series on its own merits. That being said, I think some fans of the book and original adaptation will not like a few changes that the creators have made as they fundamentally changed 1 character which alters their dynamic to feel imbalanced. Aired 10 episodes about 1 hour long on WeTV (need to VPN to Thailand, cut version & uncut version https://wetv.vip/en/album/pgahblq3qny0xuz) and YouTube cut https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqQkseRPA8d53_Hg0wnBlDFwNtFBw6xo3&si=rpt7pbo4KhLJoAoj Later added YouTube uncut for channel members. You can tell you are watching the uncut version if ep 1 starts at a fancy event in a flash forward. The cut version starts with a bunch of students taking an exam. Re-aired uncut version on Viki April 2025 https://www.viki.com/tv/41064c-addicted-heroinContent Warnings (uncut): non con kissing/biting, fight, bullying, drugging, abusive parent/violence, transphobia, non con kiss, theft, kidnapping/held against will, punch, drugging, blackmail, homophobia
Watch Suggestions (this is for the uncut version, it cuts out some of the love triangle stuff)
- watch episodes 1 & 2
- episode 3 watch beginning to 12:15, 13-24:45, 36:25-40, 46-end
- watch episodes 4 & 5
- episode 6 watch beginning to 27 minutes
- episode 7 watch 22:15-23:35, 26:30-34:15 (if you want to see a character be unhinged), and 44 to the end
- episode 8 skip 14:40-38
- episode 9 skip 6:30-31 and skip 43:30-49:15
- episode 10 skip 31:15-37:30
What I Liked
- visuals (i.e. working out scene)
- countryside setting
- sweet moments
- that they modified a part in episode 7, the book appears to have been written in 2015 and I have no problem with adaptations changing some things from the source material
- that 1 character didn't get a redemption arc in the finale
- a decent plan in the finale
- satisfied with the way it ended even if there isn't a special or second season
- production value (especially how the opening scene transitioned into the flashback, however it needs better transitions overall)
Room For Improvement
- the cut version took out key relationship development between both couples however it did take out some of the evil girlfriend/wannabe girlfriend stuff which was nice, speaking of
- too much screentime on evil girlfriend/wannabe girlfriend cliche
- tried to cover way too much plot, the side couple would randomly appear and disappear, too much of the main couple's relationship development was done in a montage
- choppy (even the uncut), it quickly jumped from one scene to the next
- a character was toned down but then went very unhinged, the dynamic didn't work
- fake kissing (a reason not to cast a 16 year old and a 30 year old...)
- the transphobic comment in episode 3 which I think was supposed to be translated as "he's not even a real man, he's a trans friend of mine"
- too many flashbacks
- comedy sound effects, also the tone switching between comedy and serious moments didn't always work
- nonsense stuff ie in ep 10 characters didn't tell another character information because they thought it would make him sad so instead he was both sad and mad for many years
- one of the worst/most confusing releases I've ever seen, the youtube channel that released episode 1 was different from the channel that released episode 0, no subtitles even though there were supposed to be and then the subtitled cut version was removed from youtube shortly after it was available to watch, 1 week later ep 1 and 2 cut were back up with subtitles
Note About Actors' Ages (I didn't take off points for this but as an fyi, 1 actor was 16 when he filmed this, the other lead actors' ages were: 26, 17 & 18; age of majority in Thailand is 20)
- from the source material and as shown in the series, the characters are the same age, they start in high school and then later there is a time jump
- there were zero real kisses, the one supposedly intimate scene was very tame and only kissing the person's neck/close to their neck
Cut version differences in episodes 1 & 2 (overall the uncut version is better, I didn't have the energy to watch all cut versions to compare but this gives you an idea of types of differences)
- in episode 1, 12 minutes were cut, about 5 minutes of that was there was an intro scene that took place in the future/present before a flashback, they also cut short the vandalism scene, then they removed Pop talking to his grandma/dad towards the end, and they removed the very end where there is a flashback to the vandalism scene but a new part shown
- in episode 2 (58 uncut/47 cut), after store there is a short talk with grandma about him working which is why he is out late, they cut a little of the nurse talking, in the infirmary they cut at the end that Hero got into the bed with Poppy to cuddle with him, after the sneezing they cut where the girl must have left a box of toilet paper for Mr. Sneezy and Mr. Sneezy thinks it's from Mr. Grumpy who denies it but he is shushed, after Pop's meeting with Hero's dad he goes to school and walks by Hero who is shirtless and randomly wrestling other students for fun, Pop volunteers to wrestle pins Hero and they stare at each other, after Pop took Hero's shirt to wash it there is a scene at a convenience store where Pop helps Hero with writing/homework, they then get drunk with Pop defending his mom and putting his head on Hero's shoulder, Hero gives Pop a new pair of shoes, ties them, Pop then shushes Hero and leans in, it cuts to Pop waking up shirtless in his bed with seemingly a hard on
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And i need season 2!! the actress is so young but when i watched this i thought she was at least 2 years older she is but shes a 98 liner and she was soo cute she is a good actress and the actor was soo good looking, i have watched some of his dramas before, they make such a good couple overall their chemistry was soooo cute!! hoping for season 2!!!!
Will there be one a second season???
:)
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