First off, the writer makes Kim Tan seem like a selfish guy who is obsessed with Cha Eun Sang. He keeps swearing to protect her but everyone knows all it does is just make matters worse. His vow to protect her seems to be just a sort of obsessive control he wants to have over her. His acting of being cute at some parts made me cringe even though I wanted to enjoy it because it was just so disgusting for his character. I think his character and acting in Boys Over Flowers was much more pleasant. His character there was written cutely and maturely: Gu Jun Pyo knew when to let go and didn't try to get back with Jan Di within 20 minutes of the same episode.
Secondly, my attention was definitely caught by Kim Woo Bin. I ended up watching the drama for him. He portrays his character pretty well even though his character is very cruel. Many people say his actions can't be justified but if you think about it, he really doesn't know how to express his feelings properly. He's just like a little kid that wants someone's (Cha Eun Sang's) attention so he'll do even mean things to get it. I feel that his means actions toward Eun Sang arise from Eun Sang misunderstanding him. People don't consider the bully being a victim him/herself.
I feel like most of the characters were just thrown in as accessories and suddenly had huge developments within one or two episodes whereas the rest of the screen time is given to Park Shin Hye and Lee Min Ho to stare at each other. Krystal Jung overacted but I got used to it and later found her and some of the other character parts to be good comedic reliefs from the overly dramatic and boring main couple.
Also, I liked Kim Ji Won's portrayal of the character Rachael. I think she did a really good job and it showed because I thought the character Rachael was very cold and mean.
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Twilight called and it wants its dignity back!!
I am no Stephenie Meyer, but compared to Golden Blood, Twilight did a pretty solid job, seemed more coherent than this and that alone should tell you everything you need to know about this drama.Let’s start from the beginning. I was genuinely excited for this series. I waited eagerly for GMMTV to announce the slot, and the first few episodes didn’t disappoint. They were campy and kitschy in a fun, entertaining way, you know the kind of over-the-top storytelling that didn’t take itself too seriously and had great chemistry to carry it.
But here is the thing, we have come a long way with fantasy genre. Even supernatural world need logic (atleast some), some basic rules that make sense within the world they have built. Vampires don’t follow human logic, sure I agree, but their world should still have some kind of structure.
For example : when a human discovers vampires exist, the natural reaction should be fear, suspicion, or at the very least curiosity. You run, you hide, you maybe go home and do a little research. What you don’t do is fratenize with them five minutes later. I missed the whole chase and run aspect of a forbidden romance.
The whole "vampire lore" felt dull and dry. I am a sucker for supernatural romances but this went from campy to sometimes uncomfortable to watch real quick!
As the drama went on, the characters just started acting... weird. Their decisions didn’t make much sense and their emotions seemed to flip on and off like a switch. One minute they are scared, the next they are head over heels, with zero explanation. One moment one tries to kill the other and the next moment they are hot and heavy for each other.
The twists didn’t feel justified and they just kind of happened, like the writers were tossing in drama for the sake of it. It all started to feel really random and by the end, none of it came together in a way that made sense. Whatever logic the show had in the beginning clearly checked out halfway through and what was left was just an unintentionally cringey mess.
Coming to the romance, I could definitely see the chemistry between Joss and Gavin. Their NC scenes were a standout, just the right amount of spice and visually on point. But was that enough to save this sinking ship? Sadly No. Hot leads can't save a cold script.
And I am all for unique character quirks, but Mark’s obsession with Tong’s sweat (!?) was borderline gross. I get it, everyone has got their "thing", but maybe let’s stick to “you smell nice” instead of “your post workout musk drives me wild.”
The supporting character arcs (especially Nakan and Tonkla) had such a strong start. But somewhere along the way, in an attempt to make their journeys feel more “unpredictable” or shocking, the writing took a sharp 180°.
What we ended up with felt less like organic growth and more like a complete rewrite. It was jarring, almost as if we were suddenly watching entirely different characters. The emotional consistency and depth that made them compelling in the beginning got lost in the twist for the sake of surprise.
As for the acting, I’ve seen Gavin’s work before and I know he can act very well, but this script gave him nothing to work with. If anything, it dragged him down. Joss, on the other hand was a mixed bag. I haven’t seen him in anything else, so I want to give him the benefit of the doubt here. Maybe with a tighter script and better direction, he could show some range.
Also, I never knew budget could be a problem for GMMTV. Those golden lenses looked like they came straight from the bargain bin, you know buy 1 get 1 free thing. And the special effects just looked childish at times. I know Joss and Gavin are very easy on the eyes but this was a supernatural series, that is not the only visual we needed. They could have just polished that a bit.
Overall, this was the classic example of writing being the weakest link and everything had to suffer because of it. This show made me miss the sparkly vampires. I will not recommend this unless you want to watch it for the leads. But I would rather recommend watching YouTube shorts or instagram reels of them, things would make more sense there.
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Oh boy, strap yourselves in for this review.It seems I’m starting to have a type for Cdramas: Modern Woman gets Chucked Into Chinese Ancient Times - A World Full of Hot Men.
Kinda crazy when you think about, imagine diving into your own fanfic (every girl’s dream)
However, this drama was the definition of a mess. On paper, the premise and plot sound interesting (it's what drew me to the show after all) but watching it was a whole other story. There are so many flaws I don't even know where to begin.
The biggest problem in this show is the female lead. Chen Qian Qian is so ditsy, I found myself cringing at her actions 90% of the time. She spends so much time trying to make the story go exactly the way she wrote it in the script. Always trying to play wingman for the male lead and her sister and referencing the original storyline she wrote. All I wanted was for her to finally have an epiphany like ‘Omg, things can go different from the original story!’ What a concept! She wasn't dealing with a Back to the Future situation where she had to fix the past - this is a FANFIC. A story can go in ANY DIRECTION and I wished that she would just go with the flow rather than constantly trying to make things go her way.
I was also surprised how quickly she adapted to feudal life, she literally went from 21st century norms to historical China (or a made up version of it at least) and she was like “oh this is what’s happening, okay”. The only thing that separated her from everybody else in this world was how she kept trying to keep the plot on track. Speaking of, I don't understand her reasoning behind this. She has this idea that by making the story come to its written end, it will just magically plop her right back where she left off in the real world like some bad dream. Where is her logic behind this???
But what I missed from her character is she never has any 'modern' moments. For example, her saying something contemporary only we would understand (but would sound like gibberish to everyone else). I guess what I’m trying to say is: apart from her awareness that she is in a fake world (that she wrote), you wouldn’t even know she was a modern woman. She never has any times where her modern (future) knowledge comes in handy. For e.g. in ‘Moon Lovers’, Hae Soo helped the crown prince who had eczema because she recognised the symptoms and knew what would help his condition. Or Xiao Tan from ‘The Eternal Love’. She made endless modern references, forged a scooter, had a Victoria’s Secret fashion show, did a fun public dance in the street - she was iconic. I guess I just consider it wasted potential for Qian Qian's character.
Speaking of wasted potential, I need to talk about the second female lead: Chu Chu. I was so upset that her character regressed into the typical bitchy second lead (to the extreme I might add). At the beginning of the drama I found it so refreshing for the 2nd FL to be nice! After such a kind sisterly relationship in the beginning, it was such a let down to see it turn sour (especially when a lot of it was related to stealing a man). It hurt to see Chu Chu totally embrace the dark side, she has some major insecurity issues when it comes to Qian Qian.
I should also add, can the writers stay true to what they've written please? This whole time the plot has been centred around which princess will become the Young City Master, the heir to the City Master position. We are led to believe the City Master is the one in control of Huanyuan. But after some major political changes as everything is falling apart, the audience's concept on who controls the city does a full 180. Wasn't the City Master the one who had all the power and made the rules? But apparently the Minister of Defence has the power to instil laws and make political moves as well?? Like, how does a Minister of Defence get to decide on the city’s dress code??
And can we take a look at the logistics of this whole world please. Is EVERYTHING in this world written by Chen Xian Qian? Every character? All the backstory and history? She’s only a scriptwriter, I swear the drama script she wrote wasn’t that detailed. So…does the world just fill in the blanks? Because I don’t understand how this entire world was written by her, yet she knows nothing. For e.g. she wrote traitor Su Zi Ying’s character right? Yet she had no clue how Qian Qian’s character treated him badly when they were kids. How can that be? Did she write that in the script or not? Or what about the gasoline that was discovered under the mines? Total shock to her. How much of this world DID she write? Or is this universe just making its own rules and history? So many questions
Now, onto the couple. We all know that it's practically inevitable for a couple to have one of those forced breakups. Especially the ones that involve telling hurtful lies, secretly for their partner's ‘own good’. What I've always hated about this trope (apart from the obvious) is they can achieve the SAME RESULT by communicating with their partner and saying what needs to happen. Qian Qian could have literally told Han Shuo: "hey can you go to a secret location for the time being? I have a feeling a storm is coming and I want you out of harm’s way." it's THAT simple.
Another thing in regards Han Shuo: his heart condition. I feel like I need to voice the words of Dan Oh: “I have heart disease, why am I coughing?”
Where do I even begin with Han Shuo. Look, I love him a lot and he has many great moments. He is a loyal partner and supports Qian Qian wholeheartedly. His devotion to her is true, I completely acknowledge that. BUT there is something that happened that I feel like everyone forgot about. BIG red flag here.
There is a scene where Qian Qian is under house arrest (under Han Shuo's order) and he tries to sexually assault her. He keeps going until she just bursts into tears, it’s so hard to watch. He stops and you know what he SAYS? “You ruined my mood” yikes, yikes, yikes
And then he comes out of the house to see Mr 2nd lead out who's out in the rain and says “Do Chen Qian Qian’s screams sound nice?” Is it possible for my skin to crawl even further?
(I do know he had his reasons behind it - but even if he wasn't planning on going through with it, does that make it okay??)
I also understand that they eventually heal their broken relationship afterwards, but it was such an impactful scene (in all the wrong ways) that I couldn't forget it.
Another thing about their relationship is how Han Shuo calls himself her husband, but it feels so weird because did they REALLY get married?? They skipped literally every tradition and ceremony and didn’t consummate, so what DID they do to earn their marital status exactly?? And especially considering it was a marriage of kidnapping, does it really count?
(( And did they have their first time in a jail cell of all places? Ouch ))
Okay I should talk about what I did like about the story though so it's not just a review of negativity lol
I loved the idea of these 2 cities which the story is focused around. Xuanhu: where men is the superior sex. And Huanyuan: the other where woman are superior. It’s interesting to see a world where the roles are reversed and the women are in control. I was entranced by the beginning where they showed Huanyuan's social norms and history (where it's a blessing if the baby is a girl and a disappointment if it is a boy. A city where only women could study, have important positions, be soldiers, be the head of the household, etc). There is SO much to unpack with this concept. Unfortunately we only scrape the surface for the majority of the drama and only in the final 3 episodes do we finally get to see Xuanhu city. It's only then when we start to get into some good stuff like gender equality and comparing the two cities. I wish there was more focus on this!!
(And along the way there's a reveal that Han Shuo is Mulan’s son??? Say what? What IS this universe lmao)
Honestly... why do I feel like my favourite thing in Tiger and Rose is the costume department? XD
Chen Qian Qian had the most gorgeous clothes!!! Everybody has exceptional clothing, did all the budget go towards this hahaha
On the whole: the premise for Tiger and Rose was intriguing. However, it needed to be properly executed for it to be a drama worth giving credit to
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This review may contain spoilers
Let's go on an adventure.
This show is worth watching. It's about friendship, love, adventure, and most importantly, the meaning of family. A lot of people say that this is a sad ending but to be honest, it's not. It's more so a bittersweet ending.Spoiler Warning:
It doesn't end with us seeing him dead. The male lead has a terminal illness so obviously he will eventually die. So I guess knowing that is what is leading people to say this had a sad ending. His ending was the best ending one could hope to have given his situation and life circumstances. He was reunited with the people who matter to him in life and was able to accomplish the things he most wanted to. He was also surrounded by a supportive group of people. A lot of people in their last days don't get that. Anyways, that's just my take on things. Don't let the comments or other reviews discourage you from watching this.
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As long as you have dreams achieving them is never late.
Words might never be enough to describe how much I loved this drama, from episode one till the end. There is nothing ordinary about this drama, a heartfelt story, a true MASTERPIECE.Each episode will touch your heart, it'll make you rethink life decisions, or help you to find a little bit of hope in your life, will make you laugh, cry, get upset about some characters, and then forgive them as you'll get to know them better, I bet any person can find themselves in introduced personages like I often found myself in Chaerok and the battles he faced, I could relate to Eunho as well.
"Navillera" left me hoping that all of us will get a chance at least once in our lives to soar freely, and feel true happiness.
First of all, let me tell you how proud Song Kang makes me feel. He is such a pro. He took ballet lessons for just six months to be able to play Chaerok's role and dance.
Producers of "Navillera" said that while Kang was filming his ballet scenes, all of the staff on set stopped breathing, and they were all drawn into his performance.
And seeing him dance which came about through an enormous amount of practice was a certain shock to me as well. I was so moved by those scenes, all I could think about was how an amazing actor he is. It was majestic! Even though he had body double for the hardest scenes that doesn't belittle his effort in learning how to balance himself, be able to carry the right posture, and do all the moves he had to do by himself. The dedication this man has!
I started this drama mainly for Song Kang since I am a fan of his. I haven't read webtoon so I didn't have any prior expectations. Tho I desperately wanted to see Kang dancing ballet.
Then I saw the trailer and that short video made me cry, so I already knew I had to prepare my tissues.
The story is about 23 years old Lee Charok a ballet dancer who was going through a slump and 70 years old Shim Deokchul who wanted to learn ballet from this young ballet genius. For 12 episodes you will observe how these two get to know each other, go through thick and thin together, how they overcome obstacles on their way, how haraboji starts treating Chaerok as his own grandchild, how they learn more and go towards their individual dreams together.
Navillera reflects on real-life a lot. All the characters are just like some people you might've met in real life, or even know yourself. This drama showed how bittersweet life can be, that even though we suffer on a daily basis with all different causes small happiness still can be found as well.
This drama shows so many aspects of life from different angles. How youngsters suffer to become something in life, and how desperately they try to handle all the hardships that life gives them. How middle-aged people are striving to manage their lives for now must have some shape but unfortunately for some, that's not like it at all.
And lastly, the elders who are expected to have lived life to the fullest now must live for the next generations. As if getting old gives you fewer rights to have dreams and work for them.
Drama gives you so many life lessons throughout the episodes and development of precious characters, shows you that a coin always has two sides, that we shouldn't be quick to judge people, we shall give them time and get to know what's behind them, shows us how just a little bit of warmth and attention can save the day.
Out of all personages I loved Chaerok and Deokchul the most. I loved how their unusual friendship started and how their relationship turned into them becoming like a real family. Loved to watch how haraboji helped Charok to get on his feet again, how he helped this depressed boy, who suffered so much from life, who had nothing left except for a few people around him and Ballet get out from the slump that was holding him back. Also how Chaerok helped Deokchul and the people around him as well. They both supported one another throughout everything. They just stood by each other's side till the end.
Chaerok and Deokchul were each other's reflections. If Chaerok wouldn't overcome his slump, he'd end up like Deokchul who deeply regretted neglecting his own dream.
All the characters we met through the drama had meaning and hope with them, none of them were meaningless or insignificant. They all had their own place, they all had something to say, they all carried their own misfortune and success.
The acting was fascinating, especially in the second half of the drama. Kang did such an amazing job, he really shined brightly and stood out a lot, every time he cries I end up crying double so yeah his individual and Haraboji's scenes had me bawling my eyes out a lot.
Park Inhwan did a great job as well and all the cast members! They made me forget that I was watching a piece of fiction and not a real-life story.
If you are still wondering, rather than give it a try or not, do so! You won't regret it. It's absolutely a must-watch
P.s Don't forget to grab tissues, I cried during all episodes.
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? The Romance Was On But Went Off In The Middle ?
Question: are you here for pure romance and justice? Then you can watch from EP 1 to 28 and exit as soon as possible, but if you are not bent on the pure romance and justice then this review is not for you.. And you will have no problem watching to the end.The series is masterful from ep 1 to 28, the chemistry is second to none and the FL was on a different level that you can't help forgetting the existence of time when watching her on the screen. Those episodes are the ones I saved on my device which I can rewach many times without getting bored...
#Importance notice 🔔
I gave any reviews with no bias and under this review, you get the most honest answer to whatever your curiosity on the romance Arc. And how the writer wants to manipulate and fed the audience with Lies while showing the opposite. You can check my bio to get a clear picture on how I write critiques on fiction with my standards and respect in relationship...
NOTE: this review is solely on the Romance Arc and the injustice done to the ML which is helpful to those who came for pure romance and justice. Other than that and the dramatic illogical ending, every other Aspect of the show are super good which you can judge from my star rating 🌟
#Quick info:
。First half of the show ::: FL and ML got more screen time (With A decisive FL)
。Sec. half of the show ::: FL and SML got more screen time (With An Indecisive FL)
。Throughout the show ::: Obsessive, Manipulative, Simpin, Stalker and Annorying Evil SML (With a manipulated Love Triangle)
。Marriage ::: SML and FL got married in Ep 30 in a forced marriage by the Evil SML which the FL shows no resistance to it.
。Star crossed and Fated Love Arc ::: The writer claimed this is a star crossed lovers and fated lovers Arc between the ML and FL. But is a lie, this is about the Evil SML and FL. They have been companions for generations of years in ambiguity.
。Injustice ::: The biggest injustice was done to the ML in this drama, all his heroic work and credit was given to the Evil-SML who was suddenly whitewashed from all his evil.. He was a last minute made up Artificial-Hero. An evil villain that is above consequences and retribution.... The writers force-feeded manipulated lies towards the audience...
。Ending EP 39 40 is not a Plot-Twist but Lies ::: A Dramatic ending with no existence of logics. What happened with the sudden Artificial-Hero (Evil SML) is not a plot Twist, is an utterly force-feeded manipulated lies against the audience, making us look stupid....... Waited for his deadly punishments for his evil, but the writer sudden made him a "misunderstood hero and misguided lover" in the last minutes.... Story for the kids 👎
⚠️____ EP 29 to 40 reviews specifically____⚠️
#Any Love Triangle?:
. FL's only realistic Feelings are only when she is with SML and her sympathy and care for him (she is comfortable with all intimate and ambiguous interactions with SML).... But Her interactions with ML seems fake and unrealistically forced,. No matter how they forced it on the screen, It looks absolutely Fake.
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. Even though the writer want to deceive us with no love triangle, but in reality this drama is a love triangle and the Relationship with FL and ML feels cheated due to FL's ambiguous interactions with SML... The atmospheric tension for romance became different whenever she's with SML
. This show is a good definition of (say the opposite and does the opposite)
On the way, Every thing the writer want to prove to the audience on the screen was totally lies... (force-feeding us with "white" when the real intension is "black") the illicit action and ambiguous interactions of the FL and SML says otherwise.
Especially in how the show portrayed the Evil-SML toxic behavior. Here's a clearer and more straightforward review:
#The Second Male Lead’s Dangerous Psycho Obsession:
. The SML wasn’t just a psycho jerk; his actions were dangerous and toxic. He committed terrible crimes including many evil deeds against the male lead (ML), who was a true Hero and supposed to be the true love interest of the female lead (FL).
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He does every stupid things out of jealousy and his obsessive love for FL, even though the serie wants to prove otherwise while whitewashing him, but his actions and emotions proved the opposite. And only kids will fall for those manipulated fed lies by the Writer.
. Instead of showing all his evil actions as unacceptable, the series tried to frame them as "Misunderstood Hero and misguided lover," in the guise of doing his Benevolent duty which was very misleading and contradicting from his evil actions.
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By doing this, the show made it seem like stalking, manipulation, lies, deception, framing and obsession could somehow be excused as Heroism and misguided love or Some made up last minute Artificial-Hero.
#The Female Lead’s Poor Boundaries:
. From Ep 1 to 28: The FL was able to set a clear boundaries with the obsessive psycho by not sending any wrong signals to him. Making the first half of the serie outstanding and super fantastic with the leads-focus and electrifying chemistry ⚡
. From EP 29 to EP-40: The FL fell from the ladder and character inconsistency. Her response to the SML’s actions made things worse. Instead of setting clear boundaries or condemning his actions, she often sympathized with him and even supported him.
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For example, in episode 36, she allowed the SML to romance her face while she seems to be enjoying his romance. She also transferred half of her powers to him only just to heal his injuries (she can't afford to see him hurt), even when he had killed and hurt the ML and caused his immense suffering multiple times throughout 10,000 years.
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Her every decisions to help and care for the Evil SML, despite his terrible actions, felt unrealistic for some one who keep advocating how much she love the ML in her speech but does the opposite in her emotions and actions. Which begs the authencitic of her commitment in a relationship with ML
. Her grief and deep emotional cry-out in EP 40, when the Evil-SML dies in his Hypocritical Noble-Sacrifice, she showed a deep emotional connection to him, even though he had caused so much harm to ML who she claimed she love. This portrayal made her look indecisive and even confused about what she truly wanted, she didn't grieve this way when SML killed ML, in fact, she didn't grieve at all but still help SML and even married him.
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I don't want to talk about EP 29 30 where she shows no resistance against the forced marriage with SML after the ML died, they even had the audacity to call it "Marriage Funeral"... Oh yes! They are Officially married couple for completing the last bow in the Chinese marriage culture.
# Redemption Without Accountability and Injustice towards the ML
. One of the biggest flaws on the drama was how it handled the SML’s redemption. Throughout the serie, he was clearly the most veil evil villain, but at the last minutes, the story suddenly later tried to whitewash and present him as a "Noble misunderstood hero and misguided lover".
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He then Suddenly became An undercover hero sacrificing everyone including ML to save the world Oh! that's normal isn't? Yet another manipulated fed lies by the Writer while portraying the opposite.
. Instead of giving real consequences or regret for his evil actions, the SML’s redemption came from one dramatic, sacrificial Hypocritical Noble-Act that was supposed to make up for every evil things he had done.
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Such a Hypocritical Noble-Act of dying to save the FL and the world despite all his evil actions is an utterly nonsense and garbage move by the Writer. Logics was no where to be found...
. This ignored all the pain he have caused to the world, especially to the ML, who had suffered for 10,000 years because of him . The show failed to hold him accountable for his actions, making it seem like forgiveness didn’t require any real change or apology, just so he is a last minutes made up "Artificial Hero" and so be it. Every reason is justified.
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The injustice done to ML who is the real example of "Hero" was defeating and there was no retribution towards the master evil who have killed him multiple times through different reincarnational circles, only for the purpose of jealousy and his obsession towards the FL which the writer wants to blush to fool everyone by proving the otherwise.
#Confusing Love and Relationship Loyalty
The FL’s feelings were inconsistent and confusing throughout the 2nd half of series and At the same time, her affection for the ML only seemed clear when he was still "Xie Xue Chen(XXC)", making her love feel conditional and selective, debunking any true-meaning of reincarnated and fated love Arc. This left me unsure of who she truly loved, creating frustration instead of emotional depth.
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Ironically but the FL couldn't accept all the versions of the ML but she can accept SML in every form. Which is enough to prove she didn't truely love ML deeply the way she advocate it, is just the writer forcing things the opposite way.
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The biggest plot mess at the End and the dramatic illogical Ending will be highly remembered, the writer is the most laziest of all time.
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Overall FL's only realistic feelings on the screen are her sympathy with SML and the ambiguous Intimate interactions between them which she enjoys.. At this point who cares if she ended up together with ML, which is almost none because there was only 5 minutes happy ending after all this nonsense..
# Problematic Messaging and Conclusion
To sum up things, The 2nd half of the serie couldn't tell a satisfying or meaningful love storytelling. It did not provide justice for the characters, especially the ML, and sent troubling messages about love and forgiveness.
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By excusing harmful behavior and justifying all the evil actions of the SML and his unhealthy manipulated-relationships while at the same time misleading and denying the true-meaning of what is showing to the audience, the show missed the chance to tell a powerful and positive love storytelling.
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In the end, the series did not only just failed in romance Arc but also damaging in its portrayal of relationships and personal accountability. Which left me frustrating with psychological disorder. Justice for the ML!!! ⚖️ ⚖️
Tips ::: you might want to read the extended spoilers...
Direct-Links to important extended (spoilers) under this review comment area 🤗🤗
1) https://kisskh.at/profile/Jenny.park/review/422832#comment-20419488
2) https://kisskh.at/profile/Jenny.park/review/422832#comment-20412406
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I haven't seen the Japanese source material for The Smile Has Left Your Eyes, but I don't think any of my criticisms here would be ameliorated had I seen that version beforehand. I guess it's possible for me to exonerate the South Korean version of its faults and just attribute every outrageous plot point to bad writing elsewhere, but for the love of the gods above, can't we get an adaptation that improves upon its source rather than a beat-for-beat reconstruction of popular garbage just because?Here's where I provide full disclosure: I only started watching this because I generally like Seo In Guk's work, and I've liked several other cast members' work in other dramas. I don't seek out the thriller and mystery genres, I tend to stick with art house cinema or comedy romance shows, and I stray out of those areas when I feel like I'll be rewarded for experimenting or when I'm feeling tired of the same obscurantist shit or poorly written bubbly junk food. This show was unbelievable, and it was unpleasant, and it encouraged me to return to my usual fare for a while.
Spoilers, obviously. If you haven't clicked out, this is your final chance.
The characters' motivations, actions, and the consequences (or lack thereof) were outlandish to the point of offense. Irrespective of Moo Young and Yoo Jin's uncontrollable lust for one another, the fact that Yoo Jin even entertains the idea of shacking up with Moo Young after he emotionally cheated on her best friend WITH YOO JIN and openly bore some responsibility for her death is LUDICROUS. Moo Young's infuriating antagonism when he's being investigated in a murder case is absolutely insane. That Yoo Jin was even willing to be in the same room as her brother after he stabbed her super special boyfriend and miraculously didn't even lose his cop job is incredibly ridiculous. Why did Yoo Jin agree to date Moo Young ONLY on the condition that he actively self-improve, and neglect to provide any sort of schema or apparatus for Moo Young to achieve whatever it is she's envisioning, if she was just going to essentially drop the subject entirely as Moo Young continues to lie to her? Why does her character turn from observant and assertive to naïve and acquiescent to the whims of the guys?
I couldn't buy into the drama, because the premises and conclusions were nonsensical and inconsistent. The people in this universe don't seem to understand the weight of others' transgressions, or else SOMEONE in the police department would have pulled Jin Kang's murderous stabby-mc-stabber brother in for questioning. I don't know any decent person who would get involved with their dead BFF's unfaithful, manipulative ex. Even a sociopath would know that they have to make some claim to their innocence when a cop starts stalking them. It's like the showrunners thought that suspense equates with whimsical, destructive, unchecked trickery on the part of the characters.
Stories only remain suspenseful insofar as the viewer can suspend their disbelief and immerse themselves in the urgency of the situation. But nothing here had any repercussions until everyone started shooting each other. The moment some threat was posed to any of the main or supporting characters, it was immediately quelled by folks who are disturbingly comfortable with their loved ones' violent urges or that thread was dropped entirely. Yoo Jin would be in fucking therapy for what went down with Seung Ah, is what I'm saying. Sleeping with a dude your friend fucked is awkward enough, never mind the weird-ass sociopathic shit and the death.
I couldn't buy into anything this show was selling. Basically, its overarching mysteries were boring and predictable (obviously Moo Young isn't the killer??? He's not the one stalking random people?? You can clock most of the murderers in this show based on how many people they're stalking until episode 15) and its twists were so stupid that they divested from whatever wisp of a suspenseful tone the rest of the plot succeeds at sowing. The whole thing plays out like a sensationalist novel that started out as erotic fan fiction on the internet. It's like there's no need to reconcile the various parts within the whole because it's more important to use to just throw out whatever shocking crap we can to keep people tuning in every week.
The sixteen episode standard didn't benefit this narrative either. It DRAGGED, and from what I understand, the Japanese version was only 10 episodes long. Cut the flashbacks, cut the repetitive conversational loops and cut to the chase: are these sociopathic weirdos gonna bang or nah? That's infinitely more intriguing than drawn out conversations while people sit around tables and cry intermittently, running in and out of that top-floor apartment incessantly because we couldn't afford another set.
Waiting for Moo Young and Yoo Jin to finally seal the deal was excruciating, because they had to play out a coy dance as if Yoo Jin ACTUALLY cared about Seung Ah, as if anyone was actually thinking about Seung Ah (including the writers). Yoo Jin had a thousand chances to be a good friend, or a decent human, to Seung Ah before she finally agrees to bang Moo Young, and she never rose to the occasion, so I don't understand why there had to be this pretense that Yoo Jin was conflicted for eight episodes when she clearly wasn't??? She literally sexed her dead best friend's boyfriend like two days after she died??? So cut four of those episodes out! Seung Ah dies, boom, we get the nookie. There you go. Millions of dollars, saved.
Oh, I figured it out - the real monster is Yoo Jin. She pretends to have emotions and morals, meanwhile she somehow pulls together a bunch of murderous wankers to annihilate her messianic, perfect, lovely friend before they burn the world down, and her with it.
I feel like I wasted my life. I'm giving this a 10 in rewatch value because I think it'll be great material for a drinking game with my friends.
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Went from one of the best 2025 dramas to an average drama
The drama started out great and it was interesting to watch an absolutely irredeemable character who was evil and selfish to the core. I know some people think a lot of what she did can be justified but I don't believe that harming good and kind hearted people who cared for you and driving those people to death just so that you can get more famous is justifiable. It's not. No matter what anyone says, Ahjin was always written to be a selfish character. And in the original manhwa she was even worse. I still prefer the manhwa over the drama because not only does the drama deviate from the original story and make a lot of plot points and characters inconsistent, it also absolutely DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE in the end. The ending in the manhwa was also darker but sort of satisfying too since Ahjin gets her kamra but the ending in the drama makes no sense in any way. Ahjin also suddenly stops using her brains in the last 2 episodes which is so out of character for her. Overall, it was a good start but a bad finishWas this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Everything Feels So Unearned
The way I would describe this drama in two words is 'wasted opportunity'. It could have been good. A simple premise. Good actors. But it fell apart before it could get off the ground. The writing is a big, big problem.So, I went into this drama for Singto (fickle I know, but I feel like most people did so there ya go). The trailer looked promising. The premise was simple, light-hearted and sweet. I love art and draw and paint a lot myself so I also thought I'd enjoy some of the art side of things too.
But, writing, writing, writing. *shakes head like stereotypical disappointed parent* (am childless tho...)
The writing of the characters and the plot is a big problem. It's so poor that I'm actually not sure where to begin.
Let's start with Maze. Who is he? As in what are his external motivations? Money, just money it seems. That's fine. What are his internal motivations? I haven't got a clue. Like at all. What is his backstory? Dunno. He has this step-brother who he argued with once upon a time and never resolved the conflict with (for literal years, like huh?). That's it. What are his dreams? His fears? What does he love? Hate? What makes him feel comfortable? Uncomfortable? Safe? Lonely? Bored? In this script he is a one-dimensional boss who wants money, money and more money. He is not at all fleshed out and his whole character changes in the blink of an eye without any development or substance of character.
What about Phab? If you look at the comments on here everyone loves Phab and loathes Maze for the most part. I dislike both. Phab is as much a walking one-dimensional stereotype as Maze, it's just his stereotype is more likable. Phab is an artist. In spite of being enormously broke he can still afford expensive art equipment and a nice place to live. He can afford food and other necessities for himself and his various pets. He also, simply out of a bit of a dislike, tries to refuse well-paid work when offered. Bruh, come on now. Don't be stupid. I really dislike this stereotype of artists and other creatives that they just don't care about having enough money to live (and somehow get by happily and comfortably). Being broke and being in debt is f*cking stressful. It's not a personality trait. Who is Phab? What are his external and internal motivations? He needs to earn a bit of money (although he seems mostly chill about this). That's it. That's all. What is his backstory? Who knows, maybe he is from the moon. His fears? Dreams? What makes him feel happy? Sad? Disgusted? Lonely? Bored? Who is he?
All of the other characters are not at all fleshed out enough either, but I can't be bothered to list it all here. Most are more consistent in personality than the two leads however.
Each episode of this series is predictable and unsatisfying. It is the same arc each time. Phab and Maze are in conflict over something (usually a small misunderstanding or miscommunication). At some point near the middle they are on good terms (usually unprovoked, they just are, for some reason), either sweet romantic moments or some sort of friendly situation. Then a short while before the end of the episode there is another conflict (usually a small misunderstanding or miscommunication), this then carries through into the next episode where the cycle repeats. There are a few episodes that stray from this but not many. It is a tedious viewing experience as the arc is incredibly unsatisfying.
I have just finished watching episode 10. I cannot afford a GagaOOLala subscription right now and am cancelling so I'm reviewing as I take a financial pause from GagaOOLala. Please bear in mind I'm writing this before the ultimate conclusion of the story.
Let me rewrite the overarching plot for the two leads to make the series better (according to myself).
The series begins with the first episode largely as it happens. But you see Phab has a part-time job at university teaching an evening class for art students. With this he can pay for art equipment (like I said, it's expensive, stop sh*tting around) but it doesn't support his living. Maze comes to meet Phab and offer him the work. Phab declines. Maze leaves, annoyed. A while later Phab comes across a stray animal who is injured. He takes it to the vet. The vet treats the animal and tells Phab he needs to pay for it. Phab hesitates but calls Maze. He says he'll do the wedding job if Maze pays for the animal's treatment (and the original amount). They negotiate and come to some fair amount. At the wedding Phab brings the animal. It causes havok and Maze and Phab have a similar argument to the one seen. Phab gets the job with the pay from the series and starts working at the company to pay Maze back and keep up the ruse.
As time goes on Maze and Phab bicker but we see Phab trying to work well with everyone (like in the series now) and Maze's work ethic. At some point Maze and Phab argue about the work. Phab isn't being serious enough, according to Maze. Maze is unforgiving and brutal, according to Phab. Towards the end of this argument Maze falls ill (fainting or getting dizzy or whatever) from overworking. Phab stays with him and insists he rest. Maze insists he has to work. They argue. Eventually Phab leaves but calls the VP character to stay with Maze at the office. There follows scenes/montage where Maze is overworking and Phab is noticing. Phab asks around but everyone says this is just Maze's way. After a bit of professional success the team go for drinks (like in the series). While a bit tipsy Maze gets annoyed with Phab and complains about his way of working. He then starts to talk about his own backstory. He is from a family that struggled financially. He had some sort of issue that made his parents' financial struggle worse (illness, injury whatever). He blames himself for this and feels that he caused their early passing with the stress it put them under. He is now used to overworking because he distracts himself with work and it makes him feel like he is repaying his parents or becoming more like them and their hardwork or something along those lines. He also keeps his distance from others because he's afraid of burdening them. He doesn't like when people don't work hard because it feels like an affront to his most important values. He feels personally disrespected.
Phab still draws Maze (this is still the small conflict from the series cause it was entertaining to me).
Following this information Phab becomes more considerate of Maze. He starts to bring him a nice drink at the office on occasion and pays attention to his schedule. He takes the job more seriously and becomes a bit more mature in the workplace. In an effort to encourage Maze to stop working so much Phab encourages Maze to come and spend time with the animal they both saved (and invites him to his art class in the evening). They bond over this and talk about work and their personal goals/fears/pasts etc while together. Maze talks a little more about his family and Phab begins to open up about his. Phab doesn't know his parents but he grew up financially secure and stable raised by an aunt and his grandparents. He is still close to his aunt, but lies a little about being financially fine so she doesn't worry. His grandfather died a while ago and his grandmother is ill. Money he inherited from his grandfather he spends on his grandmother's health. He learned to draw growing up in order to give comfort to his grandfather, who had dementia and would tell stories and forget them soon after. He drew them so that there would always be images of his grandfather's memory, even outside of his mind.
They connect over these memories and feelings for family. Both begin to feel romantically for the other, but Phab is more expressive and open, whereas Maze is wary and reserved. Eventually they sleep together and begin dating. Phab is open, Maze is discreet. This begins slowly to cause a little conflict.
Phab starts to feel like Maze is pushing him away. He tries to talk to him but Maze freaks out and closes off. They argue and stop speaking for a while. When Maze decides to apologise he overhears the job offer for Japan. His immediate feeling is one of fear and he tries to stop it from happening. As they forgive each other from the previous argument and Maze and Phab begin openly dating etc Phab then takes Maze to meet his aunt and grandmother. Here they learn of Japan and are encouraging. Phab is hesitant and reluctant cause of Maze. Maze realises how much of an opportunity this is and starts to encourage Phab to go.
They then do long-distance for an epsiode or so. In the ending they reunite in Thailand a while later. Phab has an exhibition on in Thailand and has got work in Japan designing posters and covers etc which he can do from Thailand.
Maze has learned to have a work-life balance. Phab has learned some maturity and adulting lessons.
In my version Nueng would be a childhood friend of Maze's. They still had the same argument cause Maze was overly dependent of, and possessive over, Nueng. It was around the time his parents died and Maze felt abandoned by Nueng. He later regretted the argument but didn't apologise because it was too connected to those horrible memories, so he buried it and remained estranged from his closest friend for years. Although he accepted he was in the wrong, he was also always hurt that Nueng never reached out afterwards either. There is no jealousy plotline with Nueng at the centre. Conflict with him is work-related and whatnot. His relationship with Than evolves similarly to the series just with fewer bs games. He doesn't try and manipulate Phab and is always polite to him.
This series needed fleshed out characters, with room for development, which is satisfied through the story. Just because it is a light-hearted premise and story does not mean your characters get to be superficial in their characterisations, all one dimensional and whatnot.
There are so many individual scenes I love. Any sweet scenes between Phab and Maze are great. The bickering, especially at the beginning, was entertaining a lot of the time. I really like the side characters. I like a lot of the humour (which is rare). But there is no narrative to this series really. It doesn't flow. The pacing is tedious. It is often like you're missing all of the information for the character motivations. It's annoying. This could have been such a nice, enjoyable watch. I enjoyed scenes, not episodes, not the whole series. I enjoyed the scenes as independent experiences. So it wasn't all bad, but it is a sign of a somewhat incoherent story/plot. They should be trying to tell us a story, led by characters. Instead they show us scenes with the characters on puppet strings just doing as they're told with no motivation or substance to them at all.
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Rather Bizarre Ending
Believe in Love is a partly xianxia, partly non xianxia drama. The xianxia elements are not pronounced throughout the story, as most of the characters are all normal humans living an earthly life, until towards the end when some elements of xianxia come to light. This is another story revolving around cuisines and food, and it is my fourth one in a row. Despite the tag that says “comedy”, there is very little comedy here, or comedies that don't make people laugh. Nonetheless, it’s quite an enjoyable light watch with some “angsts” for some viewers.Hua Yinan (Huang Shengchi) and Lu Yue’er (Zheng He Hui Zi) were lovers in their previous life as General Mu Yuan and Xiao Man. Mu Yuan died and Xiao Man perished while trying to save him. Thousands of years later, they meet again living on an island -- Hua Yinan as the son of the owner of the island and Lu Yue’er as the daughter of the owner of a small noodle shop. With mysteries and unexplained circumstances, Hua Yinan is told to marry Lu Yue’er in his father’s will before he can inherit his father’s legacy as the rightful owner of the island and all his properties, including the biggest and best restaurant on the island. Hua Yinan is reluctant to marry Lu Yue’er as he doesn’t like her and the feelings are mutual. Through various encounters that make them save each other’s life, Hua Yinan begins to fall in love with Lu Yue’er. So when she agrees to marry him, Hua Yinan is overjoy. He inherits everything the will promises he will. Comes our antagonist who was the antagonist in their previous life as well. What follows become a test of their true love for each other.
The whole cast is new to me including the main leads. Huang Shengchi is good looking and despite having acted in many dramas, this is my first drama of him. His portrayal of Hua Yinan is convincing with a mild demeanor and a soft romance towards his love. Likewise, I have never watched any of Zheng He Hui Zi’s dramas, and her portrayal here is equally convincing as the naïve Lu Yue’er or the arrogant Tang Yingying. Her outfit is rather unconventional with bared shoulders, accentuating her narrow frame, making her looking like a little girl. Their dynamics together are sweet and authentic with a lot of intimate scenes. The antagonist is vile and hateful, and Xiao Kaizhong's portrayal is very convincing. The second couple, Su Tang (Zhu Rong Jun) and Du Ruo (Hou Dong), is quite a joy to watch, and the stepmom and step sister are so horrible that you want to slap them. These supporting actors are great in their respective roles.
My Verdict
This drama is not great nor very bad. It’s easy watching though it can be rather slow pace as there is a prolong romance play which can be welcoming for some romance buffs, but boring for others. The last episode turns into a love triangle with a xianxia fight with superpower. The endings have multiple plot holes and questions not answered. It's rather bizarre. Overall, watch it for light entertainment and don't be too bothered with the details.
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This review may contain spoilers
Fun and entertaining watch
This show is a romcom about 2 hitmen brothers with 2 guys that are trying to gain information on them with one being a police informant, by making them fall in love with them. It is based on Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew (and the movie 10 Things I Hate About You). The aesthetic is very typical of Jojo's (the director) works with a strong 1980s retro American influence in music, decor and fashion.Is the story realistic of how hitmen and police informants work? No. But it is a very fun story with the 2 main couples KantBison and FadelStyle going through a cycle of betrayal, forgiveness and the ups and downs in their relationships. Both sets of actors FirstKhao & JoongDunk are skilled in their portrayals of their distinctive characters and have strong chemistry. FadelStyle's story arc is especially beautiful about accepting oneself and letting go of the past.
In the end, this is a romcom that doesn't take itself too seriously that teaches valuable life lessons along the way and can be watched in a lighthearted manner.
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Was ready to hate it, ended up loving it.
I saw the mild/bad review scores before watching, and was fully prepared to be disappointed, but I guess there are some factors that make me the ideal audience for this series:- Despite watching SO MANY series set in university and seeing similar tropes here and there, I'm not tired of them and I'm still willing to give them a chance.
- There have been a few titles in the past that I had to drop because they bored me. This one is absolutely NOT one of them. I didn't have to put any effort in finishing all the episodes either, I just played them one after another without being able to start anything else.
- The flaws of the characters didn't make them insufferable for me. I ended up finding them endearing and more real instead.
- I happen to like stories that have more fluff going on. No unnecessary tragedy in the family, no random violence, no silly attempts at sounding edgy or adult just to make a love story more interesting.
- I don't care about actors stripping and grinding on each other as they make out to make their love more believable. (Hint: if you think that passionate kisses on camera are called "chemistry", then you don't know what chemistry means in the first place. Also, if the characters need to kiss to make you understand that they're in love, then it's a very badly written story.)
- The secondary characters weren't fleshed out as much as the ones in other series (there wasn't time for any subplot, so putting more work in personalities without exploring them would have been pointless I think), but they did their job just fine and I never felt like they were filling gaps or anything like that.
- As much as the misunderstandings and the lack of communication were annoying, they somehow got me even more invested in the series, and the ending turned out to feel even more rewarding than I was expecting it to be.
This series is now among my favorite BLs. It feels sweet and comforting in a special way, and now it has a special place in my heart. I really hope I'll get to see Dunk and Joong in other projects in the future.
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As some other people have already mentioned, the drama truly shines in the first couple of episodes. The comedy, the action, the melodrama, the music and the cinematography – everything is spot on, and you feel like you are witnessing the birth of a new masterpiece. However, you flip the page, and the direction of the drama suddenly takes an entirely new turn.
Contrary to other people here, I do not think the story turned boring or bland. While the latter episodes can by no means compare to the stunning start into the drama, they are still above average of what we get presented in K-drama land.
Even though it turns into a revenge drama and you might argue the focus of the main character also changes, it's still a fresh breeze in a chaebol world ruled by men, revenge plots driven by men, where hatred and cold-bloodedness are traits mainly expressed by men. Han Yeo-Jin is a character that breaks with the stereotypes of an idealistic, warm-hearted female lead, who fights for the weak and poor and would never use underhanded means that go against her ideology. Yeo-Jin is tough, powerful, adamant and, at times, even cruel. I loved her in that role, even though my heart broke for her at the same time. The relationship between her and Tae Hyun is one of such deep understanding, that it is even more painful to see them suffer.
The drama definitely has its flaws: repeated flashbacks, too many characters without a conscience (like, seriously, the amount of hateful and spiteful people in this drama is ridiculous), obvious plot-twists, an ending that left lose ends and could have been so much better... But despite all that, I really enjoyed it a lot, and I suffered and laughed with the characters, and Doo Cheol might just be one of the coolest characters in drama history!
Enjoyment is still the biggest factor in a show for me, so I really do recommend the drama.
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Master's Sun has it all: horror, romance, a healthy bit of angst, and a touch of sunlight (or is it a beam?)that rises in the heart and fills the viewer with warm fuzzies and peals of laughter.
One of the greatest strengths of the show was it's acting. Gong Hyo Jin and So Ji Sub absolutely oozed chemistry, appeal, and gave us such balanced but fantastic performances. So Ji Sub made me fall for his acting (and him) by the first episode. Seo In Guk was great as well, and at times, had me falling for both of the leads.
Storywise, I feel that the show did its best to indicate that the ghostly world isn't as scary as it seems, which plays well into the evolution of Gong Shil, Joong Won, and even Kang Woo. However, there were times where I felt that the story forgot earlier elements or threw them away. Nevertheless, the story was fairly solid.
Overall, I really enjoyed Master's Sun. When I say "really enjoyed," I mean that I'm already having separation anxiety from the brightness that was this drama.
I will definitely be watching this again.
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I know that you're not supposed to write reviews for shows if you haven't completed them but honestly, I just couldn't contain my bewilderment with this one. I really truly don't understand why anyone in their right mind would watch this. (Especially a non-EXO fan) If you know the answer to that, please enlighten me.
I mean, this is just plain bad. Period. You've got to get high and lose a few brain cells in order to find this shit hilarious. Don't get me wrong, I've got no problem seeing Sehun, Chanyeol, D.O and Bacon do their thing but when you add one hell of a TSTL (too stupid to live) heroine in their midst, it just turns everything sour.
I couldn't handle Ji Yeon Hee's immaturity for a single second and her brother's cute awkwardness wasn't nearly enough to balance it out. She's cringey on a whole other level and it's not adorable in the least. Also, the way she talks with her mum is just awful. I swear the brat needs to sit the fuck down and check her priorities. Funny how, she's always being a snarky ass bish to her family but she can't utter a lone syllable in front of boys. And she's 22. Enough said.
Furthermore, let's not forget how they got Chan to play the brooding, cold, bad boy type. Like, I just can't at this moment. Chan out of all them? Chan, really?
He's like an adorable little puppy at his worst, m8. Why, oh, why must you do this to me?
Obviously, I watched it for plain ol' fanservice and wasn't expecting a plot, good acting or a consistent storyline and fairly enough, it did indeed lack on all those fronts. But what I also didn't expect was the human embodiment of complete and total aggravation that was our female lead.
It is amazing how I even managed to stand 4 episodes of this nightmare. It truly is a fete when a show is so horrible it makes a 15 minute episode feel like an hour. I repeatedly checked how much of it was left and when I realized that I had endured so much suffering and only 5 minutes had passed, I think I decomposed a little inside.
The only good thing that came out of this was that the guys were able to make money off of it. As far as I'm concerned, I'm sorry but I'm just not strong enough to bear this kind of agony.
I am in dire need of an efficient eyewasher and a mental detox after this. I'd try to come back after I heal and watch four more episodes to support the group but surely, recovery from this requires total mental rest for atleast more than 365 days.
For all those people who watched and enjoyed this, I envy you. Really, kudos to you. I don't know how you did it. Fighting!
(At this point this isn't even a review, more like an existential crisis.)
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