Reviews

Wow, that was traumatic

Writing this quick review for my LGBTQ+ community because all the positive reviews did not prepare me at all. But like...this short series packs in an unnecessary amount of trauma and I wouldn't recommend it to other LGBTQ+ viewers unless they're up for that kind of thing. We've got gay bashing, run-of-the-mill homophobic school bullying (and authority figures failing to properly intervene because they are also homophobic), attempted suicide, a forced breakup due to the characters' sexuality not being acceptable to a parent, and a father literally pointing a gun at his gay son and threatening to kill him unless he agrees to marry a woman. There's a third character not involved with the main romance, Xu Yang, whose entire purpose in the story is to illustrate how much gay boys get bullied in school. He gets almost no characterization, and he's not even friends with the main boys (he's from a different class). Yet the story keeps cutting back to him so we can see how he's getting bullied and gay bashed now. Then he tries to commit suicide after reaching out for help to adults multiple times and getting ignored. The story thinks it gives him a happy ending, but even in the last scene we see him, the entire school laughs at him for dressing up as his favorite character (Sailor Moon). So that wasn't cathartic! Justice for Xu Yang!

And like, the romance isn't even worth all the trauma. The boys are great actors, but Xiang Wan kind of harasses Zhi Chen at times, and their only kiss is nonconsensual (with Zhi Chen trying to push Xiang Wan off him while Xiang Wan forces it. Zhi Chen does eventually give in, but that doesn't make Xiang Wan's actions okay.). After their forced breakup, they reunite after thirteen years and just ride off into the sunset together without talking much.

I feel like the show was trying to make a statement about how horrible homophobia is, but it went over the top without balancing the trauma with enough hope. Like, at least give poor Xu Yang scenes where we get to know what he's like as a person and not just a target for homophobes!

Also, I know not everyone is sensitive to this, but the story includes an arc about (high schooler) Xiang Wan getting out of a romantic relationship with his male teacher before he moves on to Zhi Chen, and the series doesn't portray the teacher/student relationship as predatory. If anything, it could be interpreted as portraying *Xiang Wan* as inappropriate for pursuing a married man, instead of acknowledging that his teacher is the one at fault for getting intimate with a minor in his care.

So like all around just not a lot of good vibes. Great acting and music though. Take care, y'all!

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My favourite show of all time!

I don’t even know where to begin with the series, I ADORE this series, it is my favourite K-Drama ever! From the minute I started the first episode to the end of this series.. it had hooked itself into my heart. The acting is some of the greatest I’ve seen, at times comedic but it shows the true character the actor is portraying. I love the different roles that each character plays and the dream team duo. It is one I have prayed for another series since! This series had me laughing and crying all at the same time, it had me feeling all emotions. It was a rollercoaster ride for sure, one I’d gladly go on time and time again. I’ve even managed to convert over friends to K-Dramas with this series ❤️ Goblin stole my heart and will definitely never be returning it to me

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It is so bad I wanna give you a 0. But that’s not possible, so i give you a 1.

Never direct again bro because what the hell is this? First it was the labubu bihyoung, then the guns, then now Kim Dokja’s entire character, trauma, motivations, what kept him ALIVE is ruined. There was much potential to make a good live action, but you decided to make this instead. A disappointment, soulless, Ai generated like script that you shove into our faces and think we’d like? The only people who give 10 stars are bots, kdrama fans and blinks. No sensible person who has read one chapter of orv would like this. Honestly I’m so glad that this is flopping. But thanks for ruining the story Kim Dokja loved, that WE loved. I hope you flop so badly that you don’t produce another trashy movie with ORV’s name on it. You’ve already ruined its reputation.

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Love that needs a little law and order ... A 26-year-old policeman commits himself to a 16-year-old girl, and his mother and father more or less follow it.
"Policeman and Me" ("P to JK") based on a manga sh?jo by Maki Miyoshi.
The film is therefore more inclined to romantic comedy than a serious drama about inadequate love for age, although Kota, his police hero played by pop idol Kazuya Kamenashi, is the soul of sincerity. And, as his teenage bride Kako happily observes.
There is more to the story than Kota's desire to ease his conscience and restore his male pride, but Nami Yoshikawa's script is short on explanations, at least initially. What is obvious, however, is Kako's delight in playing house with her husband in his house very large for a police officer's salary, although she swear the aforementioned friend to the deep and dark secret about the engagement.
Meanwhile, Kota behaves like a perfect gentleman with his teenage girlfriend. In their moments, they exchange little more than smiles and the occasional hug, initiated by a stunned Kako. However, this interlude of innocent happiness is short. Okami Mahiro Takasugi, the temperamental, blond-haired punk who accidentally put Kako in the emergency room, becomes Kota's nemesis, as well as his sickly friends.
In addition, the realities of being a wife to a guy often absent in a dangerous job begin to affect Kako's fantasy world. She gets jealous, fearful and dubious. Can Kota see her as another human being, rather than a burden he must protect? In other words, a good mellow movie but that could be perfect for a mature drama.

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Trying to tell too many stories, but a VERY lovely main romance & First experience

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25

Stumbled upon “Ripe for the Picking” on Netflix as it silently shows up without much fanfare. As I read the synopsis, I was expecting another over-the-top rom-com about a 30-year-old virgin and a socially awkward guy. But I was pleasantly surprised that this is lovely and heartfelt love story between two vastly different individuals.

This is a very short drama, only 9 episodes and less than 30 minutes each. I would say my biggest complaint would be too many side stories. As much as I enjoy learning each co-worker’s individual journey to love and finding themselves, they are too short and take away screen time from the leads. The leads’ love story has become an afterthought in the first few episodes, while the drama spends its precious limited time on:

A working mom trying to find work/life balance, and her own identity.
A career woman whose sole focus on work jeopardizes her personal relationships
A girl with low-esteem struggling to find love in all the wrong places and being shallow as hell.
A asexual co-worker whose story was mentioned in passing without much depth

These are all interesting stories individually, but with such limited time, they just seem to be stories that hit all the checkboxes. They are not given the proper time and effort in developing them into meaningful ones.

Having said all that, the main romance is lovely. The leads are both awkward but sweet individuals. Their encounters and subsequent development are lovely to see. Oh, and there are quite a few frustrating moments with communication, but I’ve learned to forgive them because they tug my heartstrings.

Female lead is pretty and quite successful at work, yet she hasn’t had a boyfriend since high school (hard to believe!). She’s embarrassed to be a virgin at 32 and is on a mission to sleep with someone. That drive and desire propelled her to take the initiative in approaching our socially awkward ML. I have to applaud FL’s shy forwardness because she is the one making all the moves and trying to clear all misunderstanding/miscommunication. My heart breaks for her when she was ‘rejected’ and was so confused about what happened.

But what I love best about this drama is how it gives us a sweet, awkward but very realistic portrayal of a first sexual experience. I’m glad so much care and thought are put into writing their intimate time together. It was beautiful to witness (and quite embarrassing as I feel like a voyeur). When they do open up to each other, no matter how weird and awkwardly frustrating it is, it feels honest and intimate. And special brownie points to great kisses that feel romantic, tender and a lot of desire.

This drama might not be for all, especially if you usually get upset with a lack of communication. We have some of those frustrating moments, but they get cleared up pretty fast. I had a lovely time watching this and shed some tears of (seemingly) heartbreaks for the leads.



Completed: 4/21/2024 - Review #431

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The couple. The angst. The thrill.

The writer did an amazing job with the pacing and story at first. After I finished episode 4, I had no idea how the story could be stretched into 16 episodes because each episode, each scene, was packed and had a purpose. The characters are very realistic and three-dimensional. The female lead is especially well written. She's a true independent and strong woman rather than just having a snarky attitude and yelling "YAAAA" all the time. Her internal struggle was captured excellently. Overall, the story and writing are consistent throughout. Except, some people (including me) noticed that the vibe was "off" in episodes 12 & 13 (this may be because the first 11 episodes were of such high caliber and episode 11 was a sort-of climax). Episodes 14 & 15 picked up a bit and were good by kdrama standards, but nothing like the first 11 episodes. The ending, episode 16, may be controversial depending on your taste.

**When I first finished episode 16, I thought it was an alright ending, a little disappointing, but light years better than most dramas. Then a week went by and I HATED the ending. Now, I think it's the most perfect ending I've ever seen and rewatching the last two minutes always makes me cry. Even if you don't end up appreciating the ending, it won't ruin the first 15 episodes.**

The cast is PERFECT. The leads are amazing together, they have so much chemistry as a married couple. Lee Joon Gi was phenomenal, and I loved Moon Chae Won. Just the fact that the two are acting together makes Flower of Evil a must-watch. The child actor who plays their kid daughter is so so adorable. The villain gave me the chills. The way he BREATHES makes me shudder. Watch it for the villain.

The OST hits different. The songs really capture the unique relationship that is portrayed in the drama between the leads, which makes them unforgettable. The OSTs are also used appropriately and sparingly for maximum feels. I sometimes wish there were more songs in the soundtrack like a traditional kdrama, but then I realize that Flower of Evil was never meant to be a regular kdrama. It's perfect.

At first, I was let down because Flower of Evil wasn't more of a romance (umm, because LEE JOON GI. He is soooo swoony-worthy), but after watching, it becomes clear that it's much more than that. It's a mature depiction of love between a married couple who have to overcome a multitude of challenges so that they can love each other in peace. Even if they aren't together in every scene, it's because they are fighting to be together, for the life that they have created. It's beautiful. Go watch it.

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Jin was a Jdrama I have been rooting for until the second season came out. I was slightly disappointed with how things ended, maybe it's me or rather the romantic side of me got ahead and decided this drama would not be listed as one of my favorite watch of all time.

Setting that aside though, I still enjoyed Jin 2 in all it's glorious details about the Tokugawa-Shogunate era in Edo. I loved the cinematography and the actors. These actors by the way aren't like the average newbies or jpop idols who could only pose on screen and look good. These actors are veterans who has a couple outstanding dramas and movies under their belts to boast of.

My favorite character would be Tachibana Saki acted by Ayase Haruka. What's so interesting about her character is the fact that she's the only female doctor who has chosen her own path, away from a samurai clan. This being said, women with strong aspirations in life gives lasting impressions.

Music wise, the drama had a good OST. The ballad on every dramatic scene was in perfect sync and feel. I also like the theme song Itoshiki Hibiyo by Hirai Ken, it felt like every time I would hear it, I would feel Minakata Jin's internal turmoil.

I may not watch this again, but I would highly recommend it to people who like Japanese History and is into sci-fi-medical drama and all the likes.

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10

The best drama I have watched in a while. After watching many dramas, I was missing the magical spark, which made me fall in love with watching dramas.

Legend of Shen Li has an interesting start with a forbidden romance, strong FL, nice and graceful ML, cute side characters, quality music, action scenes and CGI. Occasionally the story feels like nothing is happening then boom, it gets interesting. Perhaps that's the only hindrance to not loving this.

The days I keep contemplating of dropping this show, it comes back with a banger episode that makes me swoon.
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Edit -

Loved the ending. So sweet. Worth the watch and the rewatch.

Things I liked
Shen Li's origin and her parents
Character Growth of Furong
Mofang's arc
Furong's Sister watching Furong's memories
The events leading to the wedding of Jin
Mortal realm scenes
Painting formation
ShenLi as Cluck Cluck

Things I didn't like
CGI fights though good were not my cup of tea

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I think most people are looking at the movie from a single perspective. Who loved whom was never really the issue; the movie is overflowing with modernistic themes (as many have already noted) and self-criticism is at the focus of the story.

One of the most noticeable indicators is how the Shinsen-gumi uniforms were completely off, as the Shinsen militia was famously known for their white-and-blue uniforms. Thus not including them in the movie was no mistake on the director's part. Another indicator is how we never really find out much about Kano's motives or his past and how inconclusive the ending is.

In fact, the whole movie is up for interpretation and not even watching it twice (which I did) would enable the audience to fully make sense of the events that happen throughout. In that sense, the movie tries too hard to be artistic or to transcend the setting and the time period into more abstract ideas and criticism pertaining to the modern Japanese society. What results is a messy string of scenes with characters we do not understand but somehow serve the director, Oshima's, overarching purpose.

The events could have been set in modern Japan for all we care and the story would have retained its flavor and may have even fared better (since the characters tote some very modern concepts of sexuality). That kind of flexibility is not necessarily so bad when the director is trying to get a certain message across, but the problem is when the characters are so simply caricatured.

In the end, I'm left with more questions than answers and I have no idea what I just watched. Is it art, a daring work that tackles eroticism? Is it a criticism of taboos (especially of the homosexual variety)? I don't know what 'Gohatto' is and I only have an inkling of an idea as to what it was supposed to stand for. Apparently, Oshima is no beginner when it comes to expressing what is, by society norms, considered taboo. Perhaps 'Gohatto' was yet another exploration of that taboo, which proved to be his last.

Back in December 1999, 'Gohatto' was a complete commercial success, but I wonder how many of the millions that flocked to see it left the cinema theaters with at least a basic understanding of what they've just seen.

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Lessons on Life, Love, and Letting Go

Moonlight Chicken is, arguably, the best BL series to come out of Thailand. If, that is, we regard it as BL at all. This series defies expectations associated with dramas from the BL genre many times over, while never quite betraying its roots as a BL drama. For a genre associated with same-sex romance, BL series seldom explore what being gay means to the characters, whereas that is the calling card for series in the LGBTQ genres. Rather than claim a confused sexual identity or espouse some version of “I don’t see gender,” Moonlight’s characters and themes are unapologetically gay. Where the typical BL series peddles an idealized courtship fantasy between virginal men aspiring to a meaningful first love (that will, obviously, last forever), this series focuses on men trying to recover from failed past relationships. The lead characters are neither virgins nor under the illusion that love will be permanent. Instead of two characters overcoming obstacles as they move toward something, this series centers on characters struggling in different ways to let go of their past. The shards of their broken prior romances comprise the obstacles to be overcome before they can contemplate moving on to someone new. Many of the support characters must also learn to let go of some event or person from their own past. These personal demons anchor their present and future. Moonlight Chicken is an extended rumination on the pain of letting go, rather than the straightforward courtship story many viewers might have expected. As a consequence its themes, characters, and plot obstacles will resonate to an audience both older and more conversant with life’s hiccups than the audience that consumes BL solely for the vicarious thrill of (re-)experiencing the bloom of first love. The fantasy elements of BL romances usually revolve around situations designed to infuse reliable doses of serotonin in the brains of viewers. Grounded in the rigors and mundanity of adulting, Moonlight Chicken eschews the fanciful for realism. Anyone who has been burned by love, struggled to make ends meet, or invested time in pursuing someone who is emotionally unavailable will relate to these characters.

At the center of Moonlight Chicken stand Wen and Jim, played by Mix and Earth respectively. The series marks the actors’ third pairing as the showpiece couple of a GMMTV BL series, after A Tale of Thousand Stars (2021) and Cupid’s Last Wish (2022). Wen and Jim showcase the actors’ emotional range better than their prior pairings, where the nature of the roles trapped those characters in a single lane. Here, Wen and Jim each have some emotional trauma to process—leftovers of events that unfolded before the two met—so that the actors have some real work to do. Before Wen and Jim can embark on a relationship themselves, each man must confront the emotional baggage he has carried from the past. Wen has recently left a relationship with Alan, who cannot understand why their relationship failed. Jim lost his lover twice. Once when he discovered that the man had a fiancée and a second time when an accident claimed the man’s life before he could choose which course to follow. In the five years since those events, Jim has never trusted another with his heart. That high wall effectively froze out Gaipa, whose mother runs the chicken stall that supplies the product for Jim’s restaurant. Rounding out the principal cast are a pair of high schoolers, whose incipient friendship blossoms into an incipient romance. Their tale provides a more traditional BL side story, to temper the angst of the main characters.

Steering the whole shebang was Aof, scriptwriter and director. His prior works often have moments where a semblance of queer authenticity crept into the BL proceedings. This go around, the studio allowed him free reign to represent an overtly gay sensibility. Another difference between Moonlight and most other BL series is that four characters—Wen, Jim, Alan, and Gaipa—are all out gay men, well-adjusted to and self-accepting of that identity. For these characters, being gay structures not just personal identity but also dynamics between themselves and their families, friends, co-workers, and lovers. It positions where they believe they fit within society, and what opportunities society offers and forecloses on that basis. Too often BL series believe having two men hop into a bathtub together suffices as a basis for “gay.” Moonlight Chicken understands the difference between gay-as-entertainment and commentary about gayness. In the later episodes, the series even gets a little preachy in its advocacy for accepting same-sex attraction as a perfectly ordinary type of human possibility.

The authentic queer sensibility emerges in the opening scenes of episode 1. A drunken Wen has patronized Jim’s late-night diner, only to pass out in a stupor. The type of person to take responsibility for the well-being of everyone around him, Jim stays with Wen until a friend can arrive to claim him. Because “plot requirements,” the friend never arrives. Instead, the two end up in bed that very night, after a carefully negotiated agreement that their sex was to be a no-strings attached one-night stand. They do not even know each other’s name. That sort of negotiation is quite common among gay men in real life but quite rare in BL. While exceptions exist, the standard BL character is shocked—absolutely stunned!—at the suggestion that two virile men could even contemplate a physical relationship outside of a genuine love. As everyone knows, sexual relationships cannot be consummated until after all the dramatic plot obstacles delaying courtship have been removed. Such thinking reflects the “good girl” standard, that very patriarchal prescriptive model of behavior that regulates the sexuality of single women. (Remember, BL originated as a genre written by women for women. That the sexual comportment of men sleeping with men in BL would resemble the expectations society foists onto women is unsurprising.) Moonlight Chicken favors the descriptive model—portraying how people actually behave in lieu of adhering to some moral standard. Even more than featuring four out gay men, that simple “no strings attached” negotiation helps make this GMMTV series the most authentically gay series ever to emerge from Thailand. That kind of queer authenticity, blended with the theme of letting go makes Moonlight Chicken a compelling drama.

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Well, this drama is undoubtedly a deserving hit in the area of kdramas. It's just that Kim Eun Sook is really one of the best screenwriters of kdramas, as she manages to create absolutely fulfilled and fresh stories, where even the secondary story-lines have their power. The only disadvantage of her works is that the last episodes become dragged and a bit too sweet but as it's something common in the dramas (the exception would be probably the best kdramas screenwriter Noh Hee Kyung, the author of That Winter the Wind Blows and It's OK, that's Love), I guess we should simply get used to it...
However, Goblin is my favorite Kim Eun Sook's drama and there are a lot of reasons. Firstly, here we find a really strong mystical atmosphere and an interesting world with its own rules (I cannot appreciate the perfect musical choice witch makes you really submerge into the fictional world). Also the humor side here is one of the best in the Korean area. Another wonderful thing is, obviously, an incredible cast and the diversity of original characters. It's really nice to see such a charming character as Lee Dong Wook's Grim Reaper, the main lead is also very good, then Kim Go Eun, Yook Sung Jae... And there are so many moments you can watch for a thousand of times and so few moments you prefer to skip... So, undoubtedly 10 ;)

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Watch if you are ready for a sad endings

Good story even if a short drama
Beautiful leads, i like the female lead beauty
others characters are okay
Well Acted you can be annoyed and then you will feel their pain and then annoyed then pity them
it would be nice if the story is done more elebarate
for me it would be much happier with a happy ending but story wise it was needed to end in such a way...
i can imagine this story to be a good foundation for a political historical and romantic plot...
but since its a short drama its okay to have sad ending since you have not invested too much time
I like the acting of both leads.

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I’m sorry I tried to love this show. I think Riley is an amazing actor and uhhh hello he is handsome as well. I didn’t feel the chemistry. It felt like the female lead didn’t have that UFF when it came down to the chemistry between them. This show felt stiff and nothing really dramatic happened well the type of dramatic I’m use to when watching dramas, it also felt like they were dragging out the storyline this show could have finished within 16 episodes. The ending was ridiculous. Gave me nothing in my opinion I literally felt like I wasted hours of my time that I could have been doing homework just to watch it only to realize the ending sucked! I really hope they don’t bother with a second season. It would be pointless.

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This drama isn't the kinda typical Korean drama you see everyday, this is actually different in a unique kinda way. Its story is based on true facts happening in the real world in terms of government policies, corrupt bloody acts of the government and how negatively it impacts on the lives of the citizens.
This drama deserves its praise for a high production quality and intense action scenes (quite comparable to Hollywood i must say). Great castes and impeccable acting. High emotional and nerve wrecking scenes.
Its filled with complicated plot twists, that were really annoying and got me racking my brain. That only made the drama more intriguing and entertaining. I enjoyed it! The romantic scenes between the two leads were really funny and lovely, my face hurts from all the smiles I flashed anytime they bring up the romantic feels, but most of all top notched action scenes, that really got me tensed and kept me at the edge of my seat at all times.
For a drama being entirely pre-produced, i'm really mind blown. I mean Korea rarely take the risks of pre-produced dramas being aired, at the risk of not satisfying the viewers. But this drama is so so good.
The fight for justice and power in this drama is just so balanced, can't be explained in words.
I must credit the male lead too, NO ONE COULD HAVE DONE JUSTICE TO CHA DAL GEON'S CHARACTER LIKE LEE SEUNG GI DID! His acting was on another level, very much different from all Korean actors I have watched act, his emotions were right on point. Honestly, i became a big fan of him after seeing him act in this drama, he is such a good actor, I was so impressed.
This drama probably declined in its rating due to its ending and the minor setbacks it had while the airing kept being postponed, its not like dramas like this give the feels of a happy ending.
Overall, my word for this drama is PHENOMENAL! 9.8/10????

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