Reviews

The thing about Nodame Cantabile is the very different and creative way the story is told. It is a refreshing mix of comic book slap stick and lovely maturity with really solid and well written relationships underneath. I’ve never seen anything like it. Add to that the constant and beautiful music that is the focus of Nodame and Chiaki’s world.

This show and particularly the movie, are so much more than just your average drama. I have already reviewed the Jdrama Nodame Cantabile and I would only add one really important thing you should know. Nodame and Chiaki live in Paris and their journey is set in a much more adult world past college into apprenticeship and learning to become Pro. They have a new group of friends, harder challenges and also a deeper, more mature place in their relationship.

But trust me, it hasn’t lost all of its comic book slapstick and silliness. I think the way the writers made both Chiaki and Nodame grow up is very smart of them and cool for us viewers. This movie is a fun. Because Nodame is still sloppy and she still has all of her core craziness intact. Chiaki is still a stuffy, cranky commitment phobic but he is also still tender and kind of a sucker for Nodame. They have become in my mind eccentric because they are genius and geeky, not because they are comic manga characters with no depth. Again, the writers of this show/manga are smart.

Of course the cinematography is great. They are in Paris! Everything looks great, all the time. (Accept Nodame’s apartment.)

The music is a 10. It’s Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Revel and on and on.

If you haven’t watched the Nodame Series, you should give it a try but
I suggest definitely watching before you watch this movie. And when you do, you’ll think this movie is the best part of the series.

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I really apreciate that the story emphasizes them not being gay. I have seen people criticizing this aspect, but I actually think this is the advantage of the movie. There are so many colors of queer, and it's good that there are a few movies that do not depict just the standard hetero/homo/BL (I am not gay, I just fell for this one guy) relationships. There are hints that Yashiro is transgender, but we do not actually know whether they are not a crossdresser or a genderfluid, or something else on the genderqueer spectrum - and I don't think they as a character know. They probably didn't put a label on themself. And we don't know whether Momose is gay, bisexual, pansexual, or simply fell in love with Yashiro's femininity and takes them as a woman. And again, perhaps they do not know either, yet. It's their time to discover themselves and each other and it's perfectly fine that nothing is strictly defined yet.
Also, yes, Momose's behavior was problematic, but it is not a bad thing to show problematic behavior in a movie. He forced himself on Yashiro, then acknowledged that what he did was wrong, apologized, and tried to better understand his love interest so he could be with them without causing them harm. I liked this aspect of the story, too. Sure, the whole thing could have been handled better, but it's an hour-long movie touching several problematic topics, and I think they did a good job in that amount of time.
The actors did a great job as well in roles of their insecure and impulsive characters confused by their own feelings.
Overally, I found this to be a really sweet love story that's definitely worth watching.

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Tries to play with fire but never get burned! Also, lets focus more on therapy than games! xD

This drama feels like it wanted to be bold and emotionally reckless, but then backs out midway. What I expected was heavy tension, a little toxicity, power plays and desire that fuels every action but what we got was actually far more cautious and wholesomeness here and there, considering how messy the premise was.

The story revolves around two different people crossing paths at their very weak points in life. Minato is sarcastic, deeply allergic to vulnerability or showing emotions and in contrast Shizuma is someone who wears his emotions on his sleeve and expresses them every chance he gets.
He is recovering from a recent breakup and meets Minato in a bar. Their relationship begins with a bet and while it sounds like it will be filled with a tiny bit of malice and emotional games, it plays out very immaturely.

What works well is their chemistry. I could feel it from the first scene. I enjoyed the little banters, their sweet moments as a couple. Somehow the opposite attracts trope worked well here. Even though the conflicts were resolved quickly (writing issue), I enjoyed their softer moments together. Their kissing scenes were tastefully done and I am glad we didn't dead fish kisses.

Now, when the premise is messy and a little morally questionable, it sadly never dives deeper into the discomfort long enough to explore the real emotional fallout. This is where this drama falters. For a story that hinges on desire, jealousy, and emotional confusion, it plays things remarkably safe. The emotional conflicts were resolved too easily and felt very softened. The reconciliations were quick and they skipped the necessary accountability and self-reflection, especially for Minato's character. Till the end, I don't think he was ready for a relationship. The story tells us the relationship is “fixed” without showing the hard emotional work required. All that suspense around him and the reveal felt underwhelming.

The second couple was pretty underutilised. We know nothing about them as a couple except playing a catalyst in the love story of their brothers. The other supporting cast, such as Shizuma's friends were pretty ignorable. They literally had no major impact on the story. Very underutilised.

Acting-wise, it was overall okay. I feel like the writing didn't give them enough to fully show the emotional side of the characters but it was good with what they were given. Production and overall visually, this was pretty. We get to see a lot of outdoor locations, like amusement parks, of course the seaside... It was aesthetically pleasing, including both actors.

Overall, this isn't the worst BL out there. It's just that it never embraces its messiness. There could have been a lot more tension and pinning based on the synopsis but it felt like they played it a little safe. Will I recommend it? Yes. It is definitely a decent watch and my rating is more on the critical side because I was expecting more toxicity but what I got was wholesomeness, which isn't bad, just not what I expected. So yes, keep your expectations aligned and you might enjoy this more than I.

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I fully intended to start this series when it finished airing because I invest an unhealthy amount of my time binging shows, and it's a better experience for me, personally, when I can watch the whole series in one go and rewatch to my heart's content if I like it (like I've done with several other BLs). There are certain shows that I start with the idea of just wasting time and coming back when they're done if I'm interested in them enough, but, honestly, based on the premise, this wasn't one of those shows. I was just gonna watch it later.

And then we got quarantined here in the US, and it popped up in a 2gether episode where someone mentioned it might get dropped. Now, I may not have been wholeheartedly sold on the idea, but I didn't want the series to be dropped, so I hopped on and watched the 4 episodes that were out.

And that's all she wrote, honestly, because this show is SO MUCH BETTER than I expected.

Let's just start with my favorite couple, okay? There are three main-ish couples (four if you count Mr. Smiley and his doctor friend, which I'm not just yet because their screen time together isn't as much so far) with a good balance of screen time, and my favorite has to be RamKing, the quiet first year who loves dogs and the plant-lover second-year who happens to be great in school. Their relationship is what keeps me coming back every Saturday if I'm being honest. I just love the way King reads Ram, the way they both look at each other, and did I mention how cute King is when he's talking to his plants? He's such a dork, but he still manages to be cool at the same time. He's so understanding, and he really does read those around him like a book. And the venus flytrap metaphor? Even if it's not intended as a metaphor, I'm gonna say it is anyway because venus flytraps are hard to take care of and they take, like, 6-12 weeks to germinate, but King went out of his way to find the seeds and raise it just to give it to Ram because Ram liked it. If that doesn't explain the way King is willing to be patient and take care of Ram to get him to talk, then I don't know what does.

MekBoss is second despite how much I didn't necessarily care about them in the beginning. They stole my heart pretty quickly because, even though Mek likes Boss, he never gets in the way of what he thinks Boss wants, and I think that's so important, you know? They dub over Mek's voice, as I'm sure everyone has realized by now, which can be a bit of an annoyance since the voice honestly doesn't match Mek's great acting--sometimes, when Mek is doing great expressing his exasperation or heartache or even happiness, the voice-over is very monotone and takes away from how wonderful Mek does as an actor--but I've managed to ignore it pretty well. It does suck that they just didn't do a "Beause of You" scenario where the actor speaks his native language and everyone just understands him, but I digress. I still love this couple way more than I expected thanks to how Mek treats Boss. It's honestly the sweetest, most selfless form of liking someone. Add it to the fact that the only reason Mek confessed to Boss was because Boss was being hard on himself and Mek wanted him to know that not everyone thought he was worthless? It's precious. I love them~

Last but definitely not least, we have BohnDuen (DuenBohn? XD). Don't get me wrong--I really do love this couple--but their story has yet to really make me SQUEAL. Like, RamKing had me giggling as soon as they met (with King looking at his plant saying, "You don't answer me just like a certain someone."), but BohnDuen is more of an "aww" kind of thing. I also wish that Duen would stop being so darn Tsundere now that they're together (it's been 12 episodes, Duen; start admitting to yourself that you're a cheeseball just like your boyfriend). They're a hoot, though. Especially when they start fighting over who's the 'wife.' I don't mind that whole "I don't like guys, I like *insert person's name*" trope because I'm a firm believer in gender not mattering and love breaking people's barriers, but I also understand the want for a strong, proud LGBT character.

The acting. The ACTING. All of their acting is superb, especially when you compare it to the events they've held. All of these actors really capture who the characters are, and they make it feel authentic. I was almost surprised when I found out Tay (King) isn't actually afraid of dogs (he even has a cute little puppy of his own) because of how well he portrays King. And Perth (Ram) is anything but shy, but you would never know that from his character Ram. I'm really impressed with these actors, and I'm definitely stanning Tay and Perth, not to mention Cooper, Poy, Inntouch, and even Ryan (if he can redeem himself from his poor attitude).

The OST. I mean, I'm in love with... I think it's "Are You Okay" in English (จะเป็นไรไหม) by Merry Dancers and Goh M (don't quote me on that one--I'm still working on my Thai), but, so far, that's the only song I care for as far as the soundtrack goes.

Overall, I'm invested in this series now, and I didn't think I would be, but here we are. The characters are cute and quirky and a little weird (looking at you Dr. Thara), the acting is wonderful, and the story is definitely pulling me along despite how simple it seems at times~ Definitely recommend~

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Like it yet dislike it ?!

So I've seen tons of Asian shows from many years, but this is my first Thai Lakorn. If I'm not wrong, Thai Lakorn are basically Thai soap operas (please correct me if I'm wrong). I've not seen many soap operas, so maybe my opinions would be directed to the genre itself rather than this specific show. But I've tried to be as reasonable as possible in my review.

I never thought I'll watch a show which will be liked and disliked by me at the same time. But Hua Jai Sila proved me wrong....turns out I can have this conflicting feeling for a show. There are so many things to like about this and so many things to dislike....so without further adieu lets jump into it.

Likes !
1. It’s a very fast paced story. In every episode there is so much happening, you can’t skip episodes. The narration is pretty consistent (thanks to good screenplay). Even though the core elements of the story aren’t new, its tight execution makes it interesting to watch. You won’t know what to expect next, there is a surprise element.
2. Superb acting! Every single person in the cast did a great job. I cannot fault anyone. This is the first Thai show I watched which gave a memorable performance (according to me). Definitely impressed. Special shout out to Wattanajinda Sirapan, this woman is breathtaking. If she’s onscreen, you can’t dare to look anywhere else. I’m her new fan.
3. The main lead, Thanapob Leeluttanakajorn is mind blowing. His character not only demanded intense emotions and acting skills, but also charisma and an overall majestic aura. I have seen few clips from Project S (one of his earlier work), and man it took me some time to figure out that it’s the same person! He has transformed himself in every possible way to get inside the skin of his character in HJS, and kudos to him for that. I’ve got my eyes on him, will definitely be keeping track of his future projects. Hands down the next big thing in the Thai entertainment industry.
4. The Romance. Where do I begin? If you want to watch a couple which gives you the vibe of Romeo-Juliet; the couple that’s only made for each other and no one else; the couple that can die for each other and will die without each other…..then you have to watch this show. There is something extremely special about Thanapob Leeluttanakajorn and Fern Nopjira Lerkkajornamkul. Their chemistry is something which very few artists are able to create. The onscreen ease, sexual tension, passion, and melt worthy emotional moments between them is quite a spectacle to witness. I won’t be surprised if I get to know that these actors dated or are dating in real life….they are that good.

Dislikes!
1. SERIOUS TRIGGER POINTS ! If you are someone who is sensitive to violence of any kind, especially against woman or feels personally about injustices/discrimination of all types….then please either avoid this show or watch cautiously. There were many moments that made me pause this show so that I can watch a cartoon to divert my mind from this insanity. It’s not that I’ve not seen more mature content in the past, but there is something very icky about some aspects of the story. I won’t say much otherwise it’ll be considered a spoiler.
2. Please divorce logic when you start watching this show. There will be gazillion moments in the show that will make you go what the hell….I’m not kidding. If I start dissecting this show purely on logical terms then it won’t get more than 4 from me. Some moments are bizarre, random and completely unnecessary…..and some downright stupid. So if you decide to watch this one then forget logic and try enjoying it for what it is.
3. The characters are either one dimensional or at the most two dimensional. If you expect to see complex characters that have layered reasoning behind their actions….or a story that relishes character development then this one isn’t for you. The characters are either good or bad….they change from good to bad and vice versa overnight without much development so please don’t feel frustrated if you see that.

P.S- The OST by Yes’Sir Days is a complete earworm….I’ve been listening it on Youtube constantly.

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I personally feel that the drama's trailer was misleading. The drama turned out way different to what I expected and not only was I surprised, I actually really didn't like it.

There were too many times when a misunderstanding occurred between the main couple. There was overuse of phrases like "my destiny is to..." "but I want to live like this, but I've got no choice" " I must avenge my father" "I love you" then "I hate you" (Lol. They probably ran out of lines to say)
I was like, I get the idea, the characters are confused due to what they've been though but it was over elaborated and it felt over complicated.

Add in a few extra plot twist and unnecessary new inputs to the already tangled plot line, you get WTF IS GOING ON?

However, character development is shown as the drama proceeds. Basically, all the chaos and pain is caused by the idea of revenge and betrayal, which got really really annoying since one moment everything is fine the BAM!-- it gets worse, then slowly everything is peaceful BUT NO some other trouble stirs it all up again and again and again.... and that kind of replays that through the episodes.

There were sweet and funny moments with Ye Kai and Ding Ling Ling which were really cute. There were nice fighting scenes and special effects. Costumes were really nice too and the music was alright, that middle eastern tune was overplayed whenever they danced. I also liked the casting and felt they did as best they could with the role given.

The ending was so FRUSTRATING!!! It was really sad, disappointing and a little confusing.
I watched 50 episodes and this is what I end up with? I guess the unhappy ending is refreshing....?
#givememytimeback

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slice of life highschool BL (need a Tanaka/Katori spin off)

Overall: this is a slice of life series that floats on vibes rather than plot. Aired on Gagaoolala/Viki (depends on your country)

Content Warnings: manhandling

What I Liked
- Amagi being honest during the gardening
- the perspective shift in episode 1
- their conversation in episode 3 was wonderful*
- supportive friend, specifically Katori (I need him to be a lead in a BL, nerdy guy with player guy - sign me up)
- that they held hands a few times, cute moments
- the OST
- production value

Room For Improvement
- the multiple time skips back and forth in the first episode made it feel choppy, also in episode 4 and 5
- each episode feels more like a contained story rather than there being an overarching plot
- finally explained in episode 4 why Takara liked Amagi, wish this had been shown sooner
- there were times they were somewhere and suddenly the next scene is elsewhere
- not a fan of the dynamic of a low affect/unusual affect guy and the happy go lucky guy with low self esteem
- *unhappy with the very ending as Amagi gave a clear signal of not wanting to do that
- their haircuts and blurry face/lips (but I didn't take off points for this)

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Wow, the finale!!

A struggling lawyer with a secret dark side gets pulled into the dark world of a notorious criminal. But what leads him to the line of evil and will he survive the ordeal of events?

Evilive is a noir-themed kdrama with a dark vibe, focuses on the advent of online gambling. Those who love watching ambiguous characters dive deep into crime, with suspenseful and thrilling events will love watching it. I was rushing in head first without watching any trailer/teaser because I already know these men have proven themselves from their previous roles. Anyone who've watched them know how ‘good’ Shin Ha Kyun, Shin Jae Ha and Kim Young Kwang are when they are bad.

Evilive does not disappoint. The first scene bait is intriguing and you discover what really happen sooner than you think. They set up its character well: their inner struggle and what are at stakes, such as their family, marriage and most importantly... their moral values.

I was having a big fun with the friendships and bromance among our leads. Ha Kyun and Jae Ha's characters are supporting each other like siblings, while Ha Kyun's and Young Kwang's characters are like enemies to bromance relationships, they both don’t trust each other but they stick together throughout. My only nitpick is that cinematography and action are of mediocre quality, but it doesn't matter much as the premise is very strong, the plot has rarely any dull moment, the characters are peculiar, the storytelling takes you deep into the world of law, crime suspects and unexpected twists and turns, none of it disappoints... To enjoy the drama to the fullest, I recommend you to binge this.

-Nov 2023, Yovita
Find me on Instagram: @kdramajudge

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I really enjoyed this fun yet serious drama - It had me rolling with laughter so many times from episode 1-12
Story: what couldn't be entertaining about young guys turning into grandpa's in the span of a few seconds lol - this drama takes them on the journey to trying to find the culprit who made them old so they can return young again.
Cast: My FAVORITE: Jung Woo (Heechul) <3 I loved him on this drama - and I shipped him with Eun Ji since episode 1 <3 - after him I like Mr.Pink lol - he was so funny (the most comedic one of the bunch I swear lol) - Of course I started this drama b/c I heard Choi Jin Hyuk was cast ;) but he wasn't the reason I continued to watch the rest of the drama - it was a really great drama - it would have been a shame if I had missed it!
Music: Very Entertaining - all of it lol the BGM and the sound effects - hilarious and very fitting to all the scenes -
Re-watch Value: Very High - I seriously feel like re-watching this right away.
Overall it was a very good, very entertaining drama with a great plot.

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Eric has a different feeling that make you wanna watch him. His acting is not amazing but he is good. Han Ye Seul is pretty and she is good at acting. But I think she needs work on her facial expressions more. She use only one for shocked, frustared, sad and angry!

Drama keeps repeating itself all over. it seems like happy ending but a problem come up; they solve the problem, again seems like happy ending *DININININ* -evil background music- another similar problem come up! Only one villian cause so many problems. They can create different problems or they can choose someone else to cause problems for lead actor & actress.

Thay can make this show 14-16 episodes and just finish it smoothly. Ending was good but it could be better!

So many stellar. Yes they need advirsement. Eric use his own drama for his own group = fair enough. But using them so much ANNOYING! I'm trying to watch a drama here!

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Dramas are an escape from the reality not a tool to express your jealousy

I want to start saying that I don’t watch a lot of dramas in general , but sometimes when life becomes a bit hard a like to watch dramas that makes me escape the reality and for me this drama became really fast my comfort show because for me watching a drama ( whatever genre it is ) is a good thing to do when you feel unhappy, for there, in a drama, you may find encouragement and comfort. And S&F its just like that, i really like the chemistry between the leads, i love how the characters are presented and I especially love the beautiful landscapes that are shown and especially in the episode 6, and i am positive that as the story progresses we will see even more captivating things. As for the acting, I love how both leads act, they are really natural and their chemistry is through the roof, but then again i feel like Yu shuxin has chemistry with everyone, she just have that talent, same with Xu Kai.
I will write another review in the end.

So to the people that are just not grown up enough to be sincere please at least be grown up
To not leave negative comments and reviews without even watching it and leave your jealousy aside and move on!

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I picked this one to watch as a bit of a wildcard, some times I just like to step outside my watch list and try something different. I picked this one for an obscure reason - the lead actress has an uncanny resemblance to Chae Soo Bin (Where Stars Land, I Am Not A Robot) and I was curious! The description, if anything, was the one thing that had put me off from watching it previously - it sounded a bit... light weight - but oh boy was that wrong.

First couple of episodes are a bit awkward because they're focusing on all the "prettyness", pretty boys and pretty girls and even at the introduction ceremony at the university they are openly talking about how pretty the new freshmen are, it just felt a bit uncomfortable for me and I was happy it didn't last - but it did serve to set a tone initially.

The main female lead, as a child, was considered by her peers to be ugly and overweight. When she stepped up to fix the weight problem and became slim, they just found other names to call her and focused on their opinions of her face. This kind of long term bullying has a big impact on kids and you can see it has had a huge impact on her throughout the entirety of the show - any time you're thinking "oh jeez just say it already" or something, you need to reflect back on this history very carefully because it's completely undermined her way of thinking throughout her life.

As she gets older and looks to go to University she gets cosmetic surgery and completely changes her look - coming out the other side of that, she's now stunningly beautiful and that's essentially where the story kicks in.

Throughout the story, a lot of complex issues are covered, mostly those facing young women relating to cyber bullying, dieting, peer pressure, self confidence and many more.

The characters are great, even the one that starts looking like the nasty girl proves to have layers upon layers and a very detailed backstory that explains how someone gets to be the way they are today and some of the underlying non-obvious reasons for it. Towards the end when they were focusing more on that character, I was desperate for that character to just reach out and ask for help.

There is some irony that as I understand it, the female lead in reality also had plastic surgery and there are those commenters online who have been sadly shaming it. I've also seen comments that they felt the male lead was quite wooden but I actually liked the representation of that character - the put a shy guy inside a handsome body, someone who didn't know how to socialise and didn't know how to be around others because he always kept to himself. As someone who has always been that way myself (the shy bit, certainly not the handsome bit) I can only say I saw a lot of his manner reflecting my own personality and the way I would have reacted.

I also really liked a lot of the secondary characters, and the ML's mother was probably my favourite, the storyline of her reconnecting with her son and daughter was very touching and handled superbly by the author.

The OST didn't have any particularly memorable tracks to it unfortunately.

This story has a lovely slow burn romance throughout and I was utterly hooked from the start to the finish, watching it in two days flat. I totally recommend this one if that's the kind of story you're looking for.

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Even If It’s Propaganda — It Doesn’t Change The Fact That It Happened

If you’re watching Dead to Rights (南京照相馆) expecting a safe, dramatized war story, you’re in for a brutal wake-up call.

Based on real events during the 1937 Nanjing Massacre, the film follows a postman, A Chang, who pretends to be a photo developer for the Japanese military to survive. Inside this false identity, he secretly turns the photo studio into a temporary refuge for Chinese civilians and soldiers. But in the face of unforgivable violence and horror, A Chang risks everything. Smuggling people to safety and preserving photographic evidence of the atrocities.

The story and visuals are brutally honest. This film does not shy away from the horror. It doesn’t soften the truth to make it easier to watch. Instead, it forces you to sit in the reality of one of the darkest chapters in modern history and to understand it for what it was: genocide, terror, survival, and silent resistance.

The performances in Dead to Rights are just as unforgettable. Every actor delivers with such rawness and restraint that it’s easy to forget you’re watching a movie. There’s no overacting here, just honest, human reactions to inhuman cruelty. I have never jump-scared in a movie before… but the tension in this film had me on edge the entire time. It’s not a horror movie, but the fear feels so real that your body reacts anyway. This isn’t just a film you watch but it’s one you feel in your bones.

But beyond the emotional weight, Dead to Rights is also visually stunning in the most haunting way. The cinematography is rich, atmospheric, and deeply intentional. Every frame felt like a carefully composed photograph, echoing the film’s themes of memory and documentation. The visuals don’t just show violence. They capture emotion, stillness, grief.

Some are calling this film CCP propaganda but honestly, that kind of reaction says more about the discomfort of facing truth than the film itself. You don’t have to take the movie’s word for it. A simple Google search will show you the reality. There are real photographs from the time: babies impaled on swords, civilians shot point-blank in the streets, bodies piled like garbage. These aren't exaggerated for film but they're documented, and they’re horrifying.

Because of Japan’s censorship and silence around this part of its history, many in Japan still grow up unaware of what truly happened in Nanjing. That silence is not just painful, it's dangerous. It allows wounds to stay open and accountability to fade. Dead to Rights may be confronting, but it’s confronting truth. And often, the real thing was worse. Far worse ... than anything a film could show.

There’s also been criticism about young children watching this film and coming away with anti-Japanese sentiment. And while it’s a complex issue, I think we need to ask: why are we blaming the Chinese government for children’s reactions… but not the parents who took them to see a film this raw, this heavy? This is not a movie for kids and that’s clear. But the responsibility lies with the adults who chose to bring them, not the filmmakers who told the truth.

And even if this was CCP propaganda... it wouldn’t change the fact that it happened. The events of the Nanjing Massacre are real, recorded, and undeniable. No amount of political framing erases the truth of what survivors endured. What matters now is that we remember, that we educate, and that we don’t look away.

In the end, Dead to Rights doesn’t just tell a story. It preserves memory. It confronts silence. It says, “Look. Don’t look away. Someone lived this. Someone died here. You can’t pretend it didn’t happen.”

And for that, I believe this film is not only necessary but it’s a masterpiece of remembrance.

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