I can't stand how the male lead, Wei Qing, continuously manipulates the female lead. His actions are indefensible and go too far, again and again, but I continued on because the female lead, Zhou Shi, has a backbone. She calls him out on it and those scenes were very satisfying. She is gullible and not the brightest, but she stands up for herself and sticks to her principles. But then he toys with her again. I find him to be very condescending, and as their relationship changes throughout the drama, including an employer-employee relationship, there is always a power imbalance with him having the upper hand. She even says this at one point - but waaay too late in the drama for it to be developed upon. Even near the end, he has his assistant lie to her! Also, she is an art student but for most of the drama I felt like I didn't know what her own goals were.
The conflict with the male lead's mother felt too contrived. Her words were so harsh and every time they show the flashbacks I cringed. It's not that I don't believe a mother can hate her own son, but I just never felt like I understood it. There are also scenes that are completely nonsensical - for example, when the Wei Qing's uncle invites all his ex-girlfriends to the fancy business event. And it seemed like they didn't know how to fill the episodes at the end and decided to totally change Zhang Shuai's character to add an obstacle?? There were also certain storylines that were underdeveloped or just abruptly ended.
On a positive note, I liked the friendship between Zhou Shi, Fei Fei, and Qiu Jing. They are very different individuals but genuinely supportive of each other. Fei Fei and Qiu Jing gave Zhou Shi good advice and were honest with their concerns. Ming Cheng was also rather condescending to Zhou Shi (or maybe just treated her like a little sister), but I do like Qiu Jing and Ming Cheng's pairing. I didn't really care for the Fei Fei and Ning Fei pairing because, either because of his casting or wardrobe, he came across as a helpless, sheltered child too much.
Regarding the OST, upon further consideration, I do like the songs, it's just that I didn't like the drama so I don't think of the songs particularly fondly.
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Plot: 6.5/10
It's more like a parody rather a serious one (as we all thought). This movie gave an indie feel and I liked the calendar shots which signifies a new chapter. I loved the story between Ran and So Nyeon. The story was funny in it's own way. The overall plot is light and sweet. I think people would actually like this if it was written better. The ending was loose and plot-holes everywhere, they didn't even bother explaining Jin Yi's character and suddenly she appears in the end without context. But humor-wise, this got me.
There is this one scene that really caught my eye (around 50 min mark). I think it was what made me love the movie. IT REALLY MADE MY HEART MELT together with the bgm that was playing.
Cast: 9.5/10
To the people saying their acting was bad: I THINK IT WAS INTENTIONAL. This movie only had 4-5 actors in it but it's more than enough. I'd watch this even if it only had Jung Yeon Joo and Song Kang in it. Ran was quite naive despite being in the world for 500 years. So Nyeon was extremely funny and playful. The way he mixes up his English and Korean lmao. Song Kang gives me Yook Sung Jae/ Rowoon(SF9) feels. I think I'm attached?? Both MCs were cute, I LOVE BOTH OF THEM.
Music: 10/10
THE OST IS RIDICULOUSLY CUTE. And there is this scene I mentioned above ^^ (watch and you'll know) which was pleasing and the bgm gave it a different mood.
Rewatch Value: 10/10
I watched this 3 more times after watching it the first time. This is good for some light watching. It's an easy watch and I like this kind of indie comedy, just my style. Or maybe I keep watching because of Song Kang?
Overall: 9/10
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Although I've seen Gong Hyo Jin's previous work I haven't seen anything with So Ji Sub but he blew my mind away! Maybe it was his always demanding character or almost never changing expression but he was sooo different from all the other 'CEO' characters I've seen I couldn't quite believe how captivating he was. I'm a sucker for pretty faces and although Gong Hyo Jin is an awesome actress she is not exactly my style (a girl speaking) but she did her job brilliantly and now I can't imagine anyone else taking her part. Kim Yoo Ri was quite a funny character even if she was a bit bitchy at the beginning later on her antics made me giggle. As for Seo In Guk he was plain cool as usual. Music of course was beautiful too. I still listen to Yoon Mi Rea's 'Touch Love'- such a heartwarming song. I'm really glad I waited until the whole drama finished airing and then watched it in a week or so :D Will definitely was this drama again because it is a pure masterpiece, they should win all of the awards available.
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Would have been better as an ad on YouTube or smth
Don’t expect good writing and character development here.The first issue I have with All The Liquors is that Kihoon has too many problems and they’re solved all too easily. This is a story of a stubborn chef who meets a foolhardy marketing employee. Somehow, the chef manages to break all his personal rules. WHY??? And more importantly, HOW???? To those who say "it's because of love!! love is the answer", come on. The story was seriously underbaked.
Second issue - I’m not sure if it's just me but the couple didn’t look terribly compatible.
I know Kihoon is supposed to be a stiff and antisocial chef, but that doesn’t mean he couldn't have any personality whatsoever. He came off as really awkward in most scenes (I can’t tell if this is intentional), and seriously ruined the vibes for me.
All in all I must say that this isn't the worst South Korean BL, but it's not memorable either.
Full review: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2023/03/24/all-the-liquors-2023-bl-review/
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Up until the end I would\'\'ve given this movie a 10 in story, but the ending just ruined it for me. It wasn\'\'t a bad ending, it just wasn\'\'t my type of ending. Some people will probably love this movie and give it all 10\'\'s but for me the ending just wasn\'\'t how I would\'\'ve ended it so i\'\'m giving the story a 9, the acting was a 10 since all of them were amazing actors, the music an 8 because while it wasn\'\'t the best music it did fit the story just fine. As for rewatch value, while I personally don\'\'t like to rewatch movies or dramas until 1-2 years afterwards, I would rewatch this one so i\'\'ll give it a 7. Overall, i\'\'m giving this movie a 9 because if you\'\'re a fan of any of the cast(lucky me for being a fan of all three of the main actors!), or a fan of the Wuxia genre, or a fan of Chinese choreography, you\'\'ll absolutely love this gem of a film.
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One of the loveliest romcom ever!
When I first started this, I didn't expect to like it this much. They skillfully maintained the comedic elements from the beginning till the end.I must be in the minority who didn't dislike the FL. Actually, I loved the FL very much. Mi Kyung's nagging was actually another form of caring and showing love to people who mattered in her life. She was a devoted lover, true best friend and a passionate potato enthusiast. No way could I dislike or hate her character.
Baek Ho is the smartest, handsomest dimwit in this potato universe! No matter how much he tried to look cool, in the end he ended up being silly again and again. Loved his character arc. His transition from a stern, solid and emotionless career-oriented man to a "softie sweetie" smitten with love won my heart. His cold interior and exterior were melted by the love and affection he never got as a child.
Leads' chemistry was off the charts. They've become my favorite couple. Loved their bickering, loving and caring sides. Them being friends in real life makes it feel more natural and entertaining.
The side characters were also very entertaining. They kept it all together. No character seemed extra or could be skipped. All of them were equally lovely and supportive of the MLs.
Once in a blue moon, I got to enjoy a romcom without nitpicking little details and fully indulging myself in the laughter and fluffiness of the characters, and it was that kind of drama. Not complicated, no murder mystery, pure comedy and romance as the cherry on top! Delicious ^o^
Overall, if you are looking for a brainless and enjoyable light romcom, then this is definitely for you
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Indie Chinese BL: interesting premise but flawed in terms of production value, editing and writing
This Chinese drama did almost not made it through, it was first stopped while airing after 4 episodes by the Chinese platform on which it was being released...and then it was picked up for full release by another international distribution platform. That in itself picked my interest and after watching it, it is a real BL story (not disguised at all as a bromance) so of course it did not pass the censorship and explains the release issue.Regarding the drama itself, there is a very indie and artsy vibe that I appreciated for some aspects. I liked for example the art school context and the opening generic. I also enjoyed some of the relationship evolution that feel quite gritty. But there is also to my eyes a lot of production issues. The low budget is very clear : it gives a raw aspect to some of the scenes but it explains a lot also regarding the limitations of the series. The director is using too much fish eye effect, most of the time there is no clear reason nor need for it, it is not flashback-driven and seem to be used to hide the poverty of the background/sets. The editing is really odd between scenes: you jump out from one to another and it feel a bit amateurish. The camera moves are also sometimes a bit odd.
If I liked the premise of the story, the artsy context in which the characters are evolving, I was a bit disappointed by the way the script resolved out-of-screen or too quickly a lot of the conflicts and issues. Some situations seemed very dangerous and complicated but their resolution was kinda anti-climatic. The acting was not bad but not transcendent. Guo Jia Le, playing Qi Lu, had the most interesting character growth. He had also a believable chemistry with Zhang Xuan Yu, playing Qin Xiao. I was unfortunately less convinced by the chemistry of the secondary couple: it could have been much more interesting but it was a bit of a letdown (not sure if because of the acting or the script).
I would recommend this to people looking for a Chinese BL which does not shy away from what it is and do not disguise it as a bromance. It has a strong indie flavor which is not an issue in itself but the low budget is clearly felt and there are quite a bit of editing / production issue. There are some interesting and gritty parts in the script but the way the story unfold is far from perfect. I think it is quite comparable to the Chinese BL Addicted in terms of production value. So if you enjoyed it, you might as well want to give a shot to this one.
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This movie is the worst thing I've seen this year.
This movie is the worst thing I've seen this year, and it will probably stay that way until the end of the year. Some fans of the actors have been discussing very enthusiastically about the actors' looks and self-improvement in acting. I can't imagine how horrible their acting in previous movies was if they call that stiff and lifeless acting progress. This is definitely the worst movie of 2025, bad from acting, plot, visuals. I only rate 1⭐ because I can't rate 0⭐ or negative, 1⭐ is too high for this disgusting thing.Was this review helpful to you?
Probably the best korean drama in terms of its execution. Brilliant cinematography elevates this drama to a league of it's own. Tight editing and fast-paced narrative will leave you wanting more. Rewatching this one because it is that good. Highly recommended.
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This review may contain spoilers
Useless changes that never happened in the novel./manhwa, that ruins the movie
I find it really disgusting how they changes absolutely Everything about orv in the movie, I don't know why but I find it really disgusting, Because in my opinion, the story of the original orv was already amazing. There was no need to change it. Changing small little stuff, I get it. It's understandable but changing the major arcs in the novel/ manhwa this makes it feel like you just went to chat gpt and ask it to summarize the whole entire novel/manhwa in 100 word or smth. And changing major plots like them using a sword to them using a gun, it feels like the producers didn't even read the novel. I feel like this is not a orv anymore, this is a whole different story. I don't really care about the cast that much in my opinion.Of course we as the viewers have opinions on who we would like to have in the cast , but I don't personally don't really care about it that much. And it pisses me off so bad how they butchered one of the characters. (Bihyung) there were so many ways to make it loor accurate but they fucked it up A LOT , Also, something that pisses me off is. What the fuck do you mean they made Yoo Sangah a healer and that kim dokja is a bully and that they made joo jonghyuk a side character!?!?!?!? Lets be honest the only people who are gonna watch the movie and give it a good review are people who never knew about orv(the novel/manhwa) to begin with or are blinks and want to support jisoo. Even though I don't really care about the casting that much.I feel like it all started with the casting and then they butchered everything that came right after the casting.
Anyways after my stupid tiring rant, all that I can conclude Is, don't watch the movie it's gonna be ass. But then you might be like. " But you didn't watch It.". But I read the novel and everything is completely different from whatever they're yapping about in the trailer. Like wdym they use gun????? The whole movie was just a big waste of money. And a big mistake. There was no need to even make a live action to begin with... anyways i'm really tired of typing all of this bye. Lololololol
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Beauties of the Emperor is based on the difficult faced within these critical eras of war, when the females also have a large role to play in the growth of a nation. I like how the four main characters developed their personalities and emerged with a strong belief in their dreams. The actors worked hard with the roles, even though at some points it was sort of ridiculous to see how desperate some people are for their love interests. I think the overall point in this drama is how emotions play a enormous role in the development of any dream, and it is the ones close to you that influence your choices. From the beginning it had a sad, sweet and overwhelming desires to reach for our own dreams and wants. However, it became engulfed in tragedies and many innocent people being killed, or lost in the dangerous situations. There are a lot topics to discuss and think about in this drama.
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First point...Jessica. She was not a good actress. She was annoying sometimes. That's why the cast got 9 instead of 10. However, by the end I actually really liked her character and even felt her acting improved. I don't know Jessica, I'm not her fan, never heard of her before this...so this is totally unbiased. I LOVE Lee Dong Wook with all my heart, and he was just adorable in this! It was so neat to see him in this kind of role. The main chick...I saw her first in Playful Kiss and BOF and was so shocked to see her character in this drama. She did SUCH a good job. I was seriously impressed. She can definitely act, since this is a complete 180 from the characters I've seen her play. She was so cute!
The story...I gave it a nine. Only because it wasn't the best drama I've ever seen, but as far as entertainment value it was great! I'm watching several dramas right now and this is the one that I actually watched unsubbed first just because I couldn't stand the wait! There was drama, romance, bromance, and towards the end there was really good suspense!
There were a lot of different characters in this drama and some of them you don't like at first, but by the end you will love them all!
I would have to say two of the side characters had the best drama romance I had ever seen. Seriously, they are the most adorable couple ever, you could watch this whole series just to see the parts with them in it an it would be worth it. They are like in a whole different world odd balls. It was awesome and hilarious and sweet.
One of the complaints I've read about this drama is that there wasn't enough romance, etc. However, I thought it was really well done. It was different than other dramas and had other things besides the romance going on, but once it started I felt it was always there and not lacking. I was not disappointed at all in the romance department with this drama, and I'm a huge romance buff.
The main plot line, that wasn't about the romance, was done really well in my opinion and added a good amount of suspense for the characters. I absolutely loved how it came to a climax and the resolve. Seriously. I was impressed.
The music was excellent. I don't know Korean songs and singers...but I really enjoyed the main song.
The rewatch value is a 10 because I will definitely be watching it again in the future. The first several episodes of this drama are hilarious! Seriously funny. There is good humor throughout and I literally laughed out loud at some point in every episode...usually several times. So the humor is always there. I enjoyed the progression of the romance between the leads and enjoyed the romance between the side characters just as much.
Another plus is that all the side characters were fleshed out and in the end their stories were wrapped up as well. Nobody was left hanging.
I hope this was half way understandable...I just want people to appreciate/enjoy this drama as much as I did!
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What Was This???
This series was given the wrong name. It should have been “man loves with whole heart while selfish female walks all over him”.I stuck it out hoping against hope that the last few episodes would show both of them fully committed and making an effort to keep their love passionate and committed. But this turned into a man who loved a woman who had the emotional capacity of a six year old.
I read a couple of reviews that said this was nothing like the book, and if I was the author of the book I would be incredibly sad at how a drama that started out with so much potential fell - no plummeted to the sidewalk like an apple dropped from the top of a skyscraper.
Three of the cast were stellar. the ML (Wang Anyu), ML’s little brother (Fu Bohan) and the ML’s mother (Dong Xyan). The rest felt like they were grabbed off the street to fill a role because the actors quit. It was a miss match of acting ability, and robbed the story even further of its potential.
The music was good. Especially the OST. It’s a little haunting and mysterious, like love.
The script? It’s hard to say what it was originally like, and what ended up being edited and left on the cutting room floor by censors.
I don’t like leaving bad reviews because every persons work deserves to be looked at and recognized for their efforts, but this was poorly done. Casting, editing, chemistry - all fell short. There was too much focus on the FL and very little on the story between the couples. It held very little resemblance to its title. There were hints at resolving old parental wounds on both sides, and while the ML confronted his, the FL’s started and then just stopped. No resolution, nothing.
I feel for the author and the three actors I mentioned before. So much potential and talent - wasted.
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This review may contain spoilers
A Moment Is Forever.. Just As Forever Is A Moment..
I put off watching this for so long because deep down I guess I was scared it would be over once I finished it.. I would never get to experience the same feeling again.. This was one of my most anticipated dramas but it was too short and far too angsty.. Maybe I didn’t want to let go of the emotions it stirred in me..I was really upset when they decided to drop only one episode per week.. But despite the wait and I waited too long, my fault, this has been a painfully beautiful experience.. This drama deserves to be recognized as one of the best in terms of strorytelling and acting.. I mean, the acting was just phenomenal.. The casting director deserves a raise and all the glory.. Lee Se Young and Kentaro were perfect.. Their performances made it all the more heartbreaking.. This is going to leave an even deeper memory than I imagined..
"That was the moment when I realized that fate really did exist in this world..
I never felt anything like it before..
It was also a moment that I would never get to experience again.. "
"Up until now, I have never believed in fate or miracles..
I used to think they were nothing more than coincidences..
But there she was.. It was a miracle.. "
"Beni now had the look of someone who had completely turned their back on the past..
Her eyes did not shine like they did on that day..
I wonder if Beni remembers how I asked her out.. "
In the present timeline both leads looked like their souls had died.. Their eyes were lifeless as if true happiness no longer existed for them.. It was a sad contrast to their past which had been so vibrant and full of joy until it wasn’t..
"That day, she shouted at me with a look I had never seen before..
That day, a scar was left on my heart.. The scar on my heart read regret.. "
Her so called fiance knew she didn’t love him.. He knew she didn’t want to marry him.. He knew she wasn’t happy.. If she had been given the chance she would have called off the marriage.. He knew all of this, yet he never gave her the chance to leave.. He was like a chain holding her back..
In the first episode she says "I just wanted to leave the nest and try living a life for myself.. " He was caging her back in that nest once again.. She made it obvious.. She made it so painfully obvious how unhappy she was with the reluctance to even look at his wedding suit.. But he was so selfish, so shameless, that he wanted to keep her no matter how broken she was..One of the worst characters in the story.. If there was an antagonist, it was him.. People might not understand why I see him as the antagonist when he had all the qualities of a great husband.. But that’s not the point is it?? Forced love and forced relationships will never have a happy ending.. She would forever live a lie.. SML knew that if the Jungo made even a 10% effort he would lose her.. The only reason he hesitated to propose for so long, even after marriage talks began was because he knew she might reject him.. And that might end up as the final push for her to realize this wasn’t the life she wanted..
"We met again like a miracle.. What does this mean??
What is the meaning of this?? Is this a chance to start over or is this a sign that we need closure?? "
"You know it too right?? That I suck at remembering things.. But why can't I forget my memories with Jungo?? "
"Honestly, I didn’t write this novel with the intention of telling a grand story..
I wrote this novel simply because of my regret toward one person and the memories I couldn’t forget..
My true feelings were written down.. It was with the faint hope that if that person read my book they would understand my foolishness and immaturity back then.."
"Life doesn’t really unfold the way you say it should.. And there are times when it’s better not to say anything..
Thanks to my mom, I learned these things when I was still a little too young.. "
"Reading your book made me wonder.. Does love actually have an ending??
There most definitely is a beginning, but there doesn’t seem to be an end.. "
One of the best scenes of the drama, where it potrays her love for Jungo was when she said
"Even if I was dating you before I met him.. Even if we were married and had three children..
Had I met him, my heart would have sunk like this.. "
"I remembered Jungo’s face.. His face, still in pain because of our clumsiness and recklessness.. Made our love more beautiful because it stopped midway.. Because there was no proper farewell.. "
I love how What Comes After Love incorporates color symbolism in its visual storytelling.. Beautifully reflecting the emotions and dynamics between Choi Hong and Jungo.. In most stories love wins no matter what but here it’s the harsh realities of life that decide the fate of those who love blindly..
Sakaguchi Kentaro.. What an exceptional actor.. With every drama and film of his I watch he continues to impress.. Lee Se Young's career has been filled with ups and downs.. Her previous two dramas were below average.. And the one released after this was also really bad.. I hope she chooses good scripts in the future.. She proved in The Red Sleeve what an exceptional actress she is.. She deserves a much better career..
Most people might not understand why I loved this drama.. No matter how much I try to explain.. It wasn’t just the story.. It was the way it made me feel.. Some feelings defy explanation..
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This review may contain spoilers
vertical series are a pain to watch...
Besides vertical, the story is also not thought trough. The question my mind asked from the beginning is, why does Nam know that Han is a killer... And why is the title "next door" when they live together. There is no explaination or background.Acting was decent, the "BL" parts are ok, but besides that, is quite stereotypical. There is not much to say, besides that the episodes are too short, the shortest just 45 seconds, that you NEED to binge-watch all of them otherwise it makes no sense and the better option would have been to make them at least 8 minutes long.
This is a series nobody needs to watch, if you do, you might like it and it's for sure not terrible. But I would have prefered much more episodes to explain the background and of course a better storyline. For a Korean productions this was weak.
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