Reviews

This drama has way too many repeated flashbacks that could be easily reduced to just 20 episodes instead.

Was initially attracted to this drama due to the main actress as she have acted in "Put your head on my shoulder". She have acted well in this drama too. However, the disappointing part of this romance drama is that there are no kissing scenes at all?!

The make up for the second female lead is very exaggerating(especially her eyeliner). The ending was too rushed. The female lead's mother and best friend really gets on my nerve.

There are way too many consecutive conflicts and the plot feels very predictable messy.....

Therefore gave a low review.

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Payback Delivers Everything I Love: Dark, Intense, Emotional, and Absolutely Addictive

I previously wrote a review for the uncut version of Payback on the cut version MDL page. However, since the iQIYI release is the uncut version and this uncut MDL page was only recently released, strangely, weeks after the Payback series ended, I will be using my original review here. My original review was written specifically for the uncut version, so it already reflects the full uncut release.

As always, the uncut version is better than the cut version. It has a longer running time, includes the NC scenes, and gives you more of the story and character development. If you have the option, I definitely recommend watching the uncut version because you do not want to miss important parts of the story by watching the cut version.

However, please note that the uncut version contains mature content and NC scenes. If you are under 18, I recommend that you do not watch the uncut version.

Below is my original review.

This is probably one of the longest reviews I have ever written, but some stories leave such a powerful impression that they deserve more than just a few simple words. Payback is one of those rare series that stayed with me long after the final episode, not only because of its intense storyline, unforgettable chemistry, and incredible performances, but also because of the emotions, pain, healing, and deeper messages hidden beneath the surface.

I do not usually write reviews this detailed, but this drama impacted me in a way that very few BL series have.

Thank you to anyone who takes the time to read my thoughts. This review is divided into the following sections:
1. Introduction about loving revenge/mafia stories
2. Min as Sun
3. Story structure and timelines
4. Sun's backstory and revenge journey
5. Toptap as Jay
6. NC scenes and chemistry
7. Episode 8 love scene and emotional climax
8. Episode count discussion (12 episodes vs 10 episodes)
9. Entertainment industry commentary
10. Adaptation paragraph (novel/manhwa comparison)
11. Overall acting, story, music
12. Final verdict

What a fantastic series. This is exactly my kind of drama. I love stories centered around violence, revenge, and the mafia world because they create such an intense and thrilling atmosphere, and Payback delivered that from the very first minute.

This is my first time watching Min as Sun, and I am genuinely impressed. His performance is incredible. From his facial expressions to the changes in his hairstyle and hair color, he makes every version of Sun feel distinct and believable. I especially love how the series uses Sun's changing hair color to clearly show which timeline we are in. The constant transitions between the past and present are handled so well. The flashbacks never feel confusing or unnecessary. Instead, they gradually answer questions while introducing new mysteries, allowing the audience to piece everything together naturally. It is such a smart storytelling choice and one of my favorite aspects of the episode.

Sun's story immediately pulled me in. After years of carrying guilt over the deaths of his mother and younger brother, he continues to blame himself for a tragedy that was never truly his fault. The real betrayal came from someone he once trusted, and that pain fuels the revenge at the heart of the story. The title Payback feels fitting because every emotion, every wound, and every act of betrayal is building toward something powerful.

It is also my first time watching Toptap, and he made a strong impression as Jay. He was only 21 when he filmed this series. He once said that if he didn't get the role in Payback, he would have worked an ordinary job instead, but if he did get the role, he would give it everything he had. He definitely lived up to that promise. For someone so young, he delivered an incredible performance and showed remarkable talent. This was his first leading role, and I truly hope he gets many more lead roles in future series because he absolutely deserves them.

It's so hard to find a series that delivers both a strong, engaging plot and genuinely great NC scenes, but this series absolutely delivers on both, making it one of the most complete BLs I've ever watched. The kissing scene at the end of Episode 3 was intense and unforgettable. If you watch closely, you can even see the saliva dripping, which made it feel even more real, and I'm so glad it was an actual kiss rather than a fake one. The chemistry between them was intense, thrilling, and completely captivating. The riding scenes at the beginning of Episodes 4 and 6 were just as incredible and easily some of the hottest scenes I've seen.

And after watching more than 500+ BL series, I can honestly say Episode 8 delivered the most beautiful, intimate, and realistic love scene I have ever seen in the genre, and I am still SPEECHLESS. It never felt like I was watching two actors, it felt like I was witnessing two souls who truly belonged to each other. When Jay stand there holding the umbrella and Sun ran into his arms, holding him so tightly and begging him to cry, to finally let go of every wound, every grief, and every silent burden he had been carrying, my heart completely broke. It was heartbreaking and breathtaking at the same time. Every touch carried years of longing, every glance spoke louder than words, and every embrace burned with a quiet passion that felt impossibly real. The chemistry was undeniable, the emotions were overwhelming, and the cinematography captured every fragile heartbeat with such tenderness that the line between fiction and reality simply disappeared. It was not just a hot love scene, it was love finding its way through pain, sorrow, and healing, leaving behind a moment so raw, vulnerable, and unforgettable that it will stay with me for a very long time.

I also saw many people saying the series should have had 12 episodes instead of 10, but I think it is worth looking at the actual runtime rather than just the episode count. The later episodes were much longer than a typical drama, with Episode 7 around 75 minutes, Episode 8 at 87 minutes, Episode 9 at 68 minutes, and Episode 10 at 72 minutes. A standard series episode is usually around 50 minutes, so 12 episodes would be roughly 600 minutes in total. After adding up Payback’s actual runtime, the series already exceeds the length of many typical 12 episode dramas. For me, the issue is not about having more episodes, but how the story chose to use its time. I think the emotional journey and character development matter more than simply adding extra episodes.

One thing I want to mention is that I haven't read the novel or the manhwa, so I went into this series with no expectations and judged it purely as a drama rather than as an adaptation. I have seen many comments saying that the revenge was not as satisfying as it was in the original story, or that the drama did not fully capture the impact and depth of the novel or manhwa.
I understand why some people felt that revenge was not enough, but I personally see it in a different way. Sometimes revenge is not always about an eye for an eye or making someone pay in the same way. Sometimes the greatest revenge is simply finding peace and taking back control of your own life. For Sun, his true revenge was being able to heal, let go of the guilt and pain he had carried for so long, and finally allow himself to be happy. Seeing him stop living for revenge and start living for himself made his redemption arc even more meaningful and emotional.
I can see why people are comparing this series to the original novel and manhwa, and why some people may feel disappointed or unsatisfied. When you already have a strong emotional connection to a story, it is only natural to hope that the adaptation can capture the same feelings, impact, and satisfaction that made the original so meaningful. Howeve, I also believe that an adaptation should be judged based on what it achieves as its own medium. A novel or manhwa has more space to explore a character's thoughts, motivations, and inner struggles, while a drama has to rely on acting, cinematography, pacing, music, and visual storytelling to create the same impact. Changes are sometimes necessary, and the fact that something is different from the original does not automatically mean it is worse. Since I experienced Payback for the first time through the drama, I was able to appreciate the story, the characters, and the emotions without constantly comparing it to another version. For me, the revenge journey, the character development, and the emotional payoff were still powerful and engaging. In fact, this series has made me want to read the novel and manhwa afterwards because I am genuinely curious to see how they tell the story differently.

I also love how this series explores the dark truth behind the entertainment industry. It shows how older, more powerful people take advantage of young artists, manipulating and grooming them, not only through words but through sexual abuse, while convincing them that if they refuse, their dreams will never come true.
Imagine being a young actor with an entire life full of hope ahead of you, only to have it stolen by people you were taught to trust. It is heartbreaking to watch, yet it feels painfully real. I cannot help but believe that stories like this have happened in real life. This drama does not simply tell us about that reality. It makes us feel it, carrying us through the fear, the silence, and the pain that so many young people may have endured behind the spotlight.

Overall the acting is excellent, the story is engaging, the dark and intense tone is exactly what I was looking for, and the fight scenes were well executed. I also loved the music, which elevated many of the emotional and action-packed moments.

Payback has everything I want in a drama: compelling characters, emotional depth, revenge, chemistry, action, and a dark atmosphere that keeps you invested. It’s so rare to find a series that delivers a strong plot, excellent acting, and some of the best NC scenes all at the same time. This series has absolutely nailed every single box for me.

Payback has officially reached an incredible 8.9 on MDL, making it the highest rated BL ever! 🔥

For me, PAYBACK is shaping up to be the best Thai BL of 2026. ❤️

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Cells steal the show for 2nd season

The second season has parallels with the first, but the cells are more prominent when they were more of a side note in the first season. Not just Yumi's cells but all the cells that appear. They provide the most comedy in the second season whereas Wung was the source of it in the first. Personally, I prefer season 1 but season 2 is deeper emotionally.
I've always thought the overall story is more about Yumi's bittersweet relationship with Wung, which is a much more interesting and emotionally packed story arc. I've always hated the going out, breaking up and getting back together storyline which has become a cliché (boring) and it happens here which is why I prefer the Yumi-Wung storyline.
At the very least the show exposes human imperfections and their decision-making driven by these imperfections. Yumi's hypocrisy, Wung's inability to swallow his pride and BaBi's creepy smile and sociopathic tendencies, and the latter made me worried for Yumi's future had she ended up marrying him. That's because Babi's daddy issues would have been exposed even more and his sociopathic tendencies will manifest into domestic violence and infidelity, but let's not go there. Let's be honest, Babi has been creeping around Yumi since the beginning and pounced on his prey the moment Wung was out of the picture; he mentions he doesn't get on with his father which hasn't been fully explored, and they haven't shown enough of what really happened between Babi and Da Eun. There is no way he didn't dip his bulgogi in her gochujang.
In the end, I hope they all end up with who they deserve. Babi doesn't deserve Yumi and Yumi doesn't deserve Wung. The series has an open ending so a potential for a third season which I would gladly welcome, but wouldn't mind if it ended that way coz that's how life is; there is no happy or sad ending, it just goes on until death.

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Zhang Qiling fanfiction brought to you by...BEER! (and bugs)

So this was alright?

I'm gonna say upfront - my expectations were zero. After "Explore With The Note" (which was unbelievably awful), I was pretty much done with the series. And this show dragged so long to release that I expected a mangled carcass cut up by the censors.
That said, it is quite clear that the censors did have issues that needed to be worked around - the episodes have quite varying lengths and you can often notice entire scenes where the dialogue clearly doesn't match what the actors were actually saying.
This was probably inevitable what with the whole Ultimate being a thing, the Bronze Door and that kind of stuff.
But it wasn't as bad as I feared at the beginning - after a weird and slow start the show kicked off pretty well.
It was also quite difficult, I can imagine, to do all the flashbacks they did. And to reveal the story bit by bit so it still made sense. You can tell it was difficult, because there are several scenes purely for exposition and they do feel quite clunky. But overall it works ok.
It took me a while to get used to this Wuxie, he actually looks and acts quite old while not being as cool as the ones in Reunion or Tomb of the Sea. But he does well with the philosophical and emotional stuff.
Fatty is consistently good, this actor is the ultimate one in my opinion. (though his comedic relief felt a bit much at times)
Zhang Qiling is...well, they always choose the same type of actors, you don't get much acting from these guys.
Overall this is actually a pretty solid return to form as a tomb raiding drama - you get the foreigners who don't mean well who the protagonists have to race against, or temporarily team up with. But this time that dastardly foreigner gets a redemption arc! Neat.
The various story subarcs and locations are fairly interesting, the sets and props look decent and there's even some location shooting - you can tell they actually went to the mountains and shot in the cold.
And it all eventually stumbles (as the show itself accurately calls it) to a satisfying ending.
I still prefer Reunion by a lot, but this was good - surprisingly so.

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1) The reason I watched this:

I had this drama on my PTW list for a long time, I've delaying it for ages then one day, I decided to go fo it.

2) Storyline/Plot:

As a person who haven't read the manga and have no idea about this drama's story, I believe that the storyline was somehow strong.

Positive points:

*The plot was set up in a good way plus the story's development was meaningful since it gathered rigid events.
*This is the type of drama that won't let you lose interest in its events simply because mysterious twists were always present.
*This drama's storyline was a great mixture between romance, mystery, psychology and even some little horror moments; that's why I would say that the storyline is rich and enjoyable.
*There were some brilliant suspens moments that would fill you with anticipation and expectations.

Negative points:

*There were some unnecessary events or let's say they were "badly expressed".
*Some moments were really annoying to watch.

Story: 8.5/10

3) Acting/Cast:

*Zhou Vic : he has always been my weakness point but seriously he managed to portray the character in a perfect way.
He completely owned the role whether in sadness, happiness, his gloomy or his cheerful character; he knew how to deliever feelings.

*Hsu Barbie : As an actress she had a good show but I can't say the same about her character which took the wrong turn sometimes.

*The chemistry was one of the greatest chemistries that I've seen so far. I enjoyed every scene they had together.
*The rest of the cast was cool too plus their acting skills were good too.

Cast: 8/10
Acting: 8.5/10

4) The ending:

It one of those endings which anyone would love to see on screen. Overall it was good enough.

The ending: 8/10

5) My impression (How did it afect me):

*It's true that I had to skip some parts in order to make the drama's episodes equilibrated but I never lost interest in its events.
*Zhou Vic was simply amazing here not only as *insert shallow feelings* but also as a good actor who knew how to portray his role.
*Although I liked this drama, I can't say that I was obsessed about it.

My impression: 7.5/10

6) Overall:

*If you want a good change from typical romantic comedies then you like this.
*If you like romance mixed with psychology then this is for you
*If you like Zhou Vic then you need to watch this because this was his best role ever.

Overall: 8.5/10.

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A Drama Loaded with Sweetness

This is a Light-Fluffy romance with the perks of having a Contract Marriage and an Overbearing CEO. However, what I liked the most about this drama is that the characters didn't do a 180-degree turn after falling in love. Usually, in most of the Overbearing CEO based dramas, the ML becomes a completely different man leaving everyone to wonder if that is the man the FL fell in love with...

However in this drama, the ML modifies some of the habits, he gains further insight into relationships between couples but his overall attitude and quirkiness didn't disappear. He is still the same guy who gets jealous, who supports from the behind, who apologies... who still have trouble following all the wishes of his wife and tricks her.

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Discomfort due to the lack of respect

This guy must be a hater of the original story. Since when does Kim Dokja hate TWSA and act like a hero? Since when is Sangah a healer? That role belonged to Seolhwa! Where are my four crazy constellation girls from the beginning?

The result of this adaptation is clearly a lack of respect toward those who came to watch it—whether for the novel or for the actors. They made both sides fight and criticize each other, when the real problem is the director.

If you're a fan of either side and truly support the actors or the original work, stop watching this or giving it a good rating. Otherwise, you're just showing that your story or your favorite actor is something that can be stepped on like it's worthless.

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Condensed from my blog, I am writing this review: I cannot begin to do this drama justice. From beginning to the end, I was totally immersed into the story; wrote several blog posts and never missed a minute to watch the drama raw, live, as well as subbed.
My Only Complaint
The ending probably wasn't what any of us wanted. Our OTP should have been given more time in the last episode. We, the viewers, felt kind of cheated. I would have preferred at least one episode showing us Crown Prince/King Seong and Solnan as King and Queen; the birth of their first son would have been a nice touch too; however, we can blame that on the fact that the drama was unfairly cut in the last weeks.

I think we can all agree that 5 more episodes would have made this drama perfect in its execution. But overlooking that, I found this drama addicting and oh so satisfying. I never thought I’d watch a drama so soon after Ugly Alert that once again, exceeded my expectations ten-fold! The acting was stellar and some of the scenes are ones you may never see again in a saguek drama. Well worth the 54 hours of my drama life; wait, I think it is more because I've re-watched episodes again! Highly recommend it for the story, for the romance and especially the STELLAR acting.

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Great Acting, Fantastic Chemistry, and a Thrilling Plot!

Wonderful performers with fantastic chemistry star in this entertaining drama. An overwhelming number of reviewers are more concerned in slamming the Drama than with providing constructive criticism. Just because you don't like something doesn't mean you should be nasty and ruin it for everyone else. What you have left behind is more of a testimonial to your own suffering and failure to appreciate a good drama than a review. Are you not a fan? How unfortunate for you. They fell short of your lofty expectations. No way! You were not a fan of it Woe is me. If this script doesn't suit your tastes, then create your own. For what Lacking imagination or skill? well-versed in the art of griping. The drama is really great. That it bothers you to such a degree is unfortunate. Take it all in. (credits to RYEVIDZ)

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We are together in happiness and sorrow.

What I liked about this drama was that the entire family stayed united from start to finish, without any rifts between them. All the sisters ended up with partners who were perfectly suited to them, and unnecessary characters exited the story once their roles were fulfilled. Additionally, subplots were not stretched beyond two episodes, which kept the drama from becoming boring.

what i disliked about Some parts were boring, and certain aspects of the plot felt repetitive. main Characters disappearing when another main character's story was in focus made it seem like five different series were running simultaneously instead of one. Additionally, the sudden jumps between scenes made it feel like parts of the story were missing in terms of visualization, highlighting the drama's shortcomings. Despite these issues, I’m giving it a 10 because, in the end, it entertained me thoroughly and is definitely worth watching.

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10 EARTH SHATTERING STARS!

Now, if you've EVER read a review I've written, You would know that Kim Soo Hyun can literally do no wrong when it comes to dramas. Jeon Ji Hyun is also another actress I really respect. With the two of them together, I already knew I was going to love this drama. (& I was right!)

The story is indefinitely original. Sure, there are the /typical/ melodrama aspects of it, but as for the story in it's entirety, this one takes the cake. The writing was on point, and the suspense was seriously killing by the end of each episode. I marathoned this in a total of what, 3 days? I just could. not. get. enough!
The 'love-triangle' was laughable, but enjoyable as well. The supporting cast was just as adorable. Yoo In Na makes a good baddie, and I was STILL rooting for her!

The soundtrack is, amazing to say the least. They did an excellent job selecting the songs and it really fit the mood the drama had going for it.

All in all, I'd watch this drama a million times if I could. I'm almost ready to go back and it watch it again, right now, but I'll hold back. Watch this drama. You will love it. Trust me!

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Sweet Enough To Give You A Tooth Cavity…

If there’s one thing South-Korean mini dramas absolutely love with romantic-setups it is the “reverse-harem” trope. Unsurprisingly ‘ Peng’( 팽) is no exception and offers viewers the typical cutesy sweet “ potential love interests” for the seemingly “ average” and “ older noona” ( who in reality is only supposed to be thirty) female lead.

Of course it is wrong to entirely critique ‘ Peng’ as “ unwatchable”. Go Sa Ri ( Yoon So Hee) is a 30 year old woman who finds herself rethinking her life decisions after she parted ways with her former boyfriend.Soon she finds herself in a sticky situation as she finds several potential love interests entering her life with complicated feelings evidently growing for them.

The acting is a mixed-bag admittedly. It is hardly Oscar-winning and there are certainly moments where you might question certain line deliverances, but it is certainly passable to watch . Main actress Yoon So Hee has starred in many guest roles over the years but likely is more recognised by K-pop fans for her starring roles in music videos for boyband EXO, an uncredited role in a music video for SHINEE and in one of Super Junior’s concert tours. The actress certainly was decent enough as our female lead and did add her own sweet charm to her role. However the biggest problem with the casting choice for So Hee as Go Sa Ri was that it was hard to truly believe she was the authentic age of her character.

Of course this isn’t to critique the actress or her character Sa Ri entirely. She’s a fairly hardworking heroine. However to explain this point about age further it is important to establish that a younger actor/ actress being cast to play an older (or even vid verse ) isn’t always necessarily a bad move by the casting crew. Often it can work to a drama/ storyline’s advantage by interpolating both with the necessity of their character’s looks, personality or context within the storyline . On the other hand what makes us feel as though a character is truly the age that the writer has mind doesn’t just come down to physical appearance but very subtle touches such as emotions, maturity, popular culture references, generation gaps or social interactions. In ‘Peng ‘ whilst we did see Sa Ri mope about her age at times and show a more mature side also, these key plot touches rarely had more of a quintessential role within shaping Sa Ri’s identity or authenticity as our female lead .

In fact when it boils down to it Sa Ri rarely felt as though she had a more of a realistic edge. She rarely felt flawed or would be allowed to repent for her actions, by often taking central state as the “ victim” or “ pitiful” and even when we did get glances into her life sans romantic relationships, her “ friends” would rarely interact upon a basis which didn’t involve relationships or romance. Even more in-depth glances into her past as well as her familial environment we’re fairly in- existent throughout the drama rarely giving Sa Ri to feel like a well-written female lead.

Naturally the major driving factor of the cutesy pastel-infused romantic setup of ‘ Peng’ boils down to Sa Ri’s “ potential love interests”. ( Unsubtly hinted by one of Sa Ri’s male colleagues that Sa Ri should get married as “she’s getting older”.)Typical of this genre the male leads are mostly used as the “ shiny boy toy” trope with being either fairly good looking, fashionable or a trope archetype in themselves but are mainly used as plot devices to keep the plot moving rather than to have more evident character depth and growth.

Sa Ri’s first “ potential love interest” is Pi Jung Won ( Choi Won Myung). Pi Jung Won is the classic “ childhood friend” trope. Knowing Sa Ri the longest , Jung Won arguably knew the most about Sa Ri out of all the other suitors. The biggest problem with Jung Won as the “ childhood friend” is that whilst he unsurprisingly has “ liked Sa Ri since forever” he never really addresses what initially attracted him to her, his own complicated feelings with Sa Ri viewing him as a fraternal figure as well as meekly remaining in the corner with his hidden feelings until “ necessary plot” drives him out.

Sa Ri’s next potential romantic partner is Yeon Ha Rim ( Kim Hyun Jin). The biggest thing to address about actor Kim Hyun Jin is that in real life he is closer in age to So Hee than his younger onscreen counterpart. His onscreen persona being the embodiment of the “ younger guy”, there’s undeniably mixed feelings for viewers towards this onscreen potential chemistry between their characters ( especially as he does begin to dominate a lot of screen time by the halfway mark). Whilst undeniably Sa Ri does not hide her initial awkward feelings and there are some evident “age appearance” issue addressed , it may raise more questions for viewers by the more sugarcoated approach to realistic factors such as cultural norms, controversy and perceptions towards age gap relationships in South Korea.

Then there’s Sa Ri’s potential suitor through Ki Sun Jae ( Joo Woo Jae)- . Sun Jae embodies the classic “ he’s my boss” and the “ CEO” trope. His potential chemistry with Sa Ri has its strengths and weaknesses. On one side he’s arguably the most mature, decisive and affluent out of the other love interests. On the other hand Sa Ri’s evident discomfort towards pursuing a romantic relationship with her boss does put some strain on their relationship as employer and employee.

Then finally there’s Jeon Woo Sang ( Lee Seung II). Sa Ri’s ex, Jeon Woo spends his time pining over Sa Ri. Whilst some viewers may see this as “sweet”, others will likely see Jeon Woo’s actions as verging upon being a stalker and megalomaniacal from wanting to know about Sa Ri’s love life following her and waiting outside of her house on several occasions.

The final decision by Sa Ri was beyond anti climatic. It was not necessarily bad per say that Sa Ri made this choice as it was upon her own grounds, however, rather than providing this choice with more explanation or build-up, Sa Ri’s decision truly gave the series a poorly-inserted deus ex machina ending; added for the “ unexpected”, yet lacking in more coherent character direction or growth in the process.

So what is left to say about ‘ Peng’? As a miniseries ‘ Peng’ is pretty much what it said it would be on the tin; a romantic show reverse- harem about an older woman choosing her potential romantic love interests. Whilst the show was lighthearted, it often seemed to struggle with conveying more depth to the characters, plot drive ( aside from romantic misunderstandings and lacklustre tropes) and a decisive ending with many profound themes often feeling sugarcoated. Whilst not unwatchable per say ‘ Peng’ lacked that specific zest of being an engaging , memorable or well-written storyline with an ending that will make even the most patient of viewers towards what on earth you just wasted your time upon.

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