Reviews

A Heartfelt and Painful Masterpiece

The story is deeply painful and emotionally intense. For someone who has experienced mental trauma, it’s incredibly difficult to forget what happens in the end. Yet, despite the sorrow, the drama delivers a powerful message to the world about war, mental health, and true love. Trauma isn’t limited to war—many painful experiences in life can be hard to overcome. Only the right person can truly help you heal and find a way forward to execute. That’s why I believe this is a truly remarkable story.

The acting and cast are on another level. Chen Zheyuan and Liang Jie deliver outstanding performances, making every emotion feel raw and deeply moving. Their portrayal brings the story to life in a way that lingers in the heart long after watching. Thank you for creating a drama that leaves such a profound impact.

The music is exceptional. I can’t stop listening to the TWOT playlist—it resonates with the emotions of the story and helps me process the pain it left behind.

The rewatch value, for me, is low—not because it isn’t amazing, but because the emotions are too heavy to endure repeatedly. It’s the kind of story that stays with you, making it difficult to go through the heartbreak again and again.

Overall, my rating is excellent. The way this drama portrays the suffering caused by mental trauma is both powerful and rare. Not every drama can deliver such a meaningful and unforgettable message.

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I still don't understand why this is divided into three seasons. "Season One" was not a complete arc so it's kinda hard to review. Realistically it should be Season One with 12 episodes and Season Two with 6. That seems to be how it is organized in Netflix anyway...

My rating here will be for this portion of the drama only. At this point, the drama started out pretty strong, got kinda muddled in the middle, but seems to be picking up again.

I wish it was better organized. I said this in the comments, but the writers, directors, editors - they all tried to do too much. A high fantasy drama is innovative enough in the Korean drama scene, but splitting it into multiple "seasons" did more harm than good. The pacing is all over the place, they established different story-lines faster than others so we had to wait while they caught up. And most importantly, there needed to be way better world building. This is a completely imagined setting with its own groups of people, religion, beliefs, society, hierarchy, government, etc. and the director or some editor or whoever thought occasionally adding captions to explain original vocabulary was enough. It's not. Some of our very important characters are missing important screen time and story development time because of the weird pacing, but it seems that this will be rectified soon in future episodes so I'm not to hung up on that point. This drama would have benefited so much from being longer; the world that they have created is fascinating and it should be fleshed out way more than it was.

The acting is phenomenal and the characters are really interesting. Like I said, I just wish it was better organized.

All in all, it's a good watch. It's not god-tier iconic, but I do recommend it - especially to people who are looking to watch something different.

EDIT AFTER FINISHING THE WHOLE THING: Don't do it. If you're reading this while contemplating watching the drama, it just got worse and worse. The story didn't get better. The story was shit. Save yourself.

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“My Stubborn” – A Drama Full of Denial, Tension & Unexpected Softness ?‍??

Let me just say — My Stubborn had no business pulling me in this deep! From Episode 1 to 12, it was pure chaos, tension, and soft moments that hit harder than I expected 😩💅

At first, I thought P’ Sorn would act mature — you know, older, wiser? But noooo 😭 From the beginning, he was the real problem. The way he kept saying, “I don’t follow kids,” while clearly giving Jun all his attention? Be serious 😭

And Jun? That boy is so easy to mess with! P’ Sorn barely does anything and Jun is already falling apart 😭 Their dynamic was full of denial, but the tension?? It was tensioning HARD 🔥

Honestly, I didn’t expect to be this hooked, but every episode kept me invested. The story was cute, playful, dramatic — and the chemistry? Real. Even the side characters gave life to the series. It never felt slow or boring.

10/10, I would definitely rewatch just to feel chaotic and in love all over again 😌🫶

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The Heirs when the cast and trailers where let out it seemed interesting and promising but by the first 3 eps you know it was going down hill. The cast was great and the acting was fine but the story line ... a 10 year old can write a better plot than that.

First off I feel like Kim Woobin's character didn't even get a chance there is hardly any love triangle going on its just Park Shin Hye moving all over the place. I feel like Krystal and Minhyuk love story was cute but they weren't really needed in the cast and Krystal just became PSH friend out of no where. That Rachel girl wasn't needed either she didn't create any drama she was just there. PSH was crying in almost every scene and it was worst than Jandi in BOF.

Anyways the drama was the worst I watched so far even though I loved the cast

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Great cast, horrible story

Watched it at TIFF 50 last night!

Interesting concept, but horrible execution. Cinematography was pretty, opening scene was promising.

Aside from that, everything else, mainly story was lacklustre. It moved scene to scene with no clear character motivation. A character was introduced half way through the movie and somehow played a major role in the characters motivations when there was not set up. Characters were 2 dimensional and cartoonish in their writing. Lot of aura farming without much aura. Character writing overall didn’t make sense and you couldn’t really understand why each character was doing what they were doing.

Music was okay, did its job but at times was too in your face. The sad moments felt forced because immediately there would be sad piano playing, didn’t have room to breath.

Overall, I wish the writing was better, the two actress’ in the leads were promising, but I wish it was a better movie.

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All That for This?

The Husband started off on a surprisingly strong note. A marriage already hanging by a thread suddenly takes a dark turn when Ko Se Yun disappears, leaving her husband Kang Tae Ju caught between a murder accusation, a kidnapping, and a growing conspiracy. The early episodes had just the right amount of suspense. Nothing felt excessively dramatic, but there was enough mystery to keep me hooked. The identity of the kidnapper was kept under wraps, and that uncertainty made the whole situation creepier. I found myself making theories in my head, trying to figure out who was behind it and, more importantly, why Se Yun had been kidnapped. Unfortunately, that initial thrill did not last.

The drama revealed No Man Hui as the mysterious kidnapper fairly quickly. During the kidnapping, Man Hui was framed as an almost psychopathic, manic figure who could raise the stakes whenever Tae Ju made the slightest mistake. At first, it worked. His gaze was creepy, his smile was creepy, and there was something genuinely unsettling about him. But the same cycle kept repeating. Tae Ju makes a mistake, Man Hui threatens him, the tension rises, Se Yun survives, and then we do it all over again. Eventually, I became numb to it. When your supposed thriller starts making you think, "Oh, here we go again," the suspense has officially clocked out. Still, I tolerated the repetitive kidnapping arc because I assumed there had to be a bigger payoff waiting. The kidnapping itself was only the surface, after all. Tae Ju's search for Se Yun was filled with obstacles, from Se Yun's parents to the police, and practically everyone seemed determined to make his life harder.

The police were especially frustrating. There are incompetent police officers in dramas, and then there is this. At some point, it stopped feeling like intentional characterization and started feeling like careless writing. They barely seemed interested in conducting a meaningful investigation, not even the kind of investigation that exists purely for show. The fact that nobody seemed particularly interested in checking computers and desktops for potentially crucial evidence was baffling to me. Is IT not part of the basic vocabulary of modern investigations? I thought that was basic protocol. By the end, I genuinely wondered what purpose the police served other than becoming another roadblock for Tae Ju.

To the drama's credit, Tae Ju's search did eventually lead somewhere. I had expected the kidnapping storyline to drag almost until the finale, so I was actually surprised when it wrapped up during the first half. The escape itself was one of those scenes where I had to temporarily suspend not just disbelief, but common sense. Tae Ju and Se Yun barely managed to hit Man Hui hard enough to keep him down, yet they immediately ran away. They even left a loaded gun right beside him. Naturally, Man Hui got back up and chased them. At this point, they were begging to be chased and captured.

This kind of thing happened too often. I can forgive characters making bad decisions when those decisions fit their circumstances or happen occasionally. But when the same kind of questionable decision-making keeps appearing, it stops creating tension and starts creating comedy. Some of the directing choices did not help either. There was even a moment when Tae Ju tried opening the car door with his right hand while his left hand was the one pushing the door. It was such a small thing, but after everything else, it became another accidental comedy moment.

Once the kidnapping arc was over, the drama shifted gears. The story focused on why Man Hui kidnapped Se Yun in the first place. This was where things became increasingly messy. The drama kept peeling back layers of conspiracy, introducing one revelation after another, as though it were determined to convince us that there was an enormous, intricate puzzle hiding underneath everything. The problem is that once all the layers were removed, the core of the story felt surprisingly simple. The complicated route did not lead to a complicated destination.

I can give the drama the benefit of the doubt and accept that some of the motivations may technically make sense. The problem is the buildup and storytelling. The reasons behind the kidnapping never felt strong enough to justify the elaborate chain of events surrounding it. The same goes for the explanation behind Tae Ju and Se Yun's broken marriage. There may be an emotional explanation for it, especially when grief and blame are involved, but the drama did not make me feel enough of that emotion for it to land naturally. As a matter of fact, I honestly don’t see the point of their divorce arc and how it’s important to the plot. There were simply too many variables in this drama. Too many people, motives, connections, secrets, and twists were piled on top of what should have been a relatively straightforward core story. The more the drama explained, the more loose ends seemed to appear.

The cast was another mixed bag for me. I have always enjoyed Nam Goong Min's acting, and I could see what he was trying to do with Tae Ju. His character is supposed to be a quiet, introverted, nerdy doctor who keeps most of his emotions buried, and Nam Goong Min's restrained expression works for that aspect of the character. He also tried to communicate through his eyes, which suited Tae Ju's personality. However, that restraint also made the character feel rather bland at times. Despite everything Tae Ju went through, I rarely felt emotionally connected to him. I could understand that he was under immense pressure, but I did not necessarily feel that pressure with him. The funniest part was probably his brief burst of panic when he saw his wife being drowned upside down. I am simply not used to seeing that kind of loud Nam Goong Min, and somehow it felt more comedic than terrifying.

Lee Seol was even more difficult for me to connect with as Se Yun. I am not sure whether the problem lies more with the character writing, the delivery, or both, but I found her character frustrating and emotionally distant. Whatever emotion she was trying to convey rarely landed for me. There were moments when I could understand what she was supposed to be feeling because the script, dialogue, and situation told me so, rather than because the performance made me feel it. That also affected the central marriage. I was never fully convinced by Tae Ju and Se Yun as a married couple. Their interactions often felt awkward in a way that did not seem intentional. Between the character writing, Nam Goong Min's occasionally awkward delivery, and Lee Seol's performance, their relationship never developed the emotional weight that the story seemed to expect me to accept.

The one actor who left the strongest impression on me was Kim Dae Myung as No Man Hui. After seeing him play such a warm and lovable character in Hospital Playlist, watching him become this creepy, mysterious figure was quite the transformation. His stare and smile alone were enough to make him unsettling. Unfortunately, that effect was strongest while Man Hui remained a mystery. Once his character and motivations became clearer, the creepiness faded and he felt more like a manic, desperate human being than the terrifying figure the drama initially presented.

The supporting cast also consisted of plenty of familiar faces, but that came with an unfortunate side effect. Some characters were cast or written in a way that made them suspicious almost immediately. Instead of making the eventual revelations feel like a shocking "Aha!" moment, it sometimes felt more like the drama was confirming what I had already suspected. When the audience can see the suspicious character standing under a giant neon sign saying "I AM IMPORTANT," the twist loses some of its magic.

Visually, the drama did not leave much of an impression either. Some scenes looked noticeably low effort, and there were moments where the use of generative AI stood out rather than enhancing the production. Whatever the reasoning behind those choices, the result made the drama feel cheaper than it should have. The OSTs were similarly forgettable. Nothing really stayed with me after an episode ended.

In the end, The Husband left me with the strange feeling that the drama was trying very hard to make me feel stupid. It wrapped a relatively simple story in layers of conspiracy, twists, and complications, only for the underlying motivations to feel much simpler than the journey suggested. The first few episodes gave me hope that I was in for a tense mystery thriller, but the good parts ended too soon. The suspense gradually gave way to repetition, then absurdity, and eventually accidental comedy.

There is nothing wrong with a complicated story, but complexity should serve the story rather than become the story. Here, I felt like I was constantly being handed another piece of a puzzle, only to realize that half the pieces belonged to a different box. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this one. The beginning had potential, but the drama went downhill much earlier than I expected.

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Great Start; After That, Dissapointing.

I watched the first episode and felt completely in love. The dynamic, the gritty storyline, the many-sided suffering of the main character, everything felt thrilling and so unlike typical Thai BL.

With E2, I had some questions. With 3, I had even more of them. By the time I watched E5, I felt a growing sense of disappointment and realization that I wasn't going to get what I was hoping for.

I didn't understand the first meeting between the characters. I didn't understand the awkward, seemingly random attempt at a beating. I didn't understand what they liked about each other; I didn't understand why Sunny was so focused on Sun yet didn't bother to find out what he looked like, even though everyone saw the photos; I didn't understand why revenge wasn't going anywhere; I didn't understand the humor since it seemed very out of place. I didn't understand where the acting plot was, why so much attention was given to secondary characters, why rich sponsors had to force younger actors to serve them at a gunpoint, etc.

So I went to read the novel, and I was floored because it answered every single question. Half of the confusing scenes weren't present at all; other scenes were given excellent context. The series failed to adapt it. They removed at least 60% of crucial moments, and worse, they completely forgot about revenge and defanged the main character, aka Jay.

In the novel, he's a full-blown psychopath. He's possessive, obsessive, manipulative, cold as ice; he goes through his life without feeling anything until he meets Sun. In the series, he's a mild orange flag. He's so much softer, so much more emotional, and not possessive at all. I just don't understand this weird desire to take a novel with dark characters and twist it into something light.

The revenge is extremely unsatisfying. This series has a ton of useless filler instead; they probably thought people would like it more? I don't know. It doesn't make sense, especially considering the show is called Payback. Everything really starts and ends in the last episode only, and it's very rushed. There is no slower downfall; the main antagonist is handled by the police, of all things. If it could be so simple, why did no one call the police earlier?? The novel's retribution is so much more impactful, and it leaves you forever wondering how big of a role Jay played in it.

I do not recommend this series at all. Ideally, you can watch E1 and then switch to the novel. Otherwise, it's a waste of time. The actors are mostly okay, though they do have occasional issues; the OST is fantastic, and the NC scenes are phenomenal, but that's it.

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The reasons I rated this drama so high.
1, Sakurada DORI.
2. Phenomenal skin ship.
3. Sakurada DORI.
4. Pervy kinky male lead
5. Sakurada DORI.
6. Sakurada DORI
7. Sakurada DORI

And did I mention SAKURADA FREAKING DORI

XD

If that's not enough of a reason, well okay I know most people can't stand the idea of insta love so what can I say, MORE DORI FOR ME YOU LOSERS!!!!

XD

So now that that's out of the way I just thought this drama was well made, full of eye candy and the couple had chemistry and it's not the most brilliant writing but it's not bad writing either. This is very much guilty pleasure wish fulfillment at its finest!!!

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A song to life and love

I have doubts about the strength of my arguments to convince someone that this is a great series, but I have plenty of reasons to, again and again, watch it with pleasure, to tell why that feeling of harmony and hope that 'Gray Shelter' provokes me and, of course, I am also completely convinced that it should be recommended. Attentive to the small and the biggest, the tight heart, the explosion of emotions and the confusion, this South Korean romantic drama will whisper in our ears about certain things that happen to people when they discover their inner self.
Cha Soo-hyuk (Jang Woo Young) is a boring adult whose only goal is to live without worrying about everything and everyone. While working as an external engineer at a cleaning company, he meets up again with Lee Yoon Dae (Lee Jae Bin), with whom he was very close in the past. Yoon Dae lived with his girlfriend, but now he has nowhere to go..., and they end up living together. The two remember domestic violence, running away from home and the days when they consoled each other by saying that they were not like each other's parents.
Korean director Lee Son Eum (이손음) signs with 'Gray Shelter' (회색기류 / Hoesaekgiryu) a significant work of contemporary relationships in his portrait of a same-sex couple, delicately addressing a theme common to all such as love , but here presented in unforeseen and difficult circumstances with a language that involves the viewer in the intimacy, complicity and fears of what is told: the story of two young people united by a past of brotherhood, whose brotherly affection evolves into a warm and deep love with the passing of the years.
Based on Son Eum's own script, the series, consisting of 5 20-minute episodes, explores the awakening of desire, passion and love of a boy for another man. It is, simply, a demonstration that feelings do not know gender. It is love without borders in search of happiness without labels visually narrated in a very lyrical way and assumed naturally.
The deep friendship and love of two men who meet again and begin to live together under the same roof. A journey that turns the viewer into a witness of the internal struggle, the confrontation and the love that they experience. Exterior landscapes of the environment that surrounds them and interior landscapes of the characters written in an agile and lyrical way. History, society, love, defiance of life's obstacles.
A broken family, a heterosexual courtship, a breakup, a friend from the past, almost a brother, a little older, and, suddenly, when everything seemed stable, in perfect balance, the heartbeat, the discovery, the awakening of desire , the feeling, the obsession, burst in with the same force as the denial, the non-acceptance; aggression, which can be both internal and external, and breaks what is established...
They both fall in love. They both see their lives turned upside down. Both are reunited with an unknown self that makes them happy, that gives them pleasure, that fills them with unmanageable pain and uncertainty, but also with love and passion. It is the happy encounter with their own natures.
Can the two young people together travel the roads of South Korea in search of an El Dorado where love, purified of all prejudice, is possible?
How can I describe what is happening before my eyes? Drama and reflection, as intelligent with its images as with its dialogues, turn 'Gray Shelter' into a hymn to life and love, above all, due to the way it approaches a theme, such as homosexuality, which, even when it has been portrayed on numerous occasions over the years in South Korean cinema and television, is still very scarce compared to what is produced in other latitudes or on other topics in the same country, since the taboo component for a A significant part of the population is still present, despite being civilly legal.
From the Heavenly network, this romantic drama that feels like an old movie in terms of color tone and harsh composition, returns Lee Jae Bin to the screen after his successful performance in 'Choco Milk Shake'. At his side is an actor who has also shown his incredible artistic talent in the films 'Phantom' and 'Baseball Girl'. A couple that shows a vibrant chemistry in a drama that excites and moves as it manipulates as only initiatory stories, owners and lords of an absolutely individualistic narrative voice, can manipulate.
Jang Woo Young and Lee Jae Bin bring two very different characters to the scene, but two who not only have a strong connection and chemistry, but also relate perfectly to each other's struggle. There is a healthy and affectionate love between them, it is also romantic, with great generosity, nobility and compassion at play. The sadness and melancholy that both bring is not the kind that makes viewers cry, but rather hits deeper, to the very core. It is not a typical anguish, but heartbreaking.
If at any point I might have thought that Lee Jae Bin would be pigeonholed into comedy, I must confess: I was wrong. If in 'Choco Milk Shake' he achieved a genuine naturalness in his performance, even in those most dramatic parts, which could suggest this would be the right genre for him, in 'Gray Shelter' the young and talented actor shows his versatility and possessing the gift of standing out for his ability and skill when it comes to embodying totally opposite characters.
I liked how he made it clear that he is an actor of race, of vocation, one of those who dares with comedy and drama, and puts himself at the service of the role in question with body, mind and soul. You have to follow his steps.
For his part, thanks to Jang Woo Young, Cha Soo-hyuk is a completely plausible, convincing and even beautiful character, in the sense of being absolutely different from those played by the same actor in his previous works. Everyday life has such a forceful beauty that when an artist is able to see and represent it, he achieves works that are not only solid, but also shocking.
With an acidically caustic tone, raw and direct, highly intelligent and subtle, and always based on the dialogue and organic behaviors of two characters with few filters, 'Gray Shelter' becomes a sophisticated story of a homosexual relationship. The narrative simplicity of the series is reflected in the filming style and is offset by the complexity of the relationship.
Although at times it crosses the border of frivolity, it is possibly one of the most elegant translations of contemporary South Korean dramatization of a story about homosexual men, which is nothing other than a great love story.
'Gray Shelter' is, in short, one of those gems that presents a world so wonderful that you feel sad when you reach the end credits. In short, a drama that captivates the viewer, in addition to the story and the way it is told, due to its attractive visual effects and its visual chemistry.
The drama turns out to be, then, a delicate story of everyday situations, especially those essentially linked to providing inclusive views to the debate on diverse identities and sexualities, while diluting the binary and sexual identity boundaries (man-woman). But, in addition, it recreates, with proverbial skill, especially in the dialogues, and also in the situations, a romance that is not just one more of those that South Korean audiovisuals have contributed since 'The King and the Clown' (Lee Joon-ik, 2005), 'A Frozen Flower' (Yoo Ha, 2008), 'Man on High Heels' (Jang Jin, 2014), to name just a few, but one current, daring, pure, in a series all time attentive to those shudders that perhaps strengthen our expectations of finding what we are looking for.
Lee Yoon Dae's confessions, the evocation of the past that unites them, the way in which the two men approach each other and establish a unique, explosive, fiery intimacy, make total sense through a delicate photography, capable of converting each shot of night exteriors in acts of love in the light of the sunniest day, in addition to managing the expressiveness of the composition and the framing placed even in a symbolic function (Cha Soo-hyuk healing Lee Yoon Dae's wounded face is filmed in a way that implicitly alludes to the major issues involved here); or music that is barely noticeable, and the composers of the songs know that this is a compliment when talking about musical soundtracks in film or television.
The cinematography is moving, with great use of color, particularly a dark, natural palette.
In addition to everything said, I also loved the tenderly filmed scenes of intimacy and sexual complicity. As for the general assessment, it must be said: Lee Son Eum pleasantly surprises us with a seemingly simple series, but which is ultimately a treatise on losses and breakups, on the one hand, and encounters, reunions and discoveries on the other hand, about the gone and the lost, about the found and the unexpected, about the search and finding of love and happiness, the clinging to illusions, to certain affections and feelings, by human beings so complex as well as sincere, animated by the real idea that perhaps they will find, very close to themselves, in their shared past and present, what they have always sought.
And if it all seemed like a lot to me, I am surprised by the beautiful animation by Jeon Seon Myeon that serves as the opening title. The animation shows the two main characters, Yoon Dae and Soo Hyuk, walking alone in the snow before ending up under a streetlight. Yoon Dae spreads out his scarf and wraps it around Soo Hyuk. The light turns on, illuminating their gray world, and they embrace as Ode's "Sleepless" plays in the background.
Few South Korean series have left me, at their end, with such an inexplicable feeling of melancholy and complete satisfaction. And that's why I decided to enthusiastically recommend it.
YA

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The story seems to be your typical cliche story of a young person who suffers from tragedy and you follow him as he grows and matures and develops. I like how they got both Zhang Xiao Fan and Lin Jin Yu to suffer from the same tragedy and you can see how the two people develop differently giving you a comparison giving you a feel of the main antagonist. Through out the whole series you can see how Zhang Xiao Fan changes and become more mature throughout many life and death situation. Flash backs are used very well to show us the trouble all the different characters has face and how we could empathise with them.

I feel all the actors did a good job portraying their role but i want to especially mention the 2 females leads. Zanila who play Bi Yao did an amazing job as always. She must be one of the most sort after actress in China at the moment. She seems to be every other drama and always does a splendid job. Yang Zi who protray Lu Xue Qi, I feel is really underrated. She has good chemistry with Li Yi Feng and the rest of the cast. She protays a believable character who seems to hide all her trouble and with a cold attitude but is in fact very caring. There is a very big cast and all the members seem to make themselves stand out one way or another.

The music was done very well. The use of music during emotional scenes was just right and not too over the top. The music didn't over shadow anyone's dialogue and added enough dramatic effect for it to work. Both the OST were good to listen to and enjoyable.

I generally dont judge a show on re-watch value as sometimes a good show doesn't necessary have much re-watch value. I can say the Legend of Chusen is one of those shows as there are not many surprises and you can guess how most of the story pans out anyway.

Overall I enjoyed this drama a lot. It exceeded my expectations and I would recommend people to watch it if you are into this genre. It is your typical 'chosen one' storyline with a Romeo and Juliet romance. I am looking forward to season 2 even if it is not as long and I hope it gives us a complete conclusion.

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This is a nice, quirky fantasy/romantic comedy. It features an excellent cast, and a lot of charming and interesting characters. It has quite a few twists, and is really cute and interesting. The main character is a kind but naive fairy, who has lived on Earth for several hundred years. The main love interests are a professor and his young assistant (they also live together). The two characters are like night and day, the assistant being sweet and willing to believe the fairy, and the professor being cautious and skeptical. One of the two love interests is the fairy's reincarnated husband who died suddenly several hundred years ago.

What likely makes this show a hit or miss for several people: the show is a bit on the weird side and does not go as expected. A love triangle is also a big player for the plot here. Typically when you watch a drama, you can point out who the female lead will end up within the first couple of minutes of the first episode, even if there's a love triangle. This drama gives you a bit of a guessing game, and the answer...is not what a lot of people were expecting.

As someone that dabbles in story writing, when a storyline isn't super predictable, I like it a lot more. I also enjoy finding clues to upcoming plot twists within the dialogue and events of the show. This was the case for "Mama Fairy."

This is a drama where you have to pay close attention (especially in the flashbacks) in order for everything happening to make complete sense. It had me hooked from the start, so I was never confused. I was extremely happy with who the female lead ended up with, but this was not the case for quite a few people. But when watching, it was clear that the drama pointed in that character's direction, via other characters' opinions of the love interests, the flashbacks, and the female lead's feelings toward the guy she ended up with. It's subtle, but the hints were there.

Romance aside, the main characters are each interesting in their own individual ways. It was interesting how each of the reincarnated love interests shared traits with the people/creatures they were in their past lives. Learning more about them through the flashbacks was a highlight of each episode. One of the main characters had a very tragic back story, and his story developed into a great one of friendship and redemption in the end. It ended up being the highlight of the end of the series.

That said, this show isn't perfect. Even as someone who loved and enjoyed it, I disliked a trio of supporting cast members at first. I eventually grew to like them a little bit as they started playing a part in the main storyline, but that took a few episodes. The other issue I have is the CGI. At some points I can see where it was necessary, but practically every animal that appears (even if it's a random cat running by) is CG. It's very fake and cartoonish looking, so it took a bit to get used to.

I adored this show, it's a new favorite of mine honestly. However, if you're off-put by eccentricity, love-triangles, and/or quite a few plot twists you might not like it. Even though it's a romcom, there's a complex story behind it, and that's one of the main reasons I enjoyed it so much. This series is best approached with an open-mind, and a willingness to accept that not all is as it appears to be.

I gave it a 9.5/10 as I was interested throughout, and fell in love with the story and characters.

(I also rate heavily based on personal enjoyment)

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(I was not biased toward any pairing at any point in this show.)
It started out as a promising drama. The first episodes were great, you had the various stories set out, and I was ready for a cute drama about friendship, life and romance.
But not even the great acting, lovely secondary characters, and much-anticipated cameos from the R1997 cast could light this drama up.
It's all about the husband scavenger hunt, at least a 90%. It was so focused on that, that two of the characters involved in the love triangle did not have any story other than that. And that's bad, because it means that two of our leads were empty as heck.
My main concern was Najung, the female lead. I think she was the only reason why I did not ship anyone with her in this mess of a drama. Whatever happened to her story? Whenever she appeared onscreen, it was either about her undying love for Trash (the childish part of the love triangle), or something that had to do with her friends (only 10% of the time it was about this, sadly).
And the endgame couple... quite boring, too. This pairing... I won't say much, but unless you shipped it, I'm not sure how satisfied you could be. For me, there was just no spark. Maybe due to the fact that I disliked Najung, or maybe because the writers probably switched their endgame couple toward the middle, throwing away the flow this drama could've had.
This also made the dumped second lead, not saying who, seem like an empty plot point. What exactly was he doing in the show? He started out with a hint of the story, but then he was down-leveled to an empty character, a bit fuller than Najung, but still empty. As I mentioned, he was just there to keep the drama more "interesting", nothing to gain out of his presence, sadly.
To wrap things up, this drama was a disappointment. Maybe because I began watching it with too high expectations thanks to everybody's comments, or maybe because it truly was a bad drama.

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After 2 Years and 4 months......It Was Well Worth the Wait!

Just as the title of this review says; this drama was very much worth the wait. Xiao Zhan is one of the people I follow and looking forward to him in this mature and modern role was spectacular. I have so many emotions carousing through my system right now; relief, elation, sadness, completion, pride. This is a very high caliber modern drama. Mentally, I've been thinking about this review for days, so now I'm going to try and put everything together here.

Pros: This drama was filmed in 2019; so much has happened since then. I loved Xiao Zhan and Yang Zi's friendship in real life because it translated as very honest and believable chemistry on screen. Both Gu Wei and LXZ were honest and good though humanly flawed characters. If they made them all perfect and cute without problems, they wouldn't have seemed so real. The seeming harshness of the parents, displayed cultural differences in a way anyone on earth would understand because once the end was being rounded up, their feelings not just harsh words started to be more completely understood.

Xiao Zhan's acting ability made me forget that this was filmed before Ace Troops and ADLAD; the 8 hour, 15K line theater play. Each emotion, each mannerism, action, was on point with where the character had to be at the time of the series. I know he is a perfectionist himself and therefore already criticized his own performance from top to bottom; but as a viewer, a novelist/author, former scriptwriter, and very detail oriented human being, I truly didn't feel he could have done a better job. With the script he was working with, plus all the complicated medical terminology, heavy emotions, given flaws, he brought Gu Wei to life; into a three dimensional existence. He's a very versatile actor that I think can handle any genre, any role be it a protagonist or an antagonist; the latter of which I would love to see in like a Republican era crime drama.

YZ was a very believable 21 year old considering she was older. That's hard to do sometimes especially for more mature people. Her emotions especially in those last episodes were gut-wrenchingly felt. I felt she portrayed a cellist very convincingly (I played the violin in elementary school and therefore know how all strings hold their bows; she did everything properly). This was a good role for her; I do however hope she takes more out of the box roles as this seems to be a fairly common genre for her. She can definitely expand her horizons.

The OSTs were beautiful and magical. Usually I ffw them in the beginning or end especially for the credits but in this case, XZ's solo and their duet were just so heartfelt that I would listen to them each time. I always love it when actors sing their own OSTs, it just gives a drama extra soul.

The plot of the leads was fascinating and realistic; it never dragged at any time and honestly didn't need the filler characters nor their issues. When a plot or a character's actions draw heated discussions/debates in the comments, it means the drama is doing exactly what it's supposed to by making people think and want to talk about it. Papa Lin's cancer arc was the hardest and most heartbreaking of all because not only was it tastefully and realistically done, but it hit close to home as I've lost several very close friends to cancer; so tissues were needed in that sense.

Loved behind the scenes and the "Little Theatre" at the end of every other episode between Gu Wei and LXZ; even in the most angst ridden times, those moments provided us with glimpses of their times on set and into the characters' relationship even when they were at odds with each other. It was a great touch.

Cons: All of the 3rd wheels; lord almighty. When I need to ffw a great drama like this because of all of the truly not evolved and useless characters, it will take a hit in my rating of it. I think I've reached a new high of nicknames created in this drama, though some did evolve; the others thankfully were fazed out in the end. Dr. Gorilla Glue and Dr. Scrooge surprised me the most with being able to evolve and be actual allies and friends to GW, not just hot tar and a sanctimonious prick. Arrogant violin dude actually just needed to be let down before he was able to switch over to a mature human being who gave LZX some great advice.

The worst however remained Dear Abby Wannabe and Ms. Faux Victim; their characters and plots added literally zilch to the series; most time they did more harm then good. I understand young but not useless with absolutely no comprehension of reality. I never read the novels so have no clue if these characters were very prominent; but dear lord I wish the screenwriter never used them or sporadically without their plotless issues; the main plot was already so full and rich; this was just an absolute nuisance.

Would I recommend it? 100%! This is the type of drama you would want to watch with your friends, family, or even alone as most of us do. It has a little bit of everything. I want to thank the entire cast and crew for a truly special series. I will rewatch the cute moments and this drama will forever be in my heart and soul. Bravo!

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What is Happiness? just feeling of joy or satisfaction of getting what we seek for?

Happiness is irony... title suggests something, drama itself never really follows the same path. Thinking about it, happiness is a vague concept... maybe like love. So not for everyone but the enjoyment, characters, the story provides might give happiness, not all-time but little glipms. It wasn't on my radar... honestly I jumped on the train without even reading synopsis or tags just for HHJ and PHS. And yes I was tricked as zombies were the last thing I was expecting from 'Happiness.'

It's not horror...at least I wasn't scared, there aren't many jumps scary moments as I found zombies a little funny (or it's just me who's weirdo). The story is pretty basic which doesn't give 'HELL! what happened?' moments, as most of the part I found pretty predictable even the biggest 'twist' I saw that coming miles away, so in the department of suspense, it's not that great. There are soooo many irritating, dumb characters (more than likable characters)... annoy you to death, will make you want to strangle, punch, kick their ass (well don't worry about this department our FL is master in it). Leads aren't 'perfect' so their decisions aren't always right, sometimes very reckless, they make a lot of mistakes. These are some shortcomings of the drama, if you have less endurance for any of these this isn't for you.

Happiness serves many very classic drama tropes, with done right! Lacking in some departments it gives more than what was promised manages to surprise even with cliches. With very less likable characters.. it makes you get emotionally invested in them, rooting for them, getting charmed by them.

The romance was the last thing I was expecting... honestly I'm no fan of forced romance in thrillers when it's just there for nothing other than a drag. But I'm completely sold for this couple... Gosh, the way they look at each other, their caring gaze, holding hands, hugs, I'm satisfied more than enough... I don't need big proposals, confessions, kisses, them just doing anything, talking with each other, fighting with zombies together being normal is satisfactory. And them being so natural... is the chemistry that I seek even in rom-coms.

As I said leads aren't perfect, they have their limitations/shortcomings. Sae Bom comes as very cool at the start, I loved her in prior episodes.. but then her characterizations aren't according to her profession as much I love strong female leads who can fight well... I get a little irritated by actions without consequences and the 'I think I'm doing always right' attitude. Even though I love her coolness and personality but, indeed, it's not true to what she should do as special forces are well-trained, very disciplined... so recklessness is the last thing you expect from 'special force officer' coz for god's sake they are trained for sensitive, life-endangering situations.

I loved her in action scenes, at a times she was more practical than Yi Hyun which was needed.. and yeah she's cool throughout. Yi Hyun is an almost ideal guy sweet, nice, sticking to morals, loving husband.. who can become a bad cop for his wife. He's so precious.. he's the lead guy where you won't get SLS (oops sorry I forgot it's a thriller, not romance). But he's being just being morally right wasn't always pleasant (that gave me 'Boy you don't have to be nice always' moments)... I loved when he gets angry and does things that viewers crave (satisfactory).

I'll admit I'm charmed by Han Tae Seok who's undoubtedly my fav character of the series, I have a soft corner for grey characters and he's total badass he's that person who doesn't give f*ck to right or wrong.. but still do things right, the only guy who can situation in the right way. He's interesting charming, with a good foundation of back story and with desperation.

might not be the greatest thriller... but it's satisfactory, entertaining, and keeps you on the edge of the seat even with the ordinary plot but interesting characters giving you happiness.

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