Reviews

I'm developing a talent for being drawn to controversial dramas. Cheese in the Trap was a highly anticipated series that, while, being produced, gave rise to a cacophony of behind-the-scenes drama that escalated to such an extent that many now consider CITT one of the biggest disappointments of 2016. In light of that mess, my recommendation for enjoying this drama is to be as unfamiliar with the source material (the web-toon on which it's based) as possible.

Now that we've got that out of the way: Despite unevenness, Cheese in the Trap is a narrative success in my books, for many of the same reasons I've also defended that other 2016 YA drama with a bad reputation, Scarlet Heart: Ryeo. (Speaking of, MLSHR is one of the recs under CITT because it, too, has a "questionably crazy male lead." Hilarity.)

Anyway, k-drama romances tend to fall under two trends:

(1) Zany Disney-esque romcoms where love lifts everyone up where they belong (see: My Girlfriend is a Gumiho, To the Beautiful You, You Who Came From the Stars, etc. etc. etc. etc.).
(2) Toxic and imbalanced relationships that are glorified with undeserved happily-ever-afters (see: Boys Over Flowers, The Heirs, and so on and so forth).

Cheese in the Trap isn't either of those stories. Much like MLSHR, CITT is concerned with one overarching question: Can a person change another person? (Alternatively: Do people change *for* other people?) The show doesn't give a pat answer, and that's to its credit.

In short, this is a slice-of-life that isn't afraid to go dark (and not in an incongruous after-school special way — unlike Age of Youth, the darkness in CITT is fully fleshed out). If you're looking for light, escapist fun that delivers a straightforward message, there are literally hundreds of other dramas for you. If, otoh, you want a complex story about young adults that doesn't idealise its characters — but also, importantly, doesn't descend into nihilism — you might want to give Cheese in the Trap a shot.

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I really thought Idol Romance finally made a good show

After the first two episodes, I thought this show was going to be good. I thought "Wow, Idol Romance finally learned from their mistakes", but immediately after episodes 3 and 4, I realized that they hadn't. The only thing I liked about this show was Eun Gyu, but more on that later.

The story was just boring. Nothing happened. In the span of 8 episodes, not a single thing happened. The whole show can be boiled down to this: a new guy joins a restaurant and creates an overly dramatic love triangle that would never happen in real life. I don't understand who green-lit this script. It could've had the potential with a different storyline than just another love triangle. I do admit, Hae Won and Eun Gyu did have decent chemistry. The actors did their scenes nicely. But what was seriously lacking was some development in that relationship. And the fact that Ji Soo and Eun Gyu got into such a dramatic argument about a guy they'd known for a month, despite their 15 years of friendship, seriously annoyed me as a viewer. There was so much backstory between those two friends that never got unpacked, other than maybe 5 minutes across all episodes that just dropped bombshells of information on us.

Along with the story, the characters just bothered me in so many ways. All of them. They were all poorly written. This is no hatred towards the actors, by the way. But I don't get why all the characters were so childish when they were all at least in their twenties. Why did they all start acting so fussy just because of some new handsome guy joining? Ji Soo was just a very uncomfortable character in the weird way he forced himself upon Hae Won, but Hae Won was also annoyingly naive. And I didn't understand what the real function of Ha Jin and Joo Seo Hyuk was. They were just kind of there.

I hate critiquing acting because I know I'll never be able to perform the same way, but the acting in this show was not that great. The only actor whom I genuinely thought was good was the actor playing Eun Gyu. The guy playing Ji Soo was also good at times, but it was Eun Gyu who carried the show acting-wise. I hope to see him act in other shows after this because he really has talent.

Overall, no, I did not like the show. And I honestly don't recommend it to anyone. I think you'll only like this show if you swallow *anything* related to BL. But this show was just not good. I would've dropped this show if it weren't for being so short.

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A Drama About Politics, Humanity, Power, and Emotional Survival

I just completed A Splendid Match and honestly… this drama completely exceeded my expectations. 🍂⚔️✨

I had no expectations about this drama. I also had no specific intentions about the cast. I did not think they would do a great job. I liked the plot premise but not the cast. Actually, I thought about not watching this drama at all because the cast looked average and not prominent. And I have seen this type of plot before: historical romance with clever female leads, political scheming, wealthy noble families, and the usual marriage alliances.

But somewhere along the way, this story quietly transformed into something far more interesting.

Because beneath its elegant costumes, marriages, dowries, and aristocratic politics, this drama is actually about loneliness, emotional restraint, power struggles, morality, survival, class systems, sacrifice, and the terrifying cost of living inside political machinery.

And what surprised me most is how emotionally intelligent the writing became.

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🌑 FIRST IMPRESSIONS — A DRAMA THAT HIDES ITS TRUE DEPTH
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At the beginning, I enjoyed the drama, but I did not immediately think it would become something better than expected. The early episodes felt familiar: wealthy households, family rivalries, marriage negotiations, clever female lead, political officials, hidden schemes. And suddenly I realized this was not simply a romance drama. It was a drama about people trapped inside systems. Systems of family. Systems of power. Systems of reputation. Systems of political loyalty.

Every single character is constantly suffocating under expectations. And that is exactly what made the drama feel so human. No character here feels entirely pure. No character feels completely evil. Even the cruelest people often act out of fear, survival instinct, ambition, resentment, or emotional emptiness. This drama understands something many costume dramas forget: people are contradictions. 🎭

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🖤 CHEN YANYUN — ONE OF THE MOST COMPOSED YET TRAGIC MALE LEADS
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Chen Yanyun became one of the most fascinating male leads I have watched. At first glance, he appears calm, elegant, intelligent, and emotionally controlled — almost untouchable. But underneath that composure is a man constantly walking on political knives. What makes him so compelling is that his suffering is never loud. He rarely raises his voice. Rarely loses emotional control. Rarely dramatizes his pain. Instead, the drama shows his exhaustion through restraint. Through long silences. Through calculated words. Through the way he quietly carries responsibilities that would destroy most people.

One of the most unforgettable moments was the undated divorce letter. That single scene revealed everything about his love for Gu Jinzhao. Instead of trying to possess her after marriage, he gives her freedom. Instead of demanding loyalty, he gives her a safe escape. That is not performative romance. That is trust.

And the tragedy of Chen Yanyun is that he understands power too well. The more politically intelligent he becomes, the lonelier he grows. After the grain scandal arc, you can feel him emotionally distancing himself from Lord Fu while realizing he may eventually stand alone in court. His relationship with power is deeply tragic because he knows survival often requires moral compromise — yet part of him still desperately wants to remain humane. 🥀

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🌸 GU JINZHAO — A FEMALE LEAD WRITTEN WITH REAL INTELLIGENCE
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Gu Jinzhao — I really loved her as a smart female lead. Not because the drama constantly tells us she is smart. But because the writing consistently proves it. She understands politics, reputation warfare, commerce, law, emotional manipulation, and social psychology. What I loved most is that her intelligence never feels unrealistic. She survives because she observes people carefully. Even during terrifying situations, she remains emotionally composed enough to think strategically.

The Sun Shitao corpse-switch plan was brilliant. Her handling of Madam Wang during the tea gathering was brilliant. Her usury loan trap to neutralize Madam Wang was masterful. But despite all her cleverness, she still feels emotionally human. The night before her wedding day, the way she expressed her real self beneath her cleverness — I really felt it. She fears things. She hesitates. She questions herself. She feels guilt. She feels emotional exhaustion.

What makes Gu Jinzhao special is that she never sacrifices her humanity to become strong. Even when everyone around her prioritizes political survival, she still tries to protect people emotionally. Ren Min did a great job. I did not think she would play her role this perfectly. 👏

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⚔️ YE XIAN — THE MOST PAINFUL CHARACTER IN THE ENTIRE DRAMA
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Honestly… Ye Xian’s storyline devastated me. 🥲 He is one of the most emotionally tragic second male leads I have seen. The drama never portrays him as merely a romantic obstacle. Instead, he feels like a man constantly arriving too late to his own life. Too late to confess. Too late to protect his family. Too late to save his father. Too late to keep Gu Jinzhao.

The wedding and funeral procession scene was absolutely heartbreaking. A bridal carriage moving toward a new future. A funeral procession carrying away an ending. Ye Xian stepping aside and yielding the road. It symbolized an entire emotional era dying.

His love for Gu Jinzhao feels less like youthful romance and more like emotional grief. Gu Jinzhao and Ye Xian understand each other deeply, but they would have destroyed each other emotionally in the long run. They are too similar. Too stubborn. Too emotionally guarded. Too self-destructive. That realization made their relationship even sadder. Ultimately, he died gloriously and just as he wanted. I cried when he was pierced and hoped he would only be injured, but his death was beautifully tragic. 💔

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🏛️ THE DRAMA’S BIGGEST STRENGTH — POLITICS THAT FEEL HUMAN
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One thing I deeply appreciated is how political conflicts are never treated as abstract strategy games. Every political decision affects human lives. The grain scandal arc especially elevated the drama enormously. Two hundred thousand dan of relief grain replaced with wheat bran. That single act exposed corruption, faction warfare, bureaucratic cruelty, and the terrifying reality that ordinary starving people become disposable tools for powerful officials.

Lord Fu is especially fascinating. He is intelligent, cultured, patient, visionary, and yet terrifying. Because he genuinely believes sacrificing people is acceptable if it achieves political stability. That complexity made him far more frightening than a simple villain. Chen Yanyun is so underrated because even in the end, it is clear he was a visionary when he chose to take up his mentor’s book. Others might have disagreed, seeing it as the work of an evil man, but he understood that Fu Hailian’s policies weren’t the problem — it was his actions and power hunger that were evil.

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💔 THE ROMANCE — BUILT ON TRUST RATHER THAN POSSESSION
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One of the best things about this drama is that the romance feels emotionally mature. Chen Yanyun and Gu Jinzhao do not fall in love through endless misunderstandings or exaggerated jealousy. Their relationship develops through mutual respect, emotional understanding, trust, political partnership, and quiet emotional intimacy. They genuinely listen to each other.

Even after marriage, the drama does not suddenly turn them into a perfect fantasy couple. Instead, their marriage becomes another battlefield. Political enemies target them. Families pressure them. Rumors surround them. But they continue choosing each other again and again. Gu Jinzhao’s love for Yanyun is evident as she is willing to take poison and die, which is incredible considering how much she values her life. ❤️

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🌑 THE CHEN FAMILY — A HOUSEHOLD BUILT ON SILENCE AND ROT
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One of the most fascinating aspects of the drama is how the Chen family slowly transforms into something psychologically unsettling.

At first, they appear like a prestigious noble household.

But beneath the elegance lies emotional decay.

Fourth Master Chen especially shocked me. His confession about drowning the fifth brother completely changed the atmosphere of the drama. Suddenly the household no longer felt politically dangerous alone. It felt emotionally haunted.

And Chen Xuanqing’s gradual deterioration is equally disturbing.

At first, he seems like a melancholic young man trapped by regret.

But slowly: obsession replaces affection, silence replaces sincerity, and emotional instability replaces morality.

After that, he no longer feels romantic. He feels dangerous.

Especially during the kidnapping arc, the earring scene, and his emotional coldness toward Yu Wanxue.

The drama is quietly showing how unresolved desire can become destructive. 🥀

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🎥 VISUAL STORYTELLING — POWER, LONELINESS, AND EMOTIONS SPOKEN WITHOUT WORDS
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One of the strongest aspects of A Splendid Match is honestly its visual storytelling.

This drama does not rely only on dialogue to explain emotions or political tension. Very often, the directing, framing, lighting, costumes, and even physical distance between characters quietly reveal things before the characters themselves say them aloud.

And that is exactly why many scenes feel emotionally heavy even when very little is happening on the surface. 🍂
Contrast Between Warmth and Isolation 🌓

What impressed me most is how the drama constantly contrasts warmth and isolation.

Chen Yanyun is usually surrounded by grand halls, political officials, luxurious robes, and authority — yet visually, he is often framed alone. Even in crowded rooms, the camera repeatedly isolates him within the frame, reminding us that power in this drama is deeply lonely. He stands at the center of the court, but emotionally he belongs nowhere.

Gu Jinzhao's scenes often feel more "alive." Her environments contain movement, warm candlelight, busy markets, family courtyards, flowing fabrics, and softer colors. Even when she is suffering, the drama visually connects her to humanity and earthly warmth in a way Chen Yanyun lacks.

That contrast becomes one of the drama's quiet emotional foundations.

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💎 THE UNIQUE CONNECTION BETWEEN ML AND SML
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One thing I noticed in this drama that I have not seen in others is the connection between the male lead and the second male lead. They loved the same woman. They were love rivals. That means they must be enemies. But in their personal lives, yes they fought and were rivals. But beyond that, they worked together for the country. They served under the same ruler. They forgot their personal grudges and fought in the same battle for the empire. They were righteous. They put the people and their country before their personal grudges. When someone faced difficulties, the other helped him. They did not take revenge for love. They worked together against corruption for the sake of the country.

In episode 39, it was so heartfelt and emotional to see Yanyun embrace Ye Xian. The way Yanyun carried him. Even if they did not speak to each other as friends, they were friends at heart. I once thought the most heartfelt scene in the entire drama was the funeral procession meeting the wedding procession. But no, this was the one. Once they fought with each other, then fought together for the country, though they were destined to be enemies hated to the bone, yet Yan Yun cried bitterly for Ye Xian. Ye Xian was jealous of Chen Yanyun but held him in incredible high regard. Towards the end, he thought of him as a teacher and friend. 🫂

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🎭 ACTING PERFORMANCES — REN MIN AND CI SHA
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Ren Min’s performance can score ninety points. She is charmingly playful yet natural. About the mother’s death scenes: some say she was too wooden. But I think that was just right. When her mother apologized, Jinzhao was shocked, not moved. Her lifelong belief was completely shaken. When her mother died, Jinzhao was grief-stricken but even more enraged. She had no space left to feel sadness. Only after things were accomplished, while listening to Yanyun play the xun and reading her mother’s letter, could she cry quietly. That is nuanced acting. She cried bitterly for Ye Xian, her true friend, and I hope no one criticizes her for that. Too many dramas portray detachment from second male leads who were genuinely good, as if ignoring one relationship diminishes another. He was her best friend and held a special place in her heart. 👏

Ci Sha’s performance gets eighty points. His eyes are especially deep. His mouth is distinctive — sometimes slightly smiling, sometimes seeming not to. I especially love his emotionally exposed scenes: slapping Fourth Master, stumbling when rushing to rescue Jinzhao. His features do not fly wildly — fitting Yanyun’s character. As for his scenes with Jinzhao, those are the drama’s essence. Sending the cloak with eyes that drive you crazy. Confessing love directly. Once aware of his feelings, he never hesitates. 😄

🔥 FINAL VERDICT

Is A Splendid Match perfect? No. The OST is genuinely bad. Some shots are awkward. The ending felt rushed. I wish they had given us a longer ending. Even an extra 10 minutes would have been enough. We never saw Chen Yanyun receive the acknowledgement and rewards he deserved, nor did we get to see them as a couple after all the drama.

But honestly? That is exactly what made this drama memorable for me. Because beneath the beautiful costumes lies a deeply human story about loneliness, power, emotional survival, sacrifice, trust, and the painful cost of remaining humane inside cruel systems.

This drama does not simply ask who loves whom. It asks what kind of person can survive this world without losing themselves. And that question stayed with me.

Overall, it is an incredible drama. I hope the couple give us some special episodes, even if just 10 minutes.

Layered political storytelling ✨ Emotionally intelligent characters ✨ Mature romance ✨ Complex morality ✨ Beautiful symbolism ✨ Quiet but powerful acting ✨ Deep emotional atmosphere ✨

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Absolute disappointment

A huge disappointment. Spring of the Blade had all the ingredients to be a solid revenge drama, but its execution ends up being extremely uneven and, especially in the final stretch, deeply frustrating.

The plot becomes very repetitive: too many family intrigues, endless conversations, and conflicts that drag on without adding anything new. The story keeps going around in circles, and the revenge storyline gradually loses its impact.
The ending of Xie Shu, the grandmother, and the entire scheme behind everything feels rushed and quite disappointing. And, personally, I wasn't convinced by the female lead either. I really like this actress, but here I found her performance overly stiff and solemn: she remains almost completely expressionless, even during the action scenes, and keeps the same serious expression for much of the series, which takes a lot of the emotion out of many scenes. On top of that, there was practically no chemistry with her male lead, which also made it difficult for me to enjoy their relationship.

And what I found most infuriating was Li Cong Xin's fate. After giving everything for Qingyuan, even being willing to give up his position as heir for her, he ends up being deceived and married to Qingru as a result of the switch. But the truly absurd part comes afterwards: the series expects us to accept that this relationship can somehow become a happy ending. From the very beginning, Qingru has been portrayed as manipulative, malicious, and deeply toxic, and everything she has done is fundamentally incompatible with the level of trust a relationship would need to work. Having the final episodes suddenly soften her character with a rushed redemption arc and then pair her happily with Li Cong Xin is not only unbelievable, but deeply unsatisfying. They are insulting the intelligence of the viewers.

In the end, this was a story with an appealing premise and a good setting that, for me, gets lost in repetitive plotlines, unconvincing decisions, and an overly rushed resolution. It had the potential to be so much more.

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Best things come in pairs… and season 3 proves the third time is definitely not the charm!

Season 3 landed, and honestly, it struggled to justify its return. The surface-level spectacle is undeniable...the visuals remain stylish, the action choreography is polished and the CGI is praiseworthy. But once the gloss wears off, what remains is a story that seems desperate to convince that it still has depth, when in reality it’s just circling the same drain with more expensive props.

Starting with the positives, I enjoyed most of the games. Following the legacy of the previous two seasons, they were imaginative, tense and shot well. The sets were grand, and the larger-than-life vibes were definitely there. The adrenaline rush was present, reminding me what made AIB unique.

But once that wears off, I found it a bit underwhelming. The main issue was the set up itself especially Usagi's return to the Borderland. The reason wasn't justified enough, plus the idea of dealing with trauma and getting closure was very questionable. She was always this resilient, voice of reason kind of person and grounding force for Arisu, but the writers kind of shoved her emotional arc into the background.

Arisu was still the guy trying to strategise his way out of impossible games and succeeding. He really tries to keep it together, but life keeps dealing him impossible hands and somehow, he still manages to play them like a pro.

In previous seasons, seeing them together gave a humane side to all the chaos and tension. Like an escape for us and them...but this season that bond felt eroded and side-lined. In theory, yes, we did see them together, but it barely translated on screen.

We were also introduced to new characters this season and sadly, most of them didn't leave an impact on me and felt like background noise. Some have tragic backstories, sure, but with barely any screen time, it’s hard to actually care. I still remember deaths from season 1 and not from season 3 that I watched yesterday and it is self-explanatory.
You know how we discard the Joker card while playing most games. I had hoped this season would give the Joker card some real weight, but instead, it turned out to be the weakest leader we had so far.
Ryuji caught my attention as a character but the story never fully allowed him to shine. Whether it was the six-episode format or the uneven pacing, many of his traits and potential arcs felt rushed or underexplored.

And then there’s the great “mystery” of Borderland. I was hoping this would flip the tables for me but why give clear answers when you can always drown us in psychological symbolism that looks fancy at first glance but ultimately is all smoke and mirrors.

By the end, instead of feeling like I had been on a gripping, mind-bending journey, I felt like someone had reheated leftovers from the first two seasons. It technically fed me, but there was no flavour.

Acting-wise, it was good. We have some big names in the cast, and they deliver. It's the writing that held them back. The visuals are really good and polished. Also, Netflix needs to stop milking every golden goose. First Squid Game and now this... *sigh*

So would I recommend it? Honestly, yes and no. If you have already come this far, I am sure it's hard not to give in. It's not unwatchable, but if next to its predecessors, it's pale and weak.
But if you are new and considering starting from season 1...I would recommend to stop at season 2.

Thank you for reading my review! <3

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OVERRATED

I was really looking forward to watching this drama especially when I heard Kim Soo Hyun was playing the male lead, however unfortunately I was extremely disappointed.
I suspect it also has to do with my high expectations of this drama but honestly not only was the storyline average but also the soundtrack and character development wasn't intriguing.
I feel like it got so much attention because of the good looks of the main characters but I felt that their chemistry wasn't amazing and their relationship was overly complicated.
I didn't feel moved at all watching this and the ending wasn't satisfying. It has an interesting concept however lacked thematic value.
Overall it was an alright drama and there were some heartwarming moments however definitely did not deserve the praise that it had received.

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Jung Woo-sung brought me to this movie and let me tell you, I wasn't disappointed. The man is a vision. But his pretty face isn't the movie's only merit. Though not the most original of scripts, it served its purpose of entertaining me for a couple of hours. It's a cute, light-hearted story about rekindling a friendship that eventually leads to love.

I enjoyed the cross cultural elements of the film. There was a time, in my ignorance, when I thought all East Asian cultures were more or less the same. I have since broadened my horizons, but it was still quite interesting to see that China was just as much a cultural novelty for Dong-ha, a Korean, as it would've been for me, a Westerner.

What's more interesting is that a great portion of this film is in English because Dong-ha doesn't speak Chinese and May doesn't speak Korean. I must admit it was a bit weird for me to hear them speak English so I muted the sound and simply read the subtitles. It's not that their English was poor. Actually, they were as good as anyone can speak a foreign language, but their accents were really heavy. I found that it distracted me from the emotion of the story and the performances.

I'm thankful this movie wasn’t too emotionally draining. The few times it reverted to more somber themes, those were quickly overruled by one comedic scene or another.

Dong-ha and May had mad on-screen chemistry. There were some very steamy kisses in this movie, and May was a full participant in all the action! No shocked, open-eyed reaction here. For once I can't complain about the intimacy between the characters being fake. My only wish was that those kisses were more frequent and longer! haha :)

Overall, I have very few complaints. This was a simple, but satisfying story with good, subtle performances from a pair of very attractive leads. I doubt I've ever seen Jung Woo-sung look so handsome on screen, not even in A Moment to Remember (and let’s face it, the man was pretty darn hot in that movie!). The ending was unnecessary. I would have preferred a different outcome, one that was a bit more straightforward and less open, but it didn't spoil the movie for me. It's clear that the director just wanted to be a jerk and yank our chain.

I highly recommend Season of Good Rain as the perfect date movie. It’s a light romantic drama that’ll make you reminisce about when you first met your love, give you many reasons to make out and offer you something light-hearted to debate about after it’s done. Enjoy!

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I loved watching this fast paced and very engaging drama, that goes from beginning to end without a dull moment.

The story is good, and the way it's told is very interesting. I loved the way they shift plot sequences to keep the element of suspense. It was done very artfully.

The character Jang Tae San is wonderfully written and Lee Jun Ki lives the role. As we follow his struggles and efforts, we also see more of the person inside,who is the hardest on himself.

The most beautiful parts of the drama are the interactions between Tae San and Soo Jin. The drama writers have written in that connection to perfection. You start to look out for the little girl, when the story has been moving elsewhere for a while. And of course, the girl who plays Soo Jin is super cute.
The rest of the cast are great too- including all the baddies.

Now, the plot isn't without it's share of holes. But none of that affects the compelling nature of this drama.

The ending is perfect- realistic and at the same time, leaving us on a happy note.

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Coming into this show, I'm not sure what I expected or what I wanted out of it. I knew it was a melodrama and I naively thought it was just another youth drama but in all honesty, it was so much more than that. Park Si Eun and Yoon Chan Young are a phenomenal pair of an actor and actress and I truly cannot wait to see what the future holds for them when they grow because in every show I've seen them in, they've wowed me to no end. You truly do have a timid boy and a girl that's just out there and you toss them together and they're made perfect for each other but honestly, life is not perfect and you will go through trial and error and this show pulls at your heart strings to what happens in everyday life and what it feels like to be alone and confused and not sure what you're doing with anything honestly. It shows ups and downs and it's crazy because for a special that's 4 episodes and purely as long as a 2 hour movie, you literally watch and see so much with twist and turns and it blows your mind. This show was wonderful, definitely a filler that surprises you with a nice OST, great acting and just nicely set story that I enjoyed. For 2 hours, definitely put your time into this and watch it.

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I just finished watching this. This was my first Japanese historical drama. I'm not good at writing reviews so I usually don't even write them. However this time I decided to write something.

I watched it because of my favorite actress Nakama Yukie. I've seen her acting very different characters; high school student, high school teacher, Sadako, clumsy police, woman with multiple personality, silly yet lovable reporter and her character in Utsukushii Rinjin whom I have no words... So I was tempted to see her acting in this one too.

Second reason why I watched this was Gackt. I loved his creepy yet attractive character with long tongue. If you're curious what he does with the tongue watch the drama.

I was amazed by the drama. I'm glad it wasn't super long. Otherwise I would've ended up dropping it...

The music was very good and now I feel like I know something about Okinawa's history.

The acting was good but from some new actors it wasn't as good but I still liked it.

Okay I have no idea what I'm babbling about. I liked the drama and that's all. I think this is a drama no one should miss.

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This high school GL drama was a sweet little romance with so many lovable characters to get attached to. But perhaps a merged or cut storyline could've allowed the much needed foreshadowing of character flaws that were relevant to the drama's climax. I also found that the lack of addressing of 2 red flags (one from each of our main characters) killed my investment into their particular ending.

SPOILERS START HERE!!!

>>> Ongsa and Sun <<<

I absolutely loved the initial set up for this couple. Ongsa is an insecure, anxious, and socially awkward teen from the countryside. Sun, is the popular (though we really don't see this really), confident, and mature classmate who Ongsa instantly develops a crush on. They accidentally become penpals and Ongsa anxiously lies when it starts coming time for them to actually disclose stuff like names and such. This arc didn't overstay its welcome in my opinion (but Aladdin's the genie "Tell her the truth" scene certainly played in my head on repeat). I was also quite taken by how maturely Sun handled this. Demanding an explanation and refusing the nonstop stream of unexplained apologies. Most love interests would have stormed out, and the lack of communication would have been dragged out for days/episodes. Not here.

By the end of the drama, we start to realize that Sun isn't the perfect, one-dimensional love interest previously portrayed. While her dream is repeated rather verbatim in a short span of time, she does have a dream that she is passionate about and knows where her future is going. She also is not quite at the maturity generally presumed around her. Indeed, much like most teenagers, that "maturity" is partially covering up the fact that Sun molds herself and her reactions to what she thinks is expected of her. Which, of course, causes problems in her relationship with Ongsa - especially since Ongsa is also not thinking as a unit (most high schoolers/first relationship couples dont) and makes the unanimous decision that Ongsa and Sun shouldn't be out to anyone but their shared friend group. This was frustrating, and i feel like Sun's character flaw could've been better hinted at earlier in the series, but overall, quite true to a high school first romance.

What did make me angry is the fact that both Sun and Ongsa did incredibly red flag things that were never really addressed well. Sun literally outed Ongsa, Aylin, and Luna. She outed Ongsa once to her (Sun's) parents without warning, and then again (along with Aylin and Luna) to Ongsa's own parents despite/in spite of Ongsa's attempts to stop her. This wasn't even addressed once, let alone condemned. Being out very obviously means something in the world of this drama, and Sun couldn't have known what Ongsa's parents' reactions would've been. And then, after their break up, Ongsa wouldn't leave Sun alone. This was brought up once, but then was swiftly ignored when Ongsa came with a more detailed apology (that I sorely hope was victim to something being lost in translation, because i didn't like how it compared their love for each other as one being more true than the other just bc Ongsa was scared to be out of the closet).

I am, however, glad that Sun realized that she was being hypocritical and unfair though, especially since she was molding herself to what she thought Ongsa wanted in their relationship, instead of talking to her. And so, i appreciate that they became a more healthy and stable relationship afterwards. Though, admittedly, my enjoyment of them as a couple was killed by their red flag actions that weren't properly addressed. So, I wasn't really invested in their ending.

>>>Aylin and Luna<<<

An absolutely adorable 2nd couple. I loved how honest Aylin was, even when she was nervous, in pursuing Luna (after Luna showed her she could trust her). And i loved the relationship between Aylin and Ongsa (her cousin). Aylin and Luna were a healthy couple pretty much from the beginning (with the hiccup of pushing Aylin into socialization too fast), and I don't think i stopped smiling for a moment when they were on screen together. And Aylin's neurodivergent (potentially autistic?) coding was great to see - especially with her lack of social cue awareness, her needing clear answers to social questions, and her displays of overstimulation that can be seen even in the background of other scenes. However, my one complaint is probably that Luna, as cute and lovable as she is, didn't really have a character flaw in sight.

>>>Alpha<<<

Alpha is Ongsa's older sister and Aylin's older cousin. On one hand, i loved that her presence helped contribute to Ongsa's family relationship development (she and her father had lived separately from her mother and sister for several years). Her scenes with Ongsa and Aylin were sweet. And i really related to her pre-graduation stress of uncertainty in her future and in her family relationships. But, she really didn't have much of an impactful role. So perhaps this was a storyline that could've been omitted or perhaps merged with Luna's (perhaps to balance out Luna's perfection) since they share similar traits and are in the same year together.

>>>The Friend Group<<<

I really value the focus on Ongsa's growing friend group, as it really helped her develop as a character and in her confidence - not having any friends coming into school and all. They're supportive, distinct, eclectic, quirky, and diverse. It made for the perfect complement to Ongsa's story and needs. There was also some comedic relief in there I really appreciated.

>>>Teachers Bambam and Nida<<<

These characters stole my heart. I loved their low-angst side story of the hapless accident-prone and tarot-loving Bambam and of her caretaking friend who developed feelings. Furthermore, I liked how they provided advice to their students when needed, and also stepped away so the major characters can figure things out on their own. And of course, they helped to drive the story forward at a few places, in believable way that never made me blink twice.

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Enigma is real

where do I get the words to even describe this show like only 2 eps and soo much happened and everything seems sooo real , i really get scared
the acting IS PHENOMENAL LIKE NO DOUBTS EVER ON THIS win prim and Evey other person realated to this show has. done soo perfect .
I really hoped it has more eps then 4 😭😭 love them sooo much .
believing that black magic actually exsists it's just wow 😮 never thought gmm could give us something like this
the latest ep blew my mind that how the ameture ghost tricked them into thinking the curse is simple but actually she is a Daredevil
win looks sooo hot with the tattoos i really can't wait for other 2 eps 😭

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Everyone Needs a bit of Sexy in their Lives

How to begin this review? This drama wasn't on my radar at all until I saw the trailer and it stopped me in my tracks. Was this c-ent's version of 50 Shades? How were they going to make this possible? I was extremely curious; I'm totally unfamiliar with the entire cast save for the actor of Mr. Han who I saw last year in The Story of Xing Fu. Everything about this drama from the trailers gave off a totally different vibe than what I've previously seen in c-dramas. And for real, everyone does need a bit of sexy in their lives.

Pros: The Bohemian vibe, the rich color palette of the locations, just gave the series this extra richness and made every scene extremely alive as it awakened the senses to exotic surroundings and vibes. I never cared about the age gap as that's what the story is about and how the characters overcome to develop their own love story. The music was probably my favorite part of the series and that says something as usually OSTs are ok or good but not to the point where you want to hear them on repeat. Jerry Yan obviously has a very long and impressive résumé in both acting and music, here he knew when to be aloof, almost wooden and when to let his walls crumble and be taken over by emotion. The little nuisances that could be missed sometimes but were very important to viewers like the significance of the painting and the fact that he started out with a copy and ended up with the real thing.

I didn't understand the FL at first when she bailed on him twice when she started to relapse. In her mind, though she was sharp as a tack, she didn't want him to see her sick. She wanted him to see her happy and healthy. Though I don't understand the logic in it but I'll speak about it below. In her mind, she wanted to not present as weak for better or for worse. Because they focused so much on flowers, paintings, and animals; I'll use the latter as an example. Both cats and dogs do this, when they know they are in the last stages of their lives, they tend to leave their homes and owners, they just want to go on their own quietly. Of course as humans, we want to be there for them and say a proper goodbye. So in that sense, HR was like a cat running away so her human could remember her in her prime, while not really considering or understanding the human's or XH's need to be with her, nurture, and take care of her even when he had no idea what was going on. That's the best way I could describe how I felt about the two sets of breakups. Also though she broke up with him the second time, she still was ridiculously jealous of him even talking to another woman, which showed her internal tug of war with whether to tell him the truth or just keep pushing him away. Thankfully he solved that one for her.

The last two episodes, I think were very beautifully done. Though he had to put the puzzle pieces together himself and we don't actually know how much time passed between the gorgeous wedding he gave her in his hometown and her passing away in his arms in the snow. I'd like to think they had sometime together to live in between. I love how the mom smartened up and gave her blessing and finally just let go. The extra scene after the ending credits I think was his dream where they always meet in that field of his favorite flowers in front of the building he proposed in; it's forever their very special place. I know many people cried but to me death is just the next step that a soul takes in order to return home. And most importantly, she's now pain free and can come to XH in his dreams in the best of health. She's waiting for him now instead as before it was the opposite.

Their chemistry, for me didn't start right away. Though he claimed he already had feelings for her when they met, I didn't feel anything for real until their first intimate scene in Ep. 9. Even after, all the scenes, cut or not, I have to say that real love and the feeling of it came with the cut scene in 17 when he says the words. They cared for each other and the make out sessions were well placed, but it wasn't until he uttered the words himself that I understood, that he understood it himself. I put this in the pros instead of cons because I felt prior to that, it was more on a physical level of things; nothing wrong with that. And I liked the development of his understanding of his own feelings as it builds his character.

Other characters I liked were Mr. Han, Fatty, the hotel chick that was related to SML, I really liked SML, even HR's roommates. Not one person in the entire series made it an issue of the leads many differences and that was beyond refreshing. C-dramas are known to always point out differences like they're the plague and then create an entire show around how everyone has to learn to grow and accept them instead of just being like "yeah, so what?"

Cons: The secondary couple, they were definitely more of a filler as I never really felt from mom the same passion or longing as from SML. It seemed like he put all the effort into the relationship which even didn't quite feel completed at the end. Were they really necessary? This show didn't need to turn the original into an older woman/younger man thing just because that's a trope very frequently used. Should have left well enough alone.

Even though mom explained she suffered from insomnia and anxiety, her symptoms present as PTSD that induces the other two. I wish they explained that more as to the reason she was essentially the jailer of her own daughter in the beginning of the series. As someone who suffers from all three but for different reasons, if you're going to go with the diagnosis, at least do the proper research on it because what she was actually experiencing was totally different from her explanations. You've already got Leukemia in the picture, which I'm unsure they researched properly either, might as well be as realistic as possible.

I'll be honest, I wasn't a fan of the FL in the beginning at all, though she pursued ML like to the point of almost stalking, she didn't even act 20 but more like a high schooler; the baby voice at times, pouting in others, the way she walked and the things she said, just didn't jive with this very smart woman we saw as the show progressed. I really wish this was one trope they could permanently get rid of in c-dramas.

Why was the character of Han Yu even there? That dude lived in his own world literally until the last episode. It was quite funny that even his uncle was like "I don't like him" because he was this narcissistic, annoying as nails spoiled, delusional brat. I never felt sorry for him, I just wanted him to go away. He added a layer to this series it didn't need. I'd rather have the cut scenes over his entire character.

Personally not a fan of characters hiding health conditions from their loved ones and going as far as breaking up. That second break up, I completely skipped over. Some people may agree and that's fine but I don't because I've got a plethora of health issues, one of which if it would relapse most likely then not lead me to seeing my guardian angels early, I would never keep something like that from someone. While I don't want them to suffer, I would want them to have that choice since I decided to make them a part of my life (this could mean significant other, family, or close friends). The fact that she eradicates that choice for him the second time around given their strong love, is something I do not and cannot agree with.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely. Despite the sad ending, it's a drama that you would most likely see in the west not in c-drama land. Give it a chance, it deserves it. You're basically watching a work of art so don't just look at the surface details, because inside are where the real flowers bloom.

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Once again I was totally captivated by Iris. I think that although there are some reminiscent scenes in this sequel, there is also a great continued story line. My only complaint (really since this isn't a romance, it isn't like I can complain that much) is that I didn't feel anything between Yoo Gun and Soo Yeon. Well, at least from her end. However, the rest is action packed and suspenseful. I really thought it was interesting that from some characters point of view, they thought they were doing what was right for their country no matter what the action. Then there is Iris motivated by power and greed. Of course, I could see the ending coming a mile away (as I'm sure most people will), but it was fun to watch it play out. I have tons to say, but we can't post spoilers...so...

When it comes to acting, I believe Jang Hyuk has a gift. I laughed with him and I cried with him. His personality change was believable. I was fully invested in his character as Yoo Gun. Kim Yeong Cheol did another excellent job as Baek San. At this point I can't decide if I love him or hate him. His character is truly on of those that show there are two sides to everyone. I gave the acting a 10 for those actors alone. Lee Bum Soo is no joke as Yoo Joong Won. I really had no clue what his character was about for a while. Oh Yun Soo as Choi Min was also good, but nothing special. I felt like she was just a way to keep Yoo Gun in the story line and then she was gone. Lee Da Hae as Soo Yeon left a lot to be desired in my opinion. I felt nothing for her character except when Yoo Gun was upset. I thought Im Soo Hyang as Yun Hwa was a heck of a lot better. I can't give away the ending, but if there is an Iris 3 and she is in it, then I'm totally watching it. I also thought that Doo Joon from B2ST and Lee Joon from MBLAQ were good. This is the first time I have seen them act and they didn't suck.

OH...and watching the outtakes made me think that a lot of these actors did their own action scenes and were hurt. It looked brutal to me. So props to all of them for that!!!

The music was pretty good. GO and Mir singing "Foolish Me" is a really good song that you should check out even if you don't watch this drama.

I might rewatch this sometime.

If you like action and suspense, then this is a drama that you should watch. :-)

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