Reviews

This was a wonderful drama! I started this drama since I was bored and had nothing to watch but at the end, this drama actually turned out to be one of my favorite dramas. There's a high chance that I'll rewatch this since there was barely any episodes for season 1 (I heard there's a season 2 that will air on May 23, 2018). There's some romance in this drama and the pace is quite fast. The main part is that there isn't an evil villain or anything like that yet so it's not a drama that you will feel annoyed about since this drama is a comedy drama. The comedy part isn't too much like it's not over the top so it's more realistic. Warning: if you do watch this drama be prepared to have a second lead syndrome - Mo Ran (or maybe I'm the only one who has it in this drama?) I prefer the second lead (Mo Ran) over the first one (Tang Yi) for some reason but anyways hope this helped. Finally, I love the osts in this drama and probably the reason why I got into X-Nine which is the group that the male leads are in.

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This drama has some nice elements but overall not for me.

Like other critical reviews of this drama say, it's not a bad drama, and I really wanted to like it and went into it blind like I typically do when I watch dramas, but... after finishing all 16 episodes, it wasn't ever really for me and I feel like I should have dropped it after 4 or 5 episodes.

I'm definitely missing something in this drama. Everyone has been praising this drama as being heartfelt, mature, relaxing, and realistic in its portrayal of relationships and how they develop. I disagree, and I'm not sure if it's due to my age (older than the leads) but I couldn't find the maturity and realism that others seem to talk about over and over again. Maybe it's because I feel like I would have communicated differently than the couples portrayed, but I didn't understand how either couple either discussed their issues with each other. Nothing made any sense to me. There were times when they were straightforward with each other, yes, but I mostly found the dialogue either dull or puzzling.

I did like some things about it. The characters themselves were nice. I loved the playful humor in the banter, it was pretty clever and sharp but those moments were few and far between. I also loved the movie references and I wish they would have put a little more time into Seon-Gyeom's finding of himself, building up of his new career and being an agent for Woo-Sik - I felt like it was clumsily done and could have been tightened and would have added a lot to his overall character development. It seemed like it was squished into the episodes as a sidenote.

I would have also liked more meaningful interaction between Seon-Gyeom and Mi Joo earlier on. I didn't feel their attraction to each other at all. Individually, they were great and in theory they seemed like they would be really cute, but for some reason the pairing felt forced to me. I think maybe the whole beginning scenario of the track team scandal, the translation job that allowed them to spend time together, and the father's interference could have been done better for me personally, and because I didn't like the way it developed and set up the drama, I think it set the tone for the rest of the drama as well. Some of the scenes felt cut awkwardly and mixed together all over the place.

I also didn't understand the second couple very much. Both were very cute and had such interesting personalities but again... I wasn't sure how they came to love each other, and then break up, and then get back together. It looked like it started to develop well, and midway through I became very confused by the conflict, the resolution, the conflict again, and then all of a sudden they're together again at the end? Maybe this is a realistic depiction of a relationship for other people, but for me personally, it didn't work, and the way they communicated their feelings to each other never felt clear to me. It seemed like they would say one thing to each other and do something that conflicted with what they said.

The addition of the best friend coming out also seemed out of place to me. While I loved Young-Hwa's heartfelt reaction to the confession and it portraying the type of kind, gentle, sensitive soul he is, and I'm all about LGBTQ representation in media, this element seemed sort of random and unnecessary. I would have liked either more development of this side story or none at all. To have it as just a blip in the drama feels like an afterthought.

Again, it doesn't seem like a bad drama but I had a really hard time enjoying it and I just don't think it was for me. It's so great that so many enjoyed it and got a lot out of it but unfortunately I wasn't one of them. Soundtrack was nice and the drama was very nicely produced. Some of the humor in the dialogue was very smart and I wished there was more of it sprinkled generously throughout each episode. I think I understand the overall message of the drama and the tone it means to convey but it never quite struck a chord with me like I wanted it to. I think viewers still learning to find themselves and their place in the world and with each other might find more meaning and poignancy in this drama than someone who is at a different point in life.

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This drama in one word is: sad. It left me depressed and thinking about life for a long time after I watched this. And as a Christian, it's even more sad and heartbreaking. (I"m not sure though if people will understand what I mean.. hehe.)

So why'd I rate it highly? Well, because the drama was brilliantly executed.

Story: The plot was unique unlike most dramas that tend to be a total cliche plus the story really had a deep meaning about revenge, hatred, redemption, love, and faith. But since this is a remake of a korean drama, the credit for the story should probably be given to the korean writer. :)

Acting/Cast: I think all of the actors did a really great job at portraying their characters and making the audience understand and sympathize with the characters' struggles especially Ohno Satoshi. Although some say that he was a little stiff, I think how he portrayed Naruse was the best direction for the character because with just his facial expressions, you can understand and feel what Naruse is going through emotionally. His best actor award for this drama was truly deserved by him.

Music: Jdramas usually have only one or two songs for the soundtrack but here, they had a variety of music that went with every scene smoothly adding tension to the drama.

Rewatch value: I only gave it a 6 because it's not something I'd want to watch over and over again. As I've said, it is a sad drama. It would probably take a month or two before I'd want to watch it all over again.

All in all, this drama, in my opinion, was one of the best that I've seen. Watch it so you can see! :)

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Probably the first time a drama of this length has me thoroughly enthusiastic from beginning to end. More rare is the case of a drama adaptation not only breathing life to its book, but surpasses the original work in every aspect. The challenge is to stop oneself from the binge to see how this karmic game of fate, love, misunderstanding and tragedy takes three 'lifetimes' to resolve. Even if fantasy is not one's cup of tea, the love/romance here is one everyone can enjoy

*Story (10/10)
This drama has done a wondrous job keeping faithful to the original story while incorporating parts of its spinoff "The Pillow Book" about the secondary lead pairing.The Chinese title of this drama is "Three Lives Three Worlds: Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms" and like its name suggests, tells the story of Ye Hua and Bai Qian - gods who are separated yet bounded by fate to find each other in their lives again throughout the course of three arcs, for a memorable journey of emotional highs and lows balanced with good action and drama. Though there are 58 episodes, it is filled with plots to leave one consistently guessing what the next development is from beginning to end.
Just as one score settles, another rises.

Characters are fleshed out and although the main couple gets the bulk of the focus, secondary characters and their relationships are not cheated out of a good storyline either.

*Acting/Cast: (9/10)
Yang Mi's Bai Qian may be the protagonist, but Mark Chao is the highlight. To express so much with so little is what Mark does wonderfully, and his ability to portray two similar characters (Ye Hua & Mo Yuan) so differently with their set of own characteristics, mannerisms and reactions is impressive. As for Yang Mi overall she did well portraying the different personalities of her characters - from playful,mischievous Si Yin to naive and innocent Su Su and finally the aloof with an attitude Bai Qian - by far her best performance. Together these two produce the chemistry to keep audiences thrilled and satisfied. Overall the cast is well put together with several other memorable faces (Zhang Bin Bin, Dilraba etc) making the drama that much more enjoyable


*Last thoughts?
- All the sets, props, scenery and people are simply eye-catching, which keeps one visually interested all the way through.
- Aside from the visual fest and story, Mark Chao is another reason to rewatch


It's been a while since I enjoyed a romance-fantasy genre this much, this will be going straight into my archive of favorites. No doubt one of the best Chinese dramas have to offer

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A Beautiful Story.. Loved it

OMG, when I heard the there was going to be a Korean BL, I was a little skeptical because as we all know Korea is known for its hot and thriving BL industry ??? (sarcasm in case anyone doesn't get it).

But seriously, I was really shocked at the quality of it all, it was really awesome and really great and I loved every second of it.

Before we kick off, I would like to highlight If you are someone looking for like just skinship, then I don't think this is the series for you, if you want story, great acting, production etc, then this is for you.

Also please try to watch the series on Rakuten Viki to try and ramp up its popularity and make the show have good ratings.

Before I go into the review proper, I like to highlight (again) to anyone reading that it is the tiny moments in this show that makes it gold. Like the fact they sleep on the same bed, Koreans have bedding for the floor, so we kind of know they choose to sleep on the same bed. Another is the fact Gang Gook hated Tae Joo touching anybody else's ears (the weak spot attack❤️❤️). All those tiny moments really make the show kind of great because it's like builds up the chemistry between them but also the tension.

Now to the main review. This show was a simple 100 out of 10 for me, from the first episode, I loved the interactions, Gook always being there to protect Tae Joo.

We start off with the bullies chasing Tae and we start to see the type of relationship they have, they have grown up together and are kind of extensions of each other. Now the first place where I get to understand the depth of the relationship is where Tae's father slaps Gook, as a punishment to Tae, this kind of shows to me that his dad understands that Tae has deep feelings and care towards Gook because you wouldn't necessarily care about your bodyguards (Gu Jun Pyo ?, Boys over flowers says hi). So from that, I start to get their relationship.

The intimate scenes between them and I don't mean intimate in that way are so awesome, because there is an extra added level of unsaid words but they just both kind of know that they are there and the gay panic particularly on Gook's side was funny. Tae I feel wanted Gook to start dating because he felt it might take care of his feelings for Gook but as we see, that kind of backfired as Tae because it brought out his jealous side more. The girl I get is meant to make them realize how they felt about each but I wouldn't lie, I hated seeing her on my screen.

Then finally when they started to collide at mid-episode 4 and eventually, Tae told Gook to walk at the ending of episode 4, coupled with the Light Soundtrack playing in the background, I had a meltdown, cause I was thinking this is those type of shows that everything would not be resolved till the last episode but I was very happy that beginning episode 5, Tae went back for him, meaning he could not bear leaving Gook out in the cold like that. From there the relationship progressively got better and by ending episode 5, we had our almost kiss/kiss scene in episode 6???. The ending though kind of broke me, from Gook's gay panic to that ending of episode 6.

I don't like the Kim Pilhyeon, I mean they asked you to keep an eye on them, how does that lead to you having to report that you saw them kissing, like the chairman (Tae's dad) would never known if not for your big mouth, but I mean we should have all known that Tae would go to England from episode 1. I definitely was not a fan of his dad????
By the way, I was so confused by the ending of episode 7, like why was he working at the restaurant? But I like that they cleared that up, that it was kind of in the future

Episode 8 was so and so for me, I liked the way the fight was stationed, it wasn't like unrealistic that he beat like 10 guards at once but one or two at a time, made it more dramatic and real for me, with the music, it was cinematic.

But I mean I kind of liked the fact, that they still kept the reaction that a lot of South Koreans would have to having an LGBT kid. They didn't create this magical world where everyone (especially the parents) are all so accepting and always knew the kid was gay or something. I mean, it hurt us a bit but it was real.

Plus the fact when they finally got home, that Tae was asking why didn't Gook just accept his feelings earlier, "they didn't even get to do that" according to Tae, I felt is the most on brand thing with teenagers right now.

Can we appreciate the fact that they didn't spend a lot of the storyline with the girl intervening, they actually kept it BL. Like they didn't pull one over on us in the last few seconds. I mean it was also cool that they made Kim and Hyemi end up together, kind off made sense.

Overall, I really wished this had longer episodes and more episodes, there could be so much they could have explored with the high level of story telling and acting they had but this is still just perfect. Having a 2nd season wouldn't hurt but I doubt they would because it kind of had a good ending

I loved the extra layer of side comedy, He Mi's mother was the funniest because she was all of us, shipping Tae and Gook. Hyemi mother was everything, from shipping TaeGook to always shading Hyemi❤️❤️❤️ and even shading Pilhyeon that Gook was more handsome and mature. Then her crying made me laugh like a maniac

For the acting, OMG, the acting was soooooooooooo good, I loved the acting from the entire cast, it made it all so much more believable.

Finally the music ???... They have my heart in terms of soundtrack ❤️❤️❤️❤️. I absolutely loved the music in this, I mean the OST had like 4 songs (Light, See U, Looking at you and You) but I felt they used it so well, that it really brought out the moments more and made it all that more powerful

I really hope that WYEL is what kicks off Korean BL because no offense to other countries (Thailand ???) but the Koreans have shown they are simply better are making dramas than them, with creative stories, great production, and high quality, amazing acting and cinematography meant for gods. Imagine 20 episodes of Korean BL with 40 minutes running time.

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I can't quite remember what made me want to watch this particular drama, despite it being quite lengthy, but what I so vividly recall was the feeling that lingered for awhile after having watched the drama. I still remember the pain of being misunderstood. What this drama made me realize was that sometimes we realize things once they're gone, and that truth is powerful. The importance of saying what's on one's mind and just being true, and how scary a person becomes when one chooses not to let go because of utter fear. The lack of courage, now that I'm typing about it, is what this drama emphasizes.

What I liked about the drama is that it was refreshing and very scandalous, dark, unlike the usual mainstream dramas. It got me hooked because it was dark, realistically dark, the chemistry of the main leads was awesome, and no matter what the guy did I could never seem to hate him too much to stop watching it. The Love was twisted, at certain angles pure, but truly deep. Heartbreaking but amazing!

I know a lot might resist watching it because certainly one would have to cry and get attached but that's the beauty of this drama. That is what makes it so good, the journey that both the characters had to go through, and the complicated misunderstanding, one after another, that when we're left to uncover each one, we get to see the real characters, why they acted the way they did.

So I dare you to take leap of Faith and try this drama.

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I recommend this drama to anyone who loves historical fantasies.
I don't recommend it to people who like mostly lovely bubbly romcoms.
What I didn't like:
- seasons.... lol so meaningless, why separate it into seasons... ><
-too many names at the begging might be overwhelming plus the first episode is hectic as it doesn't show "passed...years" every time they time-skip.
What i liked:
- the story. It's different from what we usually see so i like it.
- twists and turns.
-costumes
-scenery

Overall I liked this first half of the drama :) but the whole season is more like an intro. and the real stuff will start i guess in the second. the story is nice and it gets more and more interesting later. as I said it is more like an intro and it gets power mostly during the 6th episode. However many historical dramas (and not only) have long introductions that are necessary for us to learn about characters, so it was okay for me. I liked this first season. The only thing is left is for the second and especially the last to be great. because an ending can ruin a drama lol. the first season is nice though.

MYTHOLOGY:
This series are based on Korean mythology about Dangun, who is considered the founder of Koreans. you can read about him on the internet. It is set in Ancient Jeoson and about Korea's first nation and Bronze Age. The myth depicts a story how a Heaven's Son comes to Korean Peninsula and makes The First Kingdom. Because he was the second or third son and couldn't become the ruler of Heaven. He lands on Great White Mountain. Later a Tiger and Bear come to him and ask him to turn them into human. So he tells them to go and eat mugwort and garlic only during 100 days or something. The Tiger gives up in the middle. But the bear eat's it and becomes a woman. The bear woman and Heaven's son have a child, Dangun. Dangun becomes the first real ruler of korea. Actually people say that he symbolizes a human as he was born from meeting of a spirit and an animal. Also he symbolizes the start of Bronze age in Korea. later he goes into a mountain and his spirit rests there. Well there are several versions and in one of them the capital they make is called Asadal. To compare it to the drama Dangun must be the Aramun Haesseula in the drama. Nheantals are the tiger tribe and Sarams (which means literally "human/person" in Korean) are the bear tribe. As you can see in the first episode, Naeanthals come to the meeting with tiger fur, tiger skulls, and Sanung Niruha (at the time ruler of Sarams) wears a bear mask. So this drama took this myth about creation of Koreans and made a fantasy :)

I think the production team just made several mistakes and that's why got so much criticism and low ratings. maybe im wrong, this is just my opinion but:1. they made this show come out not long after GoT ended.... many fans fresh from GoT came to this and saw many similarities. However historical fantasies all have similar clothes and similar power struggle. This series are based on Korean mythology. 2. they overestimated viewers lol I think many were not ready to get a different-like kinda a bit European setting fantasy from Korea. And were just too used to that the Korea usually does historicals mostly in Jeoson or Georyo (and sometimes Silla).

So if you are interested in this genre, don't let these things stop you from trying :) watch till the 4th or 5th episode and then decide if you like it or not :)

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I can't believe noone wrote a review yet!
This was the best Japanese romance production I have seen to date.

The acting was stunning. The fine skills exhibited by all the cast (also the support roles) was just brilliant.
Japanese productions tend to be either overly melodramatic or greatly exaggerated acting-wise. But this was neither.
It was just beautful from start till the end (and by that I mean the very end. The part after the credits...)

Story: Aki is the genius songwriter of CrudePlay, a band of highschool friends in which he formerly used to play. When he meets Riko, he wants her to like him as himself, not as the famous composer he is. So he lies. This is revealed when Riko is scouted by the same label. Will they overcome the obstacles of the industry and the rival from his own band?

Characters: I loved every single character in this drama. Aki, the tormented genious whos heart is slowly opening to the young and sweet Riko. Riko, the gentle singer who admires Aki as a composer and has a passion for singing. The chemistry between the leads was very real. I liked the way they interacted when the were on screen together.
Shou, the cool best friend. He's singer of CrudePlay and I think just as cool as Aki. His acting was very sophisticated, very detailed and perfectly portrayed the friendship between him and Aki. I think he is also my favourite character. And I am not (just) saying that out of 2nd lead bias. I just think he acting was so mesmerising.
And all the other loveable side characters.

Music: Well this is a music-themed film, so this only could be good, right? It's very light pop based. Not really catching, but definitely easy to listen to. I appreaciate that it is not one or 2 main songs that get repeated over and over like in many other dramas.

Rewatch Value: I don't rewatch much. But I may just rewatch this some time. You can probably pick up more details and emotions in this movie during a rewatch. You can look at the beautiful characters more closely and find new expressions that will make you like them even more.

Overall: I can highly recommend this drama to everyone who likes music-themed stories, a sublime romance, fantastic acting, loveable characters, and a magnificent story.

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Whenever there's a drama I'm really, really fond of, it often ends in a disaster when I try to put my love for it into words. But even though I might fail at emphasizing all the sweets this drama has to offer, I still want to give it a try, in hopes of capturing at least half of its awesomeness.

I'm very picky with my ratings and I rarely give a drama ten points. But because I'm unconditionally in love with this story (even though there might be one or two flaws. I know that many people didn't like the ending which I myself was satisfied with, even though it might just have had a too vaguely drawn explanation), it would be a shame to not give Black the highest score. It's entertaining and addictive as that and it will take some time until I can let go.

It often happens that when you start a drama, it begins with a strong introduction, makes you curious enough to continue watching and then loses all its strengths halfway through while leaving you with the most frustrating feeling ever. Well, Black is no exception when it comes to thrilling starts (and by all means pay attention and don't forget about this one), but it parts from the heaps of unsatisfying story proceedings as it constantly holds its high level of suspense.

To give a summary other than the one above would be risky as it might contain possible unintended spoilers or hints to the plot. And no one wants that, I don't want that - and I don't want you guys to throw me into the fiery pit. Seriously, I'm not that kind of party pooper.

So, what exactly is the magic potion of Black that drives everyone crazy?

The story progress
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let me praise the bigger picture that is definitely existent, even though you can't see it right away. It's hidden quite well, and pieces of the puzzle only appear one at a time which is helping the plot to constantly grow stronger. Receiving clues, getting confused over them, creating the wildest theories until your head is spinning, was so much fun that I can hardly contain my excitement whenever I talk about it. The neat and flawless weaving of secrets and the repeated drop of shocking bombs after almost every episode were some of the main forces why the drama worked so well. Whenever you think you've figured it out, BAM!, twists and turns shatter your carefully formed construct of thoughts. Those new revelations are not just added at the writer's whim but well thought-out right since the beginning. There are hints that are quite obvious from the start while other ones stay hidden until the story wants them to be revealed. Be sure to keep your eyes open while watching this show, or you might miss one or two important things and won't be able to follow the story anymore.

The genres
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mixing genres is quite popular these days and Black doesn't stay out of it either. The difference between Black and other dramas though: This one does a stunning job at smoothly merging them. Black is a pretty dark drama, although it might not seem that way at first. It might even look chaotic and/or messy. I don't know about others, but I enjoyed every single scene bar none. The shift from dark to funny was always sleek, making me forget the length of the episode and leaving me startled when it was suddenly over again. The further the story proceeds, the darker the plot grows while thickening the mystery. At this point I do have to warn you though. If you have a sensitive stomach and can't cope well with harsh violence, be careful. Even though certain scenes were not always shown in full scope, sounds and imagination were enough to make me feel the cruelty of the scene. Other ones were clearly visible and thus added to the brutal reality. I do think that the given age limit might be a little light on this one.

The leading stars
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First and foremost, Black himself. Grim reaper number 444, the most cold-hearted one among them all. It doesn't matter whether you already know Song Seung Heon from previous dramas or movies, because you can be sure that when you watch him here, it will feel like you're meeting him for the first time all over again. The whole concept of his role is simply dashing. Although I don't want to exaggerate, it's hard to keep it to myself, and I do want to brag about it, about all his captivating treats. The color "black" never suited someone better, his looks are literally breathtaking, his whole demeanor is seductive in every possible way.
May it be the stone-cold grim reaper who doesn't like humans or the inexperienced "newbie" without common sense and blunt responses, finding himself slowly getting attached to the world he doesn't want to be part of, and unwillingly trying to solve the big mystery he gets thrown into.

There is this thing he's doing with his eyes... I don't even know if he is doing something with them, but they are as dark as the deep blue sea and… one fillip and you’ve lost. His whole acting is spellbinding. If there's a list with actors who own their roles, he would be somewhere at the top. Song Seung Heon breathed life into Black, simply put he WAS Black. He and no one else. Pure perfection, as one might say. Compared to the rest of the cast, his role might not be the only one with a big character development ahead, but he was definitely the one that delivered spot on, week by week by week.

I’m rattling on about him, I know… mian!

Go Ah Ra, who is playing the girl that is afraid of people because she can foresee near death, is a rather difficult part to approach (maybe even the only thing I can't brag about). I don’t fancy her but I don't hate her either. And I have to admit that it must be quite challenging and difficult to go on stage alongside Song Seung Heon, especially if he's doing such a phenomenal job. Her impersonation of Kang Ha Ram was... how shall I put it... average and sometimes monotone. Go Ah Ra's facial expressions are quite limited which makes it hard to forget all the prejudice she is receiving. She is just not as good as others, no matter how you look at it. Her acting didn't reach me the same way the rest of the cast did, and it is poles apart from Song Seung Heon’s. However, she was not a complete failure either. She was okay, her scenes were okay. Her acting was good enough to not get frustrated or disappointed over it. She did have chemistry with her co-star. Even though it was not overwhelming, it conveyed the necessary atmosphere to keep the tension on.

The supporting cast
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There are so many people that have to be mentioned that it's hard to keep it short. First of all the second male lead and love interest of our heroine. Although Oh Man Soo was never my favorite person in the drama because he was naive and just too good-natured, Kim Dong Jun did a pretty fine job portraying the rich kid that wants to get a chance and be recognized for his work. I did not always like his actions, nor did I like his innocent look at the world. The inevitable twist though that is forcing him to mature and almost impossible for him to comprehend, is something I wouldn't wish for anybody, no matter how much I dislike them. So, he did get my sympathies when the time came.

Song Seung Heon's love interest Yoon Soo Wan (portrayed by Lee El - who we all know from Goblin) is a pretty foggy character and the drama is only slowly revealing her secrets. I found her character extremely interesting and reasonable. Her love for the male lead was real, and whilst her secrets were unknown, her intentions were always transparent for me.

Black's fellow grim reapers, 007 and 416 look like they only exist for pure entertainment or informative purposes. But the more they got introduced to me, the clearer it became that there was more to them than the unaided eye could see. But oh well, what am I talking about... One of them is played by Jo Jae Yun, so of course I can't do anything else but fancy over him. No matter what he's doing, he is one of the most versatile actors I've seen and it's no surprise that he is owning the role of an ancient grim reaper as well - even though he's relatively reserved in this.

So many crime dramas, so many police squads, so many failures. And again, Black is shining with a unique team that seems to be the loser squad at first but learns to use opportunities and circumstances to rise from the shadows. The team dynamics are just right and a pleasure to watch. After Black himself, they are the comedy perpetrators per se and they are great at it. Each member has a unique and sweet nature what makes them grow on you in no time. Special credits to Kim Won Hae as well. I've already seen him in other dramas but his role in Black is by far my most favorite one.

Kim Jae Young plays the Hallyu star Leo who is after Black the second eye candy of the show (at least for me - I know there will be some people who disagree with me :P). His character doesn't seem to get more depth as the story progresses and you might think he's only there for the looks. Well, as far as I can tell without revealing too much, he does have another purpose as well. I always liked his character, despite the image he had to portray in this. The fact that they didn't disclose so much about him, made me even more curious about his story.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you look closely, you can see that every single character has a reason to be in this drama. Everyone is connected in some mysterious way. To follow the leads and to try and find out about those threads is one thing that makes the concept of the plot so promising. Another one is the character development that everyone in this drama will go through. Closely followed by visually stunning cinematography and well used supportive background music.

The story is as shocking as it is heartbreaking. Black comes along with so many convincing treats that it will be hard to keep away from it. It's entertaining and funny and mysterious and dark and dramatic and definitely catching you off-guard. You won't be able to leave your couch once you hit the play button. And please, be careful of your nails and your hair.

On that note: Happy watching!

(I wrote too much, mian~)

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I've never watched a drama where I didn't like any of the characters but Love Alarm managed to accomplish that.
The entire cast is full of characters that just isn't realist and there will be many times where you will ask, "Why?"
The main female protagonist, Kim Jojo, is one of the most idiotic characters I've ever met. She follows a guy down the alley just because he "has something to say." If this was the real world, she'd have been raped right then and there. She makes poor choices (when you watch it you'll understand which ones) and she never gives a clear explanation as to why she did it. The drama never explains why Jojo decides to go down this route and why she isn't fixing it. The drama plays it off and later on shows that she actually regrets it. Now, I understand why she regrets it and that she wants to undo it, but I don't understand why she isn't even trying to FIX it. She can easily explain her situation and I'm pretty sure everyone will believe her, but she doesn't even attempt it. There are so many plotholes and so many questions that the drama doesn't bother to explain or answer. Maybe because they left it all for season 2 but at the moment it's not released yet so the director cannot expect us to just accept it as it is.
One of the characters I hate more than Jojo is Sun Oh. The drama plays him off as romantic and cool, but he's actually really creepy. His character is childish and selfish and thinks the world revolves around him. Not once did he stop and think about how his best friend or anyone else around him except for the girl.
*SPOILER BELOW*
Hye Young makes it pretty clear that he like Kim Jojo. Although he never outright told Sun oh that he likes Jojo, Sun Oh already knows at this point. And you know what Sun Oh does when he finds out his best friend like this girl?
HE CHASES AFTER HER.
THIS BOI. What is going on in his head? "Hmmm. my best friend, who has always been there for me and supports me, likes this girl and she is his first crush. I should encourage him and let him have the chance to confess first because, after all, he liked her first. But, you know what, because I'm just the shelfish jerk I am, I'll go out there are whisk Jojo away and kiss her right after my best friend tells me he likes her. Brilliant!"
And you know what Hye Young does? NOTHING. FOOKING NOTHING. OMFG. And both of them made a pact and told each other to confess to Jojo at the same time. This way, it's fair to both of them.
BUT NO. N O.
FUCKING SUN OH, LIKE THE BITCH HE IS, DECIDES, "HEY, NOT ONLY DID I KISSMY BEST FRIEND'S CRUSH, I'LL ALSO CONFESS TO HER FIRST EVEN THOUGH I JUST PROMISED HIM WE'LL DO IT TOGETHER."
BITCH WHERE.
BITCH WHO.
I'M PISSED FOR HYE YOUNG.
And after Sun Oh and Jojo breaks up, Sun Oh doesn't let Hye Young go after Jojo. Like bro, it's his life. Just because you broke up with her doesn't mean he has to obey your every command.
And why does Hye Young still like Jojo? Dude, she rejected you like 10 times. Give up.
AND OMIGOD, DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON FUCKING GUL MI.
SHE'S EVEN MORE SELFISH THAN SUN OH.
How is it Jojo's fault that her parents tried to kill her? Why in the world did Gul Mi come to the conclusion that it's Jojo's fault that her parents are broke? And why doesn't Jojo just fight back? Maybe it's because she doesn't want to get kicked out, but still. She should've spoken up about it.
And she thinks that everyone else is beneath her when she herself hasn't gone anywhere in life. She didn't just screw up her life and her cousin's, she also bullies a guy into committing suicide.
You would think at this point she would feel bad, but no. She continues and takes out three million won from Jojo.
And another thing, why is everyone saying Jojo is such a pretty name? No, please stop. Jojo is an anime and forever will be an anime to me.

So, in conclusion, this drama is just plain stupid and frustrating. I could barely finish an episode without getting mad at a character. I wouldn't recommend this drama unless you really like getting frustrated.

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Iconic Cult Classic

I will start out by saying this series will not be for everyone, in fact it won't be for most people but what it will be is memorable!

Playboyy is NOT your typical run of the mill predictable Thai BL. If you are looking for Boy meets Boy, Boy falls in love with Boy, Boy (maybe) kisses Boy, There is a miscommunication and then they make up and live happily ever after.....this IS NOT the series for you. There is nothing wrong with those types of series but Playboyy is not that!

Playboyy is unhinged, camp, satirical, hilarious, sex positive, fashion forward and unapologetic.

If you scratch just below the surface of the iconic one liners and murder mystery plot you will find that Playboyy celebrates gay sex in all its forms. Playboyy shows you that their isn't just one way to be in a relationship with someone and that none of those relationships are less than just because they are not traditional BL relationships. They are complex and messy and are unique to each couple rather than being cookie cutter.

The series also doesn't shy away from some of the very realistic issues that come from being a gay person or worse yet a gay sex worker in Thailand. How this community is marginalized, abused and struggling to live let alone be accepted. The show also reminds you that money is power and that we can all end up doing things we are not proud of just to survive.

Now lets address the NC scenes. Let me say it one more time because everyone seems to be taken aback or surprised by this....The series is 18+ and it is sex positive! Yes there are a lot more NC compared to normal Thai BL. They are also far more explicit and unhinged. They are not your dead fish kiss, squeal because someone touched me, we are dating and kissing is all we will ever do NC. As I mentioned before Playboyy celebrates all forms of gay sex so you will have crazy unhinged make you scream in shock scenes, you will have sweet romantic scenes, you will have BDSM, role play and the list could go on. This isnt a porn so no you aren't going to see full frontal nudity but you will be asked to use your imagination and think about what the shot would be like if the underwear weren't there!

Yes the show is low budget, yes some of the acting is questionable, yes some times the plot takes a back seat to the NC, Yes there is a lot of broken English being spoken, Yes the NC can get crazy and/or uncomfortable or down right funny. It's for all of these reasons that I say Playboyy is not for everyone. But if you are someone who likes something different, who loves to laugh and scream some times at the same scene, if you want subversive and unique then Playboyy is absolutely for you.

I recommend finding a friend just as unhinged as you are to watch the show with. I will admit that the comment section and the members of the Chaos Train who all watch it as it aired added the icing on top of the cake for me. You will absolutely need someone to talk to about this show with so don't be shy in finding a watch buddy!

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It is my first time reviewing a kdrama, and this is worthy.

Story: Lots of clitches and sometimes plot holes, historical inconsistency etc, but hey what the heck, it is a web drama so you have to over look it if you really want to enjoy it, at least I did and it worked out for me.

Acting/Cast: Superb, they cast all 5 main leads and supporting cast perfectly, specially the main couple I heard they were in WGM top couples and definitely the director made a great choice casting people with great chemistry because everything looked so natural, skin ship, falling in love and kisses looked real. I have to point out the flower boy villain, this guy acting was superb over the top at times but that's what it made this show stand out for me.

Music: It was ok not memorable but ok.

Rewatch Value: I had cancelled my subscription to Netflix but I just renewed it so I could go back and for to watch what I missed.

If you guys have netflix please try to watch it there as much as you can, I have had problems with drama sites it takes forever.

Overall: A very well done, dorky, odd rom-com historical drama. Highly recommend it. It had a feeling like Go Princess Go (TDrama)

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Ok this is my second review and i just finished this drama and no one can save me.
First this drama is the best one this year YES IVE SEEN ALL THE HOT KOREAN DRAMA 2016.
so before we get in. Lets talk about what most people expect from a kdrama or so i figured from comments and my own taste.
FIRST you want romance ? Check . Family values and strong bonds ? Check. Best friendship and relationships where everyone works hard to help each other ? Guess what its there.
NO naive characters here ! Everyone is so badass ! Our main lead isnt a push over goody 2 shoes lost in his own heaven. You push him he will push back. Talk shit get hit.
The story is simple and overused but its not the center at all.
Lawyer get alzheimer while still having unfinished business.
Family and close ones support him. Falls in anepic battle against conspiracy.
Each episode gives a life lesson. Every moment for this man is like 10 years.
I need to remember. Never forget what happened because of me.
The family bonds and his wife and kids make the show more fun and just your heart hurts WITH happiness when you see how they help him along the road without our lead noticing.
CUTE EYE CANDY COUPLE? Hot damn!! Romance / family / mystery / friendship / suspense and lil bit of medical all in this drama.
Best of the year so far.
Yes ive seen signal. This shit is better .
10/10 isnt fair.
I dont need to talk about acting since the male lead is A list actor. No bullshit good looking guy who cant act.
Ahjussi is here to win

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I don't have words to explain how many emotions I was able to feel while watching this drama, this is now my favorite drama. This drama is heart touching, it's so warm, it's so truth it hurts, it's about motherhood, how hard but beautiful it is. It makes you realize things, learn things about life, this drama is completely a masterpiece. The story is so heart touching, it's so deep, beautiful and sad at the same time. The acting is just amazing by all the chracters. The music is perfect, beautiful. It's a drama that is well produced, its well writtten , I definitely watch it again in a few years, overall is 10. This drama is MASTERPIECE.

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Warning: This movie contains some mildly inappropriate scenes ^^" (Mildly inappropriate as in, if your parents walked in on you watching some of those scenes, they might gasp a bit, and you might fidget uncomfortably in your chair/bed, but that's it)

Ok, first off, there has been a TON, and I mean a whole lot of bad ratings/reviews for this movie. Because of this, I can honestly say I was very hesitant to watch this movie, judging from the reviews. But... I still watched it so I could judge for myself :)

So to start, it's not like the bad ratings didn't have a point. Let me make this a little clearer for you guys. The movie was not HORRIBLE, per se, but if you're one of those people who enjoy romantic, action/adventure, melodramatic genres which evoke those deep feelings inside of you, this movie is definitely NOT for you. It is a light-hearted movie with no real "deep" meaning behind it. So if you're one of those people who enjoy watching comedic movies, this MIGHT be the movie for you (and let's face it, there's definitely some crime and a little action mixed up in there somewhere too). Continue reading if you want to know more ;)

Story: I can sum my feelings up in one word: Meh. It's not like the storyline was a BAD idea, but I felt it was the kind of plot which would have been amazing had it started off a 20+ episode drama. However, being made into a movie, the plot didn't reach it's full potential and therefore was a little repetitive (let me just say that he didn't get kidnapped just once, nor did he try to escape just once- and that was in a hour and half movie). And yes, the storyline sped by WAY too fast, and it left me blankly staring at the screen for a solid 15 minutes just to figure out if I had the facts right.

Acting/Cast: No complaints here. The acting was quite good, it didn't seem superficial at all (except when purposely made to look superficial), and I enjoyed watching them. Let's face it. Jae Joong might be some very sweet eye candy, but his acting didn't lack at all. Also, Ji Hyo did a very good job with her two-sided character. All the other minor characters also did an amazing job, making me crack a smile here or there.

Music: Honestly, I don't even remember hearing any music in the movie. It's one of those movies which don't really need music to get the point across, or to evoke feeling from the watchers. But since I didn't cringe because of completely mismatched, horrible sounding "music", I gave it a 7.

Rewatch Value: I'm quite surprised at myself wanting to watch it again. It's the first time I've ever even thought of rewatching a movie right after I finished watching it. Reasons? It's short, funny (some people may disagree), and well, why not?

Overall: It might not be as funny as some other dramas/movies I watched, but I don't regret watching it. In fact, if you're thinking of watching this right now, I suggest you do it with a couple of your drama lover friends, with a bowl of popcorn with you and a comfortable place to sit and enjoy. It didn't make me laugh as in tears-streaking-down-my-face-rolling-on-the-floor-OHSHOOTCRAMPS, but there were many times when I smiled and chuckled a bit. And let's face it. Most of the time, I was just smiling at Jae Joong and his adorable character ^^

P.S. If you're a fan of Jae Joong, I just want to tell you that he is so hot in this movie, that you'll find yourself wanting to open a window. JS.

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