This review may contain spoilers
Lost the potential of adapting a classic original romance story.
I have watched every Boy over flower adaptation: Meteor garden(2001/2018), Hana Yori Dango(2005), Boys over flower(2009) and have re-read the manga too many times to count. I'm trash for this franchise, so when I heard a Thai version was announced, I was super excited to see how it would go! I loved the first half of the drama, but unfortunately, after finishing the second half, it lost a lot of potential by having an unsatisfying execution of the boys over flower storyline. If you are a fan of the boys over flower franchise or want to know what the fuss is about, I'd still recommend this drama; just don't expect a lot of screentime for the main couple's romance in this drama remake. It's not the best Boys over flower adaptation for everyone, but it's entertaining most of the time.SPOILERS
Story:
Rating for first 8-9 episodes: 9/10-9.5/10
I absolutely fell in love with this adaptation for the first half of the story; as a college student too stressed to take a break, the only highlight of my weekend was catching a new episode of F4 Thailand! It started with a bang! The Japanese version(Hana yori dango) is my absolute favorite franchise adaptation. I was so thrilled to see that the Thai adaptation followed a similar storyline in the drama's first half. It did a great job to set up how Gorya started to fall for Thyme; I hated the whole Betrayal scene at the beach with a burning passion in the manga/meteor garden/BOF. I'm glad the Thai version also omitted that scene, similar to how HYD did. So things I liked OVERALL in the series
F4 friendship- it was a good amount of screentime to show how close and strong their friendship is and they had their bromance moments. Kavin and MJ were a funny pair! You can see how close the F4 are super close to each other.
Ren was the best version of Rui. I was never a huge fan of Ren's characters and never got second lead syndrome from him or the drama other version. I would either think he was pretty bland or feel bad for him since he always remained alone at the end of the story. The Thai version is the only one where I looked forward to seeing Ren! Ren falls in the list of characters in the story who didn't get the screen time they deserved! Still, given that only 16 episodes, I liked Ren! He supported Gorya whenever he could. There isn't a lot of screentime for Ren after episode 7, so maybe the writers just didn't have time to add Ren pursuing Gorya more, which I honestly didn't mind since I'm not a huge fan of the love triangle in the story anyway, lol.
Amnesia arc- It definitely should NOT have been that fast pace BUT since it was super short, the writers didn't have to add the bitch character who tries to steal the Thyme from the Gorya due to memory lose( I strongly dislike that whole arc in every adaptation/manga haha)
The chemistry between the leads - I like it! Despite the lack of many potential romance scenes, the casting choice was well done.I don't know why many people have a problem with Bright's acting; he was able to portray Domyouji(Thyme)'s character pretty well by pulling of a variety of wild emotions from acting angry, sad, confused dork, and love he gives Gorya takes a lot of energy to pull of this character. Thyme is not my best version of Domyouji for me cause Matsumoto Jun will always be my all-time favorite to pull the lovable dork off; however, I really liked Thyme and was always rooting for him whenever shit was getting bad; so well done, Bright! Even though I'm not a huge fan of Gorya's character development, but Tu completely nailed her acting for whatever the script told her to do. She's definitely a monster rookie actress; I still can't believe we're the same age! She's got a great acting career ahead of her! Bright and Tu have great chemistry, and it's a shame they weren't promoted as much as a pair due to their company; I'm hoping they can be a couple again in another drama someday!
Cinematography- I don't think it's the most important thing in a drama since the story is most important. However, it does add a nice extra layer, such as the directing shots/ locations chosen and camera angles that made the drama look pretty to watch.
Rating last half for episodes 10-16: 6/10-7/10
Pretty much the downfall of the series. Too many story arcs were being squeezed into one episode, resulting in Thyme and Gorya's love story being poorly executed since it was so rushed. There was soo much lack of romance between Thyme and Gorya; it was completely frustrating. Hana yori dango is a ROMANCE story between a rich guy and poor girl being the main center of the plot, but F4 Thailand made me question if I'm watching a coming of age/drama/comedy instead and having the romance be a filler. Based on the original Hana Yori dango series, the main leads have a very strong, passionate, and emotional love toward each other because they spent so much time in a relationship. But Thyme and Gorya's love was more like puppy love; it was not strongly developed as it should be since there was already a lack of romance in the second part of the story. Gorya and Thyme BARELY spent time as a couple. So when they had their rain breakup, it was so underwhelming, I didn't feel emotionally super sad about it cause they didn't spend so much time developing a deep, strong love relationship. Suddenly there was a 1-year time skip yet, after which felt strange. And I always felt like Thyme loved Gorya WAY more than Gorya loving Thyme equally back. They should equally love each other; if only they had more time to be a couple at least it would have shown. The drama tried to make up more of Goya's affections for Thyme in the last episode, but it wasn't enough to convince me they both strongly equaling loved each other.
Here are the many issues I had in the story:
Lack of screen time for some supporting characters that I grew to appreciate and enjoy in the original storyline and relationships built, which could have been improved if they had done 20 episodes rather than 16 potentially.
Thyme's sister
Gorya's funny dynamic family
Thyme's maid- The original story she was such a huge support to get the main leads getting together in the maid arc!! Where the hell did she go? She even had her own bittersweet backstory with helping Thyme in the original plot.
Thyme and Gorya's brother: I thought the writers would bring them even closer like how the Japanese version did. That would have been nice to see.
Kaning and Gorya's friendship- I absolutely loved Makino and Yuki's friendship in the manga! Yuki(Kaning)was such a good best friend; she was very important in the story for Makino(Gorya) to bounce her feelings to whenever she was confused about what to do with her relationship with Tsukusa(Thyme). Yuki's character was well done in all the other drama adaptations. However, I'm very disappointed with how the Thai version did to Kaning. I think she had the potential to be better from episodes 1-4, but afterward, I barely felt her existence in her characters.
Kaning and Kavin's relationship was not very development and underwhelming: second lead's relationship in this adaptation feels like a complete joke! It's so sad cause I liked the relationship built in the manga and other drama versions, but here, the Thai version doesn't care about them and gives a poor wrap of their relationship in one episode. Sometimes I forget they were even dating until the last episode.
Talay's (kidnapper) story was too long and unnecessary, I honestly couldn't care less about how close and special his backstory was with his friend which Thyme beated up. Instead, the drama should have focused and included more screentime to see how Thyme is not fighting back and getting beat up for Gorya since she could get hurt by the kidnappers. This was supposed to be a sad romantic scene between the leads, but oh well….
Thyme should have given Gorya the necklace AFTER ending with relationship with Lita, it was felt odd and concerning for him to completely forget that he is still in a relationship wit Lita when he did that.
Gorya's downfall: I like Gorya but sometimes I didn't because she was violent with Thyme. It was okay, I guess, back when she didn't like him and still felt Thyme was a bully; however, even after she came to love Thyme, she was still abusive by punching him on the balls, like wtf. How is this comedy? I might have let this pass if I was still in middle school; however, I'm in my early 20's now, and this is just wrong to see. It makes Gorya unlikable and hard to root for her to be in a relationship with Thyme:( Also, not trusting Thyme by blindly believing the Talay about the red card completely messed up all the buildup she had with her relationship with Thyme after episode 7. I know Makino(Gorya) is way too ridiculously naive in the manga at times and believes and forgives a lot of characters that she should not have done; however, I don't think Gorya should have been portrayed this extremely naive. Also, what are Gorya's goals in life?! We don't even know what she wants to do? At least in Hana Yori dango ,meteor garden and boys over flower, we know that Makino wants to be a lawyer, Shancai wants to be a chef and Jandi became a doctor. But Gorya doesn't even have any ambitions besides yelling all the time lol. Another reason why 16 episodes is not enough.
Thyme's mom redemption- so rushed at the last episode by squeezing it with the amnesia arc drama in just 20-25 minutes lol. The Thai version made the mom probably the cruelest and most evil out of all the adaptations, including the manga! The mom lied about having an illness to Gorya and not giving Thyme his medication to regain his memories until the very last 20 MINUTES of the drama. Last-minute, she finally lets Thyme and Gorya be together after all that so fast?! it just feels too rushed for her redemption. It could have been done in 2 episodes and slowly have her change and think things differently about Thyme and Gorya's relationship instead since she was so cruel from the beginning anyway. Suppose the drama was going to do their way. In that case, they should have cut the whole amnesia arc drama and just focused on ONLY the mom's redemption arc in the final episode, similar to how t Meteor garden 2001 handled it.
It's like the series lost its sense of direction of what made it so good in the first half of the series; maybe the writers were rushed when they had to make it 16 episodes cause the drama had so much potential to be better than what it became, it could have been 20 episodes max to improve on a lot of issues like deepening Thyme and Gorya's relationship, but unfortunately, a lot of things felt flat, rushed and underwhelming when the characters overcame to their challenges :( Maybe I would have enjoyed the drama more if I binged it like I was normally planning to, but waiting every week for a new episode made me very critical and reflected on each episode during that time.
I did like the final 10 minutes of the drama; glad they included the odd memorable F4 dance that happens in almost every drama adaptation! I was just bummed out Thyme and Gorya didn't get engaged; I was anticipating so much for a proposal, similar to how Hana Yori Dango did lol.
Anyway, I'm glad the drama is finally over with Thyme and Gorya having their happy ending.
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OFFGUN IN THE KITCHEN HITS SWEETLY DIFFERENT
I must say that people are being just too paranoid about this. After Not Me, Senior Secret Love Puppy Honey, Theory of Love. Everything about Offgun makes these guys undoubtedly one of the best and most successful onscreen couples in Thai BL. While of course each of these shows portrays them as relatively mature characters, I guess Cooking crush has given me something different.We've seen these guys act cute before, I mean there was I'M TEE ME TO but that was literally like a pure bromance, Cooking Crush on the other hand has given me a chance to appreciate these guys as a pair of naive Campus kids and the Comedy in this story feels right.
First and foremost, I feel it's worth noting that for me, seeing these two in a rom-com kind of plot after a full year is quite good, I have seen funny shows like VENUS IN THE SKY but on Screen I have never seen a couple that makes it seem that they are so meant to be like Offgun.
The Offgun Chemistry never dies out as I feel each of the actors are comfortable in their roles. Besides, I feel that they have got a more sincere progression in their onscreen Cooking Crush relationship than in pretty much any of those other shows that make the actors look like hungry sex addicts that I do not want to mention.
On top of that, a rom-com like trope is one you'll hardly expect to see Off and Gun executing very well but Cooking Crush will surpass your expectations. Trust me, the storyline feels simple, and we have seen how very many so called "simple and complicated storylines" have ended up this year, but Cooking Crush is nothing like that.
Is the show worth it? Yes. Cooking Crush will most likely drop in my top 10 BLS of 2024 because it has a catchy opening theme, it is a well paced narrative and shows you that even something simple doesn't need a lot of effort to become beautiful as long as it is sincere. Besides for Offgun fans, I dunno about most of ue but for me, this show hits just right.
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God bless you TV network and may you always entertain us with such dramas that I consider jewels. I can't possibly think of a any better way to say goodbye to year 2015 and welcome year 2016 than watching this beautiful masterpiece. I'm not the best writer and I'm not english native speaker, I don't have much vocabularies to support my reviews or to say the least about this drama so I really thought this over and over and decided to write one even though I'm sure it won't be good enough (that's how much I loved this drama).
I never had feelings for any show the way I have for this one, as soon as I open my eyes in the morning and as soon as I close them at night this drama never left my mind all day long. How long has it been for me to think about a drama during my daily life, and recall scenes and smile by myself just from recalling flashbacks? To be honest I don't think it ever went to that extent with dramas that I've seen, I don't think I got attached this deep before. I'm definitely going to have hard time letting go of this one and hard time getting back on track with other dramas.
Story
Taken from life, there is nothing new here everything you've seen and watched and might even have experienced. Two childhood best friends, never relaised their feelings for each other because of certain circumstances. Their friendship is so beautiful you'd wish you had someone like that next to you. I've seen friends turn into lovers but I've never seen it or felt the way I felt with this one. I love how simple yet deep this story is. As I'm writing this review now I find myself smiling...The story had so much depth had so much feelings to share. I find it hard to relate on the emotional and mental level when I'm watching dramas or shows because at the end of the day I'm very much aware that all this is created even if it's presenting real life it isn't real and those are actors.
However Bubblegum has managed to connect with me in every level possible I can't express enough how happy I am with this and how long I've waited for such a drama. To some of you this might be seen as a slow based story because unlike other dramas this drama does not have side stories, pretty much no events happening therefore it is taken as it's going no where and dull. I don't know how can I explain that this is not the case at all I really wish I can and I will try to. This is not a dull not a slow based story this is actually the THE ONLY drama that I've seen so far has something new each ep. In every ep the story has new feelings to share and new development of feelings. I never watched drama with a smile on my face all the time, I never cried in a happy scene in my life. In fact, of all the dramas that I've seen I cried in only two of them and they were sad scenes, I never thought that I would tear up for a happy scene. I guess I have completely forgotten that this is a drama I'm watching and those people aren't real, I felt for them I was supporting them I cheered for them I got hurt for them I felt their pain and finally I felt their happiness. Nothing was taken for granted in this story including their love it wasn't taken for granted and it wasn't easy to make it happen.
Acting
Lee Dong Wook as Ri Hwan: I love this guy, I respect him as an actor he never disappointed me even if his drama did. I was feeling sad for him because he's such a great actor yet his past dramas after Scent of a Woman were all flops. Everyone was telling him to take on a cable drama and I'm so glad he did!! I can never imagine Ri Hwan being anyone but LDW. This is when the character is written well enough which gives a great actor a chance to prove his worth and show his acting skills. Ri Hwan as a character is someone you will definitely be thinking "Can I have a friend like him" He is so sweet so kind and so caring, he chose to be traditional medicine doctor in consideration for those who fear hospitals (as his best friend did). I could't help but feel envious towards Haeng Ah for having such a friend. Ri Hwan's "Believe in me, if we are together we will be Happy".
Jung Ryeo Won as Haeng Ah: She is such a wonderful actress with a great smile, I always admired her which surprised me how come I have only seen few of her dramas!! This will change as I'm definitely going to be watching everything I missed on. I can't imagine anyone else as Hang Ah other than JRW she took in a simple yet deep character and gave it life and more depth I really believed that she is Haeng Ah and when I searched it turned out that she felt the character was very close to her personality (no wonder why it felt so natural). Haeng Ah is simple kind girl, she's very caring and sweet to everyone but not weak. Her character just like all the characters in this show felt real, not over the top not angels or devils but simply normal human beings with flaws. Haeng Ah's "The Happy Child is the meaning of my name, and I want to be happy".
Park Hee Bon as Yi Seul: One of the drama's strongest points, she portrays a very rich girl but how was it presented in this drama? very much different than all that I've seen so far, she is not skinny (which in korea means fat thick huge... you name it), her face is very much natural (I find it pretty) but according to their standards Big = Ugly, she doesn't dress up like all the rich female characters in every other drama, she is down to earth the most modest the simplest girl I've ever seen in drama and the most natural one. Korean dramas finally presented someone who I could see as normal and could be the girl next door, the girl I can see in my real daily life. Even though her self-esteem is broken because of her mother (which is also a character that is taken from real life as I know some mothers are like that) she still stands up for herself and makes a point without disrespecting her mother. She continues to be herself refusing to change anything she believes that is her true identity, yet she is still the obedient daughter who would listen to all her mother's demands as long as it does not involve her changing herself.
Kim Ri Na as Tae Hee: I love this character very much I love the kind of female character she is presenting. Tae Hee is a very straightforward woman, she speaks up her mind without the slightest of hesitation. Her spirit is strong, her personality is strong, she is open up with her feelings and is very comfortable to talk about them. She would go straight up on a guy and tell him that she likes him, she doesn't waste her time playing around with words or worrying how strange people would think about her. She may seem cold on surface because she's very honest but deep down she's very caring person and always looks out for the ones she love. I really admire her character and I wish to be as strong as her.
I would love to write about each and every character is this drama because I loved them all but because I loved all of them that's too many which would make review even longer. I love every single character, I love ALL the female characters (this never happened before). Every character was essential I wouldn't imagine it any other way.
Music
Beautiful!! I loved two OSTs
Because I by Lasse Lindh: This is my favourite, it's so beautiful that even my friends who haven't watched the drama loved the song so much they will watch the drama.
My Time Towards You by Alex: My 2nd favourite, I don't know how were they able to make such fitting OSTs 10/10 doesn't even begin to say it.
Rewatch
Are you kidding me? I'm rewatching this as soon as I submit my review. I have it saved on my computer.
Overall
When I talked about this drama I'm not just talking about the main couple's story, it's not just their happiness or their love story. It was about every single one of them every character got to share his/her story and love and their pursuit of happiness. This drama has different feel to it, so it may not appeal to some of you, I think it takes much more than reason of "entertainment" to watch this. I do hope that there are people who enjoy, love and appreciate it the way I do. All I can say is that I do very much from the bottom of my heart recommend this drama.
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This review may contain spoilers
Extremely Strong 1st Half Which Slightly Fizzles Out in its 2nd Half...
This was my first K-drama that I watch while it was currently airing. To be honest, I've never heard of this K-drama before. I was just randomly browsing through Netflix, saw the notification bubble, clicked it out of curiosity and the title "It's Okay To Not Be Okay" piqued my interest. So, I clicked on it, read the synopsis and watched the trailer. It seemed interesting so I gave it a try and BOY, am I glad that I did! The production was stunning! The animated opening was beautiful! The cinematography was interesting and caught my eye for being adventurous. By the middle of the first episode, I was hooked! With her stories, Go Moon Young is like a female Tim Burton, who I was completely in awe of back in the day when I was in high school. She also reminded me of Jo Yi Seo from Itaewon Class with her antisocial behaviour though I do prefer Go Moon Young more. Moon Kang Tae is extremely attractive and the most attractive male lead of a K-drama that I've seen thus far no doubt. The chemistry between Kim Soo Hyun and Seo Ye Ji is electric! The acting is all-around top notch! The story is intriguing and engaging! I loved how this is a drama with a mystery in its background about the unsolved deaths of the two leads' parents and the reason for the mental illness in each family. Without a doubt, the best drama that I am currently watching at the moment! Hopefully, the drama is able to maintain its momentum throughout the rest of its episodes!Upon watching Episodes 3, I continue to be impressed! Everything is just so good! The story. The acting. The production. The visuals. The costumes. Ugh. The back-and-forth banter between the two leads is just perfect! And I love how they can help each other to grow to become more fully themselves. And that last scene at the end where Kwon Gi Do is on stage having his voice heard whilst avoiding his father's campaign workers while Gang-Tae looks on longingly at his freedom and utter joy. STUNNING! To stop being so repressed and to just let go. To be free and have fun. I can only wish...
On a side note, I'm having a hard time trying to put my feelings of this drama into words. Everything is just so good! It's easier for me to criticize than to praise as I can point out plot points or story elements that don't make sense. However, if everything is consistently good from episode to episode, I don't really need to point out anything.
Upon watching Episodes 5 and 6, I felt that Gang-Tae's transition from being nervous and suppressed around Moon Young to being happy and loving seems a bit rushed. Same with Moon Young being cold and calculating to being warm and affectionate to Gang-Tae.
Watching Episodes 7 and 8, I kinda felt like this series is losing steam as it was pedal to the metal in the beginning but was unable to keep that momentum, which is understandably hard to do. The episodes are still entertaining, but I wouldn't say that they're compelling unlike the first few episodes.
Upon watching Episodes 9 and 10, I realized that the horror-fantasy elements that were present in the first few episodes kinda disappeared for some reason and the series became just a standard drama, though still a good one at that.
Episodes 11 and 12 were quite riveting as the mystery surrounding Gang-Tae and Sang-Tae's murder gets revealed and the romance between GT and MY is shown to be ill-fated. I hope that GT is realizes that it is not MY's fault that her mother killed his mother. We can't blame the actions of one's parents on them. And it looks from the preview of the next episodes that he doesn't blame MY. I truly hope that MY's mother will be caught and that MY and GT will have a happy ending... I'm so sad that there is only 2 weeks (4 episodes) left. I'm going to miss waking up late on the weekend and watching this drama right after I eat lunch :'(
Episode 13 was very slow and a bit dull to be honest. Only the last scene was interesting as it was shown that the nurse was the mother, not the patient. What an unexpected twist! I've always thought that the nurse was kinda weird and a bit off. But if I remember correctly, the nurse never interacted with MY. For someone who is willing to kill another to keep her daughter, the fact that she is able to distance herself from her daughter whenever MY visits the hospital doesn't make much sense. Either way, I'm hyped for the next few episodes! We're in the home stretch now...
Episode 14 was also quite slow and dull to be honest. I felt that there was a lot of filler as they drag out the confrontation with the mother. Also, there were a few questionable plot points, such as why GT decided to leave ST unprotected at the house instead of stay with him and MY at the cursed castle where he could protect them both. Also, why wasn't there any police at the cursed castle or any protecting MY, GT or ST? There weren't any police even looking for the mother, which didn't make any sense. And why didn't GT call the police after the mother kidnapped ST? Anyways, there's only two more episodes to go. I'm still interested in seeing how this series ends.
Episode 15 was underwhelming with quite a few plot points that don't make sense. The mother is angry that MY doesn't listen to her because of GT but MY thinks that her mother is dead. So, how can she listen to her mother when her mother is literally hiding underneath a different face? That doesn't make any sense. The mother's reason for killing GT's mother makes no sense either. All GT's mother did was suggest that MY go get help. She didn't try to take her daughter away or try to report to the authorities. There must have been teachers or other adults who saw MY's antisocial behaviour and talked to her mother about getting her help. If MY's mother is triggered that easily, she must have killed several people before which she hasn't. So, it doesn't make any sense. And anyways, I'm pretty sure that MY would be completely fine with GT killing her mother since her mother did kill his mother and she actually wanted to kill her anyways. But no, save the mother so that the mother could kill MY or GT. And anyways, how did MY get there so quickly without a car? The climax where GT and MY truffle with MY's mother was also quite underwhelming. Hopefully, the season finale will be better.
Episode 16, the season finale, was good. It wrapped up all the plot lines in a nice way and showed ST seeking independence from GT, allowing him to live for himself.
All in all, this Kdrama was entertaining. The cinematography and production design were excellent. The characters were well-developed. The acting was all-around good, especially Oh Jung Se who portrayed the autistic ST perfectly! His performance was Oscar-worthy! The story however was lacking. The first half of the series was strong! It was unique, interesting and fascinating. There was a fantasy/horror edge to it. However, the series delved into a standard melodrama in its second half and all that potential was wasted. The drama was good, but nowhere near what it could've been if it leaned into its macabre, fantastical element which would have differentiated it from the other Kdramas out there. Crash Landing on You, the first Kdrama that I watched, still remains as my favorite K-drama so far...
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I've never wanted amnesia until this bl
I want to address the fact that some reviews are saying "it depends on what genre you like" how does that make any sense? The genre has nothing to do with how most of us feel negatively about this drama right? So, I'm going to be blunt about how much I hate this series. Also, at episode 10 I couldn't take how slow this show was going so I watched it in 1.75 speed.STORY- TW: Pedophilia/Grooming, Non-consensual Sex
The story is dry, and the script is so shit. The same problems were repeated over and over again where the characters keep lying to one another. They put in some sex scenes so we can ignore the fact that they're in a toxic relationship of lying, abuse of power, pedophilia/grooming, etc. However, the sex scenes still fall flat cause there was no build up and it's just Lian forcing Kuea to have sex with him. This drama is a BL it's not a porno, so a sex scene was so unexpected. Also, the people who were praising this show for "consent" are absolutely wrong because after halfway through the show they throw consent out the window because whenever Kuea kept telling Lian to "stop it" he never stopped and just kept going. This is also true for Hia Yi, and Diao cause their sex scene was so out of the blue and came just after Hia Yi confessed to him and there was no verbal communication, just did it without even saying anything.
About the pedophilia/grooming part, Lian was 7-12 when Kuea was born so there is a big age gap. If I can re-call I think Lian said something about loving him since the day he was born which I find really weird because I assume the type of love he is talking about is romantic and not platonic. The abuse of power comes from how Lian forces Kuea to live with him and doesn't take no for an answer. They're lying to each other because they can't trust the other. Trust is an important factor of a relationship, so this just further shows how they don't have a healthy one.
At the beginning of the show, they made it seem like Diao also had a fiancé but that wasn't even close to what was going on between him and Yi because they weren't even in a relationship. The plot was dragged on and on and didn't develop till the last 2 episodes either.
The arranged marriage part wasn't necessary since there was no reason for the adults to arrange one in the first place. Also, the way Kuea's father just arranges a marriage for them even though Kuea is just an infant is so odd and gross to me.
Diao interfered in Kuea and Lian's relationship after being told he shouldn't which is so childish. Diao and Hia Yi have a major plot hole in their relationship because their past relationship and how they met and what happened to Diao wasn't cleared up.
Lian says to Kuea "I don't think it is love yet" so Lian didn't love him but after Kuea says he's going to call off the engagement he suddenly loves him? They also didn't explain how Lian and Kuea's family became friends. It's also just insane how they make Lian hide the fact that he bought the Keerati family's property from Kuea because something as important as that I think Kuea should definitely know. Honestly, this show is just absurd.
CHARACTERS-
Kuea:
Lian proposed to Kuea, but Kuea rejects him and even after all the "misunderstandings" are cleared he still won't accept his proposal because he wanted to propose to him instead which shows how selfish Kuea is. Kuea is also one who doesn't clear things up and just makes assumptions like, "they didn't tell me because they think I'm a kid". Kuea assumes that Lian doesn't love him despite Lian CLEARLY repeating that he loves him over and over again. He also overreacts and cries way too much. A good example of a character crying a lot is in Theory of Love where they made me actually feel the pain the character is going through and for good reason too. Also, Kuea's real character wasn't elaborated on enough cause the only things we know is that he's a biker, a singer, wears cool clothes, and an engineer student. And once Kuea revealed his true self to Lian he hasn't changed at all and still acts somewhat like a doll.
Lian:
He thinks that Kuea is a "bad boy", who needs to be forced into an environment where he has no choice but confess who he really is. Lian has a small set of facial expressions and is supposed to appear as a cold boss of a big company but clearly doesn't seem to appear that way. Lian at the start of the drama payed little to no attention to Kuea and was cold to him. At the end he has completely fallen for him and acts like a puppy desperate for the other's affection. Lian also is someone who does things behind his lover's back like stalking and getting information on him from people he knows which is really weird.
Diao:
Making it seem like he is a kid who needs to have someone look after him and keep him in check. Diao acts like a kid and still does things like interfering in someone else's relationship. Making NC scenes between him and Yi uncomfortable.
Yi:
A man who pities a guy he loves. Hia Yi got in an accident with Diao at some point and pitied him for what he had done so he gave him a house to stay in. Hia Yi is possessive and controlling to the point where he wants to know where Diao is almost 24/7. Hia Yi and Diao can't properly communicate (which is really bad for a relationship) so Yi buys Diao a dog instead hoping to make up with him.
University friends:
Kuea is a university student and studies engineering. seem familiar? bet it does. Well although his university life doesn't appear a lot in the show there is a side couple of Syn and Nuer. Syn and Nuer had chemistry but barely any screen time at all. The show showed one scene of Kuea's university friend Nuchy where she stood up for how when a woman is mad it doesn't mean they're on their period. This drama has made 1-3 attempts to show how they "care" about lgbtq+ people and women. However, I don't see it as how they care they're just trying to gain likeability.
ACTORS/CAST-
The actors are all good looking and some have great acting experience. I like the cast but their acting in this show wasn't their best. NuNew's acting was.. it was good enough, but he doesn't have any other experience in acting and also the only times he didn't seem cringe to me was when he's at university and when he's on stage.
CHEMISTRY-
Lian and Kuea:
Their chemistry was practically non-existent for me. Only during NC scenes did I feel like they had some tiny bit of chemistry.
Yi and Diao:
Not a lot of chemistry.
Syn and Nuer:
They had good chemistry and a healthy relationship, but I feel like they could pull it off better if they had more screen time. I hope they get to act in a different series together with more screen time.
MUSIC-
2 birds with 1 stone. Thats what it was. NuNew is a singer and an actor he is also good looking. They made him sing the opening song (which I didn't like). He also sang a lot of other songs in the show, but I only liked 1 of them. I feel like they could've just made him the singer and have a different actor for Kuea.
PRODUCTION-
Production quality was definitely great.
TROPES/OVERUSAGE-
The childhood friend trope is definitely an overused one to be honest. Also, Kuea is in university and does engineering which is obviously overused and anyone would know this if you've seen university based bl's. Like they could've made Kuea be in computer engineering and that would honestly make me feel better about this.
OVERALL-
This series is a waste of budget and a waste of your time. This show makes people think being controlled and manipulated is "hot" when it isn't.
P.S.-
Why is an 18+ rated drama on YouTube? that makes no sense whatsoever. If I could give this show a lower rating I would.
If you actually read all my nonsense then thanks. (This is my 3rd review, so I bet it's really shitty)
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I would like to reiterate that this Korean version was not written by the original Bu Bu Jing Xing writer. This is entirely a Korean written drama. The biggest difference are the characters. The main male lead in this drama is a bit of a ruffian and pariah with tendencies towards brutality. The female lead of this drama is a weak character who is always the victim and never a success of her own (which is so unlike the female lead in BBJX!). Maybe the idea of a strong, arrogant, cold male with tendencies towards brutality and a weak, simpering, without backbone and a blur-bordering-on-being-stupid heroine appeals to the Korean audience as per the rich, arrogant, powerful, abusive chaebol guy and the poor, happy, innocent woman formula. In any case, the lack of strong lead characters (including that of the second male lead) totally spoiled this drama for me.
The charm and success of BBJX relied heavily on its unforgettable characters. The storyline of time-traveling and involvement in palace politics itself is not new and pretty 'standard' in the Chinese drama scene. Popular examples include Palace: Lock Heart, The Myth and the recent web-drama comedic hit Go Princess Go. The Chinese have been making such time-traveling dramas for decades now. What made BBJX achieved such a big success was mainly because of its unforgettable characters and not necessarily the storyline itself. The Koreans went and adapt the main idea of the story and the open ended ending but pretty much made a mess of all of its characters.
Do not get me wrong here. I am not comparing the Korean version with the Chinese version. To do so, will be like comparing chicken to duck. Both are two very different products although from the same story idea! I am merely stating that if the Koreans had decided to do a drama based on time-traveling, palace politics and romance - they could learn much from their Chinese counterparts about writing characters that create lasting and strong impacts instead of following the usual mold of what constitutes a successful Korean romance pairing (rich abusive guy with poor weak woman). I believe if they had dared to break away from this mold and give the audience a strong female character with a strong, upright and strategist of a male character against a kind but ambitious second male lead, the drama would have been a much bigger hit. The only characters that this drama did well are the characters of the 10th prince and his wife. To this day, I cannot decide if I like BBJX's 10th prince and wife better or this Korean version's 10th prince and wife. In both versions, the characters of the 10th prince and wife were given good justice although both had different stories and endings for the 10th prince and wife.
Acting/Cast: Most of the male casts did well, as did the supporting actresses. The female lead, however, was a total let down. She only had three expressions: shy smile, expressionless and shocked. Her body language was a bit stiff too - making it hard for me to be convinced that there's even chemistry between her and the male leads; hence making this so-called 'great romance that caused brothers to fight against each other for the throne' less convincing. Even the shocked look looked rather unconvincing. In cases like these, there are 3 possibilities: 1- This was how the character was depicted in the script, or 2- The actress is bad in acting and shouldn't be acting, or 3- Both 1 and 2. I do not know much about the female lead as I do not follow news of Korean young idols and since this is the first drama of hers that I'd watched, I cannot make a concrete judgment of her acting skills. The jury is out on this matter. What I can say for absolute certain was the lead female character was the reason why I dropped this drama after 6 episodes and only caught up after it has finished airing (with fingers firmly on the fast forward button!).
Music: Nothing that stuck in my head.
Rewatch value: I will not be re-watching this.
Overall: Enough said. I recommend that you go watch Bu Bu Jing Xing instead if you haven't watch it.
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Phenomenal! Zhao Lusi & Wu Lei Rock!
月升沧海 (Love Like the Galaxy Part 2) is the continuation of 星汉灿烂 (Love Like the Galaxy Part 1). Therefore, viewers must watch Part 1 first before watching this Part 2. Adapted from a novel, the background is set in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25–220 AD) during the reign of Emperor Guangwu (r. 25–57 AD) (this is not explicitly stated, and the names have been altered). Like Emperor Guangwu, the Emperor in this story is also a founding emperor who does not kill and is benevolent to his subjects. Some of the events taken place in the royal palace are written based on the actual historical events, and many of the characters are based on actual historical figures.My review here combines Part 1 and Part 2, giving my verdict for the overall drama.
In the novel, a girl time-travels back to ancient time and into Cheng Shaoshang’s body. After 23 chapters later, then only Ling Buyi appears. In the drama version, Ling Buyi aka Ling Zhisheng (Wu Lei) appears in the opening scene of the first episode. According to readers, the story is beautiful but extremely slow burning. I can see that in the drama: for the first 25 episodes of Part 1, the main couple is still at odds with each other though Ling Buyi has already fallen head over heels in love with Cheng Shaoshang aka Niao Niao (Zhao Lusi) because she is so different from all the girls he knows.
Ling Buyi, a dark character with a secretive background and few words, is cold and expressionless. Inside, he is full of anger and vengeance, seeking justice against those who had caused the death of the entire population, including his family, of a city he used to live in. He was adopted by the Emperor and treated like a prince. As a fearsome warrior and a powerful general that everyone respects and fears, he is the most eligible bachelor every girl in town covets, but his eyes on none as he despises those pretentious, bitchy, bratty, and unlikable girls, until he meets Cheng Shaoshang.
Wu Lei grows rapidly from the adolescent in Nirvana in Fire to a man with chiseled good look. His acting skills have also improved markedly by the years and in dramas he acts. Here as the 21 years old Ling Buyi, Wu Lei fits into the description of the character near perfection. Though at times he looks a bit stiff trying to walk like a commanding general, his subtle facial expressions are done very convincingly especially when he transforms from a cold character to a soft and caring character while gazing into his love. He looks emotionless but when he turns to look at her, his face softens, his eyes exude love and care. Despite being a military man, he’s gentle, caring and attends to details. It’s really hilarious to see how a formidable general who would find excuses so that he could stay close to the one he loves in secret. Wu Lei is spot on. I have thoroughly enjoyed all his scenes and wanted more.
Cheng Shaoshang is an unconventional girl. Left to fend for herself since she was born, she becomes very strong and fearless. She has a sharp tongue and is quick witted. She would hit back whenever she is being hit. Her motto is “an eye for an eye”. I love this character to bits, probably because deep inside me, I wish I could live as such a character, punching back whenever being punched, with no regrets nor fears; I have always taken such characters as my role model, to the horrors of many.
For me, this is probably Zhao Lusi’s best acting thus far as the 15-year-old Cheng Shaoshang. Her mischievous behavior to take revenge against whoever wrongs her is fun to watch and satisfying. Her rebuttals and unforgiving tongue make the viewers love her and so does Ling Buyi. I love Zhao Lusi’s innocent look, the huffs and puffs she makes when she clumsily climbs onto the horse or up the ladder over the wall, and her sweet smile beams like a blooming flower. Zhao Lusi is simply amazing, and her acting skills have improved leaps and bounds since the first time I watched her.
The writers have brilliantly brought out the personalities of the Empress and the Consort through their conversations with the Emperor, contrasting their characters, setting the stage for eventual development. Consort Yue is upstanding and badass, and denounces even her own children if they don’t get in line, whereas the Empress is soft-hearted and forgiving, even to those undeserving ones, which are depicted vividly in the actions of her own son, the Crown Prince, who is said to take after her.
My Verdict
Not having read the novel when I first watched the trailer, I thought this was a slapstick comedy and another Zhao Lusi’s rom-com. But as I watch the drama, these outrageously funny scenes appropriately fit into the overall story; they are genuinely hilarious and intriguing. I have re-watched those scenes multiple times and each time, I still laugh out loud and relish every moment. Though very comedic and funny, the plot is dark and bloody.
This is a very slow burning story. Despite so, it is not boring as it captures all the details of the events with lighthearted dialogues (most very funny, cute and unexpected), in-depth development of each character, and an appropriate pace in unfolding of the plot. Every action taken by the characters has a purpose that leads to the final consequences. So, nothing is redundant.
The writer has a great sense of humor in telling the story and resolving the conflicts. Insanely exaggerated, all the characters are realistically written. This is perhaps the first drama I watch with so many shameless characters. Grannies and young girls alike, simply throw themselves on the ground to demand their wants like some bratty kids. Greed, selfishness, hatred, indifference, cowardice and evil versus generosity, selflessness, love, compassion, valor and good are all vividly depicted in every character, and their ultimate outcome. With the bad ones being horribly bad, it is satisfying to see their eventual endings and lessons learned.
This drama gives us some of the greatest official sound tracks. The tune, Sigh of the Galaxy (星河叹) (Cheng Shaoshang character song), played by Cheng Shaoshang on the flute is one of the most beautiful tunes I've ever heard. It sounds melancholy when she is sad, and it sounds serene when she is out in the beautiful countryside. The other orchestral pieces and songs are equally well composed and performed to greatly enhance the mood of the story.
With Zhao Lusi around, the fun never ends! For romance buffs, this is a must-watch. The chemistry between Zhao Lusi and Wu Lei is simply the best of all the romantic couples I've seen. Unlike most lazy writing with endings where everyone dies, this drama let the bad characters die a slow death, and reward the good guys. Having said that, many of the details have not been properly explained, and towards the later part, many scenes are choppy. This is most likely due to the later editing, trying to fit in the approved length (some say about 10 episodes have been taken out). All in all, the first part (ie. Part 1) is full of details and super slow moving, and the second part (ie. Part 2) is action packed and faster pace. Though it has its flaws, this is still a better drama than many. As of the writing of this review and the drama still airing, it has garnered over 5 billions views already. Everyone seems to be talking about the drama because it is so absorbing.
Brilliant storytelling, great acting, excellent camera work and directing. This is a worthwhile watch, definitely a TWO THUMBS UP!
BRAVO!
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2
1A Recipe for Gastronomic JBLs
Or: How to trap a man in 9 easy episodes.Ingredients:
For the series:
10-15 year age-gap
6-10 inch height gap
2-4 side characters with no depth or individuality
1 astonishingly small kitchen
1 knife and 1 pair of ryouribashi (cooking chopsticks)
1 serving (at least) of onigiri
1 serving (at least) of a Western dessert (preferably cake, preferably for a birthday)
2-4 instances (at least) of misunderstanding & miscommunication
1 episode of illness or indisposition
1 wet white towel, to tend to that indisposition
(Story or plot optional)
For each episode:
10 mins. of food porn, of which:
2 mins. for broth-based dishes
2 mins. for rice-based dishes
2 mins. for curry
2 min. for lingering shots of chopping
1 min. for serving
1 min. for presentation
2 min. (at most) of interaction with the side characters
1 exclamation (at least) of "oishii" or "umai"
(Plot and character development optional)
For serving:
2-4 shots of chopstick choreography per episode
3-5 near-kisses per series
1 fish-eye or camera-angle non-kiss per series (optional)
(Payoff optional)
Preparation:
1. Toss the ingredients together in a medium-sized show
2. Be careful to keep the right proportions for each episode
3. Simmer slowly to break down all chemistry and tension
4. Gently stir the camera around the top of the pans and apply suitable filters
5. Decant the bland broth into clean 25-minute containers
6. Garnish with the non-kiss
7. Serve lukewarm immediately, or tomorrow, or five years from now. It doesn’t matter.
Special Notes for Sugar Dog Life:
1. I-su-mi-kun! I-su-mi-kun!
2. Do people really check for fever by huddling their heads together?
3. Kyosuke is coded as the husband and Isumi as the wife, right? Look at the poster.
4. What on earth is a sugar dog life? Is it a Japanese idiom? Can someone enlighten me?
Note: This review also appears under Mitsuya Sensei no Keikakutekina Ezuke, but with a different set of notes.
Reader's Digest:
DO SAY: Itadakimasu.
DON’T SAY: Ittakimasu.
See Also: Mitsuya Sensei no Keikakutekina Ezuke, Bokura no Shokutaku, Kinou Nani Tabeta, Perfect Propose.
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Amazing
What an amazing drama. Honestly, what can I say that's bad about it? Nothing. It was completely new and like nothing I've seen before. It was really different and fantastastical. It had romance, humour, fight scenes, and fantasy elements. All in all, it was just a really great drama. I loved it a lot and the ending was perfect and made sure everyone got their happy ending. I would for sure rewatch it and recommend it to anyone. Don't let the bad reviews get to you and stop you from watching because we all have different tastes and to those who are up for trying it out, I would definitely back you up! Good luck and enjoy.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
is this even love ?
Background story:XF the legitimate son of heavenly emperor and empress therefore is loved and cared by everyone. He can have anything and everything he wants, also he holds the military powers bcoz of his legitimacy basically he has Freedom to everything.
On the other side RY being an illegitimate son of emperor, he is not the favoured child and doesn’t have the right to even chose or express his wishes basically not privileged, not only that but if RY doesn't lay low he will be killed. Also, RY is engaged to the daughter of Water and Immortal 4000yrs back and is waiting for that person.
Both XF and RY encounter JM "the daughter of late floral immortal and water Immortal" (due to a pill she is incapable of falling in love with someone) in different circumstances though XF didn't fell for JM at first but helped her escape Floral realm, sheltered her in Heaven Realm and bullied her at the same time but later on fell for her Beauty (after she wore a pretty dress) unlike RY who liked her from their first meeting. After JM identity as the daughter of water immortal and RY's fiancé revealed, we can guess how it goes........
But after watching the entire drama i didn't felt the Love part between XF and JM, it felt more like an Infatuation and forcefully wanting to prove it as Love:
1. After that beauty transformation of JM, somehow XF started to see all of JM's actions in a romantic way that too when he is very well aware of the fact that she doesn't know gender differences neither socially well equipped.
I read so many comments claiming that JM isn't some consolation price which RY can have but she belongs to XF just bcoz he met her first, is JM an item for XF?. XF can kiss a drunk JM under the impression that she is his sister isn't sexual assault?
Not only that but XF bullied JM in the initial eps by trapping her in stools and make her do maid stuffs etc however all that is treated as comical but if the same thing is done by RY then what ??
2. If XF really wanted to redeem for what his parents did then he should have helped RY in getting the happiness he deserved rather he kept his own happiness first. XF can only pity RY but he will never do anything beyond his limits like he did for JM by threatening his own mother.
3. I still remember in one episode RY cleared that JM like means in a normal way not in a romantic way in front of Floral chiefs and XF but still after JM accepted the engagement XF did not stopped pursuing JM? Instead XF manipulated JM during Mortal trial with the help of Moon Immortal ( A fate deity who is responsible for the love and marriage of any mortal couple) however, in the end JM only thinks that RY manipulated her but what XF ??
4. If RY had followed JM in the mortal realm, will moon immortal would do the same? Tie him with her then ofc she will fall in love with RY since, Moon Immortal has the power to manipulate mortal couples. Also XF tampered with JM redemption but still pardoned why ??? As he is the legitimate son, bcoz I m damn sure RY wouldn’t have the same pleasure due to his birth.
XF could have protected JM without actually becoming a Mortal as our beloved XF doesn't follow rules or cares about it...... so. i believe XF just wanted to have some uninterrupted romance with JM....so much efforts... bcoz in the end it was RY who saved JM the very reason for which XF went to mortal realm ohhh i m sure he isn't interested in it. BTW if Muci had killed JM in her early teenage or before that then what was the use of following JM?
5. The basic foundation of love is trust and understanding, JM stayed so long with XF but still he doesn't know a thing about JM even when XF is aware of the fact that JM doesn't know gender differences or for her meaning of love doesn't mean in a romantic manner still he never tried to know why is that and considered each of her actions as a romantic gesture also, they both claimed to love each other but when the time required them to trust each other they choose the opposite. XF planned to have sex with JM after learning about the marriage date that's why he used Alcohol that too while RY was mourning for his mother, this is just about desiring someone intimately not loving....
6. JM was only unable to fall in love but wasn't mentally challenged but still acted like she doesn't get anything. If she is capable enough to trap empress in her own game then how come she doesn’t know what she is doing when it comes to XF's matter.
RY never confirmed XF being the killer it was JM who learned about Internal Alchemy and moon Immortal helped her understand it better but still in the end she pushed all the blame on RY. If RY was behind that then why she didn't take revenge the moment she learned about the dream being real but instead she waited for 3 yrs to kill XF ...
7. XF never stood up for RY when he is already aware of the fact how RY is being treated by Empress. You are actually making someone live like hell for thousands of years are u a monster and those who watched it what they are..? Parents does everything for the sake of their kids security and future so, if XF never agreed with what his Mother then why he never stopped her?? XF consent is irrelevant unless he is in his right conscience mind to stand up against the Injustice towards his own brother.
8. why JM only knows about her mother's death but not how the emperor raped his mother ???
Though the show did a lot in trying to depict that JM chose XF on own her own free will but it turned out to be a biggest lie bcoz she was manipulated by Moon Immortal and XF to make her fall in love.
Therefore I can’t really say whether it’s even a love story or not? Love and responsibility r equally important, otherwise why water immortal would will live after the death of floral immortal so, many things just doesn't makes sense. Anyways my complaints won’t end, very disappointed with this show. Somewhere it’s very easy for everyone to say that they understand someone’s pain and suffering but in reality they don’t understand at all, it’s just a notion to satisfy themselves. Highly overrated show, i guess it's bcoz the leads r famous unlike leo yunxi …I m sure if the roles r reversed then there reasons and logics would change along with the character they support.
Acting skills:
Deng lun : he is a good actor but in this show his character was quite dull bcoz it doesn’t have much growth.
Leo yunxi: for a new comer, he looked very natural and i m really impressed with his acting…..specially his voice.
HE OWN THIS DRAMA .
Yang zi : I really didn’t like her acting much except for 2/3 scenes and her character was quite annoying in most part of the show.
It’s my personal opinion, no one has to agree with it...(subject to editing )
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FRIENDS TO LOVERS TROUPE DONE RIGHT!!!
"You're My Lover Friend" is a refreshing take on the friends-to-lovers trope, bringing depth and authenticity to a story that often misses the mark. This drama beautifully captures the essence of a long-term friendship, where the bond between the two main characters feels both special and heartwarming. The writers have done a commendable job of portraying their relationship as something that goes beyond mere friendship, yet remains just shy of crossing into more intimate territory.What I particularly appreciate about this series is how it highlights the characters' internal conflicts as they begin to realize their feelings for each other. The slow burn of their relationship makes perfect sense; it allows viewers to witness each step of their journey—from deep friendship to the complexities of newfound feelings. While some might find the pacing slow, I believe it adds to the realism of their transition. The fear of losing what they already have is palpable, making their eventual acceptance of their feelings all the more rewarding.
Overall, "You're My Lover Friend" successfully showcases the nuanced journey from friends to lovers, emphasizing the importance of communication and taking things at a comfortable pace. It's a heartfelt exploration of love that resonates with anyone who has navigated the tricky waters of evolving relationships. This drama does justice to the friends-to-lovers trope in a way that feels genuine and relatable.
What I found particularly thoughtful about "You're My Lover Friend" is how the writer dedicated time and importance to the characters and their relationship. It’s refreshing to see a series that centers more on the emotional journey of the main characters, especially amidst the various subplots. The casting choices were spot on; having two real-life childhood friends, Steven Zhang and Wang Yuwen, added an undeniable charm to the series. Their chemistry was palpable, and their interactions felt so natural and fun to watch. You could genuinely sense the familiarity and comfort they shared, which made their connection all the more believable.
The acting was impressive, as expected from such talented leads. The side characters also contributed positively to the overall charm of the series, adding depth without overshadowing the main storyline.
I loved the laid-back vibe that permeated the show; it felt heartwarming, relatable, and beautifully crafted. While some might perceive the pacing as slow or draggy, I appreciated the intentionality behind it. The series did a fantastic job of portraying the complexities and challenges of transitioning from friends to lovers, showcasing the emotional turmoil that often accompanies such a change.
Overall, "You're My Lover Friend" was an amazing watch, and I had a great time going through this journey with the characters. I applaud the series for doing justice to the friends-to-lovers trope in a way that feels genuine and true to life. It’s a beautiful exploration of love that resonates deeply, making it a standout in its genre.
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Gangs of Gangnam
내 연기는 존나 잘해. Ji chang wook is so real for this role & dialogue, that eyebrow raise & sharp dialogue delivery while fight scenes being 🔥 . It's like watching WWE Royal Rumble - EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF. Intense opening scene, bloody fights, lots of smoking, swearing & 90's era setting is done aptly. Brownie points for casting absolute doppelgangers as younger #LimSeMi #WiHaJun in episode 3.Fast paced thriller it is but was bit predictable so far. Moving is replaced by equally intense drama by Disney plus. INSANELY GOOD SHOW!!!
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Went from one of the best 2025 dramas to an average drama
The drama started out great and it was interesting to watch an absolutely irredeemable character who was evil and selfish to the core. I know some people think a lot of what she did can be justified but I don't believe that harming good and kind hearted people who cared for you and driving those people to death just so that you can get more famous is justifiable. It's not. No matter what anyone says, Ahjin was always written to be a selfish character. And in the original manhwa she was even worse. I still prefer the manhwa over the drama because not only does the drama deviate from the original story and make a lot of plot points and characters inconsistent, it also absolutely DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE in the end. The ending in the manhwa was also darker but sort of satisfying too since Ahjin gets her kamra but the ending in the drama makes no sense in any way. Ahjin also suddenly stops using her brains in the last 2 episodes which is so out of character for her. Overall, it was a good start but a bad finishWas this review helpful to you?
“It hurts because you seem so comfortable leaning back into sadness.”
Butterfly instead of white rabbit, magician instead of Mad Hatter, magical world and a lot of unresolved emotional trauma - get ready for it all. The Sound of Magic delivers both the enticing fantasy and the harsh reality.A lot of the things I liked about it, the details in the created world, were the result of the hard work of the webtoon writer Ha Il Kwon. The best examples are the names of the main characters - 아이 (child), 일등 (first; if we add his surname to the mix, it would literally mean I am first) that represent the internal conflicts the characters were facing. Seems on the nose? Maybe, but it fits the story and the approach they took with presenting it.
Ai was forced to grow up fast because of her family situation. Her dreams, hopes, wishes were all focusing on gaining money, as she believed being poor was the reason for her misery. She viewed every situation in her life from the perspective of her financial situation. She did not want to believe in magic, since for her, magic symbolizes hope for better life. All the good things end, like waking up from a beautiful dream, so why even start when you are deemed to be disappointed at the end, when you are back to unfair reality?
Ildeung follows the path his parents picked, doing his best to stay at the top. This takes a toll on his mind and his body. He realizes how trapped he was, yet he wasn’t sure if he is brave enough to stop chasing after the future his parents chose, and try to find his own path. His whole arc was built on small things that might seem like non existing issues, but in reality can take away your sense of individuality and self-worth: things like his dad not calling him by his name, but “Na Jin Man’s boy” - first he is his parents’ son, then he is himself.
Both main characters do not know how to be happy, feel free, make personal choices, act like children their age. And this is the story of them slowly freeing themselves from the cages they were locked in.
It’s hard to talk about Ji Chang Wook’s character without diving into spoilers, since we are mostly kept in the dark about who he is and his past till the end. That adds to the thrills though, creating that mystical and magical aura around him, making the viewers question if the magic is real till the last moment. I was invested in the simple question: who is this magician?
What I also liked about the show is how it spoke about the faults in adults while also not truly making the adults into villains (mostly). Some of them were annoying, sometimes acted unfair or selfish, but most of them were not evil, they were just humans.
The performance from the cast was great. Yes, some movements and facial expressions during the musical numbers were rather cringe and awkward, but it happened only a few times. I was quite surprised by all the emotional scenes, since they all hit me hard (yes, I cried), especially any scene with Ji Chang Wook in the second half - been a while since I enjoyed his performance so much.
Visually they did more than I ever expected. A few times the special effects, especially in terms of the motion, were slightly off, but nothing that would take away from the stunning pictures created.
A lot of the songs had stage-like performances that just sucked me in and I could not take my eyes off it. The A Curse of Asphalt scene was especially breathtaking, even though compared to some other songs, it had a more simple approach. Yet, with how instrumental, lyrics, vocals, visuals, set design, arrangement, all fitted perfectly like puzzle pieces, this song became my favorite performance.
Were the musical aspects all that perfect? No. Some songs just felt awkward with how they were placed in the story, at times feeling unnecessary. I understand why it became a musical-like drama, some lyrics had a really strong message and the performance features added to it - which would not be possible to achieve with simple dialogue. That said, at times I would skip a song or two as they felt redundant at that specific moment.
Speaking of music - all the instrumentals are to die for. Some melodies reminded me of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland movie (2010) - which fitted the theme perfectly. Even the sound design at times surprised me - taking into consideration the place the songs were sung in and mixing the vocals according to it.
Overall, I truly enjoyed it a lot. Had some questionable choices, acting and directing wise, but I still believe it’s a solid drama. While at first I was not sure about making it into a semi-musical, after seeing all the episodes, I understand the value that was added with some numbers and I appreciate the rather bold move they took with it (let’s get real, musicals are not exactly a mainstream genre loved by all). Ending review with a quote that I loved:
“Flowers don’t bloom on smooth asphalt, but on bumpy dirt”.
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Situations on the plot on the business and romance department are way too forced... Awful.
Don't get me wrong I do enjoy fantasy/romance/comedy and teen stuff ... geez I had lots of fun watching 'Good morning call' but this drama tempers with one's patience.
The main actress (Dilraba Dilmurat) got my full attention therefore from now on I will stir far away of any work she does. Also, this drama even spoiled Deng Lun a bit ... Totally lost my interest in him, Ashes of Love was the luck shot!
The only good thing was seeing Chen Yi Long for the first time... really liked his performance and charisma.
Unfortunately when I start a drama I never drop it so it was painful!
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