Reviews

lost in sub plots

This is my first time writing a review because this series left me with too much to say, both in admiration and in frustration.
The series had great potential but missed critical marks that could have made it unforgettable.
Starting with the intimacy: I had modest expectations, but even the emotional scenes like the hug felt underwhelming and lacked the emotional impact they deserved. The protagonists were starved of meaningful development, and the focus was scattered unnecessarily into subplots like tennis and music.
The most frustrating part was how much narrative weight the side couple received.
Their slow-burn romance was tender and well-developed to the point where it felt like they were the true protagonists.
Meanwhile, the main couple’s relationship was barely allowed to breathe.
Even by the second-last episode, instead of deepening the main emotional arc, the series chose to showcase the side character improving at tennis, a subplot that felt increasingly irrelevant to the emotional heart of the story.
It was genuinely frustrating to see precious screen time spent on character achievements in sports, while the actual romance between the leads was left undeveloped and unsatisfying.
While I appreciate the climactic structure of the final episode, it’s disappointing that the love interest only became vocal and expressive at the very end.
Until then, he remained so tightly written that it was difficult to connect with him or invest fully in the main couple’s journey.
I haven’t read the manhwa, so I can't speak about the adaptation accuracy.
But based solely on the drama, it’s clear that the series had incredible potential, especially with such talented actors at the helm. Instead, the narrative focus shifted heavily onto side plots like music, tennis, and personal dream struggles — giving the side couple an almost protagonist-level arc. Meanwhile, the main leads didn’t even share one truly memorable romantic moment, making it hard to stay emotionally engaged.
In the end, it’s a series that shines in parts but ultimately leaves you wanting so much more from the story that should have mattered most.
With a little more focus on the main relationship and character development, it could have been something unforgettable.

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I think every person, especially girls, can relate to Sang Zhi because, at some point, all of us fall for that one person who we can't confess our feelings to for different reasons. I like this drama a lot. I usually don't like Chinese dramas because most of them are too long or some have historical plots that I don't like. There are very few historical Chinese dramas that I watched, but I obviously loved them. But again, they were so long, so when I had enough of long dramas, I decided to stop watching them anymore.
I wanted to watch this for a long time but couldn't get free time, but really, the wait was worth it. I enjoyed it so much, and I cry a lot. One thing I didn't like about Sang Zhi's character was that she was too simple, like she always nodded her head whenever Jia Xu stopped her from doing anything. I mean, no offense. Obviously, he was just worried for her in the whole drama, but still, I think she needs to stop him some time (like when he stopped her from dating when she was already an adult and was already in university). It's understandable that he just wants to protect her, but still, because she was in her move-on phase, she needs to push him and stop him from interfering, especially when he meets her after 2 years. From a girl's point of view, it feels more controlling than worrying about her. I mean, it's understandable that you love him so much, but still, it doesn't mean you have to do everything he tells you to do. On one side, you're saying that you're already an adult, and on the other, you're letting him make decisions for you. seriously?
As for Jia Xu, I think he should have understood that Sang Zhi is his best friend's younger sister and not his, so he needs to stay in his lane and not interfere in her matters as long as she isn't asking for help or isn't in danger. These two really frustrate me on this. As for their friends, especially Sang Zhi's friends, they were so supportive that I really want friends like them. They were ideal friends.
Let's not forget about the ongoing sibling quarrel. They were so cute and adorable throughout the drama, and I wish I had a brother like him; they were just so adorable. It was a horror when he found out that his baby sister was dating his best friend. I was actually expecting the beating, but I didn't think that they'd sort it out in a night. It was funny when Sang Zhi fought for Jia Xu with her brother in the cafe and then changed sides when she found out that her boyfriend punched her brother. That scene was so cute that I really wanted to pinch Sang Zhi's cheeks there.
Over all, the drama was too good—more than I expected. I waited to watch this drama because I was busy, but I think the wait was worth it. I'm in love with them.

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Don't be discouraged by the low reviews. This drama is very short. The had a warning at the beginning that it will be mostly pictures, because they aren't rich and don't have money to make it. The actors were handsome and their voice acting was really good, I didn't feel anything missing about it being mostly pictures. The kissing scenes and some other parts were shot as video. The girl isn't much in the picture. It's a good story so I won't spoil it but it's worth a watch. You won't regret it, it's short anyways. Please don't make a quick judgement because they tried their best with low budget to show us this story and it will discourage the actors from further projects.

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The best example of how something that has a great start ends up being a disappointment.

The first part of the drama (episodes 1-7) is one of the best examples of how a BL must be done. Tine is an extrovert, funny and naive guy that charms everyone with his charisma. Sarawat is mysterious and silent guy who seems to have interest of Tine. Characters plan to fake-dating to make Tine's stalker stay away from him. The chemistry between them is obvious here, thay have tender and funny moments. If the drama had ended here they would have a sound 10 and it would be considered the best BL ever made (along with Sotus)

Then the second part (episodes 8-13) happens.
It's a new stage of the drama.,Tine and Sarawat decide to make the relationship official so the pace of the series should be different, and it is... in a very disappointing way.
Tine who was always smiling and telling jokes turnssuddenly into a insecure man and a crying mess, he was happier when he was single. They turned him in a strereotyped damless in distress (or worse, an uke) who needs to be saved. And Sarawat who was completely sure about his love for Tine doesn't ease his partner insecurities. He lets misunderstandings happen around him without moving a finger until it's too late.

Even the actors (Win and Bright) seem to have lost their spark and their awesome chemistry. I can't believe they kiss more when they were not dating than when they were. And no, i'm not saying I need a make out session but at least i would like to see love between them.
I thought I was seeing two flatmates instead of two lovers.

On the whole I would say that if you're gonna watch this, do it... until episode 7, then drop it and pretend that everything that comes next doesn't exist at all. I bet your imagination can do much better than the lazy writing of the second part.

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Call me stupid, but when I first began watching this drama, I did not realize "Irene" was actually a boy. I mean, I watched this because I clicked on the first episode in youtube. And I don't know how I did not see Irene's body and realized he was not a girl... so you might imagine how I nearly died of laughter when I found out who he was.
And that was not the only time I was laughing.
There were some clichés that could have made my eyes roll, but I completely ignored them because I was enjoying this too much. I don't regret for a second watching this. It really cheered me up, and I was quite saddened by the fact that it only had three episodes.
The story itself wasn't really that original. As I mentioned before, really clichéd... except for the fact that this time around, the one cross-dressing is the boy. But, you know, it was super cute. And a large part of it was because of the actors' portrayal, so kudos to them (especially Min Hoo, whom I just loved dressed as G-Dragon). I really don't remember the music... so since it did not bother me, I gave it a 9.
I'm not a re-watch person, but I'd definitely watch this again! I can't really pinpoint a group of people to whom I'd recommend this. It might depend on your level of maturity, or what you want to watch that day. I mean, Ma Boy... I'm actually surprised that I loved it as much as I did! So, take a risk, and watch this. You probably won't regret it :P

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Prescribed: One Breakup A Week

Love may fade, but breakups? Breakups last forever. (Comedic Edition)


▫️ What Is It?

Breakup Service is a Thai romantic comedy-drama that flips the rom-com genre on its head by making the art of breaking up the center of the plot. The story follows a charismatic but emotionally damaged Boss, who’s cursed (or gifted?) with the ability to end relationships wherever he goes. He works for a unique company that helps people professionally break up with their partners.

Jued, a sweet, broke girl betrayed by a cheating ex, who ends up joining this "Breakup Service" as a last resort, only to discover she might have the same "talent" as the boss. What unfolds is 12 episodes of outrageous scenarios, emotional turns, unlikely romance, slapstick comedy, and a never-ending stream of dramatic breakups.



💡 Why It Works

1. Fresh Concept

While many dramas focus on getting together, this show builds its entire identity around falling apart, but in the most entertaining, theatrical way. You’re not crying over love lost; you’re cheering it on like a sport. It's refreshing, unpredictable, and just the right kind of absurd.

2. Hilarious Writing

Each episode features a new couple, and almost every mission includes ridiculous disguises, fake emergencies, heists, or chaotic revelations. There's no telling what direction the story will go, but it always delivers on fun. Even when you see a twist coming, it’s executed with such flair, you’ll enjoy it anyway.

3. Ridiculous But Genius Comedy Timing

The sound effects, the zoom-ins, the over-the-top reactions, it’s extra. At times you’ll roll your eyes, but more often, you’ll be rolling on the floor. Thai comedy tends to go big or go home, and this one builds a circus tent and invites everyone inside.

> Note: If you’re not used to Thai drama comedy editing (sound cues, exaggerated facial shots), it might take a second to adjust. But stick around. You’ll be laughing along soon enough.


4. Boss & Jued: The Perfect Enemies-to-Lovers

Their dynamic is EVERYTHING. Boss starts off cold, narcissistic, emotionally unavailable. Jued is warm, empathetic, a little morally conflicted. Watching Boss fall first and fall hard? Chef’s kiss. Watching Jued slowly realize she likes him back? Even better.

Their tension is so well written, you feel every small shift. And even when they're not romantic, their partner-in-crime energy is A++.

5. Supporting Cast Steals the Show

The three co-workers, the Destiny Company rivals, Oat (a.k.a. Best Second Lead EVER), and all the absurd clients, they all add layers to the drama. Special shoutout to:

Oat: The chillest doctor, best friend, and maybe... in love?

Rose: Team B breakout star, glamorous and chaotic.

The Random Cameos: (Hi New! 👋)

The Clients: They range from heartbreakingly real to cartoonishly wild



Some Themes That Were Existing:

Love isn’t always enough

Breaking up can be an act of love, too

Fate vs. Free Will: Destiny vs. Breakup Service becomes a philosophical debate... and a corporate war

Healing after heartbreak

Morality vs. Profession: Jued’s constant struggle grounds the story



🔥 Favorite Running Gags

Boss in a new costume every mission (cop, old man, woman, he is a chameleon!)

Destiny vs. Breakup Service rivalry (seriously, it was so fun.)

Boss pretending to be unbothered while dying inside.

Jued scolding Boss like a teacher with a crush

That one line every episode: “Break up!”



▫️ Minor Gripes

The sound effects can be a bit much at times

Some episodes felt a bit rushed toward the end

A few couples got less screen time or resolution (but the drama knows its priority is BOSS & JUED)

Could we get 16 episodes next time?! 😭



⚠️Spoiler Alert!



🧨 The Breakup Chronicle

“Couples fell. Hearts cracked. Boss got punched... a lot. Here's the rundown.”

💔 Ep 1 – Boss & Jued Begin

Jued’s cheating boyfriend dumped.

She joins Breakup Service.


💔 Ep 2 – The Influencer Couple

Gym & yoga power couple.

Breakup due to clashing honesty and lifestyle lies.

Jued proves she has “the touch.”


💔 Ep 3 – BL Ship in Chaos

Mocha & Ice (ship name).

Secret boyfriend “Made” wants out.

Breakup leads to freedom.


💔 Ep 4 – The Long-Timers

Mon & Mai, together since birth.

Broke up years ago, reunited.

Mon herself is the anonymous client. Painful but real.

Break up over different life plans.


💔 Ep 5 – The Almost No-Breakup

Khao & Kong, scandal erupts.

Khao experiences betrayal & trauma.

Boss defends her. They don’t break up. First couple to survive.


💔 Ep 6 – The Friendly Fire

Pop & Kormai.

Client is a jealous ex.

Jued conflicted, helps at the last minute.

They break up. Jued resigns.


💔 Ep 7 – Married Couple Trouble

Tao suspects Mew is cheating.

She isn’t. Destiny gets involved.

They reconcile. Jued & Boss reconnect slightly.


💔 Ep 8 – Cherry & Her Three Boyfriends

One rich older man, one novelist, one sugarbaby.

Everyone’s poly, bi, and chaotic.

Breakups achieved, just barely.

Jued confesses to Tee. Boss sees it. 😭


💔 Ep 9 – Bee Returns

Cherry & Bee again.

Destiny vs. Breakup Service.

Breakup wins.

Boss confesses to Jued. 💥💔


💔 Ep 10 – Company Chaos

CEO Chan’s ex-wife + fake fiancé.

Inter-team breakup challenge.

Stephanie = Destiny spy.

Angel identity looms.


💔 Ep 11 – PAN FIGHT

Angel revealed: It’s Tee!

Stephanie = fake fiancé.

Kesorn = Destiny CEO.

Breakups. Confessions. Mergers. Chaos Level: 100


💔 Ep 12 – Last Test

Destiny vs. Breakup play a trick.

Jued & Boss break up, but come back together.

Oat confesses.

Boss chooses love.

Jued & Boss reunite, same place they met.


💭 Final Thought (aka: Me Screaming Respectfully One Last Time)

I seriously LOVED this drama. Like, what a wild ride!! I was looking forward to Mondays for 12 whole weeks, and not once did I feel bored. Not once!! It’s ridiculous, it’s hilarious, it’s chaotic in the best way, and it somehow managed to give us emotional twists and over-the-top comedy without missing a beat. I was screaming, laughing, clutching my heart, and losing my mind episode after episode 😭💥

Boss and Jued owned me. He fell first and harder and funnier, and she slowly got there in her cute stubborn way. And let’s not forget Oat (2nd lead syndrome warning!!), Destiny vs. Breakup wars, pan fights, and poly chaos in between. I’m still not over the fact that I got THIS invested in a romcom about professionally ending relationships. Like HOW did they make this so good??!

I know it’s not a “perfect” drama, but in my heart, it’s a solid 9.5, actually scrap that, it’s a full 1000/10 in vibes and joy. Just go watch it, seriously. I already miss it.

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Intriguing new plot, sweet & satisfying slow-burn romance

(I rate vertical dramas on their own sliding scale.) Awesome fresh story! Plot set-up explained below. Fantastic acting, very interesting plot (haven't seen the exact same set-up anywhere else yet, 7/11/25), and fully emotionally satisfying romance (slow-burn). Great to see the leads as two smart characters working together in the lawyer profession. A healthy relationship with major green flag ML, good messages throughout (some I found quite quotable with a good translation), no unnecessary plot shenanigans (like kidnappings or assaults), and even the second leads are human- they are not all bad in the end. Some good cinematography too.

This is mostly explained at the very beginning so I don’t consider it a spoiler: There's a system that gathers emotions through people in this world and picks a rare number of people to be players. The system offers the players one wish granted if they complete their objective. The FL's quest is to get the SML to fall in love with her, but if she's fully rejected, she goes through death as her current alias and her quest re-boots. I loved that when the FL died after failing her target mission, she would come back and continue where she left off in age (didn't go back in time and start from the beginning); so the same body, but with a different name. And that her previous existences weren't erased or forgotten, just that people's memory of how she looked became too blurred for recognition. It allowed for an intriguing story to be woven. The story starts at her 5th failure. The system re-boots her quest, but this time she's unlocked the option to switch her target! So she gives up on the SML and chooses the ML (his friend) instead.

The FL starts pursuing the ML for her survival and end goal, but ends up truly falling for him. The two leads had great chemistry, seemed fully comfortable with each other, and played off of each other well. There aren't that many kisses, but they are meaningful, and realistic from both actors. There is a good amount of hugs and skinship, and multiple sweet moments. A satisfying ending too.

The screenplay and editing did a good job of giving enough information to understand the basics of situations and characters and then filled in the gaps at a good pace throughout the show with flashbacks and some exposition. Full understanding of everything and everyone is achieved by the end; I so appreciated that it didn’t feel like any threads were left hanging.

I found it posted at 2 hrs 50 mins run time (I shared the link in general comments). If you come across a post that is shorter by more than a couple minutes (I saw a few), it may have snippets missing. A little difference in time can be explained by how the recorder/poster edits between episodes (either lets the 1-3 second transitions play or cuts them out).

Edit 8/16/25: Now on iQIYI, with really good subtitles and info in parentheses! Makes things so much easier to understand! :D

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What an exhilarating breath of fresh air. The drama started extremely well and continued the slow, leisure pace in its storyline and romance to the end.

This drama made me appreciate the Thai culture and traditions, it helped me visualise how a normal person’s life must have been back then in Thai. It all seemed very realistic (if you take out the magic mirror and time travel)

I found myself appreciating the struggles Thai people must have faced through the ages and how strong they must have been to still be independent now when so many countries were colonised (like mine).

I appreciated the absence of fierce antagonists. Being fully adverse with Thai Larkons I am quite used to expecting to see screaming second leads ~ this drama spared me.

This drama has such strong women, most of who support each other and help each other grow.

The romance was slow and simmering, I’ll like to credit the Male lead for this because of his quiet, strict, and shy personality as compared to the open minded, modern, firecracker of our female lead. Still, he was fierce and adamant on who he wanted and who he didn’t.

I didn’t want to understand somethings he did in the latter half when the prospect of time travel for the future female lead became more concrete, but I did. And I could not fault him for being desperately in love.

One fault I can find is the lack of goodbyes this drama had for the female lead and ALL her circle of people in her original life. Granted, saying goodbye to her mum was a good treat nonetheless.

All in all, I throughly enjoyed this drama and love it dearly. It’s a sweet, slow, and thought provoking ride.

9.5/10

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Cute, but slow-paced

Originally, I came to watched this for Janice Wu (Wu Qian) because she's one of my top favs! However, I've come to really like
Bai Jing Ting. This is the first time I've seen his acting and I have to say he portrays his character really well. He's very good with his body language and facial expression--so funny and makes you laugh. Overall, I think the main leads did a great job!

The story:
The story is unique, or at least it is to me. It touches on some nice aspects about life--aging, our elders, and importance of enjoying the time you have. I have a soft spot for old people, so watching this was bittersweet as it made me miss my own grandparents. The show has some cute moments, but the downside is I felt the pace was slow and drawn out. I noticed some people say they got bored and dropped it. This show is more casual, but still refreshing and cute enough to keep me to the end. If you like to see a slower-paced story that involves a lot about all the (main and sides) characters and their development coupled with a slow-gradual romance on top, then this might be the show for you. It's funny, sweet, and maybe even a little sad if you have a soft spot for old people (like me). The romance isn't fierce, but very casual and "realistic" meaning the main characters don't just fall in love right away and have an unspoken relationship that quietly blooms into love. I think it's cute and different from the usual rom-coms. I think this show would've been better if it was more condensed into 24 or so episodes rather than 41.

Edit: Finally finished this series. Definitely need some tissues with some of the episodes. It was very wholesome and sweet. Makes me miss my grandparent. I actually really liked this show and glad I decided to watch it all the way through. It touched on a lot of points about life. If you have time to watch something a bit different than the usual dramas, give this one a try!

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Guilty pleasure.

Eventhough I didn't give this drama a very good rating, I have to admit that I quite enjoyed it. The story was interesting to watch as it took a lot of unexpected turns (maybe even too many). The leads' acting was very good; they both have comedic talent. Overall, there were a lot of cute and funny moments.

Still, the drama has a lot of significant flaws in my opinion. The story started out very light-heartedly but got rather twisted in the last 6 episodes. From that point on, I also noticed quite some minor and major plot-holes (especially concerning the ending which was still satisfying to watch, though).

From episode 18 on, the leads got in a lot of quarrels for no reason. In general, they didn't seem to be in a healthy relationship for the most part of the drama which was quite frustrating to watch and at one point even made me question whether or not it was appropriate to ship them.
Also, I quite liked Chu Chu in the beginning because she seemed like a strong character but she sank into self-pity and became more and more shallow as the story progressed. On the contrary, I was positively suprised by Pei Heng's and Lin Qi's character development. I would even go as far as to say that those two ended up being my favorites in the whole drama.
Another thing I noticed was that there were three supporting characters in the drama whose only purpose was to provide comic relief. Generally, I'm not a opposed to some dorking around in a fantasy rom-com which doesn't try to be historically accurate whatsoever but three characters is just... a lot. For me it felt like the overuse of comic relief didn't leave enough room for the more serious scenes to really have an impact.

In summary, the drama is ideal if you're searching for a cute, entertaining and slightly over-the-top fantasy rom-com but not the right thing if you expect a well thought-out story with three-dimensional characters.

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A good fast paced drama with a lazy ending.

So this drama mainly focuses on action, which is also where it shines. It also does a decent job establishing and developing characters and also blending the characters together. I do think the cast was a little to big for such a short drama. Overall it was an interesting drama with an interesting story that kept me engaged all the way up until the end which is where it disappointed. I can't say much without going into spoilers but the ending was just very inconclusive and leaves with a million questions. The ending doesn't feel like good or well crafted writing at all, it more so just felt lazy.

The ost is overall good but there were some scenes where the music felt very unfitting.

The acting was pretty good from all characters.

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Now I'm just more concerned that people just rates this show poorly because it had low viewership ratings. 1st of all, viewership ratings shouldn't be included when it comes to rating a tv show by its quality. I am not a robot and tomorrow with you are just two examples from a long list of shows that had low viewership ratings, but are really good shows.

Story
This a fucking melodrama for god's sake. If you're complaining about the shallowness of the characters, or the never-ending cat-dog chasing between the two leads, well then you must not be familiar with melodramas. Melodramas are usually very slow paced, filled with one-dimensional characters, and everything is exaggerated. In terms of the story, I was fine with it. Nothing spectacular, but I liked the backstory and how the story progressed (especially the ending). Gave everyone proper closure (yes including Shin Joon Young), and reminded us of a sense of realness.

Acting
Kim Woo Bin literally carried this show. If you were to compare his acting to a boxing match, it's a straight up beat down. Every time I think of a bad boy stereotype, I always remember Kim Woo Bin. He just portrays it the very best for me; signature smirk, douchey tone, always looks angry. Idk... it gets the job done for me. Suzy was ok for me, like the rest of the cast. Not good, but not bad as well. (For all Suzy haters by the way, her acting has improved drastically in while you were sleeping)

OST
This is the bomb!!!! I have only given a perfect 10 to music to 1 other show, and that's Goblin. Trust me, even if you don't know the show, you'll love the OST. It fits the scenes in the show perfectly, and the blending of the music made it so much better for us to hear. Even the english song was good. The tune and melody are happy and bubbly and full of energy, but when you actually listen to the words, it's actually bitter-sweet cause it kinda foreshadows a lot about the show. I loved every song in the show.

Rewatch value
I'm not really a fan of Melodramas, but even if I was, I'd still not rate the rewatch value of this enough. The heartbreak was good, but it lacked enough 'romance' and proper build up for me to remember.

Overall
This drama received so much hate and criticism because of it performing badly, and people started to say that it is a bad drama when it's actually decent. Let's be honest, how can you expect this drama to be viewed a lot when it competed with Doctors (Park Shin Hye and Kim Rae Won) and later on, W (Lee Jong Suk and Han Hyo Joo). That's just plain injustice

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