Reviews

It's better than the drama not sure why it is rated so low

I liked this one more than the drama. Given that this was made a decade ago, the questionable scenes make sense. If i watched this 1st I'd probably hate the drama version of it.

Here gii was a total green flag. He didn't touch takumi or force or gaslight him into sex. Instead he treasured and respected him the whole time. Also they didn't make takumi's brother into an angel and showed that takumi hated his brother but kept quite cz he never expected someone soo close to do that to him. He didn't forgive his brother but just learnt to move on from the past.

If u watch this I'd suggest u dont watch the series.

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High Notes, Heartbreak, and Heavy Fan Service

I watched Love You So Bad at the Wolfgang Premiere Lounge in Gateway 2, and from early on it struck me as a romance that feels very much like a Wattpad adaptation — engaging, emotional, but somewhat episodic. At times, the film plays like a collection of moments rather than a tightly woven narrative, which made me think it might have worked better as a short digital series. Still, the story is coherent, the emotions land, and the direction keeps things visually and emotionally polished. As a 2025 MMFF entry directed by Mae Cruz-Alviar and written by Crystal Hazel S. San Miguel, the film clearly knows its audience and leans into that intentionally.

Set in a contemporary school environment, the story centres on Savannah “Vanna” Aquino (Bianca de Vera), a young woman learning how to define love on her own terms. She’s torn between Vic (Will Ashley), whose lighthearted and dependable nature brings comfort, and LA (Dustin Yu), a charismatic figure carrying deeper emotional scars. Bianca de Vera carries the film with ease. She makes Savannah feel lived-in and relatable, capturing the vulnerability of someone who mistakes attention for love and settles for less than she deserves. Her performance gives the film its emotional spine, balancing humour, pain, and romantic longing with sincerity. Her scenes with LA, in particular, surprised me — their chemistry is strong and undeniably effective, delivering genuine kilig.

Dustin Yu brings welcome depth to LA, steering the character away from cliché. His performance is restrained but expressive, especially in emotionally heavy moments where his eyes do most of the work. Several scenes clearly moved the audience, and his portrayal carries much of the film’s dramatic weight. Will Ashley, meanwhile, brings charm and warmth to Vic, especially in the lighter moments. While his dramatic beats are more understated, he fits the role well and adds balance to the central triangle. The supporting cast, including Dimples Romana, Agot Isidro, and Xyriel Manabat, rounds out Savannah’s world without distracting from the core story.

Described as a modern take on Dahil Mahal na Mahal Kita, Love You So Bad feels more fan-focused than story-driven. It prioritises emotional beats and romantic moments over narrative depth, which may leave some viewers wanting more. I’m not usually drawn to rom-coms or straightforward love stories, but I found this an easy and pleasant watch. It’s cute, accessible, and clearly designed to please its fans. If you’re here for the kilig and the love teams, it delivers. If you’re after a richer, more layered romance, it may feel a little light — though it does leave you wishing there was more, especially a deeper look into Savannah and LA’s backstory.

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One Hell of a First Ride

Who says tragedy cannot be a source of happiness too? The First Ride is a heartfelt mix of friendship and life, packed with laughter, tears, and an emotional roller coaster that sneaks up on you when you least expect it. It balances heaviness and joy surprisingly well, making the experience feel cathartic rather than draining.

The story throws plot twist after plot twist, but nothing feels messy or forced. Everything is laid out beautifully, like a wild ride you willingly stayed on knowing it would make you laugh, cry, reflect, and get a little sentimental along the way. The chemistry among the cast is genuinely strong, bringing the characters to life, and the writing deserves extra praise for knowing exactly when to hit and when to hold back.

This is definitely a film I would recommend if you want something that lifts your mood while also reminding you to be grateful for life and the people you share it with. Just a heads-up, you might finish this with puffy eyes and a slightly fuller heart.

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Emotion expressed through dancing

The movie was so beautifully shot, each scene was carefully thought out. I went into it for the romance, and let's get this clear: There's lots of romance. Whenever the leads dance, it's romance. But I think many went into this expecting it to be a BL. It's not. It's a mature film about two people competing in similar but almost parallel worlds. One is austere and aloof, the other is judged more on passion and feeling. Don't expect any graphic NC scenes. However, if you really watch them dance, you can see them connecting on a deeper level. That's how I felt while watching, at least.

The ending... I've had time to sit with it for a few days, and it's okay. Not perfect, but I don't hate it. We knew from the beginning that it wouldn't be a happily ever after show, right? Anyway, I really liked it. It wasn't super dark (as some Japanese gay/BL content can be) and it wasn't silly either. It was moody and passionate and understated.

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I Don't Know, I Just Wanted it to be better

Basically gay Strictly Ballroom about 2 different competitive dancers who must work together to win a world championship… or something (that bit didn't happen). Despite the fact that this was decently shot and acted, script and director let it down. It felt like it owed a lot to 90s Australian cinema as well as darker JBL (read stylistically old fashioned) but also this was a very self aware movie. Too self aware. I get that the filming style was designed to reflect the respective dancers' attitudes, but also, it kinda beat us over the head with the metonymy of it all. We get it. We got it within the first 10 minutes. Surprise us, please. The dialogue was cliche and online complaints around casually racist stereotypes well earned. The voice over was a bit much MUCH (and I'm not as opposed to VO on principle like many are). In the end, the movie felt as full of itself as the characters. The fact of the matter is, I wanted this to be better. A better story, a better romance, a better resolution, better engagement resulting in better discourse. It was moody and pretty and not a great deal more than that. And I really like dance movies.

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if you think this was a bad kdrama read this.

first things first, im writing this review because when i read yalls reviews i was shocked. wdym 5-6-7 reviews when this k movie was literally the best thing i watched so far and i'll tell you exactly why. if you think this movie didnt have a "spark" then what was the silent yearning, when yun seok did made sure everyyyy time that se ri was happy even though deep down it was KILLING him to see her with another boy, park se ri suddenly realising while confessing her feelings to hyeon that she doesnt even likeee himmm and she likes someone who sees her and likes her the way she iss, with her beautiful crazy curlsss, with her bubbly lovely personalityyyyyy dcbdhjbjdhjbhaj plz touch a grass or something cuz this movie is the best and you should analyse every part of it to enjoy it. my favorite k movie literally! cried so muchhhhh

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Watched it Bcs of low review scores

I’m not a fan of disaster films. When I saw the low review scores I thought that it likely was a much deeper film than I imagined so I gave it a go. What I found was a profound movie with extraordinary acting. I was truly blown away by the story. Korean storytellers are simply on another level. I’m glad this film was given a budget and produced. It’s not your usual mass market shallow bore. It requires thinking and observation. It evoked different emotions in me and made me ponder on many questions: Are we becoming like machines rather than machines becoming like us? Have we already lost our humanity?

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This film is not a rom-com. It's a rom-com parody.

And the film makes very, very clear from the first few minutes in that it is a parody -- the "heroine" looks at herself and the people around her as if they were in a story. The exaggerated acting in the typical Japanese comedy style paired with stereotypical extras (like the thuggish bullies or the canteen cook) as well as the constant fourth-wall-breaking are another clue -- and then the story tones the physical comedy down in the second half but still proceeds to follow every single beat of an average rom-com: With a light twist, like when the "summer" date is filmed in the middle of winter. And they follow this concept until the very last scenes, with the hundereds of lanterns and the kitschy snowfall, and then tie it up with an uplifting message.

And yet, they somehow smuggled in some very real character growth. The aggressive playboy, who pursued the heroine "just because" and initiated a sudden and unwelcome kiss, learns to let go. The shy and awkward girl learns to stand up for herself, not with lies and deceit but with honesty and integrity. The "hero" learns to make a decision and commit to it. And the "heroine"? She learns that love doesn't just happen because she wants it to.
Maybe the writer and the crew were too good at that, so that MDLers caught real feelings and thus don't understand that this is supposed to be a parody?


Was it good?
Yes! It starts out as a physical comedy where absolutely everything is exaggerated, and ends up with real feelings.

Did I like it?
I did! I was hesitant to watch another youth focused het romance but I am glad I did.

Who would I recommend it to?
To people who get on with the exaggerated Japanese style of comedy. And to those who are able to understand how a parody works.

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Uncomfortable watch

The show seems to be normalizing plastic surgery obsession, sending the message that changing your appearance will make your crush notice you and date you and make your life "cool", Skinny and beautiful is the solution...
The storyline and mainly the message feel harmful, especially since the main character is focused on a guy who called her ugly and f*t before she underwent her transformation. What bothers me even more is that they didn't explore the possibility of her falling for someone who genuinely loves and appreciates her as she is, instead she kept seeking his approval. How about making her fall for someone else instead ? The male lead would never think to be with her if she didn't change her appearance.. and i don't appreciate the insulting comedy about her weight, so many wrong things with this movie I dont recommend

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