Reviews

Hong Kong's Walking Dead

Admittedly, this series grabs your attention quickly because of its theme. This is the first zombie BL series I can recall being produced and it begins creatively enough. While I am not sure, it does seem patterned off “The Walking Dead” (which was a momentous production in the USA for years). It had hallmarks of the ambience and feel from that Homeric narration. Reminiscing, it harkened me back to the many nights I spent watching “The Walking Dead”, as it did seem to have referenced a lot of the cinematography and plot twists around that series. I was indeed a huge fan of that series until it got platitudinous. Unfortunately, this series suffered the same fate but of course at a much quicker pace. This series yo-yoed from being interesting to just downright doltish. So much time was wasted on going nowhere. There were a lot of very interesting characters in this series that could have enhanced the story or made it way more entertaining and dynamic but were underutilized with the whole story seemingly directionless and pointless. It was obvious a low-budget production because the zombies were rather hackneyed. They looked unconvincingly made-up for being ‘dead’ and frankly were not very gory or hideous. For zombies, they certainly could trodden fast. Ironically, the undead were not the cornerstone or the main culprits in this series. Other humans were, specifically the mercenaries, who were coming for the Immune. Regrettably the way the production chose to conclude this series is almost laughable. It became just a little too “Hollywood” and theatrical to be believable. I was so disappointed in the cliché and tropey ending. For me, the lessons learned not just about life but also about love were with and about the secondary couple; not the protagonists. Open your minds to their issues and do not automatically see them as nefarious. You will gain a better perspective of this series if you do that.

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Wow!! incredible acting with a roller coaster of emotions throughout

I saw this series a bit late (2026) and I am quite shocked how is it that it does not have a 10 score! I guess maybe that is because of the way it has ended.. It certainly is not for the acting, directing or the story. In my opinion, 6 or 7 Oscars could have been given to the main actors. I guess though the Oscars don't even know this series exists!! I did not know until now..

The only down point for me was the way it concluded. I went through huge emotional roller coaster with this series. It draws you in from the second episode onwards and honestly, I could not even sleep for 2 nights!! The acting and the story is exceptional. I was totally blown away, BUT- the ending does not compensate for the huge roller coaster that we had to go through the whole time. Get ready for a lot of tears, but there are many funny moments and great one liners. I am sure it would be so much better if I could understand Mandarin but even with English subs, it was great.

On the whole, no matter what your taste is in drama, if you find this series, you HAVE TO watch! You wont regret it.

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A best psychological thriller!

"They finally found the man who ruined their family and their lives. They were ready to get their revenge, but he didn't remember a thing."

What a fever dream!

It is one of the best psychological thrillers I have ever enjoyed, even though parts of the plot felt somewhat predictable at first. It was a fascinating way to deconstruct the importance of memory, guilt, and identity, packed with twists that rolled right into one another without mercy.

It made me linger on a haunting paradox: if a mind forgets its sins, does the soul become innocent again? Can erased memories truly wash away the blood of a crime, or does guilt remain etched in the dark, waiting to wake? What binds a culprit to their actions—is it the cold proof of what their hands have done, or the quiet reckoning of a conscience that finally remembers? And when a killer is born out of sheer desperation and heartbreak, where do we weigh his sorrow against the shattered lives left behind—and how do the innocent ever find their justice?

Song Jin-seok made me feel so troubled yet deeply invested. The first half was intoxicating. Kim Mu-yeol, as Yoo-seok, brought so much devious charm and a cunning, suspicious air to the screen. Even though the script felt a bit bare at the start, the cinematography still held me in a gripping trance. The entire time, I was actively guessing who or what was behind that locked door. I even expected to find Jin-seok’s real brother inside; alas, it was so cool to be met with such an unforeseen truth. Watching Jin-seok observe Yoo-seok’s altered behavior and suspect him of being an impostor—only to discover later that he himself is the impostor in his own life—was hauntingly incredible.

There were so many scenes that made me jump even when I was completely braced for them. That girl in his nightmare who appears out of nowhere—my heart practically leapt out of my ribs! And that scene where Jin-seok tries to climb through the window and reason with the "mother" in the shimmering rain had me gripped and agonizing for him. Not to mention that freaky, unsettling smile from the "father"—whew!

The coolest moment in the whole film for me is when he realizes it’s 2017 and he’s actually 41. Damn, I experienced a massive, peak-level truth reveal right there. The hypnosis angle was so traumatic. Yoo-seok actually orchestrated the entire illusion to force Jin-seok to remember his past and confess. This tragically explored the destructive nature of repressed trauma and the fragility of human memory—as well as how one person’s craving for truth is simply another’s forgotten nightmare.

Honestly, discovering the hired actors behind that door was somehow even more traumatizing than finding a tied-up brother would have been.

The whole mission to make Jin-seok remember is wildly intense, and his real backstory is horrifying. No wonder he developed dissociative amnesia. He committed a double murder in 1997 just to save his sick, disabled brother. As the story culminates in a brutal confrontation where Jin-seok's memories finally return, it’s revealed that the doctor—the victim's own husband—actually hired Jin-seok to kill his wife so he could collect the insurance money. Sheesh! And to make matters worse, the doctor was accidentally killed during the struggle because of Jin-seok. Give me a break! All those deaths were so horrendous. It’s devastating that, unable to cope with the trauma and the fallout of the 1997 Asian financial crisis, he retreated into amnesia, creating a false reality where he was still a young man living happily with his parents. Tragically, delusion is sweeter than a horrific reality.

"Fuck, that night...Why didn't you kill that kid too?"

For some reason, I just knew that spared boy was Choi (the fake Yoo-seok). He suffered so much, too—robbed of his family and his father’s legacy, and left to survive in an orphanage. The kid was so sweet; he woke up from what was probably a lovely dream only to lose his entire family at just five years old!

Looking at what Choi did to seek vengeance and closure shows how deeply the need for justice runs. Instead of taking a legal route, he relied on practical and emotional manipulation, staging an elaborate play to let Jin-seok relive his youth and his false dream before shattering it—which ultimately consumed them both.

I love how the movie's title, Forgotten, not only represents erased memories, but also how both men were abandoned by society—one left behind in poverty during a financial collapse, and the other stripped of his family and future. It drastically amplifies the painful weight of the narrative. I really appreciated how the film explores the moral dilemma that justice feels empty if the perpetrator doesn't even know what they did. When Jin-seok finally remembers the truth, owns his crime, and forces Choi to confront his own conscience, the ultimate tragedy becomes clear: the monster Choi spent 20 years hunting no longer existed—until Choi resurrected him through hypnosis. In the end, both had to wrestle with a painful truth that might have been better left forgotten.

The movie also boasts an excellent musical score alongside a solid script and relentless twists. The actors were brilliant. The movie completely enticed me with its seamless transition from a claustrophobic, haunted-house thriller into a gut-wrenching tragedy about grief, survival, and repressed guilt.

Gonna go hunt for more hidden gems like this!

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?

Park Eun Bin is one of my favourite actors, however, when it comes to affection, romance scenes with ML's she comes last at the starting line.

Some series of hers where she lacks chemistry with ML.
- Extraordinary attorney Woo
- Castaway Diva
- WONDERfools.

Perhaps it would be best if she doesnt cast in rimaric series.

The story line is good and hilarious. The beautiful scenic views and not forgeting Jeju island that get promoted in every Korean series.

All the acting, individually is brilliant including the supporting actors.

It is worth the watch if you dont care about the chemistry between the FLand ML
Watch it on Netflix.

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Adult romance without sleeze

Beautiful romance with adult sex items and conversations but largely free of eroticism or sex itself. I loved this but don't give highest ratings to shows without more complexity that demand or deliver exceptional performances. This was relatively short and focused but is perfect in delivering what it sets out to do. The leads journeys stay interesting; the ML's is the more intriguing character but the FL has depth too. Both leads give very good performances, as do the support and other cast. A lot of credit to the writers, director and production team for the high quality, good pacing, and great dialogue here.

Some really great points about sex, pleasure, perceptions of adult toy products and more but it doesn't cover sexual pleasure or experience in any depth and skips the sleezy aspects of the pleasure industry entirely.

The script is excellent in what it covers until the last episode but I didn't feel convinced or satisfied by the endings it gave for some of the support characters.

ML is distractingly gorgeous and his emotionally withdrawn state opening up is played well - he is maddeningly attractive when his coldness warms. I loved him in "Love in Contract". He is very good and charming and however I did not feel this was an exceptional performance - something feels a bit standard though I'm unsure whether that was down to the actor, script, or direction.

FL does role well but nothing in her performance makes me keen to see her in something again.

The divorced aunt is the stand-out support character in this and really well played.

A few things where I was "why doesn't character do x here" and I don't get how brother's GF can keep her dance career. Plus I don't like how things ended up for the aunt.

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A big ole mess

Where to begin...

This show had so much potential and I can see the vision but it just really missed the mark. I'm a big fan of emotionally evocative and realistic plots that paint the world in a dull way. I like how it resembles real life and shows the beauty in the little moments. This show was trying to do that but ended up just missing the mark and the sad thing is that with this type of show, when you miss the mark, you really tank the whole thing.

A lot of the time it felt like these broken pieces just slapped together without any thread to connect them. We have awkward moments between the leads and emotions that seem to come out of nowhere. That being said., the actors did a fantastic job and making the most out of this script. They brought what little story there was to life.

I wish I could say more positive things, it wasn't the worst thing ever but I don't think I'll be rewatching any time soon.

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Average plot with no intensity as it demanded

The story lacked depth; each of the characters felt confusing. Even when the whole drama focused on the monarchy, redemption, and revolution, the very essence of these was weak. This could've been a very intriguing drama if all aspects were properly utilized, but they were utterly underdeveloped or left in the middle.

The main male lead barely did anything throughout, aside from being romance material. The side characters and the female lead (IU) carried the story. The backstory and the trauma didn't really stand out. The villain was easily captured and dealt with. The SML's villain arc also felt very forced. The relationship between IU's Dad and brother, too, was puzzling. The sister-in-law felt like she was faking her sweetness and was waiting to betray the family, but she didn't.

Romance was cute and fluffy; it did have me smiling from time to time, but everything else felt futile, knowing things could have been much more intense and interesting if the execution was done correctly. Investigations and police officers were just there for the name. As per my understanding, the former queen set the palace on fire, which caused the death of the former king. This part was literally ignored, and no one bothered to find out? Funny how she confessed her dad's deed but kept quiet about her own.

Also, a lot of things weren't really believable, such as Seong Huiju's assistant/secretary Do, who worked at her beauty company, suddenly having access to the whole palace and working as the Grand Prince's aide, and how a commoner's wealth was more than the royal family's, as Seong Huiju claimed throughout.

I watched it all for the aesthetics and wished for it to end as soon as possible, and when it did, it still felt incomplete. What happened to Prime Minister Min after being busted? Did the public ever find out about that, or even everything that happened within the palace? What about the other noble families? Their statuses were taken away from them abruptly; obviously, there should've been a stir, but nothing was shown apart from one table meeting. How come the former queen's father was the only one bad in the entire series?

Such a waste of good actors, aesthetics, and possibilities.

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Some of you wanted a happily-ever-after ending with kids, but for me, the ending was actually very fitting for the title itself, Where the Mask Ends.

However, I totally lost it during the last 10 minutes. Wow, I genuinely gasped at how things turned out!

We all know Tian Xiwei delivered an incredible performance as both Wei Rao and Jundai. Every time Jundai showed up, I found myself getting completely annoyed with her, while Wei Rao's strategic and cunning nature only made me love her even more. The contrast between the two characters was brilliantly portrayed!

The senior actresses were excellent, and I loved every bit of their performances. However, Han Liao was such a dumb villain haha. I actually liked her cousin better as a villain.

Overall, I really enjoyed the push-and-pull dynamic between Raozhou. They were so flirty with each other! And Lu Zhou? Such a good husband to Wei Rao.

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Lost Girl in a Forest

There are already several films about the 4·3 Incident on Jeju Island — about a historical tragedy and crime that many would prefer to erase. It is important that this story continues to be told as a warning and a lesson. The film can also serve as a test of conscience. This one does not really enter into political debates; instead, it shows how violence affects individual people, placing a six-year-old girl at its center. Her parents are there as well, but she is the heart of the film.

We watch the girl Hae-saeng wandering through the forest in search of safety. Her performance is not perfect, because she really is a small child, but what she lacks in acting technique is more than made up for by her likability and the gestures she makes. And at the moments when she expresses emotion that leaves an even stronger impression.

The natural landscape of Jeju Island contributes a great deal to the film. Nature radiates beauty and allows for some almost fairy-tale shots. The film is also imbued with a mystical tone that stands in contrasts with the dramatic and harrowing scenes of absurd violence inflicted on ordinary people. In this way, the film seems to suggest that there is something more — that despite injustice and tragedy, a higher force of life, hope, and meaning still remains.

P.S. The film’s title Hallan carries deep symbolism and receives its visual expression at the very end, as the camera shows Jeju Island.

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My First Chinese Historical Drama

How I Started

I am not very into C-dramas I have watched a couple of them and i liked some too but i am not too deep into them and I was so prejudiced against the historical ones because -please no offense- i find the clothing and make ups and hairs a bit non relatable? But this seemed ok to me and I was in a search and yes I am so happy about it.

My Thoughts
First of all I need to say the cinematography is insane, like everything was carefully designed to look good. Some parts of it made some little sense (like it's snowing outside but whole windows are open, there is always a breeze in the room so the hair looks fancier etc)
The stiry started off a bit weird for me with it having too much pig and butchering at the center but it became a side thing after some time so I suggest you to endure if you are like me.
The storyline was consisting contract marriage, secret identity, war, heroines and two strong leading characters. Also a lot of side characters and their storylines were also enjoyable.
Tbh I was not following the throne fights story line most carefully but it was wrapped up in a nice way too.
I fell in love with the Marquis, Yan Zheng, played by Zhang Ling He. He felt magical overall, he has a really handsome face but he also managed to make himself a bit almighty looking, one stare and I was dead lol

If I need to criticize something that would be how Fan Changyu, the fml was portrayed as strong but only when he is like a man enough. I don't like this narrative that a woman can be strong = she can do what men can do. That should not be the standard and it creates some untrue expectations for women to feel strong. I get that she was physically strong too but there were times it was impossible by nature that she could beat down some big generals in one go but she still did, and hence she was accepted as someone big. I don't think as women we should set standards for us like that. But again this is fiction and she was supposed to rise up in that sense too.

Overall the story was captivating, acting was nice, backgrounds and music was really good so I am really glad that I gave this a chance!!

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One of the best modern romcom / slice-of-life / coming-of-age dramas :)

I don't think I've ever given a 10 to a drama from this genre, but in Katsuo's words, this was 'KANPEKI' [PERFECT] even though the writer would argue that perfection doesn't exist, and we're all works-in-progress.

The Story:

This is a story of Katsuo and Ayumi who have been dating since college and break up in Episode 1 after Ayumi grows tired of him belitting her with his chauvinistic and patriarchal remarks/lifestyle. Instead of dwelling largely on the past, the show focuses on the leads' present with small snippets of the past that explain the way their relationship was and how it reached the point of break-up. We see Katsuo and Ayumi take a journey of re-discovering their lives; who they were, who they are, and who they want to be. Katsuo begins to cook as a way of learning about Ayumi and her struggles in making the perfect dishes for him. Ayumi gets a pink hairstyle, drops her perfect demeanour and attempts to break free and re-discover herself and what she likes. The leads begin to experience a new world with new friends, potential love interests, and hobbies but on some level, they also gain an insight on each other as individuals and on their relationship together.


What makes the writing so so stellar:

First of all, this was written by a rookie writer, who wrote a drama for the first time. MAD RESPECT. She knew exactly what she was doing, and the story / interactions wasn't developed off a thin premise. She created these characters, and stayed true to every single one of them all the way till the end, without caring about how unconventional the sub-plots / journey might have been. This was truly worthy of being the breakout drama of the season.

All the characters were real and flawed. Nobody is perfect, and everybody is a work-in-progress. The drama never tries to impose or sell a gold standard of a relationship, other than the value of communication, observation, and change.

And it is so so rare to have a drama discuss identity of a person both in a relationship and outside a relationship. Romance dramas focus so much on giving us the heart-fluttering moments, the angst, the love / connection but rarely talk about what happens after 2 people date. How one's identity can get enmeshed in a relationship and how an individual can retain their identity while playing the role of partner. This drama exceeded my expectations in the discussion and journey of identity-building and relationship-forming.

Katsuo begins as a chauvinistic patriarchal male who you can't stand. But as the show progresses, he begins to notice how he belittles others, imposes his own patriarchal and traditional upbringing on to others especially women. While his habit of nitpicking remains, he becomes more and empathetic of other people's struggles and choices. Despite his yearning and love for Ayumi, he never throws himself at her or forces his desire on her. He gives her the space after the breakup to explore her own life, and explore his own too, as he begins to take charge of his groceries, cooking, household chores. Throughout the drama, he watches an 80s/90s melodrama on TV which he initially idolises as the ultimate romance. He even plans a proposal to Ayumi in Episode 1 at the same restaurant the hero in the drama proposes at, but by the last episode, as he watches the leads in the drama get back together after the ridiculous trial and tribulations they went through, he almost resigns and realises that his and Ayumi's relationship was over in Episode 1 itself. Even though they are communicating more perfectly now, they can't go back to that romantic relationship anymore because they're not the same people anymore. And because they've evolved, those feelings have evolved too. Both of them will always love each other and have a place for each other, but that itself is not enough.

Ayumi begins as the gentle, quiet, sweet female whose life revolves around pleasing Katsuo and cooking / cleaning / looking after him after work. But we see that she deceived herself into believing that she needed to be a certain way to be worthy of love. As her world opens up with new friends, she realises that she can be herself. But she questions who she is? Because at some level, she always saw herself in a relational way of who she wants to be like, or who she doesn't want to be like rather than who she is. She begins to date, to express her likes / dislikes and even takes the risk of trying to open a restuarant of her own.

In Episode 9, both of them sit at the grill together for the first time enjoying a meal they swore off on during college. Now they've changed, and they're able to enjoy it together. But are they really just lingering on the relationship they never got to have or on the growing tension between them each episode with the 'will-they / will-they-not, or do they truly envision a future with each other? In the end, both of them evolve from lovers to friends, and find closure to the break-up in Episode 1. While that is sad, you got to give it to the writer because it makes sense. Not every relationship ends with that perfect happily-ever-after, and that is completely fine. Their lives aren't over, and they're only just re-setting and re-starting.

The discussion on patriarchy and identity: men are not presented in a black-and-white manner. You have men who are deeply entrenched in patriarchy, and there are men who stepped out of it. The drama presents this in the most beautiful way - it's not about teaching men a lesson and putting them in their place, or asserting that women are superior / play the harder role because they do housework. Rather, that we are humans, and how about we communicate with each other human-to-human rather than assuming the roles and titles of a man/woman, which boxes us and categorises us in some way. No matter what your family did and taught you, you can change. you are you. No matter what society expects of you, you are you. No matter what gender you are boxed in, you are you. We are all unique, and human before anything else.

Let's talk about the platonic friendship between the various characters. Tsubaki and Katsuo have such a beautiful platonic friendship which starts off when they match on a dating app. They're 2 hot young accomplished people, and the writer never tries to get them in a situation where just because they're male/female, they have to catch feelings even though to some, they may look like the perfect match. It's clear that the female co-worker begins to like Katsuo, but again the writer never tries to force that relationship down just because they are men / women who work closely. Ayumi and the male/female who are dating (forgot their names) - such a beautiful relationship as they support each other. This could have been messy with either of these characters dating / having sex with each other but the writer doesn't go there. It's not needed. She stays true to the characters and the idea that men / women can have strong platonic friendships. Even 2 people who dated in the past can grow up and genuinely have a mature, easy-going uncomplicated friendship where they wish the best for each other. Through the drama, all these characters grow together.

The acting -

Takeuchi Ryoma OH MY GOD. This guy has found a fan in me after this drama. He has grown by leaps and bounds as an actor. While the script was stellar, I don't think this character would have worked if we had another actor play him. He became the character, and made Katsuo so endearing and loveable while annoying. He truly carried the drama.

Kaho, as always, conveyed the subtle changes Ayumi went through during the drama with such nuance. She wasn't dramatic in presenting that change and had the right restraint and energy as Ayumi.

Nakajo Ayami as Tsubaki is another actor who has grown by leaps and bounds. She had such a fun, energetic presence on this show compared to her stiff acting in her earlier works.

Everybody else was great.

The technical aspects of the drama -

I enjoyed the quirky OST as well. The direction was spot on, without any filler scenes or badly lit frames / angles. I have no critique on this aspect.

In fact, there is nothing about this drama that could have been done better. I would love for this to have a special or a 2nd season because I loved these characters so much. I would love to know where they are, what they are doing, and who they are dating. .

A big THANK YOU to the writer, the cast and the crew for this gem. This is one of those J-dramas that absolutely everyone needs to watch once.

Highly highly recommended for all :)

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