Reviews

Kyaaa!!! Soo freaking cute!!! Give me a season 2 right now!!!

I've been Eito's fan since Takara's treasure. That's how i found this one. Loved Takara's treasure which was also my 1st bl but i think i loved this much much more. Literally every character was lovable, mayama, his brother, asamiya, his friends literally everyone.

I literally loved every second of it. I really loved how Asamiya was giving me 2nd hand embarrassing while saying unhinged things with straight face🤭. How Mayama grew throughout the show and became Asamiya 2.0. Another new thing i saw here was that although it seemed like the friends knew they didn't.

But now i want a season 2 cz i want to see them come out to their families. I wanna see how Mayama's brother would react to Asamiya taking his baby brother🤭🤭. I wanna see how Sakaki and Hikaru's story goes cz they hinted that Sakaki has a crush on Hikaru. Also the show ended in the beginning of the main cp's story and before the 2nd cp's story started so i want more. I want to see Mayama and Asamiya's 1st onsen date and their 1st time at each other's place etc..

Rn it's a really good ending BUT I just want more🥺🥺

Read More

Come for the Story, Not the Romance

I’ll be honest: I came into The Road to Splendid after watching The Melody of Golden Age, and I was obsessed with Ding Yuxi and Ancy Deng as a couple there. Even two years later, I was still obsessed with their chemistry. But watching this made me realize something: chemistry doesn’t necessarily just come from the actors—it also comes from the characters they’re playing and how their relationship is written.

I genuinely wish they could have combined the couple vibes and chemistry of The Melody of Golden Age with the storyline and writing of The Road to Splendid, because that would have given us a masterpiece.

But did I enjoy this? Absolutely. It was actually amazing.

I wouldn’t necessarily call it binge-worthy, though. I never had that feeling of, “I NEED to watch the next episode right now,” but I was also never bored. It never dragged, and every time I watched it, I was entertained. It’s one of those dramas that is extremely enjoyable to watch without necessarily becoming an obsession.

The biggest strength of this drama is easily the writing.

Honestly, the storyline was top-notch. I kept expecting it to eventually fall apart, become lazy, or start getting boring, and it never did. The story remained strong, captivating, and incredibly well-structured from beginning to end. I genuinely couldn’t find a major gap in the storyline, which is something very hard for me to say.

The way the drama was divided into different arcs was also insanely well done. You would have one arc for several episodes, then naturally move into another, and everything flowed exactly as it should. There was constantly something new happening without the story ever feeling crowded or messy.

My only issue with the revenge storyline is that I don’t think the revenge had enough emotional intensity behind it until much later. I wish there had been more angst and a stronger emotional drive toward the revenge earlier on.

And speaking of revenge, my biggest complaint is that the villains did not suffer enough.

The entire Yu family boiled my blood.

Madam Yu simply forgetting everything at the end did not feel like enough punishment. I actually wish she had remembered everything and had to live with what she had done rather than existing in her own little loop without remembering any of it.

Young Master Yu frustrated me even more because I kept expecting him to eventually redeem himself. There were moments where I genuinely thought the story was heading in that direction, but even toward the end, he was still willing to sacrifice his own servants. I really wanted him to understand what he had done and redeem himself, and he never did.

That entire family was a mess. They were willing to sacrifice their own son, and then somehow the son was still okay with taking care of his mother afterward. Even the father’s death felt too easy to me. After everything that family did, I wanted much harsher consequences for them.

On the other hand, I actually didn’t mind Fan Yake getting a redemption arc. I was happy with that choice, although I still don’t understand why she didn’t go back and bring her son. That felt incredibly selfish.

Still, I think she deserved some kind of happy ending because the story made it clear that she was never really chasing wealth or money. What she wanted was respect, and she never received it. She was deeply insecure, and once you understand where that insecurity comes from, it becomes much easier to have compassion for her.

That’s actually another thing the show did very well: the characters feel realistic and morally complicated.

The drama isn’t filled with perfect green-flag characters. Even the male lead is gray, and the female lead is definitely gray as well. Especially at the beginning, she was very drawn toward wealth, status, glory, and everything that came with them. The show allows its characters to be flawed, selfish, ambitious, and complicated without making them impossible to understand.

That brings me to the main couple.

This is DEFINITELY a female-power, storyline-oriented drama rather than a romance-oriented one. If you’re coming specifically for the romance, I would honestly recommend The Melody of Golden Age instead.

The romance here is important and fundamental to the storyline, but it never feels like the center of the drama. Their love is technically deep, but I never got that overwhelming feeling of years of yearning or some huge, devastating love story. Their relationship feels much more like support, partnership, and being a power couple.

Chemistry-wise, I surprisingly didn’t feel the same vibe here, even though I was obsessed with them together in The Melody of Golden Age. But I think that goes back to what I said at the beginning: chemistry isn’t necessarily only about the actors. Sometimes it’s about the characters and the way their relationship is written.

The drama barely gives them sweet moments. Their relationship is much more angst-driven and often functions as fuel for the larger storyline and revenge arc. The romance is there, it’s enjoyable, and it’s a beautiful addition to the story, but it’s subtle.

They also gave me very old-married-couple vibes. The formality between them, the whole “Mr. Zhao” dynamic—it made their relationship feel much more mature and established rather than youthful or openly romantic.

I really wish we had gotten more sweetness after everything they went through. Even one extra episode showing their life together as a genuinely happy couple would have made a huge difference. The romantic side of their relationship never really gets its own resolution because almost everything that happens between them exists to serve the larger plot.

Now, the actors.

Ding Yuxi—I love him.

I loved his styling here. He looked gorgeous, and I really enjoyed his performance. He’s obviously known for his micro-expressions, and this drama is full of them. Although I will say I kind of wish he would start exploring some new ones because I keep seeing the same expressions.

But acting-wise, I genuinely think he has improved a lot since The Melody of Golden Age. He seems much less tight and much less stiff than before, and his performance feels more natural.

I also liked his character, but I did feel that his character essentially existed for the female lead. Everything he did and everything he eventually became was for her.

What I appreciated is that the drama actually acknowledges this. She herself admits that she regrets making him go through everything he did so that she could pursue and enjoy glory. I love that kind of honesty and self-awareness from characters.

And then we have Ancy Deng.

Her acting has improved amazingly. You can genuinely see how much she has advanced, and she delivered a very solid performance here.

Also, she was breathtaking. Her eyes are the perfect shade of golden, and her styling, costumes, and overall presence were gorgeous. It genuinely made me happy seeing how much both of them have improved as actors since The Melody of Golden Age.

Another absolute star of this drama was the cinematography.

This is easily some of the best cinematography I’ve seen this year. There were so many scenes where I genuinely stopped and thought, “This is gorgeous. This is so well shot.”

The fact that they filmed in real environments, especially the desert scenes, made such a difference. You could feel that they were actually there, and it gave the drama a scale and realism that elevated the entire production.

Between the writing and cinematography, those are probably the two biggest strengths of the show.

And obviously, the OSTs were amazing. Liu Yuning’s OST, especially—his OSTs never miss. The music throughout the drama was excellent and added even more to an already very polished production.

Overall, this was an incredibly well-produced, well-directed, beautifully shot, and extremely well-written drama.

Conceptually, it’s not necessarily doing anything revolutionary. It’s your female-power, revenge, kingdom politics, status, and court-intrigue kind of story. We’ve seen these elements before. What makes this drama stand out is simply how well it executes them.

And I have to specifically praise the ending.

After the amount of badly wrapped-up endings we’ve gotten this year, I was genuinely impressed by how well-written the final episode was. The story actually took the time to wrap everything up. The different arcs were resolved, the characters got their endings, and nothing major felt randomly abandoned.

My only wish, again, was that we had gotten a little more of the main couple afterward—just a few fluffy scenes of them finally living happily together after basically getting no fluff throughout the entire drama.

I also have to give a memorable mention to the supporting characters. Her maids, San, his buddies—so many of them were genuinely likable, and I wish we had gotten more of their relationships and interactions.

But that brings me back to the main point:

The Road to Splendid was never really about the relationships. It was about the story.

So if you’re going into this looking for romance because you loved Ding Yuxi and Ancy Deng in The Melody of Golden Age, adjust your expectations. But if you want a solid, tightly written, female-led story with court intrigue, revenge, great characters, beautiful cinematography, excellent production, and multiple well-executed arcs, I definitely recommend it.

It’s not a drama that I think will necessarily stick with me for years, and it wasn’t something I felt desperate to binge. But while I was watching it, I was consistently entertained, never bored, and genuinely impressed by how well everything was put together.

More entertaining than binge-worthy, but an incredibly solid drama—and easily one of the better-written and best-shot shows I’ve watched this year.

Read More

A World of Two Maniacs

People often look at us and say, "Both of them are completely crazy." Yes... we are crazy ones. But our madness falls into a category called love—one that the outside world cannot control and that exists only between the two of us. In this world, people love, value, and cherish each other in countless ways. As for us, we just happen to fall deeper for each other's most unhinged and wild behavior.
Even though we came from completely different backgrounds, the moment we crossed paths, a private world began to form—one that no one else could ever comprehend. Your stubbornness and your recklessly bold decisions might seem meaningless to others, but to me, everything about you is captivating. Just as I can fully understand your madness, no one else but you could ever accept my dark side and my own chaotic nature.
Inside our own little world, the rest of the universe no longer matters. We never cared about rules, criticism, or the judging eyes of those around us. You are my one and only master, and I am the one who will hold onto your madness with absolute devotion.
No matter how the world judges us, inside this world created by just the two of us... as long as you and I are together, this madness will remain forever beautiful, like an eternal poem

Read More

fast-paced and entertaining

The Apartment Job is an entertaining and fast-paced series that knows exactly what kind of show it wants to be. It combines action, suspense and a surprisingly light sense of humor, making it an easy and enjoyable watch without becoming too heavy or predictable.

The strongest element is its pacing. The story moves quickly, with enough twists and unexpected situations to keep things interesting, while the action sequences give the series plenty of energy. At the same time, it is not completely humorless: there are moments of comedy and lighter character interactions that provide a nice contrast to the more intense scenes.

The characters are another positive aspect. They are not all equally developed, but there is enough personality within the main group to make you care about what happens to them. The chemistry between the characters also helps the series avoid feeling like a simple succession of action scenes.

That said, The Apartment Job is not without weaknesses. Some plot developments feel a little convenient, and certain characters or storylines could have benefited from more depth. The series occasionally prioritizes momentum and entertainment over realism or emotional complexity. If you are looking for a deeply character-driven drama, this probably will not satisfy you completely.

But as an action thriller with a lighter touch, it works quite well. It does not take itself excessively seriously, and that is part of its charm. The balance between action, tension and humor makes it considerably more enjoyable than a purely serious thriller.

Overall, The Apartment Job is a fun, engaging and well-paced watch. It may not be particularly groundbreaking, but it delivers what it promises and manages to keep things entertaining throughout.

Read More

The Cases Kept Me Watching, the Bromance Kept Me Hooked

I liked the quick pace, but at the same time, I occasionally felt like the story was moving a little too quickly. Some cases had enough going on that I wouldn't have minded longer episodes, especially when the mystery was starting to get interesting.

The different cases also helped keep things interesting. Some were definitely more engaging than others, but I liked that they didn't all feel the same. Most of the investigations were handled pretty well, and the progression usually made sense. There were a few interrogation scenes, though, where I completely lost the serious mood because they were unintentionally hilarious. 😂

And then there's the bromance, which honestly makes up for a lot. I really like these two together. They're so different that you'd think they'd constantly get on each other's nerves, and they do, but somehow that's exactly what makes their dynamic so entertaining. Zhao Shao Shang is active, expressive, and always making his presence known, while Yuan Hong is much quieter and more observant. I love their little arguments and the way they constantly bounce off each other. Their interactions don't even have to move the plot forward for me to enjoy them. Sometimes they can literally just stand there arguing about something stupid and I'll still be entertained.

Zhao is hilarious because he’s basically a dramatic guy who was desperate for validation during the earlier episodes. He tries so hard to prove that he’s useful, and whenever he gets sulky or jealous, he somehow becomes even more adorable. 😂 He can be ridiculously bratty at times, but that’s exactly what makes him so entertaining.

Episode 34 really broke my heart for Zhao. 😭 It also showed how easily people can look at someone from a well-off family and assume they’re spoiled or have an easy life. What really got me was seeing how vulnerable he actually was beneath all those assumptions. His intelligence, quick thinking, and love for traditional culture make it clear that there’s much more to him than people realize. It felt so painfully real—the way status, jealousy, and assumptions can make people forget that someone can still be hurting underneath it all. Zhao may have grown up privileged, but he’s still just a lost young man who hasn’t quite found his direction yet.

Also, this is completely random, but there are certain angles and certain expressions where Zhao reminds me a little of Korean actor Gong Yoo. 😂 I can't quite explain it because it's definitely not an all-the-time resemblance. It's more like he'll make a certain expression or I'll see him from a particular angle, and suddenly I'll get a tiny Gong Yoo flash. Maybe it's the facial structure, the eyes, or just the way his face looks in certain scenes, but once I noticed it, I couldn't unsee it.

But there’s more to him than that. He’s actually very smart, has a genuine love for traditional culture, and is excellent at investigations. I really enjoy watching him work through a case because it shows just how capable he is. That contrast between his bratty behavior and sharp investigative mind makes him such a fun character to watch.

Yuan Hong, on the other hand, is much more understated. He may not be as immediately noticeable as Zhao, but I like that he’s the quiet, observant one. He tends to watch and take things in rather than rushing into things, which makes him a nice contrast to Zhao’s more active personality. Even when he isn’t saying much, his reactions to Zhao’s antics can be pretty entertaining. 😂 And this might just be me, but he occasionally gives me a tiny Rain vibe too. 😂

Please excuse my very random Gong Yoo/Rain observations. My brain sees what it sees. 😂

What makes it even better is that Zhao is completely aware of the privilege his status gives him. Why bother asking properly when he can just casually drop his name and let everyone connect the dots themselves? Need a favor? Hint at it. Want something done? Make a suggestion. Want to intimidate someone? Say something vaguely threatening. He knows exactly what he’s doing.

And then... that ending. 😭 The story just suddenly leaves us hanging with such an abrupt, open ending. It definitely feels like there are still things left unfinished, so I'm really hoping this is setting things up for Season 2.

Read More

Boy Friendship From Enmity to Brothers

[For your knowledge: NO ROMANCE IN THIS STORY.]



This is the best boy friendship short drama I have watched, till now.



It follows the two boys' emotional journey from mutual enmity to understanding, acceptance and brotherhood.

A story highly recommended for teenagers and young people.



THE ACTING

The acting of the two main leads was convincing and mature. Mature enough to achieve the following:

At the beginning, express the great differences of the two characters while at the same time conveying an undertone of them sharing something deep in common.

Then, during their dramatic journey, they managed to portray their respected characters' gradual tranformation, but not only as separate characters. They managed to show how the two characters gradually found their common inner ground and grew more on their similarities than their differences.

Since their physique is very different to help achieve the impression of such similarity, the fact that they managed to succesfully portray the journey of this complex relationship displays their professionalism and their potential for a wide range of roles.



The secondary characters were good as well, some with more feeling layers (such as the butler) and some more



The script is well written, without plot holes and, apart from the magic of soulswapping, nothing else happens which is not logical. Their is a part where things go more slowly than I would have liked (but it might have been my anxiety from watching c-dramas instead of working!).

The dramatic journey is smooth, the main characters' development and the secondary characters' as well, is gradual, while there are enough moments of comic relief, intertwined with dramatic tones to balance the many-many touching scenes.

The misunderstandings with the father and with their classmate do get resolved more quickly than they ought to have, but that is a comment for a film, not a series, let alone a short drama produced under pressure.





THE CASTING-DIRECTING-EDITING-CINEMATOGRAPHY



The casting was formidable!!!...but you certainly expected this objective critique, didn't you?



The directing is fine, makes sense all the way, without any of the annoying cheap decisions of short dramas. Au contraire, there are some optically pleasing decisions (frame-in frame, and camera angles mostly) and many scenes with really good staging.



I think the editing follows the directing, both on a technical level (it makes sense!) but aesthetically too. Since transitions are normal and there isn't a hint of the annoying unstoppable jumpcutting without a cause.



The cinematography is technically robust, whith very good lighting choices, interesting depth of field in various scenes, while the colour is vivid and balanced all throughout the drama.



SCENOGRAPHY-COSTUMES-HAIRSTYLING-MAKE UP



The scenography is aesthetically coherent and the spaces match the characters well, without exaggerations or optical storysigns for dummies. (Ok, there does appear a hillarious portrait somewhere in the story, and yes, it is an optical exaggeration, but I think it suits the script at that point, as it provides comic relief, and it undermines the portaryed character's authority). (And yes, it is so absurdly hillarious that I have been thinking whether it is an inside joke towards the portrayed actor and not the portrayed character!).



The costumes are generally alright, very well matched to the characters. But not only – they are moreover well chosen in relation to the settings too (a rarity in dramaland). They also follow the plot quite beautifully as the main characters and their loved ones trasform.



The hairdos of main and second characters are just...perfectly suited! Just that, what more can be said?



The makeup is also fairly good and it did not follow the usual unneeded extremities of dramaland . The secondary characters have good make up too, which is also rare, and a rest for the audience's eyes. It would have been nice if a less white tone was given to Li Pei Yang's complexion; though the principle of contrasts does work in this story, the contrast seemed a bit more than needed in some scenes. But that is a little drop in the ocean.



THE SOUND

The sound? The sound was good in the video I watched (unbelievable, nay?)!





ALL IN ALL

If not addicted to kissing scenes it is worth your while,

and the two actors are good professionals.





P.S.: When refering to dramatic journey, I mean the inner, emotional, journey of the whole story, or of the individual characters.

Read More

SDP,DAP AND RABGEL, ILOVEU TO THE MOON AND BACK

Ini versi keduanya alias lanjutan dari DAP, disini fokus nyeritain struggle story love Drake, Alys and Tripp, cukup rumit, kompleks, tapi juga so PROUD sama Rabin, Angela, also Zeke yang acting nya totalitas sekali apalagi si Angela, banyak scene nangisnya, marah-marahnya, top deh, and aku juga keinget kata-kata Tripp waktu Drake & Alys saying sorry of all the things happens to him, respon Tripp justru nyadarin aku akan sesuatu, setiap hal apapun yang terjadi pasti ada alasannya dan hal itupun yang membuat Drake, Alys and Tripp sampai dititik ini, dengan terjadinya semua itu kita jadi tahu siapa sebenarnya yang kita cinta, kita sayang dan kita perjuangkan, and Tripp saying that his not regret to loving Alys, JLEB BGT DAH, meskipun cape liat alurnya tapi begitulah perjuangan cinta, se luar biasa itu, sedih banget sih sekarang udah end, nemenin dan nonton dari awal dong SDP, dan nonton DAP pun Ongoing tapi memuaskan, dan Terima Kasih juga kepada my friend Rasy, sudah bersedia membaca atau mendengarkan cerita tentang DAP, he also my happiness too, tq ya, here the end, Dating Alys Perez n Seducing Drake Palma n also Rabin Angeles and Angela Muji and also direk christ, i would say, I LOVE YOU, TO THE MOON AND BACK!!!

Read More

A Beautiful Drama to Imprison the Heart

I've been on a Liu Nu Ying binge the past couple of weeks and this drama has been one of the highlights. I may also start to binge Song Zu Er now as well, haha!

This drama had some of the healthiest communication I've seen between two leading characters. As someone else said, any misunderstandings or roadblocks placed in their way only brought them closer. UGH! AMAZING. Granted, all of this done while preserving what generally draws me, and others, to dramas like this which is a ruthless male lead. As he grows closer to Qiao Man, that edge is not softened but honed by her own gentleness and cunning.

The real star of the show, I will say, has to be Song Zu Er as Qiao Man. I'm someone that struggles with female leads because their actions are easy to judge (being a woman myself). I feel a lot of dramas reduce women down to their stereotypes (vapid, jealous, flighty, etc) or completely erase their femininity (overly masculine, aggressive, abrasive, etc). Qiao Man is written to be like water, soft, unassuming, but capable of carving through mountains. Her tenacity, intelligence, and wisdom are something I've truly never seen in a drama before (or at least I haven't found a drama like it yet). Actually, all the female roles in this drama are excellently written and portrayed. Even the more villainous women.

The main focus of this drama is the relationship between to the two leads. However, the world building, OST and music score, and cast are fantastic. The villains are also good, though I found them less villains and more victims to the circumstances pushed on them.

All in all, this drama was excellently written, performed, and filmed by all involved. Also, one of the sweetest 'first night' scenes I've ever watched.

Read More

The power of great story telling

I thought I would wait until I finish watching the show before writing any reviews but I changed my mind.
Against the current is truly a masterpiece, in most drama that involves politics and romance story, we always look forward to the episode where both the Leads show how much they care about each other and how the romance part plays out, and usually come half way through the show,However we are over the half way mark and the lead haven't even star showing affection towards each other and we are loving it. So far no intimacy is use to move forward the story. Most shows by mid way loss focus and rely on the couple affection to continue to keep engaging the audience instead against the current great dialogue, realistic reaction to human emotions to convey their messages. The show is well written, and the actors are great, the supportive cast are also excellent and ever part of the story are interviewing into the main story then you not need nudity to convey the message.
We might get one or two kissing scene in this show before it's over but we already committed to coming back every day to watch without fast forwarding because we know we are going to be entertained anyway. If you are on the fence where you should watch pls do start watching, you will not regret doing so.Kudos to everyone involved in the project. I might even dear say the story line is better rewriting than in the pursuit of Jade, we had a great visual of leads in the pursuit of Jade however, against the current has fantastic actors and a better script .

Read More

Come for the Heat, Stay for the Heart

Summertime announces itself very quickly as a Korean BL that is not interested in playing it safe. The sexual content is unusually explicit for a KBL, particularly given that the characters are 19-year-old high school seniors, and anyone uncomfortable with that should know it before starting. But reducing this drama to its provocative scenes would be a mistake. What surprised me most was how emotionally intelligent and genuinely moving it became.

Cha Do Hyeon and Yeo Eun Ho have known each other their entire lives. Their fathers were friends, their families are intertwined, and neither boy really remembers a life without the other in it. Do Hyeon has long understood that Eun Ho occupies a place in his life no one else does. Eun Ho, however, has never had much reason to examine their relationship at all. Do Hyeon is simply Do Hyeon—the person who has always been there.

That changes when romantic and sexual feelings begin forcing their way into a relationship that has existed comfortably for 19 years.

What Summertime does exceptionally well is take that disruption seriously. This isn’t simply a story about someone realizing he is attracted to another boy. Eun Ho has to confront what it means to suddenly see his lifelong best friend differently, what changing their relationship might cost them, and what these feelings mean for his understanding of himself. Even in a heterosexual romance, realizing you have fallen for a lifelong friend could destabilize a relationship you value enormously. Add an unexpected same-sex attraction, adolescence, graduation, and the uncertainty of approaching adulthood, and Eun Ho’s confusion feels remarkably believable.

Some of the strongest stretches of the drama are surprisingly quiet. Characters wander, think, avoid each other, remember, make terrible decisions, and try to understand emotions for which they don’t yet have the vocabulary. There is humor, but it arises naturally from the characters rather than turning the story into a comedy. One particularly funny sequence involving Eun Ho attempting to let chance determine his feelings manages to be adorable while also revealing exactly how desperately he wants a different answer from the one he already knows.

Kwon I Hyeon, a gay transfer student who initially seems positioned primarily as a romantic rival, becomes something more useful to the story. His presence forces some uncomfortable feelings into the open, but he also provides Eun Ho with a perspective he doesn’t have elsewhere. Importantly, he doesn’t hand Eun Ho an answer about his sexuality or tell him what he should do. Eun Ho still has to figure that out for himself.

The central relationship works because the drama establishes intimacy long before romance. Do Hyeon and Eun Ho know one another’s habits, families, weaknesses, and routines. They take care of each other almost automatically. That history gives even ordinary interactions emotional weight and makes the prospect of changing—or losing—the relationship feel consequential.

The chemistry between Seong In Ho (Do Hyeon) and Kim Do Min (Eun Ho) is excellent. It is certainly physical, and the drama does not leave much doubt about that, but the more impressive chemistry is in the quieter moments. Their comfort together feels lived-in. As Eun Ho’s understanding of Do Hyeon changes, the way he looks at him changes too, and that gradual shift is far more convincing than simply having the script announce that he has fallen in love.

The drama also understands that first love doesn’t happen in isolation. These boys are standing at the end of high school, when the lives they have always known are about to change. Questions about university, work, family expectations, self-worth, and who they want to become gradually become as important as the question of whether they want each other. For such short episodes, Summertime manages to explore a surprising amount without feeling like a checklist of coming-of-age issues.

It isn’t flawless. Some secondary characters remain fairly thin, and a few adults offer advice so spectacularly questionable that I wanted to climb through the screen and intervene. The short runtime also means certain transitions happen quickly. But the central relationship receives the attention it needs, and the writing repeatedly trusts small moments and behavior to communicate things that could easily have been overexplained.

And yes, the NC content is explicit—occasionally startlingly so. What ultimately impressed me, though, is that the physicality isn’t the drama’s substitute for emotional development. If anything, some of its most powerful episodes contain very little physical intimacy at all. Desire creates the crisis; the emotional consequences are where the story becomes compelling.

At only ten short episodes, Summertime accomplishes more character development than many BLs manage with twice the runtime. I started it thinking, “What on earth am I watching?” I finished it thinking about identity, friendship, first love, growing up, and how frightening it can be to discover that the person who has always been part of your past may also be the person you want in your future.

A surprisingly thoughtful, emotionally intense coming-of-age BL hiding underneath one very provocative first impression.

Read More

Wow! The men are all good-looking! 😍🤣🤭🥰 Like, truly handsome. Not make-believe. Such a rare circumstance. 🤣🤣🤣🤣 esp. for a low-budget drama. What a feast for the eyes! 🤭👍🏻🤣👍🏻

I had trouble emotionally connecting with the story at first because I settled for an AI-dubbed version since it was in English, and so I didn't have to read subtitles. Geez, what a mistake!

Is it just me or what? I've never seen a man who doesn't have a romantic vibe such as the ML. 🤣🤣🤣🤣This is my first time watching him in a drama. He's undeniably good-looking and sure knows how to act, but it seems like he'd fit best in action, suspense, thriller, even (villain roles) or anything like that rather than romance. The second lead has a more romantic vibe than him--the ML. He looks like an intellectual. He can make a woman swoon, but isn't romantic. Sigh. I am not sure how to explain it well. 🤣🤣🤣🤣 I feel like he has great potential, just in the wrong genre. I'll try watching his other dramas to confirm what I am sensing. I feel like he has great potential, just in the wrong genre.

The FL is pretty convincing. I didn't like the characters this couple has to portray. They're not truly grounded in reality. The emperor? Tsk. Although none of them are truly morally upright, I find the supporting characters far more interesting than the main characters, like the second prince. His character is in the gray area, as is the crown princess. Their characters are more relatable than the others. A person can still be selfish even if they're not corrupt, and a good person may side with the immoral out of desperation for survival, but eventually return to their right senses.

Read More

The final episodes (9,10) were a disgrace to the actors and the viewers!

I do understand why many people are pissed at this series. Everything was just fine till the end of ep 8 and then it went really into the crapper... Why is EunHo so insecure all of a sudden? That pissed me off... he never acted like that and than "voila" he was. And then is the reveal, that everything was just EunHos imagination and a dream. I do understand why people feel betrayed. What did the screenwriter and director smoke to do it that way? What was the goal behind it? Is it just to be "true" to the original work? Or could it be for a S2 to make it all different?

So my rating reflect the "dream" EunHo had, which would have been fine if they had choosen not to reveal it. They did everything right and it could have been one of the stellar korean productions we have seen this year, but no, they had to ruin it. Production quality was good, the acting was good for the most part, the kissing and nc-scenes were done from sensible to hot. All of it is fine... only the dream story is not. When we think they get together everything breaks apart.

Also a word to the sentence "some scenes where made with the help of AI". I want to share a bit of light on that. They used AI for weather effects. So they did not waste tons of water for rain, they only watered a small area and let AI fill in the rest. Also when the weather was not as beautiful as required the AI helped with removing clouds or color the leaves. In this case the use of AI made sense, helped save budget and they did not do anything cringe or akward with it.

If you watch this, you will be disappointed. And if you have watched it, you felt like your time was wasted with a dream. We can dream for ourselves, that's not why a BL exist. Update: After I read some comments, even the Manwha did not end that way. So "STUDIO OAK" what was the fucking reason to make it that way? Gays can only be happy in their dreams? 🤬

Read More