Reviews

Went In Doubting, Left Loving

I put this drama off for weeks because I thought I wouldn’t like it. Recent dramas had been disappointing me, and I judged this one before even giving it a chance. Glad I finally did, because I genuinely enjoyed it!

The story started intensely but soon balanced comedy, emotions, romance, and action. However, sone parts in initial episodes were frustrating. Tae Ha keeping the truth from Eun Sae made me anxious because every time she regained a memory, she ended up approaching dangerous people.
The psychologist also irritated me with his insecurity around Tae Ha and his reckless decision to contact Eun Sae’s boyfriend.
But, my feelings towards both characters changed as the story progressed.

By the end, I had fallen in love with everyone in Taffy Village.
(I even felt little bit sorry for Baek Sang Hil in the end but he had it coming. His connection to the coach, which I first thought was unnecessary, turned out to add an interesting layer to his story.)

The final episodes were so cute and lovey-dovey.

A few things I especially loved:

- So glad they didn't kill off Grandma!
- So glad they didn't kill the dog or taffy village members for emotional impact.
- The dog being part of the engagement, wedding, and ending was everything!
- Taffy Village completely won my heart.
- The psychologist grew on me, too.
- The coach’s wife defending him was hilarious.

Overall, it’s not the best drama out there, but it was so much more enjoyable than I expected. A wholesome, fun, emotional, and cute watch with characters who gradually grow on you. ❤️

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was hoping for more from yinwar

it's not a bad show - but there is so much room for improvement, and with the hand that the producers are dealt (having yin and war as the main actors) they are not utilizing it well at all. the two are an incredible pair and there's only so much acting that can save this lowkey lame and almost weird script. the storyline is honestly fine, but the characters they've made and the plot points they have developed so far don't appeal to me at all. they have a lot of borderline harassment from thear's side towards mungkorn and the extremely overused miscommunication trope in episode 6 just pissed me off. i also don't like the overly shy/timid/cute virgin type character they've given mungkorn - or at least the way they're working with it. he's a grown man and very few of them, let alone a sergeant, would act that way. they undermine his ability because he is so "soft" and then contradict it by adding a line here and there about how being soft doesn't mean weak. i'm glad at least though, that this trope of his is not overdone - it's there and it can be worked well because it's degree is not too strong. unfortunately, they are not working with it well. as for thear's character - he's okay i guess. his reputation as a playboy isn't exactly off-putting because he's not shown to be a bad person per se, but the last part of episode 6 was extremely unnecessary and that conflict could've been solved with 10 minutes of talking to each other. i understand that thear doesn't want to force mungkorn to "become one" or whatever, but whatever pathway he took otherwise is not the only other alternative.
i also feel that their closeness and relationship wasn't developed very organically as i'd hoped. they randomly started liking each other and acting like a couple and even using the label (but they have not explicitly stated they are together) even though the marriage was purely contract-based and nothing else.
i'm holding out just for the sake of yin and war - in the hopes that the second half of the show can perform somewhat better than the first half has. let's see.

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A review of Four Hands, Two Sonatas!

Four Hands, Two Sonatas

Why I liked it: Woah I am honestly amazed. I love how dramatic this was, but also very emotional and at times sweet or melancholic. The music was of course such a blessing to my ears. The classic music, the new pieces, everything just spoke to me in such a beautiful way. This series was so theatrical, such good quality and fabulous details that really added to the show. Overall super!

I also really appreciated how you got to know backstories about a lot of characters and many of them were also portrayed as complex inviduals which I liked.

Could have been better: The complaint that most of us has in common: Hong Jae In. Where was she in this story? What purpose did adding her have? I was immediately drawn to her bubbly and cheerful personality, so I was very let down when she barely got any focus in the series. I have no idea how she chose to keep being with Kang Pi O, he really didn't treat her well.

Likewise with Hong Jae In, I was really drawn to the kind and sweet nature of Choi Jeong Yo. Overall I adored him, but I felt like his character arc was a bit messy, especially in the end. Often it was very difficult to tell what his purpose of his actions actually were and he just seemed a bit poorly written sometimes.

It was also pretty messy and confusing regarding when Choi Jeong Yo left the country and Kang Pi O.

Best episode: Episode 11

(I was very tired when I wrote this, please ignore weird grammatical errors, typos, messy writing etc. 😅)

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Pretty people. Romance. And SPACE!

Science and space-themed (personal huuuuge swoon) meets entertainment industry (with a touch of gaming at the beginning) and eye-candy leads who do a good job of falling in love, it’s fun. Not earth-shattering or epic, but a pretty enjoyable ride.

Early on: makeup artists did Dilraba dirty with very obvious mismatched white facial makeup just to her neck and orange lipstick. Yang Yang had no issues in that dept, but his initial take on the character of Yu Tu just was a handsome man speaking his lines, not much heart or personality.

Dilraba played her role somewhat similar to her Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms character, ultra cutesy smiley teehee giggles. She Naruto runs around her apartment like a cracked-out squirrel when the ML is in or around. Like, literally dashes. She dialed it back kinda/sorta later on.

Their chemistry moves forward, she’s less goo goo, he’s not so wooden, and together it’s very sweet, warm, makes you smile a lot kind of vibe.

Some actors are a blazing forest fire of smolder when they play stand offish or cold (Jing Boran/The Early Spring, Bai Jinting/The First Frost, etc). Yang Yang isn’t in that group for me. Besides a very handsome face, his hotness only doubled in the latter half when Yu Tu is forthright and assertive in what he wanted. He was very masculine (but not macho) in that way, and it was drool-worthy when things amped up with his shameless flirting (and an innuendo or two), and the delivery of that yummmmm was all YY’s acting.

Dilraba’s character was, at times, cringey with the ultra saccharine cutesy, other times like a perky Taylor Swift/everyone is my bestie type, but interestingly, she was much, much stronger than you’d assume and took 0% negative judgment from Yu Tu. She was perfectly happy and beyond fulfilled focusing on her own life, work, needs and wants, this was my fave aspect of her.

Side character actress who made me so happy to see again: Yu Tu’s mom, played by actress Cui Yi, who I loved, loved, LOVED in the drama How Dare You?! playing the feminine version of Mr. Bei.

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Mnet sucks but at least zerobaseone make up for it!!

Okay so I'll start off by saying that I loved the show so so much (and zerobaseone is my ult group) BUT i wouldnt recommend for anyone who doesnt want to be SO ANGRY AT MNET and also feel sad at times :( the evil editing and just ignoring trainees they dont care about can really get on your nerves so just be warned. Also, so much is cut out of the show (eg performances or just part of a performance, dance battles (hanbin v haruto iykyk)) that honestly at times you can really tell that something is missing.
Now on to the positives!!!
The trainees are sooo sweet and supportive of wach other and their binds during and even after the show really warms my heart 🥹🥹 the trainees (not to be baised but ESPECIALLY the ones that ended up in zb1) are the only reason this show is rewatcheable, they make it SO worth it :)) also the performances are REALLY good at times (and fun to laugh at at times 💔💔)

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He just wants her body!!!

Ok so, u r telling me, at the timeline of 2013, such a naive immature FL existed who just bcz of not wanting to lose her job, willingly gave her body to a mannerless, cold jerk?! Like, HELLO?!
Luan Nian is the definition of hot n cold. As much as i drooled over his looks, fits and sexiness, i must say, he is a MANNERLESS JERK who doesn't know how to behave like a gentleman. He is brilliant, i get it. He grew up with a fucked up father, i get it. But nothing gives him the right to behave like a shit. To me, he have always wanted to sleep with her, nothing else. He didn't even give her basic human respect, COME ON!!! I think, the ideal ending would have been her completely moving on from him.

So, why will i suggest this drama? For looks, fits, SEXY SCENES OMAIGAWWWDDD, friendships, reality of stress (the 2nd ML 😭), city life, etc.

Delulu reader, go and watch. Don't you say i didn't warn you about the HOTNESS!!! 😭😭😭

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It was okay

I started watching this movie because I thought the plot sounded really interesting. A couple in love struggling to make it work— I'm totally into that. I love movies like this!

But first, I’ll start with the negative aspects. The story just didn’t quite grab me. Why? Because the relationship between the main characters came across as so naive, and the way the relationship developed felt way too fast to me. Of course, I can understand that—since this is a movie, after all—but they could have handled the pacing better. Some scenes were also so over-the-top, especially the fight scene at the end.

On the positive side, though, this movie really brings out the characters’ happiness and hope for a good life, and you could tell that the main characters are content. That was nice to see and i loved it. The fact that, of course, something happens later in the film that puts the relationship on shaky ground is also handled in a very interesting way. Even though I enjoyed the main characters’ performances, the story didn’t quite grab me. We’ve just seen enough movies like this already. It’s nothing new.

All in all, it's not a bad movie, but it's a movie that has already existed in some form or another.

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Spring of the Blade had a good foundation and kept me invested, but the writing occasionally went overboard with its dramatic antics, causing the story to drag in certain parts. A little more restraint would have made the pacing much tighter.

Xu Kai’s charisma is honestly on another level. The man has a magnetic screen presence and knows exactly how to make every scene count. Zhou Ye also delivers a solid performance, although I still feel she is better suited to modern-day dramas, where her strengths shine through more naturally.

Overall, a fairly enjoyable drama carried by strong lead performances and Xu Kai’s undeniable charm. Not without its flaws, but definitely worth the watch!

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Imperfect characters that have me in the edge of my seat

I am blown away by the many unexpected turns the show has taken with such a relatively low stakes story. From watching the first pilot I was actually expecting a simple cliché fake dating trope story line but William and Est are outdoing themselves with insanely good acting. They are taking me along these characters’ emotional rollercoasters and all of their imperfections and bad choices. Every week I find new flaws and new growth in each character and I am absolutely loving it!
At first I wasn’t very invested in the second couple because I couldn’t stand Barcode’s character who has made me scream out loud in frustration many times already but I guess that means the show is working, I’m seriously invested in everyone’s story.
This is my first time seeing Kinn on screen and I’m loving his acting! Scenes between him and Est have almost become my favourite part of the show because they both show so much emotion just through their eyes and facial expressions.
One of my favourite shows of the year!

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A Gripping, High-Stakes Historical Epic That Unravels at the Finish Line

Before diving into this heavily hyped drama, I’ll say one thing: Against the Current is not a romantic drama. Despite the official posters misleadingly framing it around a central couple, this is fundamentally a serious historical and domestic family drama that has romance, but ultimately is not romance driven story. It serves as an unforgiving showcase of the immense difficulties, systemic oppression, and limited agency women faced during that era. If you are going into this expecting butterflies, a neat love story, or a clean, happy ending, stop here.

Yes, there’s a central love story between two main leads and a whole bunch of other romance storylines with majority not ending well. But after watching the entire 47 episodes I’m still not certain if Xu Lan Xiang / Shen Jia Lan ever truly loved Lin Jin Qi. I think she simply settled into her fate because she had no choice and grown fond of him because, after robbing her of choices, he did ask for forgiveness and treated her well but her ultimate goal was always to preserve her family’s well-being. Because such was the responsibility of the head of the household whether she liked it or not.

The Cast: Finally, a Worthy Match for Liu Xueyi

As a long-time fan of Liu Xueyi, it has been incredibly frustrating to watch him constantly get robbed of great projects. Historically, if he had a solid script, his onscreen partner lacked chemistry; if he had a great onscreen partner, the script was ridiculous. Finally, in Against the Current, he has a project where he and his leading lady are exceptionally well-matched.

While I am generally not a fan of Tan Songyun—especially in romantic roles where she often fails to deliver genuine chemistry—she is absolutely perfect for this specific role. Because the drama heavily de-emphasizes romance build on physical attraction to focus on high-stakes survival and political tension, her acting style works beautifully. Her quiet defiance pairs brilliantly with Liu Xueyi's grounded performance.

A Flawless, High-Stakes First and Second Acts (Episodes 1–42)
The premise starts incredibly strong. We are immediately thrust into a brutal landscape of politics and treason. The female lead survives a family massacre, only to end up working in the household of her former fiancé—whose own family is partially guilty of eradicating her clan.

The first 42 episodes are excellent. Even though the pacing is extremely slow, all stories are deeply meaningful and features superb acting. The production quality is top-tier, and the focus on female agency is a massive highlight. For 40 episodes, we are kept on the edge of our seats waiting for her true identity to come to light. When Lin Jin Qi takes her to her family’s grave and finds out her true identity, it feels like a massive, hard-earned payoff. The scene at the Shen family grave is masterfully done.

The Post-Episode 42 Collapse
Unfortunately, after this peak, the writing simply falls apart and the drama goes downhill fast. I really did not need to see the characters die. If the writers wanted to show their lives from their teenage years to their deaths, that would have been fine, but the execution was terrible. The framing of the final scenes leaves our female lead dying entirely alone in her study, completely isolating her from the very family she fought so hard to build. I think reframing the scene into her being surrounded by her family on her deathbed would have not made for such a frustrating ending.

A Rushed Roster of New Characters: Toward the end, a massive wave of grown-up children and new adult characters are suddenly introduced with no preemptive setup. Yes, they are all family members, but I was so confused. Trying to keep track of who was who was difficult for me. Pushing the pacing faster in the early episodes to give us time to ease into these adult characters of grown up children later would have saved the final act.

Abandoned Storylines & Lack of Justice: While I understand it makes historical sense that the Shen family couldn't be easily acquitted during Xu Lan Xiang’s lifetime without harming her new family, the lack of narrative consequence is incredibly unsatisfying. And I am not talking about justice that came in after the female leads death. I was actually very fine with it. I liked how they framed it. The male lead's grandfather, who was directly guilty of withholding warnings about the treason charges, gets off completely unpunished. And yes, he feels guilty, but essentially he lived a good life and it just feels unfair to the female lead who is the one carrying his family’s legacy on her shoulders. The grandfather never once asked her for forgiveness. Additionally, multiple storylines are abandoned, and several important characters are simply forgotten without closure.

Final Verdict: Brilliant, But Prepare for Disappointment
Against the Current is a masterclass in acting and production quality for its first 42 episodes, but it ultimately suffers from a poorly written final act that it never truly recovers from.
For fans of serious historical fiction and female-led survival stories: This is an excellent, realistic portrayal of a woman's lifelong struggle against her environment.

For fans of romance and clean endings: Skip it. This will not give you the satisfying closure or the romantic payoffs you are looking for.

I personally enjoyed most of the drama, however, after episode 42 it became extremely boring and I wasn’t satisfied with the ending. I don’t mind deaths of the main characters if they mean something in the grand scale of things, but I don’t like how it was executed in Against The Current.

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lukewarm

One of the top upvoted reviews talks about the bad directing & I think I have to agree. Feels like they had a contract for a certain number of episodes & to match the quota the drama is slower than usual, the editing is not very tight to say the least. The energy shown in the most popular kdrama romcoms is largely missing here.

Took me an epi or two to get over the fact that this takes place in an alternate universe where the laws of physics are largely different, but managed to get past this. I suppose this much is okay in a romcom if the execution is good -like in Do Bong Sun-but alas it's just mediocre here.

Many talk about this being like a 2010s drama & feeling all nostalgic about it. In some sense that is kind of right, however most of them from that era had super strong love triangles that I could never tolerate, but almost all of them were much more bombastic in their presentations, which is what made them very successful.

I like Chae Soo Bin, but I think the pairing with Kim Young Kwang did not really work. Chemistry & visuals wise there is not much wrong, but rather neither of these two actors are very good at ehm the kind of aura farming that's almost required to make a basic romcom of this type actually work. (for example Secret Life of My Secretary would have suffered from the same problem if not for Veronica Park)

Not saying this is awful or anything, I had some degree of fun for quite a while, but it felt middling for the most part & then the final two episodes are kind of bad. I just hate it when characters with superpowers lose them right at the very end, all that to serve mundane happiness.

TLDR: This drama feels like a VERY watered down version of Strongwoman Do Bong Sun with a weak ending making it even less interesting.

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A Captivating Enemies-to-Lovers Romance Worth Your Time

I was captivated from the very beginning. The main leads completely won me over—their chemistry is absolutely captivating, and their enemies-to-lovers transition is beautifully done. Watching them interact was such a joy, and I found myself looking forward to every scene they shared.

The first half of the drama was perfect—I could not stop watching it. It was a 10 out of 10 for me. But it lost its momentum in the middle. Luckily, it picked up again, but it was not the same. The political intrigue was handled well and kept me engaged throughout. The storyline was interesting and well-executed, and it was satisfying to see how each character's journey concluded.

I really did not like the Feng Sui sister Feng Xi at first—she was genuinely frustrating. But towards the end, her character underwent a meaningful change, and I actually felt sorry for her.

Feng Sui and Fu Yi are my favourite couple. I love their devotion to each other and how they always protect one another. If not for them, the drama would not be what it is. Their relationship is the heart of the show, and it's what makes Fated Hearts worth watching.

Final Verdict: A solid historical romance with great chemistry, well-done politics, and a satisfying conclusion. The middle drags slightly, but the leads make it all worthwhile. Recommended for fans of enemies-to-lovers and political intrigue.

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