Reviews

A Rewatch That Earned It an Extra Star

(long post alert)

There is something so refreshing about "The Day of Becoming You" (TDOBY henceforth). It isn’t the biggest-budget drama, but it knows exactly what story it wants to tell—and it tells it beautifully.

The script is tight; in the show there isn’t a single scene that feels like a filler; everything had a purpose. The only thing that occasionally pulled me out of the story was the product placement, which could be a little too obvious at times but i have seen this in other Asian dramas too. But what I loved most was how the drama's focus remains on its two leads.Their individual arcs, their relationship, and the way they slowly come to understand each other is what drives the plot forward. As far as the leads are concerned, both do a great job but Zhang Xin Cheng is exceptional as Jiang Yi. His eyes are expressive, and his portrayal of the FL after the body swap is so convincing that it could easily have become ridiculous in the hands of a lesser actor. But he gets all those nuances right—the expressions, the mannerisms, even the way he sits. There are moments when you genuinely forget that you're watching the ML and instead see the FL inhabiting his body. It is such a difficult thing to pull off without making it feel like an exaggeration or caricature, and he does it with remarkable subtlety.
Another thing I loved were the quiet moments between the two leads. Sometimes it is simply the two of them talking, sitting together, looking at each other, or existing in the same space. These moments make their relationship feel real. And the conversations! The drama has so many good ones—not just between the leads, but also between each of them and the people in their respective circles. There is a sense that all these characters actually know how to communicate, and that their relationships are built through conversations rather than misunderstandings manufactured for plot.
This brings me to the relationship between the ML and FL; right from the beginning it is healthy; there is affection, trust, vulnerability and respect. The story allows the two of them to like each other as people before everything else. There is no villan per se constantly lurking in the background.
The background score deserves a mention too. It adds so much to the emotional atmosphere without constantly demanding attention. And visually, while this may not be a drama with an enormous budget, it looks surprisingly good. There is a warmth and polish to it that makes the whole thing very easy to settle into.

To add, I am writing (almost compelled to write this review) when I realised how much I enjoyed the show the second time around. Over a weekend, I literally binge-watched the entire show again, and despite knowing how the plot would pan, it felt even better than it did on my first watch. Knowing where the story was going didn't take anything away from it—in fact, it made me appreciate the little things more. Truth be told, this doesn't happen very often for me. But with this one, the second watch made me realise just how well put together the drama actually is. And so I ended up adding an extra star to my rating this time around.

And perhaps that's the best compliment I can give TDOBY; I liked it the first time but after watching it again, I appreciated it more. Underneath the body-swap comedy, there is a surprisingly thoughtful story about two people getting to see each other's lives from the inside, and, in doing so, learning to understand each other in a way they probably never could have otherwise.
The show is funny without being silly, romantic without being saccharine, and emotional without melodrama. Most importantly, it respects its characters enough to let them talk, listen, grow and choose each other.

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Breaking Free

The film is categorized as a thriller, but it’s actually a psychological drama, and only perhaps for a moment do we get a sense of tension. The atmosphere is mostly oppressive and uncomfortable, due to the relationships between the characters. At the center of the plot are two sisters, one of whom is a Wrangler—that is, a dog trainer—and she tries to control everything around her: the dogs at the center where she works, her colleagues, her husband, and in a way even her sister. When you tie a dog to a chain or put it in a cage, it will struggle and want to escape. Because it wants freedom. That is also the main theme of this film: how the training that works for dogs is not necessarily good for people.

The actors are somehow static and restrained, so the emotions they are experiencing don’t easily reach the viewer. Production-wise the film is fine, but you can tell it’s not a blockbuster and that they made use of whatever was available. Still, for those who enjoy psychological drama/thriller, this film is worth watching. It requires a little patience, but overall the film has a well-developed structure, striking symbolism with the dogs, and a memorable finale.

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It's alright but I need more

I also watched this short film, and honestly, I really loved it. The script, storytelling, and directing were surprisingly strong, and the actors absolutely killed it.

What I appreciated most is how the film portrays prostitution from a perspective that we don't often see in media. Instead of simply showing it as something sensational or romanticized, it focuses on actual human beings who are struggling, making difficult choices, and fighting to survive. That made the story feel much more grounded and human.

I really like what the film is trying to say, and I think the direction handled the subject matter beautifully. My only disappointment is that it's too short. 😂

Honestly, I wanted more. The story had so much potential to explore the characters, their circumstances, and what happens beyond what we were shown. It felt like the film ended just when I was becoming invested.

Great script. Great direction. Great performances. Just way too short.
I wouldn't mind seeing this expanded into a full-length film or even a limited series.

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Every situation plays out to set the final arc

I must appreciate what a well written story. I mean what I said. I haven't read novel or have no idea what happens, but this series is well made. It's not often we see them address a psychological issue underlying a usual (red/black flag) mls and try to make an effort to work on it. This series shows the progress of Lu feng through psychological lens, not the usual "love changed me from black flag to green flag".

Situation is the real enemy here. Our characters are complex, and this is their emotional journey navigating a situation, which is homophobic setting with no support to abusive environment. They were constantly seperated, gone through physical and emotional abuse, and that shows how these traumatic experience shaped two characters. One, who could navigate these situations by "giving up/running away" and one by "revolting and emotionally volatile".

Yi Chen grew up with love and sacrifices, Lu Feng grew up in abusive environment, although both the families turned out to be against their love and homophobic, with extremely controlling behaviours. That shows loving family of Yi Chen was only extended with terms and conditions, while Lu Feng father openly hated it. It clearly explains as individuals how Yi Chen and Lu feng faced the crisis.

On top of that, as Lu feng openly admitted that he had abandonment issues, it's obvious how everything played out.

The arc where he locks up Yi Chen and becomes emotionally volatile despite loving him clearly sets the stage for final arc where he's revealed to be diagnosed with Bi polar disorder with abandonment issues. And the progress of how he navigated it with a support. That is what I appreciate. He was vulnerable enough to admit and seek help, not often we see red/black flag mls. That just makes him human.

Coming to the second couple, i find it kinda ironic, how that little boy in past who was against his brother being in love with a guy, turned out to found a stable, though little quarrels, loving guy. They also play out as narrative foils to the main couple, contrasting it with sweet, loving and healthy relationship.

Special mention, Lu feng's father and Yi Chen's mother, one is physically abusive, one is emotionally abusive. Lu feng's father beat him up and sent him away in first arc of the story, first seperation, first hit, and villian of first arc. Then somehow they found their way back to each other, turns out his mother was waiting for her turn in second arc. Here, she emotionally abuses Yi Chen to a point to manipulating him into getting married, calling him ungrateful, forcing him to fit her standard of normal because somehow she can't accept her son is in love with a man.

That's selfish parenting, what both of them exhibited and it's a main concern in Asian households and how it turns out to destroy families. They expect their children to fulfill their duties because they raised them and mere fact of giving birth, so they must listen to them and live according to their will. That's how Lu Feng was kicked out of family for choosing Yi Chen, and Yi Chen had to marry someone else.

If you observe, that's how characters turned out. Yi Chen takes "emotional" hits being exhausted, while Lu Feng release it through "physical" abuse.

Finally, I have to appreciate the actors, especially Ayden, starting from intense scenes to intimate, vulnerable, sweet, charming, caring, abusive, conflicting, commanding, portraying an emotionally volatile character, he showed all the variations of character very well.

Overall, this series turned out to be different from other psychological romances I watched. And not to forget, I love watching emotionally complex characters and stories, more work for my mind, and also forbidden troupes just hit me hard.

My final verdict is, I love this story, from beginning to ending, watching it as a whole, everything plays out reasonably.

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When Oranges Fall — My Thoughts ?

I think *When Oranges Fall* is a cute and lovely series. I honestly really like the color palette and, more importantly, the authenticity of its settings. Everything feels natural, raw, and lived-in. It doesn’t have that obvious “studio backdrop” feeling, which makes the whole series very relaxing to watch. The direction is probably one of my favorite things about it.

I also like what the story is trying to say. There’s a certain warmth and sincerity to its message, and I think that works well with the overall atmosphere of the series.

That said, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the story itself felt somewhat recycled. There were moments when I thought, *“Haven’t we seen this kind of story before?”* 😂 At first, I wondered if some parts were simply filler, or if the repetition was intentional.

But honestly, knowing that **GMMTV**, in collaboration with **Studio Wabi Sabi** and **The One Enterprise**, are behind this, I don’t think they don’t know what they’re doing. I actually started thinking that maybe this kind of familiar story is intentional. It’s an easy, accessible story that younger audiences can connect with, while also giving them a chance to discover and get attached to the artists.

Because let’s be honest—we’ve seen this type of story before. It’s not necessarily groundbreaking, but perhaps that isn’t the main purpose. Sometimes the goal is simply to create something approachable, comforting, and easy to watch.

And that’s exactly how I would describe my experience with *When Oranges Fall*: **relaxing, authentic, raw, and comforting.** The direction and visual atmosphere really worked for me, even if the story itself wasn’t particularly new.

So, would I recommend it? **Yes.**

It’s not a masterpiece, and I wouldn’t say it brings something revolutionary to the genre. But between a story that is familiar yet pleasant to watch and one that feels more difficult to connect with, I’d definitely choose *When Oranges Fall*.

Personally, I’d rather watch and recommend this over *Melody of Secrets*, *Love You Teacher*, or *Duang With You*. Those series weren’t necessarily terrible—they’re more in the category of **“not very good, but not exactly bad either.”** 😅

*When Oranges Fall* at least gave me something I genuinely enjoyed: **a peaceful and authentic viewing experience.** And sometimes, that’s enough.

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don't judge until u watch last ep

i was anticipated very much in this drama at starting , after 2 eps i came to read reviews and i didn't like this drama cuz they revealed the villain so i kept postponing it . today the final ep released so i give it a watch and guess what the story is good it do contain plot rather than i watched in 2nd ep . now i totally liked it how every cast got involved in that plot but the only thing ii didn't like is they ended up divorcing thought they gonna patch up and solve every issue btw them but nahhh they divoeced which made me a little upset cuz i've it's all abt them being getting misunderstood so at last wished they solved and lived together but director got another plans and yes that's it .

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Trash

Where to begin? The use of AI, the multiple SAs, the obsession? As an audience are we supposed to think “Wow he is so in love that after all those years he waited, he’s so miserable without him and now he will stop at nothing to get him back, how sweet!!” No way. It’s gross and scary how he gets aggressive when he’s turned down and no matter how many times he is refused he still continues. It’s hard to watch scenes where he’s forcing himself on the lead and it’s just dismissed as drunk behavior, it’s still not acceptable. The fact that he resorts to drinking at every minor inconvenience is also strange like please get a hobby and stop relying on whether or not someone is into to be happy and enjoy life. My guy tells him “I’ll hate you forever if you do this.” and he doesn’t care at all. He is selfish and just wants control. The relationship started off as endearing in high school and somewhat in university but it just became insanely toxic and creepy in adulthood, literally to the point of stalking and refusing to let him resign from the company. I don’t care what anyone says this isn’t “dark romance” it’s just a nightmare. There is a better way to approach a story like this, however this take is atrocious and not even worth my time to finish.

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Wow! A very high performance in all levels.

At first, I would’nt even know where how to start this review, there are a lot of things to commend. I know it’s not a big budget drama, as well as not is a famous or long awaited production, with not stellar names in it’s cast, so there wouldn’t be to much hype at its premiere. It’s a shame, maybe, and the number of reviews here is a proof of that. But…

Wow! Wow! Wow! I’ve been completely hooked with this drama, you bet. Everything here works at near perfection, in all levels, yeah. Performance of the actors, setting, costumes, and, more important, the script. I think this is the best script I have seen in years, I can state that with no problem. It is very enjoyable, it flows naturally and the different plots are converging nimbly, lively, with no unnecessary subplots (at the first of the show, later the situation changes a little and the plot become more muddled). But even in the final episodes, all really flows and there are no tedious scenes of people talking, and talking, and talking more. Here there are action, a lot of action.

The performance of all actors in this show is superb, without discussion. There is no a weak point in that level, including the ultra-secondary characters. Step by Step…

Rain Lu as Zheng Qian. When the Rain Comes (that the Beatles sang, hahaha) everything improves. She is the real star of the show, oh yes. She is also surprisingly very very beautiful, and her outfit as a hunter and a woman warrior is really charming.
Jin Zixuan as Yunniang; what a beautiful performance by this young actress, I was really impressed by her acting skills. She is very funny, shameless in her ways, and her action scenes were wonderful, yes.
Yang Yu as Xie Jingtang. Oh, my God, this man stole the show completely with his comedic skills, wtf! Is a hidden and unexpected gem of the cast; his funny faces, gestures, and the role of his character is really amusing to watch. Thumbs up for the actor.
The other leads of the show are equally commendable, of course. I can’t recall a more epic character than miss Lin Han, wow. Super serious, always angry, her action scenes were a little marvel, just like the character of Feng Buhai, oh, what a man. I’m in love with him and his strange relation with the wild girl Yunniang. Maybe the ML, Fei Qiming, is the weakest of the cast, but still his performance is top notch.

The key factor in all of this lies in the relationships between this 6 characters, the trust among them, and the subtle interest that sometimes seem to appear but which doesn’t not have development (thank God, there are no romance here).

And, the best of the best: the ultra feminist approach that the entire serie has. Here, there are no a damsel in distress, all women here is brave, adds value to the plot and almost all of them knows how to fight. Here, there are 6 Leads, 3 men and 3 women. Only 1 ML can fight (Feng Buhai), and then there are 3 FL, all of them with impressive fighting skills. And even more, there are a lot of lackeys, general or support warriors who are women. In the final battle, the three female leads stage a extraordinary performance, wtf; the last 2 episodes are great and really amusing, with an astonishing ending. As a woman, I like to see women in this kind of characters, it’s what I enjoy the most, really proud of her performances. I think there is no another drama with this level of women empowerment, it’s true.

SPOILER ALERT--- :-P
There is only a little flaw –for me- in this entire show, Spoiler alert (read at your own risk, hahaha). The blending with light elements of sci-fi on the plot. I would have prefer another kind of explanation to the presence of the Mirage (I’m not a fan of science fiction, my mistake indeed) but is bearable because this kind of stuff -scifi- has not much development in the drama, and all the scenes are in a traditional setting.

In conclusion, a nearly perfect show with nearly perfect performances; if you want entertaintment and a plot that is some kind of different to the usual wuxia plots, here it is The Mirage. And the best of all is… There is a post-credits scene, a cliffhanger and the possibility of a second season. May Buddha (or JC) hear it!

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We're All Just Trapped in a Cage

Much like many of the reviews of this drama, I was left with a feeling that it didn't deliver what I wanted. Usually when that happens, I try to look at it from a production perspective, mainly the writer and director. I ask myself, "What was the point of this story?" As I thought about this a conversation with a friend came to mind. One day we were talking about the rise of Korean entertainment, specifically Kpop, and she stated, "I feel for Kpop idols. They are trapped in golden cages."

When I looked at the characters of this story, they are all trapped in cages.
The parents trapped in the cage of ruthless power and wealth while appearing to do good in the world.
The principal of the school trapped in the cage of image and branding while constantly putting out fires that threaten that image.
Jae I and Ri an caught in the cage of being the most perfect, obedient, best students in the school, as well as, being crowned royalty which comes with the expectation of service from others.
He Ra was caught in the cage of survival when her only way of life she knew was threatened.
U Jin was caught in the cage of loving He Ra from afar, always wanting but never having.
Ji Su, the teacher and U Jin's lover, was caught in a cage of wanting to be a part of that wealth and seeing U Jin as the source. Her desire led to unspeakable, unethical, and illegal behavior. She was a teacher, suppose to be a good guy, but she was as corrupt and depraved as the students that bullied, the parents that controlled, the principal who covered up.
The wealthy students were caught in a cage of constantly establishing their superiority over others which also meant delivering abuse.
The scholarship students were caught in the cage of just putting up with the abuse to show gratitude for this educational opportunity.
Kang Ha's cage was one of getting revenge for his brother's death.

The only person I could see with a true mission of making things change was Ju Won who wanted to make his mother see how the effect of hiding the student's true behavior was damaging so many people inside the school and also damaging his mother. Which in the end led to the tragic death of In Han.

The story was about people taking control and breaking out of their cages. I think where the story broke down is the act of breaking out of the cage wasn't as clear as it should have been, wasn't as dramatic as hoped for, so we all didn't get the satisfaction we expected.

Jae I was probably the most dramatic of those who broke out of the cage. She said goodbye to Ri an, said goodbye to her way of life, and left to find her banished mother. We are left with the assumption that she is just living a normal, ordinary life.

Ri an too broke out of his cage by not allowing his mother to protect him. He declared he would not be his mother's heir and follow her down the road of corporate wealth. He apologized to Kang Ha for the part he played in his brother's death. Kang Ha's words to him motivated him to go before the disciplinary board to confess he too was guilty. We are left with the assumption that he would be a better person.

Ji Su was arrested for In Han's death and we assume she is now in a real cage.

There was an inkling that U Jin and He Ra might get together but nothing solid. Life seemed very much the same for them. He Ra's father got their company back on track so she was back in the driver's seat of living the good life. No assumption here, as it isn't clear at all what happens to them.

Kang Ha's ending story also fell flat. The revenge he sought in bringing down the school, Ri an, and the other bullies was entirely too anticlimactic. Instead it was coopted by his crush on Jae I, which I felt was too contrived. I honestly didn't feel they had a love connection at all. The scene of him running to catch up to her was stupid. In fact, most of the scenes for the final two episodes were awkward and stunted, like they were suppose to have a purpose but fell very short. It was a bunch of actors delivering their lines as though they all felt in the end that this didn't come together as expected. Which it didn't.

I like a storyline of a person coming into their own skin, breaking out of that cage of expectations by others, and finding their own footing in life. It can make for a really good story. But unfortunately, if that is what this story was suppose to be, it really fell short.

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A surprisingly fun mess of a romance.

First of all, I think it was a wise choice to drop all the episodes at once. Although there was quite a lot going on, I'd say the drama is still on the lighter side, and I think its momentum works much better as a binge.

Story-wise, I would've rated this much lower (probably would've dropped it too) if it were just about a clueless damsel-in-distress woman with amnesia and a smart manipulative man lying to her so he could keep her by his side. Because let's be honest, that's basically romanticized kidnapping and brainwashing. Well, this is still kinda that lol, but at least the drama knows its setup is ridiculous.

I was soooo relieved that they wrote Eunsae to retain her intelligence and wits. She doesn't simply believe everything she's told after waking up, and she keeps her doubts up for quite a time. She starts doubting Taeha immediately, and honestly, none of the village people involved are particularly convincing liars either, including Taeha himself lol. None of them even really tried so hard to convince her anyway lol. You can tell they want her to recover her memories as soon as possible for her own safety.

The story unfolded better than I had expected, and that's why I ended up writing a review in the first place. On paper, this is a countryside romance with the usual city girl meets rural guy setup and a reconnection thrown into the mix, but the story also keeps dipping into crime. Well, it did start at that before the cozy village setting. Those two sides continuously felt like they're taking turns instead of blending together. Taeha, especially, looks like a completely different person when he's dealing with his old life vs when he's hanging around the village and with Eunsae. The genre switching can be messy, so I wouldn't call the story perfectly balanced. There are moments where the darker side feels like it belongs to another drama that wandered into this light countryside rom-com. Still, I strangely had a lot of fun with it.

I also liked the leads a lot. Their chemistry carries a good chunk of the lighter scenes, and Hayoung is really, really pretty. She also has great comedic timing and gives Eunsae enough personality that the amnesia never turned her into a passive character. And Haein... yeah. His eyes are doing a lot of work here lol as usual. Taeha is a pretty quiet character, so there are plenty of scenes where his face has to do most of the talking, and he handles that really well.

I also appreciated that the drama doesn't make every conflict between the leads unnecessarily frustrating. There were several points where I expected the usual K-drama misunderstandings to drag things out. While I understand why that could be needed for this type of story, I was pleasantly surprised that it mostly avoided that. A few twists surprised me too, and it brought a bit of whiplash towards the end.


TLDR; The cast is charming, the romance is okay, the mystery actually kept me interested, and the whole thing moves along quickly enough that its stranger choices don't have much time to become annoying.

Yes, it's light, a bit absurd, and predictable. Yes, I enjoyed it.

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Our Sticky Love, or how not too google your name when you have amnesia

Full disclosure. I skimmed the last three episodes, I guess one guy is another guy's dad?? Doesn't matter.

I'm giving this a 6, since technically it is a drama, it has a story, it has acting in it, it has music. People had to do some work to get this out. So a 6 should be fair. The reason I finished the show is to see how Ha Young pulls off her first lead role. I think she can do a lot better and I can only hope she gets the chance to, but with more competent showrunners.

A prosecutor(Ha Young) who drives a fancy sports car and is in her own words "loaded", gets in trouble with a corrupt mayor and a chairman, who are untouchable and can do whatever they want. An ex-gangster(Jung Hae In) saves her and then we get 8 episodes of her not being a character and him being a loser. Oh and she has amnesia, so of course she falls in love with the guy and whatever happens happens. Nothing makes much sense and if you want your stories to be believable, skip this one. Why does she not google her real name when she finds out what it is? Because if she did, the show wouldn't have a story anymore. Why do they not tell her about her past? Because if they did, the show wouldn't have a romance anymore.

The lead pair do not convince me that their romance is in anyway real. Neither character has a recognizable identity that the other could fall for. Or I guess one is very hot and the other is a care bear? Point is, the romance doesn't work, I'm not sold on it and it fails to elicit any emotional reaction from me as a viewer. In other words the romance does nothing to increase the enjoyment I get as a viewer. The second couple? There was a second couple? Nothing there, just a ticked checkbox.

What's left when the romance falls flat in a rom-com(made me laugh once I think, can't remember which part though), is a Swiss cheese plot. And since the story also falls flat, the entire show is a pancake. There is also a lot of meaningless violence with the sole purpose of showing how bad the bad guy is. News alert, he's a real nasty guy! But I care so little about the fate of the characters that he is supposed to antagonize, that his virulently evil personality falls into the same category as most aspects of this show, it's meaningless. I hindsight, Heo Sung Tae's character got the most development of all the characters, which could have been a positive thing if it was balanced with meaningful arcs for the leads. Alas.

There's no reason to care for the story, it is nonsensical. There's no reason to care for the romance, it's told, not shown. So where does that leave the show? Smack in the middle of mediocrity.

To finish on a more positive note. There's another Ha Young joint on the horizon, let's hope she can live up to the potential she showed in Doona! and Trauma Code, cause this wasn't it.

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