Reviews

A Great Mystery, But The Show Overstayed Its Welcome

- The final reveal is shocking and satisfying.
- The soundtrack is good, but there are only a few tracks, so the same ones keep getting recycled every episode.
- The entire cast did a great job of embodying their roles. Great acting.
- The story could easily have been told in a two hour movie. Some episodes feel unnecessarily drawn out and would have benefited from tighter pacing and shorter runtimes.
- The romance between Rio and Dai is decent, not great, but not bad either.

Kase is the real MVP of the show, and you'll understand why once you watch it.

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Kinda flat, but still enjoyable

This is one those drama that would’ve benefitted of a longer run time, cause all the ideas are there but all the characters are at a surface level. Maybe the writer actually didn’t have more to say, but we’ll never know. It doesn’t feel incomplete though like some 12 episodes drama nowadays, I didn’t find plot holes etc…

Other points
1) I don’t know if it’s an unpopular opinion or not but what Dareum and her friend did is indeed sasaeng behavior. They didn’t mean any harm or have ill intentions, but it’s a nope for me to actually find a job just to be closer to your bias, even if they’re just your inspiration or you want to tell them they did well and that they’re loved. Like I’d never do that, period.

2) Ha Gi character, as the ML, is quite flat. Like we know his backstory still I felt nothing for him. When he was showing his “cold” side it wasn’t charismatic, when he showed his sweet and goofy side, it wasn’t swooning or cute… Overall just flat. It’s not the actors fault I guess, it’s the material? I don’t know to be honest.

3) Chan character could be the first second ML I never cheered for. The guy is not bad, he’s stunted, he never got to grow up in a healthy environment (no present parents and then the entertainment industry). He needs therapy, cause all the things that we saw were red flags, no wonder she was so uncomfortable around him. He’s not a bad guy, he’s broken to pieces. Still, there wasn’t much to work with, he could’ve been a much more complex character with more time to breathe in the story.

Overall I enjoyed it, for a 12 episode drama that is supposed to be light hearted he did good, not well for sure though. What I liked is the old school formula that I’m missing more and more nowadays.
I gotta say I really enjoyed Dareum’s actress, it might be my first time seeing her and honestly? She carried. She had a wide range of emotions through her face, she’s the only character that didn’t feel so two-dimensional.
One flaw in her acting were those dry as hell kiss, like you could see him trying, but she wasn’t even like a fish grasping for air, damn girl.
If the actors are not committed to kiss scenes, to me it’s okay, just try to shoot them in a way we don’t actually see, a suggestion of a kiss is better than a bad kiss shown just for the sake of it.

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❤️ LOVE ACTUALLY S5 — MY THOUGHTS ON EVERYONE 🥹💗

My two favorite couples are Liu Zhou & Liu Liu, and Wen Tao & Pei Xuan! ❤️ I feel like I experienced two completely different dramas while watching these two couples. I love all four of them so much, and I support everyone else too! 🥹💕

1. Liu Zhou & Liu Liu ❤️

First, I want to talk about Liu Liu.

I started watching this show because I kept seeing Liu Zhou and Liu Liu all over TikTok. At first, I thought people were making a huge deal out of something that wasn't even that serious. 😂 So I decided to watch it myself, and honestly, I started getting annoyed with Liu Liu. I couldn't see her in a positive light at all, and I found myself disliking her quite a lot.

But as I kept watching, I gradually began to understand her.

The truth is, she liked BK first, but liking someone doesn't necessarily mean she was in love with him. And we could all see that BK had his own reasons for hesitating, no matter how he tried to reject her. I think he had many things holding him back, and one of the main reasons was that he didn't want to compete for someone's affection.

But when I think about it, why should we blame Liu Liu for not knowing from the beginning that she would eventually fall in love with only one person? Every time Liu Liu and Zhou Youling were about to start dating, something got in the way and they were pulled apart. How could she possibly know from the beginning that he would be the one she truly loved?

When Liu Liu cried so much, I found myself crying along with her. 🥹 After understanding her story and her feelings, I started loving her even more.

Honestly, in real life, what girl wouldn't enjoy being liked and pursued by others? At the end of the day, isn't it the girl's responsibility to make her own choice and decide who she truly wants? It's not like she was the one who fell in love first, right? 😂❤️

Liu Liu is honestly so lovable!

And CEO Youling? HE IS SO HANDSOME! 😭❤️ The way he looks at Liu Liu while trying to hide his feelings makes my heart flutter so much. His face, his expressions, his eyes... EVERYTHING! 🫠💗

Their romance is sweeter than so many CEO-and-employee romance dramas I've watched. Their chemistry feels so natural, and every moment between them is incredibly sweet.

Watching the two of you felt like watching an entire romance drama in itself. I enjoyed every moment so much! I hope we get to see more of you together in the future, along with your adorable little babies.I'm entrusting my beloved Liu Liu to CEO Youling. Please take good care of my girl and love her forever! 🥹❤️🔐 🥹❤️

2. Wen Tao & Pei Xuan 💕

Wen Tao is so funny and adorable! Every time he smiles and his dimples appear, he becomes even more lovable. 😭❤️

And Xuan Xuan is so cute when she gets jealous! She's such a lovely girl who truly deserves to be loved and cherished.
The two of you look so good together. Your chemistry makes my heart flutter, and watching you feels like watching the sweetest noona romance ever! 🫣💗 The way you interact with each other is so adorable and heart-fluttering. I absolutely love you two together! ❤️ . 🫣💗

You two are just too adorable together! I absolutely love your interactions. ❤️

3. Li Zheng & Huihui 🥹❤️

I knew there might be some complications between these two because of Li Zheng's behavior at the beginning. However, I came to realize that Li Zheng is actually someone who has the courage to express his feelings honestly.

He isn't afraid to admit that he likes someone, and when it's time to walk away, he can be decisive too. That's why I see him as an honest person who genuinely knows how to love someone.

As for Huihui, I don't even know where to begin. She's such a warm, understanding, and lovable girl. ❤️ She has such a beautiful personality, and I really admire the way she understands others.

I sincerely hope the two of you can stay together until the very end and continue choosing each other. You both deserve happiness! 🥹💕

4. Tata & BK ❤️

Tata is talented and adorable. I really admire the way she respects herself. She doesn't seem like the kind of person who would keep desperately clinging to a man who doesn't love her back. She knows her worth, and I respect that about her.

As for BK, I think only he himself truly knows what's going on in his heart. I don't really have much to say about this couple because I'm still not entirely sure how to interpret their feelings.

I enjoyed their romantic moments at the beginning, but as time went on, I found their storyline a little less interesting. It felt like one of those dramas I might stop watching halfway through because the later episodes no longer hold my attention as much.

That's just my personal impression, though. ❤️

5. Jiyu 🫶🏻❤️

Jiyu, you're so handsome and adorable! I also love how respectfully you treat women. ❤️

Just like you said, I think some things might have turned out differently if you had been the first guest to arrive. I can definitely see how your presence might have changed certain situations.

By the way, have you appeared in any dramas or variety shows before? You look SO familiar to me! I feel like I've seen you somewhere, but I just can't figure out where. 😂

Anyway, I really like you, Jiyu! Sending you lots of love! ❤️🫶🏻

6. Zhuoran 🥹💗

Zhuoran seems like such a genuinely kind and understanding person. I see him as the kind of man who could be a wonderful older brother, a trustworthy friend, and someone people can always rely on.

If he were a character in a drama, I could easily imagine him playing that kind-hearted supporting character who is always there for others. The kind of person who might not always be the main character but still wins everyone's hearts because of his beautiful personality. 🥹❤️

And honestly, I really hope he and Jian Ying can end up together! The two of them look so good together, and I can genuinely see their compatibility. I would love to see their relationship develop further. 💕

7. Jian Ying ❤️✨

Jian Ying strikes me as a wonderful woman. She's talented, capable, and kind-hearted, and I really admire her.

I'm rooting for you so much, Jian Ying! I hope you continue to shine and find the happiness you deserve.

Sending you lots and lots of love! ❤️🫶🏻

8. Danqi 💗

I really respect Danqi, but I have to admit that when she started developing feelings for Youling, I wanted to ask her one question: WHY? 🥹

At first, he seemed like someone she didn't even consider romantically. So did her feelings change after she learned more about his career and professional achievements? Did his abilities make her see him differently?

I sincerely hope that's not the main reason, because as a woman, Danqi is already talented and beautiful in her own right. She has so much going for her, so I can't help wondering what exactly she sees in him that makes her heart flutter.

Of course, I know I can't fully understand her feelings just by watching the show, so I don't want to judge her or give a definite opinion about this storyline yet.

But I still love you, Danqi! ❤️ I sincerely hope you meet someone who truly loves you, someone you genuinely love in return, and someone who chooses you wholeheartedly. You deserve that kind of love! 🥹💕

MY OVERALL THOUGHTS ON LOVE ACTUALLY S5 ❤️🎬

Honestly, watching Love Actually S5 felt like experiencing so many different dramas all at once.

I cried, I laughed, my heart fluttered, I felt warm and happy, and there were moments that made me sad too. I experienced so many different emotions throughout the show.

It wasn't just about romance or watching people fall in love. It also gave me so many things to think about and so much to learn about relationships, emotions, personal choices, and understanding other people.

Sometimes, we misunderstand someone when we only see a small part of their story. But when we take the time to understand their feelings and the reasons behind their actions, our perspective can change completely. Liu Liu's story reminded me of that.

Everyone has their own personality, their own way of loving, and their own reasons for making certain choices. We might not always agree with those choices, but there's often more to a person than what we see on the surface.

Love Actually S5 was genuinely such an enjoyable experience for me. It made me feel as though I had watched several beautiful dramas filled with different love stories, emotions, and life lessons.

I love all of you, and I'm rooting for every single one of you! ❤️🥹

Thank you for giving us so many beautiful, funny, heart-fluttering, and unforgettable moments.

LOVE ACTUALLY S5, YOU WERE SUCH A BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE! 🫶🏻💗✨

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Missing Pieces of Memory and Motivation

I think there were some plot elements cut from the plot of Reverse, ironically.

Once I had finished all the episodes and started to piece together the story one more time, I came to the conclusion that the entire script must've been re-written at the last moment. If my conjecture is wrong regarded the show being re-written, I'll settle for the fact that this script is rickety and under-developed.

The journey of the show is really good and well done. I really liked figuring out Myo Jin's background and how she became involved (and in love) with Jun Ho, but at the conclusion of the journey the pieces just don't fit in a satisfactory way; I don't think the unsatisfactory feeling is an intentional aspect of the show (though maybe the creatives involved really wanted to spin the unsatisfactory nature of the show as 'intentional' given the final scenes).

In terms of acting performances it feels like the four main leads (I'm including Yoon Je Moon and Jae Kyung's characters) are the big focus. You'll enjoy the A-story revolving around memory loss quite a bit! Be warned that there's a strange 'B-story' which doesn't seem to exist other than to pad out the series' airtime. There are a lot of actors here outside of Go Soo and Seo Ji-Hye which seem to exist in their own show. They all happen to be criminals and scammers too, which makes them less compelling characters by nature. I'm not sure why these criminal characters are included or have so much screen time; it's not that these characters don't belong, it's that their connection to the A-Story about memory loss isn't necessary or apparent.

To remedy the lack of connection between the A-Story and the B-Story I feel there should have been more 'connective tissue' via the plot. The easiest way to do this is to more firmly connect the greenhouse business with the architectural firm. Once you watch enough episodes of the show you'll know what I'm referring to as the 'greenhouse business'. As it stands, the reasoning for the A-Story and the entirety of the show's plot (I won't spoil exactly what here) is too coincidental. I didn't find the plot very compelling once everything was revealed.

Here's my suggestion to remedy this show (it will only make sense once you've watched all the episodes, but you can read on regardless)...

The best way to firmly connect the greenhouse business with the architectural firm would be a controversial construction project. You can just rework the art museum contest that Jun Ho is participating in to be a new, fancy building which will require the demolition of an old neighborhood. The show kind-of hints at this already with repeated shots of a banner decrying the 'demolition of neighborhoods' outside an abandoned building. This abandoned building is an important location in Myo Jin's search for her memories: I can't help but think that exactly what I'm suggesting as a 'remedy' was cut from the show or re-written within the show at the request of producers.

The demolition of an old neighborhood, which would included the greenhouse business, allows you to justify the B-Story full of criminals and outcasts. The second-hand electronics shop owner, the greenhouse business, the small-time gang enforcers, the arson / murder which starts the show off...all these elements colliding together would make more sense if the architectural firm was butting heads with a local gang (and local civilians) who don't want their neighborhood demolished. A conflict between an architecture company and the local neighborhood (a neighborhood that needs to be 'cleaned up' and beautified with a new architecture project) would allow the show to involve all these criminal elements in a meaningful way.

Hypothetically, the criminal elements might outright own or use some of the buildings for BOTH community charity and criminal activity. This gives Kim Min (who plays Hae Gwang) and Hwang Se In more of a reason for being on the screen as much as they are. Although a plot like this would create controversy in Korea, it would also create a conflict with more depth and a bigger emotional impact on the viewer.

Anyway, I can't describe my suggestion and the plot any further than I am without giving spoilers. The gist of what I'm primarily criticizing the show over is...

...there are two plots in this show and they aren't connected very well.

My other big criticism is not related to re-writing, and more-so the editing: you don't need to make the story non-linear all the time. The memory loss is a great aspect which drives the story from episode to episode, but near the end of the series there's a lot of needless flash-forwards and flashbacks which detract from the momentum the previous episodes built up.

One linear, explanatory episode which shows the full back story is all you need!

The good about this show is that Seo Ji Hye and Go Soo really light up the screen. I think Go Soo's character gets a little cartoonish near the end, but that's only because the architecture firm is not connected well-enough to other aspects of the show. I laid out that first criticism extensively above because it impacts other elements of the show to such a high degree.

Obviously the flaws outweigh the small good acting performances you get to see, so it's hard to recommend this one!

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True Gem!

Sometimes the dramas that get almost no hype end up being the best ones.

I started watching this mainly for the cast and wasn't expecting much, but I got hooked right away. The dialogue is sharp, the comebacks are nonstop, and every character feels well-written.

What I liked:

No forced romance. There are a few hints here and there, but the story doesn't rely on kissing scenes or romance to keep viewers interested.
Elvis Han was great. I've seen him in romantic lead roles before, but this is actually my favorite character he's played.
The characters all have depth, whether they're leads or supporting roles.
Wang Hao completely nailed his role. I loved him in Later I Laughed and was happy to see him get more screen time here.
The female lead was fantastic from start to finish.

The writing is what really stands out. It feels fresh and smart instead of rehashing the same tired drama tropes.

I enjoyed every episode and would love to see a Season 2.

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A Fresh Palette for Luo Yunxi

Shadow Punisher offers a refreshing opportunity to experience a completely different side of Luo Yunxi.
While fans last caught glimpses of his comedic and playful side during his early debut roles and in Love is Sweet, seeing him embody Li Si is an absolute delight.
Despite carrying his own complex backstory, Li Si shines with a unique blend of carefree confidence, aloofness, and endearing charm.
Furthermore, Luo Yunxi’s chemistry with the rest of the cast feels incredibly natural and effortless, with zero awkwardness in their dynamics.

Beyond Luo Yunxi, two actors particularly stole the show for me , Shifu Li San: Delivered an exceptional performance that invoked a rich emotional conflict leaving the audience torn between love and resentment for the character.

Ji Ada: Brought a brilliantly executed smart antagonist aura. Supported by strong backing, he convincingly portrayed a character who is arrogant, fearless, and unwaveringly confident in his own schemes.

Additionally, the female character Bai Zhenzhu stood out as a strong, independent "career woman," which added a refreshing modern strength to the narrative.

While the performance of Ji Ada was superb, the storyline in that specific arc fell a bit flat for me. Moreover, the series could have been even more thrilling had the main antagonist received more screen time and character setup earlier on in the show.
Given the heavy intrigue and power plays, adding Politics as a core genre tag would also better set viewer expectations.

On the audio front, while the original soundtracks were enjoyable and catchy, the overall background score felt a bit underwhelming and didn't fully hit the mark.

If you want to see Luo Yunxi shine in a refreshingly dynamic role backed by some impressive ensemble cast, Shadow Punisher is definitely worth adding to your watchlist!

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Fireworks only at the end of the day

It’s hard to sum up this series in a single sentence. It’s a good show, but it has plenty of flaws and filler that could have been avoided. Still, they don’t have a major negative impact on the overall experience, and judging by the reviews on this site, the series has definitely provoked some overly extreme reactions.

The premise was supposed to be simple, with a complex plot. What we got instead was a fairly complex premise and, unfortunately, a simple mystery, at least for 8 out of 10 episodes. Did this reversal of expectations make sense? To some extent, yes, as we get something of a reconstruction of a story about identity theft. However, the pacing suffers as a result. For 8 out of 10 episodes, there’s little sense that the finale is approaching, and viewers might start to feel like this game of cat and mouse is going to go on for 100 episodes.
Ultimately, the plot only really comes together in the final episodes, explaining what was actually going on. Even if some of the subplots ultimately didn’t make much sense.

Another important theme is the protagonist’s selective memory. Unfortunately, while I’m a fan of highly subjective storytelling, here it results in a rather straightforward narrative for most of the series, despite the complexity of the plot.

Some subplots could have been left out entirely. The series expanded the role of the police officer Sun Yong, giving him a bigger part and combining two webtoon storylines into one. Paradoxically, this made his role feel less significant. A strange creative choice.

On the positive side, the music is good, although admittedly not particularly varied. The acting is excellent, and the action scenes are decent, though they sometimes feature so many cuts that it becomes difficult to keep track of who’s even fighting whom.

Is it worth watching? Yes. It’s a decent series, but you have to keep in mind that it’s far from perfect. This isn’t a particularly cohesive mystery that keeps you hooked until the very end. The plot is pretty good, but that’s about it. If, by the end of a series, I’m left thinking “hmm, so what actually happened back there, and what was the point of it?” rather than “wow,” then perhaps the writing didn’t quite hit the mark.

I’m sure this was a difficult story to adapt and make sense of. They gave it a shot, and they only partially succeeded.

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They blew it

I'm sure many people will praise this series (the rating is very high), so if you want to read what's great about it, read other reviews. I will talk about why I dropped it near the end, and won't bother watching ep 23&24 (the finale) after seeing the preview.

So first, let's be honest: those characters are cliche. We have the good, naive, weak guy and the ruthless killer/tough mercenary. Nothing new under the sun. But since they did a fabulous job with the whole apocalyptic plot, there are a lot of things happening that create tension between those characters and gerat conflicts.

So we have different story arcs. First story arc: Lin Zai saves a wounded A Leh. They build trust slowly, you can feel the affection growing. Second story arc: Relationship changes completely since A Leh is now a kidnapper, and Lin Zai the victim. There is a lot of tension, lost trust, Lin Zai wants to run away, A Leh is very rough towards him. Third story arc: they get closer again, they talk, we get passionate love making. Until then everything was fine, and the series was brilliant. But then the last story arc ruined it all.

SPOILER! If you don't want to ruin your fun STOP READING.

So ... what happened? Lin Zai didn't want A Leh to know about him participating in the experiment to save his brother. His solution? Pushing A Leh away, breaking up with him and hurting him badly. And A Leh was hurt very badly. He was desperately trying to change and make this relationship work, he was willing to do everything, he was crying in his car. It was heart breaking. Most likely, Lin Zai was the first person to love him and be with him – and Lin Zai pushed him away. He said a lot of hurtful things, and even though, as a viewer, I got angry at Lin Zai for being stupid, unfair and weak, I have to admit he had a point. There was truth in his words. They had a lot to unpack and communicate to make this relationship work. But what did the writers do? They almost killed Lin Zai, and when he woke up again, he was like: Nah, I didn't mean any of it.
So what's the problem with this?

1) Lying to A Leh, hurting him just to push him away was very immature and questionable behavior of Lin Zai. Makes you think what kind of person he really is, and how he solves problems. He was feeling bad about it, but at the same time he was whining about himself not being able to let go. It was all about him and his brother and not about A Leh. Seeing his brother in this state was traumatizing for sure. So even though I disliked Lin Zai's behavior, it was a very tough situation with no easy solution.

2) Why did he even do it? After the near death experience he was suddenly very open and told A Leh the truth. A Leh's reaction? "Baby, I will help you and be a good and supportive boyfriend." WTF? They should have at least argued about it, since it was obvious at this point, the research can kill Lin Zai. So in a logical world with logical characters A Leh should have been even more against it now, since there is real danger, and only after Lin Zai desperately making his wishes, fears and hopes clear, he should have agreed to support him. But that didn't happen.

3) Imagine being A Leh. Just for a moment. There is this guy you really love, and he puts you through hell and back emotionally –just because he thought that's necessary (which it wasn't). Do you trust such a guy? A guy that hurts you on purpose, lies to your face with those cold eyes? Do you feel safe with him or are you like A Leh: "Baby, now we are together again, I'm so happy!" This makes honestly no sense that they suddenly are lovey dovey, everything is forgiven, and the ruthless mercenary is now the cooking husband who has to care for his sick boyfriend like good mother. Honestly, their honeymoon phase seems so awkward to me after everything that happened between them. It just doesn't fit the mood of the story. It's like a quick solution. They whole conflict feels fake and fabricated now – which it apparently was, since he didn't need to lie to A Leh in the first place.

They could have saved this easily by showing us a big emotional fight between A Leh and Lin Zai, where they both tell each other about their struggles und build trust again. But nope. The actors would have been capable of such an emotional scene, but the writing team said: Nah, not needed. Be lovey dovey instead, look happy (or sick in Lin Zai's case).

They also emphasized constantly that A Leh is a ruthless killer, that he is dangerous, that his hands are too strong, so he can hurt others (Lin Zai's words). Even during the love scenes he is very tense and passionate that it almost looked like he is forcing himself on Lin Zai, which he wasn't, since he asked for consent, but still, Lin Zai had to fight him off to make him stop twice (or three times if you count the kiss later). Why doing this? To make the story cool or what? They didn't go anywhere with this plot. I expected them to address A Leh's passionate and forceful behavior. They didn't. I also expected them to have a very soft kiss after they got together again which shows us that A Leh calmed down. They had a kiss, and Lin Zai initiated it, but it didn't have the impact I expected.

They had so many conflicts, trust issues (Lin Zai lied to A Leh because he didn't trust him) and unresolved problems, and the writers decided to not address them. Unbelievable. It makes me think that all those great conflicts and the incredible tension between the characters was not the result of brilliant storytelling, instead it was just pure luck. The story just developed like this, and the writer didn't even understand what gem they created.

They blew it. After episode 20 I lost interest in this series.

For people who don't care about good storytelling and just enjoy two good looking guys kissing and being in love –they won't be bothered by this big mess as much as I am bothered by it.
Talking about kissing and making love: the 2nd couple is terrible. Bad actors, bad story, and I don't want to see two people making out, when one of them is a zombie. It's disgusting. How they tried to force that couple onto us, is very strange. But again, those writers aren't serious people, they are just making a cute little BL series with lovey dovey ending and a 2nd couple to check all the boxes.

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Nice cast, boring story and extreme red flag ML

So at the start i wanted to wait all episodes before doing a review but honestly after 20+ episodes i dont think the story and production will drastically change.

To me The Lament of Autmun is a big désillusion, i love Ryan Cheng dramas usually and Xu Ruo Han is amazing all the time but i'have to say, there no chemistry between them in this drama. The Lament of Autumn is part of the recent wave of dramas featuring extreme toxicity, abuse, torture, and much more perpetrated by the ML, And I’m not just talking about a cold ML, which is pretty standard in dramas. No, this goes way beyond that.

The story is very not interesting, i watch in X2 and even skip some boring parts, and each scene with the FL and ML is about how the ML is going to found a new idea to be toxic with the FL...Personnaly when i go back to my home after a day of work, i dont want to see that, i like a bit of spicy things but come on...

In the end, what is there left to enjoy in this drama? A few rare touching scenes between the two leads, a decent soundtrack, and this general feeling that the story and the overall situation might eventually get better, even though 20 episodes have gone by and that still hasn't happened.

I lets you judge by yourself because i think many people will watch it because of Ryan Cheng, i will continu a bit the drama, probably in X2 coz like i said the story boring me and i dont really like the republic period things BUT be very careful if you are sensible to tortures&things like that.

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Running out of words

Emotional art, it is.

It's so beautiful how everything is build in the drama, music, characters expressions, lights and shadows, words and silence and in the core of everything - emotions.

Even though there are parts that left more questions than answers, it goes well along the story. Not everything is so clear and simple in life either.

This is one of those rare dramas that leaves one without words. It hits hard, so much that one's feels empty, and not even a cry comes out.


(I think that everytime I repeat these episodes, I am noticing and discovering new insights...가슴에
사무치는 드라마...)

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It's okayish as an entertainer but falls flat as a thriller.

After watching the movie the sypnosis and poster seem like a illusion cause they advertise this movie as a grim thriller which this movie wasn't.
The movie could've have been better if the makers had added depth to the story and stayed consistent.
One moment the killer is chasing boksoon and na ri,the next there eating black bean noodles.the sun granny,the song can be understandable as they are in the starting and last part of the movie.
But who on earth is this granny boksoon keeps talking about?and why are there so many questions the audience is left asking?
What's Tae soo's backstory,and how does he have such strength?and how was he still Alive?does he have super human abilities or is it plot armour?.
And at the end everyone in this whole fiasco somehow suffers,na ri and boksoon lose their sisters,iksang,his mother and taesoo are dead but that boss got away,yeon hee didn't even get the money, their dreams were shattered and that man walks away with that phone.
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Some positive things;
All actors were amazing.specially lee min ki and Kim go eun.rrading the sypnosis ,I got the idea that boksoon is just hot tempered but turns out she just has some mental disability.
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Finally, it's enjoyable but if you're looking for a thriller this isn't it.certain times it felt more like soap opera with a psycho than a thriller.

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The Art of Living Well

Against the Current is the kind of drama that reminds me why storytelling matters. It is beautifully written, impeccably crafted, and brought to life by a cast whose performances make every emotion feel deeply human. More than anything, it is a story about what it means to live well, and that message is what makes it so special.

Liu Xueyi and Tan Songyun are absolutely incredible. Their performances are nuanced, layered, and full of life, with a chemistry that makes their characters’ journey all the more compelling. They understand the quiet power of a look, the weight of an unspoken feeling, and the beauty of two people learning to navigate life together. They don’t simply play their characters; they make them feel real.

And then there are the women. Every single one of them matters. Each woman has her own story, desires, struggles, contradictions, and choices. They are not merely supporting characters orbiting around the leads; they are people with lives of their own. Their stories enrich the narrative and give the drama a wonderful sense of depth, humanity, and solidarity. It is refreshing to watch a series that understands that women deserve to be fully written, not simply written around.

The writing is impeccable. There is such clarity of vision in the way the story unfolds, allowing its characters to grow without losing sight of what makes them human. It never forgets that life is not just about grand victories or extraordinary achievements. Sometimes, it is about finding peace, choosing love, preserving one’s dignity, embracing ordinary happiness, and having the courage to keep going. Living well is not about having a perfect life; it is about learning how to live the life you have with intention, tenderness, and courage. That is the heart of this drama, and it is a message that stays with you long after the final episode.

I also want to celebrate director Huang Yingxiang, who has given us TWO masterpieces: Les Belles and Against the Current. What impresses me most is her clear artistic vision and her commitment to telling the stories she believes in, whether through a romcom or a more layered, reflective drama. Her choice to work with women in key behind-the-scenes roles makes this achievement even more meaningful. It is a reminder that who gets to shape a story matters, both in front of and behind the camera.

My deepest respect to Huang Yingxiang and everyone who contributed to this extraordinary project. From the performances to the writing, from the smallest character moments to its overarching philosophy, Against the Current feels like a work made with intelligence, care and genuine conviction.

Some dramas entertain you. Some make you fall in love with their characters. And some quietly change the way you think about life. Against the Current does all three.

A beautiful, thoughtful, and deeply human masterpiece. A reminder to stop merely chasing life and start living it well.

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