Reviews

Great start but then....sigh

This started off so great, the chemistry between the leads, trying to figure out who was behind what, only for it to go downhill.

Major spoilers below:

The main problem this show has is that the story it's trying to tell is so greatly intertwined with a character that's already dead and not the main lead that it almost makes it unenjoyable. Every single second, everyone is talking about or in with or in hate with Pingshu. I get she was great, but my god, why is it every episode? Then we have Qi Yun Ke's insane obsession. He said he did everything to get revenge for Pingshu, but that's actually not the full truth. Is part of it to avenge her? Sure, but not fully. He's just upset she's dead and upset that not once in her life did she love him. Everything he's ever done was for himself and his own greed. And then his other sect brother had the audacity to lecture Pingshu's brother about getting revenge for her, as if he and Qi Yun Ke knew her better than he did. Honestly, I feel like the plot of this show is the type of plot that only works well in a novel setting.

I hope to see Bao Shang En and Zhou Yi Ran partnered up again because the chemistry was really good. Also, Li Yun Rui and Wan Peng.

So after reading all that, you are probably wondering if you should watch it or not, right? Honestly, I don't know.

There were a lot of really good parts and a lot of angst between the leads that I really enjoyed. Loved the scene where the female lead fights everyone to save the male lead. However, the issues I mentioned before...bugged me a lot. So honestly, it's up to you. I think I'd still choose to watch this if I could go back in time, but more so as a filler background show once we get past ep 30.

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Top-tier must-see drama!

The acting, the story, the freaking cinematography! Everyting is just amazing! No boring episode, you're just begging for more once one is over. The chemistry between the leads is off the roof, the other characters around them, especially around the female lead are so attaching. All that gets you into the drama even more. The plot is well set, the pace is just perfect, neither too fast nor too slow. We get to see how they fall for each other and create their strong bound, it's not just "a love at first sight so I ride or die for you". We see how down bad they are for the other, how they care and respect one another. All that well-balanced with the political & war issues they have to face.
This drama was long awaited and it's living up to its expectation. Definitely a must watch.

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The 100th version of rich CEO and poor girl

Business marriage is a common theme and is often overused. If this is your first time watching a Japanese drama that features a relationship between a wealthy CEO and a lower-class employee, you might enjoy it. However, after watching many similar stories and some impressive adaptations, I found this version lacking. The storyline is acceptable but not particularly remarkable. While there are some charming scenes, they aren't strong enough to make this drama memorable. Nonetheless, if you're having a slow week and want something light to watch, this could be a good option.

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Boring conversations and sex

Ok, this wasn't much of a story and it was almost more like soft porn.
The little conversations there were to give it a bit of a story were so slow and boring. The bad subtitles weren't much help either. I almost fell asleep in my chair, that's how boring it was.
The visuals were ok and the background music was ok, but the piano music was a bit anoying at some moments.

And then the acting, well there wasn't much acting to do, but the bit acting they did was not very bad, but a bit "flat".

In my opinion, watching this is a waste of time...

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Came for Gao and Shen? This Drama Will Disappoint You

I’m honestly really disappointed with this drama.

I first found it through a YouTube clip of Gao and Shen, and their scene looked so interesting that I immediately searched for the drama and started watching it. Later I realized they were only the second couple, not the main leads. That was a bit disappointing, but I still decided to watch because I thought both couples would get good screen time.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case at all.

I couldn’t really get interested in the main couple and story line too, but I kept watching because of Gao and S. They were the only reason I continued the drama. But the biggest problem is that they barely gave them any screen time. Their story felt rushed and underdeveloped, which was really frustrating.

What made it even worse was the ending. I at least expected a happy ending for them after everything. Instead, the story completely ruined their characters and their relationship. It felt unfair and honestly pointless after making viewers care about them.

Because of that, this drama ended up being a huge disappointment for me. I watched it mainly for Gao and Shen, but they deserved so much better than what the writers gave them.

I especially wouldn’t recommend this drama to people who started it after watching YouTube clips of Gao and Shen, because those clips make it seem like they have a bigger and better story than they actually do.

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Predatory behaviour wrapped as romance

There are many aspects of this drama that deserve discussion. First and foremost, it is a remarkable piece of storytelling; however, the subject matter is quite controversial. It's essential to approach it with an understanding that, although the themes are complex, the narrative is compelling.

As I understand it, this drama is based on a manga, which can explain some of its elements, but the significant age gap between the characters is quite challenging to digest on screen. It would have been less troubling if Akira were at least 18 years old. That said, the actors delivered outstanding performances that kept me fully engaged, making it a truly memorable drama overall.


Plot***
The plot centres on Hijiri, a 25-year-old woman who begins her journey to become a homeroom teacher. She leaves behind her life in Tokyo, including her supportive boyfriend, to move to a small city in the countryside. In her middle school class, she encounters Akira, a 15-year-old boy grappling with the challenges of adolescence. Initially, Akira displays hostility towards Hijiri, mocking and trying to hurt her, but the dynamics shift dramatically when he confesses his feelings for her. This escalation turns what might have been a simple crush into a forbidden relationship.


Spoilers ahead***

The age difference is indeed significant and deserves full acknowledgement. It's crucial to recognise the implications of Hijiri's behaviour, which can be viewed as predatory. Throughout the drama, Akira is depicted as the one pursuing Hijiri, crossing boundaries that should not be crossed. Maybe it is a strategic move to bring the viewers to accept and clear her of any guilt, but it’s vital to pay attention to the fact that she is a 25-year-old adult who is aware of the moral implications of her actions and far from innocent.

The story invites viewers to think critically about the complexities of these characters' choices. Although Akira persistently pursues Hijiri, even going so far as to run away from home, the portrayal risks belittling Hijiri's role as an adult. While she initially resists his advances, her emotional response to his declarations complicates that resistance, revealing how easily one can become swayed by intense feelings.

A particularly telling moment occurs when Hijiri leaves town with her boyfriend and finds Akira chasing after her on his bicycle. This scene powerfully illustrates her internal conflict, as she is visibly affected by the situation. By choosing to remain silent instead of taking decisive action, she presents an appearance of innocence while grappling with the implications of her choices.

While some viewers may interpret the absence of a physical relationship between them as romantic, it's important to recognise that Hijiri is an adult who knows better and has the capacity to stop the situation at any time. Her silence contributes to a troubling dynamic, raising broader questions about accountability. Additionally, it's surprising that Akira's family and those around him did not intervene legally or seek help from the authorities, highlighting systemic failures in support systems.

Instead of viewing this drama solely as a romantic tale, it's more constructive to approach it as a deeply disturbing narrative that explores how adults failed to protect a young boy. The characters, despite their flaws, reflect the impact of their decisions, challenging viewers to think critically about love(?!) and its consequences.

Overall, the drama is beautifully crafted, and the acting is exceptional. Arimura Kasumi shines in her role, showcasing her ability to portray layered and intricate characters. Having followed her work, I appreciate the thoughtful choices she makes in the projects she undertakes, bringing depth and realism to her performances, particularly as Hijiri.

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Petition to change the title to "Our Sunbae"

*Minor Spoilers Alert*

What exactly went wrong with this drama?

Did the writer mix up the ML and SML scripts?

Did the director forget that the SML is not the ML and therefore shouldn’t be having half the romantic & swoonworthy moments with the FL?

Or did the production house get confused and promote the wrong man as the ML?

OHH OH OH WAIT, maybe they just wanted to make a clownery out of the viewers? Because that’s honestly what it looks like to me. But let me tell you some (or maybe more) things for sure so you can save your time.

This show actually follows its script for… what, maybe three episodes max? Yes. Three. After that, it completely forgets what it was supposed to be and turns into AGLTTNOCAFAYIBTEP (a goddamn love triangle that no one gives a fk about, yet somehow it becomes the entire plot). UGH.

Let me tell you the synopsis of THIS drama.

"After a tragic accident leaves their nephew Woo Joo orphaned, Hyun Jin and Tae Hyung are forced to raise him together despite their rocky first impression of each other. Thrown into the unfamiliar role of co-parents, they struggle to navigate childcare and their new responsibilities. Tae Hyeong, a photographer who prefers control and solitude, gradually begins to develop unexpected feelings for Hyun Jin. Meanwhile, Hyun Jin, still grieving her sister, focuses on raising U Ju as a way to honor her. As they spend more time together, their relationship slowly begins to change, though she hesitates to follow her heart"

Now like a teacher point by point I'm gonna correct the errors in this synopsis:

First of all, this show is supposed to be about the baby, right? The child whose parents tragically died in an accident?Because from what I watched, the plot barely revolves 10% around the baby and 90% around the SML and FL.

The term co-parent literally means: “to share the duties of bringing up a child.” Someone please explain where that sharing is happening here, because ONLY Tae Hyung is taking care of the baby.

“Hyun Jin focuses on raising Woo Joo” excuse me, where? Because from what the show actually portrays, she focuses more on the SML. Meanwhile, she signed up to take responsibility for a 1.5 year old child, yet 95% of the time the uncle is the one handling the baby.

I’m not saying she has to sacrifice her career for the kid. But if you’re incapable of handling a literal human being, maybe don’t step up to become his legal guardian in the first place. Handling a child is not a casual side quest.

Now this is like 10-15% of the drama. Do you wanna know what is the other 85-90%? A STUPID AND UNNECESSARY LOVE TRAINGLE.

I was hooked by the baby. I swear, how could anyone not be? He would be the apple of anyone’s eye. His crying scene made me terribly sad; I actually sobbed:( But as the show progressed, his screen time became almost negligible. I know we can’t expect a 1.5-year old to “act,” but at least the plot could have focused on his parenting and the struggles of balancing a career while raising him. Instead, that part is brushed off with minimal story, while most of the focus shifts to the FL’s love life. LAME.

This is peak catfishing!
The marketing? Misleading.
The drama? Pure Ragebait.

If the story had only focused on the Main Leads, I honestly wouldn’t have minded. But the SML feels completely unnecessary to the plot. He’s the one flirting and getting all those romantic scenes with the FL which, by the way, are the scenes the ML should be having with her. He barely has any relevance to the actual plot, yet somehow the entire story keeps revolving around him. I didn’t sign up to watch “Our Sunbae.”

Let’s go through the characters, even though the story mainly revolves around SML;

Tae Hyung, ML (namesake): He honestly has such a green-flag personality. Even though he never wanted to be involved with the baby at first, he slowly grew attached to him more than even the aunt did. What started as responsibility turned into a genuine connection.

I also love how he never forced his feelings onto the FL, yet he was always concerned about her wellbeing.

Hyun Jin, FL: Her being confused between the two isn’t really the issue. The problem is that she could easily turn one down while actively saying yes to go on dates with the other and yes, that’s very problematic. She also stepped up to become Woo Joo’s legal guardian, yet she’s barely taking care of him. It’s understandable that things are difficult, but if you’re not even financially stable or ready to handle a child, why take that responsibility in the first place?

Honestly, at one point I barely even saw any spark between her and the ML anymore. They should probably just co-parent the child, that’s it because he definitely deserves better.

And the actress’s facial expressions are so bland that I feel absolutely nothing watching her whether she’s supposed to be conflicted, upset, or concerned. I just kept wondering that she didn’t understand her character either, because she just looks confused the whole time… which honestly would explain a lot.

SML: Annoying, unnecessary, insufferable. I don’t exactly hate him, but he has zero relevance what the actual plot should have been and still ends up with the majority of the screen time.

Honestly, if you removed him from the show’s 12 hours, you’d probably be left with only about 5 hours of actual story.

After suffering from endless amnesia about what the drama was even about, the writer and director suddenly remembered it was supposed to be about the kid 🤣 so they crammed the entire story into the last two episodes. Rushed doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Don’t watch this for the romance, the love triangle drags on till almost the end and honestly there’s no point.

Because for enterity of this drama FL: sunbae sunbae SUN FKING BAE

out of nowhere: Hey I like you Tae Hyung

(AFTER GOING ON MULTIPLE DATES WITH SML)

But I would totally recommend watching the Woo Joo and Tae Hyeong scenes through reels, they’re adorable and genuinely funny.

The only reason I even started this show was because of the scene where Woo Joo cries after his parents’ death, which was an exceptional moment by the way. But apart from that the plot does absolutely nothing, like FOR REAL.

If you are still in the earlier episodes, just do yourself a favour.

I wouldn't say this was dud it had potential to greater than what was presented to the audience but yk some scripts should be kept hidden forever for the greater good of the audience and this is THE ONE.

Giving 3 stars only for Woo Joo and his Samacheon.

With Regards,
Biggest fan of Woo Joo & criticizer of this show

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the story wasn’t truly about the mean lead

This started out heavy.

But the premise was good so I held on to it.

But as it progressed it got dumb.

15 years of being stuck in an island with noone who tried looking for her aside from the male lead who masked his search in a different tactic.

15 years of a family pretending to be a family they’re not to escape an abusive father and husband. When they could’ve easily reported him especially during the present time. When he was more active in harrassing them again.

Then there’s the issue with the past super star, her company shares, her lack of singing capability, her ex prodigee and more… To be honest, the series seemed to focus more on her story than the journey of the main character… So there’s that.

The drama was tackling too many things at once that the story of the actual main lead was not really present. It was just her being caught in the middle of two different group of people and their issues.

Nowhere in the drama did we give her any closure on the abuse she suffered during childhood and the isolation she experienced for 15 years. I mean these issues alone should have been addressed. Especially here getting back to civilization wherein she could have easily been scammed.

Honestly, I think they could have made this into an 8 or 10 episode drama. 10 is even extending it. But yeah, this was a clear miss for me.

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My Harmony

Well I'm really guilty that I once dropped this masterpiece. I can tell I'm not doing it again. I really like this series so much. I never knew it would touch me this much. I knew it i like simple story. I really felt very bad for ploy, honestly i still can't blame her for whatever happened. That girl has learned to grow up alone, stay alone. Ik sometimes she plays with heart but ik she just try to stay happy, keep her happy as she knows noone else gonna do that for her. I'm really sorry for her, her mother is so distanced from her, when She's the only one reasonable in ploy's life. My girl barely got her mother's love and ended up learning to live alone. When she was truly hurt abt the thing, i mean the harsh true that pun is just getting her close for a reason, in the end she couldn’t bare it. She saw the future where they're breaking up just like the way ploy made it. She maybe wanted to end it or maybe tried to took control of everything but she forgot she can't. Nobody can take controt of theirself, nobody knows how anything can end, as It's a plot twist by nature. Ploy really couldn’t know if that could end like that. I mean eventually they could separate but can't just end and the nature proved that. They both were a fun of each other but it just ONE. And they fall in love without watching it coming. Maybe it was pun's mistake not to sharing it with ploy. I really don't find ploy guilty here. Even in the end she knew, She's still the toy and felt really badly hurt. Well pun did apology letter but ploy couldn’t forgive or forget. She needed time. And the time she got, and realized she still wants her lover pun. She said so much time 'it will fade away' actually It's the Only thing that was holding her back. And I'm glad she realized she loves pun.
And if I tell the other side now abt Pun. Well she really got played by ploy, now here i can't defend ploy. Ploy really played with her feelings. I really loved the sister love among love the thing. I love siblings and i truly loved the way prang slapped poly, the way she kept calling her sister just to talk with her. The way she held her saying how proud she is. Ik i maybe can't be a sister like her but I'm a good sister. I'm also someone good in someone life, who dosebt judge them, who dosnet fake the care. I'm also someone with deep feelings. I'm a good sister.
Player the series took a special space in my heart. I never expected it to touched me like this, i love this. I love it the way poy pitcha finally found herself and the love she was asking everywhere. I love them, i loved the story. I love the side character, prang. Ik I'm not gonna watch it again but i also know how I'm gonna think abt it. I've watched some other series recently and I don’t hesitate to say, i got lucky starting it again.

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I would definitely reccomend you to watch this series!

I have just finished watching 'Boyfriend on demand' and I have actually really enjoyed it! It has been a long time since I have enjoyed a series and I finally did. In this series I did stand up, close my computer and think 'How could he/she do that' since you know sometimes you just want to tell the character in a series about something to help them understand what is happening but you know.
First of all, I did watch it because of Jisoo and Seo In guk but I actually realised that the plot of the movie was written really well and it doesn't get boring in the middle of it. I am glad I found these series and want to reccomend it to more people.
Hope you watch it!

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A film that reminds you to go home to your mother.

In my personal opinion, the premise of this film is very simple, but I think that's precisely its strength. The aftermath makes you want to call your mom, if you can't go home that time.

The simplicity of the premise the director wanted to convey was also conveyed very well by Wooshik and Jang Hyejin. You can understand Hamin/Eunsil's point of view, so you won't blame either of them. Wooshik and Jang Hyejin's tandem is really powerful. If I wasn't a K-drama fan, I would definitely believe that they are mother and son, lol.

What I like here is that Seungyeon's character isn't just Hamin's “girlfriend”; she plays a role in the development of the main character. Hamin and Ryeoun were born to be soulmates and their love is pure. Honestly, I'm looking forward to Wooshik and Seungyeon's reunion in Whale Star because, surprisingly, they're so compatible and both incredibly charming on the big screen.

Oh, and another thing I love is the film's dreamy score?? Love it?? I'm sure the director intentionally made it dreamy to remind the audience that there's still a fantasy element in this film.

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Light and fun

I liked the concept and the execution was decent too but there were a few things that disappointed me. I'll cover those before discussing what I enjoyed.

The drama relied heavily on advertising the star studded cast but when it actually came to their appearance, some of them were barely there for more than a minute. That was my biggest disappointment. Don't advertise something if you can't deliver it. I really wanted to see more of Kim Young Dae. Like a full date. They did him so dirty.

Jisoo's acting received a lot of flak and though it wasn't particularly good, it wasn't awful either. Maybe because I recently saw worse. The plot and editing does help a lot. I did find her behaviour cringe when she was paired opposite Seo Kang Jun especially in ep 3. I didn't particularly enjoy her chemistry with any of the leads. In fact I couldn't understand why Seo In Guk's character would like her based on the faces she made around him. It made him look like a creep at times for pursuing her.

On to the good - The plot of a woman being able to date multiple good looking men virtually was cool and fun. The acting of the men were quite good. At least the ones with longer roles. I really loved Seo Kang Jun's character. I also loved Yoo In Na! I kinda wished she was the FL because she looking so stunning and charming. Even Jisoo's friend's character was so fun! I liked both the authors too. I kinda liked how Seo In Guk's character changed and the behind the scenes moments from his POV were great.

There was no dull moment while watching the drama so it's great when you're bored or need to watch something light.

There are at least 3 OST songs that I really liked and need to look up.

Overall, the show is light and enjoyable. Just wish we had some more screentime for some of the boyfriends so that and the lack of any sizzling chemistry were my biggest disappointments.

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FATED TO LOVE IN EVERY BIRTH BUT TOGETHER, FOREVER ??

A Good Sequel to "My Boo" movie, which is a simple, straightforward & light-hearted Horror Comedy with a touch of Rom-com.

This Sequel Movie concentrates more on Romance (Main Leads' Human-Ghost love relationship from prequel) than Horror Comedy.
This is purely Time Travel Supernatural Romance, explaining how ML & FL are Fated to meet from Four births, how they fall in love in every birth / reincarnation and how they are meant not to be together in every birth (this part is sort of sad n emotional).

This story includes the two births shown in the prequel -- one past reincarnation of FL as rich lady & ML as theif and present reincarnation of ML inheriting the haunted house & FL as ghost and that's how, it is a continuation of the story left out in prequel but with different ending.

***
There are no scary horror scenes, no jumpscare moments and no haunting horror comedy scenes in this, unlike prequel.

Be aware, there are some Gore scenes, especially when the 2nd birth of the main leads are shown (the Ghouls devouring humans)

*** STORY NARRATION:
Story here, as extended explanatory version to the prequel's story, is Very Good
but the Pacing is damn slow in many scenes in first one hour of the movie.
And so, this is Not Captivating enough or Impressive like prequel.

(I can not tolerate sloth-paced ones and so, my interest to watch this, dropped but continued watching for the sake of my Watching Tradition that is not to drop anything, once I start watching, hehe).

Anyways, Last one hour of the movie is Very Interesting.
The Editing in this last part, showing one scene from every birth, one after the other, is Good.

*** CHARACTERS & ACTORS:
There's a diversity in all the roles of both the leads in all births, especially FL's roles -- in 1st birth, she is a warrior, 2nd life as Ghoul, 3rd as a rich lady and 4th (present birth of ML).

Loved her acting in all the roles, from a tough warrior lady to a sweet ghoul to a rich lady with grace.

ML roles in all births are Ok -- Loved the Inspector (2nd birth) and the one as child admiring FL in 3rd birth.

Even the supporting characters are reborn along with them and are Good. Some of them are funny too.

Actors Gee and Bow should do a full length Rom-com together or a historical romance.
They look very cute together as a couple ☺️

**** SPOILER (STORY) ****
It's sad, how ML is the reason for FL's death in all births.
All the past lives, those stories and their characters including the support characters are Written Well.

Also, I loved how ML time travelled to all births, learning their story in every birth and tried to stop her death, which led to change their fate and future (hence, Ending of prequel is changed)

Liked the Prequel's Ending but this Ending here, is more of happier one, though Open Ending and completely different :)
This Reimagined Ending to their love story is a Good Closure.

(Since it's an Open Happy Ending, can we hope for another sequel with pure romance but a Definite Ending for their love story this time, Haha Huh?! :) )

*** RATING:
My Rating is 7/10
(Could be more, if not for the Bad Pacing)

One Time Watch!
Usually, Reincarnations and Time travel trope are Interesting but somehow here, I liked that simple Prequel more.

***

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Better than Expected

I was really excited about this drama because the cast was just !!! However, I got a bit nervous when I started seeing all these posts complaining about Jisoo's acting. Note that I've actually never watched her in a drama but like her as a whole! I actually found her portrayal of Seo Mirae to be quite good! Perhaps it was a character that suited more of her style.

The storyline was fun, and I enjoyed the use of the VR "game" in the storyline. However, at some point, I did start to fast forward through more of the VR storyline (mostly the secondary characters) just because I wanted to see more of the main couple's storyline on my screen! Honestly, the relationship was so cute that it had me wanting that for myself as well.

The pacing of the drama probably could have been better (i.e., some of the conflict in the latter episodes probably could have happened a bit earlier so that we could have a more developed storyline after the fact). It felt like the last two episodes really tried to pack a lot in, and some of the earlier episodes probably had more fluff than it needed. The 10-episode length, however, would otherwise have been good as it might feel draggy if it went longer.

All in all, I quite enjoyed the drama (and stayed up late to finish it). I also love Seo Inguk and Seo Kangjoon and might go digging for some of their older stuff as my next drama!

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