Could have been better and shorter
Raw Courage starred Cheng Pei Pei and Yueh Hua who were tasked with protecting the infant Crown Prince after the Ming Emperor was once again deposed. Director Lo Wei began the film with an army and ended it with a whimper.As the palace burns with the overthrow of Emperor Jian Wen, he entrusts his infant son to the Black Dragon leader. Rebel forces attack the Black Dragon and he is forced to send his daughter Hsiu Yi and surviving disciple Chin with the child to his brother the White Dragon far away. As they leave the duo are saved by Mo Wen Tien aka the Old Beggar. He gives them contacts to help on their journey. The first and most important is Fei Yun who ends up being their guide through the harrowing checkpoints. The little band is pursued by Yen Tsang and his army and the fearsome Old Monster.
I’m a huge fan of Cheng Pei Pei and love to watch her swing her sword while the stunt men go flying. This was not one of her stronger roles. Most of her dialogue centered on her asking Fei Yun, “what do you think we should do?” Wu Fung’s Chin was stuck with being the jealous older “brother.” Yueh Hua had the most fun as the easy going Beggar disciple guiding the two neophytes through treacherous territory. Tien Feng’s villain was poorly drawn and wasn’t that interesting. Lee Sau Kei’s blue-faced Monster had potential but not enough screen time.
The fights consisted of swinging swords. Aside from a trident and a weapon that looked like a garden weeder, there was nothing out of the ordinary. Poor Pei Pei fought with a baby on her back throughout the film. Three against an army over and over became wearisome as there was nothing to focus the eyes upon. Unlike 70’s films, there was no spewing blood or flying limbs. The bodies certainly stacked up, but most did so bloodlessly. I found myself watching the background characters during the fights. The extra fighters were at least given things to do beside hopping back and forth like some films. Though humorously one killed character pinned to a stone wall with a sword kept moving around during the fights. Poor guy had to be uncomfortable.
The film had the Shaw Brothers polish to it with quality sets and outdoor scenery. My biggest complaint with the film was the pacing and its length. Despite the chemistry of Pei Pei and Yueh Hua, the film dragged badly. The sense of urgency and danger dissipated due to the lack of stakes and repetition of conflicts. The intrepid trio inexplicably escaped overwhelming odds on numerous occasions to the point even for a martial arts movie that it made no sense. When I found myself focusing more on the stuntmen than Pei Pei, there was a problem. Having said all that there were entertaining moments so if you are a fan of any of the actors or enjoy martial arts films from this era it is one to try, just best to keep your expectations low. As always, graded on a kung fu curve.
7 August 2026
Trigger warning: Brief nudity, non-sexual.
Photo bomb note: I loved that during one scene while the trio paused on their horses, a dragonfly buzzed in front of the camera! No take 2!
Will someone please think of the children note! : The poor baby cried at all the inopportune moments during the early parts of the film and then went silent for the rest of the film. Probably because the poor thing was rarely fed or diaper changed. Proper care of a child was not a priority for the film, just an accessory for Pei Pei's back and something to alert the evil doers of the good guys' location.
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Dream for us all at this point.
Starts off strong with the to-the-point approach to emotional turmoil. Does not beat around confessions, past wounds, backstory and childhood traumas - which saves a lot of confusion and back-and-forth for us all.But it falls off by the second episode in terms of quite literally everything. The acting is childish and immature, the female lead is infantalised by the plot itself; the guy has an odd way to deal with his past and emotions by disappearing for a decade and re-appear believing in immediate forgiveness, comeback AND working together on the singular thing that symbolises their vulnerable relationship, all the while stuck on a past version of the female lead, completely undoing the life the latter has made for herself after the tragedy.
The tropes are juvenile and cliched: the white truck-kun, the staring into the headlights as a car approaches blindly, the tripping and falling into arms, the drunk yelling and waking up unclothed in a strange bed, the deliberate weird situations, the forced humour. It's nearly unbearable to watch.
THE SECOND LEADS THOUGH!!!! Amazing chemistry, tropes and progression. Need more screen time for them.
The cinematography and music though remain top-notch. Hope they pick the pace and resolve this childishness.
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This review may contain spoilers
Kawaii but not so kawaii grooming story
I'm definitely not the target audience of this drama. The female lead's only personality throughout the whole series is being 'kawaii' (cute), if that can be considered a personality. Every straight man in the drama would fall for her and be blessed by her cuteness and nothing else is needed.Everyone is toxic and everything is ridiculous from the beginning till the end. This drama has all kinds of cliché tropes and cheesy lines combined in 10 episodes. Thank God it only has 10 episodes. I appreciate the cast's efforts, but even their acting and pretty faces couldn't save this embarassing plot. I hope they got paid enough for the job.
I think the person who wrote this story was probably still an elementary or middle school student when they wrote it. Nothing makes sense already, starting from how innocent the female lead is, as a university student. And what kind of CEO the male lead is to be in such a dangerous state that someome would kidnap and want to kill his girlfriend?
One ridiculous scene that I remember now was when the female lead's so-called best friend asked her to lend her boyfriend to her. I really wish the female lead could slap that bitch right in her face and end their friendship right there, instead of rolling her puppy eyes again and apologizing to that bitch and accepting her ridiculous request. Girl, she's not your friend! She's a snake! To make things worse, the female lead's boyfriend also accepted the deal to go on a romantic date with both his girlfriend and her friend at the same time. I was so done lol. I can't rate this drama any higher.
Also, I think this drama would be the fastest way to teach a Japanese beginner learner how to say the word 'gomennasai' (sorry). The female lead kept saying it in almost every scene she was in. Besides 'kawaii', that word is now stuck in my head. I think this drama should be renamed into ‘Kawaii and Gomennasai’.
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Overall a great show!
This was my first cdrama in a while and I only ever watched Lighter and Princess with Zhang Jing Yi which I loved. So that being said, I had no clue who Song Weilong was but his fantastic acting made me look him up and I saw the craze about him and I completely understand!What a fantastic performance by all the actors! I grew to love the side characters as well.
The story itself hooked me from the first scene and it's been a while since I woke up earlier so I could watch more before work. I couldn't stop thinking about this drama! 🫣
Overall, it had a massive potential but in the middle, the story dragged awfully. So much so that I didn't feel like watching but was too invested in the ending.
Towards the end the story picked up pace and it got very action-y, interesting and high-stakes. I felt like many issues that were the main trouble of the storyline could be explored more in depth. It felt surface level at some point but still solid enough.
The ending was totally worth it. It definitely made me feel like crying.
Beautiful and interesting story.
I will rewatch for sure
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What happens after Alice falls into the rabbit hole
Whereas the first six episodes were dark and filled with hurt, Episode 7 marks a turning point. The healing begins, and placing both characters in a different environment allows the story to progress naturally. And what a story it has been. The screenplay is written with such careful tension and character development that it effortlessly pulls you into their world. Every misunderstanding and preconceived notion Little Jane has about P’Jane lays the groundwork for the emotional pain that follows.What I’m waiting for now is the moment Little Jane stops being a doormat and begins to develop into the person P’Jane has always wanted him to become. Every time P’Jane tells him, “Don’t be emotional,” it isn’t meant to dismiss his feelings but to correct a self-destructive pattern of behavior. Ironically, human nature often reacts in the opposite way, with defensiveness or aggression. It almost feels as though a psychologist wrote this series. It’s a dark and emotional journey down the rabbit hole, watching our own Alice struggle to find his way back out.
One of the show’s greatest strengths is how it continually shifts our perception of its characters. The emotional roller coaster isn’t driven by plot twists alone but by our changing understanding of who these people really are. Characters we once judged harshly become sympathetic, while others reveal unexpected flaws. It’s remarkably well-crafted.
Perhaps that’s why this story resonates with me on a personal level. The recurring theme of making deals mirrors how I was raised by my parents and how I’ve approached my career. I’ve often told those close to me that life is about making deals, not in a manipulative sense, but in understanding that every relationship is built on give and take. Sometimes you receive; in return, you give back or pay it forward. That philosophy has shaped much of my life, and seeing it woven so naturally into this story makes it feel surprisingly authentic.
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This review may contain spoilers
To be honest, this story is not for everyone (including me). However objectively, the whole story is just outstanding. The stubborn personality of Kim Nak Su who stucked in his own dream and idealism. I love how they depicted the conflicts of principles between the older and younger generations. The pace is perfectly slow, but it is the flat type. There weren't any tense, not even heartwarming, It was morelike a biopic or an autobiography. You could feel your frustration watching Nak Su channeling through his life with all his reckless decisions. Most of the times, it was VERY VERY difficult to root for him, but at some point you want to do so. The morale lessons were delivered implicitly, because you had to determine which part of Nak Su was correct and which one was not.Ryu Seung Ryong is really the star of this show, he deserved that Baeksang. He dived into the character really hard, I couldn't think how Kim Nak Su would be without him. A perfect depiction of an egoistic, naricsstic, old-fashioned boomer. All the supporting characters were supporting his role as well.
While the show was slow and lack of intensity, the most disturbing thing in this show for me was how they handled the mental health problem. They dismissed it like it was nothing, like the solution of it was just to resist and hope it will get better. I just think they were promoting a not-so-correct way to resolve a mental health issue.
To conclude, this show is probably not for everyone. However if you enjoy watching a dramatic version of an autobiography, than this is it.
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Back with a Bang
Just like it's prequel the show starts off with a bang. Ahn Bo Hyun as always was the perfect casting for Jin Isoo with his charm and comedic timing. As much as it sucks to not have Park Ji Hyun in this one, Jung Eun Chae as the strict and commanding senior really does take the mantle of being the badass female lead in this drama. The dynamics have changed, first season it was ML getting under FL's skin and now it's vice versa.Story so far is engaging and thrilling plus the humor hits right on point. Another thing I love about the drama is that doesn't shy away from even touching topics that are still a taboo in SK like LGBTQ. Looking forward to next eps.
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Not Perfect, But Definitely Enjoyable
A cute, fluffy rom-com with decent comedy. The chemistry between Tae Ha and Eun Sae was lovely—they were adorable together, even though sometimes, the romance didn't feel that natural.The drama did feel a bit slow and boring around Episodes 5–7, but it picked up again from Episode 8. The twist in Episodes 11–12 also added a nice layer to the story and made the final stretch more engaging.
The whole village was like a small family. Loved them alot. I also loved the friendship between Doctor An and Eun Sae, especially their greeting high-five.
I also liked how the drama balanced romance, comedy, and action without letting one overshadow the others.
Overall, it's a light, feel-good watch that's perfect if you're in the mood for a sweet romance.
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This review may contain spoilers
OffGun didn’t disappoint, but Dew was phenomenal
What a messy, heartbreaking, but incredibly good ride. 😭 The story really had me emotionally invested, especially in Jira - I was ready to fight everyone who hurt him. 😂Gun was excellent as always, and Off did a great job too, even though Koh had me absolutely furious. But Dew was the biggest surprise for me. Pheem was a red flag at one point, but Dew’s acting, especially in his heartbreak scenes, genuinely blew me away. I even replayed one scene because it was so well done. I really like his soft, gentle voice and he’s really charming in all scenes.
I still prefer Pheem for Jira, especially after his growth and how he became a green flag in the end. ❤️
I also appreciated that the romance didn’t rely heavily on spicy scenes - the chemistry and emotional tension were enough.
Definitely one of my favorites, and now I need to watch more of Dew’s dramas. 😂
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"Where every emotion feels real and every moment matters."
Our Sticky Love is a complete entertainment package that perfectly blends romance, action, and heartfelt storytelling.The chemistry between the "Jung Hae In" and "Ha Young" is exceptional, and both deliver natural, emotionally convincing performances that make every scene memorable.
The supporting cast also shines, while the main villain Heo Sung Tae brings a strong and compelling presence that adds intensity to the story.
The action sequences are exciting, and the narrative maintains a great balance between emotion, humor, and suspense.
Episode 11 features an incredible twist that takes the story to another level without losing its emotional core. With engaging storytelling, excellent performances, and a thoroughly satisfying conclusion.
this is a drama I absolutely loved and highly Recommend
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Surprisingly Enjoyable
This is my first time writing a review, so I'll just share my honest thoughts.I know this is a low-budget drama, and the fighting scenes are quite slow, but it didn't really bother me because I became more interested in the story.
What I really liked was the concept of being pulled into another world and having to complete different missions. It made the drama fun to watch, and there were funny moments in every episode that kept things entertaining.
I also liked the relationship between the leads. Without giving away too much, I appreciated the idea that even when a relationship is going through a difficult time, there can still be love and hope. I enjoyed seeing them learn to work together, support each other, and solve the mysteries as a couple.
For me, their romantic chemistry wasn't particularly strong, but their teamwork was. They worked well together when facing challenges, and that was one of my favorite parts of the drama.
The supporting cast was okay, and the acting was also okay—not amazing, but not bad either. Since I wasn't expecting a high-budget production, I focused more on the story and whether it kept me interested.
I also liked the ending. It was satisfying and added to my overall enjoyment of the drama.
Overall, it may not have the best fighting scenes or the strongest acting, but the humor, story, teamwork, and message of hope made it a worthwhile watch for me.
Sometimes a drama doesn't have to be perfect to be fun. I'm glad I watched it.
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the penthouse really said “let’s make everything worse” ?
honestly, season 3 was a complete mess… but somehow i still enjoyed watching it. 😭 the plot got SO ridiculous at times and there were definitely moments where i was like “be serious rn” but i was still sitting there waiting for the next episode.the biggest problem for me was that it felt like the writers were just trying to outdo themselves every episode. deaths, betrayals, revenge, plot twists… everything was turned up to 100 and eventually some of it stopped having the same impact. i also think the pacing was kinda all over the place, especially towards the end.
BUT the cast absolutely carried this drama. the acting was insane, especially during the more emotional scenes. even when the writing was questionable, the actors somehow made me care about what was happening. the music was also really good and fit the dramatic atmosphere perfectly.
would i recommend it? honestly… if you survived seasons 1 and 2, you might as well finish it 😭. it’s chaotic, over-the-top and definitely not perfect, but it’s entertaining as hell. i wouldn’t call it the best k-drama ever, but i can’t lie, the penthouse had me INVESTED.
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Good start ...but lost a good story
This starts out with an innocent story of two long time friends wanting to take it a step further in their relationship. It appears to be a good story in the beginning, and even gets better as a few sub plots and antagonists emerge about a third of the way through the drama. However, just as the series seems to be picking up steam, it stalls with the final couple episodes.The two protagonists really never create that strong chemistry together. It starts to form, but just never happens in a strong sense.
The last couple episodes appear to bring new life to the story, but even that goes off the tracks. They do resolve most of the issues happening throughout the series, but things really get rushed in the final episode. I think they could have either extended another episode or cut a few slow times from earlier episodes and given the main plot a bit more to develop on screen.
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My Heart Is Already Gone ?
I just finished the first two episodes, and what do you mean this drama has only 12 episodes?! 😭 I'm already completely in love with it.I love the CEO. I love the female lead. I even love the idol. The casting is perfect, the chemistry is amazing, and every scene has me smiling like an idiot.
But if I'm being honest... deep down I'm desperately waiting for her to fall in love with the CEO already! 🥹 Their moments together give me so many butterflies, and I hope this drama keeps my heart fluttering from start to finish.
Please don't disappoint me—this has all the potential to become one of my favorite K-dramas. ❤️
Hii I am back and screamingggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg
see you all on monday
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No amount of colorful costuming can hide how dull this really was
Eighteen episodes in, I feel like I've wasted twelve hours of my life watching this drama.Stuff happens, but the audience is never given time or reasons to care about it, and it feels like the main cast do an awful lot of nothing. For instance, although interesting (and awful) things happen around and to Wan Mei, she never actually does anything interesting herself unless it's by mistake or someone forces her into it. Likewise, Chang'An and Gong Li are nice to look at, but pretty one-note and, unfortunately, kind of boring. The villains are cartoonishly evil, which makes it hard to take any other parts of the drama seriously. Rare attempts to add depth to secondary characters generally fall flat.
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