Reviews

So for me the drama started of a bit clumsy. I was soooo irritated by the FL in the first few episodes. Like girl, you don't know his story, why are you biting his head of, cool it with the attitude. But she kind of grew on me later.
I loved the detective stories, although the grusome depictions of death etc were a bit much here, I've never seen a drama with such a high ick factor. The very graphic depiction of the puppet strings, dead bodies, blood and gore... Quite unusual for a drama, it really wasn't much to my taste, but for everyone who enjoys horror as a genre, this is the perfect drama.

I loved, loved, loved Luo Yunxi, he always gives it his all, and he didn't disappoint here. He's brilliant at showcasing emotions - from playful, warm and friendly to intense and brooding and raging, I mean, wow. He's got such a great range, and he's a pleasure to watch.

Alan Fang is a new discovery for me, very good acting. Great chemistry with LYX, they go well together. I wish he got more screen time, especially at the end.

Costumes were great and very well made. Fighting choreography was also quite good. The scenery and interiors were visually pleasing (apart from the horror stuff) and you can notice the attention to details.

Overall, very nice drama, worth watching.

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Good actors and potential, but weak script and little action compared with the original MIR

The original series (OS) from 2016 series had a strong plot and strong characters and was packed with events. The 2026 version has all the circumstances and events toned down, and the 2026 characters are not so well defined or humorous. I don't recall any entirely new plot elements in the new series.
Not much happens except couples, especially Tee and Fuse, staring at each other, mostly silently but occasionally saying stock phrases. Tee could give a master class on how to stand silently staring. Some of the script is contrived, with actions which do not follow from previous actions, like the Ep1 scene in the restaurant where the owner's trousers are pulled down.
The lead boy playing Fuse (real age 16) has an attractive smiling personality. Some of the other characters like Lookmo, the blond-haired one, are believable. But what attracts Fuse to the new Tee is anyone's guess, because Tee is so wooden and unsmiling. He is obviously older (the actor is 21) and has a deep voice and a high head, although the hair could be a wig. Maybe the older actor feels out of place with the teenagers. In the episodes Fuse is always bewildered and wide-eyed. In the reaction videos and behind the scenes he is natural and more attractive as himself.
Shane and Peemkrit do a reasonable job as Frame and Book. In the OS, Book suffered anxiety because he had been r*ped by an older youth and could not tell his neglectful parents. In the 2026 series Book's anxiety is because he has posted video of himself on social media showing a tattoo (nothing rude) above his waist. Suddenly in Ep10 a student teacher finds Book's photos and wants to abuse Book, but Frame comes in and stops him. The next step should have been that the boys go to the principal to tell him about the student teacher, but we hear no more about it. The potential story goes nowhere. Only Frame shows any sign of physical attraction. The rest is fluff.
Most of the events of the OS either do not happen at all or are like faint echoes. There is no bondage or nc scene between Lookmo and Yok. Yok is fluffy and has almost no personality compared with the OS Yok, who is a very strong-willed character.
In the OS another boy, Wit (played captivatingly by Plan), took the lead in many events, but the 2026 Witt is just slow-witted and the butt of jokes. In the OS S1Ep10 in the school library Wit shows Lookmo and another boy how to bend at the knees and go down and up rubbing the front of his shorts against the edge of a table. Wit then says he is going to the rest room (!). In the new series Ep10 there is an echo of this with Wit and others suddenly almost doing pelvic thrusts in the cafeteria but it is just meaningless with no outcome.
"Comedy" music and sound effects tell you when to smile because otherwise you would not know it was funny. Altogether, the cast are very likeable and do their best, but are let down with a very weak script and direction.

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From Nonsensical comedy to Tears to fun again

Honestly, I went into this drama expecting something mid, but it grabbed my attention from the very first episode!

The first half is pure fun and nonsense. 😂 The comedy is ridiculous, some scenes barely make sense, and even the physical fights feel animated at times. like That head dent. Somehow, though, the characters pulled it off. the young grandma was so good at playing old lady. lol.

Initially, I felt like the drama was 97% comedy, 1% suspense, 1% romance and 1% emotional moments. But things gradually changed in the second half. We learn more about the past, and while the comedy remains, the emotional depth increases.

Episodes 12 and 13 genuinely made me tear up. I wasn't expecting this drama to make me so emotional!

I also loved the ending. After everything, we got romance, comedy and the return of some characters. It was a sweet, funny way to wrap things up. My only emotional complaint is Minji. 😭 I wish they could have remained friends. Seeing her grow old hurt!

Overall, don't expect a comedy that always makes sense; just go with it and enjoy the ride. I went in with low expectations and ended up enjoying it way more than I expected.

P.S. -
both jiniyas looked beautiful.
woobin was amazing.
i felt for that poor dog so much...why did they do that?!!
the angel seriously had inferiority complex. i felt for irem.

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if boredom and cliches had a child, it would be this drama.

Netflix recommend me this drama stating its the hottest shit in 10 countries. Netflix was right...about the shit part.

I love Rom coms and i know that cliches are a sort or given but this drama is just pure cliches.

there is nothing interesting about the plot, the characters, the setting. everything made me yawn.

I liked the main leads as actors but even them gave the most underwhelming performance.

this is not a drama, this is a check list:
Chaebol ✅
struggling artist✅
rivalry between heirs ✅
a jeolus collegue ✅
30 years old grown ups acting like virgins scared of the slightest touch✅

of course you need to sprinkle everything with a reason that keeps male and female protagonist closer and eventually make them falling in love.

I didn't enjoy a single minute of this drama except for the young actor in love with the writer.


the worst part is probably them joking about this "not" being a drama but real life.
in 2 episode they did like 5 times....


there is way better stuff out there.

please save your time and skip this mess

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From the very first scene, The Judge Returns hooks you and doesn't let go. The story follows Lee Han Yeong, a judge from a humble background who originally compromised his integrity to climb the ranks. After marrying into a powerful family, he spent years doing the dirty work for his father-in-law's prestigious law firm. But when guilt finally catches up to him, he makes a bold move to stand up against corruption, a choice that costs him his life.

Instead of the end, however, he wakes up ten years in the past with all his memories intact. Given a second chance at life, Han Yeong resolves to fix his past mistakes and deliver real justice, joining forces with determined prosecutor Kim Jin A. The opening episodes do a brilliant job of setting up his internal dilemma, showing his pivotal encounters with both the victims and the corrupt figures who control the system.

Standout Performances

Ji Sung (Lee Han Yeong): Once again, Ji Sung delivers an absolute masterclass in acting. He brings incredible depth to a man torn between regret and a desire for redemption. Honestly, watching him on screen makes the whole series completely worth it.

Park Hee Soon (Kang Sin Jin): Flawless performance as the ultimate villain. He plays a twisted, vengeful antagonist who masks his pure obsession with power behind thin excuses.

Won Jin A, Tae Won Seok, and Hwang Hee: The supporting cast elevates the drama to another level. Their performances feel natural, polished, and grounded.

Oh Se Young (Yoo Se Hui): She captures the cold, pristine aura of a wealthy heiress perfectly. What makes her character interesting is seeing the contrast between her chilly future self and her more human demeanor in the past timeline.

Visuals & Themes

The cinematography is top-tier, using visual atmosphere to highlight the stark divide between the common people and the elite, contrasting cold, clinical wealth with a warm yet desolate portrayal of poverty.

Beyond the visuals, the narrative core of the show is extremely satisfying. Watching the protagonist use his knowledge of the future to expose hidden truths and correct his past wrongs is thrilling. At the same time, the drama leaves you with a lingering thought: justice, like many other systems, is deeply vulnerable to corruption, and it’s genuinely unsettling to realize how much power rests in the wrong hands.

Final Verdict

Intriguing, tense, and immensely satisfying, The Judge Returns is a captivating legal thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Whether you're a fan of revenge-redemption stories or just want to see Ji Sung at his finest, this is a must-watch!

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On the life of one woman who managed to rise like an eagle carving out a path for herself and the women around her . . .

This is a beautiful, insightful story about the fate of women historically - still relevant to the fate of women today .

Wonderfully acted, with 'stories of the episode' as well as multi episode story archs, each woman is introduced memorably and you remember her story long after the episode ends. Running through the perils of losing your parents, being vulnerable to others, bad marriages, the patriarchy and more. . . Our main character, Shen Jialan / Xu Lanxiang, navigates each woman's plight and pitfall with grace and a fierceness that is new for the actress San Songyun, and she wears it well.

If you were hoping for a love romance story, the romance plot takes a distinct backseat all the way through. Lin Jinqi has troubled political waters to navigate, and he often cannot help save or protect Shen Jialan the way she deserves. Marriage did not protect Shen Jialan from having to find her own way and fight her own battles.

I'd have rated this higher but the last 25% or so wasn't a cohesive plot - just a set of epilogues with lots of time skips. I'd have highly preferred if it'd just ended around episode 42.

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not the mentor-junior tension I was expecting...

I couldnt really get into the romance between the leads...Yes he was mentoring her but it felt like he was giving everything to her too easily. Most of the time she didnt even ask for anything but he gives like so many hacks suddenly, which made it feel a bit forced and not in the direction of "she needs to figure it herself"

The consulting and work portion of the drama started out as interesting but then it got too draggy was there was no balance. It was 90% work 10% life. All the dates also went back to talking about work...

The male lead's acting was really average... His acting and vibes changes at different timings making it difficult to understand what kind of character Richard was.

After awhile i became more interested in the second leads cause their characters had more dynamics and drama.

Towards the end suddenly third leads got so much screentime.

I had expectations about the FL character but after awhile it became too much. Like shes just a intern so half the stuff felt very unrealistic and forced.

Overall probably wont rewatch as there is not much comedy or romance...

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Plot Twists and Cameos

MarkOhm’s chemistry is honestly not something I need to say much about because they are already giving us everything! They are so cute together, and I love seeing how happy they are with each other. The entire cast did an amazing job, and everyone had the chemistry needed to make the story work. I am also loving all the cameos!

As the story progresses, things can get a little confusing with the switches between their current lives, past lives, and the events that happened in the past that led to the decisions they made in the present. It feels like the series tried to explore too many different genres at once, and some parts of the story could have been explained in more depth. Still, I am loving all the plot twists! I just wish we had more scenes of them being a couple because I really enjoyed seeing them together.

Some things were not explained directly through dialogue but were instead conveyed through the camera angles, facial expressions, and body language. I found those details interesting, although there were times when I wished certain things had been explained more clearly.

MarkOhm definitely deserve more recognition and more opportunities to take on lead roles! Their chemistry and acting deserve to be appreciated, and I really hope to see more of them together in the future, even if they are playing second leads. I cannot wait for their next series, The Spooky Love Tale!

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Very enjoyable if you don't mind miscommunication, otherwise you might get frustrated.

I don't wanna be unfair, it's not a terrible drama, and I can see people liking it if they don't mind miscommunication tropes. To me there's nothing wrong with the acting and chemistry either.

That being said, whilst I loved the first episodes, the more I watched this drama the less I liked it. The frequent misunderstandings and lack of communication were very frustrating to watch. I don't even think it would've been that annoying if it had happened just once, but it was way overused in my opinion. To me the characters were too immature for their ages.

If you're undecided, I still think you should watch it and form your own opinion.

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the acting is a top tier!!!

CAN I GIVE A SERIES A 10/10 AFTER ONLY THREE EPISODES??? BECAUSE FOOL IN LOVE IS MAKING ME QUESTION EVERYTHING.

First of all, BANK????? THAT MAN IS A TOP TIER ACTOR. I genuinely don't understand how someone can be THAT good. And I don't know if anyone else sees it, but he reminds me SO MUCH of Phuwin when it comes to acting. Like, Bank is the dad, Phuwin is his son, and Phuwin inherited his acting genes. I'M SORRY, BUT I SEE IT. 💀 They're not necessarily alike in terms of appearance or physical features, but there's something about the way they act, their expressions, and the way they deliver their scenes that gives me the same feeling.

The biggest difference is that Bank has had more experience and has worked on numerous Thai series (Lakorn), whereas Phuwin is still building his career. But honestly? I can genuinely see Phuwin becoming just as successful and respected as Bank in the future. That man has SO MUCH potential.

NOW, BACK TO FOOL IN LOVE BECAUSE I NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS SERIES. 😭

THE ACTING. THE STORY. THE DIRECTING. THE EXECUTION. EVERYTHING IS JUST WORKING.

And COPTER????? BRO, YOU ABSOLUTELY ATE. If I'm not mistaken, this is only his second project and his first time playing a main character, and HE'S DELIVERING LIKE THIS????? THREE EPISODES IN AND I'M ALREADY THIS INVESTED. I genuinely didn't expect him to impress me this much, but he proved himself, and I'm SO happy to see it.

What makes this even crazier is that it's not just the leads carrying the series. Even the supporting cast is doing an amazing job. Every character feels like they belong there, and the acting doesn't take me out of the story for even a second. You know when you're watching something and you can actually FEEL the effort that went into making it good? That's exactly how I feel here.

I've dropped SO MANY series this year because something was always missing. Sometimes the story wasn't engaging, sometimes the acting didn't convince me, and sometimes the directing just couldn't bring everything together. I kept waiting for a series that would make me excited to watch every new episode instead of forcing myself to continue.

AND THEN FOOL IN LOVE CAME ALONG WITH ONLY THREE EPISODES AND STARTED CHALLENGING MY ENTIRE RANKING 🥲

Before this, Ticket to Heaven was my BL series of the year, with Sammy's Children's Day in second place. I genuinely thought my top spots were pretty much settled. But apparently, I spoke too soon. 💀

Because if Fool in Love keeps this up, we might have a NEW NUMBER ONE. And imagine changing your entire ranking based on THREE EPISODES. THREE 🤦‍♀️

MY CURRENT BL RANKING OF THE YEAR (the list may change ):

🥇 Fool in Love
🥈 Ticket to Heaven
🥉 Sammy's Children's Day
4. Payback
5. Deep in

And yes, I KNOW Fool in Love has only released three episodes. That's precisely why I'm both impressed and terrified of how good this series could become if it maintains this level of quality.

Now, I NEED TO KNOW:

1. Am I being dramatic for considering Fool in Love my BL of the year after only three episodes, or are you seeing the vision too? 👀

2. Does anyone else see the Bank–Phuwin acting resemblance, or am I the only one who's made this connection? Because I NEED to know if someone understands what I mean.

3. What's YOUR BL of the year so far? And please, tell me WHY. I want actual discussions, not just titles!

4. Most importantly, which series do you think could dethrone Fool in Love if it keeps this up?

Let's talk, because I refuse to believe I'm the only one losing my mind over this series 💀💀

going to post this in the comments section too because why not hahaha

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I really tried to finish this drama; I stopped and started multiple times.

Sometimes, when you have a special interest in a drama—sports, medicine, or business—it is enjoyable to learn about it and how it relates to the characters of the drama. Unfortunately, this drama did not elicit that interest in me; I could not care less about the billiards portrayed in this drama. Anything past, the FL and ML using it as a conduit for the growth of their relationship I was not invested in.

I understand there is a lot of the show left since I did not finish the drama, but the overall story was not interesting enough for me to sit through 30 eps. I was invested in the relationship development, but again, a drama should have something other than stolen glances and (great) tension between the FL and ML.

I was rooting for them because of their tension alone; nothing else elicited any emotions from me. I was coasting through the drama, not really retaining any of the information. That’s when I realized I had to drop it, not because the acting was bad or the couple unconvincing, only because there’s not a lot going for the drama besides that.

Maybe I come back and complete the drama one day and completely change my tune, but not right now.

P.S. Great cinematography, acting, and cast, which is why I wanted to like the drama so bad 🙁.

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Personal not professional review

this is a personal review, which is just purely what I wanted this drama to turn into

my rating is the bad 8.5 not the good 8.5

1. really wanted ken to die peacefully by chita
2. hated how selfish James actually is without realizing it
3. really wanted chita and ji to travel far away together
4. kinda wanted James to suffer, kinda hated him
5. hated that ending, so unrealistic, and it looked like the "you can't just die and leave me, ken" James was actually doing pretty good without ken for a while, and then when he saw him? what a lackluster reaction, it felt like "oh you're back? I was actually doing pretty good alone but glad you're back tho"
6. would've been like a 9.5 for me if all that actually happened
7. chita isn't really a victim in my eyes, the villain here is actually no one, just the most person that could be called a villain if there had to be one called out would be James.
8. their love story was kinda rushed but held on by the investigation and stuff, but the love story alone? so boring and rushed
9. the love triangle drama with peter was so unnecessary it felt like just a filler to make it 10 episodes

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My Heart felt heavy

This drama is everything! I love what South Korea brings to the bl world. I don't enjoy romcom type bls much. I love when there is tension, seriousness & depth in the story. People falling in love in unexpected situation is the best kind of love. Idc if they're not all over each other or even if they don't end up together. I love that at least one of them is honest & expressive about his feelings but genuinely felt bad for both of their situations. I was holding my breathe & almost in tears at multiple moments. The only complain I have is for such a strong plot it is too short. I really don't know how this series will end but both of the leads deserve some love plss I beg. Let them smile for a sec 😭

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The Origin Of Nursing As A Profession In Japan

Scent of the Wind is the fictionalized biography of Ozeki Chika (Rin in this drama) and Suzuki Masa (Naomi) who were instrumental in the establishment of nursing as a viable career path for Meiji Era women at the turn of the twentieth century. The stories of the personal lives of the two protagonists here are much looser in comparison to other recent biographical asadoras like The Ghost Writer's Wife or Tora ni Tsubasa; however, the drama is much more historically accurate when it comes to how nursing evolved into a licensed healthcare profession.

The structure of this morning drama is quite similar to that of Tora ni Tsubasa: it centers on a group of women who were in the first university class for the profession and then follows how their subsequent lives shaped the profession as it is now. There have always been healthcare workers, of course, but the discovery of germ theory led to the training of doctors and the establishment of hospitals throughout the world. And subsequently that led to luminaries like Florence Nightingale to shape the profession of nursing. In fact, one of the women that Nightingale trained, Agnes Vetch (Margaret Burns in this drama), came to Japan in 1886 and taught this single class that included Chika and Masa, and the 2nd (1860) edition of Nightingale's book, Notes On Nursing, and its chapter "What Is Nursing?" plays a guiding role throughout this drama.

Rin is the daughter of a high ranking samurai, but her family has fallen on hard times after the Meiji Restoration, and this drama has her fleeing her village and coming to Tokyo to find some way to support her family. Rin is played by Mikami Ai and the character is relentlessly empathetic to the point that it becomes an obstacle that she has to overcome to be a better nurse.

Naomi, played by Kosaka Juri, has the more interesting backstory in the drama, but that backstory is completely different from that of the historical Suzuki Masa. Naomi is prickly and blunt, and the character is quite charming throughout as she becomes a leader in the field.

The looser approach to the personal lives of these two people in this drama is a double-edged sword. On the one hand it allows the drama to introduce relationships and, in particular, romantic possibilities that are not present in the historical record for these two people. On the other hand, one would hope that that those possibilities would lead somewhere, and largely ... they do not. Nevertheless, the two protagonists eventually do form an aromantic relationship and a family together to the point that their children happily and proudly say that they have two moms.

The drama is more successful at addressing its themes of exploring what nursing is and should be, and the first wave feminist issues of establishing career paths for women beyond marriage, sex work or poorly paid factory work. The series is not particularly a medical drama with a different patient case each week, but it delves more deeply into the relationship between the nurses and the people they care for in ways that are quite rewarding.

I must also shout out Taki Nanami who plays the oldest version of Rin's daughter, Tamaki. (The actress is a whopping one year younger than Mikami Ai who plays her mom, but such things are inevitable in asadoras like this one that cover a couple decades of a character's life.) She gets a lovely little arc of her own in the final weeks of the drama.

And I must also mention the music which I rarely do in these reviews. The score by Nomi Yuji is excellent throughout, and in particular he produced a wonderful choral arrangement of the Irish folk song The Last Rose Of Summer which backs key scenes throughout the drama. Unfortunately, that particular version of the song is not available on either of the two cds released for the drama with only an instrumental version to be found there.

Scent of the Wind is a good, solid drama that does not quite reach the peaks of more recent asadoras. I particularly enjoyed the performances of the aforementioned Kosaka Juri and Taki Nanami and will be keeping an eye out for those two actors in the future. If you enjoy asadoras, then this series is well worth the watch.

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