Reviews

Verbally Abusive ML Ruined What Could've been a Great Series about the FL Achieving Greatness

The only reason why I gave the story 4 stars was because the storyline surrounding the FL striving to move beyond her secretarial role to be a Investment Manager was great, but this was more than about her career, a big part of it was about love, which is were the story severely failed.

I thoroughly enjoyed the FL’s journey of wanting to be more than just a secretary. After all, she had received a university degree in Finance and had a dream of becoming an Investment Manager who helped entrepreneurs get much needed capital to expand their businesses.

Her struggles dealing with a male dominant industry, sabotage, gaslighting, her emotional breakdowns, and relentless detractors – severe verbal abuse, was so realistic but at times a little heavy handed. That said, she didn’t let these struggles get the better of her. She persistent and continued to persevere. What was also enjoyable about this is that it had some strong professional women (and a couple of men) who were very supportive of her, providing invaluable advise, just when she needed it.

Where this story completely missed the mark was with the ML. It is a trope that seems to be obligatory to nearly every A-drama romance, that the ML will be brooding and at times an @ss before softening his heart and attitude due to the love of the FL. However. in this series the writers took this trope entirely too far. The ML was a verbally abusive narcissistic @sshole.

Every chance he got he would demean the FL, humiliate her and make it very clear that he thought she was no more worthy or talented than the sh*t on his shoe. There was no nuance with this guy not even an inkling of kindness that would make him even remotely worthy of the FL’s forgiveness or love. Furthermore, as the show progressed the writers hardly did anything to redeem this guy and make him someone the audience could root for with the FL.

I watched the show until the inevitable corner was turned towards romance between the FL and ML, despite the fact that he continued to be one of the most selfish @ssholes I’ve ever seen in a C-drama. Moreover, he not once apologized for his abhorrent behavior towards the FL and has yet to treat her with the upmost respect.

I don’t know how the writers thought the audience could possibly root for the FL having a romance with this guy, especially when there were other guys present in the her life (Mark – the bottle guy) who were 1000x better. This was a really good show when the FL was striving for greatness, but now that she will undoubtedly fall for the irredeemable ML, I have no interest in continuing to watch this.

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Beautiful Romance Drama that Struggle with Recycled Plot Twists

Really good series. If you’re looking for a swoonworthy love story this is certainly it. The leads have great chemistry and the development of their relationship is interesting, albeit predictable at times. However, the predictability doesn’t take away from the deeply poignant and unbelievably hilarious moments between the leads. Where the story often struggled is with the palace drama. It was utterly frustrating to watch the antagonist have so much power with everyone who should’ve been able to stop him sitting paralyzed with fear or perplexity and ultimately doing nothing.

Moreover, when finally, things started to move in a direction where those who’d done the absolutely worst got their karma, not everyone paid for what they’d done. Some remained in the palace while others got a slap on the wrist and were eventually allowed to start new lives in the kingdom, even though they’d committed terrible acts of evil.

Additionally, the body swap storyline was annoying to start. It went on for way too many episodes. However, this trick was well utilized later in the series. And as the series progressed it became a given that every episode someone (oftentimes the FL) would end up imprisoned or nearly executed, which did get tiresome.

This show wasn’t perfect. None rarely are, but it was great entertainment with good acting and a well written narrative. The love story was beautifully written, no interlopers, which was awesome to see. Considering most romance dramas almost never miss the opportunity to throw in a third party who is romantically obsessed with one of the leads. And no contrived separations once they admitted they loved each other and wanted to have a life together.

This was a great series. I’ll definitely be rewatching in the future.

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Having an ambitious FL and a lot of corporate talks isn't a storyline!

The story started really strong! The FL is not perfect she is competetive, over achiever who is not going to take shit! And has a dark back story that drives her. Also the way ML comes to her life is very organic but thats it. There is no depth to the ML, he just exists for that one plot and is supposed to be hardworking and successful. I get that its 20 ep but we could still get some more back story for the ML and FL just to get an unerstanding of why they push themselves so hard in a cut throat profession of corportate consulting. Just cause a lot of technical terms and professional mumbo jumbo was used doesnt justify the lack of an actual story.
The actress for the FL has so much range she is phenomenal, such a delight to watch. Also you can tell the ML actor is good but this is definately not a role for him. He looked out of place and i never bought in the vibe of him being this cutthroat profession. He seemed to be too good natured,i dont even know how to explain. Also the chemistry between the ML and FL was there but never explored. I get romance was not the main focus so then just remove it! But why do this half ass thing when there was so much potential. ML got insecured, female lead had some abandonment issue that could have been explored, such a waste of potential. Also the ML started acting different to his character after ep 16 just to add some thing to the romance plot!
The editing and the pacing was good. Didnt care for any of the side characters or the side plots. Also didnt care for how much this drama pushes the concept of overworking to the point of burn out.
I definately wont be recommending this drama or rewatching it not because its bad just cause its all style over substance. They got the work part but no drama in a work drama!

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A WEIRD MEDICAL DRAMA WITH HEART

BASED ON 2 EPISODES ... so far so good ... HAVEN'T WATCH the original or trailer and i go in blind generally and its surprised me with its writing and weird and funny moments and that AWFUL NARRATION lol ... still i loved it as it has heart and mystery and aura of FL kim ji won ( FAN ) THE WAY SHE WALKS AND HER DEAD PAN EYES huff ... loved every second of this and this hospital where men rules with their outdated techniques and theory ... the cast is amazing its little over the top and not realistic but its FUN and that all that matter i enjoyed it ... looking forward to more episodes...

i love a good medical drama with good heart as it makes me feel good and hopeful ... i am a great fan of so many american,British,Korean and Japanese medical drama.

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Power Never Blossoms in this Convoluted Series that Fails to Commit to its Premise

This started off entertaining enough. I thought we were going to get a really good revenge plot with a love story thrown in. Turns out there was not much revenge going on. Just the FL being cold to nearly everyone she encountered. Some deservedly so. But there is no navigating the palace treacherous environment. Just a few verbal and physical altercations but no cunning and plotting or battle of the wits to survive. Most of the “political” things the FL has done have not been things she’s facilitated but things that literally fell in her lap and thus she had no choice but to act on.

The ML spends most of his time watching the FL while pretending to be deathly ill, but again doing very little politically - revenge driven or otherwise, except sabotage his brothers’ plans to win the FL’s hand in marriage. Jeremy Tsui is painfully wasted in this. I know he’s supporting cast but it’s a shame that his scenes have essentially consisted of him standing idly in his palace while occasionally giving the SML love advice. Perhaps his character gets some traction later in the series. I certainly hope so.

The show does have some entertainment value because the leads are charismatic. But the story is kind of all over the place and without clear direction. I got about 9 episodes in and gave up because the plot started to meander too much. Perhaps things get back on track in later episodes but at this point I’ve become so apathetic about the characters and story I have no interest in continuing watching to find out

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Cheesy romance

I enjoy clever twists in stories, I enjoy the underdog getting satisfying moments of redemption/victory/vengeance/karma in your face, and I do not enjoy sentimental, cheesy romances (cf The Double). Therefore, I didn’t like this show very much. The story telling is definitely secondary to the romance and it is not particularly deep or clever, it’s not convincingly executed, and it feels somewhat like a weak excuse for all the cheese. The romance is very drawn out, slow paced, and ultimately very repressed. Both characters seem victimized and complacent regarding their emotionally impotent connection and I didn’t feel any real stirring emotions except for sad, apathetic ineptitude that went on and on. No moments of brilliance, heroism, strength, or valor, or any other inspiring qualities we enjoy seeing in shows because it makes us feel good about our humanity. Also the gender reversal just didn’t translate well a lot of the time.

What I liked: Park Eun Bin in anything, a few supporting cast members, and the costumes and set. It wasn’t particularly outstanding as far as period pieces go, but they’re always well done in kdramas in general and this one was no exception. All in all it was good for playing in the background while I did the dishes or folded laundry or wrote out mindless documentation for work. But just sitting and watching it was like pulling teeth, especially towards the end.

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Solid Start, Ruined by the Last 3 Episodes

I was completely hooked on "Irreplaceable" for the first 17 episodes. The storyline was incredibly solid, and the pacing felt just right. Zhao Jinmai delivered a powerhouse performance as Xu Chi, radiating the ultimate aura of a strong, independent career woman. The show initially did a fantastic job balancing the ruthless reality of corporate office politics with mature, emotional character dynamics.

Unfortunately, episodes 18 to 20 completely ruined the overall experience. The transition into the finale was jarring and horribly rushed. It felt as if the writers suddenly forgot about the emotional core of the characters and shifted the focus entirely into a dry, fast-tracked business documentary. The complex office rivalries that were carefully built up for hours were resolved with hasty, instant solutions, and the personal relationships were pushed to the sidelines in favor of pure corporate ambition.

While the acting from the main leads remained stellar throughout, the anti-climactic ending leaves a very bitter taste. It is incredibly disappointing to see a drama with such a masterpiece-level build-up throw away its potential in the last three episodes. It is hard to fully enjoy the overall story when the closure feels this empty and rushed.

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Multi-layered story telling at it's best

"Against the Current" is a compelling, emotionally layered drama with a strong storyline and two phenomenal leads, Liu Xueyi and Tan Songyun, whose on-screen chemistry was absolutely outstanding. Although the story is female-centered, the male lead is equally important to the narrative, adding depth and complexity to the story.

Spanning several decades, the drama takes us on a journey from the leads’ teenage years into adulthood, allowing us to witness how their experiences, choices, and hardships shape the people they eventually become. Across its 47 episodes, survival is the central theme—not simply surviving difficult circumstances, but finding the strength to endure, adapt, and keep moving forward when life offers few easy choices.

What I found particularly compelling was the contrast between two families. One family was willing to do whatever it took to survive, adapting to circumstances and making difficult decisions along the way. The other remained rigid in its beliefs and principles, refusing to change course even when the consequences threatened the well-being of the entire family. Their contrasting approaches highlight how deeply our values, decisions, and unwillingness to compromise can affect not only our own lives but also the lives of those we love.

Episode 1 and the final few episodes were especially heavy, carrying an emotional weight that made the story all the more impactful. The drama does not shy away from the harsh realities of life or the painful consequences of the choices people make. Instead, it allows the characters’ struggles to unfold over time, giving their journeys a sense of realism and emotional depth.

As for Liu Xueyi and Tan Songyun, I cannot praise them enough. The casting director made the perfect choice in bringing these two actors together. Both were exceptional in their respective roles, delivering nuanced and convincing performances that brought their characters to life and their chemistry was top-notch. Whether portraying vulnerability, determination, or the emotional complexities of their relationships, they made their characters believable and kept me invested in their journey throughout the drama.

Overall, "Against the Current" is a memorable production with a well-developed storyline, outstanding performances, and a powerful exploration of survival, family, and the consequences of the choices people make in one stage of life can shape everything that follows. Liu Xueyi and Tan Songyun stood out but all of the cast contributed to the success of this drama making it a worthwhile watch.

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Xu Kai and Yang Zi had good chemistry portrayed their characters well and they defined the drama. I enjoyed the drama overall, the acting was believable especially the leads.
The FL's mother was so annoying with outdated views thinking marriage would solve everything despite how her daughter felt. I don't know how her family could repeatedly put up with her antics which constantly causes unnecessary problems. Her husband was too forgiving & giving in too much & can't seem even stand up to his wife despite her creating huge issues. But I liked his chill attitude towards his kids so they can solve their own problems without parents interfering.
I really liked the grandma, she's so wise, smart and lets them figure out what they needed to do with just enough advice. FL's best friend was a nice protective character that she can bounce ideas off.

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A MUST WATCH OF 2026

This drama is an award deserving drama, actors also deserve awards especially

Third " he executed his character awesomely well, the aloof nonchalant guy with a good heart, am i the only one obsessed with his looks and smile in the drama?? Dayyumm his wardrobe, his fashion sense hits the spot, it fits his character so good"

Wan, the character portraying the naive innocent little fanboy. Lol, he was amazing," being the clueless character was kinda interesting, his cluelessness was on another level, " like how can you tell me my IQ is less the 70 and I'd be very happy my IQ is as high as 70 and thank you".

Nine"did good in portraying the good on the surface, rotten from within role, he gid great"

Renji and Time, " am I the only person who think they hit it off, these characters were nicely written and portrayed by the actors, their focus on being chaos seekers were nicely done"

The stylist characters and their petty arguments and fights pushed the comedy part of it up, it made me want more of the drama,

I seriously can't mention all but this drama hit it off, luckily so far there's no unwanted spin-off or plot twist that will cause ratings to decline. This is great

The crew did an amazing job, the directors, the producers, the screenwriter, the cinematographers, the writer, make-up and styling team, the appearance of all the characters were amazing and a clean cut

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Kept me entertained.

This drama is fun, entertaining, and really easy to watch. Right from the first episode, I was so hooked on the leads' banter and remarks, and I had to binge-watch all the episodes.

Ho Rang and Bo Bae chemistry was soooo good; you could feel the tension from their touches and stares, even their interactions and posturing..... they truly complement each other. From their unexpected/suprising and awkward first kiss to their last genuine kiss, their relationship went through ups and downs, especially towards the last episodes; there were challenges and obstacles they had to overcome before they could truly be together and get their happy ending.

The actors did a really great job, bringing out the essence and vibe of their characters. I truly couldn't imagine another actor playing Baek Ho Rang and Na Bo Bae.

I appreciate that Ji Eun Ho recognized his boundaries with Bo Bae, knowing she truly loves Ho Rang and they are not meant to be. I'm glad they ended things amicably and were still close friends, "Him being her number one fan".

It was pleasing that Ho Rang was really interactive/on sweet terms with Bo Bao parents, and that they were supportive of him and allowed/wanted them to be together. Her family was endearing and really loved each other.

While the first half was ridiculous and really fun, the second half was more emotional and more of a power struggle (towards the end), but we still got sweet moments between the leads after the angst they gave.

First off, I wasn't invested in the Ho Rang, cousin and aunty storyline; that is, concerning their power struggle, they felt like a one-dimensional character and plot device to keep things tense and suspenseful, when I wanted a rom-com where I could relax and have an easy watch. It was anticlimactic how Bo Bae completely forsook her dreams after being told she and the guy aren't compatible any longer. I felt there was something more to the man who always followed Ho Rang, acting like his secretary, considering how he always feeds information to someone anonymous to the viewers about Ho Rang and what he is doing. I felt he drugged Bo Bae and kidnapped her on the day Ho Rang battery life reached 0%; well, I'm not sure anymore; they made it seem like he was honest and all. I wish that was expounded on more. Han Seoul Hui was spared, as in nothing happened to her after what she had done to Bo Bae and how she spoke down on her. It was really infuriating; if they decided to go down this path, there should have been consequences for her bad actions.


Quotes I liked:

"It doesn't really matter what they think of you; you deserve better. Don't beat yourself up".

"Let's keep going. Even if it feels like the whole world is against us, we've got to keep trying".

"Maybe it won't work anyway, but we've got to keep trying. Never give up, even through tears".

"Wherever in life, you must find what makes you happy".

"As for your Grandma, well, I think she's overbearing because she is probably worried about you. She might have gone about it the wrong way; she just loves you".

"For now, let's keep going together".


Take Charge of My Heart certainly has clichés, and definitely bears the hallmarks of many other rom-coms, but it kept me entertained, making bingeing the entire episodes easy. It is a fun drama that can be silly at times and also keep you watching thanks to the great performance from the actors. This is my first time seeing Kim Young Kwang in a drama, and he was just sooo good in this drama.

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Bittersweet, Dark, but Surprisingly Hopeful Show That Makes You Feel.

I don't know where to begin to talk about this show honestly, partly because there is not much to talk about it. This time, I won't go into detail and give much spoilers because this show deserves to be recognized more.

Script-wise there is not much to tell. They tried to kept this fantasy story as realistic as possible which I highly appreciate it. Keeping a story like this realistic takes balls because its dangerous. It needs much to cover, much to tell and much to prove. The scriptwriter(s) did a fantastic job with this. Of course, there were some loose ends in the story, especially with the "police bussiness" stuff but now that I finished this series and seen the whole plot, do those loose ends really mattered or bugs me now ? no. And also, another reason that those plot holes don't matter is that this story has a lot and different things to say that if they tried to cover all of it, it'd drift off from its own main theme and become a huge mess. The story was grim, bittersweet, kinda dark but also hopeful and adoring in a twisted way. It makes you think when you finish watching it, and more importantly; it makes you feel. I highly highly recommend it. It was no way near the tipical Thai BLs. don't know if you can call this a BL even.

Actors were amazing. The four lead and their chemistry literally carried much of this series. This show became another example of when you give actors a chance to act, they really do nail it. It becomes so obvious that when you watch series like this, which actors does it for the money and which actor does it by heart lol.

Production quality was also very good. Especially whoever directed this series (I've heard the scriptwriter also directed it) kudos to them because my god some of the scenes, the way the camera positioned, the angles, the colouring, the audio coices, all of it were so fucking good. like A+ western television kinda good. The sets were good, the props were good, nothing looks out of place. Of course, instead of AI they could've used real CGI artists but ngl that would be asking too much lol.

Overall, I highly recommend everyone to watch this grim, witted story with its exceptional actors.

PS: if you guys wanna talk about this with spoilers, y'all are welcome in the comments we can talk there.

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