Reviews

The best show from kdramaland in recent years

This drama doesn't miss even once. It's thrilling, it's funny, it's heart-warming, at times makes me so sad but the next moment I'm either laughing or getting so excited or both. And I must put emphasis on "thrilling" because this drama is a goddamn ride. Part of what makes it so exciting and thrilling is that it is hard to guess what happens next. And this drama is great at building up to reveals, no matter big or small, which makes the reveals so impactful. Watching this you're constantly moving back and forth between "omg it's all over" and "we're so fucking back".
If you want to watch something that barely has any typical romance but so much love, has well written female characters, awesome female friendships and found family, has a courageous, bold, "never back down never what" FL who will literally do the impossible to set the wrongs right and prove that goodness prevails in the world, a show with lots of thrill and laughter and plenty of lovable characters, then I highly highly highly recommend this drama.

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a very realistic movie about two people who meet by chance and part ways by choice

was expecting to be sobbing and alldat but surprisingly didn't lol just shedded a few tears

a very realistic movie about two people who were together in the past and meet again after many years. there's a lot of small details and symbolism that keeps you thinking and the effects of the movie linger because of how much it reflects irl.

i understood the fl, and felt pretty devastated for her. for the fl, the relationship required way more sacrifices compared to the ml. before their relationship, him and his dad were her safe space, somewhere she could fall back to when things got rough. and if (when ig) they broke up, she lost that comfort. that's why she was so hesitant to start the relationship. and towards the end (of the relationship), it was sad to see the little details that he did. i.e. he moved the fan to face only him, and her enjoying the sunlight only for him to close the curtains on her. that small detail destroyed me. the symbolism was just insane. and the contrast to what he said before the relationship and that difference to now, with him shutting the curtains, was just heart wrenching (AND PEAK CINEMA).

in a way, the breakup was inevitable. they both had dreams and for them to stay together and maintain their lifestyle, they had to sacrifice their dreams for the future. without the breakup, he wouldn't have had the motivation to start coding his game again and she wouldn't have switched into architecture. when she left, she knew she deserved better, and similarly, he didn't chase her onto the train because he knew that her leaving was for the best and going after her wouldn't change anything.

the ending was good too. two different outcomes from the same breakup. and that stark realization that if he got on that train, she would've stayed with him.

acting from both koo kyo hwan and moon ga young was phenomenal. loved seeing him still silly and goofy but now, in a romance genre instead. he was so good. (watched for him too). and moon ga young, she was great as usual.

p.s. i still think it was a little weird of them to sit in a hotel room together and reminisce of the past lol even if they used to be together, its weird. especially for the ml cuz ofc the fl would get ideas since they were recalling the time they used to be together and especially talking about this in a confined space???

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i'm so attached

it feels like coming back home. it feels like being hugged. like you’ve been invited to a warm housewarming party. it feels like having somewhere to go when the world starts to feel suffocating, somewhere the door is always open and welcome you.

like suddenly you have another reason to keep going. like everything might actually turn out okay. like hearing your parents say you did well, you’re doing great, and that they’re proud of you. like being reminded that it’s okay to make mistakes because there will always be another chance, another tomorrow.

it feels like knowing there’s a family waiting for you at the end of the day. it feels like home. it feels safe here, at doldam.

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Good drama but only for ROMANCE ROMANCE people.

What can I say, I watched it only for Jisoo as I'm a fan of blackpink and definitely not a fan of romances that are focused only on the romance plot but it was fun! Just wouldn't watch it again, cause as I said I'm not really a cute romance fan and the concept of kinda love triangle isn't speaking to me.

The plot was good, some stories weren't that needed but you could just skip them and still understand the plot. I like that we could see many ways of how Mirae's real life is miserable. She works so much, she had a pretty bad break up, now her ex is getting married to another pretty woman, then she has problems with an author she works, so it was really well explained why she would continue with the dates.

Right, when it comes to the dates or love interests.
About the less impactful I won't talk much cause she wasn't really that interested in them but about the tree main ones:
Eun-ho – Here's the thing I really don't get how people want her to be with him, all I felt in their relationship was her trying to find her ex in this guy. In my opinion she didn't like him, she just wanted to find the same feeling she felt while she was dating her ex. She was chasing him, but at the same it was always about her ex.

Yeong-Il – It was just the same guy she was dating but with red hair, motorcycle and a little more wilder side. I liked how in the end we got to see her being kinda best friends with him, it was refreshing to see how he was helping her and not acting like some baby because she doesn't want him.

Kyeong-nam – He was definitely my favourite. He noticed and didn't need a program in him to be intrested in her, which already make him like 100% better. I really feel chemistry between them on-screen but also off-screen. They scenes were cute especially the one when he broke his arm and she came crying haha, but when we got a mix of sad emotions like miscommunication, yearning and also being scared of starting something because it will end, the scenes were really good and made me feel a knot in my stomach. Overall, would love to see them again in some drama in the future.

About the acting and music, it was good. I enjoyed the soundtrack and I loved the acting, especially because Jisoo wasn't trying to look pretty while crying. Also, loved the way they were making refrences to some other dramas/reality shows/webtoons it made is even funnier. I'm just concerned because in some scenes it really looked like AI was used which I would be kinda disappointed if that is true.

Also, still don't get what the hell is jay park doing here. And I will say, I felt more chemistry between Jisoo and that girl that she thought Eunho was dating than between her and him.

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TRAILER BAIT AGAIN

YALLLLLL 😭

LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING.

THIS SERIES TRAILER-BAITED ME SO HARD I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD FILE A POLICE REPORT.

Because when I watched the trailer I was sitting there like “OKAYYYYYY THIS IS ABOUT TO BE DARK FANTASY. VAMPIRE × HUNTER. TOXIC CHEMISTRY. MORALLY QUESTIONABLE ROMANCE.”

LIKE HELLO???

VAMPIRE × HUNTER??? THE SEXUAL TENSION SHOULD’VE BEEN SO THICK YOU COULD CUT IT WITH A KNIFE. I was expecting enemies-to-lovers. Suspicion. Knife at the throat. Slow-burn tension. But what did I get instead? FUCKING FLUFF. FLUFF WITH MID FANTASY AND SOFT ROMANCE. EXCUSE ME????

Where is the darkness?
Where is the danger?
Where is the 'I might kill you but I also want to kiss you' energy?

Nowhere. And listen… am I surprised? Considering the director is New Siwaj? Not really. This man LOVES turning potentially dark concepts into soft emotional fluff and today I am once again the victim of that creative decision.
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a) Plot

So the story revolves around Ramil, a vampire who got trapped inside a painting for a hundred years because apparently backstory is optional in this universe. He was cursed by Lilith, the demon goddess, and the only way to break the curse is for him to choose a human. Cute concept. Love that. Then slowly the human and the vampire fall in love blah blah destiny blah blah romance. The main conflict is supposed to be that Punn is a vampire hunter and he has to decide between killing Ramil or betraying his family.

Keyword: supposed to be.

Because honestly??? Punn barely even tries to kill Ramil. I was waiting for some intense hunter vs vampire conflict and instead we got "I’m conflicted but also in love.” Okay girl. And the villain reveal??? Feratu / Dracul. BABE. The moment I saw the name I already knew he was the villain. LIKE HELLO??? If someone named Dracul shows up in a vampire story I promise you he is not there to sell cupcakes. Now let’s talk about the ending because I have questions.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN PUNN JUST FOLLOWS RAMIL INTO THE PAINTING AND DECIDES TO LIVE THERE FOREVER?? HELLO??? SIR YOU ARE A HUMAN BEING WITH A FAMILY AND A LIFE. YOU CAN’T JUST ABANDON REALITY LIKE YOU’RE MOVING INTO A STUDIO APARTMENT. Make it make sense. You know what ending would’ve been better? Ramil learning to live in the human world while Punn grows old and dies naturally. Then Ramil finds him again when he reincarnates.

HELLO THAT’S ROMANTIC TRAGEDY.

That’s the kind of emotional damage I signed up for. But no. We got magical painting retirement instead. Also can someone explain the Methas and Moon Dai situation at the end??? WHAT IS HE??? IS HE A VAMPIRE??? WHY ARE HIS EYES BLUE???
WHY ARE WE INTRODUCING LORE IN THE LAST FIVE MINUTES OF THE SERIES??? SIR PLEASE GIVE CONTEXT BEFORE ENDING THE SHOW I AM BEGGING.

Now let’s talk about the action scenes. Because girl… WHY ARE THEY SO WEAK??? The fights involving Methus, Mekhin, and especially CIAR were actually good. Sharp movements. Good choreography. But when it comes to Ramil??? Suddenly the fight scene becomes:

*punch*
*kick*
*grab neck*

THE END.

EXCUSE ME??? This man is supposed to be a vampire leader. The final fight with Feratu was literally just them grabbing each other’s neck like two drunk men arguing outside 7-Eleven. I was sitting there like "BFFR PLEASE THIS IS THE FINAL BATTLE."

So overall the pacing is okay, but the cinematography, CGI, and action scenes feel… not bad. Just weak. And the biggest missed opportunity is that the show could’ve been a full dark fantasy romance. The intro was already giving dark gothic vibes but then they put a soft fluffy OST over it and I immediately went "WHAT THE SHIET IS THIS MOOD SWITCH."

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b) Characters

> Ramil — played by Boun Noppanut

Listen. This man is my bias. So believe me when I say I WANTED HIM TO SLAY. But something felt off. Why does it feel like his acting went backwards a little bit??? Some scenes looked awkward, especially the action scenes at the end. And I’m sitting there like "THIS IS NOT THE BOUN I FELL FOR WHAT HAPPENED." Maybe it’s just because he hasn’t been on camera for a while. I’m going to be generous and blame rustiness.

Now Ramil as a character… I’m sorry. But he’s a weak ass vampire leader.

He lacks strategy.
He lacks strength.
He lacks intimidation.

This man is supposed to lead a vampire clan but he spends most of the time being emotionally vulnerable because of love. During the confrontation with Feratu he literally lets his subordinates fight while he stands there protecting Punn and Elise. SIR??? YOU ARE THE LEADER. WHY ARE YOU STANDING IN THE BACK LIKE A VIP GUEST AT YOUR OWN WAR. Also the way he treats Ciar??? Don’t even get me started. Ciar is loyal to you and trying to protect the clan but the moment you escape the painting you’re like “Anyway I’m dating a human now.”

BRO????

In conclusion: Ramil is a weak vampire and I said what I said.

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> Punn — played by Prem Warut

MY SHIEYLAAAAAAA ❤️ Okay I need to confess something. I used to dislike Prem’s acting because it looked stiff and awkward. I was literally hoping Boun would get a new partner at some point. BUT BABY. WHAT IS THIS GROWTH??? Prem showed up in this series acting like rent was due TOMORROW MORNING.

The emotions.
The expressions.
The delivery.

He ate. Acting is officially not an issue anymore. Now Punn as a character is actually one of the more rational people in the show. He has a genuine conflict between family loyalty and love for Ramil. Compared to everyone else he feels the most normal. Well… aside from the part where he falls in love with a vampire. Minor detail.

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> Methus — played by Mark Jiruntanin

YOOOOOOOOOO WHY IS HE SUDDENLY SO HOT IN THIS SERIES??? I’ve seen him in other shows before and thought he was just mid but suddenly he shows up here looking mature, confident, and lowkey serving acting skills. I was like "WAIT DID I MISS SOMETHING???? Now I’m actually excited to watch My Romance Scammer because of him. Methus as a character is basically the most functional supporting character in the show.

Need help?
Need strategy?
Need backup?

Call Methus.

He’s loyal, capable, and honestly deserved the vampire leader title when Ramil passed it to him. But I really wish they gave him a proper backstory with flashbacks. That would’ve made his character even stronger.

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> Mekhin — played by Aun Napat

I’m not even going to talk about the acting. That’s not the main issue here. The issue is… WHY IS THIS CHARACTER HERE?? Yes he has healing powers. But does the story actually need him for anything else? Not really. He heals people. That’s it. Congratulations you are the magical first aid kit of the vampire squad.

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> Ciar — played by Barcode Tinnasit

Okay listen. I admit I judged Barcode too quickly before. BUT OH MY GOD. THIS MAN IS FINE. Like dangerously fine. I was watching his action scenes and suddenly felt a TINGLING SENSATION I was not prepared for. His fighting choreography is sharp, clean, and honestly better than Ramil’s. Sorry Boun. It’s the truth.

Ciar as a character is hot-headed and believes violence solves most problems and honestly? Given the circumstances... VALID.
He doesn’t trust humans and keeps warning Ramil about Punn but nobody listens to him. Meanwhile I’m sitting there like "BRO HE’S LITERALLY TRYING TO PROTECT ALL OF YOU." His emotional crashouts are completely justified and honestly I wish Ramil had a bit of Ciar’s fire.

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> Feratu / Dracul — played by Dunk Natachai

First of all… This man is illegal levels of fine. Watching him wipe blood from his mouth??? OH MY GOD. Blood is literally his best accessory. But as a villain he needed more menace. More intelligence. More manipulation. I wanted him to constantly outsmart Ramil so we’d all scream “WHY WON’T YOU DIE ALREADY.” Instead he felt like… plain rice. Edible. But lacking flavor.

p/s: yes I only reviewed the characters that interested me 👅

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c) Steamy scenes

Weak. Next question. I remember BounPrem kissing like the world was ending in other series and here the steamy scenes were just… meh.

And honestly? I should’ve expected that from GMMTV.

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d) OST

The main OST is not my favorite.

The supporting OSTs are a mix of hits and misses.

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e) Overall

This series had the potential to be a dark fantasy romance masterpiece but it played everything way too safe. After years of waiting, the payoff just wasn’t strong enough. The show isn’t bad, but it definitely didn’t reach the level it could’ve. And unfortunately… I’m not rewatching it. I love BounPrem, but they deserve heavier stories. Give them something chaotic like Only Friends energy or something emotionally devastating.

STOP GIVING THEM FLUFF.

I AM TIRED.

Final rating? 8/10.

Great concept. Mid execution. 👅

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instant ICON: Raising the bar for historical cdrama!

updated after finishing it , no spoilers :)

it starts with waw! not a single detail is missed!
from the first second, we are invited into the warm world of fan chang yu , despite everything cold around her.

it takes a lot to execute a story so perfectly... huge respect and shoutout to the director of this show!
nothing was left behind: amazing light, angles, audio design, its slow when it should, fast when it should, fights scenes are not neglected nor too much, script is amazing, storyline is classic but so well done! nothing is overly explained, the flow of this show is insanely good! mind you, there are some tropes, but the actors have pulled them off brilliantly so far that it doesn't feel scripted.

the Main leads are very talented but i think they truly shine in this one ! Fan chang yu is really a beautiful and raw character that is already so nuanced, fl is portraying her so well! XZ is also so nuanced but we havent seen everything about him yet.

this show is great journey !
watch how pursuit of jade will become an instant classic!

UPDATE:
Was it perfect? oh no... the plot got weaker by the last arc and screentime becomes questionnable for some characters! i am left with wanting to see more of the greatness of general FCY and the marquis...

despite everything, in the drama and real life drama around the production, main leads shined through and the story started off so genuinely attaching.

in the comments i read how, compared to other ZLH roles, this story can look less mature... more childish. it's a relevant impression I also had. but it's definitely because of the last arc and underwhelming plot tension.

All the negative elements got nothing on our main leads (and main villains although qi min couple very toxic and it was put forward more than main couple sometimes)

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Hardly a 10 but ok

Told a passable story. Most of it. The problem was this is like the 3rd or 4th straight drama with a story setting during the IMF crisis of SK. Every year I swear, it's like these script writers get together and say let's all produce law dramas this yr. Or med dramas. It's like all we get for a few months and you just start to get fed up. So I will admit I MIGHT have a small bias towards pieces from this timeframe , kind of sick of them. You have to be on point with this as the background, historically correct you could say since this is kind of a niche backline to use, or had been until we just got this string of them. Even so, you've got to be almost perfect when viewers get to this point and this wasn't it~

Decent all around cast and this ML here has done well in the past. He was all but useless here. Was playing as the cold boss with FL, working for him of course, with a relationship that went sour in the past. Uninspiring, dull, and boring. Story or the actor? Idk. But these leads did NOT mesh. The saving grace here was that even though they had a past, there was no attempt to rekindle anything and very little in the way of romance within the drama period. FL's role here was more or less, pretty fairly generic. Her acting was fine. A bossy, pushy, self righteous character with no respect anyone with the belief that her behavior is justified by her belief in righting injustice in the world. Her target happens to be a huge dirty corporation where she runs into her ex and cue the story~
The supports were better in dam near every category imo. There must have been at least 15 or so recognizable faces big and small. Had grand standing villains delivering cheesy lines of overconfidence and menacing threats with laughing cackles and dark eyes blazing. And the ending? Trash. I didn't like it at all since what was portrayed wouldn't have happened or worked well historically. That's MY opinion on it though and shouldn't stop you from checking it out~
This wasn't a bad drama. The strength of the supports was actually what kept me until the end since the leads didn't shine together. FLs archetype here is familiar for viewers of her works so it was fine alone but didn't stand out. It's a very long drama, a full 16 eps. It's starts off very slow, 8 was the make and break part on continuing or dropping for me so you do need to watch a few before deciding~

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очень прикольная дорама

в этой дораме мне понравился сюжет
а особенно девушка
лосозсдчдочожчжосжпхша ьажосзосозсозсзо досоащоаоз осоал ропозагзазо совщнащнатданк ощагща нщпкг ПП Сербии ИНН ООО гули зимняя штаб каноэ Збруч полюбят других очень заказ рад был рад два лыж два лыж два по два по да ваш да по да по да по да по ней умрет картридж куча качестве Камилла акварелью Камиль

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