Reviews

Sorrow

We have two characters: Kong-bi and Choi. Kong-bi grew up in a wealthy family but under a very cruel regime; his mother is a psychologically unstable woman obsessed with God who takes her own shortcomings out on her son. She cares about no one but herself and her own twisted ambitions. Although Kong-bi believes his grandfather doesn't accept him, that isn't quite the case; his grandfather is actually trying to explain that music isn't just about learned notes—you need to have a soul. Yet, Kong-bi simply cannot grasp this. On the other hand, there is Choi, who possesses innate talent despite the poverty and harsh conditions in which he grew up. He is cheerful, trying to remain positive and keep a smile on his face no matter how hard things get. He genuinely tried to be a true friend to Kong-bi—and for a time, they were; I think that was the only period when Kong-bi truly felt happy. However, a mix of jealousy, obsession, the onset of mental illness, and his mother's influence took their toll. Kong-bi isn't to blame for the kidnapping or what happened to Choi, but the moment he accepted an award that shouldn't have been his—without saying a word—he trampled on their friendship. He continued playing the piano, even while feeling guilty and constantly telling himself he didn't belong there; he should have been honest and publicly stated his true feelings about the award and his success.
After nine years, Choi returned—his memory restored—seeking revenge. Not only that, but Kong-bi once again displayed selfishness by publicly claiming they hadn't been close, even though he insisted they were friends when he actually found him. Now, Kong-bi has discovered that his mother was the one responsible for what happened to Choi. I hope he does the right thing, tries to change, and seeks forgiveness. Because, honestly, in his madness, he has lost himself; he is neither truly alive nor dead—he simply cannot breathe. One thing is certain: whether rich or poor, it unfortunately amounts to the same thing—two unhappy souls. Two souls that never learned what love is; two souls with the same dreams, yet actually worlds apart. In the end, both suffer; successful or not, neither is happy. Both carry psychological trauma—one who lost himself, and the other whose very self was stolen and destroyed. There are four episodes left; it is a very interesting psychological series.

Read More

Johnny really ought to pick better roles.

This mediocre story was already giving me a headache when the immature Qian Xi Xi was appointed CEO for ridiculous reasons during the selection process. Apparently, Duan Ran—despite having studied business abroad—was considered less suitable?! He had also invested a considerable sum in this company—without which the firm would have already been forced to give up!

The final straw for me was the scene at the first board meeting, where Duan Ran—already humiliated—arrived late and was forced to stand in the corner as punishment! That was Xixi's first official act. Standing "in the corner" as a punishment was something from 1950s school days; it’s a practice long since abandoned because it violates human dignity.

Romance? I can't stand to watch this rubbish any longer!

Read More

? Ten Years of Love, One Shocking Return & Too Many Unanswered Questions

I enjoyed *Duo Ta Ru Huai*, especially the relationship between Jiang Ruo Ran and Xiao Mu Chen. Xiao Mu Chen had loved her from the moment he first saw her, even knowing she was going to marry his older brother. After Xiao Yang supposedly died, circumstances brought Jiang Ruo Ran and Xiao Mu Chen together, and over ten years they built a real marriage and family with their two children.

What I liked about the ML was that his love didn't suddenly appear when another man wanted her. His feelings had existed for years, and when Xiao Yang returned, Xiao Mu Chen stood beside his wife. Jiang Ruo Ran was equally enjoyable. She was intelligent, strong, and knew how to defend her position as mistress of the household rather than allowing Xiao Yang and Xu Ying Ying to walk back into her life and take everything from her.

However, the mother really frustrated me. She originally pushed Jiang Ruo Ran toward her second son to continue the family line, yet when her supposedly dead eldest son returned, she constantly sided with him.

My biggest complaint was the ending. Two recap sequences near the end felt unnecessary. That time could have shown us what happened to Xiao Yang, his son, and the rest of the family after Xu Ying Ying was sent to jail.

I didn't dislike the ending—I simply wanted **more of it**. This drama had the characters and story to give us a much stronger conclusion.

Read More

A revenge story carried by chemistry and strategy

This series combines revenge, political intrigue, and romance through the story of Qingyuan, a woman who returns to the Xie clan determined to uncover the truth behind the tragedies that destroyed her family. Alongside her is Yan Rui, a powerful and influential figure who has his own reasons for targeting the corruption hidden within the clan.

What makes their dynamic interesting is that their relationship is built on history. They knew each other as children and share a connection that comes from surviving difficult circumstances together. Years later, they reunite under very different identities, but with a common goal of exposing the truth and bringing down those responsible.

Qingyuan enters the Xie clan to reclaim her place and pursue her own revenge, while Yan Rui needs someone inside the family to help him investigate their crimes. Their partnership begins as a strategic alliance, with both of them using each other to achieve their goals. However, the more time they spend together, the more their relationship evolves beyond simple convenience.

The romance is definitely one of the strongest elements of the series. Yan Rui, especially, makes his feelings very obvious early on, and watching their playful interactions and constant back-and-forth is one of the highlights. They challenge each other, tease each other, and have a natural chemistry that makes their scenes enjoyable to watch. Their relationship feels like a mix of reluctant trust, rivalry, attraction, and mutual respect.

I also enjoyed that Qingyuan is not simply a character being protected by the male lead. She has her own motivations, intelligence, and determination, and it works because both of them bring something valuable to the table.

The dialogue flows well, and the story moves at a very fast pace. There are inconsistencies and plot holes in the story who aren’t properly wrapped. It doesn’t stop the story in general, and I do think it is because it went from 40 to 30 episodes, but some things were worth tying up. At times, the speed can make certain developments feel rushed, and the acting quality can feel barely decent depending on the scene. However, the chemistry between the leads helps carry the series and keeps the emotional aspects engaging.

Overall, this is an entertaining watch if you enjoy revenge stories with romance at the center. The combination of political schemes, personal vendettas, and a couple who genuinely enjoys playing off each other makes it a fun series to follow. Be sure to know that there’s plenty of frustration to go around with most characters.

Read More

A multi "colored" family

Such a heartwarming show that represented many sides of life full of lessons. The characters are all so unique and different from each other. The acting was great from all actors. A cute, funny but also sad show in which every character has their own colors and mindset but seem to cooperate perfectly for the well-being of a child. Everyone's arms are open to welcome any kind in and hug them accepting who they are.

PLOT

A new chosen family where everyone supports each other's dream, character and needs. They respect their boundaries and try to help whenever its needed. The need of having a dream and feel safe is the pilar of this show. Let your heart guide you. Society has its standards and boxes that we dont have to follow. We are unique. We need to find our own way and what makes us happy. Is it a new "clamp" home? An unexpected career field? Is it a childish dream? It doesnt matter. Just find a motive to move forward. And you will find people that are willing to support you and your goals.

On the other side, not all people are supposed to be parents. But when you become one you have to be there for your child or at least support it with whatever ways you find. Dont abandon them. Or when you do, dont expect them to forgive you.

As for a fully queer friendly society, there's still a long way. Step by step couples will be able to marry their loved ones

Read More

Keizō Murase's final gift to the world

A charming, if somewhat ramshackle love letter to classic tokusatsu and Keizō Murase's final gift to the world, Brush of the God is clearly a film made out of love, a love for the humble kaiju, a love for practical effects, and love for a tradition of filmmaking that is rapidly disappearing. A handmade gift from one generation of monster-makers to the next offering up an old-fashioned children's adventure, complete with magical objects, eccentric characters and enormous monsters. There's something genuinely endearing about its straightforwardness and while there are moments when you wish the script were as imaginative as the monsters, it's difficult to be too harsh on Brush of the God. The story and acting leave something to be desired, but the wonderfully tactile monsters and the deeply personal sense of artistic legacy make Murase's first and only directorial effort at the age of 88 that make it positively infectious.

Read More

I'm so irritated.

I was REALLY looking forward to Knot, especially after 1) ABO Desire set the tone for cinematic omegaverse BL breaking into mainstream television and 2) BoatOat being such a great on-screen pair in My Stubborn. The whole drama fell flat though—and from what I've seen on social media, I'm not the only person disappointed. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not only complaining here. The cast was stellar, the spicy scenes were great, and the concept (omegaverse) was solid... but the production and plot really did not live up to the hype. I WAS EXPECTING SO MUCH!!! I WAS SO EXCITED FOR THIS DRAMA!!! Ugh, now I'm just irritated.

My first issue was the plot. There were so many plotholes and things that were introduced but never fully fleshed out surrounding the main and supporting characters. They tried to introduce too many things, but in the end they gave us nothing.

My second issue was the execution of the omegaverse concept. As someone who is a longterm fan of omegaverse books/fics, I was so excited to hear about this production. I watched ABO Desire and enjoyed it, but was hoping for something even better with Knot. And it had a relatively good start with things like terminology and omegaverse structure/hierarchy, but everything just stopped making sense at a certain point. Again, irritating.

My third issue was the setting. Too much of the drama occurred in one singular place. BORING! It felt like My Stubborn had more locations than Knot. For a drama concentrated on a wealthy family in the real estate industry, we should have at least seen some more variety in setting.

I just finished watching episode 12 and I'm just so annoyed. This drama felt like a waste of my time.

Read More

Revenge & Female Solidarity Done Right

I LOVED this show--from the cast to the acting to the plot, it delivered the whole way through. This drama features three women from different walks of life who build genuine female solidarity and take matters into their own hands rather than needing a rescue. Each woman has unique struggles of her own and together they plot revenge in such a clever and delicious way! Lee Jun-young's character (Soo-gyeom) brings an endearing, grounded energy to the dynamic, and watching him find a safe haven and a sense of family with the women is one of the best parts of the show. The series weaves him into the alliance so naturally, turning what could have been an awkward setup into a touching mutual support system that is convincing. One of my favorite lines in the show is knowing when to endure and when to take out the trash--haha, so true! If you like female-centric storytelling and incredible camaraderie, definitely give this one a chance!

Read More

well-meaning show with weird pacing and execution

I understood very well what this show was trying to tell us: not everything is what it seems, and sometimes the magic lies in simply waiting for everything to slowly unfold. That is probably what makes this show so unique in its own way.

The pacing of the first six episodes was especially good since it constantly made me want to immediately move on to the next episode just to see what was really going on.

I really enjoyed the feeling of having my assumptions gradually challenged. The show would give you just enough information to form an impression of a character or situation, only to later reveal another side of it. That constant uncertainty worked incredibly well in the beginning because I was actively trying to put the pieces together along with the characters.

However, the later episodes started to lose me a little. My biggest problem wasn’t necessarily that the story kept revealing new information, but that the emotional and psychological conclusions I had reached about the characters would sometimes be undone almost immediately by another revelation. I would spend an episode building a certain understanding of a character, letting that shape how I felt about them, and then a new piece of information would come along in the next episode and completely reframe it. Eventually, I stopped mentally checking in with their stories as much because I felt less certain that the emotional investment I was making would actually have somewhere to land.

This became especially noticeable with the dialogue. There were moments when I could feel the writing trying very hard to communicate the intended meaning or push the characters toward a particular revelation, rather than allowing their conversations to naturally unfold from who they were. Sometimes it felt like they were saying something because the script needed them to say it, rather than because I could genuinely believe that this was how these characters would speak to each other in that moment.

And ironically, I think that’s where the show’s central strength eventually became a weakness for me. The constant idea of “things aren’t what they seem” is fascinating when it makes you reconsider what you thought you knew. But when almost every emotional conclusion is repeatedly destabilized, it can become difficult to form a lasting connection with the characters themselves. At some point, I wasn’t as interested in discovering what was actually true anymore because I was no longer emotionally anchored enough to the characters to care about which version of them was revealed next.

Still, I think the first half deserves a lot of credit. The atmosphere, pacing, mystery, and gradual unfolding of information created a very particular kind of tension that I rarely get from dramas.

Read More

A hymn of love and sacrifice..

I’ve just finished *A Splendid Match*, and I’m feeling deeply emotional.
This historical drama made me cry, laugh, get angry, feel enchanted, and fall in love...I've watched many series and it's one of the few times I feel complete. Some viewers have complained about the end of the series and I think they're wrong—it was a magnificent finale..There is nothing for the couple to say, everything has been said countless times, in every possible way..I will write down everything that remained unforgettable to me..

1 ) It was a well-crafted production.

2) A unique script that left no gaps...Everything was explained in the best possible way.

3) The direction was solid—free of errors, omissions, or sloppiness...The flashbacks were exactly as they should have been, and occurred at the right moments for all the events..

4) The music was well-composed, emotionally charged, and, at times, tragic..

5 (Acting/Cast ) The acting was so natural and impressive that it broke my heart countless times..Three men with different personalities fell in love with the same woman..A woman Gu Jin Zhao ( Ren Min ) who believed in freedom of opinion—proud, strong, and magnanimous..Her story involving all three men was masterfully crafted, and kudos to the screenwriter and director for capturing every emotional shift experienced by the story's characters..
The main part of the story begins as she comes of age; at fifteen, she falls in love for the first time with Chen Xuan Qing (Zuo Ye)..At the same time, she meets Chen Yan Yun (Ci Sha)—the uncle of her "beloved" and a friend of her maternal family—as well as Ye Xian (Winwin), a wealthy heir with a heart condition. Just wooow !!!

COMPLICATED SITUATIONS.
All the characters were complete..But Ye Xian (Winwin) remained engraved in my heart. I loved his childishness, I admired his courage and sacrifice,I laughed at his childish behavior,I was angry at his hesitation and lack of courage to confess his love to Gu Jin Zhao from the beginning, the loyalty and devotion he showed for his love..When another woman gave him her heart, he rejected her even though he knew he would never be with the true woman of his life..Perhaps that's why Chen Yan Yun became friend with him , and i was devastated by his tragic end..
For me, he was the key character of the entire story...The actor Winwin's performance was so authentic that I felt as though I were experiencing his tragic fate myself..

The chemistry between the couple—Ren Min and Ci Sha—was amazing...They seemed like a real couple, and their private moments were so convincing that they made the viewer identify with them...I liked them together..

In conclusion, I would say that Gu Jin Zhao's first love, Chen Xuan Qing, was a weak character—full of complexes, insecurities, selfishness—who lacked self-confidence, ultimately leading himself to self-destruction. This unfortunate choice on her part reflects the immaturity of adolescence...For these reasons, Gu Jin Zhao was indifferent to his end in contrast to Ye Xian's death, where she publicly demonstrated that her love for him was genuine and unlimited..

It was a story that leaves its mark on anyone lucky enough to watch it..
I could write for hours about this great series, but it would be boring for anyone to read.

So , for me it's worth more than 10/10 !!!!!

Read More

break the cycle!

WOWWW !

TLDR:
I don't hear people talk about this BL very much but i'm so glad I decided to watch it. I love when a BL feels realistic but is also able to have fun.
Not just for Jinu, but for Jinu's dad, Giseop, and Balgeum, they were able to show what happens if you place yourself in a box. Sometimes setting expectations for yourself can hinder you more than it can help you. The things we find comfort in can hold us back from loving, learning, or becoming our own person. I liked the scene where Hyejin says that her and Jinu's lists were created to deny themselves rather than to find their "type".
I teared up when Jinu finally had an honest moment with his dad for the first time. It was an eye opener for his dad too because the idea he had of who his son was had changed in that moment. Children learn from their parents, but I think there are many special moments where parent's learn from their children. Jinu's dad realized he didn't have to be one way, and despite not being a good father, hearing his reasoning for losing himself in his work moved me. I think in his mind, to stop his work and be a good father to Jinu meant that he was enjoying life without his wife or that if he stopped, the grief would have overcome him.
Giseop aka people pleaser to the max. I can relate, and finally having that moment where you can be honest with yourself and stand up for what you want is so scary but exhilarating because it feels like finally living for the first time. He was just going about life, and if you always let others opinions sway you or the fear of disappointing people, you'll never become your own person. oof maybe i'm reading too much into a BL, but this is what it was for me, very layered.
Ahhhh and I can't forget about Balgeum!! His storyline was so sad and I really wanted more for him. I hate that it was open ended because I wanted to see him happy. Debts paid off, having a career he actually enjoys, and loving the person he has been denying himself all these years. I admire his resolve though, to not want to be in a relationship until he is proud of himself.
For the trio, it feels like we got to see how they all lost their innocence in their youth. Jinu with his illness and learning early on not to be a burden, Jinu similarly learning not to be a burden by working hard and that finding success is a lonely path, and Balgeum taking on his families debts and losing himself in his varying jobs.

Jinu and Giseop finding their inner child in playing & chasing each other around the living room was honestly perfect T^T
I have many thoughts, but hehe this is enough for now!

Read More

I haven't watched/completed Season 1, so I tried to bridge the gap in why the makers would go for a second installment, and throughout the 12 episodes, I didn't find any reason. It felt like the season was created for more crime-solving, investigations, Isoo's charms, and a change in character and actor for the FL role.
If you're thinking whether you should watch Season 2 because you haven't seen the first Season, by all means you can do so; this season felt more like a Sequel, except a little of Jin Isoo's past was shown, but it doesn't distract you from your watching experience.

I felt cases one and two weren't as interesting as the other cases. I always feel there is a thrill in following the characters as they rule out suspects, find evidence, and catch the culprit, without you as the viewer knowing the killer/culprit before the investigators. You make your own deductions, theory, to guess the culprit from the way they behave, act, speak, and also look. Sometimes it can be deceiving, but I deduced the killer in the fourth case (only), and how he committed the murder.

I really hate the villains, as much as you can't deny the actors nailed the role. Yoo Seong Woo wasn't just a killer; he was legit a psychopath. Him killing humans to make art out of them says so much. It was INSANE watching him smile while killing; he literally glorified himself as helping them escape their life of misfortune and suffering. Yoo Seung Woo's mother is one of the major culprits for his killing character today; she never tried to correct him and teach him herself when he was much younger. Instead, she dumped him at a psychiatrist, and it just got worse. When she sent out a man to kill her son to escape blame and to claim a poor mother, that said so much about where he got his psychopathic habits.

Ahn Bo Hyun brought his charms from Season 1 into Jin Isoo, and he became more mature than in the first season. Though I didn't see much teamwork between them, I enjoyed the investigations and the mystery. At the beginning, I felt the cases made Jin Isoo neglect Mr Choi, but I'm glad he became more observant and caring towards the end.

Sorry, but it was really strange how Jin Isoo happens to call Mr Choi for a helicopter or a car, and Mr Choi always rides in it at that moment of urgency.

Anyway, that's it. Thanks for reading

Read More

OMEGAVERSE!!! wait... what?

The review written by Falhon Cyril perfectly encapsulates everything I thought while watching this series... I really liked the cast and what they could do with the characters, and then the script happened... The Omegaverse has sooooo much to play with, and in this series they even chose to go the rare secondary genders route, introducing the 'true' alpha and 'pure' omega, but they did fuck all with it. Really disappointing.

Also... what do you mean Phatsa doesn't know what the omegaverse is while he literally lives in it? Are you really telling me that in his 22 years of life he didn't encounter a single person who mentioned those words? That it didn't occur to a single person in his circle of friends/family/exes to ever explain to him how the world worked? It would have made so much more sense for him to know everything, have been tested as a beta, and then have manifested as a pure omega, which is a premise that is actually used in the Omegaverse.

That conflict with Tim and the other omega, which they wrongly chose to focus on instead of the father being completely obsessed with finding a pure omega, was absurd. The conflict itself makes a lot of sense, but in the premise of the Omegaverse, it wasn't well executed, and simply because you could literally remove all Omegaverse aspects and the conflict could still happen the exact same way. So why, in a series that is all about the Omegaverse and exploring how this universe works, did the writers/producers/director choose a conflict that actually doesn't have anything to do with said universe to create tension?

Read More