Reviews

One of the best slow burn bl of this year.

ok first thing is synopsis which i didn't read at begning. the story is about a guy name chen wan(a perfect gentleman) and Zhao Shengge (the rich powerful heir of a really powerfull family). so chen wan have a secret crush on zhao. but the twist is he is really good at supressing his feelings to the point where no one (excpet his best frnd) knows about it. so he do a lot of little things from a far and in return he wants nothing. (like hua chang heavens official blessing). on contrary he wants to do everything without getting noticed. but as you know it is hard especially when your crush is sharp and can notice smallest detail like zhao. so he caught him and try to find out why. by doing some little things(because he thought he is another oportunist) and chen wan got proved wrong again and again. as he got intrested as he walked towrds chen wan. so yeah seed is now sprouting. and it sprout in a very very slowly. like for 1 to 6 episode they were kind of stranger. and all the time i was giggling when they were in same room. also till ep 8 i was so into it that i don't care about what will happen i was just blushing and giggling.
so, right now lets talk about pro and cons.
pro acting and direction which will make you notice small emotional functuation and rxn, which makes you more excited like we know how they feel and how deep they feel but they don't and now you are watching them praying for god's sake see the sign. zhou see it but wan is wan. so it is like your frnd and your frnd crush is having a flirtious conversation and you are watching them. while both the crush is trying while your frnd is too dumb to see. this kind of feeling.
story, i would say it is good but cliche maybe because i read a lot of stories and all of them has one thing common mostly. which i call cimbrella trope. where one is on top other is either on bottom socially or financilly or like have a really bad problem with them. this is something common but if you add few other things it became intresting. cliche are not bad if you adapt them well. this is what i think. few things that i talked before was. the psych of characters they are not normal. one is self destructive but looks fine gentle man. other is just a man who has authority and his family created a perfect heir with trauma and cold heart. so it is something i am personally intrested in. we also have second couple and they look cute a grumpy guy with sunshine guy. like if you have eyes you can notice they are couple. but they are not official yet. so yeah. for me story was really good.
now con: first thing the ai i am not someone who is exposed with ai yet so i don't know how to react to the scenes it kinda take me out of the drama but at the same time when i see other places and consider production value like what if they didn't use ai then i think production value for the scenes we are watching will decreese and it is a big no. like no one wants to see a rich society in some random room or place. like they need a whole bunch of money for this too. so i am fine. you might think i am making excuses but when i think that the scenes where they are in party or like on yatch or in somewhere else. i don't want them to spoil at any cost because these are the places where slow burned me alive. so i am happy they used ai for past and elevated present scene.
for rewatch value i gave 9 it is because i will definately go back and watch the scenes btw ml like when wan was in hospital or when zhou met him in the shrine and heard him badmouth him or like the scene where they were playing ball game, on the yatch when they met all those small little cute romantic scenes. (especially in new episode where zhou told his frnd wan has feelings for him but then he got hmm but we are not official yet then he got what! ad then he says chen wan is going to pursue zhou. and his frnd have no words to say.. like he knew zhou feelings for wan and all his efforts to win chen and now this he was just shocked and zhou was so cute) ahh so their are so many scenes like this which i would love to re watch.


my overall rating is if you can handle ai and is looking for something slow burn sweet with a good story line, plot you can give it a try. the actors and directors did a great job (also actors got face card).
but if you are not into ai then you can skip the part and continue.


(soory for all the typo i am working on it)

Read More

perfect drama

In two words, "perfect drama", casting, directing, great chemistry between all the characters, witty dialogues, funny and at the same time, very deep in its messages.. groundbreaking in its openness, (which is almost not typical of Korean dramas) about sexuality and sexual relations, and different worldviews for the definition of what sex is, pleasure and enjoyment, marriage and interpersonal relationships, whether it is between family or friends, a kind of perspective between a conservative and permissive society, the characters without exception develop with the plot - which is a wonderful thing about the plot, I enjoyed the entire series and each episode separately. I recommend watching it with love and openness

Read More

So many masks, to little time!

This drama had me hooked from the start, with smart leads, interesting side characters and great pacing. Unlike many other dramas that tend to be draggy or have a very long build up in to nothing this one had a good pace with intrigues and twists in every corner.

When you think one evil is resolved and people can not get more evil there is always someone saying "hold my beer" or more like hold my poisonous wine... Some characters seem easy to kill others put Bruce Willis in die hard to shame... surviving the most devious twists and plans. Partly turning this to a capital punishment propaganda as the only way to stop these really, really, evil people seems to be death... If left to live they will find a way to try to kill you again... basically who doesnt kill you makes them able to try again. While I admit quite a few of the twists could be smelled a mile away, some had me wondering never feeling completely sure... and a few actually caught me off guard.

The friendships are really well balanced, there to balance the evil. The romance is excruciatingly slow and frustrating at times but the gazes, the mimics and the longing is there.

If you are purely in it for the romance (which I thought I was) you will have to wait for it a lot and only get pebbles, but if you are in it for easy to follow intrigues that unfold in a decent pace instead of complicating things this is a good place to find it.

Also, I am not a fan of multiple seasons, but damn am I craving one here... I guess I want more.

Read More

A commentary on social class

Watching a serious movie after a long time. It was so uncomfortable to watch and that is why i think the film succeeded.
The rich couple lives their own life in the same world as the poor couple, yet so different. It is like someone is eating a gourmet meal in front of a starving kid. They don't realize that their lifestyle is vastly different from that of the poor couple and could be a source of envy, jealousy, anger, helplessness, and powerlessness.
Like the rich lady wearing a designer cloth to a meeting of the poor laborers. Like the Rich man using a whistle to call on his house help.
Is it their fault? No. The system is designed as such and we all must inevitably fit in to it somewhere.

Every interaction between the rich and poor family is uncomfortable. They do interact warmly but there is something that always stands between them making it unsettling.
The poor lady looks interested in the rich guy and almost seems to cross the line but she decides not to. Is it because of how she finds the rich couple insensitive towards her and her husband? Did she want to make the rich guy feel like he cannot have her even if he is loaded and capable of getting any girl he wants?

Their world may interact rarely but will never last long.

Cast is superb, especially the poor couple. Jeon do yeon is superb. There is something in her expressions that binds us to her subconsciously.

And why is it named 'Possible Love'?

Read More

9.9999999

great drama. watched every episode as it was released. it was a bit, seen it before, at the start but still very entertaining. kept me guessing at times too.
tian xiwei is magnificent in this. she owns every scene!
the plot is twisty, the romance slow burn but the drama is fast paced. I could have watched more than 30 episodes no doubt, no problem.
overall a 9.5 for me but it'd really be a 9.999999. I think, for me, not a 10 because there were too many, last chance save ya moments which started feeling a bit repetitive.
I will say it again though tian xiwei is excellent!

Read More

Following the recipe while adding a few spices.

Finally, we’ve got a rom-com that delivers both romance and comedy and skips murder mystery! It had great jokes, even if some gave me massive second hand embarrassment, surprisingly great chemistry, but also quite a number of deeper thoughts to consider - whenever about the exploration of relationship, or oneself.

Not gonna lie, hesitated before starting it, because of Nam Ji Hyun. In all the previous dramas I saw, not once I actually liked her chemistry with co-stars. So the idea of watching this drama, that is highly dependent on the chemistry between the leads, when I did not enjoy it in anything she previously did scared me. And oh boy, I am so happy I was wrong this time. Maybe because the character truly felt like it was written for her specifically, and how naturally attractive and flirty Kim Jae Yeong is - this pairing worked perfectly.

The way he made her open the world to different experiences, while she helped him find the path he was looking for. They balanced each other well, truly filling what the other needed and wanted. A pairing that felt impossible to match, yet at the end created perfect harmony.

Sadly, I was not as on board with all the side couples. Jin Se Ra’s puppy story was literally a few filler scenes here and there and for me could be removed altogether. Kong Nam Su’s relationship was far more interesting, but the conclusion did not make me feel satisfied at all. The character and their story I actually got invested in was Ma Maeng Na and both the development and the closure were just perfect.

I also think we should appreciate our lovely second male lead Yun Ji O. Love this man. If Kong Yeon Su does not want him, I’m first in line. Caring, fun to be around, really perceptive and good at reading people. Does not try to force himself into other people’s life, accepts boundaries and deals with rejection in a mature manner. Truly loved him.

Then we had the plot I actually wished was explored a bit more - both the family relationships in Kong Yeon Su’s and Dokgo Dal’s families. They made it clear it’s not just a simple case of overbearing male figures in the families and there is more nuance in the dynamics, but there was just so much more that could have been done with it.

And then we have the theme of the show: sex and intimacy. I especially liked how normal they presented sex. It’s not the first sex positive kdrama, but I do think this one did the best job showing it as a normal and not shameful part of life. I feel like previously many titles focused more on “scandalized” themes, kinks and exploration beyond the “vanilla” and they were not truly fully accessible for many people. So this drama being so normal about it was truly refreshing. Sex was not “end all be all”, and the conversations around it always carried more meaning.

The intimacy was also never just about the relationship between two people, but also the relationship you have with yourself. Do you know what you like and dislike? Are you willing to explore your preferences? What stops you from figuring it out? What’s more, I appreciate how the drama sends a clear message that it’s not just women who struggle with their sexual needs and figuring out their preference, but men do too.

For the directing - this is your standard high production value drama. Looks good, everything works well, the filming and set design is well executed, and so are the costumes. The soundtrack is fitting every scene. But at the same time… nothing truly stands out.

Overall, extremely enjoyable, extremely approachable. Delivered exactly what they wanted, but I wanted a little bit more.

Read More

It’s not a bad life.

WATCHED IN CINEMAS 2026/11/06, 19:30.

Ryuji 俺二 is an unexpected yet compelling yakuza film. Even having seen the trailer, I did not anticipate the overall tone of the film, which differs to other yakuza-centred films and dramas I have seen. It is potentially worthy of note that I did not watch the original film, so do not have a frame of reference for comparison, so I will review this like any other standalone film.

As the title might suggest, the core of this film is the title character, Ryuji. It is about how he navigates life, how he is swayed by those around him, and the consequences of decisions he makes. This isn’t a film about some grand scheme connived out of dire circumstances, nor is it mostly about action. This film has moments of intense action, but chooses to emphasise those moments in between, in an almost slice-of-life kind of way.

I found myself falling into the trap of expectation about what might happen towards the end of the film, yet all of those expectations were shattered and I think in a deeply fitting way that makes this film more realistic than many would anticipate. There is no clean resolution, but in many ways this is true of life, constantly evolving, never truly static.

Performance wise, the main cast truly did a great job, and the music was always bang-on for bringing the right feel to the scenes. Hagiwara Riku truly stood out in his performance, with a solid range where he commits to roles. Junon also has improved since I last saw him in Wind Breaker, although didn’t knock it out of the park for me. Yagira Yuya did very well too, albeit I felt at times he could have given a little more nuance in some scenes, although that’s very much a nitpick.

I can’t really say the film blew me away, but I can’t say it ever lost my interest. If you want a realistic film about a man in the yakuza as he searches for his own right answer in life, then this is absolutely the film for you. If, however, you want some grand scheme, blockbuster action, or a nice, tidy resolution, then this may not be the film for you. Personally I found this film gave me much food for thought and that is something I enjoyed about it.

Read More

Lots of clichés, but a very well executed drama, that is very well constructed.

I was not surprised by anything that happened in this drama, but I don't think it's srtength is in it's mysterious plot-twists. Super predictable, but still very entertaining. The drama had just enough side-story to keep the flow interesting. The pacing is good, the characters are lovable, and there is very few bad things I can bring up about it objectively speaking.
It got an 8 from me instead of a higher score, because I did not enjoy it as much as other, similarly trope-y titles. I think the drama could use more high-stake moments, I feel like every time something big happened, the issue faded away by itself, rather than anyone actively trying to fix it. While the drama was fun, it lacked in "drama" for my taste a little. Often the decisions the characters make also make so sense, and they seem to make it only to drag out the conflicts a little longer. Misunderstanding tropes are my worst enemy.
I have an appreciation for the lack of plot-holes and abandoned plot lines, because I've been having trouble with how often dramas struggle with those. Maybe the bar is just low, but I genuinely felt like this drama is a nice package, with all its edges rounded off, and paced very well.

Altogether, I'm definitely recommending this. Is it up to the hype it gets? MMM debatable. But the characters and actors are great, the story is fun, and the show is entertaining. If you just wish for something light and fun, but well-rounded and well-executed anyway, this is for you!

Read More

Though not perfect, still the best I watched this year.

Let me start by saying that this is definitely not for everyone, and I had the privilege of watching it before reading other people reviews or being affected by it.

I finished this drama in the span of two days, neglecting sleep just to continue watching and this shows how much it got me hooked. As someone who loves reading dark romance from time to time, I didn’t face a drama like this in a long time, it was refreshing in a way… the angst, the tension, the emotional rollercoaster. Sometimes you really just need a classic drama with toxicity and some cliche plot points, and if you’re someone who miss that type of shows? This one is for you.

However, I’m not saying it’s groundbreaking or something you never saw before, but it is a drama I won’t forget for a while -maybe longer- it gave me everything I wanted lately, I was getting sick of the same characters over and over again, I wanted to watch something ugly and toxic, something that would keep me on my toes and make me question why I’m enjoying it -Wow that made me sound mentally unstable-

Anyway, I just wanted to yap about how much I loved this drama to the point I created an account just to write this review.
And no matter what anyone says, I freaking LOVE Yu ChangXuan.

Read More

I loved it, even with its objective flaws in it's plot progression, Would absolutely recommend.

I tried marking spoiler sections in my review, but read with caution. You can jump to the spoiler free conclusion at the end.

I had a really difficult time rating this drama. If I were to rate it on personal enjoyment, a solid 9/10. My biggest issues were the overuse of second-hand embarrassment comedy -- but that simply comes with the genre in my experience, and is a personal preference.

The characters are all absolutely lovable. I'd agree with other people that Dam Ye-Jin in the beginning is quite annoying, and does not come across as a good person - but I'd stick with the show if that is the only issue, because I think they did an amazing job at slowly making her more and more likable throughout the story. It was actually somewhat refreshing to see a FL that isn't instantly portrayed as perfect, timid and gentle. I like seeing her take up space, and be loud, even if sometimes it comes across as obnoxious.
Mechoori is great as well, this is so far my favourite character from Ahn Hyo-seop. My only issue with his character -- minor spoiler in this sentence -- is that in the beginning he acts as if he is somewhat annoyed by helping all the people in the village, but he does this with seemingly no reason, and the show immediately abandons this character trait after the first two episodes. Just a little odd.
The village people and other supporting roles are all very sweet, some more stereotypical and trope-like than others, but altogether a bunch of great characters. I am from a small village, and the scenes taking place in Deokpung Village were very nostalgic for me, and I felt very homesick watching it. It was lovely!

Eric..... was a character. Technically. I liked him as a person, but the show seems to struggle with what his purpose in the show is. This part will contain SPOILERS -- in the beginning it feels like he might be a bit of an antagonist. I was sort of expecting there to be some sort of misunderstanding with Mechoori thinking Ye-jin is dating him, or for Eric to just literally be one of the antagonistic forces in the career plot line. They steer away from both of these, but stay just close enough to them that you always think - maybe now, something will happen with his character. But then, nothing does. The show then starts using him as the ground for Mechoori's jealousy, and for me, that was nothing else but a way to make Mechoori's character even more attractive to viewers. It served as something mildly comical, but the same dynamic exists in multiple other side plot-lines, such as with Mr. Park and Mr. Kang. So it was very unnecessary. Then by the end they try to use his character as a part of the big reveal, by having him reveal the tiniest piece of the puzzle in the plotline with the essence launch going wrong. But again, this felt incredibly minor, and if this is the only reason for his character to be in the show, he should have just been cut. The story would have been the same with or without his character. SPOILER ZONE ENDED

The plot itself is quite simple, and somewhat predictable. While some of the twists surprised me personally, none of them were unpredictable. If anything, I'm more annoyed by the tools this drama uses to move the plot forward. It is almost always ridiculously unlikely coincidences, and barely ever characters. SPOILERS HERE - the whole situation with Ye-jin's mum's phone going unused for what... 5 years? And then the first time Mechoori changes phone numbers SUDDENLY he gets that one? Like 2 days after he meets Ye-jin? For them to ALWAYS happen to run into each other. HIT is a huge company with so many buyers but somehow it's always the village that has something that Ye-jin needs to attend. Time and space seems to warp, and the distance between Seoul and the village is... inconsistent. Sometimes people take hours to make the distance, sometimes seemingly minutes. SPOIELRS OVER-- while I could look past these, because at the end of the day these also kinda come with kdrama rom-coms, I understand if some people can't do that. However the story progression feels very natural for most of the drama, and so does the lead couple's relationship. This drama has a way of making you feel all the emotions, may it be stress, anger, sadness, or rooting for the main couple.

I also absolutely LOVED some of the seemingly filler bits. There were multiple times (the corn-selling, the village competition) that had little plot-moving moments, but they helped with the pacing, showed off more of the side characters and their own lives and personalities, and were just... so fun to watch. This drama is amazing at making me smile left and right, and I need to give credit for it.

Last but not least, the humour. As a briefly mentioned, the humour is largely based in second hand embarrassement type scenes, and I'm going to be honest, I fast forwarded a lot of them because I just can't take that much of it. However, they are only prominent in the first half of the drama -- they happen later too but much less -- and they didn't diminish my enjoyment of the story at all.

SPOILERS IN THIS BIT
The parts of the plot that tried handling serious topics were mixed for me, some well and some not so well executed. To me, the parts about Ye-jin's and Mechoori's struggles with the consequences of the USU cream situation were very well done. Their two ways to cope with basically the same thing were well done. Ye-jin and her mother was a great story line, altough I wish it would have gotten more screentime sometimes - but props to the mother, as she is the few people in the show who move plot forward at the end. My biggest issue was that the actual antagonist is revealed very very late in the series, leaving very little time for the events to unfold. I would have preferred some of the info to be drip-fed to the characters, but they pretty much learn and expose everything in the span of half an episode. I feel like the pacing was nice for most of the drama, but the end was rushed.
While the last episode did its best to wrap up all loose end, I feel as though there were many that were rushed. There were characters we just forgot about halfway through the show, such as the bus driver whose actor did not even get credited at the ending, where everyone has their own little story wrap-up.
SPOILERS ENDED

CONCLUSION (spoiler free)
As I said before, my enjoyment of this drama was a solid 9/10, but critically speaking there were some things that might be hard to ignore for some people -- ridiculous coincidences moving the plot forward, pacing issues in the conflicts, and some characters that could have been cut altogether. Sometimes the show bites off more than it can chew, making characters redundant, and side-plots rushed -- the drama would have benefited from a few more episodes. However, for me the cast, their acting, the chemistry between the main couple, and the heart-warming small-town scenes outweighed these by a lot. This show still managed to make me stressed, giggle and kick my feet, and stare unblinking at the screen at intense plot points. The best aspect of this drama is how entertaining and fun it is. If you are looking for something fresh, and never seen before, this is probably not for you. If you just want something mildly predictable, safe, homey, funny, and cozy, but most importantly loveable, entertaining and FUN, this is perfect. I give this a 7.5 for it's objective flaws, but for me this drama will always be a 9/10, as I personally enjoyed it more than certain community faves (like business proposal), even if critically speaking it was not as good. Please let me know what you thought I'd love to have a convo about this show!!

Read More

life’s ups and downs

We all have ups and downs in life. how we handle them and dust ourselves off and keep moving is the most important and be true to yourself. this show shows this wonderfully with great acting and scenarios that often break people. the pursuit of money over happiness is one of the main underlying themes. working yourself to sickness is not worth it. the challenges faced within a family dynamic are well presented in this show. the lack of communication and making major decisions without consultation have major impacts on relationships, this show really presents all of these themes well. at the end of the day we can only rely on ourselves.

Read More