Reviews

They went deep in...Entertaining and deeper than expected

If at first the story made me think that the drama was more or less a smutty fanfic story put on screen (which is not a dig, I can appreciate a guilty pleasure kind of drama), it was definitely much more than that. There are layerS to the story as well as I think also an activist message and some important criticism of society regarding LGBTQ+ relationships and their depiction on screen. It does not go very deep on the later, but it is clearly there and the ending is quite a statement in itself, worth the watch for its finale scenes.

Regarding the acting, it was quite unbalanced. I was very surprised to see Ollie (that I had not seen since his Boys Planet participant day) in this assertive, very bossy lead, obsessed and demanding. Even if that was a lot to grasp at first (and that he definitely looked younger than the part would have required), he did amazing for a first drama role and totally ripped of his cutie teen idol image that I had of him. The other main actor Shu Yuan was a bit awkward at time and I wish I would have seen a bit more nuance from him portraying some scenes, even if I know the script did almost force him to act dialed up to 100% level of angst, leaving not a lot of room for range. It lacked something for me to fully get onboard with his way of portraying the role(s). If I liked overall the leads and their chemistry (carried a lot by Ollie), I also found the acting performance of the remainder of the cast average, with some over the top and exaggerated acting.

I also appreciated the overall filmmaking. They used smart visual tricks for the viewers to immediately get which level of the story they were looking at...And when the lines got blurry, the directing brought that convincingly to life. The soundtrack was also quite good and fitting in itself, even if probably not long lasting memory material.

I would recommend this to people that enjoy layered toxic relationships and dark romance. If you don't mind a solid touch of angst and melodrama in your series, you need to try this one. If the scenario in its last arcs tired me with its repetitive and somewhat uninspired conflicts, the meta elements of the series, the shift in perspective, the way storylines were feeding and bleeding into each other and the way they smartly concluded won me over.

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Smile After Boredom!

Frankly, this series is inferior in every conceivable dimension imaginable. And we need to quit pretending that it is not. It is a confusing, disjointed story with undramatic if not dull acting with a very poor script followed by mediocre cinematography and frankly even pedestrian musical numbers. Sure, I was intrigued by the theme’s concept and initial plot but then after the first episode, it fell apart. If you are seeking dynamic, interesting personalities to entertain you, you best move on. These protagonists are some of the dullest creatures I have ever seen in a BL, if you want to call it that. What made them so uninteresting is that they had zero outstanding personality traits and even less emotional depths. In addition, their acting is simply a series of functionally sleep-induced and placid exercises. And boring. The stilted one-dimensional acting by all the protagonists also reflects a poor script and inadequate direction. Which leads to the major flaw of this series. No growth. None of the protagonists grow or mature. They all stagnate or wallow in what once was.

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Surprising Hidden Gem!!!

I was scrolling through Netflix when this show caught my eye.

I watched the trailed and got enthralled by it.

I wasn’t mistaken. This was such a great show to commit too.

It had so much comedic scenes I enjoyed watching it way more than I expected.

I love how the romance wasn’t rushed and how blunt and unhinged the main couple are. I also love how on top of the comedic romance, the plot also included a lifespan of tradegy filled life, heartfelt and money grubbing family and business drama, and showbiz endorser life. What a circus!

The show was such a hidden gem!

How they were able to weave such a great story from so many interweaving storylines is beyond me. But this was and is definitely a great show to watch.

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the aesthetically pleasing drama. from the camera angle, the choreography to where the actors move to the position of the camera. every frame is worth the screenshot. its perfect.

the representation of colors for each characters like red for oh-eaw, blue for teh and purple for tarn. a symbol for tarn's character as well, a hibiscus flower. i am blown and its cute.

in the later episodes where both characters were figuring out of their feelings, they wore each others colors and i cannot stop thinking about ever since.

they only kissed once but the sexual tension they have with each other when they were rubbing each others bodies. that was out of this world. it was cinema.

on the decision making of the characters? its so real like your life depends on that one decision but messed up so much. you thought your lifes done but it's not. you have to keep going, live, and learn from that. the stubborness and irresponsible decision makings. teh's character is an asshole, a flawed one but is real. you can't have it all figured out at 18. oh's character is making me cry like he's so precious. you have no choice but to root for him because he's the most beautiful soul that has no bad intentions just wants to be loved by his lover. the way he yearns for teh's touch in ep 4 it was heartbreaking.

i cannot stress enough the thoughts that i have right now because its scrambly and a mess but i can talk about this drama for hours and still not get bored. im sadden about what happened to the company. they should make more of this masterpiece.

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Sweet youth drama

The first episodes are a group of teenagers in high school. They live different experiences and then go on to university.
Plans change, life changes and everyone needs to adapt. Like many C-dramas the theme is reunion of the same group of teenagers who were together for many years. I found the story a bit repetitive from other C-dramas, but still good to watch.
The main lead at this stage plays a 15 year old while the actor in 2026 is actually 32 years old. I did find that they choose the wrong actors for this drama as playing a 15 year old teenager needs to look the part. The actor playing the older brother in this series is actually younger that both the main leads.

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Fluffy, Feel Good, Amazing + A Beautiful Storyline…

Helpppppppp!!! I am very very obsessed with this series. I just binged the first four episodes and i have no words to describe it 😭😭😭

Or wait, I actually do have words to describe it. SO GOOD! I enjoyed watching this and had moments where I was just laughing out loud. It’s such a fun watch OMG I’m surprised.

I didn’t read the synopsis or anything, just found it and decided to start it with little to no expectation and IT IMPRESSED ME.

Great acting, solid chemistry, interesting storyline, beautiful visuals, you name it.

Sorry I can’t keep writing because I’m off to rewatch the first four episodes all over again as I wait for the new episode.

Stop reading reviews!!!! Join the watch train ASAP

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Fluff as Entertainment

Wu Jin Yan is delightful. She never fails to disappoint. She takes what is often a silly script and makes graceful and almost believeable. But there is much in this character that she's done in other shows so while it fits her talents, she's not given room to do more. Additionally, she's acting circles around her co-star Chen Zhe Yuan who is mostly broody and either over acts or is wooden. Either the directing or the difference in acting between leads causes a failure in romantic chemistry. Many of the plot elements are over done, tropey to the point of being silly. However, the costumeing and design is gorgeous. This isn't the worst show I've seen all year, but it could and should have been better.

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Expectations (Trailer) vs Reality (Entire drama)

I was excited for The Map of Truth (I had no idea this was the drama's English name because I watched its trailer with its Chinese name). I thought it would be supernatural stuff as depicted in the trailer, but I guess it really does fit its name, Map of Truth, where Bat Ping (Katy Kung) and crew often discover the truth behind supposed superstitions or 'funny' events happening. LMAOOO the music at the intro is so creepy

I almost teared up when I saw Man Ban (Karl Ting) seeing his mother's birthday wish to him after Master Chong (Wayne Lai) did his rituals. I'll admit that I did find Sau Yi (Carmen Ngai) annoying at the start because she was like being delulu or lovesick (or you know 恋爱脑), but she's grown on me after the subsequent episodes or rewatch. I think it was also partially because I was getting annoyed by Bat Ping's skepticism of Master Chong, and wanted to expose him each time.
I've rewatched this drama several times out of boredom, and I didn't want to start a new drama.

Firstly, The Map of Truth reminds me of Our Unwinding Ethos due to the same myths/stories of certain locations in Hong Kong (like the Bride's Pool or Seven Sisters Road). In Our Unwinding Ethos, Rosina Lam uncovers the mystery in the cases linked tog these places. I'd say I learnt some feng shui and science stuff from The Map of Truth HAHAHA and psychology (since Master Chong often used the latter in observing individuals).

This drama has several 'cases' throughout and the SHOW (aka the sequel to the drama that Man Ban likes a lot; I watched the drama in Chinese subtitles, so I have no idea what his fav show's called). I'd say I was confused at the beginning because I thought Hoi-Wing [Sherman Poon) -- who acted as both Hoi-Wing (one dead already, the other is just a lookalike with the same name)] was actually the late Sister Wing's daughter/child. Turns out she tricked everyone into thinking she's the child; it's actually her boyfriend (the guy with curly hair who introduced Man Ban to this show as an assistant director). I mean, it's just a drama, but I couldn't really fathom how the Curly Hair liked Hoi-Wing, who bore a resemblance to his late mother (if yknow what I mean). Good to see that Sister Tong (Chloe Nguyen) got put in jail. The story between Kam Jun-hei and Ms Tsui (aka Pitchaya -- sorry for the spelling error if there's any) was really sad omggg but I was so glad that Madam Kam actually decided not to proceed with the lawsuit. I thought she was gonna be one of the villians or something, thankfully she isn't. It was nice to see the relationship between Jun-hei and Madam Kam get better and I just realized Jun-hei's actor was in A House of Spirits which was why I found him sooooo familiar. Speaking of that, Han Kok-ho (the university ghost 'victim') was actually in Our Unwinding Ethos as a part-timer with Edwin Siu. Man Ban's family case was really so sad, and Master Long Gui (Andrew Yuen) was so evil omg, he literally went around scamming people, especially women -- including Man Ban's mother and slept with her. I rolled my eyes several times when Madam Kam was gonna break up with him but he managed to convince her otherwise (ohwells). It was nice to see Master Long get his karma when he lost everything, and the scene where he hit his head against Man Ban's late father's stone plaque + his head bleeding, which was a parallel to the state Man Ban's late father was in when he jumped. The fox demon/spirit case was kinda interesting. The saleslady (Irina Tang) from the suit shop that Long Gui endorses has 3 boyfriends simultaneously (like OMG bruh), I was so afraid she was gonna stick to Bat Ping's senior, Ms Fang (Lisa Ch'ng)'s husband , thankfully he still has feelings for his wife -- he had an affair because Ms Fang was tooo busy. I felt so bad for Ms Fang when she accidentally tore the only picture she had with her husband and was panicking because of it.
I'd say that I found Sister Sa very cool actually because she's protecting Sau Yi plus her fighting skills. Also, Sau Yi and Bat Ming are kinda cute together! He was willing to spend time with her -- i.e. accompany her to see the Rice lady to 'talk' to her mother or walking the dog together.
(At this point, I think I'll leave my review as it is as I can't really remember much about the drama since I havent rewatched it for the 7th time since june and I am currently fixating on Blossoms of Power heh)

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Emotional rollercoaster and not a good kind

That was an exhausting watch. I watched it before and wasn't a fan at all, but recently I found out that this series will have a second season. So I chose to rewatch it to refresh my memory and possibly change my opinion enough to watch the second season. And honestly I'm still not sure if I want to watch the second season.
I did enjoy this series to some degree, it was entertaining. The first episode was good, then it went downhill and sort of picked up at the end.
I didn't really like either of the main leads for different reasons, and I really didn't see that much growth from them.

Things I liked:
1. Soundtrack.
2. Chemistry. That's one thing they were good at.
3. I like the overall plot/idea even though the execution was not so good at times.

Things I disliked:
1. Akihiro using his "girlfriend" to put it bluntly to try and forget. Instead of dealing with his trauma or doing anything to actually try, he blatantly uses another person for his own comfort.
2. Akihiro cheating on his girlfriend both emotionally and physically.
He should've ended it all once he literally said, "Deep down in my heart, I've always wanted you, Senpai." Once he crossed this road, even if he chose not to go back to Takashi or even to break all contact with him, he still should've broken up with his girlfriend. Instead, he goes and tries proposing to her.
3. Takashi is a groomer. I said what I said, he knew his assistant since he was just a student in the university, yet he still chose to sleep with him. And then he goes to try and justify it by saying, "He came onto me himself" yeah, no this is disgusting.
4. Yuto. Takashi's assistant. I'm honestly in between hating him and just feeling bad for him. Takashi is obviously the reason for some of his behavior, but it still doesn't fully excuse the way he behaves.
5. Not a single likable character.

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Oh, my heart... ❤️‍🩹
It's been such a long time since I watched a series that felt this warm and beautiful. Spare Me Your Mercy completely stole my heart.
I can't believe this masterpiece was released in 2024, and I'm only discovering it now. 😭 Where has this been all this time?
The story, the emotions, the characters... everything was so beautifully done. It made me smile, it made me ache, and it left such a comforting feeling in my heart.
I really, really loved it. Definitely one of my favorite BLs. 🤍 And the actors stole my heart❤️‍🩹

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Sneaky Little Bastard, This Actually Matters

(WARNING: Potential Spoilers — I’m Not Saving You from Any Emotional Damage)

The Red Rain is definitely a little different from the main High&Low storyline, because instead of continuing directly with the S.W.O.R.D. factions and their ongoing war, it pulls us away and puts the Amamiya Brothers front and center. And honestly, I think that's a good thing. After spending so much time following all five factions, the Mighty Warriors, the Kuryu Group, and everybody else who keeps throwing themselves into the chaos, getting a story that focuses more closely on one family gives the franchise a chance to breathe a little.

The main story here is Masaki and Hiroto searching for their older brother Takeru, who disappeared a year earlier. And obviously, because this is High&Low, Takeru hasn't just been sitting somewhere drinking tea and waiting for his brothers to find him. He's been working behind the scenes, taking on one of the families connected to the Kuryu Group, which is where this seemingly separate story starts tying itself back into the larger franchise.

And that's probably the biggest thing I appreciated about this movie.

At first, it feels like we're stepping away from the main storyline, but the further the story develops, the more you realize that this actually matters. What happens here, and what Takeru has been doing behind the scenes, connects back to the larger conflict and gives us more information that will become important in taking down the Kuryu Group.

So while I rated the story itself a 9/10, that's not because I disliked it. It's more that, compared to the main High&Low storyline, this one naturally feels a little more contained. We're following the Amamiya family rather than watching all the factions collide, and that changes the overall feel of it.

But as a piece of the franchise?

I still absolutely love it.

The Amamiya Brothers have always had this larger-than-life presence hanging over the story, especially after everything we've already learned about them, Mugen, and their history, so finally getting to spend more time with them and understand more of their family story was worth the detour.

And then there are the connections back to the main storyline, which I really appreciated because it means this isn't just some completely disconnected side quest that we're expected to watch and then forget about. There are details here that matter.

Which, considering how much information High&Low throws at you, is probably a good thing because Lord knows I'm already keeping track of enough gangs.

The movie also doesn't completely abandon the rest of the franchise, which I loved. We get familiar faces popping up throughout the story, and even when they're not the focus, their appearances remind you that we're still firmly inside the same universe.

And yes, that includes the RUDE BOYS.

You already know I'm going to be happy when Smoky shows up.

The music is also once again fantastic. At this point, I don't even know why I bother mentioning it because High&Low has repeatedly proven that they know exactly what they're doing with their soundtrack. 10/10. The music is practically another character in this franchise.

And the cast?

Also a 10/10.

There is something about this franchise's casting that just works. Whether they're playing the main characters or popping up for a smaller appearance, everybody fits into this ridiculous, beautifully chaotic world.

What I especially liked about The Red Rain, though, is that underneath all the gang wars and larger franchise machinery, this is ultimately a story about three brothers who lost their parents young and built their lives around each other.

That family connection gives the movie a different emotional weight than the main storyline, and it makes the search for Takeru more personal. Masaki and Hiroto aren't just trying to track down some missing guy because they need another piece of information for the next gang war.

That's their brother.

And they want to know why he left.

So while I wouldn't rank this above the main storyline when it comes to pure High&Low chaos, I still think it was a worthwhile addition to the franchise, especially because of how much it eventually feeds back into the larger story.

Basically, The Red Rain showed up looking like a side quest and then quietly handed me plot information I actually needed.

Sneaky little bastard.

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The Madhouse Just Moved to the Big Screen

(WARNING: Potential Spoilers — I’m Not Saving You from Any Emotional Damage)

Alright, so I finished the Story of S.W.O.R.D. and now I'm onto the movies, and one thing that surprised me was how little of a detour this actually feels like.

It doesn't.

It just continues everything right along.

And honestly, I really like that.

The movie doesn't feel like I'm watching something separate from the series. It's part of the same ongoing story, with the same factions, the same characters, the same grudges, and the same general level of insanity.

The factions all have their own reasons for getting involved in the fight, but more or less, each one is threatened by the Kuryu Group in one way or another. And that threat basically forces these factions, who normally spend their time fighting each other, toward forming a temporary alliance.

Which is kind of hilarious when you think about it.

These people have spent all this time fighting over territory, pride, revenge, and whatever else has them throwing punches at each other, and now they're basically like, “Okay, but THAT guy is a problem.”

Fine.

We'll work together.

For now.

And of course, things continue exactly as hectic and chaotic as you'd expect from High&Low. There are fights everywhere, people are getting pulled into conflicts they probably didn't ask for, alliances are forming and shifting, and somehow there are still more people waiting in the wings to make everything even more complicated.

At this point, I've accepted that this is simply how this universe functions.

And I'm good with it.

The soundtrack is once again killer.

Seriously, this franchise has not missed when it comes to the music. The soundtrack helps drive the energy of the movie, especially during the action sequences, and I've reached the point where I hear certain songs and immediately know we're about to get something good.

And, obviously, I always love when the RUDE BOYS show up.

They remain my favorite faction, and I'm still here for every single second of their parkour. Give me those guys flying through the streets and I'm happy.

Then there's Oya High.

And specifically Murayama.

That man is just crazy.

But you just love him for it.

There's something about watching him throw himself into the chaos with absolutely no hesitation that makes him ridiculously entertaining. Oya High already had a strong presence in the series, but Murayama continues to be one of those characters where I'm watching and thinking, What the hell are you doing?

And then five seconds later:

Okay, that was awesome.

The biggest thing I appreciate about the movie is that it doesn't make me feel like I have to reset my brain and learn an entirely new story. I just finished Season 2, hit play, and went, “Okay, what kind of chaos are we getting today?”

Apparently, the answer was:

ALL OF IT.

And that's exactly how I wanted this movie to feel.

It feels like the natural next step after the two seasons rather than some side story that happens to use the same characters. Everything I've already watched actually matters. The factions have history. The characters have grudges. The relationships and rivalries carry forward. And now all of those pieces are being pushed into an even bigger conflict.

Which means I'm sitting here recognizing people as they walk onto the screen, remembering where they've come from, and getting increasingly excited every time another faction gets pulled into the mess.

I may have officially reached the point where I know these idiots.

And apparently that's dangerous.

This is what happens when you click on one random recommendation after finishing Weak Hero.

I've got factions memorized, I know who's fighting who, I'm recognizing characters from earlier appearances, and I'm somehow sitting here excited every time another group walks onto the screen.

At this point, I'm officially committed to this franchise.

Would I rewatch it?

Absolutely.

In the end, I finished feeling like the High&Low madhouse had simply moved from television onto the big screen.

The soundtrack is still killer, the fights are still fantastic, the RUDE BOYS are still my favorites, and Murayama continues to be completely unhinged in the most entertaining way possible.

And somehow…

it worked.

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