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Disappointing run-of-the-mill rom-com
When I read the synopsis and watched the trailer, I was excited to watch a unique and fun rom-com about a monk falling in love with and English teacher. However, I was thoroughly disappointed when I actually watched the show.First, I thought it would be a unique story because of the plot, but it turned out to be your run-of-the-mill rom-com: rich ML falls for poor FL, his family is against it, and so they bully her. The story is very clichéd in the bad sense of the word. It is an accumulation of various clichés I personally hate.
Second, I had high expectations for the ML because I liked him on Nobuta wo Produce, unfortunately, I could not get myself to like him. I really tried, but his expressionless nature and pushy behavior were not to my liking. Furthermore, him, along with several other characters (her family namely) seemed to not care at all about the FL's feelings, which I totally hated.
Third, the whole side plot with the ML's brother ended in such a unsatisfactory manner, it felt like nothing ever got resolved at all.
On another note, one thing I did like was the second couple (I mean the two teachers, not the secretary and the student, why do they always have to pair adults with minors?), but they had so little screen time it made me feel quite disappointed. I also really liked the friendship between the FL and the other teacher (Momoe).
All in all, I would personally not recommend this show. If I had known it would be so disappointing and infuriating, I would not have watched it at all.
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Never-ending Summer - A book-to-screen review
"I'm here. I'm here, Zhou Wan. I'm here."Oh, Lu Yixiao, the man that you are! 😭
The first 20 episodes were really good. The youthful arrogance and rebellion, followed by the gradual realisation of first love, were done near perfectly. Maybe because I read the book first, I understood ZW, so I had no complaints about her character or decisions. It still hurt to watch, though.
I loved her confidence, sheer zeal and resilience. Life threw so much at her, yet she faced it all with grit. When she had that angry outburst in the hospital and screamed, "I am only 18!", I cried with her.
Onto Lu Yixiao.
He was a man of dreams. I see why he was compared to Sang Yan while the drama was airing. He never missed an opportunity to remind her that he was there. He had his own issues, too, but the way he accepted her, flaws and all, left me in awe.
Then came the separation. It was painful, but I understood why it had to happen.
Ngl, I expected their reunion to be much more emotionally charged, especially considering how the book portrayed Lu Yixiao's feelings over those ten years. Unfortunately, it felt too watered down for my liking.
Their electrifying chemistry made up for some of it, but not all.
The mother should have had the same ending she got in the book. She deserved nothing.
I would also have appreciated a more tightly knit storyline for the friends. I couldn't quite understand what GM wanted, so that aspect felt a little loose.
I preferred the proposal in the book, too.
Overall, I think the drama failed to fully capture the book, particularly when it came to the adult versions of the characters.
That said, both leads delivered great performances. They're young, and I believe their acting will only get better.
Still, it was a good watch, and my subjective rating (sorry, I love Daniel 😫 and the book) is 8.5/10.
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Tian Xi Wei Absolutely Slays!
Tian Xi Wei is such a QUEEN! Honestly, I can't decide whether I love her more as A Chou or Wei Rao. Doesn't matter which character she's playing—she absolutely slays both roles!What I love most is that she plays a strong, wise, and capable woman who can get herself out of trouble. She doesn't need a man swooping in to rescue her every five minutes. She can hold her own, and that's exactly what makes her character so enjoyable to watch.
Yan An is a great match for her, too. Although he sometimes takes a backseat to her character, I actually love their dynamic. He's possessive, but in a way that works. He supports her, respects her decisions, and lets her be who she is instead of trying to control her. He doesn't need to be the hero all the time, and I love that!
Is this a masterpiece? No. The plot has its fair share of holes, and some things could definitely have been written better.
But is it entertaining? Absolutely! Tian Xi Wei alone makes this drama worth watching. Add a great couple dynamic, and you've got yourself a pretty enjoyable C-drama.
A good watch, especially if you love a strong female lead who doesn't need rescuing! ❤️
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Terrible show from editing to the overall aesthetic.... none of it look good
Overall its terrible, from the set-up, the casting, even the cgi look terrible. They mentioned about filming in actual location in germany and czech rep... probably those scene where the show the scenery might be real, others look extremely fabricated. very cgi'ish. The colour, the tone and everything look fake.the acting look like a show, like a stage show.. doesn't look realistic. The chemistry are,..... non existence.
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This review may contain spoilers
Just no
I'm actually sad to give this only a 2.0 star rating, but I seriously can't rate this higher. What on earth is this? There are so many fantastic actors in this, some of them on my favourite lists, but I just can't get over this badly AI-animated stuff and this weird impression of 19th century Austria mixed with Neuschwanstein Castle and all Ai megalomania-sized. It's just too ridiculous.Also the dialogues seem so wooden and staccato, it all seems like a school play with random single scenes somehow put together. This concept just doens't work for me.It would be equally weird and unfitting making a series about Bavarian King Ludwig and instead give the character some ridiculous made up name like 'Kingo Ladwagia' and have everyting spoken in Bavarian German but the location is a Joseon dynasty palace. It's just ridiculous.
Nope, despite some of my absolute favourite actors in this, I really can't.
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This review may contain spoilers
As a former pianist, I was incredibly intrigued by the storyline of this drama (I love a good music-related drama). Plus, it helped that I'm a huge fan of both male leads. The drama started strong, and my family and I were quick to get captivated by it all - the acting, the storyline, the music, etc. We paused in the middle of Episode 4, and it was then that I started to feel that certain things were a bit repetitive (for example, I think there were one or two scenes that were replayed at least three or four times). The storyline did eventually pick up a bit further and I appreciated the way everything tied together at the end.
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Average
Trigger warning for death and suicidesAs thrillers go, this one was on the low end of entertaining. I wouldn't go so far as to call it boring, but it's not exactly "thrilling" either. It was a very interesting idea for a movie, but the execution was simply lacking. There were also a few plot holes and questionable decisions made throughout the movie. The panic also seemed very contained outside of the mass suicides, which didn't seem very realistic considering how many people had died in such a short amount of time and in such a public way.
The main character spends a lot of the movie hunting down medicine for his family, and honestly, it got comical how often this man gets his hands on the medicine just for something to happen, and he loses it. I shouldn't be fighting the urge to laugh when this man's family is on the line, but each time was getting more and more ridiculous.
What I liked most about the movie was the symptoms of this parasite and how we learn about them after seeing our main character's family show said symptoms in a very natural way, so that you only see them once you know about them.
Like I said the movie is average, but that doesn't mean bad so if you want to watch it and you have a couple hours of free time there are much worse things to watch.
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A Short and Sweet Story
this was actually a perfect drama to me. there’s honestly nothing I would change about it.it had me in all the feels! happy, sad, I was even a little upset sometimes lol.
I love that there were genuinely no horrible characters in this drama. even the grandpa just needed a little bit of time to thaw. 😅
it was a complete story and everything was perfectly wrapped up. the romance was subtle enough, but WOAH loved those kisses.
if you’re on the fence, please give it a try!
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Loved it!!!
I loved this drama from start to finish. I am a big fan of the FL and ML. I am a huge Kdrama Rom Com fan and this has to be one of my favorites! I loved all the side stories too. I couldn’t wait for the next episode and I am sad it is over. I think the main couple had amazing chemistry and I can’t wait for their next projects. I thought it was fun and fresh and I would watch it again! if you are a Kdrama Romantoc Comedy fan you will enjoy it. Don’t take my word for it give it a try and make up your own mind.Was this review helpful to you?
Never rush what you are not ready for....
I enjoyed this. It was refreshing. Kong Yeon Su wasn't ready to "sleep" with anyone. She didn't understand really what she wanted or what to feel and while she was with her bf, she wasn't attracted to him to sleep with him. Then she met, Dokgo Dal who opened up her eyes....I mean who wouldn't fall in love? LOLShe was still trying to understand and learn about her feelings/needs and eventually she got what she wanted.
They both weren't in a rush for marriage. They are enjoying themselves and each other company. which is important in a relationship....
I really liked it...and love the kissing scenes....alot of chemistry.
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Interesting Concept
In a mad-dash to preserve mystery in a time-looping crime series, Mobius keeps most relationships at a tepid observational level interspersed with action and explosive developments. The setting and use of technology and time create a fresh look at variation and differences as Ding Qi puzzles over the latest loops and their meaning. Told with competence and verve, Mobius is an interesting diversion.Was this review helpful to you?
A drama with great plot and characters but can't deliver romance
I started watching this series four months late, so I wasn’t even aware of the controversy surrounding the age gap beforehand.In my view, the issue lies primarily with the director’s casting choices. The actress selected is simply too young; as a result, she fails to generate any truly convincing romantic chemistry with the male lead (Hou Minghao), nor is she able to provide a sufficient emotional response to his feelings. By the time I reached episode 18, I found it difficult to keep watching. Although the male lead is clearly in love with her, the dynamic that comes across on screen feels more like he’s treating her as a little sister.
The series actually starts off with a compelling premise. As the story unfolds, it’s revealed that the heroine’s father—the Grand Tutor—is the madman orchestrating everything from behind the scenes. The heroine was always intended to marry the male lead, who happens to be the best friend of the second male lead. With the real emperor gravely ill, the second male lead steps into the role of Regent; both leads hold high-ranking positions, setting the stage for a complex power struggle and political maneuvering between them.
Ultimately, however, I feel that the romance between the leads isn’t strong enough to anchor the rest of the show’s compelling elements—the development of their relationship never quite finds a balance with the other aspects of the plot.
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A really lovely film!
I have mixed feelings on Japanese dramas and films. The FLs often times infuriate me because they always seem to go along with whatever stupid thing someone else tells them to do. I have to say that this going to the top of my list as one of my favorite J-movies. If you are looking for chemistry and passion, you should pass on this one, but you would be missing out. It's more about the story and the development of the characters and I loved it. The OST was amazing also.Was this review helpful to you?
A Bit Disappointing
This is a fairly ordinary Korean Romance. The only unique element was that the products the handsome ML chaebol’s company produce and market are sex toys. The “products” make a brief appearance and are quickly relegated to the sidelines. Lots of luck figuring out what any of the specific items are used for.I appreciate that movie makers in Korea are trying to explore new themes–or even take a risk now and then. The characters are likable, but the tired old theme of the younger generation trying to break away and establish independence from their narrowminded elders has been done to death eleventy billion times. The acting was...well, let’s just say–pedestrian. Some very real issues regarding sex and love could have been explored in more depth, but the writers shied away from anything explicit or graphic.
Superficial but enjoyable.
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This review may contain spoilers
Episode 6 (Final) — A Promise to Face Life and Death Together
The conflict between the yakuza organizations ends in an unexpectedly comical way, allowing Kataoka and Odajima to return to Okinawa.Yet their brief return to the dangerous world reminds them of what truly matters.
Odajima resolves to protect Kataoka, the man who has repeatedly saved him, even at the cost of his own life. Kataoka, meanwhile, chooses to embrace everything about Odajima, including the darkness of his past.
For Odajima, happiness is not always easy. Even peaceful moments can awaken painful childhood memories. But Kataoka understands. Rather than offering empty words, he simply takes Odajima's hand, reminding him that he is no longer alone.
Their love may be extreme, shaped by a violent world, but its sincerity is undeniable.
This outrageous yakuza BL ultimately tells a surprisingly tender story about acceptance, devotion, and finding a place to belong.
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