Reviews

Didn't age well for me

Watching Strong Woman Do Bong Soon again in 2026 is a mixed bag. While it’s easy to see why it was a hit in 2016, the flaws are much harder to ignore on a rewatch.

At first, Do Bong Soon herself is a little irritating. The show establishes early on that she's desperate for a job, yet her initial treatment of her future CEO, is shockingly unprofessional, even for a rom-com, feels excessive.

The biggest issue is Bong Soon’s mother. She was never funny or caring—she’s genuinely toxic. Her physical abuse toward her husband, her obsessive jealousy, and especially her scheme to force her daughter to sleep with a stranger are all horrifying. Hiding this behavior behind comedy doesn’t excuse it; it just makes the family dynamic unsettling.

The show also drags. At 16 episodes, the pacing is slow, and the unnecessary subplots aren't funny enough to justify the runtime. It could have easily ended in 12.

The logic behind Bong Soon losing her powers also doesn't make sense—she was saving her friend, hence hurting an innocent man.

That said, not everything is bad. Bong Soon’s father and Min Min are the ultimate green flags—supportive, loving, and genuinely good people. And Kim Won Hae was the absolute scene-stealer!!

In the end, Strong Woman Do Bong Soon is best left in 2016. It was fun then, but revisiting it now reveals too many problems to make it enjoyable again.

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Questo è quello che ho scritto sul mio diario delle serie perché mi ha completamente distrutto

Burnout Syndrome, in teoria dovevo vederlo ongoing. Il problema è che se lo vedevo cominciavano a venirmi i patemi d'animo, quindi ho prorogato in maniera indistinta ed eterna fino a che, un bel giorno, quindi oggi, giorno del signore 18.02.2026, non mi sono obbligata a finire la serie. E anche in questo caso ho deciso di non prestare attenzione ad un pezzo della storia o lo avrei ulteriormente messo in pausa. Detto ciò questa storia è concepita come un'opera d'arte e così va valutata, anche se è sempre presente un commentario sulla vita reale e su quello che sta succedendo in questo momento, in particolare con l'AI. è anche se non è Not Me, perché siamo onesti, at the end of the day, nulla è o sarà mai Not Me, tutto in questa serie mi è piaciuto. Che in parte è anche la ragione perché non volevo vederla, perché se non la vedo, non finisce. Di tutto, Off e mr. K sono veramente saliti di livello. Gun è ovviamente sempre pazzesco in qualsiasi cosa lui faccia e Dew si è confermato validissimo e molto solido (cosa che avevo notato anche in Leap Day e per cui aspetto con ogni fibra del mio corpo Mr. Kill), ma qui è stato Off che ha brillato. Lui ha una perticolare capacità per interpretare questi personaggi che nonostante non siano i più grandi della stenza è come se lo fossero. Off ha un aura che soo sincera, solo pochissimi attori hanno (nello show biz thai) e qui questa sua aura splende di una luce nera e tossica, che prende e rovina tutto quello che incontra.
Una delle cose che mi ha più colpito di questa serie è sicuramente il fatto che ci sia un commentario sull'uso dell'intelligenza artificiale e dei sacrifici che le persone che chiedono solo pochissimo successo nella vita, devono fare per averli, per poi scoprire che tutto il loro lavoro è andato in fumo.
C'è un che di profetico nel finale, che NON è un finale felice. Per Jira tornare da Koh non è un finale da favola, è la definizione definitiva che alla fine, come lui stesso dice, anche l'arte e l'artista si piegherà al capitalismo e in questo caso specifico, Jira tornerà da Koh. Anche se è bello il fatto che finiscano assieme, perché dai, sono OffGun, questo NON è un finale felice.

Detto ciò, per aspettare Gunshot sto pensando di fare il rewatch di tutte le serie OG (di cui ho già rivisto Puppy Honey 1 e 2), solo che questo, sarò sincera, non so se riuscirò a rivederlo.

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Original and Engaging, but Uneven Acting

I enjoyed this drama, though I wouldn’t call it the strongest production overall. Some performances felt stilted or overly dramatic at times, and certain moments of dialogue fell flat or came across as amateur. That said, the storyline and subplots are genuinely engaging, and the pacing keeps things moving without dragging.

What really stands out is the originality of the narrative—there are some surprising twists, especially toward the end, and I wasn’t disappointed by the reveal. The only downside is that the ending sets up the possibility of a second season, but as of now, there’s been no news confirming a sequel.

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It's a very eventful drama. I was pleasantly surprised by its storyline. From the very beginning, it was a pleasure to watch, and I laughed at every moment. Towards the middle, the plot shifted from positive to dramatic, which was expected. There were so many intrigues and their resolutions, and so many people close to Wan Yin and Xiahou Dan who couldn't be protected. You get worried about everyone and look forward to watching the episodes every day.
The acting is outstanding! Cheng Lei and Chu Ran are definitely the strongest cast match! They both bring their characters to life in a delightful way, making the drama a pleasure to watch.
I highly recommend it to everyone!

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This was the absolutely worst season EVER

I will save your time today, the first two seasons were made for people who love dance and have danced they hole life. This season is a disrespect to all dancers and viewers. The first episode they mock professional dancers from their own country to favor people who act instead of dance and vote for "energy" and "vibes" not technique and skill. The following episodes the most disrespectful and obnoxious people coming (obviously) from EUA disregard and badmouth all asian dancers. A crew from Tokyo with one of the most important choreographers of the world was absolutely discredited and they and up eliminating the crew made by the absolute most competent dancer from Korea just to favor EUA. Is not just a bad show that in nothing exult dance as an ability that exult from training and time, is a imperialist propaganda that favor EUA at all cost disguised as a dance reality. Como dizemos no meu país... Juiz ladrão...

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Easy 10 out 10

Honestly, this drama is just so solid. I really think 32 episodes was the perfect length. It didn’t feel dragged out, but it also didn’t feel rushed. Everything was paced really nicely, and every episode actually meant something.

What I love the most is how well it balances all the genres. You get comedy that genuinely makes you laugh, romance that feels sweet and natural, and then suddenly the angst hits you hard. And somehow, it never feels messy. The transitions between funny, romantic, and emotional moments are so smooth.

The acting? So good. Everyone really fits their roles, and the emotional scenes feel real, not exaggerated. When it’s funny, it’s funny. When it’s heartbreaking, you actually feel it. That’s how you know the acting is strong.

Visually, it’s beautiful too. The cinematography, the costumes, the overall vibe everything looks so well done. Some scenes honestly feel like a movie.

And the OST? So solid. Every song fits perfectly with the scenes. It really adds to the emotions instead of just being background music.

Overall, it’s just a complete package. Plot, acting, visuals, music . Everything works. Easily a 10/10 for me.

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Branding is everything!

A guide on how to leave a legacy; when legend becomes myth.

I quite enjoyed the chapter-like episodes, and how the story unfolded slowly. This was a very intriguing show, and I especially liked Shin Hae Sun’s acting, which can never be faulted to be honest. She just plays every character with nuance, and is a pure delight on my screen. The detective’s character was very shallow, and I think that Lee Jun Hyuk was let down by lack of characterization. The scriptwriter really wasted his talents as an actor in my opinion.

While I enjoyed the cinematography and acting, the show as a whole is just okay. Sarah can “read” people so well, and yet it took her half a year to realize that Mi Jeong conned her? Hm, I’m not sure about that, considering how protective Sarah is of her brand (both Boudoir and her persona). There is just something about the show that didn’t fully click; it was good for a one-time watch, but I wouldn’t watch it again, and I kind of hope the leads reunite (again) for a better drama (and maybe a romance?😁)!

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Cloudy and perfect

Love in the Clouds truly surprised me. I wasn’t familiar with the lead actor, the storyline intrigued me just enough but I also came with assumptions about how it would go… and wow, what a beautiful journey. I was hooked from beginning to end.

What initially seemed like just another battle-driven drama quickly turned into a masterpiece. Every note felt right, to the point that I was genuinely sad when it ended. I have been looking for a drama like this for a while. Perfectly sweet, perfectly heartwrenching, some fantasy and with a believable portrayal.

The two leads had exactly the right tone. Their chemistry was believable and natural, and each of them brought the necessary depth to their characters. Whether together or on their own, they fully did justice to their roles.
Not all the cast was as great and strong but it didn't drag it too mych down.

I especially appreciate shows that can evolve their storyline without losing momentum — and even more so when they add deeper layers without losing focus or compromising their essence. Love in the Clouds achieves that balance.

The story left me satisfied from beginning to end.
The soundtrack didn’t always live up to the overall quality of the show, but it’s certainly not enough to bring it down.

Overall: definitely worth watching. I mean Go for it!

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One more episode and surely…

I feel i spent all my time watching this hoping fervently to eventually like it more than i was liking it. “One more episode, and surely I’ll come to love it”

It never manifested for me. I feel this execution is uneven, tonally jarring and often undermines its dramatic moments.

I did like the relationship between the leads. Also, in particular the friendship between yu wanyin and xie yonger.

Otherwise most of the things fell flat. The conflicts and setbacks were on easy-mode, all was predictable, tension wasn’t allowed to fully build. Stakes seemed unconvincing.

And no one, not one person gave one shit about the crown prince who was just a child. Maybe Dan’s situation made it understandable, but everyone else also did the same. They more often vilified him than considered him. He was given no humanity at all. What a cruel display.

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Might contain spoilers

I really love this series (the novel, live action as well as the donghua). I have read the original novel a few years back titled "This is ridiculous" and I must say that the revelation for Xiahou Dan being transmigrated since he was young was expressed brilliantly compared to the live action where they put it as epilogue per episode. I also find the ending unsatisfactory. The novel dived deeply into their life after they went back to the modern times and Xie Yong Er's pov after going back to her original world was also seen in the novel.

I know that the series don't have much time to put all those details but if someone watching the show haven't read the og novel, then there will be a lot of questions or gaps in the story (e.g. Prince Duan having false hope inside his dungeon and his ending, Xie Yonger's fate, Wanyin and Xiahou Dan's future both in the book and in modern times)

But overall, I still give this a 9/10 rating. Cheng Lei really embodies Xiahou Dan's character. He looks so much like the animated version especially with his hair down. It was such an iconic look in the donghua and he was able replicate it. Also, the other actors and actresses gave justice to their roles. I liked their acting and portrayal. So even though the storytelling/plot is lacking, the actors still gave it justice.

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