Reviews

They are friends soulmates enemies and everything in-between....

This show offers a refreshing take on friendship, depicting a relationship far from flawless. It's a complex portrayal, brimming with envy, jealousy, and insecurity the kind where love and hate intertwine, and codependency reigns. These messy, often unhealthy dynamics are realistically explored, making it difficult to look away. The performances, particularly by Kim Go Eun and Park Ji Hyun, are outstanding, capturing the raw, unfiltered essence of the characters. The show doesn't shy away from the gray areas of human nature, and the characters are complex, yet strangely relatable.

While the pacing may be deliberate, the story's impact lingers long after the credits roll. Approach it with an open mind.

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sick & twisted politics and a beautiful story

this definitely exceeded my expectations, this story turned out to be a lot rich and enjoyable then i hoped

-Li rong is a diva. Shes a very complex female character, her actions may annoy you or not make sense at first, but as the story goes on, her character learns and evolves. Being a women in politics, a princess no less, she is incredibly determined, strong and persuasive.
She grew up being taught politics and power was to be prioritized over love, we've been seeing that mindset in the starting episodes, plus being a woman alone in a male dominated field is already hard as it is.
despite it she sees through the lies and games before her, she learns to love pei wenxuan and truly understand his love and his worth.

-Pei wenxuan is such a nice male lead. Cocky, sassy and easy going but surprisingly cunning and clever under the cover. His character also had a lot of layers to him, which made the show so engaging and lively. I just loved him! unlike the 2ml with his capabilities and morals, he was able to not only have Li rong but also fight for his family.
i would say his amazing character was inconsistent at times esp towards the end but all in all hes a treat

-both of them together are the cutest bickering married couple. pei wenxuan's care and love for li rong is seen so clearly, he isnt threatened by her position or dominance, he embraces it, helped her grow, not only in power but as a person too.
and li rong didnt hide her love either, both were given a second chance and used it well, using her power to help him and protect him, it was adorable to see.

-the politics in this one is great!!
they really really show exactly the twisted and dirty politics of the imperial court, every character is evil in a way they would kill others to save their own skin, even our main leads, yet their behaviors and actions are explained, and karma gets them.
if you snooze u might miss some important plot points, so its important to pay attention. The politics grabbed and lost me turn by turn, but it was enjoyable nontheless.

HOWEVER,,
-yes the 2ml is annoying ASF. his character jst felt unnecessary he was a weak villain, consort rou was a better antagonist than him. them constantly pushing 2ml and fl together was annoying as well but if you skip his scenes it'll be alr which is what i did ^^
in conclusion, its a wonderful story that balances romance and politics and is def worth a watch!!
9/10, i can see myself rewatching for peirong bcz they're jst adorable

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A Great Crime Thriller Drama for Matured Audiences

Taxi Driver did a great job executing a solid story concept seriously and maturely.
Most K-drama series tend to include unnecessary romantic subplots that add nothing to the overall story.
I'm glad Taxi Driver avoided that. As a man, I don't enjoy seeing a "knight in shining armor saving a damsel in distress" in the middle of an otherwise serious and compelling narrative.

The acting from the cast is fairly average, especially the main character and the hacker girl. It's hard to empathize with their emotional breakdowns due to how mediocre their performances are.
The only truly great actor in this show is the villain, Baek Sung-Mi. Her acting is impressive and really stands out compared to the rest of the cast.
However, my favorite characters are the mechanic/engineer duo—you’ll know exactly who I’m talking about if you’ve watched the series.
Those two have the best chemistry in the entire show.

The music is also pretty average, nothing outstanding or memorable, but not bad either.

Overall, even though the acting and music are just okay, what matters most to me is the storytelling, and on that front the show truly delivers.

I’ll probably watch the second season of this show.

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A Soothing and Relaxing Countryside Watch

This drama was such a relaxing and heartwarming summer watch. The story isn’t complex or overly dramatic, but that actually worked in its favor. Instead of focusing on twists or tension, it puts its energy into the gradual growth of the leads’ relationship, which felt genuine and really enjoyable to follow. ( Although they had some random underdeveloped conflicts but nothing too annoying.)

Yechan completely stole the show, he’s so adorable that I honestly got cute aggression more than once. His bright, warm personality just lights up the screen. Yul, on the other hand, had a more grounded and likable charm, and together they balanced each other so well. Their dynamic was sweet, natural, and fun to watch.

The countryside background added to the beauty of the drama. The quiet, rural scenery gave off such a peaceful vibe that made the whole experience even more soothing. Combined with the OST, which matched the mood perfectly, the atmosphere really pulled me in.

Overall, this isn’t a complicated drama, It’s a light, cozy watch that makes you smile and feeling a little lighter after each episode. I liked it a lot, and if you’re in the mood for something simple, sweet, and healing, this is definitely worth checking out.

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Our Unwritten Seoul: Healing, Frustration, Repeat

At first, I was hesitant about whether or not I should start this drama, but in a moment of boredom I just went for it. To my surprise, the plot turned out really interesting. I liked the concept of twins switching lives, which is tricky to pull off, but Park Bo Young did a great job.

🌸 POSITIVE ASPECTS:
-The acting during sad scenes was so good (I actually teared up more than once). It had a very great impact.

-The character development of the mother was slow but satisfying, which makes it realistic in my opinion.

-I liked how they encouraged taking a break when you're feeling hopeless and tired. Healing and self-care are more important than a job and that’s on period.

Overall the plot and execution was nice, not flawless but nice.

⚡ NEGATIVE ASPECTS:
-This is more of a personal statement rather than a critique. I just couldn’t get on board with Mirae’s character. I know she had suffered workplace bullying and was most likely depressed, which led her to attempt, but I just couldn’t understand why she stayed that long just to suffer. Also, she was very cold and strict at first so it just wasn’t for me, but I still respect the execution and her character development.

-Some aspects of the story felt unexplored and made me raise questions, like Lawyer Lee’s behavior. I still don’t know why he was so ruthless at first and then just randomly became better.

-Honestly i didn't feel chemistry between the main leads and just wasn't that interested in their love story.
Also, and I can’t stress this enough, I HATEEE the miscommunication trope and the “I’m a burden for you let’s break up” trope. It literally made me rage because the main leads were grown ass people who had already experienced something similar in high school and couldn’t even learn and move forward as fast as I wish they would have.

Overall these are the main aspects that ruined some of the drama, plus a few boring scenes here and there but nothing too major.


Our Unwritten Seoul tries to teach us to prioritize our health, both physical and mental, and that it’s never too late to start over and be who you wanna be.

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Still worth drama

Just finished The Mystic Nine: Qing Shan Hai Tang and omg it’s way too short 😭 only 1h14m. I watched The Mystic Nine a long time ago and since I saw there might be a season 2, I came back to rewatch and also check out this spin-off. Even though the actors aren’t the same, the story still gave me all the feels. Honestly, this drama is still the best even if you only watched the original and not the whole series, coming back to it again feels so worth it. And can we talk about the bromance between Zhang Qishan and Er Yuehong?? I’m not even into BL, but their chemistry was so good, I loved it 🥹. Wish it was longer, but it brought back so many good memories.

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Unique but not for everyone

Gelboys is set to take a unique approach to BL. The reception of this series among the BL Shia Community has been quite mixed. While many viewers lauded the series for its captivating visuals, distinctive aesthetics, and striking compositions, others found it challenging to connect with the characters. Some fans appreciated certain aspects but struggled to understand the characters' motivations, leading to a feeling of emotional detachment from their journeys. One viewer described the characters as cold and distant, exhibiting a lack of emotional depth. Additionally, the pacing of the series has raised some eyebrows, with critics noting inconsistencies that affected the overall experience. Although the plot had the potential to stand out as unique, opinions varied on whether it delivered compelling intrigue; some felt it was well-crafted and believable, while others disagreed. On a positive note, many applauded the production quality, deeming it among the best they had seen.
In summary, Gelboys has received mixed feedback, highlighting that while certain standout scenes may attract viewers, essential elements like character development and narrative consistency might fall short for some viewers.
Our server Poll resulted in an overall average score of 7.5/10. This is an aggregated review from the BL Shia community. Want to know more and have your voice heard? Join us in Discord: https://discord.gg/zDynbwQpP4 and come talk about it!

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When Love and Hatred Exist together

"I hate you to the core but still i love you the most." This single line perfectly captures the essence of the drama. At its heart, its a story about the toxic yet unbreakable friendship between Eunjeong and Sang Yeon. No matter how destructive their relationship seems, they remain each other’s one constant.

Sang Yeon is clearly toxic but i never found myself truly hating her. Maybe its because her backstory was portrayed so convincingly or maybe because deep down, Eunjeong never stopped needing her. Thats what makes their bond so fascinating, it defies simple labels. To call it mere friendship feels inadequate. Its the kind of connection where they shouldnt be together yet they cant exist apart.

Romance and especially the love triangle, was also a big part of the drama. The triangle was complicated, but after finishing drama you couldnt really hate anyone in it. At times you might get angry on characters like Sang Yeon or Sang Hak and at other times you could even understand where they are coming from. In the bigger picture, i dont resent any of them for how the story unfolded. The romance between Eunjeong and Sang Hak was touching but her love-hate bond with Sang Yeon absolutely stole the show.

The drama leans heavily into melodrama and it had me in tears multiple times. The first real breaking point for me was Sang Yeon’s brother’s backstory, which was devastating and then the last two episodes hit just as hard. They were painful to watch, but in the best possible way.

What i liked most was how the drama never painted their relationship in black and white. It didnt glorify Sang Yeon’s behavior but it also didnt make her a complete villain. It showed how love, anger, insecurity, jealousy and dependence can all exist together in one relationship. That made the characters feel very real, even with their flaws.

I personally think that in real life no one should have a friend like Sang Yeon. But in this drama, i dont know maybe its not for me to decide whether a toxic friend like Sang Yeon should stay with Eunjeong or not. What i felt after finishing the drama is that Eunjeong herself needed her. And because of that, i still accept and even approve their toxic friendship within the story.

The drama also had a very strong atmosphere. The music, the pacing and the way side characters were written all added to the heaviness of the story. The subplots didnt feel extra, they actually made the drama deeper and showed how Eunjeong and Sang Yeon’s choices affected everyone around them.

In the end, even with its unusual and heavy storyline, i loved it a lot. For me, its a solid 9.5/10.

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I thought it would be boring, but I was completely wrong.

I saw an incredible scene from Enjoy, and I almost started crying without even knowing the context. After that, I decided to watch it (the scene takes place in episode 6). After episode 1, I couldn't stop. I stayed up watching until dawn and only stopped because I had to work really early the next day, hahaha. The plot is very engaging, with deep, captivating characters, with desires and dreams. Envious, greedy, and bitter characters with a villainous vibe even without being the villain, because after all, "we all have a bad side." There's no messing around, things happen, and you're surprised by the events and the attitudes of several characters. Right now, I'm rooting for the villains in the plot (I'm not sure if they are evil, because in this series, almost every character has a "bad" side, so what would a bad character and a good character driven to do bad things be?).

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Real and Addictive

Finally writing a review after re-watching it for the nth time.

I stumbled on this masterpiece a few years back, and alas, I was hooked. So much so that I finished watching it in a single night. And since then, I think I've kept on re-visiting the show once a year (if not more). I can't exactly pinpoint what it is about the show that keeps me coming back to it.

Maybe it's how the story is really well written and acted out with everyone doing justice to their part (yes, even the annoying characters did a great job). Maybe it's the chemistry between the leads where you are watching them look at each other and yet a whole conversation happens between them. And surprisingly, you get it.

The whole show is really well done. And very entertaining with great chemistry and comedic relief as well. But it's a show which makes me think, makes me wonder, but also lets me marinate in silence as I watch this realistic portrayal of life, love and long-term relationships. It makes you question your own morals and values because at one point, you do find yourself rooting for morally grey stuff. It's messy, it's quirky, it's grey and yet, so real. Though a part of me dislikes the ending (like many people), I also understand the need for that arch, cuz it's exactly that which makes it much more rooted in reality than just wrapping a disaster in a bow.

hope many more stumble on this show and find enjoyment like I did. Because it's for sure that I'll keep coming back to this one.

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