Reviews

The failure of this drama was the direction.

==Breakdown==
Background plot- 65%
Romance - 30%
Misc comedy - 5%

Background plot - Pretty good
Romantic chemistry - Excellent
Misc comedy - None to mention / speak of
Production value - Pretty good
Direction / editing - Not great

The casting for this was quite good, and the story wasn't bad (it was also quite good). The script was also good. The failure of this drama was the direction. Some of the direction choices were, quite frankly, terrible, which led to problems in pacing and characterization.

Scenes that should've been short were drawn out for no reason and scenes that might've increased tension and viewer interest were glossed over and rushed.

However, despite the poor direction choices, the actors still shined. I can only attribute this to their natural chemistry and insane talent.

Overall, this was worth a watch for the story and actors. You will have to fast-forward quite a bit, but there are some scenes that are gems, especially between the two leads.

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The romance is worth to wait for

Well, I will not write anything new I guess, but watching this, oh my god.
I have watched PSH since Heirs and tbh I did not like her acting. But this? Someone finally gave her an opportunity to shine as an actress. I've read a lot of complaints about the romance part, but seriously, you can see it from ep 2 BUT ONLY IF you don;t pay attention to classic cliches like hand grabbing or cathing while falling and see those very subtle gestures of sincerity. And love of course.
All characters are written in the best possible way. I did not expect the ending to work out this way and it is kinda good as I like to be surprised.

One of my new "must watch".

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A heartfelt and warm drama with likeable leads and a gentle, slow-burning romance

Shine On Me surprised me in many ways, especially because I wasn’t expecting too much at first. Nie Xiguang is a vibrant, warm character who grows beautifully from carefree student to professional woman, carrying the story with charm and relatability. Lin Yusen, the main male lead, is calm, steady, and deeply sincere almost too composed. He’s obsessed with Xiguang, yet restrains himself so much that at times his love feels almost unreal. For someone like me who loves seeing visible emotional longing, this restraint makes some romantic moments feel muted. The couple’s chemistry is almost there in several scenes, but often the drama moves on before we fully feel the spark.

Then there’s the second male lead, Zhuang Xu ohhh… I feel for him, truly. His character is painfully misguided at times, making the wrong choices and taking way too long to confess his feelings. I understand why he felt so wronged and unjustly treated, but ultimately, he brought much of it on himself and yes, he kind of deserved the outcome he got.

Yu Rong is honestly, this character drives me crazy. She’s manipulative, entitled, and constantly gets in the way, yet somehow escapes with barely any consequences. She deserved a serious slap and shake for all the chaos she caused, but the drama lets her slide. Ugh.

One of my favourite parts of the story, though, is Jiang Rui, Xiguang’s cousin. He’s a constant source of warmth and light humour, always there to cheer her on with playful jokes and supportive presence. Even though he’s not a central character, his scenes add a real sense of comfort and family love to the drama — the kind of person you wish you had in your own life. He makes the world of the drama feel more real and emotionally grounded.

Supporting characters also tug at my heart. Xiguang’s bubbly friend at work is so full of life she deserves her own love story! And Yusen’s doctor friend, who is handsome, promising, and relatable, barely gets any development and is missing by the end. Both characters felt like lost potential, leaving me wishing for more resolution or spin-offs.

Despite these frustrations, the drama has many strengths: Nie Xiguang shines as a relatable heroine, Lin Yusen is sincere and grounded, and the story overall is warm, comforting, and heartening. If you enjoy slow-burn romance with gentle pacing, it’s worth watching.

But if you crave sweet, swoony moments with expressive affection and fully developed secondary characters, you may feel slightly underfed emotionally.

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Beautiful, bittersweet, and strangely comforting

I really liked the way the main leads’ friendship/love story started — it was quite funny and sweet :) They quickly grew from strangers into two people who, despite barely knowing anything about each other, genuinely enjoyed each other’s company and it all felt very natural! That said, I especially loved the pace of their bond and how it developed. You’d think the amnesia aspect would slow things down, but it doesn’t. Both leads make it work perfectly. From the very beginning, you can tell they share an instant, natural connection, and I could really sense how much it all meant to them both, but especially to the male lead (such a green flag character, by the way).

I also found many of the filming locations and background shots very beautiful, especially the sunset scene. :)

The ending was to be expected, I actually like how they handled it. The last scene and, specifically, the last words said in the scene left me with a bittersweet smile. :)

Overall, it’s a movie that tells a sad story in a beautiful way. The moments the characters share feel precious, comforting, even. It leaves you with an ache, but not complete devastation.

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Weak story good leads

To preface this, I recognize the extraordinary development of China in the past decades. liked the leads, their acting and the initial setting of the drama.
BUT
Unfortunately, the story suffered from heavy industry and country promotion that was not well embedded in the story line and too blatant to not get distracted. At times the dialogues were drowning in propaganda and thus became very unnatural and unnecessarily long.
There was a tendency towards unnecessarily long dialogues in general, that seemed to only be there to fill episodes.
With the all it’s promotional ‘ambition’ this drama missed exploring interesting topics such as socio-economic division, privilege, lack of privilege, and their effects on life choices, career and character.

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A Thoughtful and Unflinching Drama

This series has many layers. At its heart, it explores following your dreams, listening to your heart, and the powerful—sometimes destructive—role that family and society can play in shaping a life.

The story follows a couple who are forcefully torn apart by the male lead’s controlling mother. When their baby is born, the mother-in-law pays a large sum of money to ensure the relationship is destroyed through calculated lies. The son is told that his girlfriend abandoned both him and the baby to pursue her ballet career in France. At the same time, the girlfriend is told that her baby died during childbirth, and she is financially supported to leave China and continue her ballet career abroad.

Twelve years later, she returns to China and encounters her former boyfriend, Feng Rui, now a successful businessman raising a young son. Gradually, she realizes the devastating truth: the child is her own.

This is a deeply realistic drama about control, manipulation, and emotional damage within families—particularly the suffocating power of a dominant parent. I initially started watching this series for Qin Lan, who plays Tan Si Ting. She is a rare actress with exceptional emotional depth, and she does not disappoint here. She absolutely nails the role. Some viewers criticize her for being emotionally restrained, but that criticism misses the point entirely. Her reactions are painfully realistic. I know this because I have been in a similar situation myself. Trauma does not always look dramatic or explosive; often it looks quiet, frozen, and contained.

Wallace Chung’s portrayal of Feng Rui is equally compelling. His character’s life is entirely controlled by his mother. His emotional world has been dismantled over years of manipulation and psychological conditioning. He exists in a kind of “frozen state”—outwardly successful, inwardly paralyzed. Even his business success is not truly his own, but something his mother pushed him into shaping. He has been brainwashed to such an extent that he cannot stand up to her. When the truth finally surfaces, everything begins to shift—but not neatly or painlessly.

To me, this theme should not be portrayed in a lighter or more romanticized way. In real life, this kind of parental control is devastating, and it deserves to be shown honestly. That realism may be exactly why the drama has received lower ratings and negative criticism. Many viewers complain that it is not worth watching to the end because there is no clear resolution. But that is precisely the point: in real life, there often is no clean resolution. These situations are traumatic, and sometimes the only possible ending is acceptance and letting go.

Of course, we all love fairy tales—stories where everyone heals perfectly and lives happily ever after. But this drama chooses truth over fantasy.

Beyond the family trauma, the series is also about following one’s dreams, and how fate, obstacles, and even loss can block those dreams—or paradoxically push people to pursue them more fiercely. It shows how hardship can force people to confront what they truly want from life.

This is not an easy watch, but it is a meaningful one. For those willing to sit with discomfort and realism, Second Chance offers something rare: honesty.

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Innocent & Heartwarming Drama

This is a very unique and interesting story. Young Woo is the perfect person for this part. He's had great past performances, and once again, he doesn't disappoint! He and Shi Ah create a perfect blend together with their characters. Along with Ho Eun, a small but equally fitting supporting cast is an all around good fit for a solid story.
Without giving anything away, I can say, don't be fooled on how smoothly things are going after the first hour. You kind of expect something to change, because it seemed like one big happy ending on the horizon. I wasn't expecting what eventually turns the entire story upside down and inside out. The circumstances that occur in the last thirty minutes almost made me change my mind on how good this movie was. I was sort of disappointed, not to mention shock by the outcome ... but somehow, the script does the storyline justice, not only making an excellent final few minutes, but probably giving us one of the saddest endings you'll see in a drama this year.
Sang Hyeon says a line toward the end that really hits home with this movie, "As time goes by, everyone's memories start to fade ... but what remains in your heart, that never changes"
Great and enjoyable. Keep the tissues handy!!!

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Tot, Top 10 BL for 2026!

This series impressed me with its insightful portrayal of gay love. By far, it is one of the best Thai BLs to have been produced in a very, very long time, with one of the better acted as well. And I do not say that for mere puffery. I was completely and totally absorbed by this astonishing historical/fantasy series. This is a drama best experienced by thinking of it as a theater-in-the-round play, rather than a lakorn. Its nuances and chains of events have to be focused in general otherwise one could get lost in its details. Perhaps that is its deficiency, although I found its cinematography uniquely inspiring. It requires a certain embracement of concepts, at least for Westerners, that are esoteric in nature. One must be absorbed by the story itself to appreciate its evolutions. Truthfully, I do not understand the criticisms of this series. It is frank and honest and an exceedingly beautifully portrayed period piece. Did it have stereotypical characters? Perhaps, but it was indeed reflective of the times. Gayness in the early 1900s was NOT accepted; rich privileged women were entitled to the man of their dreams. This story merely shows this to be the case. However, Khun Yai and Kaewta fell in love unashamedly in a time when love between two men should not have been and privileged individuals did not necessarily marry for love but for status. Karma had different notions for all of them.
One of the best BLs for 2026 and am glad to say so with complete conviction. You can read my full review at BLBliss.com.

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loving this adaptation so far

so like I’ve loved the series they did before “love in the air” and I was excited to see them get this pro and adapt “boy next world” cause I loved that series. I’m loving the way they have done this so far like!!! the chemistry is so good and the actors I will say have improved in their acting from the last project which makes me really happy! I’m so excited just to watch the rest of these episodes when they air as I’m already in love!!

I know from previous Thai-Japanese adaptations that they change some details of the series due to cultural differences and I will say from the first two episodes they haven’t done anything really different from the original. I’m curious tho to see throughout the duration of this series if they do and what. but so far I’m really loving the two episodes we already have gotten so far!

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Beautiful, but not yet perfect

So, I understand why some people didn't like it as much, but for me, this series was (nearly) top-notch (at least until episode 11. I'll finish watching it tomorrow).

First of all, what I didn't like:
- The strange jumps/changes between scenes. Sometimes it was really hard to grasp the context of a scene. It got really confusing. You'd ask yourself: “Why did that happen? What's going on? Where is this person suddenly and why?” They ofted showed the context needed after that scene happened.
- The second couple was rather random. Too fast-paced for my taste, but it was okay.
- FL's behavior was strange at times. Some people said she was stalkerish, which I can kind of agree with, but at the same time, I don't. I guess her mental health issues were to blame. Hence, it's not that bad.
- They did not do enough research on FL's alleged disorder. Some things really don't make sense. For me, that wasn't a reason to drop the show, but it might make some people feel uncomfortable. Personally, I didn't think it was that bad tho.

What I liked:
- The chemistry between the leads was superb.
- BEAUTIFUL cinematography.
- I loved the storyline and personally, did not find it boring in the slightest. ( Just confusing at times)
- Do Ra-mi made the story so much better. At first, I was concerned that I would not like her part in the stroy, but she indeed was needed here.

Yes, negative points were made, but given that I (almost) finished this show within 3 days and was excited to continue watching all day, I'll give this show a 9 out if 10.

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"Why were you born? How will you live your life?"

"Anpan" is my 38th asadora watched. I want to extend my sincere thanks to Irozukusubs for subbing this asadora. "Anpan" was a fun watch. The first two thirds of it is really solid, but I think it loses its charm/momentum in the third act. Let me explain... P.S. some major spoilers follow!

"Anpan" is inspired by the lives of "Anpanman" creator Yanase Takashi (played by Kitamura Takumi) and his wife Komatsu Nobu (Imada Mio). For this retelling, their last names are changed to Yanai and Asada in order for NHK to take liberties with the story. The one major example being that Takashi and Nobu are portrayed as childhood friends, when they actually met as adults in real life. It's a mix of fact and fiction.

The first two thirds of the drama focus more on Nobu and her development as a character. She's very engaging and interesting. Starting off the series as a tomboy and then becoming a hardcore militarist during the War. Asadoras rarely show heroines being on the "wrong side" of history, so I liked this element even if Nobu was somewhat frustrating during this part. Takashi, if we're being honest, isn't given that much character development. He starts as a pure-hearted softie and ends that way. However, for that reason, it's hard to watch him going through his adolescent struggles and then the War.

It's strange to call World War II the highlight of this asadora, when it's usually the part I get tired of the most in asadoras. It's when Nobu is at her most interesting and tragic watching her come to terms her complicity as a grade school teacher. Takashi also really shines in this part with several episodes being dedicated solely to him as he goes through army training and then he's shipped off to China. Those episodes showing him starving on the battlefield are incredibly poignant and heartbreaking.

Following the War, Nobu and Takashi are reunited at a newspaper office. She then departs for Tokyo to work with a politician as shes searching for a "justice that can't be overturned." Takashi eventually follows and the pair marry. This is where the asadora falls victim like most "couple asadoras." Less is focused on Nobu's career and she really just becomes his support system as Takashi takes the main stage. This reminded me a bit of "GeGeGe no Nyobo" but it's frustrating since Nobu was such a strong character beforehand. Additionally, because Takashi doesn't actually start "Anpanman" until 1973, it feels like there's a lot of meandering as we watch him struggle to become a manga artist. He also had such a varied career that the focus seems to go everywhere to be honest.

Though the main characters are charming themselves, I had a lot of favorites among the supporting cast. I particularly loved Nanako Matsushima as Tomiko, Takashi's mother who abandons him. She plays the complicated woman so well, making her equally likable and unlikable. A special shout-out to Ninomiya Kazunari for playing Takashi's father for two poignant scenes. Kawai Yuumi is also amazing as Ranko, Nobu's middle sister. She's so good that I hope she gets her own asadora eventually. Hare Nanoka is adorable as the youngest sister Meiko, though the character becomes less interesting in the third act. As there are two many characters to talk about, I mention just a couple more. I also particularly loved Takashi's uncle (Takenouchi Yutaka), the absolute best; Takashi's friend and Army superior Yagi (Tsumabuki Satoshi); and lastly the newspaperman Shoji (TsudaKenjiro). There's lots more.

Rare for an asadora, the heroine is actually married twice which is actually true to life. Nobu marries Wakamatsu Jiro (Nakajima Ayumu) through an arranged marriage. Jiro is quite sweet, and though I wasn't a fan of the age gap, I felt quite sad when he passed away. Surprisingly, I wasn't that annoyed that Nobu and Takashi didn't get together until the last third of the asadora. I felt natural and their cuteness as a couple was worth the wait. I liked the other couples of the asadora, Ranko and Go (Hosoda Kanata), Ranko and Yagi, and Meiko and Kentaro (Takashashi Fumiya).

As a tribute to "Anpanman," it's a tad disappointing that it isn't focused on until the last five weeks or so of the asadora. I suppose it can't be helped, considering the real life circumstances. However, it significantly contributes to the unevenness of the last third of the asadora. At some point, you're just waiting for "Anpanman" to happen and it feels like a long wait. Despite this, "Anpan" is a good asadora with lots to love and enjoy. I waffled a bit between rating it 8.5 or 9, and settled on 9 because the first two thirds are really good. It won't go down as the best asadora, but I'm sure it'll bring many smiles and tears to those who watched it. I'm glad I watched it.

My Asadora Ranking: https://kisskh.at/list/LAlqpp21

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Genuine quality drama

I've watched many Korean shows that label themselves as "comedy" but sadly fail to miss the mark. This was a genuine, laugh out loud, fantastic drama that did not lose pacing, quality or a single moment of storyline continuation through all twenty episodes. The acting from the leads was top tier throughout and even if the background trope is one that has been delivered multiple times before, the different gender "discovery" comedic moments are absolutely divine. Absolutely enamoured with it, one of the best Korean shows I've watched for a LONG time, in complete honesty.

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