Reviews

Unchained censorship and forbidden justice to the audience

Watching the initial episodes of this drama, I was honestly confused 🤔: why can’t this drama cross the 8.5 rating mark for the quality it delivered? 🤷 Up until episode 20, it truly felt like an 8.5+ banger. The plot moved with a smooth rhythm, weaving together clever twists, palace conspiracies, slow-burn romance, and that deliciously forbidden dynamic between consort and eunuch. Add some censored yet unapologetic gore, subtle comic relief, a solid supporting cast, and of course ❤️ ❤️ Dylan Wang ❤️ ❤️ as the lead, and you’ve got a very promising ride.
But from episode 20 onward, the drama seems to trip over its own robes and fall straight down the palace stairs. Characters who were initially likable suddenly become unreasonable and irritating. 😮‍💨The storyline starts wandering into chaos where logic quietly packs its bags and leaves the building.😩
1. The FL’s sudden downgrade in brainpower
The FL begins as a brilliant survivor. This is a woman who outsmarted death three or four times, invented unconventional escape plans under pressure, and even marched into her enemy’s territory during her own kidnapping… only to leave victorious with extra cash after beating her in a card game. Absolute legend behavior.😌... Yet in later episodes she somehow becomes helpless in front of a spineless coward king who murdered a nine-year-old child to take the throne. Then in the final episode she suddenly appears as the great messiah talking about saving the nation. Quite a dramatic promotion for someone who couldn’t even save her own maid. With each episode, the chaos around her becomes so unnecessary that her screen time turns from exciting to exhausting.😔
2. The strange message about filial piety
The show also sends a rather questionable message. The FL’s father sends his daughter to the palace as a concubine to gain royal favor, only for her to later be disposed of as a tribute woman and almost executed after the king dies. Father of the year, truly. But when that same father commits endless crimes, murders a child, and launches a rebellion that kills countless people, the FL still shields him in the name of filial piety. If she cares that deeply, why not share the punishment as a dutiful daughter instead of emotionally manipulating everyone to beg for mercy for him?⁉️⁉️
3. The villain’s confusing ending
The closure for the villain king is baffling. The ML has every advantage: rebels at the gate, ministers opposing the tyrant, and clear evidence that the king murdered his own nephew to take power. Yet our saintly ML decides to save him. Why? What moral lesson was the writer aiming for here? Because the audience mostly heard… 🦗
4. Censorship cutting important scenes
Some impactful scenes were clearly removed due to censorship, which makes the narrative feel incomplete. This is puzzling because other dramas have shown far more intense action and romance, so it’s unclear why this one got the scissors treatment.
Credit where it’s due though. Dylan Wang absolutely carried the show. His charisma, presence, and acting were a solid 10/10. The FL also delivered a strong performance with expressive reactions and lively dialogue delivery (though a better makeup artist wouldn’t hurt).
The background music and OST were surprisingly soothing even without lyrics.
In the end, the drama probably should have wrapped up around episode 25, right after the ML resolved his brother’s murder. Everything afterward felt like unnecessary bonus content nobody asked for… like an extra season of chaos stuffed into a few episodes.

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A Story Full of Hidden Identities and Emotional Payoffs

What really surprised me was how layered the story turned out to be. At first it felt like a pretty standard historical romance setup, but the deeper it went, the more political tension and character complexity started to unfold. The pacing isn’t perfect some middle episodes drag a little but the emotional payoff later makes it worth sticking with.
The main leads carried the drama really well. Their chemistry felt natural instead of overly dramatic, and I liked that their relationship developed through trust and shared struggles rather than instant romance. There are a few moments where the writing leans into typical drama tropes, but the actors sell the emotions enough that it still lands.
Visually, the drama is gorgeous. The costumes and scenery have that polished historical aesthetic that Chinese dramas do so well. Some of the palace scenes especially look stunning, and the cinematography adds a lot to the overall atmosphere. What I appreciated most was that the story didn’t make its characters purely good or bad. A lot of the side characters have understandable motivations, which makes the conflicts feel more meaningful.
If I had to criticize something, it would be that a few subplots feel rushed, like the writers wanted to wrap things up quickly. I wish certain characters had gotten a bit more resolution.
Overall, I’d say Pursuit of Jade is a really enjoyable watch if you like historical dramas with romance, intrigue, and strong character moments. It’s not flawless, but it kept me invested and emotionally engaged.

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Never seen such a shallow drama (＠´＿｀＠）)

PLOT: Upon his (forced) return to Thailand, AI, the ML, bi & player, falls head over heels for Nhai, a quirky student (the MC) from his university. When Nhai's heart is broken by the girl he was after, Ai confesses his feelings and they end up spending the night together. The next day, a lost Nhai wants to forget, but later, Ai confesses his feelings and they end up living together on a trial basis.

THE "NOT TOO BAD"
+++ The two leads are cute and have great chemistry, but they're very young and not always convincing.
+++ Seeing the two fathers (Porsh & Arm) was nice.
Decent OSTs

COULD HAVE BEEN (much) BETTER
### Terrible direction: low budget (it shows in the sets, costumes, etc.) but [perhaps due to the editing] everything is poorly executed, arrives without transition... In short, it just doesn't work.
### The actors (all of them) are unconvincing, everything rings false (especially the angst scenes). Episode 9 is an anthology of what can be done in a truly awful film!
### Many unnecessary scenes and characters.
### Dialogues full of nonsense, errors, and contradictions.

=> Don't waste your time on this, it's empty!
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Jamais vu un drama aussi creux （＠´＿｀＠）

PLOT: A son retour (obligé) en Thailande, AI, le ML, bi & player, a le coup de foudre pr Nhai, 1 étudiant (le MC) bizarre de sa fac. Qd celui-ci a le coeur brisé par la fille qu'il convoitait, Ai se déclare et ils finissent par passer a nuit ensemble. Le lendemain, Nhai, perdu, veut oublier, mais + tard, Ai se déclare et ils finissent par vivre ensemble à titre d'essai.

LE "PAS TROP MAL"
+++ Les 2 leads sont mignons, ont une belle alchimie, mais ils sont très jeunes et pas tjs convaincants.
+++ Voir les 2 pères (Porsh & Arm) était sympa.
OSTs correctes

LE "POURRAIT MIEUX FAIRE"
### Réalis° nulle : peu de budget (ça se voit ds les décors, les costumes, etc.) mais [peut-être à cause du montage] tout est mal amené, arrive sans transition, ... Bref, la sauce ne prend pas.
### Les acteurs (tous) ne sont pas convaincants, tout sonne faux (surtt les scènes d'action （＠´＿｀＠）)
L'épisode 9 est une anthologie de ce qu'on peut faire ds 1 navet !
### Bcp de scènes et personnages inutiles.
### Dialogues plein de non-sens, d'erreurs, de contradictions.

=> Ne perdez pas votre temps là-dessus, c'est creux !

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Ignore the negativity, embrace "Woojoo's Universe"!

I've been following this show since it was first announced and it has been the happiest six weeks for me watching it every week as it aired. The overwhelming negativity for this show feels completely undeserved and feels more like viewer dissonance with the drama than the actual maker's fault.

I will put it out there right off the bat that this drama is for people looking to watch a slow burn relationship built on a foundation of shared grief, responsibility, and friendship. If you are looking for instant gratification in grand pink-filtered dates and overt romantic moments, you won't find it until the end.

What this drama does well though is actually much rarer for kdrama standards. It shows how real feelings develop from scratch between two complete strangers who began their journey being bickering enemies, then to indifference, then slow attraction and finally deep love. It also shows how feelings manifest in real life unlike the usual loud moments that have become a prerequisite for romance shows.

These are evident in how Taehyung chooses to pick up the camera he vowed not to ever again just so that Hyunjin and Woojoo would have warm water at home, how Hyun Jin encourages Taehyung to give photography a try again and how both of them cheer for each other in their personal successes, how Hyun Jin worries about Taehyung the whole day even when she's out with her first love, how Hyun Jin stays up all night to tend to a sick Taehyung because she knows he hates the rain and how lonely he gets when it rains because of his childhood, how Hyun Jin only ever allows Taehyung to help her, see her vulnerability, tears and complaints, how Hyun Jin instinctively understands Taehyung's harsh words to her were from a place of fear and helplessness and how Taehyung immediately regrets what he said and comes home with a peace treaty in the form of food, and so many more instances I would need a rewatch to catch them all!

This is what love in real life looks like. And it was so refreshing to see these moments in a drama amongst the sea of other shows that always get the loud dramatic moments right but never stop to dwell on the smaller more "mundane" stuff that ironically create more lasting impact on the foundation of a longterm relationship. And even more rare to see them from a female lead when lately especially, it's always become the male lead showing up in small and big ways for female leads that hardly ever reciprocate the same kindness.

This natural camaraderie is obvious from the first day Taehyung moves in with Hyunjin and Woojoo, and how easily each of them fit into their individual roles in their "new family". Anyone observing from the outside can see the potential that already exists.

Both the leads have realistic and well written character arcs. Taehyung goes from being traumatized, selfish and afraid, to healed, selfless and responsible. Hyunjin goes from pampered and immature to emotionally stable, mature and accountable.

All because the other helped them and stood by them through actively choosing to provide for and be responsible for Woojoo, the center of their universe.

The title is completely apt here because both of them truly give Woojoo the universe, and it shows up in how every thought and action of theirs keeps Woojoo at the forefront. How Taehyung and Hyunjin choose to learn through their mistakes and find stability and love together. Like I said, this is so evident from the start that when they eventually acknowledge their mutual feelings and become a couple, it feels like any other day in their already established life together because they had already been a family long before both of them even realized it. The shift isn't jarring, but like any natural progression of a real world relationship.

Now does this show have flaws? Absolutely yes. The production quality is inconsistent and creates awkwardly paced editing jumps from time to time especially in the first few episodes, crucial scenes that appear in BTS videos like an almost kiss between the leads don't show up in the final edit, the plot introduces a mostly unnecessary love triangle that could've been concluded sooner and worked into one more episode of Hyunjin and Taehyung navigating coparenting, building new bonds with their neighbors who become their found family, and developing their relationship further so we might've ended up having two legal guardians for Woojoo (rn it's only Hyun Jin even though Taehyung is just as involved in Woojoo's life) and a wedding with Woojoo as their flowerboy ^^ !!

But none of this derails the show because there is adequate space given to all the secondary characters and plot points like the neighbors, their individual work lives and the inevitable legal obligations regarding guardianship. The leads have chemistry for days and this stays consistent throughout the show. The love triangle objectively doesn't take up any more space than is usually the case for this trope with the leads getting appropriate screentime together and individually in every episode. There is humor, friendship, romance and a whole lot of adorable moments between the leads and Woojoo to make this a worthwhile watch.

Bae In Hyuk is a fantastic actor with impressive comedic timing who gets a lot of moments early in the show to explore these strengths, his emotional moments could use some more work and I hate the makers for making him do all that aegyo in the end there but he makes them tolerable regardless, and his screen presence reminds me of Seo In Guk in so many ways and I can see a promising career for him in the future.

Roh Jeong Eui has the most loving gaze and prettiest smile when Hyun Jin looks at Woojoo and Taehyung. She makes her character thoroughly lovable and relatable. I cried with her when she breaks down in front of Taehyung seeing the insurance papers for her sister's death. It really hurt to see a character that had tried to remain so strong up until that moment finally lose it when she realized the true gravity and cruelty of that moment.

Park Yuho who played Woojoo is the highlight of the show. His tiny dialogues and adorable presence make every moment he's in even better. His reactions are truly the highlight of this show, so many meme worthy adorably hilarious moments from start to finish.

Park Seo Ham is unfortunately very forgettable here. He lacks screen presence in this drama and the show doesn't really do him any justice either with how one dimensional his character is written. The usual way green flag MLs and SMLs are who have no personality outside of serving the FL with no sense of boundaries and personal choice. Adding to this is how he also comes across very condescending and lacking awareness of his own privilege while also weaponizing it and his feelings for Hyun Jin to push Taehyung away in a very manipulative underhanded manner.

The neighbors, Taehyung and Hyun Jin's work colleagues and friends and neighbors on the other hand make a much better supporting cast and create many memorable moments as well as add to great world building.

This is a show you should watch for its slow appraisal of finding love where and when it is least expected, learning to be brave enough to rely on others, and the unique moments that come out of coparenting and shared living.

Is it the best? No. Does it deserve all this hate? Absolutely not. Does it get things right so many shows don't? 100% yes. Does it deserve a fair chance from new viewers? Absolutely yes.

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Who doesn’t love One Piece with all its goofiness, grit and curiosity?

The second season is every bit as exciting as the first one.

It’s packed with adventure (with a capital A), friendship, cleverness, and total silliness. The story manages to be both super entertaining and genuinely emotional at the same time. The characters are interesting, they’ve got amazing chemistry, and the world-building pulls you right in. I really loved how they balanced the action with humor, and the cinematography and CGI look fantastic overall.

Okay, fine—I’ll admit it: I’m completely in love with these characters.
They’re all so distinct, each with their own quirks, strengths, and personalities, and they’re dead-set on chasing their dreams no matter what. Along the way they run into ruthless Marines, a shadowy organization, and increasingly bizarre islands. And at its heart, it’s a story about friendship—about finding the people who truly get you and discovering a place (or a crew) that finally feels like home.

My only issue with the show was that the ending came very quickly. I want more.
I really love this story, and this season is a nice addition to it.

See you on the Grand Line.

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Finished it just to finish it but it wasn’t so bad

The series lacked the punch for me; there were times I either skipped scenes and dialogues or I scrolled on my phone even while it was on. Thirty-two episodes is a little too long for this one in my opinion, and though I loved even the recurring side characters and I love that the actors were given much screentime for it, some scenes just felt a little too draggy for me. The final battle felt too quick to be resolved and the last two episodes felt like it just kept going on.

On the bright side, it was still entertaining enough for me to not drop it midway, but I definitely just finished the series just so I finished it and can move on already.

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The MC was good

I had zero expectations when I started watching this because I had no idea what it was about. So I was very pleasantly surprised.

The main characters were great, they had a good storyline, and I really enjoyed the mystery surrounding the murder and the occult aspects of the story — and all of that in a BL! The story itself felt like a masterpiece. At times, I even had to pause and remind myself that this was a BL because the storytelling was just that good.

And contrary to popular opinion, I enjoyed the last three episodes just as much. The reveal of the murderer and the resolution of the whole case were very well done. Again, considering that this is a BL, it was fantastic.

The only thing I didn’t really like was the second couple, the two doctors. I didn’t find either of them particularly likable, and I also felt that they didn’t add much to the police case.

Overall, this drama felt like a genuinely well-crafted story, and I really hope to see more BL series like this in the future.

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Boyfriend on Demand: VR Boyfriend Goals!

Yo, Boyfriend on Demand on Netflix is my new fave K-drama escape. Exhausted webtoon producer Seo Mi Rae's life sucks—no dates, just deadlines. Then boom, she scores a "Monthly Boyfriend" VR gadget and dives into a world of perfect dream dudes. It wakes up all her romance vibes, big time.

Her office rival, Park Gyeong Nam? Total ice king at work, but he's got secrets that hit different. The real-vs-virtual tension is chef's kiss, with fun VR dates and office drama that keeps you hooked.

Jisoo kills it as Mi Rae—super relatable, from wiped-out to swoony. Her acting? Easy 8.5/10, girl owns it.

Short, bingeable 10 eps of fluffy romance with laughs. If dating apps got you down, this is your fix. 8/10—hit play!

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This was hilarious

I loved it so much. As a non-Thai speaker, I usually struggle with comedy dramas because I only understand about half of the jokes. However, this one was so well done that even I could understand and enjoy most of the humor.

It had many unpredictable comedic moments without trying too hard to be funny, which made it perfect for me.

The acting was good, and the story was pleasant and well-balanced. It didn’t try to be more than it needed to be, and that made it feel very natural and enjoyable.

Personally, I could have done without Episode 10 — it was a bit too much filler for my taste. Other than that, it was a perfect story, and the fact that it happened to be a BL was simply the cherry on top.

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This series is not an official sequel to Addicted.

If you started watching this series thinking it was a direct continuation of Addicted, you might end up feeling a little disappointed. This is because the show is not actually an official sequel to the novels or the original story. Instead, it feels more like an alternative universe something along the lines of “what if the story had continued in a different way?” So if you were a big fan of the original series, it’s better to lower your expectations a bit before watching.
Overall, the story isn’t bad, but at times it feels overly complicated and incomplete. As the series progresses, you start to notice that some plot points are left unresolved. For example, there’s the storyline about the woman who drove Yoki to such a low point, but what exactly happened and how those events unfolded are never fully explained. There were several moments where I found myself wondering, “What exactly happened here?” It almost feels as if certain scenes were filmed but later cut during editing.In my opinion, one of the biggest problems with the series is its pacing and time management. The first episode has a long opening and intro sequence that lasts about six minutes. Honestly, if that intro had been shorter and more time had been given to the story, it would have worked much better. Especially in the last two episodes, everything moves very quickly. A lot of events are packed into a short time, which makes some parts feel rather superficial. Even the final episode being slightly longer doesn’t fully fix this issue. Although it runs about 11 minutes longer than the others, some important details are still left unexplained. For instance, what exactly was the agreement with the village head? What did they accept, and what were the consequences of that deal? These things remain a bit vague. At a certain point, you find yourself having to fill in the gaps and make your own assumptions. That said, the series does have its strengths, and it’s fair to mention them.First of all, the acting is genuinely very good. The lead actors portray their characters in a very natural and convincing way. The scenes between Yoki and Yang Meng, in particular, feel very sincere. Their chemistry is easily one of the strongest elements that keeps the series engaging. Another positive aspect is the music. The soundtrack is really beautiful and supports the emotional tone of the scenes very well. Especially in the quieter moments, the music helps create a strong atmosphere. The locations and setting are also quite appealing. The small-town atmosphere, the nature shots, and glimpses of everyday life make the series feel more authentic. Sometimes, simply watching the environment and scenery is enjoyable on its own. However, there are also some noticeable shortcomings on the production side. At one point in the series, there is a “show within a show” concept, where characters are filming a drama inside the story. Those scenes don’t feel very realistic. Normally, you would expect to see camera crews, lighting equipment, boom microphones, and a larger technical team on set. But here it almost looks like there is no crew at all. This was probably due to budget limitations, but adding a few small details could have made those scenes much more believable. Another issue is the side couples in the series. Personally, I don’t think they were really necessary. Their storyline doesn’t contribute much to the main plot, and in some moments it slows down the pacing. At times, I even found myself skipping their scenes because what I really wanted to see was the story between Yoki and Yang Meng. The time given to the side couples could have been used instead to develop the main characters’ relationship or to fill in some of the gaps in the story. That might have helped resolve some of the missing pieces in the finale. In the last episodes, the editing becomes a bit more scattered. Especially during the one-year period after their separation, it’s not very clear what exactly happened. For example, there are scenes where You Xi is in the desert, but the reasons behind it or the process that led him there are never fully explained. This makes parts of the story feel somewhat disconnected.
Overall, the series is not perfect there are definitely some significant flaws. But it’s not a bad show either. The performances of the actors, the chemistry between the leads, and some of the emotional scenes make it worth watching.Especially if you watched Addicted years ago, seeing these characters again creates a strong sense of nostalgia. The story may not be incredibly powerful, but it’s nice that it manages to bring back a bit of that old feeling. In short, this series sits somewhere in the middle for me: It’s enjoyable to watch, but it’s not an unforgettable masterpiece. It has some really good moments and some clear shortcomings, but in the end, it’s still a show that I don’t regret watching.

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A masterpiece

No way is the rating so low. This series is a master piece. It has such a heart. At times heartwrenching but always heartwarming. A beautiful slice of life story telling. The characterisations, story development, cinematography and OST were so good. What a brilliant cast. Absolutely loved the three main leads but also all the other cast and in particular Xia Lei’s parents and Xu Ruo Han as Chun Chun. So many standouts especially Mr Ding and Mr Yan and of course Zhao Shu Zhen as Grandma in the earlier episodes. The focus on Mr Yan’s Alzheimers was most authentic and communicated the difficulties realistically but also revealed the wonderful community love and support which was so touching and for me is a highlight of this series. Johnny Huang was so perfect in his portrayal of Xiaoman from his teenage years until adulthood as too were Wang Tian Chen and Guan Xiao Tong. That final scene on the bridge with the three main leads and the camera sweeping across is quite memorable. They are very likeable characters who lived their lives with integrity and passion. A very beautiful and moving series.

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