Reviews

Watch at your own risk

I only have a few words to say. No character is simple in this series, everyone has their own personality issues. I have issues with ML over a lot of things. He has done things which are disgusting but I never understood MC's personality. He is someone who love being a victim. Always dependent on ML for everything. There is no growth in his character throughout the series but the things he did at the end, you would think twice to do to your enemy. I went in thinking I'll pity MC because of his circumstances. But the only advice I can give is one can love a snake but never love a person like MC. I have never seen an abominable main character like him.

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A gang leader has found someone worse than himself : the property manager. Real estate is truly one of the worst industries, where all prices are completely false and made up. Most housing units are unsanitary, substandard, or vacant, and yet people are left to die on the streets while exorbitant rents are maintained so that landlords can continue to bleed tenants dry.

A series with simple, deadpan humor. The theme of the chosen family works really well. But the ending was a bit disappointing, with these last two episodes being frankly average.

The sister who cancels her vacation to come to work at her boss's request ? even though she wanted to quit ? I don't buy it.
Fatphobia is still not funny.

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Lack Luster Drama with Zero Chemistry

A hugely disappointing drama that follows the traditional template of all Korean drama.s

Sweet Stranger and Me offers nothing new to the drama world audience.

Its a typical drama of a guy who falls for a girl during this childhood and forms a one sided love for her. Nam Gil grows up in an orphanage where the mother of the FL works. He wants her to be his mother and the only way he thinks that is possible ifhe marries her daughter, Na Ri and thus starts the beginning of his one sided love her. Na Ri is older and does not even acknowledge his existence.

At 16 he is adopted by a loan shark and raised as a thug who remains a wholesome virgin and loves Na Ri from a far. Na Ri then enters into a 9 year love affair with a guy who cheats on her and this where she returns home to find her deceased mother has married Nam Gil and he is now the owner of her mother's dumpling shop and land.

The whole show focuses on unveiling on how it happened (which is basically a paper marriage to protect the land from ruthless gangsters with whom he worked for). In this drama we have the developers lead by the 2nd ML who also develops a one sided relationship with Na Ri and wants to date her. These developers want the land.

So the whole drama is based on asking who is Nam Gil, did he have a proper marriage with Na Ri's mother. If not, can Na Ri have one with Nam Gil. And what is the mystery about the land.

The saving grace are the comedic scenes involving the 2nd ML sister who has a crush on Nam Gil and the young dumpling maker staff.

The romance between the ML and FL is a drag to watch. No witty dialogue, nothing original and just the FL taking in third person and treating him like dirt - toying with him and just acting like a total B___ towards a guy who has done so much for her. She then fools around with the 2nd ML failing to set any boundaries with him and also messes with the ex-boyfriend all the while forcing Nam Gil into the life a monk.

Please do not waste your time watching this drama.

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Bullets, Hidden Identities & Forbidden Chemistry Collide! Started With a Bang, Ended in a Mess!

Two mafia themed BLs were airing at the same time with a similar setup, Kiss or Kill and Ash, and both came out swinging from the very beginning.

I initially rated Kiss or Kill a 9.5/10 because the opening episodes completely hooked me. As the series progressed, I lowered it to a 9/10, and now that I have finished the entire series, my final rating is 8/10.

Unfortunately, the plot became quite messy towards the end, endless useless flashbacks and the unrealistic shooting and killing scenes in the finale were a bit of a turn off for me. I love action and I can suspend my disbelief, especially in a mafia series, but some of the final confrontations went a little too far and lost the intensity and realism that made the earlier episodes so exciting.

That being said, the fantastic acting, incredible chemistry and some seriously memorable NC scenes compensated for many of the weaknesses in the plot. Even when the story became messy, Chencan and Dadday kept me watching.

The episodes are listed at around 25 minutes on GagaOOLala, but once you take out the opening and the behind the scenes content at the end, the actual story is closer to 20 minutes. Even with that shorter runtime, the early episodes were packed with enough action, mystery and chemistry to keep me completely hooked.

Orion as Nie Chuan immediately caught my attention. His undercover introduction was definitely something I had never seen in a Chinese BL before. He tied up his client during a BDSM scene, and honestly, my jaw was on the floor! I was NOT expecting the series to open like that. He is absolutely stunning, but more importantly, he is such a strong actor. Then we have Dadday as Lin Yan, who is equally gorgeous and was clearly hiding something beneath that calm exterior.

I especially loved the flashback in Episode 2 showing how Nie Chuan and Lin Yan first met three years ago. The whole sequence with the soldiers, gunfire and chaos felt genuinely epic. Then came the rescue scene and Lin Yan being treated for his injuries, and THIS was where their chemistry really hit me. Their eye contact said so much without either of them needing to say a word. You could already feel the history, tension and unresolved feelings between them.

Episode 3 was another highlight. One moment they were about to make out, and the next, a bunch of men with guns suddenly stormed into the house with intense music playing in the background. The transition was insane!

That scene definitely lived up to the title Kiss or Kill. They were literally about to kiss, but if they had actually done it, they probably would have been killed! 😂 The timing was perfect and had me on the edge of my seat.

The action throughout most of the series was another huge highlight. The fighting and shooting scenes were intense, the story moved quickly, and there was always a strong sense of danger surrounding these two. With the undercover mission, arms syndicate, hidden identities, betrayal and their complicated history, the series had so much potential.

And can we talk about Episode 8? WOW! That kissing and intimate scene lasted over five minutes! I was NOT expecting Episode 8 to open like that. The passionate kissing, the chemistry and how long the entire scene went on completely caught me off guard. Chencan and Dadday were incredibly comfortable together, and their chemistry was easily one of the strongest parts of the entire series.

One criticism I mentioned earlier, which I also had with Ash, was the use of anime AI during the flashback. Yes, I still think it would have been better to use real actors, but it lasted less than two minutes and honestly did not take away from my enjoyment of the series. The plot, chemistry, acting and overall production were far more important to me. It may also have been a budget decision, and I would rather have a short anime flashback and still get the show than not have the show at all. Plus, this was not Chencan and Dadday's decision, so I would hate to see all their hard work overlooked because of a couple of minutes of AI.

My bigger criticism after finishing the series is actually the ending itself. The final part of the story became too messy for me, and some of the shooting and killing scenes felt unrealistic compared with the stronger action sequences earlier in the series. I wanted the finale to bring everything together and finish on the same high that the series started with, but unfortunately, it did not quite get there.

It’s still rare to see a BL attempt this much action, gun fighting, undercover drama and mafia conflict, so I have to give Kiss or Kill credit for trying something different. Most importantly, Chencan and Dadday absolutely delivered. Their acting, chemistry and intimate scenes carried the series through some of its weaker writing.

Overall, Kiss or Kill started incredibly strong but lost some of its momentum towards the end. I went from a 9.5, to a 9, and finally settled on an 8.5/10 after finishing it. The messy final plot and unrealistic shooting and killing scenes brought my rating down, but the great acting, intense chemistry, memorable NC scenes and strong earlier episodes still made this a very enjoyable watch.

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Beautiful, Dark and Heartwarming

It's been a very long time since I felt inspired to write a review but I simply MUST express how impressed I am by this series. The director, producers, actors and the crew pulled out all the stops to make this gem. I have watched SO many BL stories in the past 6 years and this one is top notch on many levels for me.
Everyone will have their own opinions on what makes a good show but from a purely quality of production perspective, I really feel this one is excellent.
It's not a gentle ride. Just a note for anyone looking for something fluffy. This is NOT that. It's gripping, it pushes boundaries and certainly that's not for everyone.
I just feel like hugging everyone who made this series possible and thanking them sincerely for letting me walk alongside these beautiful souls as they tried to untangle the knots in their hearts...both in their lives and through their show. It felt too short by far and that is perfect. They left me wanting more and I will miss them!!

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Another Recycled Drama With No Soul

I found this drama so painfully boring. The story is bland, predictable, and has absolutely no stakes. The leads have basically zero chemistry, their relationship has no real substance, and it feels like they fall in love simply because the script says they’re supposed to.

The villains are boring, the character motivations are paper thin, and all the side plots just get thrown into the mix like a checklist that needs to be cleared before the finale.

And the worst part is that the drama has no soul. It keeps trying to force emotional moments that it never actually earned, especially toward the end.

Like, it’s 2026. Seeing the same recycled, reheated plots we’ve been getting shoved down our throats in practically every production lately is genuinely depressing. There’s nothing here that feels fresh, personal, or memorable. Just another perfectly packaged drama with nothing underneath.

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It's easy to miss the deeper message.

A great watch, don't go in expecting any actual romance, the movie mainly highlights two very interesting things that I will try my best not to spoil too much (at the beginning of the review) so that you can get a rough idea and watch it yourself.


How does an ex husband psychologically deal with his wife becoming lesbian and how does he act around the girlfriend of that ex wife when he finds himself alone with her ?

The realism of his reaction and way of coping are exaggerated, not in the sense that "no one would ever act like that" but as in...most men would be more subtle, if even revealing anything about their inner feelings at all.

The exaggeration is genius, because as a viewer you're actually very much drawn onto how ridiculous the man is...

While missing how the wife's girlfriend is and even more subtly, how the wife is herself.

The script is written in such a way to draw your attention towards him, it's done so that you will miss the subtle parts of it if you're funnily enough similar to one of the two woman or strongly identified with "defending lesbianism" or anything like that.


I recommend that you watch it and see what this subtle thing is, hint: both sides are not that much better than the other, particularly the girlfriend.


Spoiler below:














The subtely is around the two woman, it's possible to pinpoint certain obvious aspects the ex girlfriend (hypocrisy, haughtiness, double-faced) but the deeper implications are kept vague and difficult to reach any conclusions with.

The man is obvious, the women are difficult to figure out.
This is roughly what can be understood from it.

The girlfriend mentions traveling, doing yoga, meditating.
It's implicated that she cares about her health and her step son, she is presented as highly tolerant and "kind" yet the reality behind her behavior is condescending, mocking, haughty and she seems to act in a justified way despite coming across as possibly knowing better.

One's behavior is not isolated from your mind, take care what you allow yourself to do, take care what beliefs and actions you allow to condition it.

“Like a beautiful flower full of colour but without fragrance, so are the well-spoken words of one who does not act accordingly.” Buddhist Dhammapada 51.


The ex-wife largely understands her ex husband and what kind of person he is, what his book is about and what he has done yet still allows herself to become involved with that person despite describing feeling mentally tired of it.

The divorce is also implied to not having occurred because of her coming out but because the husband cheated.

When the toy is discarded the ex wife asks her girlfriend whether or not they will really not use it anymore to which the girlfriend replies "we will see".


Depending on whether you side with the women or the man you will reach different conclusions from these informations.

And the more interesting and subtle part is, you can't really reach a conclusion on the two woman.

Deliberately so, the title is "anthropology 101".

What behaviors and tendencies are typically attributed to women and men ?

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Beautiful Show!

One of the best storylines. Pursuit of Jade has a bit of everything, comedy, sadness, and good fights. One of the best dramas with beautiful cinematography and soundtrack. The soundtrack matches up with every scene and I love that. The fighting scenes with Changyu were too good. I would have loved to see more of Wenkan’s ending, he was shown a lot in the beginning and throughout it but by the end he wasn’t shown as much just a scene at the end where he is watching his grandfather leave. Some scenes I feel like needed a bit more of explanation but other than that I think it was well paced and not a bad ending. The directors did amazing with this drama. They chose really good actors that ate up their roles and none of them missed. 10/10 I will definitely rewatch more times.

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For my sanity I had to drop it

I've watched over 700 dramas, and this is only the sixth drama I've dropped. I'm definitely not a quitter, and I always want to give the show the benefit of the doubt. There have been a few cases where the show has gotten better after having watched more episodes, but this one, I just couldn't.

The leads are both beautiful, undoubtedly. I have loved him in other things I've seen him in. She tends to be the same in every show she is in.

These are both deeply troubled people. She's needy and stalkerish. She went to Japan to track him down after he left her, then almost becomes immediately interested in the ML. ML is still carrying a torch for someone from years ago, who he never confessed to and is now dating his brother. He's trying to stay away from the FL, and she seems to be always around, and they fight about it. She's on medication but won't talk in counseling, so she's not getting any better. He's living in his mother's house, not changing anything, but he wants to sell the house. There is a writer that keeps inviting people to stay in the ML's house. ML gets mad but doesn't put his foot down.

Plus, maybe it was my stupidity with technology, but when people were supposed to be speaking in Mandarin, they were speaking English. Plus, there was a lot of staring at the actors while things got translated.

I felt really uncomfortable watching this, so decided to cut my losses.

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same bs as always

it started well. it was fun, until it stopped. theres so much that i wanna talk about. the relationship wasnt that bad but also not that good, it was okay. i get a lot of things that happened to them because it looked natural (for me) like, the way they fell in love. it was fun at the beginning bc of the way gangwook and yeori kept bumping on each other, but the main plot dissapeared while you kept watching, becoming just family drama and i hated her aunt and her cousins💀 and it was just so stupid the reason gangwook's grandma needed them to break up with each other, it was literally just the drama bc it seemed that it didnt actually matter somehow idk

dont even get me started with the truck of doom, im so fucking tired with it and made me angry how it hit yeori, she couldve died lmao it hit her quite hard but yeah, it was impossible for her to die.

also, when seungjae died i didnt understand why yeori had the weapon (the tube ?) when gangwook and the police found her. idk if it was just me, but i think it was pretty obvious that she didnt do it (it didnt matter to the story, and didnt also care apparently) but idk if the script writers wanted it to seem like it was her ? even tho seungjae clearly wanted to blackmail minhwan and yeori didnt even have any reason to kill him "theorically" (bc yeah, she didnt know until she broke into seungjae's house)

(i appreciate yeori's grandma always supported her, and she knew her family was insane and protected yeori always, never meddled into yeori and gangwook's rs)

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A quiet, bittersweet and deeply human love story

I know a lot of people were frustrated by Doona!, especially because of its slow pace, imperfect characters and ambiguous ending, but strangely, those are exactly the things that made me love it.

What I appreciated the most was how emotionally realistic the drama felt. The characters are not perfect, they do not always communicate properly, they make frustrating choices, their feelings change, and sometimes they realize things too late. It does not follow the idealized version of romance where love automatically fixes everything, and I think that is what makes it feel so human.

I also really loved the atmosphere of the drama. It has this quiet, contemplative and slightly melancholic feeling that made even the simplest scenes feel meaningful. There are a lot of moments where nothing dramatic is happening, but the silence, the music, the way the characters look at each other, or simply the way a scene is framed creates a very intimate mood.

I can understand why some people might find the drama slow because of that, but for me, the slower pace is part of its charm. It gives the story time to breathe and makes the emotions feel more natural. The drama often feels less like it is trying to constantly move the plot forward and more like it is letting us spend time with the characters and quietly understand what they are feeling.

Doona herself is definitely one of the drama characters who will stay with me. I loved how the story showed both the glamorous and painful sides of being a celebrity: the public judging her, people taking pictures of her without permission, the pressure surrounding her career, and the feeling that her life is never completely her own.

I also really liked the way the romance between Doona and Won-jun was handled. For me, one of the biggest proofs of love in this drama is the fact that Won-jun does not try to stop Doona from returning to singing. He knows that being on stage is something that makes her happy and is part of who she is. Loving someone does not always mean keeping them by your side. Sometimes it means loving them enough to let them follow the life that makes them happy, even if it hurts you.

I did have one moment where Jin-ju really annoyed me: not because she confessed her feelings to Won-jun, but because she basically told him that she hoped Doona would eventually leave him, that he would end up heartbroken and full of regret, and that even then she would not take him back. I found that incredibly selfish.

Outside of that, though, I actually liked the way she treated Doona. One of my favorite moments is when she comes to comfort her without even knowing exactly why she is sad. Despite being romantic rivals, she is simply there for her, and I found that genuinely touching.

And surprisingly, I really liked the ending. I usually love clear happy endings, but this one being bittersweet and open worked for me. Doona continues her career, Won-jun moves forward with his own life, and they finally acknowledge how much they missed each other and how much they regretted what happened.

I personally choose to believe that they found their way back to each other. The intros of some episodes seem to take place after the main ending, especially because of the clothes they are wearing and the fact that they are in Japan. To me, those scenes leave enough hints to believe that their relationship continued privately.

Doona! is not a perfect romance, and I think that is exactly the point. It is messy, quiet, frustrating, melancholic and sometimes painful, but also incredibly tender. It is a story about loving someone without possessing them, about choosing yourself without erasing what you felt for another person, and about how two people can deeply love each other even when life does not make things easy for them.

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Story of Zhang Linghe's sexy and strong jaw

I am such a sucker for Bai Lu. And such a sucker for Zhang Linghe. Because of that, I was expecting great chemistry between the two of them. However - although their kisses were hot up until she started to fight him (I mean, the angles on his strong jaw are to die for) - their chemistry was not that great.

A lot of the time it felt like XW was a father scolding a daughter, only then to become obsessed with her. Mind you: I understand the obsession, given his background and his mental disease. But we keep seeing him on the edge, at war with himself and his self-doubt, and no follow-up from the FL. She just keeps following him around, throws herself into danger because she wants to help multiple people - but she never really does it because she wants to help HIM. She goes to the capital because of Feiying, not because she is worried he will die. Or at least that's what it felt like.

I feel that if there was more focus on how the FL would help the ML with his mental health, it would make more sense for the way their feelings developed. Instead, she is just constantly scared (with reason), and then it almost seems like she just goes, "well, this is my life now so I'm just going to see if I can love him back."

I'm still giving it an 8.5 because not everything is about romance. Zhang Linghe's character was extremely interesting and always unpredictable. It was also sweet to watch how everyone stayed friends in the end.

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