Reviews

Painfully captivating

I don't know why I took so long to watch Shine, because this series is a masterpiece. If Gelboys started the year with an impeccable and authentic work, Shine closed 2025 with a bold, political narrative full of emotion and beauty.

The story unfolds with a growing tension that is simply irresistible. The series manages to balance well the coldness and cruelty of the dictatorship with the indulgent freedom and rebellion of those who refused to live in a stolen democracy.

Without a doubt, the protagonists here are Krailert and Naran. The narrative between them is pure excellence. From the impeccable acting to the character development, the letters in the newspaper, the duality of their lives, the forbidden desire, the threats, the conflicts of their professions.

It's truly one of the most interesting narratives I've seen in a long time. It's captivating and agonizing at the same time. It's a tragic story but still endowed with such beauty and nuance. They truly steal the show and are responsible for carrying the most significant storylines of the series.

Dr. Trin and Tanwa work well together and it's obvious that the chemistry between them is irresistible. The acting is top tier and I I had no doubt that they would deliver another excellent piece of work here.

What surprises me is how their characters end up being overshadowed and detached from the main plot of the series. The entire romance between them is choppy and fails to develop at an interesting pace.

Tanwa is the one who loses the most here. He's a character who feels disconnected from the plot. There's no evolution, no change. He goes through the entire plot drugged, drunk, fighting with his father and living a reality oblivious to the suffering around him.

And this makes the character sound selfish and alienated at the peak of his privilege. And when the series decides to put Victor in a "love triangle" with Dr. Trin, his image is completely deteriorated.

But it's undeniable that despite the lack of care for the series' protagonists, the story is simply fantastic and frighteningly close to what we could be experiencing today.

A major highlight is Victor, who, despite falling into the cliché of an impossible love triangle – which I consider unnecessary to the plot – still manages to deliver such a powerful narrative.

The ending unfolds bittersweetly with the painful realization that a forbidden love will never be free but still giving us hope that in the midst of all this chaos, some survived to love again.

A beautiful story and a sublime directorial debut by Jean Khamkwan.

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The Rom-Com Even Skeptics Watch Till the End

it is a clear 2025 romcom "coup de cœur" for , first and foremost because of its leading actors! Chan Ki-Yong delivers an outstanding performance, showcasing an impressive emotional range. In the rom-com genre, he proves to be remarkably convincing. His character’s evolution — from a narcissistic macho figure to a charming and deeply charismatic man — is perfectly executed and thoroughly satisfying.

Alongside him, Ahn Eun-Jin offers a very solid and nuanced performance. Gentle, natural, and remarkably precise, she inhabits her role with consistency and authenticity from beginning to end.

The second major strength lies in the explosive chemistry of the central couple. Their relationship begins with a passionate, lightning-strike attraction and gradually transforms into a deep love rooted in understanding and honesty. The true success of the series is that this couple is genuinely lovable — you care about them, you root for them.

The supporting cast adds further charm: Woo Da-Bi Kim is a delightful surprise, both in character and performance, delivering a warm and endearing portrayal. Moo Joon appears particularly promising and seems to open up as an actor through this project. The mothers’ characters also stand out for breaking conventional stereotypes.

The director’s work is dynamic and modern, infused with retro inspiration. The series relies on well-established formulas of the Korean industry while offering numerous nods to the respective filmographies of both the protagonists and the director. The screenwriter handles the main narrative line effectively: the relationship feels authentic, and the male character remains well written and credible until the very end. The story also touches on relevant social issues — job insecurity for young people, the challenge of balancing motherhood and work, ecology, and declining birth rates — all key sociological topics in contemporary South Korea.

That said, the series tries to tackle too many themes at once. Toward the end, narrative gaps become apparent, particularly in the development of secondary characters. Kim Moo Joon’s storyline could have been handled far better; the character feels underdeveloped, though a spin-off could potentially explore this further.

The 12-episode format ensures a fast pace and constant plot twists — sometimes too many. This is especially noticeable in the final two episodes, where many familiar clichés are checked off. Still, strong directing and excellent casting manage to keep the ship afloat with flair.

The soundtrack is another highlight, blending rock, 70s and 90s pop, and ballads. The track Face To Face stands out as particularly effective, alongside a touching and memorable ballad.

Overall, the series leaves the impression of a well-crafted, high-quality piece of entertainment — one of the best romantic comedies of 2025, with both its strengths and its flaws.

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So healthy and so beautiful!

I stopped writing reviews on this site, but this show has made me go back to the old days. It's made me want to speak with people about just how amazing it is and also recommend it to people. And all that just because of how refreshing, amazing and path-breaking it is. No toxic relationships, no unnecessary drama, an understanding couple with no ill-will and supportive parents. Add all of that to great chemistry, beautiful music and sassy humour, you've got yourself a gem of a drama. :)

I've liked the acting of all people, but I must say Jin Mai looks so freaking pretty in this one. Like, I've always found her to be pretty, but it was just another level in this drama with that amazing wardrobe! I love it!

My best part was the relationship between our leads, which is just so positive and supportive. Actual goals! Another thing to love is the whole subtle notion of 'women empowerment' going on here. It's not in your face, but it's also hard to miss, and I'm all for it!

Overall, this is a great watch, and I would 100% recommend this to anyone who asks!

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When Hearts Find Their Light

📺 Overview
Shine On Me is a modern Chinese romantic drama. It stars Zhao Jinmai as Nie Xiguang and Song Weilong as Lin Yusen, adapted from the popular Gu Man novel Blazing Sunlight. The story follows Xiguang from university into her early career, where she meets and gradually falls for the mature yet reserved Lin Yusen.

⭐ Strengths
💘 Slow-Burn Romance That Many Viewers Enjoy
I really appreciate how the romance unfolds with patience and subtle emotional beats instead of instant sparks. I love the gentle development between the leads and how realistic their emotional journeys feel.
👩‍❤️‍👨 Leads’ Chemistry
I feel that the chemistry between Zhao Jinmai and Song Weilong is genuine and engaging, especially once the story deepens past the initial episodes. I also find Zhao’s portrayal of Xiguang’s warmth and vulnerability to be one of the standout aspects of the series.
🧠 Mature, “Healthy” Relationship Dynamic
I really appreciate the way the romance unfolds with mutual respect, supportive interactions, and realistic emotional growth, without relying on artificially prolonged conflicts.
👱🏼Character growth across life stages
I like how the story follows the characters from youth into adulthood, showing personal and emotional growth that feels believable.
👥 Relatable themes
I feel that the way the drama handles dreams, regret, timing, and healing is really sensitive, and it resonates with me because I appreciate realism more than melodrama.

⚠️ Criticism & Weaknesses
🫤 Slow Start & Pacing Issues
Personally, I didn’t notice any faults in this drama and enjoyed it thoroughly, but I feel some viewers might find the pacing a bit slow in the earlier episodes.

📌 Who Might Enjoy It
✅ Fans of Gu Man adaptations (e.g., You Are My Glory, Love O2O)
✅ Viewers who like slow-burn, character-driven romances
✅ Those who enjoy grounded relationship development over intense melodrama
📌 Who Might Not
❌ Viewers seeking fast pacing or high drama

🌟 Overall, I loved the drama and would highly recommend it!

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I found the series by chance on kisskh and I'm surprised that I enjoyed it at all. I've only seen 2 or 3 GLs in the whole time and I tend to stick to the BLs, so it's a miracle when I find one and I really enjoy it. At first I thought I'd give it a chance until at least episode 3, but by episode 3 I was already hooked. I have to applaud the acting performances of both actresses, which were incredible. At one point I was seriously crying like a little baby, not only because of what was happening there, but also because of how they both acted. I really applaud.

I also really liked the depiction of being rejected by society or family for who you love. I liked how realistic it was and that alone brought me to tears. However, there were times when I didn't enjoy the series or was just bored watching it. Other than that, I think it's just the right thing to beat boredom.

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What do you think?

i like it and hate it
1) ice didnt act well at the first 5 episodes. Idk if he did it on purpose but it didnt look believable at all. Saint was great from start to finish
2) the side couples (wxw, bxb) are cringe to the point i had to skip their scenes. Especially the two guys, the acting is bad, the "jealous" scenes look forced, their eye contact insufferable.
3) the crazy ex and the professor? im traumatised, it went on for so long and the "reactions to their actions" felt rushed at the end eg when the professor was caught in the moment. Even saint's dad was against them the whole time and on the 13th episode he said hmm okay (????)
4) the music is great as it is in most bls
the ending was better than most of the episodes, but i doubt i will rewatch this ever again

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Cute & adorable pairing here.

Okk But is it just me or you might agree that
Hou Minghao would be a great choice for Playing Inuyasha. If only there ever was a live action adaptation of "Inuyasha" An Japanese Anime that I love & grow up watching.

Maybe, just maybe? I maybe trying to manifest this light bulb idea in my head. Who knows it could actually be good, cause after watching all his fantasy dramas where he either plays a demon or a fox. His getup, his costume and his makeup is always on point & super slik. I would differently tune in for just that.

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Strong potential, but uneven writing and flawed execution hold it back.

I was supposed to love this. It started off strong: a compelling setting, intriguing premise, solid production values, and impressive world-building. I especially appreciated how Thai culture was integrated into the story. The special effects were good, and the overall atmosphere was enhanced by beautiful sets and music.

Unfortunately, as the series progressed, the story lost its momentum. What could have been a powerful drama became weighed down by draggy pacing, noticeable plot holes, and one of the most frustrating climax resolutions I’ve seen in a long time. I also disliked how the show handled women’s pain in several instances. It often felt insensitive and occasionally preachy, reducing serious issues to careless plot devices. This negatively affected my perception of both Khem and Peem because of their absolute lack of empathy or common sense at times.

One of the highlights for me was the second couple. Their relationship felt organic and meaningful, and the actors had excellent chemistry. In contrast, the main romance felt flat. Aside from their past connection, the show did very little to convince me that the leads belonged together. The lack of proper development made it hard to feel invested in their relationship, and my struggles with Khem as a character only worsened this issue.

I partly blame the writing for this, because pretty much every other character was more layered or likable than him, while the show desperately tried to convince the audience that Khem is special, or at least mildly interesting. I hate to say this, but apart from the writing, it was mostly the acting that kept taking me out of the story. Namping does not have the capacity to display the emotional range needed to carry this show as a main character, which is a huge problem when you’re the core of the story. Everything revolved around Khem, and I went from feeling indifferent toward him to actively frustrated.

Overall, this series had strong potential and some standout elements, but uneven writing, a weak main character, and a disappointing resolution of its main storyline ultimately held it back.

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It was a nice change to see some progresiveness

Good things happened so early and naturally that I was surprised. Also some great characters.

Let's see,
Yes after the 10th episode things fell down to the cliche hall. I started having physical discomfort when the half sister manipulated Da-rim to leave. Fast forwarded the mandatory break up scene. Got entertained when they announce the best person to be the CEO was a woman living in a hospital for the last 10 years. Like even if it was falsely done and her mental health was good, is it that easy to return as CEO but ok. I laughed my head off when the car accident happened and then. after that a memory loss was again mandatory.
But none of that matters much I think, because the first half of it was light, happy and warm. Jang ki young was so cute with his mimics. His energy was amazing.
Though the star was Yoo ha yeong for me. Such a refreshing side character that didn't hooked up on the ML blindly. Her story was so fun to watch.

But the best thing about this show was how the kissing and sleeping together weren't a big thing. They just happened, not much thought on it. Two adults met and liked each other and they were making out in a bed on the day after in a vacation place. So normal yet hard to see in a show. And also in the first episodes. So I'm adding extra points.

It was a nice change to see the timeline reversed. I'm accepting that nothing is perfect and grateful for this much freshness that I can overlook the last episodes bombed with cliches.
Definitely recommend watching till 10th episode.

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Too Much, Too Soon, and Probably Too Little, Too Late

Summary: At first, I loved this underdog dramedy featuring an unlucky guy and his misfit crew. It was so heartwarming and some of the loss hit home for me. The acting was great and it made me appreciate Lee Jun-ho more as he showed his character versatility vs. in King the Land in which he played a boring and predictable chaebol. I also love that the female lead was a normal size compared to the often unrealistic obsession with stick thin as the standard body type, represented in many other modern Asian dramas, which made her more relatable and believable (at least to me 😅).

Later, I started to hate the show when I realized that NEARLY EVERY EPISODE involves some sort of MISFORTUNE to the main characters, to the utter point of exhaustion. I lost attachment to the storyline after the inventory destruction scene in Thailand and was just numbed out by Episode 12. Also, it was a bit strange how Kang Tae-poong outsmarted his way out of every difficulty he encountered (were his handsome looks his superpower?). It was too much heartbreak, too soon, but also lacked hooking me at the same time, especially by this late in the series. I never thought I would say this but the Netflix episode scheduling wall gave me a much needed emotional break from all that tragedy.

Eventually, that emotional break turned into a hiatus, and still wasn't enough. When I finally came back to the show at Episode 15 and saw another tragedy strike, I just couldn't... On top of that, the filmmakers had the nerve put a bunch of previous scenes into a sappy montage. Jinjihage??? I'm kind of afraid to finish the show now. Lol.

Other than those critiques, I found Typhoon Family a lovable comeback story. Would I rewatch this? Probably not. I like the uniqueness of the story, with a cinematic twist on the tragic South Korean economic downturn in history. But it's kind of depressing seeing how much hardship all the characters suffer over and over again, topping that WITH a bullying competitor breathing down their necks at every turn.

At least the soundtrack was good (love Gukkasten/Ha Hyun-woo) with period appropriate (late 90s/early 2000s) jams alongside modern ones. The advertisements weren't too blatant, with the modest plugs for Solarique juice, CepoLAB skincare, and Pepero chocolate sticks. 😂

Details: eh, too exhausted to write them...

Side Notes:
- Why were there subtitles for when they spoke Korean and Thai but not English?? I had such a hard time understanding those lines. Lol
- Pyo Hyeon-jun teasing Oh Mi-seon with "freckles" nickname was totally getting on my nerves but I really appreciated that they showed a FL with normal complexion that many women possess. Not all folks can have perfect porcelain skin like most Asian dramas like to portray. Hoping there's a trend in featuring all types of skin rather than the Hollywooded ones.
- Why would someone run with an open envelope? Why didn't Oh Mi-seon put the envelope in her bag like she did with all the other documents before? Also, the negatives proved nothing since it's harder to identify them then with actual photos...🤦🏻‍♀️
- Why would the construction worker in Thailand keep maneuvering his excavator crane into the taxi after he sees it blocking his path? AND why would they freak out when just some of the product was destroyed and there's like PILES of boxes right behind them?
- How does Pyo Hyeon-jun keep coming around at just the wrong (but also just the right) time to ruin Kang Tae-poong's company plans? Ugh...😮‍💨 Also, how did his dad survive being bashed in the head and locked up in the shed like that without any apparent sustenance provided nor a way to relieve himself? 😮

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Strong start messy middle infuriating ending

This is one of the rare dramas that triggered me to even write a review. A scam that made me so invested at first and left me angry. I had such high expectations up to episode 9. and then it just crashed and burned and the ride was so wild. The plot holes were everywhere. logic went out the window, and “evidence” kept magically appearing out of nowhere. And the final twist was downright disgusting.
The only parts worth praising are Gao Feng and his adoptive parents’ complicated relationship and sisterhood between Qu Meng and Hong Yue.I really like these parts and I am genuinely so angry that it was ruined by the nonsense “suspense” and disgusting plot twists that make me never want to rewatch this drama.
Director has some obsession with this one song he made the ML’s mom sing over and over again. It was a nice listen at first but it got really annoying and cringe after hearing it the nth time in one episode.
Honestly, the real mystery is why so many big name actors signed on to this script and still acted their hearts out. I even felt sorry for actor who played Wu Gaohao who worked so hard at his old age to make such a rubbish character alive in this rubbish script

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Too focused on Industry Detailed

I was excited at the beginning but it disappointed me. I think the drama may be targeting the prestigious award ceremonies fulfilling the requirements of patriotism, social responsibility by heavily focusing on PV industry, and national policies/development. I am not against dramas that motivates the young generation by including them to some extent. But this drama pays too much attention to those details than acting depth or script quality. It became boring after sometime even being someone interested in Science and Tech. I continued the drama because of Zhao Jin Mai's acting but wasn't thrilled by Song Weilong's acting this time. They are replying on his handsomeness and idol figure rather than quality of acting. He wasn't expressive nor natural most of the time. Finn Hann (Xi Guan's cousin) and Lai Wei Ming (second ML) performed very well for me. Xi Guan's cousin was my favorite character in the entire drama.
The thing I liked most is the skiing location which is really beautiful.

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Beyond "Deserving" and "Blame"

I feel like "I Saw You In My Dream" moves past "possessive" tropes to offer a mature look at love, responsibility and persoanl dreams.

I liked the relationship between P'Yu and Ai, even P'Yus teasing. Having grown up too fast after his parents' death, Yu uses teasing as an emotional outlet. I also think that around Ai, he feels safe enough to be "childish" and it also shows a realistic realationship which often happens between "siblings" (which he feels like it is in the beginning).

I really appreciated the character dynamics in this series; the chemistry didn't just exist between the leads, but felt genuine across the entire friend group. While the pacing was a bit slower than other BLs, the connections kept me completely hooked. I was really drawn to the concept of the dream sequences and the wall of drawings in Ai’s room to visualize his dreams. Those sketches provided a fascinating look at his inner world, though I think the show could have dived even deeper into this (it got a bit lost). Overall, it was a beautifully grounded take on romantic relationships and the weight of destiny.

I personally also think Pan’s departure and reasoning was pretty realistic, it was a response to an industry that oftenimposes an "expiration date" (esp. for women) and the "shipping" culture". I persoanlly think (and I know this is maybe not the way most ppl see it) she had the courage to leave a so called "safe life and relationship, for a difficult dream". Had she stayed with Yu, no one would have been happy: Pan would have lived with the resentment of a stalled career, and Yu would have watched her light dim and maybe blamed himself and Ai would have realised his feelings for a someone who is already in a relationship. She realised that her dream was more importand to her, than the romantic relationship at the moment in her life, and I think that is completly fine.

I also like that Yu later treats her with dignity, not because of "love", but because he values human safety. While I also think he could have communicated this better to Ai initially. I think this can also be seen very well in the way Ai and his family rally around Pan (when her path became dangerous due to the actions of a third party). This challenges the "victim-blaming" narrative, showing that a person's past career choices or relationship history never justify harassment.

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