Reviews

Having love hate relationship with this series

I was so excited to see GMMTV finally do an original fantasy series, but my expectations just kept going down. The plot feels rushed and doesn't explain the world or its premise clearly enough, so it was hard for me to get invested.

I've never watched SkyNani's work before, and when people said they're a bromance cp, I was like, "Cool, maybe they won't do fan service." Oh boy, I was so wrong 😂 They do all the shits BL cps do except kiss or rail each other. I do think they have insane chemistry, but some of those scenes felt so questionable because it was like they were forcing viewers to ship them right from the start instead of letting it happen naturally.

The demons are also funny af because they look like mascots 😭 I couldn't help but lose immersion every time they showed up. It's such a pity they didn't have a bigger budget to make the fantasy setting more believable. And I HATE the product placement in completely unnecessary scenes. Singha was literally playing the drums in this intense moment, then suddenly she's drinking a freaking LACTASOY?? Like hello??

Acting wise, I really have to salute all the actors who don't speak Chinese but still managed to memorize all those lines, especially Sky and Krist. That must've taken so much effort. And Krist though... holy shit. His acting was spectacular. He completely embodied Li Pou, and you can tell this role really challenged him as an actor. I love seeing talent like him shine. He deserves an award for this role and I'm not even exaggerating.

The OST is SO GOOD, and the opening sequence is beautiful. If this series had a bigger budget and a tighter script, it could've easily been one of GMMTV's best action fantasy series. Such a pity.

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It may not be for everyone but it was definitely for me!

I started watching this for Byeon Woo-seok even though he wasn’t the male lead. I’m so glad that I did. I fell in love with the characters and especially their development. I’ve seen reviews that this show is a tired ripoff of every Joseon era power grab and on some level it’s true. However, I think the way the creators laid out this story was unique and the characters are what made it so special. It’s ok if others didn’t like it but I would still recommend everyone giving it a try. I’ll probably add the main cast to my list of actors to watch. And I would watch this again in a year or two.

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The MOST important show to come out of this year so far.

I think a lot of fans don't understand why Ticket To Heaven having a happy ending is so important.

What this show tells us, is that we do not need to sacrifice between religion and love. They are allowed to exist together. That it's okay to be queer, god still loves you.

This show is for the queer people that have lived with religious guilt their whole lives and felt like, or have been told, they have sinned, and would not be accepted for being who they are. That they would go to hell.

The LGBTQ+ has had enough sad endings. We deserve happiness, we deserve to accept ourselves. This trope of religious guilt, in most stories you will see, always have sad endings. Why don't we deserve a happy one?

I can't begin to explain how healing TTH was for me. I've grown up with a lot of resentment for religion, and watching TTH showed me religion and queer love can exist together. That we are allowed to love and be loved, and GROW OLD TOGETHER.

Our community needed this. Thank you, P'Aouf.

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A Hopeful Story of Queerness, Faith, and Forever

Regardless of my feelings about organized religion, I'm glad this story chose a more hopeful direction. I'm happy that representation of queer suffering is no longer limited to just that, but can now evolve into queer pride and joy. Maybe this story can comfort someone who's struggling.

Tanrak was living only to die, a life full of faith, yet devoid of love. Barth became the key to reconciling his queerness with his faith. Through him, Tanrak discovered a vibrant, diverse world that was still full of faith, and in the end, he realized there had never been any need to choose.

Barth was such a loving person throughout the story. Despite everything life had put him through, he was the one who had the most love to give. I also loved how unapologetically he remained his gay self.

This was a story of a married gay couple of faith who got their forever, and I'm glad a story like this exists.

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This show was my ticket to heaven, or this show was my heaven.

I'm very bad at writing reviews that seem helpful to others but i want to do it as a contribution to bringing this masterpiece out to more and more people. This might not be your neatly organised typical review that could help you decide if its worth a watch, its more of a personal experience and response but I could 1000% guarantee you that this is the most worth piece of artwork that you could find. This easily tops everything I've ever watched and everything that has ever been released. I stand by my words and no one can convince me otherwise.

The story at first glance is nothing extraordinary, but once you get yourself intrigued by it, you will realise the depth and layers it holds. The beauty of this show is how neatly yet inter tied all of its layers are, you will find yourself so immersed in it as you watch each episode and even after you finish watching it, it never leaves you. You will keep thinking about it and it will remain in the nooks of your heart for a long time. That's a kind of magic, beautiful yet painful.

What i really want to talk about here is the acting. I think calling it acting is an understatement? gemini and fourth lived their roles in such beautifully stinging way that you just don't realise all of this is "acting". the first time i saw them on screen was in My school president, I did not even get to finish watching it but the progress they've made from then to now is just breathtakingly impressive. The depth in their eyes, the emotions flashing across their faces, the tension evident in their body language, all of this minute yet highly impactful nuances is called pure acting skills. I would like to bow down on my knees infront of Fourth to praise him for his acting. I cannot find words to explain it.

The direction, The editing, the cinematography, the attention to details, the music and background scores, from A to Z this series was crafted to perfection by the most amazing cast and crew. sincere appreciation to all of them.

overall, if i had to defend something with my entire life, this could easily be one of the things i would do it for with no second thoughts whatsoever. I hope this was atleast a tad bit helpful. Please do watch it trust me.

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such a beautiful way to ruin people; and i never even complained it

This is my first time writing a review and english is not my first language so I'm sorry if this turns into a mess.

First of all I really need to talk about P'Aof. As one of his biggest fans I already knew this series was going to be the end of me. I expected everything yet somehow he still shattered every expectation I had and left my soul in the prettiest kind of ruin. I owe him more than I could ever put into words for creating something like this and I am not exaggerating even a little.

As for the series itself... I am genuinely speechless. From episode 1 to 6 there wasn't a single moment when my mind wandered or when my heartbeat found its rhythm again. In most series we patiently wait for the main leads to have their moments a hand brushing against another, fingers intertwined, a simple confession but here Istg I didn't even want them to share a glance. It may sound cruel and some of you might even think I am rude but this is from my perspective. I am not even catholic yet the weight of every unspoken feeling felt sacred. Every time their eyes met I held my breath as if I had sinned myself. Their silence was louder than any confession could ever be.

In one way this was painfully difficult to watch. In another it was the most beautiful thing I have ever witnessed. Not one of the most beautiful series this is the most beautiful series I have ever watched.

The rewatch value of this series is incredibly high yet I don't think I am strong enough to go through it again even though I already know how it ends. Some stories don't lose their power once you know the ending. They simply find new ways to break you.

I also deeply loved the relationship between Tan and father. At first I thought father would become the villain. but by the end I realized he understood Tan better than anyone else ever could. After all who was he to blame him when he already knew that the person suffering the most was Tan himself. Tan was always his favourite son all along.

And I love how Tan always clung to his rosemary cross even while questioning himself, even while wondering whether the voice he heard was still as loud as it was. It felt like watching someone desperately hold onto faith while standing at the edge of losing it.

I could talk about this series for hours, for days even. Every tiny detail, every symbol, every silence invites a different interpretation. The pain, the beauty, the longing, the misery... everything exists so perfectly together that none of it can survive without the other.

I always fell so much harder into Gemfot after finishing their series but this time I fell a little bit harder into P'Aof. Not being dramatic but I am truly so grateful. He definitely deserves that sunshine.

As it says in the Bible "And now these three remain faith, hope and love but the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13)

May every Tanrak one day find their very own Barth because hate is the sin not love.

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Never thought I’d give a series top scores in everything

but here we are, everything about this was a literal masterpiece. it is one of GMMTV’s best works, if not the best. it is everything, EVERYTHING.








































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Love Wins - Always

Ticket to Heaven is one of those BL/gay-themed series that will leave a lasting mark. It tackles the sensitive intersection of being gay while navigating life as a devout Catholic. From a BL fan’s perspective, the series is beautifully written and acted. It avoids being preachy, instead highlighting the brighter aspects of life—love, faith, and forgiveness.

From a Catholic point of view, however, the narrative feels liberal and unrealistic. It doesn’t fully reflect the traditional, conservative stance of Catholicism—or of Abrahamic religions in general. Yet perhaps that is precisely the point: we don’t need more depictions of division and condemnation.

What makes this series powerful is the emotional journey it takes us on. We feel the tension, guilt, and fear building with each episode. At one point, it even seemed their love story might collapse after Tanrak’s confession to the priest. But the ending offered redemption. After all the heaviness, the series leaves us with hope—the hope that love can endure, that forgiveness is possible, and that we can embrace the person our heart beats for.

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“That fence led you to the middle of nowhere, made you suffer, pushed you out.”

Kim Nak Su has followed “The Plan” regarding his business and family life, supremely confident he has taken all the right steps. When his life starts crumbling apart, The Dream Life of Mr. Kim begins to resemble a nightmare.

Manager Kim Nak Su is up for an executive position at ACT and has no doubt his dream is about to come true. He knows very little about his team and hasn’t kept up on the newest developments but he covers his boss’ behind and does what needs to be done, even if it means skipping his own son’s graduation. He treats his wife and son more like employees than beloved family members and always has a critical word ready. When the company needs a scapegoat, the 55-year-old employee who has never worked anywhere else, makes the perfect patsy.

If there is a reason to watch this drama it is for Ryu Seung Ryong. He gave an amazing performance as the complicated and flawed Mr. Kim. He utilized his body, face, and voice for an optimal portrayal of a man brought low who must finally face himself and be brutally honest with what he wants and why he has been so driven.

Full disclosure, redemption and reconciliation dramas/films are my favorite genre. This drama should have been perfect for me, but I struggled with every episode of it. For eleven episodes, Mr. Kim was prideful and made bad (sometimes horrible) decisions one after the other. His treatment of his wife, leaving her out of key moments was frustrating. As she said, “Do you even consider me a part of this family?” He claimed to have worked to protect his family, yet everything came down to what made him look good and his reputation. Just past the midway in the drama, he committed a selfless act which seemed completely out of character and unearned. For the most part, Kim failed to take responsibility, was vain, refused good advice, showed little respect for family members and friends, and was completely ego driven.

The Dream Life of Mr. Kim showed the perilous nature of corporate work, especially for aging workers who become expendable. Companies were reluctant to hire older people for a variety of reasons which made starting over difficult to impossible. Middle management men found themselves to not be as valuable as they believed themselves to be. Nearly everyone in the family fell victim to a scam at one time or the other. For me, it was difficult to root for a character who was largely insufferable through most of the drama. When the ultimate cathartic moment came, it was still unsatisfying.*

"You don't know how to be grateful. You think you got this far on your own."

4 July 2026

Not Buying It Note: In a flashback from 25 years earlier, they merely painted on more makeup, but the actors went from looking 55 to 52. Just have younger actors play the characters in flashbacks.

With Family Like These, Who Needs Enemies Note: Ha Jin’s sister and brother-in-law were awful.

Good Son Award Note: Su Gyeom made a mistake but worked like crazy to make up for it, never blaming anyone else. He showed his father more grace than what he'd earned.




*Spoiler Comment Below






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*******Spoiler directly below







* While the carwash business was “hard on the body, easy on the mind”, Kim was already getting older. For whatever reason Koreans always say they’ll live to 100 but the average life span for men is closer to 80. After 60, the body is not always so compliant to manual labor. I hope he was a brilliant businessman and could figure out how to expand the business with younger labor. If he died of a heart attack or became sick/injured, he’d saddled his wife with enormous debt unless the sale of their apartment helped pay it off. Ha Jin was also struggling to find work. I still can’t believe he used every penny they had saved and also borrowed a small fortune while unemployed WITHOUT consulting his wife who was in real estate and ignoring the advice of a friend who was in real estate. The sheer lack of respect for his wife’s opinion and not including her in major life decisions made me dislike him all the more. I’m always thrilled when a character turns their life around but 11 episodes of his selfish behavior were hard to wade through. I normally binge dramas, but it took me two weeks to finish this one.

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the boys didn't go to heaven, but they're happy :")

where do i even start???
i feel this series will speak to every queer kid out there who realised something about themselves after meeting that one friend.

it hurts in the most gut wrenching way. you feel like stepping inside the screen to hug both tanrak and barth.

for such a heavy and vigilant topic, the series was handled really well. from the commentary, the progression, the characters and the dialogues.

i love how there was no "villian" because really in such a story that can easily happen irl.. there's no "villian", just opposing factors.

gemini fourth are such amazing actors.. their chemistry is JUST TOOO GOOD!!! you feel every sigh, every look, every touch, and every heavy breath (yes. that scene.)

2 years wait for 6 episodes was definitely worth it
P'Aof has created a beautiful beautiful series, once again!

PS. Rewatch value is 7.5 because i need to have the mental strength to rewatch it 😭

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The visuals........?

Thats what I enjoyed the most about this piece. It was stunning. Chinese historicals and fantasy pieces are masterful in their makeup. A peasant girl in a linen shift with a single headpiece can look like a queen of a nation. A poor stableboy with a robe and wisps of floating hair can come out looking like a prom king. Now let's take that to a full next level drama built around heavy CGI productions and immersive story telling. I don't review many as I'm more into Kdramas but not even they can touch any levels of Chinese and their historical works~
I'm guessing this was expensive to make. Looked like it. The story was meh, abit hard to follow. The usual surprises and subterfuge but I didn't care The cast was beauty and perfection incarnate and definitely not the type of drama I'd normally go for. It just worked here. I wasn't bored for a second watching this~

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Shin Presents: 'Ren Jia Lun and His Collection of Bad Scripts'

It seems this actor has a sixth sense for picking scripts with unnecessarily tragic endings. Sometimes the sacrifice makes sense; other times, it just feeds his typecast. I’ve watched five of his dramas so far, and without fail......he either dies in the end or leaves his beloved for... well, anything. Including planting some so-called "Carefree Herbs."

His script choices also seem to come with a strict no-kissing, no-intimacy clause. Whatever the reason, that void has become far too obvious now. Thanks to his image, perfectly happy novel endings are twisted into tragedy just to suit his persona. Damn it.

Anyway, let’s talk about the drama itself. My excitement went up and down like a rollercoaster:
The beginning was okayish. Then it got boring. The painting case brought back some intrigue. Then boredom returned. By the time the finale approached, I found myself desperately manifesting a happy ending because honestly, that was the bare minimum this plot deserved. But the writer couldn’t even deliver that. The ending was laughably stupid. It felt like the writer wanted to mold him into a legendary hero who prioritizes duty over love, but instead, it just came off as lame.

Twelve years of shuttling between the human and demon worlds, exhausting his two-way pass, and yet the Carefree Herbs were still withering. What purpose did that segment even serve? Beyond me.

The female lead’s character was poorly written. Most of the time, she felt like an unnecessary liability—no fighting skills, no brains to outsmart villains, yet she constantly pokes her nose into dangerous situations and other people’s business. That said, Song played the role beautifully.

As for the leads' chemistry? The spice factor was completely missing.

Honestly, the side cast outshone the leads. I absolutely loved the rabbit boy.

On a brighter note, the ending tracks were superb.

That’s pretty much it.

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