Reviews

A very dark and intense BL

Interesting story. Get very intense and dark sometimes - which is not that recurrent in dramaland (or maybe in mainstream drama, because I feel like chinese bl drama for some reason get pretty dark nowadays). This drama isn't for everyone : I'll say this will be more for those who like dark, psychological drama

I like how some of the scenes were filmed and we can really get a grisp on our main leads mental state. And I like how they play with the lightning and angles. The first episode was pretty awkward not gonna lie, I cringed so much haha. (and I think main leads were dubbed ? which somehow takes me out to the story). But I'll say it starts to get better after te two first episodes.

Episode 8 was the best episode - very intense, sad, both leads show great acting. I was feeling so bad for Shu Lang during the whole series - I think in real like Fan Xiao will definitely be the type of person I'll do everything to distance myself for the sake of my well-being. I'll let it go since is dramaland, but there's definitely some scenes where I was like "Uuuugh this is not okay" or "Fan wake up and start being a normal humain being"

Redemption arc was great, but less "intense" in my opinion then what comes before. I did get emotional though in some scenes and we come to see the regret and remorse of Fan Xiao of his past behaviour (which is great we really needed it after this whole whirlwind of emotions)

Both leads has great chemistry
Kudos to Shu Lang, he's nice, sweet, caring - but also smart, witty sometimes. I feel like I totally get why te people around him likes him.
10/10 for how the character was written and portrayed by the actor. Also liked how he was methaphorically compared to buddha everytime

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The unexpectedly great drama

Hats off to the scriptwriter and director for this amazing drama! The lead female actor did incredibly well pulling off two roles with great distinctions. Such a beautiful drama series.

This drama is going to make you reflect at your life, your limiting thoughts and emotional blocks in such an unexpected yet relatable way.

Nothing felt forced or overdone which makes the scenes and the feelings projected feel like they are conveying the audiences own life experiences. Many scenes were heart-touching and well-performed.

I loved it, more dramas like this!

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this will only hit once

i dont believe i could ever rewatch this because the crash outs i was going throught were intense.

this drama will leave you angry, sad, mad, confused and aroused.
i intially picked up this up because i saw a bts clip of kim se jeong cuddling with kang tae oh while he was sleeping, and boy, this drama didnt disappoint.
a main part of the story is the freaky fridayness of the drama and the actors didnt fall short of a mark, esp kim se jeong. i was actually immersed into the story, the setting, the film.

if you havent watched this already, do yourself a favour
treat yourself right
learn to love yourself

and watch Moon River

i just wanted to say that the left ministers beard is boneless af

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i too, would love to beat my husband black and blue

comedy is funny and well placed.
lore is surpisingly interesting despite its comedy
im not arab or arabic, but it didnt feel like it was directly yoinking arabian culture which is honestly surpising given south koreas reputation
fl was interesting, flawed, but still made the viewer want to root for her

the ending (at the very end) was kinda eh but, if youre looking for a romance filled with comedy and actually enticing lore the watch this. i really cant tell you what to do tho


really liked how the fl didnt spare ml. i thought the fl in spirit fingers was violent, until i saw ki ka-young

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Too much and not enough, no middle here.

I understand why fans of "Bed Friend" were angry about "The Middleman's Love". This might be set in the same universe as the dark-ish "Bed Friend", but the genre couldn't be more different. What's more, the series isn't even very good as a stand-alone comedy.

If you have read enough fanfics, you might be familiar with a specific type: A fan decides they want a fluffy feel-good happy-ending with some elements of crack for their "fav charrie" -- and why not throw in some cross-over characters or OCs in there as well? -- and then to their own astonishment the fic suddenly has plot? And they don't quite know what to do with it, so they decide to throw in another few comedy scenes and a sex scene or two and call it a day.
This is what "The Middleman's Love" feels like.
We get the OOC scenes of a ghost hunt and a "company sports day" with children's party games; we get the catchphrases and the OTT humour, we get a lot of snacks, we get a "workplace" that is a joke and has no bearing at all on the story, and so on and so forth -- and then, suddenly, character backstory and angst? Which breaks the style and the established rules of the story.

What doesn't help is that director Cheewin Thanamin wasn't able to create a vision from the mess of a script. He re-uses elements from his previous dramas; for example the animation from Why R U? or the over-acting from YYY or Toh's character design from Secret Crush On You or the background music from Bed Friend, whether it fits or not. But he does not manage to make it a cohesive whole. In the beginning, he chose to use elements of parody and over-done narration, like when Jade and Mai "ride" in the obviously parked car or in the day-dream sequences, as well as the use of the "mandee" logo for the company. But then he switches the style to that of an average rom-com later on, while he still tries to keep Jade's over-the-top character.
That the sex scenes neither have any kind of narrative function nor round out the characters' relationship dynamics (on the contrary, they break them completely) is only the over-ripe cherry on top.

I wish that both the screen writers and the director had committed to one singular vison and style for this drama. Either go completely overboard with everything and make something unique or follow the title of a "คนกลาง", "a middle/mediocre man", and make Jade really an absolutely ordinary, unremarkable and middling man. The latter also would have had its own potential for a good and special story, be it comedy or serious drama, in its own right.

One positive thing that can be said is that Yim, who plays Jade, does his utmost to fill the role. He doesn't hold back and obviously is not afraid to look ridiculous, which is a must-do for his role. Unfortunately, he is neither directed with good vision (see above) nor coached well enough to use his whole body for the comedy; and it does not help that (for whatever reason) he doesn't move all his facial muscles to the extent needed, so his Jade doesn't reach the kind of physical comedy that would have been required for the series to work.
There is not much to say about the other actors -- none of the roles required much acting skill, even for a romance.


Was it good?
It had some good elements for a crack fic or a parody but didn't dare to go all the way. Both the script and the style of direction muddied any potential vision.

Did I like it?
I didn't think of dropping the drama, so it wasn't that bad for me. But I also would not say I enjoyed most of it.

Who would I recommend it to?
I wouldn't.

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A manufactured romance at the expense of portraying real people living real life and love ...

The first 8 eps were very good. But after that, the drama got way too generic for my liking.
The introduction of the drama felt so raw where characters felt deeply real and raw.

But after ep8, the characters started to behave in ways you would guess way too easely, life itself was portrayed without its true essence. Everything was at it place, everyone was doing what their characters would have done ...
I'm not sure how to explain exactly what I felt ... so let's say it felt artificial.

The relationship between the cp was lovely and healthy but tbh, after ep9, they rarely behave as raw characters but as a cp that was doing its job to get people to root for them ...

I got bored after they got together, the dialogues weren't that interesting. The directing was generic and bought nothing to the table lol.

The acting was good, but nothing outstanding, the second ml Lai Wei Ming did shine the most in term of skills imo.

Song Wei Long's acting was good during the first 8 eps were his character looked more grey, but after that it was boring.

Zhao Jin Mai doesn't know how to not act tbh. But her acting isn't always that great, often repetitive. Here, she did the job without truly making her acting shine. I hope she would improve her range, she stagnates a lot. I rarely see her displaying other type of energies.

The chemistry between the cp was very nice but unfortunately the drama overall was more about fanservice and a way of displaying what people wanted to see, through a rather stereotypical moral point of view where the leads (the cp) never get their hand dirty ... 

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Everyone played but not everything paid off! Strong start, wobbled at the end!

The drama takes a familiar school trip setup and wastes absolutely no time turning it into a psychological pressure cooker. What starts as an ordinary group of high school students quickly descends into a deadly version of the mafia game, except this time, losing doesn’t mean sitting out the next round. It means you don’t make it to the morning.

The biggest strength of this drama lies in its concept and execution to a certain extent. The rules are very simple, but they don't fail to generate the much-needed tension. We see a lot of alliances- some permanent, some temporary and where trust is a luxury no one can afford. I liked how the build-up to the whole mafia was constantly evolving, a bit creepy and quiet. The overall unpredictability of characters and that made it binge-worthy.

Once it hits the later episodes, some choices start feeling a little… huh? Now, the biggest reveal was mafia and the game lords and the reveal of both of them felt more convenient than logical. It left me with like "So all the build up was for that... THAT?".
I want to argue that the vagueness was supposed to be intentional and it was for us viewers to fill in the blanks. But sadly that thought didn't translate on screen as planned. The underlying message was nice and did make sense, but again it left me with so many questions.

The performances are strong overall. None of the characters come off as exaggerated or fake and the emotions whether it is panic or denial or that false sense of confidence, felt real for a group of teenagers suddenly dropped into a life-or-death situation. You might not like every character, but you get them and honestly, that matters more. Visually, the drama maintains a dark, claustrophobic mood that supports the story well and the overall production feels polished without being flashy.

Overall, it’s not perfect, but it’s interesting, unsettling, and absolutely worth watching especially if you enjoy nail-biters that make you think and give you that constant “something is wrong” stress for no reason.

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Lives Up to Its Previous Seasons

Taxi Driver 3 genuinely stands on its own merits, and with ratings hitting new highs every episode, it might even be better than Season 1.

Season 3 feels like the series has finally found its true identity. It is confident, balanced, and sure of itself, less focused on healing trauma and more on celebrating growth, teamwork, and purpose. This is the most complete version of Taxi Driver so far. The shift away from emotionally draining storytelling to something you actively look forward to each week is refreshing. The show is exciting, fun, and packed with stylish action, making every episode a thrill. The characters and the tone feel lighter now, no longer defined solely by personal vengeance.

This show truly belongs to Lee Je-Hoon. Kim Do-Ki is Lee Je-Hoon, and Lee Je-Hoon is Kim Do-Ki. He carries the series effortlessly. He is brilliant in the goofy disguises he uses to outwit villains, yet just as compelling as the almost invincible vigilante who delivers justice with his fists. He completely embodies the character. My eyes are glued to him in every scene. His fight scenes this season are especially intense and precise, noticeably sharper than before. The wire fight in Episode 8 had me screeching, like damn. And him filling in as an idol group member in Episode 10, complete with a full performance? I was on the floor the entire time. The reverse car driving scene in Episode 14 was so sexy and crazy good. His Japanese in the first two episodes had me acting like a full fangirl ngl.

Pyo Hye-Jin brings a quiet brilliance to her role, her performance shining every time she is given the opportunity. Her scenes are consistently fun to watch, especially her scamming-the-scammer moment in Episode 12, which was deeply satisfying. Her putting the soldier in his place in Episode 15 was equally good. Watching Ahn Go-Eun grow across the seasons from a hurt, revenge-driven keyboard warrior into a confident woman fighting for justice and literally kicking ass has been incredibly rewarding.

I’ll admit, I was rooting for romance, but Taxi Driver is one of those rare shows where I would have been happy whether the writers chose to explore a romantic arc or not. The connection between Kim Do-Ki and Ahn Go-Eun doesn’t need labels to be powerful. The way they look at each other, trust each other, and ground each other speaks volumes. Romance or not, they are soulmates. They are anchors who keep each other present, and it genuinely feels like they would live or die for one another.

The Rainbow Team is just as integral to the show’s success. Their camaraderie feels authentic and heartwarming. Whether it is how they come together to protect Ahn Go-Eun in Japan, seek revenge on behalf of the CEO’s friend, make Do-Ki announce the service over the tow truck mic, or simply share quiet team dinners, their chemistry is undeniable. Their found-family dynamic radiates genuine affection and remains one of the most uplifting aspects of the series. Every member gets their moment to shine, making their bond feel real and deeply endearing.

The weekly cases are disturbing, thought-provoking, and gripping. Each one makes your blood boil with injustice, and the team handles them with care, allowing the audience to feel every step of the journey. Moving away from real-life-inspired cases to fictional ones was a smart choice. It keeps the audience guessing and lightens the emotional weight. There is no longer that unsettling feeling of knowing this actually happened to someone.

The villains this season, Sho Kasamatsu, Yoon Si-Yoon, Eum Moon-Suk, Jang Na-Ra, and Kim Sun-Kyu, were insanely good and distractingly hot. Every one of them was magnetic. They pulled you in the moment they appeared. Honestly, a lesser actor than Lee Je-Hoon would have been completely outshined.

That said, seeing Jang Na-Ra and Lee Je-Hoon share the screen was enough to make me wistful, wishing for a full 16 episode kiss-slap drama like Hyena that could fully explore their chemistry.

Ironically, the season’s biggest strength also becomes its weakness. Because the tone is lighter and the characters are already so well developed, the main cast does not evolve much, largely remaining where we left them at the end of Season 2. By the end, most characters feel comfortably familiar rather than meaningfully changed.

Still, I found myself eagerly awaiting each new episode and never wanting them to end. Taxi Driver 3 reminded me why I fell in love with dramas in the first place. Characters I care about, stories that resonate, and a world I am excited to return to. It strikes a near-perfect balance between fun, action, heart, and emotion. It is a real shame that this is very likely the last season, and it makes me genuinely sad. I would have sincerely enjoyed many more seasons of this.

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Is Being a Hero Worth It?

The Journey of Legend is a story of a young teenager, Xiao Ming Ming, who accidentally transmigrated into a novel of the martial world. He faced many challenges and tribulations that helped shape the person he wanted to become.

This drama showed a rough journey of choosing righteousness over evil deeds. Fighting evil with goodness is really hard, especially when people prefer comforting lies over hurtful truths. That’s the nature of humanity. Taking this path is not easy, it can give you second thoughts along the way and make you ask yourself, “Is this even worth it?” And it doesn’t even guarantee that you will win.

But Xiao Qiu Shui showed us that taking this path is far more worthwhile than walking on a road you didn’t build. Choosing right over wrong is never a bad choice, it’s just that people often give up too easily and allow themselves to be deceived. Even when the world was against him, he never stopped protecting people and even helped open their eyes so they would not be deceived by the villains.

In the end, it showed us that goodness never truly leaves people’s hearts. It’s just that we become consumed by negative emotions, which lead us to choose the wrong path. Goodness is the foundation that unifies the world, and it never disappears.

Just like how Xiao Qiu Shui sacrificed himself to save the world, it shows that true heroism lies not in victory or recognition, but in the courage to stand firm for what is right, even when the cost is your own life.

MY RATING | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Acting & Cast: 8
Storyline & Writing: 10
Directing & Pacing: 9
Cinematography & Visuals: 8
Music/OST & Sound Design: 10
Overall: 9

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for me it's in between average & very good/excellent drama .. rating wise maybe 7.8/10 ..

Hou Ming Hao is a good actor , but the vibe of demon lord i feels missing .. in dramas in which ML is the demon , then i prefer Arthur Chen , Ao Rui Peng , Dylan Wang , Ryan Cheng .. maybe if Wang Duo [ Bing Zhu ] would have been the main ML than it's demon vibe would have different . but out of the names i have mentioned Arthur Chen is now currently my no. 1 preferred ML in demon main ML dramas after watching When Destiny Brings the Demon ..

coming to the story it's same type of happy ending where the ML will sacrifice himself & they will meet again in last 3-4 minutes before ending , but in this drama the style is different ..

in flashback it was shown that Ning An killed Hong Ye , & in the present time when Xiao Yao went back in time to get back Hong Ye's power she became Ning An & Xiao Yao knew that Ning An killed Hong Ye & still in the end Hong Ye still died & Xiao Yao couldn't prevent it even knowing what had happened & actually it was Xiao Yao as Ning An who killed Hong Ye because she was controlled using magic & she couldn't stop it which was shown in flashback but it still benefited her because she got his drop of tear & he was able to get back power in present time ..

when Xiao Yao went back 10000 years ago , at that time Hong Ye was human & Xiao Yao was a demon & still Xiao Yao during that time she had to stab & made him sleep for 5000 years . so in the end Xiao Yao learnt a technique where she can go specific time in the past as per her choice . so when she want back 1000 years ago she knew Hong Ye died in the past still she couldn't change that . when she went 10000 years ago she doesn't have any memory of that time but still she had to stab & make him sleep for 5000 years in the end . so in the finale episode when she went back in time , when she had to kill Hong Ye 2 times & couldn't change the timeline , so going back in the past in the finale how she can change the timeline & stop Hong Ye from sacrificing himself in the end ..

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