Reviews

Waiting for Something to Happen (It Never Did)

Takara-kun and Amagi-kun really didn’t work for me. I went in expecting something gentle and meaningful, but the whole series felt boring, flat, and strangely empty. Not much actually happens—the pacing drags, the conversations go in circles, and the emotional beats never landed for me. The characters had potential, but they felt underdeveloped, like the show was afraid to dig deeper or take any risks. By the end, it felt less like a slow burn and more like time just passing. I honestly feel like I wasted about five hours watching something that never went anywhere.

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Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Legends feels like The Avengers of the Ultra universe. Honestly, considering it was released in 2009, there’s a lot of good stuff here. Koichi Sakamoto, as always, is especially talented when it comes to directing tokusatsu (and is currently being wasted by the damn Toei on mediocre Sentai and Rider productions).
Most of the famous Ultras, with the exception of Tiga, have well-handled appearances. The production clearly put care into the heroes’ suits and the settings. The environments are fully CGI, with a very PS2-era look; however, they fit the story’s tone (even if they are quite dated, but hey, it’s tokusatsu).
The plot, despite forcing in characters from the extremely boring Mega Monster series, introduces a villain who, while not very well developed, has a unique charisma. Belial truly comes across as a major threat by defeating nearly all of our favorite Ultras, especially those from the Showa era. It then falls to the remaining heroes to band together and face Belial.
It’s a shame that the character who most deserved the spotlight only appears from the middle to the end of the film, Ultraman Zero. Even so, he is another extremely fun and charismatic character, now positioned as a the main hero.

Overall, this movie is essential viewing for Ultraman fans.

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Guo Qi Lin totally won me over!

Lots of complexity in the plot, male characters are well written. I'm not as impressed with the female characters. They are good actors but their personalities as written are for the most part shallow and 2 dimensional. Writers please do better for season 2.

Overall I really enjoyed this.

I wasn't sure how things would go when they replaced a classic leading man type with Guo Qi Lin, but little by little I was completely won over.
Smart and confident but also sincere with integrity. Proves you dont need a six pack to be sexy and appealing. Loved this character!! Looking forward to season 2 !!!!!!

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It’s always hard for me to review shows but I’M in LOVE

I usually don’t write many reviews on tv shows cause I find them often deceiving. Most good shows actually have a lot of good reviews and usually I mostly agree with them.

Some of the best reviewed shows on mydramalist are “The untamed”, “Twinkling watermelon” and “Hidden love” and honestly, can I disagree with this?! NO, cause I love both of those shows myself but they’re not for everyone. I tried to get my sister to watch “Hidden love” but with no luck.

So I always feel like everyone can have different tastes and it’s hard to review a show in an objectively way, especially if you’re not a pro working into cinematography world.

So why am I still writing a review here?
Cause I LOVE THIS SHOW and I want to share my love with everyone else even if there will be still people not liking this.

I’m in a “Chinese Drama period” those holidays and I’m watching so many C-drama compared to my usual kdrama and BL’s content. I’ve also watched the hyped one about car racing “Speed and love” but honestly this is one of my fav at the moment.

I didn’t like a Cdrama so much after “Hidden love” and the reason why I think I do is the main character, the boy. Like in Hidden love, here also the main character doctor Lin is a bit the unlucky one (as you see in the first minutes of the first episode even if you’ll understand why later on).
What makes me so in love with those shows is the fact that the main guy had bad luck 🍀 and had to go through a lot but in the end love is what sort of always give them a second chance to be really happy in life.

And being such a romantic girl, that’s what makes my heart beats and this is why I love those shows so much.

Speed and love is a show I liked a lot less just because there was a lot of talks about racing, cars and stuff I’m not really that interested into so even if that love story was very beautiful and powerful as well, there was too much side story that bored me.

Here, like in hidden love, the main focus is the LOVE STORY and the development of the feelings, very slowly but nicely.

So I guess I could tell you that if you’re like me, loving romantic stories where the love story is the main character of the show I think you could fall in love with “Shine on me”.

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Infuriating slop

I'm nearing the end, so I'll amend this if needed after I finish.
But I have feelings and thoughts I want to write down.
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The second season had me a bit worried and annoyed, because its basic premise of taking place in the "western territories" dogwhistled towards Chinese "activities" in Xinjiang. "One Strong China, look how beautiful and varied this empire is!"
I despise courtly intrigue plots, so moving far away from the imperial family was good. But even in the far west there was a constant link to the politics.
This time it's nowhere near that subtle - we're in Chang'an and it's all courtly intrigue at all times.
Even if I were to excuse the constant trembling before The Law of Tang or obnoxious royals and their scheming (and I don't!), the overall quality of the show took a nosedive off a cliff - the cases are all absurd and boring, with unbelievable last minute twists and out-of-nowhere motivation reveals. There's no tension or a reason to care about anyone's safety or actions - Lu Linfeng and Yingtao are unbeatable and easily handle nearly any foe. Everyone's kinda just phoning it in, because the script and direction are infuriatingly bad.
Without much exaggeration - like a third of the runtime is purely consisting of people doing that stupid Tang dynasty finger bow, or standing in a group and loudly and collectively deepthroating the Tang dynasty while epic music swells. This happens ALL THE TIME. There used to be a few scenes like this here and there in the previous seasons, but here it's absurdly common.
And everything in between is just tedious melodrama - to the point of self-parody.
It's one thing to try and make something good while cutting off the pound of flesh for the censor. And entirely another thing to intentionally craft propaganda slop.
Shame, I used to like these characters, this used to be fun.

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the chemistry is why we watch

I loved the chemistry between the two leads but ngl the whole sibling thing did feel a lil unsettling to me the whole time esp bc it kept being referenced lol 😭 I find that part unrelatable but I looked past it bc the visual aesthetics were so beautiful in the overall production + the leads were great actors. Especially He Yu. I want to see more of his work in the future 🔥

I think it’s pretty obvious there were tons of plot holes, that really pissed me off, but it’s really rare to come by a perfect drama these days. I also really dislike the forced troupe of separation. It doesn’t need to be in every single drama imo. I hate how he ghosted her after the car accident like that just seemed a bit unrealistic to me. He was obviously operating from a place of low self worth. But you know after we get past this and we get our happy ending, it’s whatever haha. I’d prob give this an 8/10 in the end.

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Thanks for handling our hearts with so much care

This drama was like a warm balm healing a bad cold , cure to a hearbroken fever, one day at a time. First of all, lead pair are beautiful together, both playful, both adorable, both hardworking and focused, both pretty clear-headed and both supported with just the right little nudge by their immediate families (her parents/ his grand pa!) to help keep them going on their paths.

Secondly, The Best Thing is visually quite an aesthetic production, prettiness decorating every scene; there are flowers and pastel hues and smiling faces even during adversity, it's all so comforting! It leaves you with a calm countenance, a pleasant awareness of the drama and of yourself, a soothing happiness, a subtle smile. I would like to be at peace like this often quite frankly! This is the lasting impression of the drama even months later!

Thirdly, overall it's a really good cast, the main couple are gorgeous, they have a palpable emotional connection, the parents/ grandpa are simply adorable, showing some rare dynamics like only the husband knows how to cook! The friends on both sides, at the hotel and the restaurant, are well written as well, they have their own arcs without imposing too much on the main storyline.

Lastly comes the story ! Traditional Chinese Medicine is a winning theme, it surprises me that many people still don't realise how our body stores emotions in ways that it may eventually start manifesting as an illness. I really appreciate how the drama focuses on healing, the research put on natural medicinal decoctions as well as foods that can support the healing process! It is also commendable that unlike portraying blind bias for only one medical approach, western medicine is used as an intervention during a complication. It is not a fight, but a respect given to both traditional and modern medicine, recognising their unique importance.

My only complaint is that Music could have been better. TBT deserves all the love it gets for handling our hearts so gently.

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Honestly, what’s not to love about this series? It’s a lighthearted romantic comedy that’s fun, engaging, and surprisingly deep on an emotional level. The unlucky Phopthorn gets into a serious accident and wakes up in the body of the arrogant, snobbish Apo Yue, heir to a billion-dollar empire who happens to be engaged to Suriya Suriyadechakorn, an aristocrat from a luxury hotel dynasty with the unusual ability to read minds. That mind-reading twist adds something fresh and unique to the story. I’ll admit, I was worried it might be used in a manipulative or invasive way against Phopthorn, but instead it became something that brought him and Suriya closer together, strengthening their bond.

The cast as a whole is excellent, but Park Anantadej and Big Thanakorn completely steal the spotlight whenever they’re on screen. Park’s Phopthorn, with his sweet, gentle nature and kind personality, wins over everyone around him. On top of that, his comedic timing is spot-on. Big, as Suriya, nails the aristocratic posture and sharp tongue, yet surprises with a performance that’s unexpectedly tender, warm, and affectionate. The chemistry between the two really caught me off guard. It’s sweet, sexy, and genuinely believable, which makes both the characters and their romance feel authentic.

Special mention also goes to Poppy, Lookwa, and Parn, as well as the standout guest appearances from Keng and Namping.

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Bland pairing!

Boring story and no chemistry, thought it would get better after a few episodes but it only got worse! I blame the director and the script.
The ml and fl characters could have been written in a better way by giving them interesting complimentary on screen personalities, but even the actors are not able to deliver! It's a shame, Song Wei Long and JinMai are individually quite capable, but together they are proving to be quite bland!
Also, too much unnecessary time spent on 2nd male lead in the first half, who is equally tepid by the way! Overall very disappointing!

Chemistry is not defined by physical touch, it is in how the CP is able to connect with each other and their ability as actors to convey this connection on screen ( since this is a visual medium) , and honestly Shine On Me is not successful in bringing the emotions to the viewers. It is lacking a lot by a mile. Amidst a Snowstorm of Love for example is amazing in that regard, that's a drama slow burn done right! Korean dramas do this rather well as well, I highly recommend "My Liberation Notes". "The Best Thing" is an excellent modern drama with similar aesthetics but simply a thousand times better in every possible way.

**Update**
I never review a drama without watching it completely, so well now it is over and I will have to stick to my original rating.I want Song Wei Long to get a really good script, he deserves another opportunity because this purposeless story combined with poor screen writing and Direction has been a solid dampener for him! Jinmai has been luckier in the past,she doesn't need our good wishes on that front!

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Cute, comfy, ultimate mid … then WTF!

✨ THE GOOD (IT’S NOT TRASH, RELAX):
The leads have decent chemistry , nothing electric, but warm enough.
Some genuinely sweet moments sneak in and do their job .
It feels like a proper rom-com while it’s happening, like the perfect mid ever.

🙄 THE “WE’RE TAKING OUR TIME… TOO MUCH TIME” PACKAGE:
The show slow-walks its way through the romance like it has all the episodes in the world without mentening the fu**king slowmotion anywhere and everywhere .
Lots of build-up with damn slow motion , soft tension, shy looks… okay cool, we’re kinda invested.

🤦 THE “WAIT—THAT’S IT??” ENERGY:
Then the ending hits like a shrug.
Super fu**ing unticlimactal "shonen" without even a real climax, no emotional punch ,nothing just “welp, guess we’re done here.”
Feels straight-up cut short, and what supposed to be 2hours became two damn minutes like someone pulled the plug mid-kiss.

💔 THE “YOU HAD ONE FU**ING JOB” DEPARTMENT:
good idea but flimsy delivery soooo flimsy even for a rom-com
and what really bothers you, is this one had enough ingredients to be a solid rom-com.
But it never quite commits. Characters feel mildly in love, mildly unsure, and mostly either polite about it or too damn stupid.

🎯 FINAL VERDICT:
A decent, cozy rom-com that builds nicely… then forgets to finish.

✔ Watch if: You want light romance and low effort comfort.
❌ Skip if: You need payoff, closure, or an ending that doesn’t feel unfinished.

💥 Best paired with: Mild enjoyment, mild disappointment, and yelling “THAT’S THE END?!” at your screen.

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Spooky enough to entertain but safe enough to sleep!

This has an interesting setup: a guy so committed to chasing fame that he voluntarily moves into places literally advertised as haunted. Not might be haunted, but guaranteed haunted.

Where the movie absolutely wins is the overall vibe. The settings are well chosen, the spaces feel eerie without being overdone and the aesthetics are genuinely good. The movie understands how to build atmosphere with silences and screams (when needed), empty rooms, unsettling framing. I did get startled a few times.

That said, I wouldn't say this is a pure horror watch, it’s… not that scary. Even with my very limited horror experience, the tension never fully crosses into "I regret watching this alone" territory. It’s spooky, yes, but more in a controlled, curated way. We have a bit of everything - horror, romance, comedy (very unintentional) and the classic Japanese slice of vibe too.

The ML Kuwata Yahiro is painfully oblivious though. Not in a subtle, endearing way. More in a 'sir, the ghost has announced itself three times already, please get scared' way. And honestly, it became unintentionally funny. At some point,l just accepted that common sense is not part of his skill set. But he does get better as we proceed.
Haruhara Karin was also an important character here. She felt like she was in the supportive role all along but then at the end it all tied up together.

I also liked how they navigated to different locations and each house has its own backstory. It prevented the movie to be repetitive and even though it was predictable at times, it wasn't boring.

The acting across the board was fine. No one was embarrassing. Though Watanabe Shota has improved quite a lot from the last time I saw him.

Overall, this was a decent and entertaining watch if you are looking for haunted settings, moody visuals, and not a  terrifying and nightmare inducing movie.

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