Reviews

Watch it for Ma Lejie only.

I watch it because i enjoy of Ma Lejie acting skills and actually not to fond of Xie Hongxin acting. But the plot seems promising about Older Woman-Younger Brother romance.

The plot is about FL who got his soon to be ex had affair with her best friend. Broken hearted she got one night stand with ML, FL though he was prostitute so she paid him and ask him to not meet anymore while ML wants to close to FL.

For the chemistry, i wont say they didn't have chemistry but it feels so lukewarm for younger brother romance or I should said Ma Lejie acting skill is far superior than Xie Hongxin while actual plot was written to make ML shine. There is no angst scene but few of plot was not necessary to add.

The ending is not memorable and quite lacking for everything. Only suggest to watch once.

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The sole point is going for Ma Qiuyuan

This is one of my earliest drama i watch and i enjoy Female Lead acting as carefree ML. The chemistry between Ma Qiuyuan and He Jianqi is shown in this drama even He Jianqi acting skill still obviously lacks compare to Ma Qiuyuan.

The plot is generic about FL who was substitute lover got her contract ends as ML lover comes. FL wants to give up her love and decide to leave ML. ML agrees but dissapointed in his heart since FL didn't want him anymore. ML wants to pursue FL love again.

The ending is not to bad for earliest short drama works and misunderstanding between the lead was too dragged and long.

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Really needed better balance between romance and case solving

Couldn't hold myself back, had to add a review. Damn over the years i love how their acting has visibly improved. Especially Dunk during hidden agenda and star and sky u could see his acting was kinda... awkward and not very natural but then in heart killers he just killed it and here he is killing it😌

I really love how their roles switched from FadelStyle haha. I love how Jade is more like style here flirty & sly and kamin is rich cold boy who's not falling for any of his tricks 🤭🤭 so we're doing great on the romance side

As for the suspense, murder mystery side. I think we're going good here too cz i am curious and kinda regretting watching it on air😭😭

Edit: that's how i started watching this drama but I'm disappointed. I'd not watch this show if not for JoongDunk. I feel the balance between romance and suspense is totally off. For 8 episodes the case has barely showed any progress. The police says they wanna save the kids but they never try🙃. They always show up after someone dies. Okay you don't have permission to protect them atleast ask an informant to tail them or something. The worst part is an inspector's brother is involved and he got no idea about his brother meeting his friends or not coming home for a night. Soo many people died in a short time span this case should on top priority but they're taking their own sweet time. The kids are dumb for not informing the police about the dare letters when all their friends are dead. Any normal person would know they're gonna die too so better get help. Also champ why tf is he scared? He can just hire gaurds and protect himself idk the avengers gang seems dumb the police doesn't care... I'd prefer if they had a better balance like dramas like "laws of attraction" or "goddess bless u from death". gmmtv just sucks with suspense i guess cz it was the same with melodies of secrets but that was slightly better than this.

Edit: the last 2 episodes were kinda good although the middle was meh i think I'd like it much more if i didnt spoil myself with the killer😅 so that's my bad. Also loved the real life joongdunk reference in the drama. Hope to see them marry onscreen soon😭😭😭

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I'm not having it with the plot.

I remember i had watched the same plot with Wang Bo as the Male Lead (I quite forget the Female Lead name) and seeing Ma Lejie and Liang Siwei took this script i want to see what is the difference.

The Plot is basically about FL who want to divorce ML due his indifference behaviour to her and to her surprised she was pregnant. The tug of war drama is finally started.

First of all i quite like Ma Lejie acting as heiress and she is quite hardworking but she lacks of dignity when she fall in love with ML. Liang Siwei acting was fine but i don't like how inconsistent writer wrote ML character (just like Wang Bo version since they are basically same script). Actually the problem was communication and the misunderstanding is quickly solved while they pushed more tug of war to make another male lead who pursue FL (the younger one aka 3ML is unnecessary for me).

Only recommend to watch only one. Even if you are fan of both of the actor.

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The Baby keeps me watching this.

I watch the first Liang Siwei-Ma Lejie drama on youtube and couldn't help to rewatch again since the real baby was so adorable.

The plot is about FL who was being raped by ML since he was being drugged and got pregnant. She want to abort but her body condition was not too good to have another child in next time. She decided to keep it. FL stepmother selling her to rich family who has disabled son while lying about the child is FL nephew but somehow ML appears and want to marry FL because he wants to take a responsibility and raised the heir of the family.

I quite like FL stepsister backstory she is not evil person and she is cunning with antagonist and want to protect FL from antagonist scheme. FL stepsister is the on who married previous FL suitor (the disable one) and their love story is quite cute. I like how she tell a story about divorcing him and want to seize his property since he always having sex with her everyday despite being disable .

The thing that i liked ML tried to redeem himself for being good husband while he never knew FL for first and slowly fall in love with her (I know this is quite controversial since FL was basically married her rape) and i quite understand FL attitude to ML is like that but she is slowly want to open her heart and forgiving the ML.

I wont recommend this if you are morally right person but if you can accept controversial take maybe this drama is for you.

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More Than Fan Service: A Mature Return to the Bar

Bar Boys: After School deepens the emotional and thematic reach of the original by asking what happens after the dreams, once idealism collides with reality. Set a decade after Bar Boys (2017), the sequel reunites Erik, Torran, Chris, and Josh not as wide-eyed law students, but as adults shaped - and bruised - by life. Directed by Kip Oebanda and co-written with Carlo Catu and Zig Dulay, the film trades youthful ambition for reflection, consequence, and quiet resilience. It's less about winning cases and more about surviving systems, relationships, and personal doubt.

Each of the four leads feels thoughtfully evolved. Carlo Aquino's Erik remains principled but weary, now working for a nonprofit and facing public suspicion for choosing the marginalised. Rocco Nacino's Torran balances the dignity of teaching with the compromises of working in a firm. Enzo Pineda's Chris is confronted by his own emotional blind spots as a husband and father. Kean Cipriano's Josh, once the dreamer, returns to law school after a failed showbiz detour - humbler, but more grounded. Their friendship still holds, but it's no longer effortless, and the film is honest about that shift.

The emotional anchor of the story is Odette Khan as Justice Hernandez, now in her twilight years. Her scenes are beautifully written and deeply affecting, filled with quotable reflections on integrity, invisibility, and the courage it takes to stand for something. She doesn't lecture - she guides, and the film's most powerful moments often come when characters simply sit and listen to her. It's a performance that lingers long after the credits roll.

Among the newer characters, Will Ashley delivers a gripping portrayal of Arvin, a working law student juggling poverty, responsibility, and quiet despair. His monologue - "Forgive me for not being happy. Sure, I am proud of who I am, but I can't shake the feeling that I could have been more, if I just had more" - is genuinely heartbreaking and one of the film's emotional peaks. While his character does occasionally feel like a replication of young Erik Vicencio from the first film, Ashley's sincerity and rawness largely overcome that familiarity. It's his strongest dramatic work to date.

Sassa Gurl deserves her flowers as Trisha, a top-of-the-class trans law student portrayed with intelligence, restraint, and purpose. Her performance avoids caricature and instead carries quiet authority, representing the LGBTQIA+ community with gravitas and alacrity. Trisha isn't defined by struggle alone - she's defined by excellence, and that choice matters.

Benedix Ramos — who previously played Erik Vicencio in the Bar Boys musical — is a quietly inspired addition to the film as Bok. Acting opposite Carlo Aquino’s Erik Vicencio, Ramos first appears as Erik’s client who dies early in the story, before returning as a haunting manifestation of Erik’s unresolved guilt, failures, fears, and fractured conscience. The meta-casting works beautifully: Ramos becomes both a narrative device and an emotional mirror, blurring the line between memory and accountability. His presence is meticulous and fastidious, never overstated, yet deeply felt — an unsettling reminder that Erik cannot outrun the consequences of his choices. It’s a smart, layered creative decision, and an unexpected icing on the cake that elevates the film’s psychological weight.

Glaiza de Castro also shines in her limited but impactful moments, particularly in the scene where she helps Chris to finally understand Rachel's (Anna Luna) point of view and confront his failures as a husband. It's a calm but devastating reckoning. Klarisse de Guzman is a delightful surprise, showing strong comedy chops and natural screen presence as Mae - an impressive debut that lands its laughs without feeling forced. Longtime fans will also appreciate the cameos by Atty. Victor Cruz (Sebastian Castro) and Lord Master (Vance Larena), which feel like warm nods rather than empty fan service.

Finally, Sheila Francisco completes the film as Atty. Rhodina Banal, a formidable opposing counsel who embodies how the law can be twisted through technicality to protect those already in power. She doesn't just represent the antagonist in court - she represents the rotten and corrupt system, and her presence sharpens the film's social critique considerably.

At just over two hours, the film does run a little long and could have pushed certain confrontations - particularly between Erik and Rhodina - with more sharpness and urgency. Even so, its emotional honesty carries it through. Bar Boys: After School is a thoughtful and compassionate sequel, fully aware that its audience has aged alongside its characters. It speaks less about ideals and more about accountability, compromise, and the quiet, often uncelebrated work of choosing to keep going.

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I Fell Into a Novel, Became the Villain, and Still Got the Guy

📝 Review
(WARNING: Potential Spoilers — I’m Not Saving You from Any Emotional Damage)

This drama works because it fully commits to its premise and then gleefully makes it everyone’s problem.
Instead of treating the “trapped in a novel” setup as a gimmick, Lost Romance weaponizes tropes, self-awareness, and narrative cruelty in equal measure.
Clichés are not bugs here—they’re the point.
The result is chaotic, emotionally aggressive fun that somehow still sticks the landing.

I started Lost Romance on a whim. Full boredom mode. One of those “let me just put something on” decisions that spirals into emotional involvement against my will.

First off: the synopsis lied to me a little. The way it’s written makes it sound like the FL and ML are romantically aware of each other from across a hallway or something. No. They are across and down the street, and she is out here using a drone. A drone. I was confused. Concerned. Mildly impressed. That whole opening stretch had me squinting until—oh. Novel world. Got it.

Once we enter the novel, things click. Yes, it’s cliché. That’s literally the point. Xiao En spends her real life complaining about how lazy romance novels are, only to get shoved into one that hits every trope she hates. Irony doing backflips.

The twist? She’s not the heroine. She’s the villain.

And when she meets the ML, she’s convinced he’s the same guy she loves in real life (he is—she just doesn’t know it yet). Cue confusion, hostility, and aggressively committed misunderstandings. Because in this world, he’s programmed to love that girl. You know the type. Soft-spoken. Apologetic. Always looks like she’s about to cry over soup.

She annoyed me. Deeply. But that’s a genre issue, not a personal one.

Watching Xiao En actively fight the narrative—trying to brute-force her way into a happy ending while the story resists her—was honestly delightful. Enemies-to-lovers done with self-awareness and spite? Yes, please.

And then—because this drama enjoys pain—she disappears back into the real world on their wedding day. Of course she does.

Let’s talk about the second male lead for a second because WOW. Absolute emotional war crime. He doesn’t even belong in this story. He’s from an unfinished novel. His world literally vanished, so he ran into another one to survive. Sir. That is devastating. He deserved his own completed book and a soft ending. Justice for him.

Back in the real world, both leads wake up. Except—plot twist—the ML remembers nothing. No novel. No love. No shared history. Just vibes and narrative cruelty. So yes, we get a full reset romance while dodging actual villains (which, not gonna lie, took me a bit to identify correctly).

The structure is chaotic: real world → novel world → real world again. If you blink, you’ll miss something. I rewound more than once. But somehow, it still works. It’s a whirlwind, but an intentional one.

By the end, I was satisfied. Tired. Emotionally jostled. But satisfied.

💭 Final Mood
“Confused, entertained, slightly drained, but absolutely not mad about it.”

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Great chemistry but what a chopped plot

I watch Zhang Jinyi drama and its my first time seeing Li Zhuoyang acts. It's my first review about him.

The plot is generic about FL who was being dubcon by ML since she is being rejected by ML brother. FL hates ML for that and she is gone for years, they met again and there is tug-a-war between FL and ML.

Zhang Jinyi actually has more chemistry with Li Zhuoyang than few of her past MLs. Their gaze is something else despite all the crap the script was written. Actually i quite don't like FL wishy washy feeling about ML she is being traumatized by ML behaviour but she always near ML. ML actually want to redeem himself in the end but i feel there is no enough effort for that.

The ending is not memorable since the plot is too chopped for my liking.

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A must-watch Drama with strong storytelling, fast pacing and brilliant acting.

Fated Hearts is a beautifully crafted drama. The story is engaging and emotionally rich and what stands out the most are the powerful performances by the lead actors.

Li Qin is outstanding as Fu Yi Xiao, convincingly bringing to life a strong and capable female general. Whether in battle scenes or emotional moments, Li Qin’s acting feels natural and grounded, fully capturing the spirit of a woman shaped by loyalty, courage and duty.

Chen Zhe Yuan delivers an exceptional portrayal of Feng Sui Ge, perfectly embodying the First Prince, calm, intelligent and dignified on the surface, yet deeply emotional beneath his restraint. His subtle expressions, controlled body language and expressive eyes add remarkable depth to the character, making Feng Sui Ge both compelling and unforgettable.

I don’t usually focus much on romance in dramas, so I especially appreciated the heartfelt and sincere chemistry between the leads, which naturally elevates the emotional impact of the story. Combined with strong storytelling, beautiful cinematography and a fitting soundtrack, Fated Hearts proves that excellent acting and well-written characters can truly carry a drama.
It is a rewarding watch and comes highly recommended.

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Everything about her reminds me of him

I just sighed when I saw this was next on my list to review. This show is terrible, but Daou and Offroad are amazing. I dont know why they always get put with goofy ass fuck ass plots, like oh my lord. I would give an 8.1 out of 10. I am going to say what I liked, what I didn't like, and then an overview. I started this August 19th OF 2024 HELP.

Daou and Offroad have some of the best chemistry in BL I have seen in a long ass time. I will give them that. I think they are both great actors, and they are great together, specifically. It is just a damn shame, is all I have to say. THE BLACK GUY. I AM BLACK SO I WAS JUMPING UP AND DOWN WHEN I SAW HIS ASS. He was the second-best thing in this dumpster ass show lmao. Oh, and Ngern is in this, and that is my goat. I also liked the guy he's with in this, but their chemistry isn't the best. I can't lie, but they are both good actors and were a pretty fun side couple, I guess. THE SEX SCENES FROM DAOU AND OFFROAD WERE AMAZING. Fantastic, were they very random, yes, but they were still great. Daou is very good at playing nonchalant characters, and this was no different; he played this guy great. I liked the sunshine x grumpy vibes from our main couple; that was a fun dynamic to have. It just wasn't executed that well, but I saw it for what it was.

Daou looks scary with hair, and I didn't like his hair, lmao. Where is my bald or slightly with hair man? NEXT. I don't know why these two always get bad shows. This show, and Century of Love are my examples (I haven't finished Wicked Game yet, but people said it fell off towards the middle, so my point still stands). Like why? Just terrible fucking plots for genuinely no reason. The start was so incredibly weak and set up the show right off the bat for being bad. They dragged the fuck out of the first episode, and that is supposed to be the foundation, and they messed it up, oh my god. It felt so boring and just like we could have said that in like 10 minutes, but no, we just had to drag it out for an hour. And to be honest, that is how the whole show felt. THE WEIRD THING WITH TAMMY. That was very parasocial and weird, and I dont know if that was the point, but it felt, while it was the major point, so irrelevant in the grand scheme of things and made this show lowkey boring from the start. We also started falling in love way too fast. By the second episode, I am like, there is no way. I think maybe if they set the episode up a bit better, that would have worked, but they didnt, so it didnt work at all. The pacing was awful. Like geniuely awful. Jumping off the whole thing with falling in love too early, the romance building and pacing were awful, and they jumped the gun too early without the proper setup, and it ran this show through the mud, I fear. Also, bad character writing when they were making the characters, this weird possessive out of nowhere, bro. Like, why are we even doing that? It doesn't add to the plot; it just makes stuff annoying. They also had these weird jumps in this that I really didnt like, oh my god, it made the story and plot so hard to follow, even if there wasn't anything to begin with. Okay, that's it.

Okay, my episode thoughts. "It felt very long and not a lot of stuff happened, like it could have done this whole episode in 10 minutes, but dragged it out. This is an interesting concept that I don't think I have seen before, so I am excited. I have no expectations for this show if I am being honest, but it should be funny, I guess. I like the couple's off-screen chemistry, and I just finished their other show and saw they had this one, so yeah. Interesting but very weak start and lots of potential. Also, I wouldn't know how to feel with my best friend dating my older brother behind my back, but okay." "him and his weird thing with Tammy made me step outside myself and ask Am I like that with these actors? No, the answer is fuck no." "FACEEEE CARDDDD. He's starting to fall for him, I'd say a little too fast, but what can you do? Okay, that's it lol." "I think that Tammy is going to like whatever Daou's character's name is, and that's going to cause problems between them." Bingo. At least I think that is what happened, I can't remember lmao. "These weird jumps are not smooth at all. I might need to take a break from this show." I took a month break. "They have good chemistry, just always get bad storylines. They have so much tension, I love them. Sunshine x grumpy, we love it. Fake date is what I am getting from this." "Confused about his feelings because Yang's sexy ass is making him feel some kind of way. Yang sleeps like he is waiting for his prince lmao." "THAT MAN IS NOT YOUR MAN." "Utter fucking shit. Me when my actions have consequences. Got his fucking heart stomped out, dude. "I'll handle it very soon." Your feelings? Dude, it is okay to be gay. Very awkward love triangle. Yang had always liked him, but he just wanted the best for him." "I don’t know if I should stop while I’m still ahead." I, in fact, stopped while I was still ahead and came back a year and a month later. "I do not know what is happening, and I dont give a damn, all I know is daou and offroad are in this, and ngern is too. Okay, I remember what is happening ABSOLUTELY FUCKING NOTHING." "Ngern has in his contract that he has to be with pretty guys on g. I feel like they argue about this issue so much, like my lord. WHY ARE WE SHOOTING DOWN COUPLES AT THE SAME TIME? THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. I'm crying, WATCHING THIS WITH NO SOUND, I'm GONNA FIGHT DEMONS. Yang, when his actions have consequences, like you said you dont like him, and now you are wondering why he is leaving, dumb ass. SMACK HIS ASS OR I WILL. Wait, why did we stay? PLS DONT. NO CHINESE, I WILL GIVE THE EPISODE A ZERO." "Tell me why he lowkey got kidnapped and put in some kind of modern-day slavery." "Daou is so sexy, and I don't appreciate his beauty enough. Lowkey have lost the plot from the start bc it's been so long lmao. WHERE DID WE GET THIS MONEY? WHAT THE FUCK. Daou is so fucking hot, the way his eyes sit on his face is so hot on god. And just like that, the beauty of daou and offroad was born."

Do it for the love of the game, not for the plot. Okay bye!

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The editing in this drama is sucks.

I quite waiting Han Yutong with her non CP drama and there is one of most waiting drama since they released almost half a year due lack of production cost. Never heard of Qiu Hong Kai, This my first drama with him.

First, Han Yutong has good chemistry with Qiu Hong Kai. Qiu Hong Kai is quite brave on their kiss scene despite being minimalize and cut by the editor. The romance between older woman-younger man was pleasing to watch, the tempo is not too fast but never too slow. And there is no childish hindrance between the couple.

I quite like how they show the plagiarism accused from SFL to FL while FL was collecting evidence to prove her innocence.

My biggest concern in this drama, they show bad editing since few of scene was being jumped and make viewer confused. (It was obviously the reason this drama was getting halted for a while). FL father was being unreasonable at all.

If the editing was decent, i would rate this drama 7.5.

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Boooo this movie, boooo!

This movie had three things I hate.
1. Annoying kids
2. Stupid time loops
3. Pretentiousness

I hate movies with time loops because most don't do them right where they can feel new and exciting each time like Edge of Tomorrow or Happy Death Day to me. This movie did it the way I hate. I was bored.

And while programming human emotions, she should have programmed human intelligence because my God, woman! How hard is it to keep up with this kid? Tries too hard to be profound and falls flat at being entertaining too.

The first 30 mins was exciting and then we find out it was all AI simulation and that destroyed the thrill.

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For the love of Yue Qi ♡

Although I love the OST of this series, I wasn’t initially tempted to watch it because of its production quality. I only decided to give it a chance after realising that Yue Qi (aka Xing Zhao Lin) was the male lead. Ironically, his look in this drama was so hideous that I didn’t even recognise him much earlier hahaha!

Nearly dropped the drama after the fifth episode because the FL was extremely “noisy,” and her acting, especially for the modern personality, was rather poor. But I pressed on for the sake of Yue Qi, as this is one of Xing Zhao Lin's more prominent works.

The FL comes across as uncouth, constantly screaming (her voice brought me headaches), overreacting, and often nonsensical in her reasoning. Even simple scenes, such as screaming after falling off a cliff, were poorly executed, sounding forced and lacking appropriate emotional tonality. I was honestly appalled that the director approved such takes. Unfortunately, I never managed to see the charm of her character. While some of her antics were amusing at first, they became a major turn-off by the second half of the drama.

What kept me going was:

Jing Xin & Yu Hao – Their acting stood out. They were able to express a much wider range of emotions compared to the rest of the cast. I especially enjoyed watching them react to the confusion caused by both leads and the sudden shifts in the FL’s personality. Their performances made the relationship development between the two leads feel more vivid.

The story – To be honest, the plot has many holes. However, I appreciated how it constantly surprised the viewer, often catching me completely off guard and making me burst out laughing. It felt refreshing, and I really admire this kind of quirky creativity.

Mo Lian Chen (Xing Zhao Lin) – I liked Mo Lian Chen’s composure and wit, especially when analysing situations and problems. That said, the character felt quite flat initially. Things became more interesting in the second half of the show (and into Season 2), where we finally see more depth. I wouldn’t say Xing Zhao Lin’s acting was particularly strong in Season 1, but it was still better than many of the awkward performances from the supporting cast. And seriously, the ugly hairstyle was extremely distracting and unflattering. Nonethelss, I’m impressed that he managed to achieve a measure of success at such a young age despite being saddled with such an underwhelming look. This feels like an encouragement for him to keep moving forward and not give up in challenging times.

Overall, this is a fairly fun drama with quirky twists, and many viewers enjoy the strong chemistry between the main leads. I’ll let you be the judge. I can’t comment much more, as I’m thoroughly turned off by the FL at this point (which explains my low score for rewatch value). Lastly, you should only watch this drama if you can tolerate illogical plotting and low-budget production, at least for Season 1.

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