Reviews

When Folklore Meets BL Story

This series presents an appealing concept by blending South Korean folklore with a BL narrative, an idea that feels fresh and under-explored. While the premise is strong and unique, the execution is uneven and keeps the series from fully delivering on its potential.

The story follows Geum Bok, a naive aspiring actor who moves to the city and ends up living with Bai Hyeong, a goblin rooted in ancient folklore. Their relationship begins with indifference and neglect but slowly develops into romance as Bai Hyeong realizes Geum Bok’s importance in his life. A secondary plot involves Gil Dal, another goblin, and Ji Gwi, a fox spirit and plastic surgeon. Although these parallel storylines add intrigue, they remain underdeveloped.

The series succeeds in portraying a slow-burn romance, particularly through Bai Hyeong’s character, whose backstory is well supported by animated folklore sequences. However, Geum Bok lacks depth beyond his innocent demeanor, making it difficult to emotionally connect with him. The same issue affects Gil Dal and Ji Gwi, whose relationship feels superficial due to minimal character exploration. As a result, the chemistry between the characters never fully lands, even during intimate moments.

The pacing also falters in the later episodes. An antagonist and a third-act breakup are introduced but resolved without meaningful impact, making these plot points feel unnecessary and rushed.

In conclusion, this is a one-time watch best suited for those who enjoy folklore and BL elements. While the concept is promising, weak character development and inconsistent storytelling prevent the series from leaving a lasting impression.

Read More

Love Lost, Secrets Hidden, and Chaos Unleashed

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

This drama works because it fully embraces short-drama chaos and never pretends to be anything more refined than it is.
Instead of aiming for subtlety, Ai Zai Feng Gui Shi leans into melodrama, hidden identities, and emotionally unhinged pacing—and honestly, that’s its strength.
Secret lineage, catty rivals, public punishments, and dramatic reveals are not accidents here.
The result is period-drama madness that’s messy, entertaining, and surprisingly addictive.

In a previous review, I commented on Wang Ge Ge’s serious, morose expressions—well, she does a complete 180 here. Her personality truly shines in this drama, and paired with Zhang Ji Jun—whose smile is positively wicked—you’ve got a genuinely delightful watch.

Wang Ge Ge plays the adopted daughter of a poor, sick man, going to extreme lengths to help him survive. Enter Zhang Ji Jun’s character, who steps in to help her, and of course, the reluctant-but-inevitable romance begins.

And let’s talk about the second female lead—because she is chef’s kiss catty. These short dramas do not hold back when it comes to green tea antics, and this one commits fully. Hidden lineage reveals, public whippings, same-outfit drama, social humiliation—period piece chaos at its finest.

The female lead remains hesitant almost until the very end, while the male lead falls harder with every episode. The emotional imbalance is intentional, the stakes stay high, and yet everything is wrapped in humor and dramatic exaggeration that keeps the tone from tipping into misery.

This is very much a short-drama experience: fast pacing, heightened emotions, and plot developments that come at you whether you’re ready or not. And somehow, it works. You don’t watch this for realism—you watch it for momentum.

Overall, it’s an enjoyable, messy ride powered by strong chemistry, expressive performances, and that irresistible short-drama energy that makes “just one more episode” a lie you keep telling yourself.

💭 Final Mood
“Chaotic, dramatic, and way more fun than it has any right to be.”

Read More

Love Lost, Secrets Hidden, and Chaos Unleashed

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

This drama works, but it feels like a compressed version of something that deserved more space.
Instead of fully stretching its suspense and character arcs, Ai Zai Yun Zhi Nan rushes through ideas that would have landed harder in a longer format.
As a short drama, it’s competent and entertaining.
As a concept, it feels slightly undercooked.

Zhao Zhen Dong is one of my favorite short-drama actors. Seriously, I can watch him do literally anything and I’m sold. Blonde hair? Intrigued immediately. The man could read a grocery list and I’d probably still be invested.

The frustration here isn’t the performances—it’s the format. This drama could have benefited immensely from being a full-length series instead of a short drama. Some of these actors and actresses are criminally underrated, and you can feel the story straining against the episode limit. They deserved more time to stretch, develop, and actually sit in their emotional beats.

That said, as a short drama, it works fine. You get the suspense, the action, the undercover shenanigans, and just enough melodrama to keep things moving. The pacing is quick, sometimes too quick, but never outright boring.

Still, my heart kept wishing for another 20 episodes to let everything breathe. More tension. More character work. More payoff.

In the end, it’s a solid watch—especially if you’re already a Zhao Zhen Dong fan. And honestly? His voice alone does a lot of the heavy lifting. Can a man’s voice really be that good? Apparently, yes.

💭 Final Mood
“Enjoyable, slightly rushed, and carried hard by one very watchable man.”

Read More

A typical romcom with secret crush

I found this cz i was looking for something similar to "star in my mind" and when I watched it probably cz the leads were the same it felt like i was watching the same. So i put it on hold it after a while it gave the same vibes.

I'm back again now i feel it's not that bad. It's a sweet romcom. Just don't watch this if you've been watching fluff for a while. This is something you'd like as a stress buster. I'm watching it along with "goddess bless u from death" so it helps me balance out my emotions on one side i have this calm and sweet romcom and other is horror🤭

At one point it's just them going on dates for multiple episodes... there's pretty much nothing going on. This should have been an 8 episode drama instead of 12

I'd just say if u watch it as a stress buster u would like it if not you'll get bored. I'm dropping it. Tried 3 times but i just couldn't watch all the fluff with little to no plot.

Read More

Rise above the Challenge

This must be one of the first Korean drama I have watched 2 decades ago when it was aired in my country. My friends and I had been waiting for each episode and even had exchanged notes.

What draws me to this drama are the cooking elements. Jang Geum has an exceptional talent in cooking, even when at the time she lost her sense of taste. She proved herself to be the best in that field even though someone wants to sabotage her. We may think everyone is against her, but having someone supporting her gave her the hope to rise above the challenge.

It is amazing how she transitioned from being a cook to a doctor. In Korean dramas of this period, we do not see women as the lead physician. However, we see her wisdom and talent in cooking came handy.

As this is a period drama, the production had prepared well from the costumes, the sites, the cooking methods and utensils. It is amazing, how Korea had tried to preserve their history with this kind of drama. This is something they should be proud of and hoping the next generations to come will cherish and embrace their history as well.

As this reached more than 50 episodes, I do not think of rewatching it. Though I have watched this 2 decades ago, I remember the faces, specially of Jang Geum who did not seem to age, now that she has a 2025 drama with a younger actor.

Read More

Brilliant, Heartwarming, and Full of Whales

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

This drama works because it leads with empathy and never treats it as a weakness.
Instead of turning Woo Young-woo’s differences into a gimmick or an obstacle to be “fixed,” Extraordinary Attorney Woo lets them be the lens through which the world is understood.
It’s thoughtful without being preachy, emotional without being manipulative.
The result is a series that’s genuinely joyful, deeply kind, and quietly powerful.

Park Eun Bin is phenomenal. Truly. Playing Woo Young-woo could not have been easy, and she surpasses every expectation without ever slipping into caricature. I loved how Young-woo’s fascination with whales helps her solve cases—not through traditional logic, but through imagination, pattern recognition, and empathy. She confronts rigid “societal normalities” head-on and still manages to shine exactly as she is.

The supporting cast carries that same warmth. Kang Tae Oh’s smile could melt even the coldest jury, and Kang Ki Young proves—once again—that he can light up any screen whether he’s leading, supporting, or popping in for a moment. A special shout-out to Moon Sang Hoon for his heartfelt role as Kim Jeong Hun, another character on the spectrum whose presence adds depth, nuance, and resonance to the story.

And yes—the greeting scene.
“To the Woo Young-woo!”
“Dong Geu-ra-mi!”

Pure serotonin. It’s been copied everywhere, and I still smile every time—especially when San and Mingi from ATEEZ did their own version. That’s the kind of cultural joy this show creates. It doesn’t just entertain; it lingers.

I even got my mom to watch it. She loved it too. And honestly? That says everything.

💭 Final Mood
“Fell in love with the characters, laughed a ton, and now I greet people with whale facts. 10/10 would rewatch while pretending I understand Korean law.”

Read More

Beautiful production and a great history lesson, but I wish I liked the plot more

The first thing I noticed about this show is the magnificent landscapes. Spanning all different types of settings, they are gorgeous, impressive, and noticeably real. On-site shooting makes a difference; CGI just doesn’t look this good.

This show must have spent so much money. Not only did they travel all over to film, but the amount of attention and effort paid to costumes, sets, music (eg regional folk songs), etc is astounding. I saw a BTS that explains how each setting has its own color palette; it creates a lovely, artistic feel. Even something like the horses- they are all real, there are a lot of them, and the actors all ride themselves. Such details add up to really immerse the viewer in the world of the show.

This is also clearly a show in which history and historical accuracy matter. Set in the Qing Dynasty towards the end of the Taiping Rebellion, when Westerners are starting to gain power, the story takes us through a tumultuous period of China’s recent past. Some historical figures show up, and big events are referred to, but mostly it’s a story of citizens trying to live their lives. Whether you already know the history or are just learning about it, its skillful integration in the story lets you appreciate the historical context without getting bogged down.

The historical context and amazing production are my favorite parts of this show. I wish I could like the story and characters as much, but something didn’t quite do it for me.

At its core, this is the story of how one very smart person smooth-talks and schemes his way out of countless hopeless predicaments and into various astounding successes. “Scheme” is perhaps too strong a word- he’s a good guy who pretty much always does the right thing. This makes it easy to root for him, although I didn’t feel I was rooting for him so much as sitting back and watching him work miracles.

Gu Pingyuan’s ventures are mostly in the world of business, though it’s not his original career path. Having no experience is not a problem, however, as his brilliant ideas and sturdy plot armor help him win repeatedly against much stronger opponents. He demonstrates impressive expertise in economics, banking, politics, law, and more, all of which I suppose he figured out just by thinking a little.

The show doesn’t even pretend to add an element of suspense about whether or not he’ll succeed. Plot armor aside, he’s always so confident that it’s hard to imagine him failing. And I certainly couldn’t independently critique his plans- I rarely understood them to begin with. It’s more about watching and appreciating his brilliant ideas. Seeing an underdog succeed against an unscrupulous and overpowered bully is always fun, and it certainly kept me happy and entertained for awhile.

Still, while I liked Gu Pingyuan and enjoyed watching him succeed, I didn’t really connect with him. He does have some setbacks, but they didn’t hit me that hard. Perhaps he is missing just a touch of humanity that would make me empathize with him more.

We also nominally have a female lead in Chang Yu’er. It took a few episodes for her to grow on me- Lovestruck is one of my least favorite kinds of FL- but as I was finally starting to like her, she disappears from the story. By the time she came back, I no longer cared.

Chang Yu’er is not bad, she’s just not well-developed enough for me to care about her. She’s about as important as any side character. I think she is supposed to have some martial arts ability, but due to lack of proper and consistent development, her occasionally swooping in to save the day feels more random than anything else. I can see how people would like her; I just wasn’t particularly impressed.

Not surprisingly, I wasn’t too into their romance either. But it’s also only one part of Gu Pingyuan’s story. Getting married is an important milestone in his life, and it makes sense that he finds a supportive, loving, and perfectly nice wife. Their relationship develops but is not played up as some epic thing; for better or worse, it’s much more grounded and realistic than the usual drama.

There is, however, a secondary romance that I found much more captivating. I definitely had a thing for General Li. He’s not quite the prettiest face (sorry dude), but between his calm, natural-leader personality and some excellent acting that brought it all to life, I was swooning over him more than Gu Pingyuan. Unfortunately though, he is just a side character, relevant to a story arc or two and that’s it.

As for other side characters, friend and rival Li Qin is quite likable. The way he tries to hang onto his friendship with Gu Pingyuan despite circumstances is very endearing. Li Qin is not as incredible as Gu Pingyuan, which means he loses sometimes and struggles with different emotions, and perhaps that’s why I found him a lot more relatable. But I also worried about him.

And then we have Miss Su. Sharp, capable, and deadly, she is an intriguing character, right up until her character assassination in the last 10 episodes or so. After that, she is weirdly reduced to randomly popping by to make things happen. Her character’s story is not the only one that’s dropped, but it’s the most egregious. This is a point where the writers really dropped the ball.

The plot consists of various story arcs as Gu Pingyuan moves through different ventures. I found it mostly not too stressful, due to his aforementioned confidence and general infallibility. I did worry about things like the fate of the rebel army and his friendship with Li Qin, but they are irrelevant for blocks at a time. There are also sprinkles of humor throughout, just little things that make you laugh. Overall it is not too stressful or angsty until the end, though there is one part in the middle where I also cried.

The pace for the most part is... atmospheric and artistic. Events happen in decent time- in fact, Gu Pingyuan seems to constantly be jumping from hot spot to hot spot (at some point I realized the show spans years, it's just that the passage of time is not well conveyed). But the scenes themselves are drawn out with pauses, theatrically delivered lines, etc. It’s good acting, but kind of slow if you just want to know what happens next.

Unfortunately, entering into the last third or so of the show, I found myself losing interest. Watching Gu Pingyuan’s nth success starts to get old. Perhaps if I’d connected more with his character, I would at least feel some emotional attachment to keep me invested, but instead it felt a little draggy. I was mildly interested in the late-stage grand reveal of his past, but not too happy with the way things play out afterwards. I found it believable enough, just too upsetting and angsty. It is kind of cool how the final story arc (Gu Pingyuan’s final battle in this battlefield of business) brings together many pieces of earlier arcs, but I had checked out by then.

Acting-wise, the acting in this show is exceptionally good. I wasn’t a huge fan of Chen Xiao in another show, but I thought he did a fantastic job here, showing subtle and complicated emotions through his expressions. The supporting cast also did a fantastic job.

As mentioned before, the production is exceptional. This however makes the occasional sloppiness somewhat jarring. For example, the battle scene in the grasslands looks a bit off, like they tried to fit in too many artistic portrayals of a battlefield. Bai Yimei’s prayers to Buddha don’t sound that Buddhist to me, more Christian style (but surely they wouldn’t mess this up, right?) And while the Westerners’ English is unusually fluent for a Cdrama, the accents are wrong (eg not British). Minor details, but I expect more when most of it is so good.

The background music is quite nice with some excellent string solos, and is used well to set the mood. The songs aren’t used that often, but sound nice. It’s overall not my personal favorite music, but not bad and used well.

Overall, I really wish I liked this show. It has an epic feel, with such beautiful production. Still, the more it went on, the more I found myself constantly “taking breaks” to watch other shows, which is the biggest sign that it didn’t quite captivate.

ENDING – READ AHEAD ONLY IF YOU WANT TO KNOW, CONTAINS SPOILERS





I consider this a happy ending. The last few episodes are angsty, but Gu Pingyuan eventually makes it out and returns to his family and hometown to live in peace.

Li Qin fulfills audience fears by turning against Gu Pingyuan, but he does make it through and they are ok-ish by the end. It bothered me a little that they never fully talk things out, but I guess that is also realistic.

At the very end there is a quick scene of Gu Pingyuan with silver-streaked hair, some 40 years later, sending money to support the latest revolution. It lowkey gave me an existential crisis (a legend’s life just flashing by in an instant, fizzled to some mundane existence) but is a kind of nice tie-up that brings the show back to its historical context.

MORE MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD





I felt very sorry for Li Qin in the last few episodes. He's suddenly left with no support and no way down, and it’s no wonder that he turns to the dark side. I hoped Gu Pingyuan would save the day as usual, but unfortunately he takes this moment to finally be a normal human who doesn’t always do the perfect thing. Gu Pingyuan’s reactions to the momentous developments near the end are definitely not the most gracious, but they are totally understandable and more realistic than a more saintly response.

The way all of it play out feels a little manufactured, purposely blowing up the rivalry between Li Qin and Gu Pingyuan into a final, climactic showdown with grand consequences. Forcing the plot in this direction feels a bit like predictable, artificial drama-building. But, in fairness, it’s well-executed and believable enough. So while I’m tempted to write it off as bad scriptwriting, my biggest problem is that I simply didn’t like this turn of events in which a character I like becomes the antagonist.

I couldn’t blame Li Qin for the final arc, so where to redirect the anger? Li Wantang is partly to blame, and he definitely did wrong things, but I also sympathized somewhat with his situation past and present. The fat man is pretty hateful but he does let Gu Pingyuan go at the end. Overall there is no satisfaction of having an enemy who is defeated; it’s more like, we all crawl out of the mess and take what scraps we have left. Still, to find some peace after it all is not a bad ending.

Read More

A Story of Youth, Love, and the One Who Stands Behind You

I know Song Weilong takes the spotlight starting from Episode 5 — and from there, it’s a full Gu Man story. You’re always caught between the white rose and the red rose. But deep down, who doesn’t want to choose the one who truly loves you and stands quietly behind you? Song Weilong’s portrayal of Lin Yusen is incredibly charming, and Maimai is more beautiful here than in any other series. Their relationship really resonates with me — it feels so real, so much like our own youthful experiences. This drama brings back the emotions of being young and in love.

Read More

It's a shame that even GL fans are sleeping on this series.

As a horror and GL fan, I found this series to be a breath of fresh air, offering a perfect blend of suspense, romance, and captivating storytelling. Unlike other book adaptations in the GL genre, Runaway stays true to the source material, effectively capturing the story's essence and characters in a way that is both engaging and satisfying. The series does a great job of honoring the original work, bringing the story to life on screen in a captivating way.

A praiseworthy feature is the performance. The actors give strong performances, really bringing their characters to life with depth and authenticity and pulling viewers into the emotional journey of both the protagonists and the antagonist. Moreover, the story is well-paced, with each episode unraveling new twists and turns that keep the audience on the edge of their seats. The series manages to maintain a perfect balance between horror and romance. While the series primarily focuses on horror, the inclusion of romance in the story is done tastefully, never veering off track or losing sight of its key plot points. The slow-burn romance between the leads adds an extra layer of complexity to the narrative. Even without love scenes, the chemistry between the protagonists shines through. The slow-burn is slowburning.

Another aspect that stands out is the top-notch production values. The meticulous attention to detail in set design, props, and even makeup and wardrobe is commendable. Under Oat Vatanyu's direction, the series creates a visually stunning yet darker world that feels immersive and atmospheric. The seamless editing, especially the transition between the past and present, really helps build emotional rhythm throughout the series. On top of that, the excellent audio mixing and color grading further enhance the scary mood and tone of the show.

While Runaway excels in many aspects, there are some areas that could use some improvements. Some of the CGI in the series looks a bit rough, and the ghosts are very typically portrayed. They come off funny rather than scary. Plus, the level of horror is rather tame, with very minimal and predictable jump scares. So it's suitable for scaredy-cats and those who prefer a more subtle approach to horror entertainment. But for a hardcore horror fan like me, the scary parts feel a bit underwhelming.

In conclusion, Runaway simply shines on its own and manages to carve its own niche in the world of GL dramas, offering something new that is sure to captivate audiences. Plus, it proves that even without love scenes, it's still possible to make a series an excellent one. It's a shame that this series doesn't get the recognition it deserves even from GL fans.

Read More

Call it on-screen chemistry!

Lin Yusen and Nie Xiguang are practically tailor-made for Song Weilong and Zhao Jinmai! Their on-screen chemistry is not only top-tier but also feels like destiny itself—I couldn’t stop smiling throughout the entire series. The show perfectly inherits the unique subtle style of Gu Man’s works, where seemingly ordinary daily moments flow with touching emotions, and the portrayal of romantic atmosphere is textbook-level perfection. In terms of faithfulness to the source material, it largely achieves a divine capture of the original novel. As for production, the surprises keep coming: a cinematic-grade filter quality, cleverly thoughtful cinematography techniques, paired with K-drama-style OSTs.

Read More

Episode 3

Thank god the whole interview drama was fixed in the same episode, because I was ready to start hating the roommate immediately (and trust me, I still do). She didn't even apologize. She preferred to believe strangers over her own friend, and why??? Because of jealousy!!! They never told her who picked up, but she chose to blame her anyway. Honestly awful.


I also love how she’ll never use that guy’s research (sorry, I’m terrible with names).
Plus, it’s so funny to me how they’re trying to sell me on this 'attempt at a relationship' when everyone knows they won’t look good together LOL, but I still love it.
She stood her ground; she knows they both messed up. And on top of that, the guy likes her (I think?) and he did that to her right in front of the other girl??? Honestly, that’s horrible

Read More

The plot is way more interesting than I expected....

So, this is my week off, and I’ve already rewatched this drama 3 times lmao. Anw, my review might contain spoilers

Honestly, I’m not a fan of dramas with age-gap romance or sibling-related themes. Some similar dramas that went viral before, I didn’t even finish them because the male leads felt straight-up pedophilic to me and the storyline was super mainstream (overrated, tbh)
But I decided to try this one because of the racing theme, and boom! Turns out the plot is way more interesting than I expected.

The ML is the son of the FL’s dad’s friend. After an accident, he gets adopted by the FL’s father and they grow up together. So no, this is not incest, they’re not blood-related siblings. As time goes by, they realize, what they feel for each other is more than just family.
Actually, if the drama didn’t have the racing theme, this might feel similar to Go Ahead (if you’ve watched it, you’ll know what I mean)
Since this kind of story is pretty common, what really sets this drama apart is the racing arc and the fact that it was filmed in Thailand. It’s truly a visual feast—shiny cars everywhere, plus the culture and scenery of Thailand are just chef’s kiss.

Now, the FL’s acting? No doubt. She genuinely made me cry my eyes out. To the haters who say Esther can’t “cry ugly”, bruh, I don’t get what that even means. Is she too pretty when she cries, so you think her acting sucks? Lol. Some people cry quietly, and in every Esther drama I’ve watched, she’s clearly that type and she does it well.

People say Esther can’t act just because her baby voice and acts cute? I don’t think so. In every drama and even variety show she’s in, that voice is clearly her real voice. The deeper-mature voice is actually the one she puts on for acting.
Let's be honest, acting cute is normal. Anyone can be cute, even as an adult. Especially women, there’s nothing wrong with being girly and feminine, right?
I think the haters are just salty because Esther naturally has a cute side, and at the same time she looks really graceful when she cries.

Next, the outfits! One thing I love about Cdramas is how visually pleasing they are, and outfits are a big part of that. Every time I see what Esther wears, I just want to buy it and wear it myself 😩

Last but definitely not least, the ML.

HE IS THE ONE I MEANT FOR THE PLOT OH MY GODSKDBN

Like, I don’t even care where the story goes. The real main plot is JIN ZHAO.

Heyu absolutely nailed Jin Zhao. His details and micro-expressions really remind me of Peng Yuchang (my favorite actor), who mostly does movies. And yeah, I feel like Heyu’s acting skills are very similar to actors who are deeply experienced in Cmovies.

I remember before this aired, there were a lot of haters spreading bad rumors about Heyu (they were clearly trying to stir drama between Heyu’s and Esther’s fans, but I don't care. I’D STILL WATCH IT)

Even though the pacing feels a bit rushed because a lot of scenes were cut, the chemistry between the FL and ML totally saves it.

Overall, I truly love this drama, and I don’t plan on moving on anytime soon, unless I find another drama that’s even better, lol.

Read More