Reviews

i am ILL.

midway thru i contemplated on literally dropping the drama, which i have previously done before (this is my second watch). BUTTT i just decided to pull through and finish it once and for all. truths be told, im glad i decided to finish it. im glad i got to understand and learn why each character acted the way they did, and if im being so fr, i feel SO BAD for male lead. his whole life he was made to suppress his true self and everyone around him only looking to take advantage of him. like being so fr rn, i agree with some of his actions like DAMN he feels like the embodiment of karma!!! like he takes it upon himself to give the ppl who wronged him a taste of their own medicine and i love that sm, like TAKE THAT HO. but overall, every character was so complex and like some actors have played their role so well to the point that u would literally start to hate them, but I DONT! their good acting just makes me realize how relatable some of their characters are and how some of the issues in the drama happens IRL! also i kind of disliked how they rushed the ending .... like bruh GIVE US SOME MORE!!!

overall, this was a good drama that speaks on alot of issues whether it be about bullying, social status, and even mental health issues. casting was great and i loved every character! also lee sung kyung and seo kang jun as siblings was perfecto cus their eyes are both so light!!

this was a one-and-done watch for me cus i don't think i'll be able to put myself thru this emotional rollercoaster again LOL

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Carried by Cast, Powered by Chaos

I couldn’t help but compare this series to Abadi Nan Jaya (The Elixir), mostly because I watched them back to back in the same week. And for me, Abadi Nan Jaya still wins. What surprised me, though, was seeing how much higher this show’s rating is in comparison. But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. People aren’t watching this series to deeply analyze every detail or pick apart the writing, they’re watching it to be entertained. And in that sense, it works. It’s the kind of show you binge without thinking too hard, and I think that’s exactly why so many people rated it generously.

The characters here are way more annoying than the ones in Abadi Nan Jaya. And weirdly enough… I didn’t hate that. The chaos, bad decisions, and straight-up frustrating personalities actually made the show easier to binge. I finished it in two days, mostly because I kept thinking, “Okay, what dumb thing are they going to do next?” This isn’t a show where you get super emotionally attached to everyone, but it keeps you watching through sheer momentum. It’s more about reactions than reflections.

If there’s one clear area where this series beats Abadi Nan Jaya, it’s the cast. Let’s be real, the casting is stacked. Mandee really said, “What if we put every BL actor people recognize into one zombie series?” and honestly, that move worked. Seeing familiar faces pop up constantly was fun, exciting, and definitely part of why the show got so much hype. The actors all did a solid job, and their presence alone carried a lot of scenes. That said, great casting can only take a show so far, it boosts popularity, but it doesn’t automatically fix storytelling issues.

I’d say this series had potential, strong production value, and a cast that did a lot of heavy lifting. It’s not something I’d praise for its depth or character development, but it is entertaining, fast to binge, and easy to recommend if you’re just looking for something fun and chaotic. I get why people enjoyed it, even if it didn’t fully land for me. I’ll probably still tune in for a second season. If nothing else, I’m curious to see whether they take the story somewhere more meaningful or just lean fully into the madness again.

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It’s just dance ?

I’m not going to lie, I probably wouldn’t have put this on my watch list if I hadn’t seen the trailer and thought it was going to be a BL.
If you have a strong appreciation for dance, you’ll likely enjoy this film. But if, like me, you were hoping for more romance, this will be a huge letdown. Part of my frustration comes from the fact that I expected better overall quality from a Netflix BL than I usually expect from Thai BLs, especially in terms of storytelling and structure.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a good movie, BL or not. And to be fair, the cinematography was great, and the music was cool too, those were definite highlights. However, if I use the same standards I apply to other films, I’d still give this about three stars.
The story didn’t flow well and often felt in-cohesive. There was far more dancing than dialogue, which made it hard to follow the narrative. I also didn’t really understand what drew the two leads to each other; their connection felt underdeveloped and a bit one-sided. At times, it even felt like the more gloomy character was simply using the other.
On top of that, I was genuinely confused about the setting , were they supposed to be in Cuba or the UK? The location was never clear, which added to the overall sense of disconnection.

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A healthy relationship does wonders for the soul.

The story line and actress made me press play, but the ML stole the show.

The Highlights:

No hesitation from the FL. I believe within the first ten minutes she was out the door.

What a man the ML is. He was literally her light in the darkness. Patient, kind, loving and supportive.

Romance was on point. His love was shown in both words and actions. One word to describe the kiss scenes is sensual.

Communication between FL & ML were always on point (very little to no misunderstanding trope nonsense).

As their relationship grew, so did her confidence.

The Dim-lights:

FL’s self-esteem was trampled on and she was all alone basically except for the SML (that's why she put up with his horrible treatment) but, I will give her grace.

SML – the stench of scumbaggery coming off this venomous toad of a man was sickening. He and his minions were vile. I really wished the ML gave him a few more punches.

SFL – Audacity and delusion is a wicked combination. More slaps from FL were needed for her.

Favorite scene/scenes:

When ML told FL he wants to “meet” her family.

The elevator scene (I chuckle every time I remember it).

Conclusion: Proof that the wrong relationship can derail your life while the right one can propel you forward.

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Top Notch

The two male leads were phenomenal! Their chemistry was riveting. They both could speak not only with their bodies but with their eyes. From my understanding neither of them are professional dancers; they learned to dance for this movie. In my estimation they're both geniuses! The choreography was superb!

This is sort of a slow burn romance with a masculine lack of verbal communication. I got the impression that the time frame of this movie wasn't 2025 but more around 1980's to 1990's. I could be misreading that, but there is a huge preoccupation with one of the male leads smoking continuously. Until recently that amount of smoking has been kind of frowned upon in movies. There was a somewhat easy acceptance of a male male relationship, but then a subtle sense of an awkwardness in pursuing an obvious relationship.
I don't know some of the cinematography seemed to indicate a time frame 20, 30, 40 years ago. At that time a gay couple would not have been readily accepted.

One male lead was rigidly controlled but you could feel the inferno under the surface of the skin that was clamoring to be released. The other male lead was extremely passionate and emotional and sexy as hell!
The dancing was magic!

This movie presented a different flavor to a BL. I would sort of consider it more of an LGBTQ movie than a BL. Overall the movie was entrancing and I am certain to watch it several more times.

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"Deep is the dark"

A vigilante mad dog is roped into becoming an undercover agent. In the powerful and ruthless world of the yakuza he teams up with another mad dog teetering on the brink of sanity to become members of the feared Hell Dogs.

Kanetaka Shogo aka Idezuki Goro was a young cop on the beat when several people were murdered in a robbery. When justice is not served Goro spends 10 years hunting down the perpetrators and executing them. After the last one he turns himself in and is quickly recruited to become an undercover agent as a yakuza in a notoriously dangerous and powerful gang. He takes the name Kanetaka “Tak” Shogo and teams up with the unstable Muro. The two make a name for themselves as assassins. Goro has to watch his back as he is continually tested all while he attempts to climb the ranks and move closer to the crime family’s boss.

This film was a familiar take on the tight rope UCs must balance. Goro was called upon to do heinous deeds to keep his cover with the end game of taking down the crime family. The money and adrenaline could be enticing, a real temptation when the police department proved itself to be scarcely better than the yakuza. There were of course, the double dealings and big “reveals” as the story progressed. Will any of them be shocking? Not particularly if you’ve watched many crime films. Despite the lack of innovation, Harada Masato pulled me into the world he created, no small feat when there were few characters to care about.

The acting was strong for the most part relying heavily on Okada Junichi’s massive screen presence despite being surrounded by much taller men. Goro’s personality was such that he was not intimidated by anyone. Being based on a book there were enough characters and plot elements that they could have made this into a short drama to expand on the different players. As it was, it ran a little long for a yakuza film.

For the most part, Hell Dogs balanced narrative with action with more of the former in case you are expecting non-stop thrills. The ending rushed through at breakneck (pun intended) speed dissolving much of the built-up tension. Yet I still enjoyed this film largely due to Okada’s performance and Goro’s ability to hammer, slice, and shoot his way to the top.

18 December 2025
Trigger warnings: There was lots of slicing and dicing, shooting, and other blood spattering activities. Sexual content.

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A beautiful train wreck

Ok maybe beautiful is over selling it. If they would of taken another couple of months on the story and either training on editing and audio or just found someone who knew what they were doing this show would have been amazing. I loved the actors in sweat heart service so I know the actor are good but that can only carry a show so far. It was a big old dumpster fire of a mess but I enjoyed watching it burn even though it did get almost unbearable at times. Once in awhile you just need a really badly executed show to remind you how amazing the other ones are. I give them all props for trying but the people who approved this for release should not be given that job ever again.

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Speechless.

Everything about this production was beautifully captivating. There are simply not enough words I could physically type on this review to make what I have to say about this film be fully expressed. I struggle, even typing this out, to truly put my feelings into words. The story, the acting, the styling, the music, the cinematography, the visuals, anything and everything truly hit the mark. Nothing about this film lacked. Not one thing was out of place. Purely perfection. Honestly the first film I have rated a 10. Just everything was stunning and I can never stop saying that.

Not one actor lacked the skills or ability to portray their character. Every actor knew the assignment. Studied everything to a tea. No one stood out or performed poorly. Biggest props to them for training so hard for this film. I did not hate any character, nor did I feel like one was a villain in this story.

Now, the chemistry. You have to be blind not to see and appreciate the chemistry between the two leads. The tension was there, the emotions were there, the love and heartbreak were there. They made me think they were in love, and they were. The passion on the ballroom floor was perfectly mirrored every time they were on screen together. The actors were stunning together, and I would love to see them work together again. Maybe for a sequel or something completely new. No actors have moved me like this EVER. They were fantastic.

The women were simply beautiful and stunning. The way they supported their male counterparts but also develop a sense of friendship along the way was refreshing. I adored them and their stunning wardrobe. They had their own storylines and feelings that were also seen in the film and didn't have to rely on their dance partners. The friendship between them and their male partners was something entirely new. No romantic feelings, just love and understanding of a dance genre that makes them express themselves in the rawest way. It was a treat to see all the relationships between the characters.

The MUSIC was not something I thought I would love as much as I do, but I do. Every song fit the scene and was a hit. It was so good and enjoyable to hear. Definitely something I would listen to on my own time. It was fantastic.

The styling was also something I loved. Every piece of styling fit the character wearing it. Sugiki is a perfectionist. His hair is neat; he wears a classic suit, he is polished to perfection, nothing is out of place. While Suzuki's hair is messy, it's bleached, he wears opened chest tops and has a more laid-back look. It fits their characters perfectly. The women also had stunning and flattering dresses that were just jaw dropping.

Many say the ending is opened and felt unsatisfied. They felt the story was abruptly ended but it sets itself up for a sequel. I found the ending pleasing. It not something that felt rushed or anything to that nature. An ending that fits good for the story. I can't say that I agree with feeling abandoned.

Overall, this film is perfect and it's my number one of the year. Worth the watch and will leave you wanted more.

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This drama is full of romance and heartfelt emotion. It tells the story of two people deeply in love, whose past traumas affect their relationship, yet their bond ultimately prevails. The grandmother’s role was beautifully portrayed and added a touching layer to the story. I felt genuinely emotional toward the end, experiencing their pain and sadness, but the happy ending was very satisfying.

Liu Yu Hang (ML), whom I watched here for the first time, delivered a moving performance. His quiet admiration for the FL and eventual expression of his deepest feelings was captivating. The symbolism in the story was beautiful—especially when the FL gave him the key to her home. For a girl living alone without family, giving him her home was a profound gesture of trust and love.

I could feel the FL’s sadness when everyone told her to stay away from the ML, yet she couldn’t resist her feelings. The reason for their breakup may have seemed a bit ridiculous, but I loved their breakup and reunion scenes—they were emotional and powerful. While the early stages of their romance felt a little questionable, I understood her perspective.

I also enjoyed the small details in the drama, like the jewelry—the butterfly rings—and the ML’s bird tattoo, which added charm and personality to the characters. Overall, this is a deeply touching love story about enduring and true love.

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More episodes were needed to conclude properly

This dance survival show from Mnet features dancers specialized in either Contemporary Dance, Ballet or Korean traditional Dance, all three genres rarely showcased in that kind of competitive program.

The beginning with the auditions and ranking of the participants, each showcasing specific techniques from their respective genre, was really enthralling. Even if I wish there would have been more focus on relationship and personnality, I still was able to discover enough of the participants to get some favorites dancers I rooted for during the competition and I found super interesting how the techniques were evaluated by the various judges.

Despite having a quite good cast with the dancers, the bad pacing of the various arcs of the competition, as well as the way the format evolved to reach a very anticlimactic conclusion, really undermined my enthusiasm for the series and made it difficult for me to want to finish it. The last challenges felt short compared to the beginning ones and I got almost the feeling that the show was cut short. Instead of spending so much time on survival annoucement, I wish the storytelling would have focus more on the relationships, team work and practice.

I would recommend this to people that are looking for a dance survival program featuring rarely seen genres. Despite the bad pacing, boring announcement episodes and the anticlimactic finale, there are some beautiful performances that are worth a watch.

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"the scarf and the wings, you and the future, I want them all"

Beautiful, sad and awfully real from start to end. The story and connection between the two main characters were so thought-provoking. So many feelings and emotions packed in two of the best hours I've spent in a while. So many meanings to love, friendship, family and how experiences and life make them so different for everyone. It was a clear picture of societal expectations and how they differ for both boys and girls, but with two very clear examples in which neither was really happy or free. It also highlights how social class and gender expectations are still such a difficult but ever-present topic in society to this day.

The lead actors' chemistry was unbelievable, they had me grinning, heartbroken and hopeful all in the span of two hours. I loved how even as teens, they both had this maturity and at the same time innocence to them, in which we could see the kindness behind the mischief of the ML and the hopefulness behind the sadness of the FL. I loved their friendship and the quiet love they shared before life got in the way. The ending was so beautiful, and that epilogue scene was everything. The cinematography and direction were carefully thought through as well, at no point did the time-jumps between the present and the past timelines feel out of place. I loved how the two timelines were spaced out throughout the movie. Really made the story more engrossing. Some of the panoramic scenes were so stunning, I loved how the director and cinematographer focused on capturing the essence and beauty of the cities where the movie was shot.

I really love it when movies deal with real issues and actually make a beautiful but at the same time realistic love story like this. Makes me believe love like this really exists out there.

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PEAK!!!

10Dance is an amazing film, and the hype for it has been crazy, which I am always glad to see, but... I feel as if we should have had a bit more romance. From the reviews I have read, many people have said the same thing about expecting a much sexier, steamier film that incorporates love and passion through the dancing from what the trailers had shown us. Honestly, as someone who read the manga first, I was a little disappointed to see that there were little to no kisses while watching this. Of course, I'm not trying to say that it completely diminishes the story as a whole, but there's a lot more that could have been done when it comes to the romance, in my opinion. Otherwise, this movie, from its cinematography, acting, sets, and music, is perfect. I am a Machida Keita STAN, and I was so happy to see him cast in this movie alongside Takeuchi Ryoma, whom I had only recently first heard of from watching the drama "Then You Try Making It!" My final thought is that I hope they plan to give us a sequel in the near future, whether it's another movie or a series, and I will be obsessing over this for the next three months, lol.

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