Reviews

Started okayish, and then got better and better...Keng will just take your breath away!

I'm beyond floored by Keng in this - he's plain divine...watch this, even if you like nothing else in this drama, though there are lots to love actually...it's worth watching just for him!

BL-needle score- 7.5 Reasonably high BL-ness

I had been waiting for Khemjira since the time I watched Keng in POaradise of Thorns...loved his portrayal there and have also been loving his singing...and then this dropped...NGL, I was and am still not convinced by Keng-Namping chemistry and this drama started slow on me, despite Keng...but it just got better and better and gave me enough reasons to watch it beyond just Keng....All the actors are doing a great job and the characters are all quite relatable (other than the fantasy elements off course)...and the entire caste is doing a fantastic job in making this fantasy-horror tale believable and enjoyable. The costumes, make-up, set design, cinematography, and art direction has been really good too, so is the coloring.

I loved Jet-Charn's pair....Tle and First are doing such a wonderful job with their act ...also love Jet and Khem's friendship....Green as the chief villain Ramphueng is also doing a great job...also all the other characters, immaterial to how much screen time they got, have been really good..grandma, the villagers, all of them....

But the best thing about this show is without doubt 'Por Kru' - Keng Harit!!...whether it is his acting, or his singing and how scorching he looks all through...he has you eating out of his hands!! Even if you watch this drama just to gawk at him, it's worth it!!

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Moving message but lackluster execution

I came across The Closet while doing some digging up in Kim Namjoon Gil's filmography. When I read the blurb and saw that Han Jung Woo, another actor who has caught my interest, was in it, I became interested. I am a big fan of horror movies, especially if they involve children and familial relationships so I naturally decided to give it a try.

I liked the setting and the gloom atmosphere that was established from early on. The cold and dark color palette gave me the impression that I was watching a horror film made in late 2000s-early 2010s. The cinematography was overall good, especially during the exorcism and ritual scenes. The soundtrack that accompanied the scenes added a more dramatic tone while in some cases, it highlighted the emotional impact of the story, especially towards the ending.

The story, albeit not groundbreaking, hold my attention forthe most part. The first half focused more on Sang Won's troubled relationship with his daughter, I Na and the events that occurred in their new house before I Na's disappearance. The writers tried to immerse us in their new life and while preparing the ground for the supernatural elements, the film wanted to highlight the father-daughter dynamic and how it contributed to I Na's disappearance.

The relationship between Sang Won and I Na was very complex to say the least and it was one of the aspects I was the most curious about. After the death of his wife, Sang Won and I Na were clearly traumatized and they were still grieving her. Due to his hectic work schedule, Sang Won wasn't able to spend too much time with I Na, leaving his wife looking after her for the most part. As a result, I Na had formed a close bond with her mother, a bond that came to an end after her passing. Due to their limited time together, the father and the daughter are unable to communicate with each other. Sang Won continued to prioritize his work and he tried to win over I Na by gifting her dolls. But even though his intentions were good, it was clear that he wasn't doing enough.

I must say that even though I came for the horror element, I didn't expect the movie to dive deeper into some themes regarding parenthood and child abuse. The second half was heavy in that aspect, especially towards the ending. There was a scene with a montage of the mistreatment some of the dead children had endured from their families that put some tears in my eyes. The mere thought of defenseless creatures like them being abused by the people who are supposed to care for them made my blood boil. While I was obviously rooting for Sang Won to save I Na, I began questioning the motives of the ghosts and I felt for them once the story progressed more.

As much as I overall liked the movie, I must say that compared to what was promised, it was underwhelming and poorly developed. First and foremost, the horror was little to nonexistent. Yes, the atmosphere was there and there were some jumpscares here and there but overall, I wouldn't say that I felt particularly scared. Granted, not every horror movie will be able to cause fear but I expect it to elicit some type of reaction. For the most part, I was quite indifferent. Moreover, I don't mean to insult the filmmakers by saying this but the usage of CGI in order to create the ghosts was...questionable to say the least. It would have been better if they had relied on something more simple because for me, the effects did nothing.

The story and the writing in general felt lackluster. The intentions of the writers were clear but the execution left much to be desired. I appreciate the attempt to add more depth in the story instead of making it a mere horror movie but the film's length didn't leave much room for proper development. The events were rushed and Sang Won's tainted relationship with his daughter was handled in a superficial way. I wish we had seen more of them trying to deal with their trauma and emotional distance. If the film had highlighted more their relationship, the second act would have been more impactful.

The characterisation was also quite poor. Sang Won's character had so much potential but the movie didn't utilize him. It was interesting to see how guilty he felt for his wife's death and how it impacted him but the story didn't elaborate any further. Additionally, as much as I appreciated Han Jung Woo as an actor, I couldn't help but feel that something felt off with his acting in this film. In his previous film, Hijack 1971, he delivered a powerful and emotional performance but in The Closet, his portrayal felt rather flat. Sang Won barely expressed any strong emotions, even when I Na got missing, I barely got the impression that he was worried. I think that the director is mostly at fault for this but nevertheless, Sang Won's character felt shallow for the most part.

I had a blast watching Kim Namjoon Gil as Kyung Hoon, the enigmatic and eccentric exorcist who assisted Sang Won in his search for his daughter. His character immediately caught my attention after his introduction but alas, I'm afraid that like the rest of the movie, the writing fell short pretty quickly. I expected more from this character, especially regarding his connection with the ghost but the movie didn't delve deeper into that part. As for his relationship with Sang Won, while their interactions were fun to watch, their dynamic was criminally underutilized. I wish we had gotten to see more of them bonding and working as a team, there was so much wasted potential.

As for the child actors, I enjoyed both Heo Yool as I Na and Kim Shi Ah as Myung Jin. I was already familiar with the latter one after having watched her in Kill Bok Soon and Walking On Thin Ice but her acting in The Closet impressed me. She pulled off her role very well and her performance in the final act deeply moved me and made me connect with the character more. As for Heo Yool, she was phenomenal. She perfectly portrayed I Na's complex feelings and she switched her emotions once I Na got possessed masterfully!

All in all, The Closet was by no means a bad movie. It just was lackluster due to its short length and poor writing. I would recommend it to someone who's looking for a simple horror movie but do not expect a lot.

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Abuse is Never Right, No Matter the Victim

I've watched Bai Jing Ting and Tian Xi Wei in other dramas and enjoyed them. I liked them in this drama, too (their relationship was sweet), but my pleasure was tempered by two unfortunate premises.

I understand the desire to rewrite history in an heroic manner, but the sort of feminist retrofitting of rigid history undermines the actual hardships women had to endure in those times. That a handful of concubines would be allowed to undermine a society without dire consequences to themselves and their families is unreasonable.

I could accept the wish-fulfillment fantasy of sisterhood easily changing society; this isn't a documentary, after all. However, I couldn't stomach the spousal abuse. Third Prince was despised, and rightly so, for his womanizing and treating his wife and concubines as property. Yet, when he realized the error of his ways and tried to make amends, he was still treated with disrespect. It was understandable that Shang Guan Jing was resentful at her forced marriage to the 5th Prince. He was dim-witted and his mouth said things his brain didn't always mean, but that was no excuse for Shang Guan's physical and mental abuse of him. Why is it acceptable to beat a man and leave huge, horrific bruises on him? He'd grown up abused, and he accepted it gratefully from his wife. I found that extremely sad and distasteful. As much as I liked the character of the tough, feisty Shang Guan, there is never an excuse for a stronger person to beat on a weaker one, no matter the sex.

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Cute and great binge watch drama

This is the first short that I’ve seen and I found it to be the perfect antidote to a much heavier standard format drama (with an angst ridden plot line).
The characters were believable and fell in love slowly and naturally and the ending was perfect.
My only complaint was that the director didn’t change the actors’ costumes so one minute the sister is at a party wearing this incredible white trouser suit and the next day she’s shopping with the FL in the same outfit. Similar situation with the FL and ML too - there’s one blouse that she wears that you’re going to see way too often and a suit he practically lives in at one point. That said, there’s nothing else that I could really criticise about this drama.
The acting was great - the male lead went from sensible and focused one moment to super cute (with a genuine swoon worthy crooked grin) or dominant in a heartbeat and the FL morphed from a shy young adult into a confident woman through the course of the plot line.
Would I watch it again? Absolutely

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From Seoul to Hollywood in Three Glances and a Flower

Final Review Typhoon Family: A Storm With No Wind”
Typhoon Family ends with a happy ending, but the drama never truly worked.
It suffered from narrative hamster syndrome: constant suffering, constant chaos, no real progression.
The writers confused accumulated misery with emotion, and movement with storytelling.
The performances are good —especially Kim Ni-ha— but the script wasted them, giving her nothing but crying scenes with no emotional range.
And yes, happy ending, villains in jail, romance finally consummated… but as bland as the rest of the show.
A happy ending can’t fix 16 episodes that never connected. 2025 is full of dramas where the actors are better than the script:
Moon River, Dear X, Would You Marry Me?, No Other Choice. Typhoon Family just joined the list.

Episode 1
The first encounter tries to be tender, but it’s the most overused cliché in K-drama: he falls on her. The only new thing is the melancholic wrapping — the “prestigious” version of the same old stumble.

But then comes the subway scene. The dual visual language.
She (Kim Min-ha) is filmed in tight shots, soft light, and desaturated tones. Her gaze dominates the frame; the focus stays on her eyes, not the background. It conveys introspection, timidity, and vulnerability.
He (Jun-ho), on the other hand, is treated oppositely: wide framing, glass reflections, warm tones, even the pink bouquet as a symbol of vanity and artifice. He knows he’s being watched.
Together, the montage creates a mirror play: she looks, he poses; she feels, he performs.

The separation sequence is built with classic Hollywood grammar. The slight lip bite marks the exact instant when inner emotion becomes conscious. Then, the shot of the falling flower works as a universal symbol of lost contact or missed opportunity — a motif used over and over in Western romantic cinema (from Brief Encounter to Before Sunrise). The camera leaves her alone, the frame widens, and the background fades: solitude in motion.

The falling flower perfectly closes the emotional arc of their encounter — a silent yet unmistakable symbol of attachment and memory.
She doesn’t say “I liked him,” she doesn’t say “I miss him,” but the simple act of keeping something so ephemeral says it all.

The warm light, the curtains, and the static framing turn that moment into a visual sigh, almost a poetic epilogue to what just happened. It’s a device straight out of European romantic cinema (think Amélie or In the Mood for Love), yet used here with Korean subtlety.

It feels Hollywood not because it imitates, but because it adopts the language of classic romantic cinema: the visual construction of destiny, the orchestral music that accompanies without interrupting, the flower as a tangible symbol of remembrance, and above all, the restrained emotion that becomes universal.
That fragment alone is enough to justify the entire episode.

Update episode 2
If episode one was saved by a cinematic moment —that subway scene, poetic and restrained—
episode two collapses into mediocrity.
Nothing stands out.
It’s empty, slow, emotionless, filled with shouting and recycled melodrama.

With two leads of this caliber, such a weak script is unforgivable.
The problem isn’t talent — it’s direction.
Episode two doesn’t stumble… it crashes.

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Before you watch...

I’ll be completely honest. I loved every second of it this series genuinely made me happy every Saturday.

For those thinking about watching it just for the second couple… yeah, not for you. If you’re going to watch it, it should be because you’re interested in the main couple and that’s more than enough.

I loved Huan Yong and Shen Shangyou.

Yes, it felt a bit rushed, but that doesn’t take away from how much I enjoyed and loved it.
Lastly, a big round of applause to the entire cast since it’s such a different genre from what they’re used to, it must’ve been a real challenge.

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Absolutely love it!

● Both leads are such a treat to watch because aside from looking stunning, they have acting range and versatility. Lu Yuxiao does it so well, from tears glimmering in Ming Yi’s eyes to pretending to be clueless, greedy, and broke so Ji Bozai lets his guard down. I love how Hou Minghao does the hedonistic character so well, then slides into a commanding warrior.

● That said, I’m easy to please. The humor lands, especially when Ming Yi’s spiritual beast, a cat, delivers lines like “So Ji Bozai needs a shield like I need a scratching board,” or when Ming Yi calls him over with a “pss, pss” and bribes him with dried fish.

● It’s been a while since I’ve watched a drama that uses doodles. I think the last one was Royal Rumors, so seeing the doodles at the end of each episode is really neat.

● No one escapes the wind machine in this drama either. 😂 Those who are watching Fated Hearts can relate.

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A MUST-WATCH K-BL !!

One of the best K-dramas out there! Great actors, excellent acting, a captivating storyline, and fantastic chemistry. Overall, it's just amazing!

The story hooked me from the very first episode. The chemistry and tension between the main leads are incredible!

I want to give it a 9.8, and since I can’t, I’m giving it a 9.5 anyway. It’s not a 10 for me because the story of the second leads is not well developed. At the very least, a confession would have been satisfying, I feel a bit sad and disappointed about that.

Overall, the drama is AMAZING! It deserves more recognition, and I hope the actors receive more amazing roles in the future!

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Too much Desire not enough Love

Watching this drama really felt like a train wreck, it's bad but you just can't quite bring yourself from taking another look. It was inconsistent and amatheurish in so many areas like storytelling and editing. The crew working on this hopefully learned allot from this project, mainly what not to do.
The 2nd couple got so little air time, it would have almost been better not have a 2nd couple altogether. Even though ironically their appearance was what elevated this series and kept me watching till the end. The main couple, was only interesting as long as Hua Yong remained a mystery, as soon as he revealed his identity and his agenda it became boring. Although the title of the series then made sense. The main theme of the show is not Love, it is Desire. For viewers who like artificial, fetish and forced constructed plots this should work fine.
As for me I prefer to see sincerity and raw emotion whereas this drama could not deliver on.
The 2nd couples storyline had all the means for a great arc but was botched into oblivion. Though there were some pivotal moments that kept them interesting till the end. One being the "closet scene" was not SA, Even though Gao Tu was trying to get away at first he is then shown to initiate a kiss or wanting to kiss Shen Wen Lang which to me was crucial to include.

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strong start that went downhill

The plot started strong and really reeled me in. I absolutely love how they portrayed FL's climb to power and entering the ML's family. There was a perfect amount of tension and romance which was a great build-up and I had high expectations on how they were going to "fight" it out post break-up. It unfortunately fell flat and returned to your typical sappy rom-com filled with avoidable misunderstandings and unrealistic ambitions. Alas, the second couple was a nice supplement to the overall plot.

While it was nice to portray strong female independence - there were simply too many unrealistic moments and plenty of random outbursts that didn't feel very logical to me. As we get to the ML chasing FL back, the plot was too long-winded and draggy - it could have ended in 26eps. There is something very unnatural to me about ML's acting and the quality of dubbing where the dubs do not match their lips. If I had a choice, I would give the first half of the show 9.0 and the second half a 5.0. I only finished it out of my need to always complete a show but it was an absolute bore.

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