Reviews

best pyschological/highschool drama

This drama is truly commendable in every aspect. The acting performances are exceptional, and the actresses demonstrate impressive accuracy and dedication when portraying their roles. The storytelling stays on point without feeling rushed, showcasing excellent pacing throughout. It gradually reveals more about the lore, providing viewers with rich context and subtle clues to follow along. Additionally, each character’s behavior is consistently well-portrayed, earning a perfect 10 out of 10 rating. I completely understand why Sung Soo Ji prioritized herself in this situation — it's human nature, and honestly, most of us would have acted the same. I also appreciate how she didn't allow Baek Ha Rin to guilt-trip Ja Eon or manipulate the audience. Instead, she called her out on her bullying behavior, which was well-deserved. Overall, this drama offers a compelling blend of strong performances, engaging storytelling, and powerful character development.

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Could be better

It feels raw, it need to be re-written and needed more episodes to develop everything. Could have more funny moments in the village, and we see how a cold and strong woman learn to go easy and bound with the villagers and especially the kids, a big thing in the sinopse is that she is going to pretend to be a teacher but barely have scenes of she being one, and the main couple feels forced feels like he loved her outoff nowhere if the kdrama had more time I think it could develop better their enemies to friends to lovers arc. And a lot of plots of the villagers like the love triangle and the restaurant owners who said they were afraid of she knowing their restaurant was fake bc shes from Seon, but nothing happens.

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Soft, but heavy

A beautiful and moving series. Perhaps it generates a little too much frustration. The story is beautiful, the acting even more so. It has a soft atmosphere, but at the same time it is heavy and at times painful. It shows various aspects of life, in particular how we can change, succeed, fail, feel lonely and inadequate in a world that demands so much, when in the end the problem is that WE don't accept ourselves.
It shows the importance of presence, both in family life and in friendships and relationships. I was disappointed that the relationship with the protagonist's family was not explored in more depth at the end, given that it played a fundamental role in the first half of the series.

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A Slow, Introspective BL Focused on Emotional Healing

VIP Only focuses on two characters who, despite living very close to each other, are emotionally distant.

Gu Jing is a talented yet peculiar owner of a retro-style restaurant that he opens whenever he feels like it. A man of few words, he communicates mainly through his cooking.

Liu Li is a gay-themed novelist who lives right above Gu Jing’s restaurant. Deeply immersed in his world of literary fantasy, he is going through the pain of an unrequited love.

The drama features a meticulously crafted aesthetic, with a strong indie feel that reflects Liu Li’s solitary and creative lifestyle.

The relationship is built around the act of serving and eating. The spicy beef noodles become a symbol of comfort, support, and unspoken affection.

The progression from friendship to something more is extremely subtle and slow, prioritizing Liu Li’s emotional healing before the romance is allowed to truly blossom.

The introduction of origami figures adds a delicate and poetic touch to the story.

The series relies heavily on expressions and atmosphere, which may feel slow-paced for viewers looking for action-driven plots or fast dialogue.

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Dark, Romantic, and Toxic- An addictive and satisfying drama

I am obsessed with this show, so much so that I eagerly await Sunday so I can watch both episodes back-to-back. I'm also reading the translation of the web novel at the same time (and this show is very faithful to the source material: Four-Faced Buddha). The premise is intriguing and it's a slow burn that doesn't feel overly drawn out- the pacing is perfect.

I'd compare it to Revenged Love in that it has a ML who is a walking forest of red flags, but somehow he still elicits empathy (at least for me, your mileage may vary). I still love him while simultaneously wondering how I'm so broken that I can still love him. I constantly question what he's really thinking, and at this point, I really think he may not know how he really feels. (Plus, bonus- unlike RL, no animal cruelty in this one!)

The chemistry between the actors is palpable and the production quality is gorgeous. The framing of shots and lighting are clearly intentional, with characters alternating from light to shadow as they move from truth to deception- this is done seamlessly and feels effortless. The use of a Tibetan singing bowl sound as an omen is also a subtle but effective dread-building device that is expertly woven into the narrative.

It's a dark, emotional, and toxicity-filled melodramatic romance. If you enjoy Wuthering Heights levels of abuse, toxicity, and longing- this is a must-see.

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Devastating

Wow. A punch in the stomach and a gentle caress at the same time. I cried through pretty much 14 out of 16 episodes, often more than once per episode, and yet I still find it beautiful. Perhaps the right series at the right time. It would have been a 10 if they hadn't overlooked a few details, but honestly, I don't really care. What really matters is that this series was there in the moment I needed it the most. Right after losing a dear person. It somehow helped putting that feeling into the right perspective. I'll forever be grateful to this.
I can't believe how underrated it is, really.

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The story itself had a lot of potential at the beginning, but I feel like it didn't live up to it. I mean, at the end everything was almost useless and there was not much satisfaction as a viewer: Than didn't get do take back his job (completely unfair), every villain died (kinda disappointing, cause at the end of the day nobody got to face consequences), the hospital...well I don't even know what happened with that. Then why give such a high grade? I don't know. There's something in the story and the acting, that somehow got me waiting every week for the episode. And every week I enjoyed it. It's true, the ending isn't the best and there are some holes in the plot, but it's also true that I liked the drama overall.

Of course, the love here is not something that you can anyhow want (pheem shot Than twice, of course that wouldn't be okay in real life), but in this drama it worked. I got to sympathise with the main characters, especially Than, and thank to the acting it was also easier to understand what each of them was thinking. They aren't simple characters: Pheem seriously needs a psychologist (and some jail time tbh) and Than...well he needs a psychologist too. Jokes (or almost) aside, they had both a pretty good development, that made it easier to understand them (not agreeing with them: just understanding).

It shows that eventually, what really matters, are the people that you love (and that love you). Revenge? Well it just causes more pain, for everybody.

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Dear X: A Brilliant Psychological Study of an Unpunished Villain

"Dear X" is a drama that, from its title onward, subtly deceives us. For those seeking a story of redemption or healing love, this is not the place. This drama was never about romance; it was, from the first minute to the last, a fascinating and audacious portrait of a sociopath in action.

The protagonist, flawlessly portrayed by the dazzling Kim Yoo Jung, is a master manipulator. The drama clearly shows how she uses every tool at her disposal: her circumstances, her calculating personality, and, most notably, her beauty. Kim Yoo Jung is not only gorgeous, but her character wields that beauty like a precise weapon to disarm, confuse, and dominate those around her.

Watching her operate was a source of perverse satisfaction. Every time she got away with it so cynically, I couldn't help but smile in astonishment. However, the narrative is so powerful that on multiple occasions I thought, "Someone has to stop her!" That's where its brilliance lies.

I'm no psychologist, but the character is constructed with chilling precision. Beyond the "bad" label, we see a narcissistic, egocentric woman with a deep tendency toward victimhood (Yes, adding that he had a terrible childhood). Her greatest disorder, perhaps, is her absolute inability to see the damage she causes; she feels no remorse because, in her distorted reality, her actions are never wrong. Even the ending, where she ends up with a man who is her pathological reflection, demonstrates this: instead of taking responsibility, she throws a tantrum and blames life, never her own decisions.

I love psychologically complex characters. She's a pure villain, who will never love anyone but herself (perhaps the one he showed the most consideration was Kim Jae Oh, but that's because this character gave everything, even his life, without blinking and without morally questioning it, unlike the other boys) and the drama has the courage to maintain that until the very end. That's why the ending seemed perfect to me: she survives and never pays for her actions. It's the logical and coherent conclusion for someone whose only morality is self-interest.

In short: "Dear X" is a bold, unsettling, and brilliant drama for those who enjoy dark psychological analysis, an unethical yet irresistible protagonist, and a story that dares to break all the molds of the "fair ending." Highly recommended if you're looking for something out of the ordinary.

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Was worth the wait

I'll start with the fact that I love bromance dramas I like them sometimes more than the sexualized bls. You can see and feel the love and care there through the actors eyes and micro facial expressions and it's more beautiful in my eyes.

I don't think this show is perfect but I do think it's one beautiful show.

Wigs were beautiful. Actors are beautiful.

Now let me start with what impressed me the most.

Fight choreography: Chef kiss 🤌 I did not expect it to be as good as it was. Loved it, loved it, loved it!

The rest:

Acting: Was good as well. The moment Jiang Hu smiles when saying A Yu and slowly the smile turned into grief was so heartbreaking. Amazing chemistry between the male leads. So well done, so beautiful. You see the care, the worry for one another and the pain when knowing they'll end up losing the other.
I thought that the little girl could've been better at the first scene where she cried, cuz there were no tears but later on she did cry and did really well.
Yu's shifu was too exaggerated for my taste. If the rest of the normal characters were as animated as him I wouldn't have a problem but it was too out of the blue and the wrong choice for the role imo. Even if the villain was exaggerated it doesn't make sense for him to be that extra imho.

The directing and camera work: Mostly good. There were some moments that I thought a different angle could've worked better but no much to complain about considering that it's made by a pretty new director that only done short dramas.

Now... For the problems I have with the show...

Editing: The colour correction was horrible. There were moments that I felt like I was looking into the sun (especially at the market). Colour grading... also horrible. The entire thing was just a mess.

Plot:
As soon as I started the show, Yan ZiXian, the reason why I came to watch this show (because I've seen him on The Spirealm) was dying which was just great. A really good Mysterious Lotus Casebook dejavu and many more chinese shows. But I was still hopeful cuz I've seen some happy(/open) endings even when all hope was lost. At the end I really thought we were gonna get something good but no... I mean they really couldn't make the poison in the needles be powerful enough to kill the worms and basically not kill Ye Yu? I mean... Really? Is it that hard to give a happy ending? Also Yu's shifu storyline was just so random. I get that it's to show it wasn't the child's fault but it was such a waste of time.
Also we never got to really see the reason why Lu Qin was such a terrifying leader. She didn't seem more powerful than the people working for her. She was just more emotionally unstable which doesn't make her more powerful. I guess you can say that she is unpredictable but we didn't see that either so...
I will give them a point for Ji Niang worrying about her broken fingers simply for the fact that she can't sew anymore clothes for Jiang Hu. That was really well done. Just a shame to see her suffer just to die instead of keeping her alive and having a cp with the medicine man and making a good family for Rong Er while Jiang Hu travels the world in order to deal with his grief, which again could've been avoided but 🤷‍♀️

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It didn't deliver for me

Things I liked

1 The premise. Funny, original and with so much potential.

2 The Three exes. They were interesting enough and the actresses were good enough to keep my attention.

Things I disliked

1 The FL. She didn't embrace her role. I don't know if it was the role or her acting skills but I don't think she did a great job.

2 Her relationship with her sister, I found her intolerable and even though she had some redeeming qualities this is the kind of character I dislike thoroughly.

3 ML. Not handsome enough or talented enough to bring me to care for his character.

Things I hated

1 That such a brilliant premise was ruined by casting the wrong leads.

2 That such a brilliant premise was ruined by a sloppy script. It could have been brilliant if they took the time to write a decent script. This wasn't funny or witty or interesting. A shame.

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Can’t stop watching Kim Go-Eun

This was an excellent thriller. There were so many questions during the show, and I finished it in 2 days. I constantly wondered if An Yun was the killer, and later, I wondered why Mo Eun wanted to kill the son. ( These questions are answered in flashbcks. ) I was constantly yelling at the tv. “Don’t you understand that all of your actions are being monitored? Why would you go to the dentists’s house w your monitor on? CCTVs are everywhere? wearing a cap can’t disguise all that hair!” I was shocked when the killers were revealed. I’m watching it again to find some things I missed. Don’t miss this one.

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I feel that the chemistry between the two never quite clicked.

I watched it because I'm a big fan of Ding Yuxi, and in that sense, it didn't disappoint: he has presence, charisma, and he knew how to portray the character.

The story and plot served their purpose of entertaining me, although I personally would have liked them to have stayed more faithful to the original novel.

Regarding the female lead, it was the first time I'd seen her in a drama. However, I feel that the chemistry between the two never quite clicked. The age difference was quite noticeable, and, at least for me as a viewer, the relationship didn't feel entirely natural or convincing.

Even so, there were plot points and some secondary couples that I found interesting and that helped keep the drama light and a little more enjoyable.

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