Reviews

prepare tissue

This drama is a complete masterpiece. Everything about it is impressive—from the costumes, cast, and acting to the cinematography and fight scenes, everything is top-notch. There’s a case that the female lead tries to solve, and her actions around it naturally drive the story forward, shaping the plot and her connection with the male lead.
Even though the plot wasn’t exactly what I expected, I really loved the journey of all the characters together. Despite some conflicts along the way, they overcame them and gradually came to understand each other, working together to achieve a shared goal.
Even though the plot wasn’t exactly what I expected, I really loved the journey of all the characters together. Despite some conflicts along the way, they overcame them and gradually came to understand each other, working together to achieve a shared goal.Even though the plot wasn’t exactly what I expected, I really loved the journey of all the characters together. Despite some conflicts along the way, they overcame them and gradually came to understand each other, working together to achieve a shared goal.

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epic comeback

This revenge drama is absolutely amazing and a must-watch. I don’t even know where to start, but the cinematography, filming, case design, and acting are all 10 out of 10. One of the most interesting parts is how the female lead’s actions unintentionally drive the story forward. She writes a poem admiring the princess of the country, and the princess sees it and mistakenly believes it was written by the female lead’s husband. Feeling that someone finally appreciates her sacrifices for the country, the princess decides she wants the female lead’s husband, not knowing it was actually the female lead who wrote the poem. This misunderstanding sets off a chain of events that eventually shapes the entire story, leading to the main characters’ fates and bringing everything together.

There are also many villains in this drama, and each one is very well developed. The female lead takes them down one by one, but thanks to the male lead, she receives help—not in a way that feels forced or one-sided. He also gains something from it, so it doesn’t feel like he’s just helping her because he likes her. Their dynamic is complex and satisfying, which makes the story even more enjoyable.

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Heartwarming and Bingeworthy

This is such a fun and lighthearted show with so much heart. ;)

I loved how the growth of everyone in the series was shown from the main characters to the supporting ones, everyone showed growth.

The interactions between the doctors, nurses, and patients were all heartwarming to watch too. A great reminded to not take them for granted.

The romance in this series is just my cup of tea. It’s grumpy x sunshine and I love just how perfectly portrayed it was! I love how when the situation called for it, we saw how Dr Devil really loved Sakura. All those moments were so heartwarming I just want to repeat those multiple times.

Basically, this is truly such a feel good show that I’ll definitely rewatch again, again, and again!

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real historical related

This drama is such a pleasure to watch. It also touches on real historical events from that period, though of course, since it’s a drama, it shouldn’t be taken too literally. The story follows the theme of real history, which adds depth and richness to the plot. I honestly don’t know how to fully describe it, but there are moments that are just so satisfying and engaging. I really love the plot, the political conflicts, and overall, everything about it is well done. The emotions are also very strong because the characters don’t communicate openly with each other, leaving a sense of unresolved feelings and tension that lingers—almost like you’re left feeling the weight of what was left unsaid before someone parts ways.

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many love line

This drama is not completely wuxia nor xianxia, but I would say it leans more toward wuxia. The story is quite complex because there are so many love lines, which is why you can see fans of different couples debating and “shipping wars” every single day during the premiere and even after the show ended. But despite all that, it is clear that this drama is excellent. The story feels complete, especially since it continues as a sequel to the previous hit show.
The story may not have a lot of plot twists, but the dialogue, cinematography, and scene-to-scene execution are so well done that it’s a true pleasure to watch.

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This drama requires the audience to fully focus and analyze the plot closely

This drama is definitely a must-watch. It is a dark-themed wuxia drama filled with mystery, and all of the cast are incredibly pretty and handsome. The cinematography is beautifully filmed, and the fighting choreography is amazing. The story follows two assassins sent by the Wufeng organization to infiltrate the Gong family by entering as brides during the marriage selection. They are each assigned their own missions by Wufeng, and whether they are chosen as brides or not depends on their abilities.

This story is especially interesting because of the female lead. At first, the female lead seems quiet, fragile, and even a little naive, but as the story progresses it becomes clear that her character is far more complex than it appears. After finishing the show, I realized that we as the audience were also manipulated by the image she presents. The ending is a cliffhanger, which leaves even more room to analyze and question the female lead’s true identity but the answer remains unknown . if you can’t handle the feeling of incomplete feelings just skip the last 5 minutes.

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Cute BUT...

END COUPLES
*Updates of official real life couples at the end of review

- Yang & Enda
- Han & Angus
- Yan & Guan

I am confused what Jiayi & Charlie are??? I assume nothing tbh i dont even think talking stage ... I dont get what Jiayi means honestly think it is a rejection perhaps

Fav contestant (loved them all tho) for me was Wan she is so mature, brave, beautiful and really great personality!

Overall:
I love all 3 couples I would give this dating show around a 7/10 or 7.5/10, would of been a 10/10 (friendships were lovely nd loved the 3 couple interactions specially around last few eps) however I think the elimination were a bit too many but mainly Jiayi's screen time was exhausting (I skipped 90% of her scenes which was like most of some of the eps 😔, cheered her on for first few eps but then got tired/confused nd lost interested in her interactions)

I like the special eps for each of the eps it was cute and showed the bonds of the contestants and the friendships 💖 💖 💖

~ Main contestants ~

Angus - Honestly liked his actions for being straight up and not stringing Wan along. Good compatibility with Han
Jiayi - I dont have much to say about her she just confusing
Micheal (last eliminated) - He comes of very strong (personality wise) in my opinion but other than that he seem to wanna find love :)
Yijia - I like the ig you could call it character development. She is cute and fun
Charlie (Jiayi's victim) - I feel bad for you :(
Pascel (Jiayi's victim) - I feel bad for you too :(
Yip (Jiayi's victim, eliminated) - Dont remember much about him SORRY :( maybe should of been more proactive?
Wan - Alpha women
Village leader ake Jiawei - Would be a great rookie show host ngl. He was entertaining and his true self which I liked.
Han - Cute with Angus. I think quite nice person.
Yan - She knows what she wants- girl boss. VERY CUTE. Her and Guan was a cute dynamic couple
Guan - People say that he dont like Yan as much as she likes him which is valid. BUT i think he does i think that is just his personality. He is cute and shy wish he was a bit less shy hehe.
Yang - Smart girl. Queen behaviour.
Enda - GREAT FLIRTING SKILLS hahaha. Him and yang great couple.
Jiaming (eliminated) - THE REAL BOSS WOMEN
Xiaofan (eliminated) - Was a weird guy ngl said odd stuff
Pascel and Jiawei was fire bromance

ALSO THERE IS KISSING SCENES BETWEEN 2 COUPLES HEHE

~ Updates (Source: Douyin) ~

Official couples 🔥

- Han & Angus
- Yan & Guan (my fav)

Have posted on Douyin together as couples 💖💖💖

- Yang & Enda 😔

Yang posts with other contestants

I have seen not seen posts of them together but I saw a vid of Enda spotted with a girl holding hands, but i cant make assumptions cus maybe family? Personally I feel they are not together :( because on Tencent Variety Show Douyin account only Han&Angus and Yan&Guan did couple interviews.

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Just binge it

I just finished watching Boyfriend on Demand and absolutely loved it from start to finish. It kicks off in a slightly unusual way and doesn't feel like your typical romcom right out of the gate, but once you hit episode three, it gets so good.
​The chemistry is fantastic across the board, especially between Seo Mirae and En Hoo, as well as Seo Mirae and producer Nam. Jisoo did such an amazing job bringing Seo Mirae to life. Episodes 4-10 were literally the peak of the show for me. I have no idea how they would pull it off, but I am really hoping they make another season.

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A Promising Idea That Falls Short

Boyfriend on Demand starts with an interesting concept but struggles to fully deliver on its potential. The drama presents a unique premise around a service that allows people to experience a “boyfriend on demand,” which initially feels fresh and intriguing. However, as the story progresses, the plot becomes somewhat predictable and lacks strong emotional depth.

The main leads share some decent chemistry, but their relationship development feels rushed at times. While the drama includes a few lighthearted and cute moments, it doesn’t maintain a consistent balance between romance and storytelling. Some side characters add small bits of humor, yet they aren’t explored enough to leave a strong impression.

The pacing also feels uneven, with certain episodes dragging while others move too quickly. Visually, the drama is clean and modern, fitting its romantic-comedy tone. Overall, despite its creative idea, *Boyfriend on Demand* ends up being a fairly average watch that may still appeal to viewers looking for a simple and easy romance.

My Rating 6/10

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A surprisingly decent watch for late night short format drama with a strong cast.

Actually a pretty good drama for the late night short 20 minute format. A generally decent cast too. Largely well acted and goofy where appropriate. I've not seen too many shows from this timeslot or format but what I have were much lower quality in comparison to this. Nice easy watching week by week with a likeable bunch of leads (well the ones that aren't committing adultery anyway).

I still take issue with some of the morals in this show personally and your mileage will vary but overall I enjoyed it. I'm just not a fan of trying to explain or justify infidelity. I did enjoy the ML wasn't a total doormat. Some fun twists that managed to keep its 13 episode length fresh and and the side characters were also very entertaining and well developed. Honestly the supporting cast really made the show. I doubt the central storyline could have carried the show for so long other wise. A few episodic episodes focused on just one of the supporting casts were some of the shows best (and funniest).

The last episode was rather weak though, after some highs and good tension in previous episodes. It's satisfying but just felt sort of flat and a rushed wrap up. Not mad about it, but it's just a little forgettable. Some earlier episodes were hilarious though so no regrets about watching.

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This is an old drama with an outdated view on gender roles, but if one takes it with a grain of salt and watches it with Mulan in mind, they may be entertained. First, some red flags...the FL kisses the ML out of the blue, the second ML kisses the FL also by surprise and later the ML force kisses the FL in anger.

The FL and ML are also both* very childish and bickered a lot, which I didn't care for. The good thing is that once they finally get together, they actually make a pretty sweet couple and become better versions of themselves. The first 11 episodes of their push and pull got on my nerves a bit, but everything after that was good.

Another trope I dislike is when one of the characters has a secret and it stretches out for far too long. I think the FL had a good reason to keep her gender a secret. To some extent, I could also understand why the ML was angry when he found out...but I felt his anger was a bit over the top and hypocritical. He was so mad at being deceived and yet he also paid her to pretend to be his boyfriend so he in turn could deceive his grandmother. That's what I meant when I said that the ML was childish. I finally get Gong Yu's appeal though, he is handsome and charismatic...and for some* reason is good at playing childish heroes. From Coffee Prince to Goblin...I finally understand why he's paired up with younger female leads XD Eun Hye also did a very good job at portraying the very boyish Eun Chan (mannerisms and all)...I'm not sure why all her dramas after this one weren't as good.

I would argue that Han Kyul and Eun Chan, when they finally get together and put their sh*t behind them, had even better chemistry than the couple in My Love from the Star, despite their age gap. The way Han Kyul hated the idea of Eun Chan leaving him to study abroad but accepted it anyway for her sake, so she could grow as a person...the way they both gave each other advice to take care of themselves when apart...they seemed like such an odd couple, but it actually worked for me.

Also, I have no issues with a childlike heroine...I've seen many in these Asian dramas. But it made no sense to me for Eun Chan, a girl who had to grow up fast and be the 'man' in her family to put food on the table, to be so childlike. It's good that she finally seemed grown up when she got together with Han Kyul at the end, especially when she came back from her studies...but in the first 11 or so episodes, she just seemed unbelievably childish and carefree for someone who had such a hard life. The contrast had a good effect, though. I really liked the mature version of Eun Chan at the end of the series who was confident and knew what she wanted. Han Kyul also grew into a better version of himself in that he was an aimless drifter but later on, became a responsible boss who wanted to work hard to make something (the coffee chain) grow.

This is also one of the few Korean dramas to include sensuality. Nothing explicit, but I was surprised that the main leads actually sleep together, not like in My Love from the Star where they're literally just on the same bed with all their clothes on!

The Second Leading Couple were very* toxic. The second female lead Yu Ju was incredibly selfish. She left Han Seong in the beginning for another man. The series starts with her begging him to take her back, which he does (why?) and later when Han Seong starts to (almost) develop feelings for Eun Chan, she gets angry and can't seem to forgive him the way he forgave her. Worse, she tries to leave him all over again for the same man. They seemed very happy at the end, but I could just not warm up to them as much.

There is also a lot* of toilet humor in this series. The character of manager Hong was particularly gross.

So why exactly did I like Coffee Prince? It's hard to explain, but for all the quirks and flaws the characters had, they still (most of them) managed to be likeable. The warm feeling I had when watching family dramas like Reply 1988 was there when I watched this. The camaraderie between the Coffee Shop waiters (the scene where they individually said goodbye to Eun Chan before her trip abroad) the scene where Eun Chan cuddled her younger sister Eun Sae after her failed audition, the scene where manager Hong defended Eun Chan to Han Kyul's grandmother when she wouldn't accept them at first...these are the heartfelt moments that make the best family dramas and Coffee Prince had a lot of that warmth between the characters that gives viewers that good feeling.

Han Kyul and Eun Chan were also well written as a flawed, imperfect (even eccentric) couple who manage to be believable, in spite of everything. I grimaced a lot at their annoying antics, but later I also smiled a lot at how they turned out.

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This drama wasn't meant to be female centric, but the female lead stole the show for me. Jun Ji Hyun is at her absolute best playing an arrogant diva who still manages to be likeable and very* charismatic. A lot of the things she says- coming from the mouth of another person, would come across as obnoxious and get a lot of eyes rolling, but when Cheong Seong Yi says it, she's so darn funny that one cannot help but liking, laughing with her or laughing at her. The last time I laughed so much at a lead actress' performance was in Mr. Queen. While Ji Hyun excels at comedy, she also does emotional scenes well. I was surprised at how she could switch in the blink of an eye from being carefree/nonchalant one moment, to vulnerable and teary eyed the next.

Kim So Hyeon also did a good job playing the role of a cold and distant male lead, but to be honest, I don't really prefer this type of male character. It's just a preference, but I've always leaned towards strong, but warm (or warm-hearted) male leads. I'm not really into the trope where the FL has to win or thaw the heart of a cold man, but to each their own. That said, Kim So Hyeon's Do Min Jun had a very* good reason to be cold and distant. As an alien, he had plans of returning to his home planet, so it would be too painful for him if he were to develop attachments. It was a little strange for me when he suddenly kissed the FL out of blue, after acting so distant.

The second ML was the complete opposite of the one in Shine on Me. Park Hae Jin's Hui Gyeong embodied an ideal second male lead who was a bit clingy, but very loving...not just as an admirer, but as a friend. He later becomes a good ally to both the FL and ML. I thought it was sweet when he put his life on the line for Cheong Seong Yi and this was made even more touching because he didn't have any powers and was injured for it. There was also more to him than just pining for her. The emotional ups and downs he had as the younger brother of a murdered older brother (who he loved), as the younger brother to another brother (who turned out to be a psychopath) and finally, as the least favorite son to a narrow minded chaebol made me sympathize with him. The scene where he humbled himself and had to tell his disbelieving father the truth about what his older brother Jae Gyeong was really like, was one of my favorites.

Overall, I love the concept of this drama. This is basically the kdrama take on the romance between an alien and a human. I actually wanted to rate this higher, but couldn't for the following reasons:

1) Lack of chemistry: There is actually nothing wrong with both Jun Ji Hyun and Kim So Hyun's performances here and they gave their absolute best with what they had.

They simply, IMHO, had no chemistry.

It's not their fault. It's not the fault of how the characters were written, either. I just felt that the actress and actor themselves didn't have it. What's weird is that Do Min Jun had even better chemistry with Cheong Seong Yi's brother* and the scene where the brother pounced on him on the couch made me think of a BL XD. I think the most touching relationship for the ML here was not the one with the FL but the one with his older friend, Mr. Yeong Mok.

In the last few episodes where Cheong Yi didn't do much but cry over Min Jun's absence...the scenes where they said their goodbyes and professed their love for one another...I hate to say it, but I really didnt' feel anything during these moments that were supposed to be so heartfelt. At the back of my head, I was even comparing them unfavorably to the love confession between the couple in The First Frost, one of the few that actually felt raw, heart wrenching and had me in tears.

2) Conflict with Jae Gyeong, the main antagonist: I know that this drama is first and foremost, a romance, so I didn't expect Game of Thrones level writing when it came to seeing the leads square off with the main villain, but there were parts that were just plain stupid.

Why for instance, would Yura (the character blackmailing Jae Gyeong into marrying her) use a USB that could not be copied? She was calculating enough to get something like that to use against him, but why not make as many copies for security? They made a huge deal out of the USB being supposedly non-copyable, so that they could have many scenes with Jae Gyeong's henchmen trying to physically assault Min Jun and Seong Yi to get the drive...only for it to turn out that there was another* copy of the file anyway.

If Jae Gyeong was also such an evil mastermind, why didn't he just have his ex-wife killed? Why go through the elaborate ruse of having her locked up in a hospital where he could bribe the entire staff to keep her prisoner there. It's like the writers just did that so it could conveniently pop up later and be used against him.

There was also a wasted opportunity to address a major issue in Korea...the vicious cancel culture they have. Cheong Seong Yi was cancelled for something she didn't do. She was blamed for the murder of another woman without any proof and almost lost her career over it. It would have been extremely gratifying to see how the entertainment industry made it up to her when they realized she was innocent. Instead, the writers chose to have Do Min Jun reveal his powers to the public (for absolutely no reason...it's not like he was planning to become a superhero anyway, so what was the point of that?) so naturally, the public's attention was diverted to the alien with powers, not to the comeback of the maligned actress.

In real life, many Korean actors and actresses commit suicide over being cancelled or some baseless scandal or other...it would have been better if the writer didnt' sweep this issue under the rug. It would have been better if the story showed also how Cheong Seong Yi felt about the whole thing.

In the ending, after Min Jun left, they came out with this ridiculous thing where he gets sucked into a wormhole. When he finally returns to earth and to Seong Yi, his body could only be partially physically present for short periods of time. There was absolutely no reason for this. His alien race had the technology to land on earth. Couldn't they just make something up where they allowed him to return?

They should have either had a totally sad ending where the leads were separated forever or a totally happy one where they were reunited forever. Not this half baked scenario.

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