A really important message!
This is a series that requires an open mind. On one hand, we have JaTae working together for the first time, which demands a significant investment of work, dedication, and commitment from the actors. Added to that is the story's backdrop, which deals with such a difficult subject matter. I think that, obviously, although there are flaws, as in any production, it was an excellent job by the entire production team. From my personal perspective, it would have been desirable to see Ja's character confronting his father from a much earlier stage in the series, but as the plot progressed, I had to remind myself how different the staging of Asian productions is compared to the rest of the world. In Asia, respect for parents is sometimes portrayed so deeply that even the worst treatment doesn't provoke confrontations from children towards their parents. I found the portrayal of JaTae's characters in the short film within the series wonderful (and I cried a lot). It conveys an important message.Was this review helpful to you?
Light vs Darkness
No matter how fiercely the darkness prevails, light will always triumph in the end. - this quote sums up this dramaFinished watching Vendetta of An., finally This is one of the best dramas that has come out in 2025 year-end. I enjoyed watching every bit of it, craving for more episodes. I had so much to vent while watching, about humans acting worse than animals, and also wondered if living is so important that one would kill to live. . ML's side answered my question, they killed too , so that others lived , not for greed , not for power , but to bring peace to the realm. they killed only the garbage parading in human skin . .. they have mostly forgiven or protected innocents (even if they have done mistakes , unknowingly) . I loved and hated the deposed king. it took so much death and destruction for him to grow a pair! On the contrary though I started off being suspicious of his brother, i ended up admiring him in the end. He came out as being more compassionate , politically matured and more deserving of the throne , and i felt bad that he died in the end. Some of the moments felt so helpless, and i was worried ML's side wouldnt be able to succeed . and only a miracle would help them succeed - and that miracle is ML himself - the ending was so intense and he indeed strategised the win so brilliantly , and convinsingly!
I immensely enjoyed the series, no doubt about it! And I will follow the original author's works more closely. I think the author is immensely talented.
The drama captured the essence and presented it powerfully and convincingly. I loved the fast pace .my only grouse was, it needed more episodes to do justice to all that content (choppy editing didnt help) - in the later episodes i sometimes struggled with names /characters /context , when some references made by various character , more episodes would have given us more context , breathing space to catch up. the fast pacing though i loved was so fast that i found myself racing (albeight not as fast )playing catchup.... Otherwise good content , acting , direction ..... will revisit this series again.
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The show that tried to do to much
This show started off strong and I was really rooting for it. The six main characters were all likeable and the actors, for the most part, did well with the material they were given. The concept of a porn star leaving the industry and returning to college was compelling and original.Unfortunately, this show suffered from trying to do to much. In a 13 episode series they tried to cover:
- Sex work
- Sexual assault
- Abusive, controlling, and neglectful parents
- Redemption arcs for 2 of the 3 terrible parents
- Blackmail
- Class differences
- Consent
- Coming out
- 3 romance arcs
- Jealousy and miscommunication tropes
- A show within a show that includes death and over-the-top 90s era homophobia
- An overly complicated plot to overthrow a cartoonishly evil professor
- Bullies learning the error of their ways and becoming supporters of their former victim
- A protagonist who also has a burgeoning music career in the middle of all this
- Having a character who has experienced pretty horrific sexual assault SEEK OUT an ex-boyfriend who attempted to SA him and invite him to join his music label?!!!
And they tried to do all of this while keeping the tone pretty light. There was just no way to do justice to all of these issues and plotlines. And I hate to say this because I really like Tae as an actor, but he's not great at on-screen kissing, which makes his love scenes with Ja kind of a rough watch.
Kind of a smaller complaint, but having a bra ad in the middle of an NC scene was a really strange choice.
Domon and Atom (Mud and Book) were my favorite part of this show- I hope it's a launching pad for them to get better projects.
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Superpowers, Money, and Unexpected Twists
Imagine having a superpower… but every time you help someone, you have to spend your own hard-earned money. If you don’t, your body starts to react with itchiness or a weird skin disease. That’s Cashero for you! The power is inherited in Kang Sang‑woong’s family you can’t escape it.Poor Kang Sang‑woong is already struggling financially, and now he has to pay to save people. You can’t borrow money, you can’t accept handouts—every act of heroism costs him sweat and cash. It’s stressful, intense, and completely unique.
One of my favorite parts of the series is seeing Sang‑woong realize who to trust. Forget the loud, obvious threats—those quiet, observing people are the ones to watch. His partner, Kim Min‑sook, is supportive and practical, staying right by his side, and I loved their teamwork.
Honestly, this series is fresh, creative, and surprisingly funny. I thought from the cover that helping people would magically make him richer but nope! Instead, it’s challenging, intense, and totally different from any superhero show I’ve seen before. Cashero isn’t just about powers—it’s about choices, responsibility, and surviving in a world that’s watching you closely.
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Face blindness once again, but at university this time!
PLOT: FL, a student with face blindness, is quite isolated. Her best friend convinces her to join the Photography Club, where she makes friends, and even finds love. ML, a handsome student returning from abroad, becomes attached to FL and does everything he can to make her life easier. Various rivalries, a love triangle, etc.+++ The only convincing actor in this series is ML, played by Chen Bo Hao.
The others need to improve their acting skills (a lot) :(
### The story is based on face blindness (a real and extremely rare condition, but one that seems so common in dramas :(
The problem is that the script seems to have been written by a high school student. The coincidences are huge, the plot twists obvious, the characters naive/stupid, etc.
### Very little studdies / research and preparation for a university series.
### As if by chance, the main character is disfigured in an accident :(
=> This series aims to be light and cute, but it's mostly just simplistic.
****************************************************************
La face blindness, mais à l'université cette fois !
PLOT: La FL, étudiante avec face blindness, est assez isolée. Sa BF la convainc d'adhérer au Club Photo, où elle va se faire des amis, et mm un amour. Le ML, handsome étudiant qui revient de l'étranger, va s'attacher à la FL et tt faire pr lui rendre la vie + facile. Rivalités diverses, love triangle, etc.
+++ Le seul acteur convaincant dans cette série, c'est le ML, Chen Bo Hao. Les autres doivent améliorer (bcp) leurs acting skills :(
### La story est basée sur la face blindness (maladie réelle et extrêmement rare, mais qui semble si courante dans les dramas :( Le pb c'est que le scénario semble avoir été écrit par un collégien. Les coincidences sont énormes, les twists évidents, les personnages naïfs / stupides, etc.
### Bien peu d'études et d'examens pr une série universitaire.
### Comme par hasard, le ML est défiguré par un accident :(
=> Cette série se veut légère et cute, mais elle est surtout simplette.
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Welcome to Samdalri is such a comforting drama
Honestly, Welcome to Samdalri is such a comforting drama. The story is really good and calming, not in a boring way, but in a “it slowly heals you” kind of way. It shows how the characters deal with their life problems, their failures, their pain, and how they don’t magically fix everything overnight.What I really like is how human it feels. People mess up, people run away, people get tired. And the drama lets them sit with those feelings. No rushing, no forcing happiness. Just healing step by step.
The biggest thing this drama made me feel is how important it is to have a place to come back to. Having a home, people who still accept you even when you’re broken… that kind of relief is insane. Like finally being able to breathe again.
This drama feels warm, slow, and very grounding. It’s not loud, but it stays with you. Definitely one of those dramas that makes you feel less alone.
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Short but Sweet
A very nice brotherhood story.I felt no romantic chemistry between the two and not even a kiss scene. All I saw was two bro's who had a misunderstanding, apologized and helped each other grow then held hands at the beach, like all good brothers bros do. Very nice brotherhood story. Baksu ??
Don't know why it's listed under bl but oh well , mistakes happen.
The plot is not that complicated or fleshed out but that only natural considering the average runtime of the drama was 15minutes and it only had 8 episodes to work with so I don't really fault the director or the script writer they did what the could with what they had.
It did kinda feel rushed at the end as they tried to reveal the overall plot and rush towards the conclusion all in one episode but like I said, this drama was only 8 episodes each an average of 15 minutes long, what do you expect?
It might sound like I'm complaining but the fact that I binged and completed this series in one sitting at normal speed without utilizing the 2x speed option means that I at least didn't hate it.
I loved the actors. Visuals were on point, acting was above average and the most, despite the horrible google translate lyrics, was a fun listen. All in all I score this best friend drama a 5.5 out of ten. A great watch for anyone looking to pass the time and enjoy visuals and cute acting .
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Dark, Twisted, and Addictively Good
From episode one, To My Shore already screams dark romance. Even the cover gave full yandere vibes, I knew I was in for something intense. Fan Xiao is pure black-flag energy: calculating, manipulative, and a master of emotional games. You Shu Lang… bless him, he keeps coming back no matter what! He falls for Fan Xiao way too fast, yet somehow it feels believable.The dynamic between them is a thrilling mix of obsession, strategy, and chaos, like watching a chess game where one player is playing 10 steps ahead and the other is falling for every trap. The novel mirrors the show almost perfectly, with extra depth in the characters’ thoughts and the tension that makes you gasp. Four-faced Buddha? Definitely You Shu Lang, not Fan Xiao.
It’s messy, it’s toxic, it’s dark, and I love every second of it. If you enjoy psychological romance with high stakes and unpredictable twists, this one’s a must-watch… just don’t say I didn’t warn you about the chaos!
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Satisfying Revenge
When you die abused, but wake up reborn with hacking skills and a vengeance list🏆 THE AWARDS CEREMONY 🏆
MVP: The ML for having zero chill about being the world's richest man. No secret identity, no humble billionaire act, just "Yes, I own everything you can see and several things you can't, what about it?" Energy? Unmatched. Subtlety? Never heard of her.
Crimes Against Logic: An ORIGINAL MONET. On PAPER. ROLLED UP. In dead grandma's GARAGE SALE PILE. I'm calling the Louvre. I'm calling Interpol. I'm calling someone because that painting should be in a climate-controlled vault, not stuffed in a box labeled "old junk." The disrespect to impressionism! To canvas! To MY BRAIN!
Most Rewatchable Moment: Every single time he looked down at her. The height difference was doing heavy lifting in this show. That man had to tilt his head at a 45-degree angle just to make eye contact, and I rewatched every second. Neck pain? Worth it. Chiropractor bills? WORTH IT.
Needs Therapy: That goddamn bracelet. Gifted with love, survived a car accident, got stolen, became forensic evidence, got dropped, thrown, insulted for being cheap, and somehow still expected to symbolize their eternal bond. Baby, if you've been through half the trauma this bracelet endured, you'd be in pieces. Someone get this accessory a support group.
Surprise Winner: Adopted sister's "angry" faces! Girl was committed to being evil, but her facial expressions said, "I'm flexing every muscle in my face." The eyebrow work! The pursed lips! The complete lack of actual rage! It was giving community theater villain and I lived for every second. 🤣
Robbery: Denying ME the opportunity to own those sleek AI glasses. They were GORGEOUS. They were ADVANCED. They probably cost more than my car. And I can't have them? This show really looked me in the eye and said "You can watch him wear them but you'll never know that technological joy yourself." CRIMINAL.
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A welcome change in plot and great direction
To my shore is a welcome change in many aspects… story, direction and acting!When the story is of a love that is borderline or beyond redemption it needs great story telling to be convincing. The direction is commendable considering that. Both the director and the main leads convinced me that there is all shades to love when the star crossed lovers are as extreme as, yu shulang and fan xiao. One, kind and sunshine like and the other devious and dark. Their journey of self realization, acceptance and redemption was towards not just to each other but most of all to themselves.
The story had a raw edge of grey that was life like…
Both the leads had great chemistry and you don’t need a lot of skinship or NC scenes to translate their passion convincingly. I really enjoyed the episodes when they were falling for each other.
Ofcourse there are gaps and areas that can be improved upon, I chose to stay with the positives of this drama for it was an overall great attempt by the cast and crew! Kudos!!!
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16 Episodes and I surrender
The actor playing Wei Wuxian is the ray of sunshine of this show. His emotions are written all over his face and in his eyes, and he is definitely the best part of the series. The second lead is also good, but Wei Wuxian is my favourite.What I didn’t enjoy from the very beginning were the ridiculous special effects. I’m sorry, but the cave monster and other beasts look terrible. This is also my first Chinese series, so I’m not familiar with their usual level of expertise, but it all looks very amateur.
Another thing that really disturbed me were the male cast’s wigs. To be honest, I sometimes couldn’t even focus on the dialogues because of those ridiculous wigs. I mean, where does human hair start according to Chinese character designers? Surely not halfway down the cheek.
Unfortunately, I’m dropping the series after 16 episodes, as I couldn’t get involved enough with the storyline. Maybe I’ll try the books one day.
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✨ A Gentle Love Story That Glows Brighter with Every Episode ?
I fell in love with Shine on Me for its emotionally mature romance 💕, natural chemistry 🔥, and beautifully crafted slow‑burn storytelling 🌙. The heartfelt pacing and Lin Yu Sen’s sincerity made every moment feel real and meaningful.The chemistry between Song Wei Long and Zhao Jin Mai was incredible — deep, steady, and impossible to ignore ✨. The ML’s patience and quiet longing paired perfectly with the FL’s gradual emotional awakening, and their relationship with his mothers added so much warmth 💐.
While the slow pacing may not suit everyone, I found the drama warm, comforting, and deeply romantic. The cinematography is gorgeous 🎥, the OST is dreamy 🎶, and the emotions linger long after the final episode.
Overall, Shine on Me is a satisfying, heartwarming watch that reminds us why pure, positive romance will always have a special place in our hearts ❤️.
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A Twisted Story That Kept Me Believing
The Wicked Game was absolutely amazing from start to finish. The story was so tricky and unpredictable, with constant twists and turnouts that kept me hooked the whole time. Every episode made me question what was really going on, and just when I thought I understood the plot, it surprised me again. One of the most overwhelming moments for me was when Peem was shot. That scene hit really hard emotionally, and I was honestly in shock. It felt heartbreaking and unfair, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it afterward. But deep in my heart, I kept believing that he was still alive. Something about the way the story was written made me refuse to give up hope—and I’m so glad I trusted that feeling. And he is alive. What makes this series special is how it plays with your emotions while keeping the suspense strong. The characters feel real, the tension never drops, and the storytelling is bold and smart. The Wicked Game isn’t just entertaining—it pulls you in and makes you feel everything. Definitely a series worth watching and remembering.Was this review helpful to you?
Messy plot, flat chemistry, uneven romance
I ended up being a bit of a struggle for me. The plot was messy and confusing for most of the story, with pacing that didn’t quite hold together. I couldn’t really enjoy the chemistry between the leads, which made the romance feel flat at times.A few emotional beats worked, but overall it didn’t leave much of an impression.
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my top 10! i love IT
If you're wondering whether to watch it, definitely yes! I was skeptical myself when I saw how “low” its rating was. I took the plunge and I'm glad I did. An original plot with excellent acting and an interesting ending. I admire the actors for taking on the challenge of performing underwater in artificial mermaid tails, they really deserve a big round of applause.I really don't know what's wrong with people who complain. ofc You can complain but if you don't like this kind of thing, why watch it and then complain and give it a low rating? If I don't like a certain genre of film, I avoid it, I don't force myself to watch it and then complain that it's hopeless.
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