Reviews

Another money grab at the expense of story telling

Alice in Borderland joins the growing list of excellent kdramas that are being exploited for further gain by adding additional seasons that do not compare to the original. The Uncanny Counter, Sweet Home, and Squid Game have all proven that this money grab by Netflix will ultimately end up disappointing the viewers and this third season is no exception. While not the worst offender in this new season it still lacks the reasoning and plot cohesion to justify continuing the story.

This season does manage to maintain the level of graphics and game quality with that insane deadly adrenaline that previous seasons had but the pacing and overall character development leaves the characters feeling hollow and unmemorable. The why's for all the important questions are flimsy and not very believable. Why do they return? Why only those that have been before? Why is Joker looking for them? Why is she suddenly depressed over her dead father? Why is Ryuiji weirdly obsessed with her? None of the answers provided by the show feel accurate to previously established character development and story progression/rules nor does it give strong enough reasoning to make the explanation feel satisfying.

This season also fails to really bring Borderland to its full potential like the previous seasons. Previous seasons had the rules for the cards which were suit coded and numbered which provided clues for the type of games and the difficulty that gives them time if they survive them. In this season since it is only Joker the participants are unable to choose their games and must compete in all of them leaving all the previous rules behind which I could understand since Joker is often the wildcard but then the show fails to give any further gravity or conclusion leaving the ending feeling flat and pointless. The money grab for an American spinoff to match Squid Games is also really obnoxious.

Overall this felt a bit boring and does not come close to the previous seasons but I did not hate it and found it mostly watchable. Just set your expectations for mediocre.

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One Word - Rowoon saved this drama !

The drama starts off strong. The story is set in the 16th century backdrop, coming to the drama's story- the bandits are controlling the trade ports in the Joseon kingdom. Basically this might be the core story In the first three episodes it shows the bandits' hierarchy, the protagonist's partial backstory, and the other main characters' introductions. And there's a scene that is very short but impactful on the entire drama; that scene is not fictional—it really happened.

Acting is appreciable; charming boy Rawoon's surprises with his makeover into a raw and rustic character, revealing a new side of his a new side of acting but we barely get to hear any character dialogues from him.
Despite limited screentime Shin Ye-Eun's leaves a strong impression as well as Park Ji Hwan.

Technically the production values are top-notch with the re-creation of 16th-century Joseon era atmosphere; the production design team succeeded in bringing the originality of the people in that Joseon era—their costumes, makeovers and location sets feel authentic. Good Cinematography.

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Old fashioned snooze fest

What worked for me ✨️

✨️The premise of the story, the deal where whoever lost would leave their job, added a nice twist to the setup.

✨️Ji Yuheng as a character kept me invested for awhile

✨️The second couple, Rao Jing and Zhao Fanggang, had great chemistry and fun banter.

✨️Zhao Fanggang’s development: he went from being the character I disliked most in the beginning to my absolute favorite by the end.


What didn’t work for me ❌️

❌️ The workplace conflict was deflated and poorly executed. There was no real shock or suspense, just a flat reveal.

❌️ The main leads were boring together and lacked chemistry. Honestly, I wish the second couple had been the leads.

❌️ The third couple added nothing, unnecessary screen time.

❌️ The OST was forgettable

❌️ Old-fashioned stereotypes: marriage being “necessary” and 27 already being considered “too old.”

❌️ Ji Yuheng's obsession with his high school crush felt creepy and unrealistic. Never dating anyone else, never moving on, that’s a trope I truly dislike. (Also they managed to say that Tang Yu Hui's love was obsession but not Yu Heng's?)

❌️ Xiao Ning had no real character traits beyond being annoying, judgmental, and inconsiderate. Zero accountability made her unlikable.

❌️ Her childish, snobbish friend was just as bad, acting superior while actually being the worst.

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Delivered the sweet, failed with angst.

I liked it, but I did not love it. But it was so close to being so good, it just makes me feel more disappointed. It gave us so much to appreciate - good chemistry between the leads, THE height difference, interesting set up for the plot and future conflict, decent acting… but then it kind of did not deliver on any of these.

Was the chemistry good? Yes. And if it was not for the supporting couple, I would probably even say it was great. But these few moments we’ve got from Ju Ha and Kyu Sung felt so natural I could not see the main couple in the same light. Good example: both couples had that “one person leaning on the other when they are sitting, semi backhug position” - Ju Ha and Kyu Sung felt like couple, Si Yeol and Ae Jun felt like actor who are playing the couple and are ready to get back to normal sitting position right when they hear “cut”.

Still, the interactions felt mostly natural. I loved how Si Yeol was confidently flirting and how confused, but also happy Ae Jun was about it (living his best delulu life).

Then we had the height difference straight from the webtoon, so big my neck hurt just watching Ae Jun look at Si Yeol. So my question is… why wasn’t it used? Like, ever? There are so many perfect (cliche) moments and scenes that many viewers love, and we’ve got none.

Even the set up was great - scheming idol and a dishonest fan. One would be enough for a great conflict and angst to follow, but these two? What an amazing combination. So where is the angst? The way I almost felt nothing when all the tea started to spill. The way things were set up to be future conflicts ended up as nothing, but a few seconds scenes.

I do believe the issue here was the acting from Kim Kang Min. Overall, his performance was fine, but the moment the plot leads more into heavy themes, he just did not deliver. Which was even more evident when he shared the screen with Park Jin Woo who actually aced the sadness and anger.

Production value was good. One of the issues I often have with dramas about idols, is how unrealistic the details of their work are (e.g. awards ceremonies in small rooms with barely any people). Here he did feel like a real idol - from merch, songs, interviews, stages, radio interviews. The school also felt like a school, classroom had students that acted like students. The environment was crafted in a way that made the story feel more real.

Overall, it was almost there. A few changes in the last 3 episodes and we could have gotten a solid show.

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FIGHT FOR HIS CAREER

I love the plot of he actually want his career back but he did something unexpected and weird. Jeongwoo act as a woman are so good, even though people should notice he's a man in the first glance from his body figure and voice🤣but maybe they doesn't want to judge quickly

Jeongwoo story is sad, since his own life disappear after one news then he lost everything.
(Spoiler)
I glad that that girl doesn't become his love interest after he knew she's the one that spread the story of him.
People should confront other face to face if they really unsatisfied with their action instead of share in social media, social media are so scary about spreading hate

Overall, this is good, balance humor with Captain Seo that looks like an idiot hahahahah. Recommend to watch :)

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A Storm Worth Watching!

I’m honestly loving this show right now. Finally, a solid political K-drama that dares to bring back a North Korea–South Korea love angle (it instantly gave me Crash Landing on You vibes, though the story here is totally different).
The plot is gripping, the cast is doing a great job, and while the humor is almost missing (guess we can’t expect too many jokes in politics + cross-border romance 😅), the drama keeps you hooked. Music-wise, it’s a little underwhelming, but the emotions more than make up for it.
My absolute fav moment (up till Ep. 7) is when the male lead says to the female lead: “Can you pretend this is one of the ordinary days.” Those words might sound simple, but in that scene? Pure magic. ✨
So if you’re a fan of action, politics, and romance all tangled together—Tempest is definitely one to add to your watchlist!

P.S.- Finished watching this on 2nd Oct 2025

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Absolute Banger till first 19 episodes.

The first arc of the drama is really amazing and deserves all ten stars. I'd recommend this show just for those 19 ep. The second arc though? Bah 🥴

I'm not saying this because I dislike complications or tragedy but because the writing in the second half is genuinely awful. It seemed like the characters had no development in the span of three years and were just stuck being shadows of their past selves. The consequences of their actions do not seem to inspire any change in their outlook. The story seems to be in a state of complete limbo, it does not move forward but just keeps referencing the past. This kind of lazy writing is what makes the second part feels like a less charming reenactment of the first part with nothing new to add. The ML's character was also really inconsistent in the second half, like they weren't sure what they wanted to do with him.

Moreover, there's no satisfactory resolution of the conflicts that are set up, both in the terms of the romance and revenge arcs. As the audience we are baited into watching these episodes for the epic downfall of their enemies WHICH NEVER HAPPENS. Instead we are fed some sloppy shit about how everyone makes mistakes and all that like!!? That Gao dude is literally a wife beater what do you mean he gets a redemption arc? What was the point of setting up the stage for their battle then? In terms of romance the conflict between the two characters never gets the kind of treatment it deserves. They just sort of brush it under the table with one measly apology from ML. The show would have been much more meaningful if the whole revenge fiasco had made both ML and FL reflect on themselves and grow as people. Especially the ML, the lack of a proper grovel from his side really makes the second part feel so superficial and makes the FL seem like a doormat.

I'd suggest you to stop watching after their graduation party scene in ep 19 and give them a happy ending in your mind.

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In the end, only one Rider can remain.

One of the more popular and highly regarded Kamen Rider shows, Ryuki, is an odd beast. Its fifty-episode length certainly feels unwarranted, but when combined with the show's complex depiction of justice and outstandingly choreographed action, it can make for immensely satisfying viewing. The humour doesn't always work and can even be detrimental to the tone the series is trying to maintain, especially given the high amount of emotional plot beats during the final stretch. Many episodes feel very meandering, focusing on a small cast of characters and emphasising the sillier elements; it all feels like a different show entirely, where the Rider Fight is merely an afterthought.

It's difficult to buy into Shinji's antics at the start, but thankfully, it seems the writers realised this and gave us a second Rider to follow right from the get-go with Ren. They make for an intriguing double act early on, with Shinji's carefree attitude contrasting heavily with Ren's more personal involvement in the big battle royale. The problem arises when nearly every character introduced, even the small one-offs, has their own arc and journey, which leaves many of the leads fighting for screentime; it makes the series feel cramped when it has a whole other dimension to explore.

As this show features a whopping ten Riders to keep track of, with some having a greater impact than others, it can be a challenging follow. Some turn up and leave just as quickly as they are introduced, while others stick around for a lot longer. Imperer and Scissors are examples of the former more than the latter. Their ultimate deaths are also a mixed bag, with Scissors' demise only there to serve as a warning to the fate that will befall the rest of the cast, while Raia's death is utterly soul-destroying, signalling a change in direction for the rest of the run.

Production-wise, it feels very much of its time; the reliance on CG ultimately dates the show quite severely, but the direction usually more than makes up for it with the musical score being generally delightful to listen to, even if it's somewhat repetitive. The cast all do a great job with the material, bringing a range of different levels of energy to their roles. It's hard to single out any standouts when they are all good.

Honestly, I think Ryuki is just alright in the end. The mystery regarding the Kanzaki siblings doesn't do a lot for me, especially when it's plainly evident that Shiro is the big bad from the moment he's first mentioned. Still, when the show is focused on each Rider and their individual goals, I was hooked. It's a show where I wish the core elements were just a bit more consistent because it had all the potential to be a winner, especially with its brutal gut-punch of an ending. Still, I did enjoy watching the show, and am looking forward to checking out Dragon Knight one of these days.

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Best Modern C Drama this year so far

The acting, Storyline,flow and chemistry between the actors is top Notch.Though there were concerns about the male lead being older,I find that his maturity adds to the seriousness of this serie.The story is something that doesn't feel repetitive, because we have had a lot of the same girl gets reborn, comes back for revenge, gets reincarnation plots this year,so this story feels a tadbit fresh.Its a girl fighting for her way in the world without having to die first then get a new prospective at her life.she is a strong female lead who used the trauma she went through growing up as fuel to attain something she wouldn't have otherwise,it is more realistic than reincarnation in my opinion.

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Fantasy vs. reality

This is a sweet and fluffy drama, with just enough drama for it to be a drama. The acting/directing could be better, I wouldnt say it was bad but it felt a bit awkwered at times and could probably easily be fixed by more experience and directing.

The characters are interesting but a lot is under explored and could use more screen time and depth but where rushed instead leaving me with a slight feeling of meeh... However it does have its fanboy charm... And does have a nice touch of idol vs human behind idol idea to it.

If they were to make a season 2 I would probably watch it, not that they have much more to explore but more out of curiosity of where they would go with this,

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