Reviews

Nani (Nitcharee) Nitinavakorn — Joke of a CEO

Started at NineStar Studios on Feb 3, 2025. Hired as CEO of an entertainment production company—a role that demands strategic, creative, ethical, and operational leadership, especially when managing talent and fan engagement across global markets.

She had none of those skills. Zero. Zilch!

Within 3 days, she had already offended the entire Chinese fandom. Then, while issuing an apology to them, she insulted the rest of the international fanbase—spanning over 87 countries.
👏 Slow clap. What an entrance.

It only got worse. Her track record includes:
- when fans were asking for answers, she made the artists and the fans wait 10 days for the date.
- citing they don’t work on weekends
- then finally the 10 day came around Nani terminated NineStar’s leading artist via a TikTok live

Unethical. Unprofessional. Unqualified.

Hint to prospective employer, do not hire Nani (Nitcharee) Nitinavakorn. Avoid her like a plague.

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✒ ⚖ Jung Hae-In VS Good-Girl-Disease ↔ (Again) From, Kim Eun & An Pan-Seok °7.6° °VG°

OSN was brought to us by the same team that gave us Something in the Rain-8.6: Director An Pan-Seok & writer Kim Eun. The two series have so many similarities that it's impossible to review OSN w/o looking back at SITR. OSN is SITR-lite, like a stamp that has been used a 2nd time so the imprint is more faded. They have the same ML and the same actress plays the mother of both FLs. Both are slow paced and build methodology while slow, sultry 🇺🇲music strums in the background. Slow doesn't mean boring. Both are great watches (though SITR started breezy and then ripped my heart out w/o fully putting it back together). As a stand-alone, OSN doesn't have much worth. Its rating and its value are inseparably part and parcel of SITR.

Ji has been dating Gi-seok/Gi (her father's boss's son) for years. Everyone else is used to Gi. Dad is getting close to retirement and his boss has mentioned getting him a job at the foundation (gasp!). Dad is absolutely salivating over the idea. The moment Ji meets Jo she realizes she can't take Gi for another moment. Their relationship had turned stale and moldy when no one was tending to it. The "bad” thing about Jo is that he has a son. The mom took off. Jo seems like a bad bet & Ji falling for Jo threatens to turn the family upside down.

“What if I was about to do something that would turn everyone against me?” Ji asks her friend. Lee Jeong-in/Ji is played by Han Ji-Min. Ms Han can be so cute. She's great in Our Blues-8.5 and she really shines in The Familiar Wife-8.5, which was surprisingly excellent. Ji's stubborn and she will see things through to the end. Yu Ji-Ho/Jo is played by Jung Hae-In. W/o a doubt, he's a nice lookin guy. His appeal goes beyond mere looks. He's not likely to be picked as a top-10 from a lineup of the many exceptional Korean MLs based on looks alone, but he is a top-10. Probably a top-5 for many. He has a manner, and he has liquid-like eyes that just melt the viewer. His parents watch his son while Jo lives near his job. He's been living lonely while alone, Ji's been living lonely while amidst others. Jo finally opens up a wee bit: “I had to endure to survive. If I didn't suppress this anger and emotion, who knows what I would have done?”

OSN is a 2019 release that is rated 83 on AWiki. It is 1 season consisting of 16 60-minute episodes. It didn't tear my heart out and stomp on it like SITR did. I like the characters, but my blood pressure didn't spike when they met adversity. Each series looks at oppressive, controlling parents and restrictive society from different angles and involves FLs who are under pressure to date a certain way. While I loved SITR, it was painful - very painful - I wanted to slap the FL more than once. OSN is so similar - I wasn't sure I was up for the pain.

Both FLs have a touch of good-girl disease and go through a fair amount of dithering. It can be unnerving. In SITR, the FL is expected to date only in the upper social strata, while in OSN, our FL is pressured on all sides to maintain a long term relationship so that everyone /else/ will feel at ease. It's the same issues but OSN has a different FL - a stronger one who is more impervious to coercion, yet still bogged down by a society that sucks at the feet, fighting every step forward. SITR features a toxic mother and OSN bring us imperious males. (The mom in OSN is lovely, and the same woman (Gil Hae-Yeon) plays mom in both shows. That's what /acting/ looks like). If one looks at the two shows as volumes of the same book, they fit together perfectly. Both of them feature quiet, everyday drama. Around ep7, I started to get nervous that this would be 9 more episodes of dithering over pressure asserted by friends, family, and society. The vacillation finally dies out and gives way to decision.

Poor losers. That's theme #1. “It's why I can't let this go. I don't want to look like a pathetic loser,” Gi moans. Gi's enormous ego led him to treat Ji as less - he took advantage of her - and when she leaves him, his ego can't take the “L. Gi refuses to break up with her because he doesn't want to lose - and he /really/ doesn't want to lose to Jo. I've known people who remain bitter for years - decades, even - after a divorce (the hurt may never go away, but this discussion is about allowing hurt to turn into bitterness, which is something different). The sense is that the bitterness is more about anger over losing more than anything else. Everyone must lose at some point. The fact that a person can't get beyond a loss, but rather opts for bitterness, means s/he is even more of a loser. Keep moving forward; work on yourself. Anything else is loser mentality. Every decision Gi makes, makes him more of a loser. Pride is a sneaky destroyer, yet we house it and nurture it until it infests every part of our lives. Pride is also Gi”s biggest motivator. It's what motivated him to work all the time to the neglect of his girlfriend. More than love, pleasing his difficult father (being validated) motivates Gi. That is why he never even introduced Ji to dad. He was worried she wasn't good enough. He took her for granted and thought he could make anything & everything up to her later - she would put up with it all. He had just heard from Jo: “You looked down on me.” Now Ji turns around and says the same thing; “You looked down on me,“ and “I was stupid to put up with it,” she adds. Yep, Gi is over the top, but I know a few Gi’s, and worse. Dad is worse. He only sees his daughters as pawns to bolster his image. Compare him to the ML, whose son is the world to him.

The fact that Jo has a son is a huge (YUGE!) obstacle, culturally. This goes against deeply ingrained traditions. Traditions usually start as something good, but people twist and corrupt everything. After awhile we get to the place where parents say: ‘You: Stay with the abusive husband,’ and, ‘You: Marry the cold guy who uses you because the man who loves you has a child.’ After awhile, traditions make no sense and do more harm than good as they morph into the opposite of what was originally intended. We need to examine our presuppositions every now & then.

Men treating women like property is another theme. “You should be ashamed that you're a shallow minded father who's more concerned with what other people think,” says mom to dad. The father sees his daughters as collateral. There's two relationships in which the man will not agree to a break-up, Ji with Gi, and her oldest sister with her abusive husband. In each case, the motivation is love - love of themselves, or pride. Neither cares much about the woman. “Do you think this is about love?” Ji's friend asks. When two men fight over a woman, it's usually about their pride, not the woman. The women know it isn't love, but they are trapped.

The way Ji has such a hard time making a clean break is one of the themes: Duty vs heart. There are duties that are infinitely more important than what we want, but some “duties” aren't duties at all: They are just a form of useless, meaningless control. Wisdom is knowing the difference. Ji is told that she shouldn't break-up with Gi as feelings come and go. She's treated with disrespect merely because she realizes she doesn't love her bf; she doesn't even /like/ him. He's just a /bf/ that she let hang around for too long, not a husband or even a fiance. Everyone acts like Ji's love life is their business. They keep asking if /Gi/ has /agreed/ to break it off (like that matters). Her sister is pushed to stay in a mistake-marriage with the claim that feelings come and go. This is true. Feelings come and go. However, most of the people (dad, especially) making this statement have a pride agenda. They don't want to look bad. There's a collection of things that dad is getting from his daughters’ relationships. He never gives a thought to what they are getting back, though. He has no inkling of how much he has distanced himself from them because dad has one great love affair in his life, and that's with himself.

It's not just Dad, mom, and Gi that Ji's trying to balance. Her co-workers’ curiosity is inflamed and she wants to win over her sisters to her side as well. Her sisters are navigating similar gauntlets (though in typical birth-order fashion, the youngest sister isn't struggling over pleasing any parent). Ji's friend may not agree with her decisions, but it's always good to listen to a contrary view, especially since her friend has no agenda other than wanting the best for a friend. Before long, though, Ji feels at home nowhere but in Jo's arms. Everything has been turned inside out.

We, in the West, can point fingers at 🇰🇷 and deride them for this awful behavior all we want, but we have the opposite problem. We've become slaves to our capricious, untrustworthy feelings. We throw out our duty, loyalty, and obligations all too easily. We indulge every whim yet are not satisfied, and our culture is increasingly enraged. The truth is often in the middle & the right answer is always a tailored fit; it cannot be found on the rack. Some marriages cannot be salvaged (Sister's marriage looks hopeless), but there's plenty of people who have worked on their failing marriages in earnest and have come out happier. One of life's secrets is that always indulging one's feelings and giving in to anger will never produce a happy life. Gratitude and contentment will. Anger is too frequently used as a veil to cover up our own deficiencies and inadequacies. If we are focused on another person's misdeeds, we never need pay mind to our own. Not only will this not work in the long-term, but it will also canker every relationship we have. Anger and hate eat our souls. So, while feelings are important, they aren't the most important thing. Treat them like a child: Nurse them, care for them, train them, but don't overindulge and spoil them or they will become ravenous monsters.

The first kiss should have been better. Perhaps they wanted it to be matter-of-fact, but waiting 9 episodes for that was a letdown. The first time I teared up wasn't for them, it was when two women sat on a bench together w/o saying a word. It's one of the best scenes in the show.

As the relationship with Gi falls apart he starts to see Ji with new eyes. The more she slips away, the more he falls in love. He's devastated when his own father, who had previously disapproved of Ji, actually compliments her. He had dismissively felt he owned her, and now that he's losing her, his own father seems to have more respect for /her/ than /him/! He could have gained points with his father by marrying Ji! Instead, dad looks down on him even more for blowing it. He makes a final play based on friendship - after a while the ardor may fade, but their friendship remains, surely? At the same time, Jo rejects the idea of friendship. He says he could never look at Ji in that way; she means too much to him. A self-absorbed person is incapable of being a good mate. Gi offers loveless, passionless “friendship.” Jo offers passion, devotion, adoration… Jo offers commitment - for every spring, summer, fall & winter's eve. Every good girl deserves to be loved like that!



QUOTES📢

Why do relationships always have such $h!++y endings?

Instead of holding back to protect someone, wouldn't you regret it less if you showed how far you're willing to go for that someone?


〰🖍 IMHO

📣7.7 📝7.6 🎭8 💓7.8 🦋5.5 🌞5.3 🎨6 ⚡2 🎵/🔊7.4 😅3 😭3.8 😱2 😯4.8 😖0 🤔7 💤2.5 🔚7.6

Age 15+
Language: $h!+, b!+ch, pr!ck


Re-📺? This one's in the good-to-pass-the-time category, but I may never pass this way again….

In order of ~lite&trite~ to ~heavy&serious~ you may also like:

Modern Day:
Mad For Each Other 7.8 ~silly fun;
My Secret Romance 7 (if you ff thru overdone flashbacks);
A Witch's Love 7.8;
Love to Hate You 8.9;
Her Private Life 8;
Touch your heart 8.2;
Romance is a bonus book 7.9;
Boys Over Flowers 8 ~ melodrama to the max;
Crash Landing On You 9.1;
Oh My Ghost 10;
It's Okay Not To Be Okay 9;
Love Struck in the City 7.3;
Hospital Playlist 9;
My Mister 9.5;
More Than Friends 8;
I'll See You When the Weather is Fine 9;
Something in the Rain 9

Historical/Period:
My Only Love Song 8.7 ~ excellent comedy;
Live Up To Your Name 7.6;
Mr. Queen 8.5;
My Sassy Girl / Yeopgijeogin Geunyeo 8.5;
Saimdang 8.5;
The King's Affection 8.3;
Mr. Sunshine 9

Try a Chinese historical fantasy romcom: The Romance of Tiger and Rose 9.8

Action/Sci-fi/fantasy:
K2 8;
Private Lives 8.1;
Sisyphus 8;
Tunnel 8.1;
Signal 8.6;
Black 9;
Squid Game 8.4;
Kingdom 8.3;
Sweet Home 8.4

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The Prisoner of 'Inner' Beauty.

The name of the drama should have been "The Prisoner of Inner Beauty.". The leading couple were both good looking and physically attracted to each other. But it was their inner beauty, that is, their love for their people and their selflessness that won them over and endeared them to each other. This was what enabled their eventual love for and complete trust in one another.

The enemies to lovers troupe was very well done but the whole story itself, in terms of its essence and purpose, was not logical. Because the actual enemy of Wei State that caused the problem from the beginning was Bianzhou. Li Su was simply a general serving Bianzhou. Yanzhou betrayed Wei, but they were not the real cause of what happened to Wei, neither were they the ones who started the conflict. They were a victim just as Wei was, only that they failed to come to Wei's rescue.

Added to the above setback, the drama started off very strong, lost steam a little in the middle and looked like it was going to regain momentum towards ep 30, but plummeted from ep 33. It was interesting up to ep 32 and then poor and rushed to the end. The problem was not about the ending being happy or sad but about it being bad. It would have been better if the last 4 episodes were not included. They were unecessary, poorly written, and executed. The plots in those 4 episodes made no sense and made the main themes of the story pointless. Like doing 180 degrees on the themes. If you must include more episodes, then make sure they are good and they deliver a befitting climax.

I started to watch cdramas beginning of 2024 and have seen several, even some released as far back as 2019. In all the different genres, and including popular ones, only about two had really good and well executed endings. So, I have to agree with those who have said that cdrama writers, and content producers, do not know how to write good endings, especially for their period/historical dramas.

However, for this drama, the work done to create some complex characters and fully develop their arc, especially those of the leading couple and Wei Yan, was brilliant. The characters of the two main antagonists were weak, though. As if they were intentionally made to be dumb. In all, the actors and two directors did a fantastic job. They saved the day for the drama!

I enjoyed the comedy, too, with the bantering of the four generals of Wei Shao and his adviser. As well as the silly comedic exchanges between the leading couple. I don't think I can get past those hilarious statements like: "Shame on Wei Shao!"; "...Wei Shao, get up!, get up!! get up!!!"; and of course, "...my lord...why can't you say something nice...is your mouth on FIRE.".

As to the romance of the leading couple, it was engaging, and the chemistry between them was undeniably strong. If only they stayed true to it and didn't have to over milk it in ep32 to the point of it becoming too much acting. The way they portrayed the love they shared the first time they wanted to cunsummate their marriage was very real and believable as it revealed their vulnerability and sincerity. It was all about the two of them. But the second time, which was the actual consummation, fell short of these beautiful elements. Are they deeply in love with each other and want to express this for the first time just for the sake of having a child or children? So, will he stop loving her if she is unable to give him a child? The message here is flawed. Then added to this was the over acting, which almost started to feel like a perfume commercial. And oh, those statements just give the cringe, "...how about giving me a child...and I want it now..." He is being intimate with his beloved wife for the first time and what is on his mind is a child and not to simply please her, still?

Though Wei Shao later told his mother that children come by fate. But this only contradicts what he was asking for, as an expression of love, the first time he was going to be physically intimate with his wife whom he loves so much. This contradiction which occured in the next episode is just another one of the reasons why the last 4 episodes were unnecessary. What would have been more realistic was for the consummation of their marriage to have happened at the inn. When Wei Shao finally genuinely opened up about his deep hatred for the Qiao clan, which he admitted was still lingering, but then stated his willingness to completely let go of it.

Overall, this drama would have been okay if it had ended in ep 32, or had a few more episodes that were more realistic, convincing, and properly executed. Then there is still the question mark hanging on the essence and purpose of the story in the first place. The whole story would have been plausible, cogent and relatable if Wei had attacked Li Su and Bianzhou first. The enemies to lovers troupe was great, but in the end, the story and main plot were weak because they were driven by a cause and effect thematic element that completely lacked logic.

Please do not read further if you don't want major spoilers.

About the plots. There were many repetitive sub-plots, several plot holes, and some plots were inconclusive. Here are some of the repetition:
1. One clan betrayed the same other clan - 2 times.
2. Sabotage in the granary - 2 times.
3. Sick leader dying in one state - 2 times
4. River as trap for military troops - 2 times
5. Take over of one city - 3 times!
6. Woman seeking to be empress and marrying leaders who truly loved her - 3 times! Well, the first one was a betrothal.

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Ehm why???

First of all, the big elephant in the room. Why on earth have so much episodes with a recap of the starting romance between Tin and Can... And if it was done wel then maybe... But the timeline with the stories of Ae / Pete and Techno/Kengkla was completely wrong. Also the same kind of moments between them, but done in a completely different way. It really was a waste of time, and money. And very anoying to watch.

Second, the complete absence of Saint in this season. I really didn't like that. It anoyed me the first time i watched it, this second time i knew the story behind it and disliked it even more. Also there was no explanation about the reason why Pete broke up with Ae and dissapeared from his life. Only one sentence that it might have to do something with Pete's dad, but that was hardly an explanation.

Third, way to little about te story of Techno and Kenkla. I would have liked to see more about their story.

It felt like this season was very low butget, because the visuals weren't that good and the sound was really bad! Also a lot of abrubtly cut off scene's.

What i did like was te story of Tin and Tul.
The dynamics between Tin and Can were good, but there was no chemistry between them at all.

Overal, when i watch season 1 again, i will watch this season too, but i will probably skip the first 6? episode because they are completely useless.

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Healing romance ("Hometown Cha Cha Cha" vibes) with Chen Bolin & Puff Kuo

PLOT: A star actor (the ML) escapes scandals by going to an island before filming a reality TV show. In his homestay, he gradually opens up to the grandmother owner, her granddaughter (the FL), and the locals.

+++ Great CL (more friendship than chemistry) with Chen Bolin & Puff Kuo
+++ Excellent direction (with director Peter Ho, who makes several cameos :)
+++ A very humanistic story (very endearing and well-developed locals characters), with dialogue full of wisdom and good psychological development for the characters.

No FLAWS

=> A heartwarming, warm drama, a pleasure to watch again!

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Healing romance ("Hometown Cha Cha Cha" vibes) avec Chen Bolin & Puff Kuo

PLOT: 1 acteur star (le ML) fuit les scandales en allant sur 1 île avt le tournage d'1 émission de TV réalité. Dans son gîte, il s'ouvre peu à peu, à la gd-mère, sa petite fille (la FL) et aux habitants.

+++ Great CL (plus Friendship que alchimie) avec Chen BoLin & Puff Kuo
+++ Excellente réalis° (avec le réalisateur Peter Ho, qui fait plusieurs caméos :)
+++ Story très humaniste (habitants très attachants & bien développés), avec dialogues plein de sagesse et une bonne évolution psy des personnages

No FLAWS

=> drama réconfortant, chaleureux, à revoir avec plaisir !

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Great Drama

I really love this Kdrama. It combines the romance and comedy genre that will really entice the watchers. I really like how strong woman Do Bong Soon is, she's much stronger than the men out of all the characters. The storyline is great and the soundtracks of this drama are lovely.

I really love this Kdrama. It combines the romance and comedy genre that will really entice the watchers. I really like how strong woman Do Bong Soon is, she's much stronger than the men out of all the characters. The storyline is great and the soundtracks of this drama are lovely.

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Enemies to Lovers done right

This drama delivers the enemies-to-lovers trope flawlessly—without the usual cliché banter, just mutual respect and understanding. The romance between the leads unfolds naturally, making their connection feel truly organic.

Liu Yuning’s portrayal of Lord Wei Shao is nothing short of perfection; it’s as if he was destined for the role. I adore this drama, not just for the main couple but for the supporting cast as well. Special mention to the advisor and the four generals, who added even more depth and enjoyment to the experience.

The one aspect I didn’t connect with was Su E Huang’s character —her motivations for committing those evil acts just didn’t feel convincing. However, this drama absolutely deserves its flowers for the plot, production, cast, the swoony romance, and, most of all, the phenomenal performances of Liu Yuning and Song Zu’er.

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Best chinese drama of all time

Everything is perfect in this drama. This drama deserves rating of over 9. I guess peoples(fans of other series or actors) are envy of its success.

The First Frost is an emotional masterpiece that took me by surprise. With its heartwarming story, deep character development, and breathtaking cinematography, this drama effortlessly pulls you in and doesn’t let go.

What sets it apart is the chemistry between Bai Jingting and Zhang Ruonan, so natural and heartfelt, it feels like you’re witnessing a real love story unfold. The slow-burn romance is beautifully written, with just the right mix of nostalgia, healing, and emotional tension.

Every frame of this series is a visual treat, supported by a soulful soundtrack that perfectly captures each mood. It’s not just a romance, it's a story about growth, reconnection, and finding peace with your past.

If you’re looking for a drama that delivers both heart and quality, The First Frost is a must-watch. You’ll laugh, cry, and reflect then wish you could watch it all over again. One of the best Chinese dramas in recent years

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Republican era reborn-revenge drama with sexy pairing & good acting

I was curious about Xu Jiang Shuai's work after watching She is Noble. Decided to watch this drama since I enjoy Yao Yu Chen's acting & I rarely watch Republican era vertical dramas.

What I liked:
1. Romance - There was chemistry between Yao Yu Chen and Xu Jiang Shuai making their intimate scenes sizzling hot.
2. FL characterisation - I liked that she approached ML to execute her revenge plans. Her revenge on her fiancé's mistress was amusing. Yao Yu Chen was great in this role.
3. ML characterisation - He was protectiveness of her. I liked that he was willing to go along with FL's scheming.
4. Styling - I loved the qipao worn by FL, the mistress and other female characters in this drama. Xu Jiang Shuai also looked dashing in the uniform of Republican era military officer.
5. Antagonists - Gu Jing'An is a villain I love to hate. Such a meaty character that pose threat to FL & ML.

What I disliked:
1. Cruelty - The abuse at the start of the drama was hard to watch.
2. Antagonist - The green tea that appeared in third act was annoying. I don't understand why she got to live in the same house of the couple.

Favourite scene
When villain ambushed ML to tarnish ML's reputation

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Epic revenge saga with bonus romance.

As I'm late to the party, there is no point for me to add to the hundreds of reviews already here. Hence, this will not be a detailed review but rather some thoughts about this series (part 1 and 2 combined).

When I say this show is epic, it is not an exaggeration. The revenge plot spans a generation. It also took years for our leads to complete their romantic journey. This is a long and bumpy ride for all involved.

In many ways, this series is true to its roots. The ML is stoic, brave, overflowing with martial prowess. The classic hero with a capital H. On the other hand, when we first meet the FL, she was a teenager barely 15. She was deprived of a formal education because of a scheming aunt. She is intelligent, feisty, has an affinity for mechanical things but unruly and wilful in the eyes of her elders. In short, the perfect foil for the ML.

Their romantic journey is fraught (of course it is). There are plenty of second leads and naysayers. At one stage, the FL told the ML to his face that he engineered their romance the same way he plotted the downfall of his enemies. The most generous you can say is that he doesn't leave things to chance even though he is 100% dedicated to the FL. He knows what he wants, and he can be ruthless . . . in love and in war.

There are many good performances in this drama. The Emperor and Empress are very understanding and supportive of our leads which is a nice change. Most antagonists are a bit one dimensional but it is par for this genre. At least they don't run amok all the time. All the young maidens are crazy for the ML, but he only has eyes for the FL so the amount of jealous/poisonous looks can power a small town. ;)

Our OTP are the bedrocks this series is built on. While The Romance of Tiger and Rose is the breakout role for ZLS, this pretty much cements her position as a S tier traffic star. The ML has master the stoic, heroic stance. They do have their swoon-y moments which is appreciated.

Nevertheless, the show can feel manipulative as well. For instance, the FL broke up with the ML towards the end of the drama and yet she refuses to forgive him even though he laid bare his soul to her and saved her life repeatedly. Then suddenly, she has an epiphany and all is forgiven. Just in time for the final epic battle and the series conclusion. ;)

The funny thing is after binge watching this show, I felt drained, but I also don't feel that I have much to add to the discord. It is well acted and beautifully crafted with epic scenes and an intricate plot. I could wax lyrical about that, I suppose. However, it is fundamentally tropey in the classical sense. We have seen many examples of this genre before. Aye, few are of this calibre, but it is a well-trodden path nevertheless.

What more can I say? It should be in every c-drama aficionado's watchlist. It needs to be experienced . . once. Peace.

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