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Uninteresting on the main part but a strong ending
To be honest, I might make the difference here and say I really liked the ending. It was an unexpected plot twist that I definitely didn't see coming and it really caught me off guard. To that, I'll give them props. I also really liked seeing Jang Kiyong at a more "controversial" character that differs from the usual perfect style he has. He really delivered his role well.Other than that, I feel like the main part of the movie has nothing much to offer. It is quite boring and repetitive with nothing much going on. I expected him to cheat on his girlfriend with his coworker. I also felt bad about the whole miscarriage case, that I feel that was treated too lightly.
Would love to know more about the second guy the FL dated... At first I thought she was genuine with him but the movie left me with the feeling that she only dated him cause he represented a "perfect" image of her ex.
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Essa é definitivamente a história da Cho Mun Hee
A premissa da história é muito boa porque, como assim um intérprete não consegue traduzir o que a pessoa amada o diz, como assim uma atriz que encarna vários papéis não consegue se livrar de sua própria personagem?Todos os elementos de boa comédia romântica estão aqui e vou sempre enaltecer o trabalho primoroso da Go Yunjung de não entregar uma típica "mocinha" mas nos mostrar um personagem tridimensional, complexo, cheio de nuances e sabendo dinamizar entre drama, comédia e até thriller. Uma das melhores atrizes da nova geração e ponto alto do drama, não apenas enquanto atriz mas também como personagem, pois o drama tem em sua jornada de dor, insegurança, desejo crônico de validação e amor uma jornada completa com redenção, sofrimento e crescimento.
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Loved the concept and hearing the different languages
I enjoyed this drama. Watched it without reading about it or watching a trailer because I like Seon Ho and Go Youn Jung work.I really like that this was a mature, grown up setting and all characters did not act childish nor silly.
It was fun watching Cha Mu Hui and Hiro interaction - very funny and how they were have a conversation and not understanding what each other was saying.
I think their shoots should have been more, to me it was lacking and when they showed the rough editing, it still didnt have any "substance" but that's just my take on that. I only wished they wrote her to get more roles.
But either way, it was fun and loved that they incorporated different languages.
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It's a nice watch but..
I just got kind of bored after the first half....felt like it was just monotonous.I definitely laughed a lot, which is a plus.
I am a fan and have watched all their (pondphuwin) shows but I felt like this one lacked in chemistry a little, it was giving me more awkward, less 'feet kicking in the air'
AranTawan storyline was just so poorly written, I found myself being annoyed with them a lot
Overall it was good, couldn't finish it but it's still on my watchlist I'll probably get around to finishing it in a few weeks.
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The Tea on Glory
After watching The Unclouded Soul, I got so excited because I didn’t have to wait long for this drama to air. Honestly, my expectations weren’t high since I wasn’t too sure of the FL actress. I first saw her in Weaving a Tale of Love, and I had mixed emotions with her acting there, but with Hou Ming Hao, there wasn’t a doubt that he’ll do great in this drama. And sure enough, I was enthralled. While it was a great drama, the message of the story didn’t sit right with me. I’m all for female empowerment, but the Rong family striking down the male family members if they made a slight wrong move was pretty bad. The grandmother really got under my skin. Her character didn’t earn my sympathy throughout the whole story. The most trusted person in her life was Shan Bao, but just one slight mistake, she wanted to disown her. Like, really? This is the granddaughter that held your tea business successfully and you treat her like this? The sisters Yunxi, Yunyin, and that other one were a couple of spoiled brats here, but we got character development for Yunxi and Yunyin, except for whatshername. She was never nice to Shan Bao, even until the end of the story. Her character was just there to annoy the viewers. And oh, I forgot about Yunshu. Despite of what she did to the grandma, I didn’t expect her to stay around. I did not like her one bit. I knew her family were not treated well by the grandma that’s why she had her grudges, but she didn’t have to treat Shan Bao like that, challenging her position in the family. Now on to the husband selection. OMG. These men just drove me to the wall. I was expecting her cousin, Wen, to be a potential friend by Lu Jiang Lai, who was named Lu Fu Sheng by Shan Bao since he lost his memories after his accident, but NOPE, he decided to be a jerk and backstab the one who saved him all the time. I didn’t understand the part where a man had already been selected to be Shan Bao’s husband, but all the other men still had some time to stay at the Rong mansion, so they had plenty of time to scheme. Like what the heck was that? They should have all gone home once someone had been selected. Anyway, let’s move on to Jiang Lai, the ML of the story. He was a secret imperial inspector who went on investigations. The moment he slit that bad guy’s throat without mercy, I knew the drama was going to be so good. Cunning and ruthless ML’s always have me on a chokehold. He played a funny and cute character when he was Lu Fu Sheng. Originally, he wanted to infiltrate the Rong family to investigate the Wei case from 10 years ago, but came across assassins one day while he was in his sedan. He was saved by Shan Bao. She had him investigated. She found out about his background but still withheld information until he got into serious trouble. They were both at fault, in my opinion. They both had secrets to begin with, and were not always honest with each other. The FL actress only had one facial expression, and that really bothered me. But then again, maybe the cold, stiff part of her character was really needed. She was just too pretty here. And Hou Ming Hao? OMG. His makeup was too thick here. That distracted me too much, to be honest. I had to look past that and focus on his acting chops. He was pretty good here, especially the fight scenes. I love the fight scene with his dad. I love how Lu Jiang Lai wasn’t blinded by riches and titles because he was right, they only bring hatred and agony. I already knew right from the start that he was the son of a high ranking government official. I hate his father. Jiang Lai had a great reason not to accept being the heir. He went ahead and chose Shan Bao instead. I’m just disappointed that the last few minutes ended with him chasing her at the dock when Shan Bao and her sisters were getting ready to leave, but hey, I’ll take it, rather than having an ending with one of them dying, you know. It’s also nice not seeing the usual wedding ceremony between them, because hello, they’ve already done the deed, like twice now. Kissing scenes were scorching hot. *chef’s kiss* Overall, I enjoyed the drama despite some flaws. It was entertaining, especially learning about tea etiquette at the end of each episode. Everyone delivered a great performance.Was this review helpful to you?
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Please let this love NOT be translated
Like Sota said "I don't like unremarkable things.">> If a guy was acting like the FL intruding in the spaces of ML, drugging him and being this clingy and needy we would call him toxic. Just underlying the double standards here at play. Very very badly written role, made me feel like I didn't like the FL and her difficult past did not excuse her behaviour. It could have, if it was better written and executed.
1) Writers and director were not sure if this was a crime series (the FL's family history) / a romantic comedy / a psychological thriller (FL's mental health) / a travel show. Just ah! I don't want to say it's the fault of the script because any story CAN work under the right team.
2) Why the travel show concept? Did it do anything for the story? Because the ML JUST HAD TO BE AN INTERPRETER. This feels like someone came up with a series title first and then tried to incorporate random elements to it to make it into a romantic comedy...if it was one. Still unsure it wasn't the ML as a mental support helper for the FL.
3)I felt like the series tried to imitate elements from "It's ok not to be ok" (the unhinged FL and the slightly rude but kind/supporting ML) but there was a sincerity and a rhythm to that show that was absent here. The scenes changed sloppily, I felt like I actually did not connect with any of the characters, very superficial approach with heavy emphasis on the scenery.
4) Side couple and the Japanese guy/ FL chemistry were FAR superior to the main couple chemistry. Which was just not...happening. Also literally nothing was happening. This was slowwwwwwwww.
5) Also freaky concept cause I didn't like feeling like the FL had no control over her decisions because she was slightly bipolar? Experiencing hallucination? Koreans never actually research what is actually going on with their characters they just add up different issues without medical terms for psychiatric and psychological issues.
6) Everyones weird past (FL's and ML's) started surfacing at like episode 8-10. Drama dumping in a drama is not cool and it was done just to add substance to the characters instead of incorporating throughout the WHOLE story.
==> Dropped at episode 10 where the side couple had exchanged their like 4th kiss while the main was literally lost in translation but for no reason. You cheeky script writers tried to give it explanation like "oh she had a tricky past did not trust anyoneeee". Sure, if you could just have made this believable and connect to your audience. Because otherwise its a cheap soap opera of misunderstandings and it offends our intelligence. I blame the platform of streaming though. Probably rushed everyone up to make a sloppy new product for viewers.
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A Strong Beginning That Loses Some of Its Magic
This had such a strong start, with impactful mini-stories all centered around a main case. The drama spent most of its time solving these smaller cases, each one gradually revealing clues that connected back to the central one. I found many of these stories moving and meaningful, and I was really invested—especially with the supernatural undertones that blurred the line between reality, fiction, and folklore. However, the final episodes and the big twist reveal didn’t land as strongly for me. I ended the drama on a bit of a low note compared to how I felt through most of it. Still, I think it’s a solid mini-drama overall—just not quite as strong as I expected based on the beginning.Was this review helpful to you?
Closing Out the Tiny Times Series: Quietly Satisfying
"I didn't believe in those happy endings before. Because as they say, sometimes things don't work out the way you thought they would. However, we, though stumbling along, seemed to have ushered in the happy ending of our own."I absolutely loved the fourth installment. It’s highly comedic, thoughtful, and dramatic, all balanced by a soundtrack that perfectly complements each scene. While it might hold up as a standalone for those who don’t want to watch the entire Tiny Times series, I believe it’s important to follow the characters’ journey through college and adulthood. Watching them face different hardships at various life stages deepens the impact of the conflicts and strengthens our connection to their development by the final movie. The series centers on the ups and downs of four women, each with distinct personalities and life goals—but what unites them is a deep, unbreakable friendship. No matter what changes they experience, their ties to each other provide a lasting foundation that supports them throughout their lives.
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two dramas squeezed into one
I'd rate the first half of the drama a solid 10/10. The yearning was there, the chemistry was there, the beautiful sceneries of Canada paired with even more beautiful actors but then the shift of episode 8 really broke that spell. Not saying that the shift was bad but it just felt abrupt and not very seamlessly done. I think this drama would've been much more elevated if Do Ra Mi taking over was something that happened from the earlier episodes.I also wished for them to show how/why the FL fell for the ML more. Like in Japan she didn't seem too disappointed when he ran away and even encouraged it but then when the interview happens she says something like "it would've been a cute fantasy to fall from someone you met while travelling," or something along those lines. Needlessly to say I didn't question the logic that much. Kim Seon Ho is attractive af so like I get it. Plus I actually enjoyed her chasing after ML.
The drama really fell for me when Canada arc ended. It just felt like I started watching a different drama after that. There wasn't any lighthearted-ness and the plot suddenly and abruptly got heavier. Her childhood is something that was wrapped up wayy too quickly. There's just so much to unpack there and our FL literally, quite literally had multiple personalities and NO ONE really comments on it?? Especially the ML who encountered Do Ra Mi so much? I mean if someone you love starts switching personalities you would need to be more concerned than that. You need to take them to the hospital ASAP!!! Not just like.. let them...be...
Another thing that bothered me were the english subtitles. GOD THEY WERE SOOO BAD AT SOME POINTS?? Like completely losing the essence of the actual dialogues being spoken. My korean is 50% at best and even I picked up on so many mistakes. I think this is very poorrr and ironic for a drama being literally about translations.
Now I still think Kim Seon Ho and especially Go Youn Jung did a great job with the script they were given and ofc Sota did an amazinggg job! I loved his character and the proper development he went through from a high and mighty complex to actually working hard for what he wants.
They are the reason I gave this drama a 8/10. If it was anyone else, I probably wouldn't be rating this drama as high.
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A unique experience
I had high expectations of this show, although I enjoyed to watch it I felt as the show dragged on from episode 7. Despite that, it was a unique experience to watch as it implemented other elements of genres inside of this rom-com.I felt the cast was perfect, the acting was spot on as well and the OST was well suited for the show.
I wouldn’t see myself rewatching this again due to it dragging on towards the end. I felt that the ending could’ve been more spread out as it was a lot to consume in the last 30 mins of episode 12, it could’ve expanded more into the storyline
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Emotional to Comedic Absurdity
I thought the first movie was underwhelming, but I loved the sequel, and the trilogy is no different. While the conflicts peaked in the second installment, the third film engaged me by turning absurd and unrealistic scenarios into comedic moments. Despite the uptick in humor, there were still tragic and human moments that connected the characters and drew me into the storyline, allowing me to empathize with what was happening.What I’ve noticed with Guo Jingming’s modern work is that he story tells in a compelling way that keeps me engaged, but it takes me time to get invested in the plot. As his characters evolve, I find myself gradually drawn into the story, and this has been my experience with his Tiny Times movies.
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An intense, painful, toxic, but beautiful love story
PLOT: Fan Xiao, heir to a Thai conglomerate who has returned to China, leads an unstable life following a trauma (tsunami + death of his mother + toxic family) that has given him a very bleak view of the world. During a car accident, he meets Shu Lang, the director of a pharmaceutical company, who leads a seemingly perfect life (gay, in a relationship, and under control). Fan Xiao wants to disrupt this "Buddha" and tries to draw him into a relationship (all means are fair game), but ends up falling in love himself.+++ The two actors are FANTASTIC, brilliant. Hao Yi Ran and Yun Qi (very young but with a promising future) are subtle, intense, and have incredible chemistry.
+++ The production is top-notch (lol), both technically (lighting, framing, sets, costumes, etc.) and in terms of pacing and storytelling. The story is coherent: "healing romances" are a dime a dozen. But how can two people who are deeply wounded, toxic, and calculating interact and heal each other when they are both so badly hurt?
+++ The other actors are talented, but the viewer is so engrossed in the relationship between these two Red Flags that the other characters serve only as background.
+++ Excellent OSTs
No Flaws!!
=> An addictive, intense BL that's hard to leave behind. Why isn't there a special episode? I can't wait to see Hao YiRan and Yun Qi in other series...
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An intense, painful, toxic but beautyful love story
PLOT: Fan Xiao, héritier d'un conglomérat thaï revenu en Chine, mène une vie instable suite à un trauma (tsunami + mort de sa mère + famille toxique) qui lui a donné une vison très noire du monde. Lors d'un accident de voiture, il rencontre Shu Lang, directeur d'une société pharmaceutique, qui mène une vie rangée (gay, en couple, sous contrôle). Fan Xiao veut perturber ce "bouddha" et essaie de l'attirer dans une relation (ttes les manœuvres et ruses sont bonnes), mais finit par tomber amoureux lui-même.
+++ Les 2 acteurs sont FANTASTIQUES, géniaux. Hao Yi Ran et Yun Qi (tt jeune mais avec 1 avenir prometteur) sont subtiles, intenses, et avec une alchimie d'enfer.
+++ La réalis° est au top (lol) tant au niveau technique (lumières, cadrages, décors, costumes, etc.) qu'en terme de rythme et de narration. La story est cohérente : les "healing romances" sont légion. Mais comment, qd les 2 personnes sont très meurtries, au comportement toxique et calculateur, peuvent-elles interagir, se soigner ?
+++ Les autres acteurs sont talentueux, mais le spectateur est tellement pris par la relation de ces 2 Red Flags, que les autres personnages ne servent qu'au contexte.
+++ Très bonnes OSTs
No Flaws !!
=> Une BL addictive, intense, dont on a du mal à quitter les personnages. Pourquoi n'y a-t-il pas d'épisode spécial ? J'ai hâte de revoir Hao YiRan et Yun Qi dans d'autres séries ...
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A Strong Second Act That Redeems the First One
I thought the first movie was underwhelming, but the second movie had a much stronger emotional impact and felt like the heart of the story. It’s where the real hardships emerge—some characters face permanent changes in their life or never fully recover. The sequel offered real character growth and life progression, presenting hard choices and life directions in a more grounded, realistic way. I greatly enjoyed it and will definitely be watching the third and fourth installments.Was this review helpful to you?
Underwhelming but Enjoyable
I thought the first movie was underwhelming, but I still enjoyed watching it for the storyline and overall premise. It felt reminiscent of Sex and the City, with a narrative that follows the lives of four girlfriends living in a big city during their college years. You get to know them and their struggles as they begin navigating adulthood. They face disappointments and challenges, many of which are neatly resolved by the end—my biggest critique, since life doesn’t always offer tidy resolutions. Still, it was a refreshing change of pace to watch. And having seen the sequel, I think the first film serves well as an introduction.Was this review helpful to you?
Sweet but Slow and Overhyped
"Shine On Me" is a typical sweet C-drama romance, that doesn’t bring anything new to the table. I personally feel it’s been quite overhyped. Probably because of Song Wei Long’s visuals in a suit.If you're a fan of slow, sugary romance dramas with seemingly unnecessary characters, this one might be right up your alley.
The show starts off extremely slow—almost like a slice-of-life narrative. It lingers on conflicts that feel underdeveloped as the show progresses. The focus is primarily on our female lead, whose frustrating communication style detracts from the story. Her unrequited love for Zhuang Xu feels like it drags on for too long and for no particular reason, except for him being her unrequited crush. Honestly, if you haven’t had an intimate relationship with someone, why take years to move on? Maybe I’m just too Westernized, but this aspect felt unbelievable to me. And I’m absolutely fine with suspending my belief where it’s needed. I get what fiction is. I don’t watch romance for reality.
Zhao Jin Mai, usually praised for her acting skills, appeared somewhat unfocused in her role. At least at the beginning. She’s cast as an assertive and hardworking young woman with a family from a wealthy background, yet her behavior at times didn’t align with this characterization. The dialogue, especially between her and some other characters revolving around her in the first half of the drama, suffers from awkward pauses that made it seem as though the actors were struggling to remember their lines, which was frustrating. I get it. This was way of directors to show the characters and who they were at the beginning of their journey, but it made them look like they were teenagers instead of college graduates.
On the other hand, Song Wei Long certainly looks great in a suit. However, some of his early scenes seemed strangely mechanical, almost as if he was still rehearsing. By the later episodes, the acting improves significantly, which makes me wonder if it was a directing issue.
There are far too many characters introduced in earlier episodes, many of whom end up as mere afterthoughts rather than having substantial storylines. For example, Xi Guang’s college friends and even Zhuang Xu had screen time that was wasted, particularly when he spent far too long just staring out a window. If the writers chose to give characters like them significant screen time, they should have crafted deeper narrative for them. I think they did try, but Zhuang Xu had so much screen time and there are minutes and minutes of him just drinking and remembering the past. Writers should have given him a better, more rounded story. He should have gotten a love of interest for himself at the end.
As for romance, prepare for an extreme slow burn: it takes 25 episodes just for the couple to hold hands after they decided that they want to be together, and even longer for a proper kiss. The sweetness of the romance is undeniable, but the pacing makes it tedious at times. And to be honest, the issues I had are mostly with the first 20 episodes of the show. After that, the pacing and the storyline picked up and the acting was a lot better. Also don’t worry, even though the romance is very slow, they catch up in the last few episode. There’s plenty of really great kissing.
The family conflict could have been introduced earlier. Because once it came into the picture, the show felt more interesting. The stakes becamea lot more interesting as opposed to the episodes in the drama when we had Xi Guang try to get over some guy whose hand she’d never held when such a sweetheart of a man was right in front of her, ready to give her the world. Sometimes I wanted to scream at her: girl, are you stupid?
"Shine On Me" isn’t a horrible drama. I liked it. But again it wasn’t anything special to think about for days after you finish watching. It lacks the cinematic flair to make it a standout. The cinematography is just okay, with some bland color choices. The main couple is charming, but the unnecessary screen time wasted on unimportant plot points diminishes the overall experience. The happy ending is sweet and swoony, and honestly, I found myself needing a couple of attempts to finish the final episode. If you enjoy clean, sweet romance without the angst, this may be for you. I think the writing could have been better and if they were different choices made when it came to the script, I would have loved it a lot more.
I know a lot of people love this drama, but in my opinion, it’s is overrated and doesn’t deserve its high rating. For me, "Speed and Love," "The First Frost," or "Hidden Love" are by far better-written romances with the better central conflict.
PS I skipped a lot of scenes, in particular the ones with Xi Guang and her coworkers. And I did not miss a single thing.
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