Reviews

Spare Me From This Pain

"If I could choose, I'd stop right here. But in reality, it's impossible. Both I... and Thiu... we have to keep living."

Why don't you just end me? If that's how you're gonna end the series, might as well take me with it. I didn't cry this whole show, and all of a sudden, Thiu and Kan start arguing and my tears kept flowing with no end in sight. I had already gotten spoiled in how this series was going to end, and yet, I still bawled like a baby. Really, I have no one but myself to blame here. Then I find out that Sammon wrote the novel of this, and yeah, everything makes sense. She is the absolute queen! No one be doing it like her, I swear. Every single one of her novel adaptations has been amazing, and I seriously hope she has more books left to adapt cuz I need them asap! Some people need drugs, and I need more Sammon stories!

The central focus of the plot was about euthanasia, one of the most debated topics to this day. There is no right or wrong; it is all about morals and ethics. About what one believes. And throughout the story, you meet so many different types of people with different stances on the matter. It's fascinating. No one here is wrong (except Boss, but I'll get to him soon), and you can't hate on anyone for having a different moral opinion than someone else (except, again, Boss).

The story was compelling, and the mystery was intriguing -- never trying to do too much. It kicks off with Thiu coming back to take care of his mother, only for her to pass away before he gets there. He meets Kan, who quickly becomes a suspect in a series of murders that start to take place, which were being disguised as natural deaths. This dynamic, as old as it is, never gets old to me. What starts as a lie, and perhaps pity, from Kan's end, quickly becomes love. And what starts as suspicious from Thiu, becomes affection. I love morally grey characters, and Kan was just the perfect example of this. And I love morally upright characters that begin falling for the one thing they can't. I just eat up this kind of dynamic up so badly.

I saw many people getting mad at Thiu for arresting Kan and not understanding why he did what he did. And yes, to a degree, I understand why everyone is mad. Kan was completely right in his argument -- Thiu doesn't know how much his mother suffered. He doesn't understand the pain that terminal illness patients have to go through. Kan was also correct in the fact that he did as the patients wished. He always got their consent, got a living will from them, didn't do anything that was morally unjustified. However, people seem to forget that Thiu is a man who has always put the law above anything else. His duty had always come before his relationships. As sad as it is, Thiu letting Kan go would just go against who his character is fundamentally. Maybe Thiu doesn't understand why Kan did what he did, maybe he never will, but Thiu does forgive him, as shown when he gave Kan the hydrangea flower at the end. Both of them were two characters who were unmoving in their views, and trying to shift that would just go against who they were. I'm not saying I'm happy with how it ended, because I, too, wanted Thiu to look the other way, but that was never going to happen. It had always been shown to us that it was never going to happen. No matter how perfect Kan's argument is, the law has no heart, and Thiu is a man who follows the law.

And the second thing that many people say was how Thiu didn't actually love Kan. But I'm sorry, were we not watching the same show? This relationship practically started on a lie from Kan's end. Yall just forgot that or something? Kan wanted to gain Thiu's trust, and said he was interested in him, and sure, he fell in love quicker than Thiu did, but it started on a lie regardless. Hell, it was probably out of guilt and pity, considering Thiu's mother said to look after Thiu after her death. So yeah, maybe Thiu used Kan's kindness and love for him to his advantage cuz he suspected him, but none of these characters are perfect.

Thiu has always been shown as someone who has his guard up. He doesn't love easily, and doesn't trust easily either. And he's a police officer for god's sake! So yeah, sue a guy for finding the man who likes him suspicious. Cuz news flash, he was!! Kan was so fucking suspicious. And a liar! Sure, Thiu took advantage of his kindness, but in the end, he still fell in love with Kan. But Kan lied, gaslit him into thinking his mother's death was natural, and shot a fucking guy to evade getting arrested. Thiu isn't perfect, but neither is Kan. Just because he is easier to sympathise with doesn't make Thiu the bad guy. Both of these characters are extremely flawed, and that's what makes them so human and compelling.

But I will say, though, the love Doctor Kan has for Thiu broke my heart. He is a man who is unapologetic in his views. Until the very end, he never apologised for euthanising his patients. He was meticulous in his plans, didn't leave a single piece of evidence, could have gotten away from the law if he wanted to. This man, who never thought he was wrong in his views and moral standing, knew he could simply walk away without getting arrested because Thiu didn't have any evidence against him, confessed simply because it was Thiu who asked him to. If that isn't love in its true form, then I don't know what is.

"If it's you asking." -- This line genuinely broke my heart. It will forever haunt me. And from this perspective, I get why people would be mad at Thiu. Kan was willing to let his ideals be seen as wrong for Thiu, but Thiu wasn't willing to put him above the law. It's gut-wrenching. But reality often is. Kan has always been the one who always felt more, while Thiu was the one who was more logical and rigid. Their views, and in the end, their personalities have, and always will, clash. Thiu loves Kan, forgives him, but I just never saw a world where Thiu would let him go. If this had been under a different company or a different writer, this reality wouldn't be so grim. But as much as I love fairytale endings, I appreciate that these characters never change who they are at their core.

I know in the novel they get their happy ending, and I will mourn that we never got to see that happen here. But the way it ended, it was realistic. It doesn't make me happy. Hell, if it were up to me, Thiu would be running away with Kan to a place where euthanasia is legal and live their lives happily ever after with two dogs. The law sucks, it's fucking shit, but if Kan can get away with evading the law because he was morally justified, then what else can people get away with in the name of morals? I'm on Kan's side 100% through the whole show -- but the law, at the end of the day, is the law. He would have to suffer the consequences eventually. It's just upsetting that it was in the hands of the man he loves.

Now let's talk about Boss. Sigh... This, ladies and gentlemen, is what I thought Kan was going to be at the start. Thank fuck it wasn't. Boss is someone who is so warped in his own moral high ground that he doesn't see right from wrong. Like Kan said, euthanasia is about consent -- a fact that Boss failed to see. He, in a sense, basically developed a saviour complex. And I get it, going through what he did as a kid can really fuck up one's psyche, but that doesn't mean I need to like him. Love his character, absolutely fascinating, but don't like him. He worshipped Doctor Kan so much that he became blinded to what euthanasia actually was, suddenly becoming disillusioned by it and tried to kill Kan for it.

It was his ending that pissed me off. The fact that he got to go in his own terms after committing so many murders, only for Kan to get prison time for doing what his patients wanted, made me so angry. Bastard didn't deserve it.

Now Somsak, he was the direct antithesis of Kan. He is a man who views things as black and white. He is a doctor, and yet, he will never see the right in ending someone's life early to relieve them from pain. While Kan sees death as something beautiful to help someone pass on with dignity, Somsak sees it as taboo, sees life as something that everyone should preserve, no matter how much in pain they are. Which, when you think about it, is quite ironic for someone who works as a doctor. He hates death, and yet chooses a profession that directly deals with it. Tragic, really. Even his own end.

And if Somsak was the direct antithesis of Doctor Kan, then Rin was the antithesis of Thiu. And I suppose this is the root of everyone's anger -- cuz if Rin can understand Kan and her father's wishes, then why can't Thiu do the same? And I guess, this is also where the tragedy lies. Rin was someone who grew up thinking her father was selfish, and in the end, she still thought that. Kan, on the other hand, never thought that with his mother. In fact, he was hardly around when his mother was ill, unlike Rin, who saw her father sick and in pain. While this is a question of morals, it's also about what they experienced. It only made sense that Rin would see Kan's pov more than Thiu.

Finally, the romance. BL fans are getting too comfortable, I swear. Why the fuck does a BL need to have NC scenes in order for it to be a BL? Yeah, the romance wasn't as prevalent in this show, but that's because it's something that happened in the background of the plot. Ya know, what a show is made out of? The plot wasn't the bloody romance, but the murder-mystery. I agree they should have developed it more, but we don't need a billion kisses and sex scenes to show romance. There is intimacy in the way Kan and Thiu look at each other, the way they hold each other, cry for the other. People are calling this a bromance cuz of the lack of kiss scenes, when they literally say I love you to each other (and fucking kiss, so this makes this whole argument even crazier). These people would have an aneurysm watching Chinese Bromances where we don't even get I Love Yous. If you want kisses and sex, then go watch something else, cuz romance and love aren't just about that.

I honestly didn't think this review would be this long, but this series just hit me in a way I didn't think it would. Euthanasia has always been a topic that interested me, and any shows that explore the topic always grab my attention. And this has gone far beyond my expectations. I'll have to keep telling myself that the novel has a happy ending, and will have to find it and read it, or I'll lose my fucking sanity over this. These two deserved so much better, but at the same time, if it wasn't for who they were, they would've never found each other and fallen in love. It's so depressing to think about that it makes me hate myself for watching this show when I knew I would be suffering the consequences. Fuck my life.

But on a parting note -- never help a woman die and then go fuck her son. I feel like there is something illegal there, I just can't prove it. Doctor Kan should be so lucky he got permission. And really, who can blame him? Thiu is a cutie patootie when he smiles.

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LOVE LANGUAGE NEEDS TO BE TRANSLATED TOO

The general plot follows Joo Ho-jin, a hyper-logical, multilingual interpreter who speaks several languages but is emotionally illiterate, which I find very ironic. His life changes when he is hired as the personal translator for Cha Mu-hee, a world-famous actress known for her blunt, often prickly personality. The central tension arises when Mu-hee joins a global dating reality show, 'Romantic Trip', alongside Japanese actor Hiro Kurosawa. As Ho-jin translates the romantic overtures between the two stars, he begins to 'edit' Mu-hee's harsh words to protect her image, eventually realizing that he is the only one who truly understands the person behind the celebrity mask.

Furthermore, the chemistry between Kim Seon-ho and Go Youn-jung is the show's heartbeat. Kim Seon-ho brings a restrained, soulful warmth to Ho-jin, while Go Youn-jung shines in a dual-layered role, playing both the 'perfect' global idol and the vulnerable, traumatized woman behind the scenes. The Hong sisters use translation as a beautifulmetaphor for intimacy. This portrays that even when people speak the same language, they can still be foreign to one another until they learn to translate each other's hearts. Also, shot on locations in Japan, Italy, and Canada, the cinemarographyis breathtaking. The exotic locales provide a travel log that complements the romantic, slow-burning atmosphere. Additionally, the Hong sisters executed deep psychological themes and subplots involving Mu-hee's mental health and fractured memories, and also showed emotional growth and slice-of-life conversations over high-stakes melodrama.

In conclusion, this drama is all about healing one another, understanding, and translating each other's feelings. I definitely recommend it.(✿◡‿◡)

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A Story of Aggression & Sexual Attraction, Not Love

I think one of the main reasons this rated so highly is because of the hotter scenes. They didn't really like each other because they didn't know each other, because they didn't trust each other to open up, be themselves and stop lying, they were just attracted to each other. They spent too long hating, then tolerating, and then just accepting the situation, before they even started to warm to each other and believe they could be a real relationship... Over twenty episodes of it.

I think that if there was a lot less of the ML and FL as a pairing, the show would have been a lot better. The constant fights and complaints were ruining the show, it's all they did, it just kept going on and on, it was dragged out and boring. The leads together were immature and annoying until they started trusting each other.

Taking the pairing out of the equation, the show's strength was in the FL's journey, winning everyone over and really making something of herself, she did exceptionally well to rise as she did where she was. All of that was great. I also really liked the ML's friends and the pairing with one of those men.

The ending was good, one of the better ones, and it showed the leads looking like a normal couple, who actually liked each other and were just enjoying life, finally.

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Fantastic movie, let down by slow and idle pace.

Everyone did great and the story is spectacular, however, the movie is somehow lacking excitement.

This is a crime movie where we have a serial killer on the loose and he is copying a popular Manga, he keep killing a family after another yet each time we only get a glimpse of the dead family and that's it.

The police reaction is so calm, I thought Seida is the only one who has the right to act like that since he is a "peculiar" detective, but everyone is the same.

Not saying it was boring but the "meh!" Vibes of the movie made watch the whole thing with a straight face.

Also I was slightly pissed at why Shun Oguri's character was a supporting role since he literally carried the whole movie and he appeared more than the ML in some parts but I reached the last 20 mins and I understood why!!

Overall great movie you should watch it.

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Give me a Hug

It is both realistic and unrealistic to portray a teacher who loves his students so much that he hugs them every day as a greeting. In this movie, we have a teacher who becomes so attached to his small, young students that they become real friends. Of course, this does not go smoothly, because his approach to the students provokes many people—the students themselves, other teachers, and the parents. I liked that this movie reminds us of something we are losing in our society today: the human touch. We are becoming more professional and more distant so that we can do our jobs well, but our relationships suffer. One hug can truly heal a person.

The title of the movie, Last Homework, points to the unusual homeworks that the teacher gives his students, which is more about life lessons than solving grammatical or mathematical tasks. I wish there had been more of these assignments in the movie, because they were quite inspirational. Instead, the movie drags a little in the final part in its attempt to evoke emotions from the viewer.

The acting was not top-tier, but it was good enough for this kind of movie. The children deserve special praise for their performances. All in all, this is an educational drama done right.

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A great watch.

I finished binging the show yesterday, and felt like I must write a review for this one. I've turned on the "SPOILER" tag, but still mentioning it, just in case.

Let's start with some GREAT THINGS;

The Leads : Both the leads were great. I must confess that I am biased as I have been a fan of them for a while now. I was really excited when I learned they were doing this together. And they did not disappoint me at all. At no point through the series did I feel like the acting felt short. This is also true for the rest f the cast. Especially GYJ. She did a fabulous job. Her role was demanding, and she made it believable as well. Loved watching both sides to her in this role. KSH also did a great job.

The Communication : Honestly, there were many moments in the series where I was scared they would do the classic k-drama thing of not communicating like real adults and letting misunderstanding grow beyond reason. They did not do this. The leads often talked properly and shared their thoughts honestly (even if it was done in a comical way). This made me feel good. After watching so many romance dramas centered around 'miscommunication', I am not excited for more of it.

The Growth : This was a big win in the drama. Both the leads went through REAL growth. I am not even talking about the last episode. Even before that. Throughout the story. There were times when either of them did something which I would consider stupid and annoying, but the drama addressed it later on. The characters talked about what they did and why they did it. The communicated about their vulnerabilities. And in those moments was real growth for the characters. Both of them. If you are someone who would stop watching a drama mid-way cs it annoyed you, I would recommend sticking through with this one. The issues got resolved in a great way. So many times the characters bared it all and were courageous enough to be honest with each other. Loved it.

The Story : The basic story was great. I would not say perfect because they did maybe a couple of things which I am unable to understand why, but overall it was great. The first meeting, the connection, the 'fate bringing them together' aspect, them caring for each other more and more as they spent time together, their issues keeping them from being too honest, them still being stuck together and having opportunities to work it out. Everything worked for me.

Now let's get to somethings I did not enjoy;

The 'second lead' : I am here talking about the characters of "Ji Seun" and "Young U". I was not thrilled at their developing bond. I don't know if I missed something, but I believe that at the start the show was developing in a way that "Ji Seun" will be truly happy with her then fiancee. Even though they were having some troubles, I thought they were being portrayed as a couple which just clicks together despite the odds. The fiancee was shown to be an eccentric, and somehow only Ji Seun could understand him. Their disagreement and 'break up' also felt natural. Ji Seun was taking a stand for something she believed in. And it seemed like a great moment for the fiancee to take a step back, reflect on his mistakes, and grow as a person. I understand that Ji Seun doesn't owe him this time and growth, she is right to move on. But it just felt like the drama was going to show his growth, and then they just pivoted. Felt like this was a decision made later on and the story was altered.

Mu Hee's Parents : The plot line in the las episode of her parents being alive just felt wrong and as if it came out of nowhere. I feel like they did it specifically to give Mu Hee a reason to leave Ho Jin for a while. They made it seem like she had to do this to really get over her trauma, but it is not like the drama was being very realistic in her treatment along the way. They only had a few scenes of her with a doctor, and I remember only two where she actually talked about her illness. Throughout the drama, it was Ho Jin who helped her out with everything. And then out of the blue we learn that her parents are alive. That too in the very last episode. Just didn't make any sense to me. As by that time, I felt like she was already done. She had confronted her trauma, and gotten significantly better. Also the fact that they did not show any interacted between her and her parents. Just weird.

The "Separation" trope : Ughh. I hate this trope. I do not understand why dramas do this so much. Why do the leads who have already worked out their differences, been completely honest about their feelings, gotten over whatever trauma they had, still need to break up? I hate this trope. The break up in the ending episodes, only to get back together in the last 2 minutes. Why? It genuinely pisses me off. This show had to reason for them to go through with this. Both leads had shown significant growth where even if she had to leave, he could have joined her, or at least they did not have to officially break up. Both of them had become solid support pillars for each other, then why do this? If I could change one thing, this would be it.

Anyways, I've rambling on for too long. I hope this review helps you. Give this drama a try. I truly enjoyed it. And I hope you will too.

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Only if they had put some efforts on better plot writing

An average revenge plot revolving around two siblings ( not related by blood) who undergo various trials as they execute their plan/plans for the same .the cast is full of good looking actors .. Lovely chemistry between leads ...girl is a willful brat and boy is calm and mysterious. Though later their romance felt a bit too boring ..it was just the initial little chase that i enjoyed later everything was too dull .. the plot is very repetitive in nature a single scenario is moulded differently too many times like the same thing he loves her but keeps rejecting her yet won't let her be with someone else .. he made love to her yet acted like he is confusing her with his side chic... Blah blah blah .. and that's all

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SEAKEEN'S BURNING CHEMISTRY Y'ALL!!!!

This is not a masterpiece with exceptional plot line or cinematography, but it healed me! SeaKeen really has the CHEMISTRY, more than many popular BL CPs. They are so underrated! H2H is literally my comfort drama now and I've already rewatched twice. The main couple has the HEALTHIEST relationship dynamic, understanding and communication. Even the Episode 11 Cursed breakup only lasted less than 12 hours in the drama world and 2 minutes on screen for us. It has it's suspense, thriller and comedy. The plot is not phenomenal but it's great! Not your typical high school story. I really, really Love it!

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so nostalgic

this whole series is just one long love letter to pondphuwin <3 the references to their previous series are EVERYWHERE and it’s adorable.

yes, it’s cheesy and cringy but it’s so sweet and cute. peach and thee love each other so genuinely, and i’m so glad they found each other in this universe.

also WE WERE ROBBED OF A ROMEMOK KISS but it’s ok cause mok is going to go with rome and theyre going to be in love and live their long happy lives together trust.

the tawanaran storyline was amazing, i was living for the angst. i honestly think aran forgave him too easily after that big fight but it was lovely to see perthsanta happy at the end :)

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It pains me to write this

It literally pains me to write this for a drama that Kim Seonho stars as I am a huge fan of his. But this drama has disappointed me in so many levels... The original storyline from how I had seen it on the trailer seemed amazing! And the first episode also was incredible. After watching it, I felt like I'd found my kind of drama.

I was quickly disappointed when the whole Do rami storyline was introduced. The drama changed rapidly after that. From a lighthearted comedy that I was expecting to watch, it became a psychological quest, in which I was wondering the whole time WHY is everyone putting up with the FL and not taking her to a psychiatrist from the first place. I found the side story very annoying and time consuming, ruined all the romance and the originality of the plot.

And even worse, when the FL started to understand that she didn't even remember a whole part of her day or when she was sure that Do rami took control she was completely unbothered, as if everything was normal. Really disappointing... Expected it different... Especially given the fact that I love the cast.

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Mostly good

I subtracted one star because of the last item listed below...

What I liked:

1. The wooden box and the book of spells. Audience never quite knows if the spells worked or not–but they were lots of fun.

2. Kim Ro-Woon transforms from a cold-hearted attorney into a spurned lover and a kind-hearted boyfriend. Jo-Boah was cute and appealing at times. The romance between these two was a little clunky, but if you don’t look too close, it’s believable.

3. The co-workers in the Environment and Greenery office weren’t funny. But I really liked the buffoonish Mr. Gong

4. The Environment and Greenery Department–a government department with a focus on plants, flowers, and greenery. The cherry blossoms, the walk in the meadow at the end were gorgeous–nice to get away from the unrelenting urbanization in some of these dramas.

5. Appropriate and tactful sex scenes.

What I didn’t like

6. Jo-Boah’s acting was over the top and way, way too self-conscious. Never-ending mannerisms, posturing, simpering, and over-acting. Tone it down, Girl!

7. Too many plot elements borrowed from other Chinese and Korean series (My Demon).

8. Hey, K-drama writers...there was one scene that was really stomach-churning. It shows a certain character grabbing an octopus and throwing it in boiling water. C’mon. Octopuses are sensitive and intelligent. If you have to keep eating them, at least don’t show people torturing them too. Thanks.

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It could have been so good

I am not one to finish dramas I'm not enjoying. I only persevered through this one because I'm a bit of a Lin Yi simp and through the course of this drama I fell for Xu Lu. They are the only reason I made it to the end.

I think teenage me would have adored this drama. That is the only reason I can denote for why this drama has such a high score. Without the rose colored glasses of teenagehood, this drama is lackluster. Unfortunately, it's been a long time since I was a teenager and I only pulled through by fast forwarding through nearly all scenes about the side characters. All I cared about was the main couple and at some points I was skipping some of their more predictable scenes too. I digress.

The writing of this drama is lackluster. The characters are so flat. Even the main two. I think the actors should be commended for portraying as much emotion as they did with the script they had. Especially Xu Lu. Having to deal with the immature dialogue and actions they've given her after such a stand out first episode is hard. She was such a bad B for that one (1) episode before they infantilized her.

The side characters were not only flat, but down right annoying. Most of their scenes had me rolling my eyes. Character motivations made no sense. Some things were being held on to for so long and their lasting impact duration was too long considering the transgression. I skipped in 10 second chunks so I could get the gist of the plot for the side characters and even just the little bits of it I was seeing made me so annoyed.

I did have a truly silly good time in the first 10 episodes or so. They weren't well written but they were fun! I can take fun even if it's not the best writing. I cannot abide the drama getting boring and that's what this one did. It got so boring! They should have cut it 20 episodes. It would have helped it so much. Some plot points where so clearly thrown in to pad time and then completely forgotten about within 2 episodes!!!

I'm getting wordy and I could probably spend another 5 paragraphs waxing poetic on what I didn't like so I'll wrap it up here. Especially since I don't want to get spoiler-y. If you're under the age of 20, you'll probably like this. Give it a try. If you're older, (or cough ancient by drama watcher standards like me), go in expecting it to be rather immature considering the ages and don't take it too seriously, you might have a good time. It was a good drama to have in while I did other things since I didn't want to be paying super close attention.

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