Reviews

Nothing really vibrates in this show...

I so wanted to like this show, but after 4 episodes the whole thing imploded. The 'naughty' business of selling sex toys is nowhere naughty, nor are the characters. Which are not well-developed and sometimes just dropped halfway through the show (like the unfaithful husband and his lover).

Whereas I loved Kim So-yeon in Sky Castle, she is acting like a robot in this series. Her facial features are frozen (too much Botox, my dear?) and she plays such a demure and subservient character that she ends up being as interesting as an empty sheet of paper. Which is the case with many of the characters. Not sure what the writer wanted to bring across: Whereas the story is supposedly about the growth and characters of the 4 leading female actors, it feels like domestic bliss and traditional role division is more important. It could have been written in 1992 as well. The pace of the show, where nothing much really ever happens is such, that I managed to read my digital newspapers throughout the series and still found the pace too slow.

And last but not least: the music is sugar-sweet. So much, that it becomes an additional annoying feature. Every unfolding and overly dramatic close-up is accompanied by pinging the piano. Pfff...

Read More

Too Much Drama for Too Few Episodes, But It’s a Good BL

A BL where everything happens by coincidence — in other words, it's all plot-driven and forced. But thanks to the charisma of the characters and actors, it ended up being a good BL. The leads have great chemistry. Even though Phumjai is pretty annoying with his obsession over Tammy, I still managed to like his character.

For me, the main issue is the need to create drama where there didn’t need to be any — the characters just needed to say what had to be said. This kind of conflict caused by poor communication is extremely frustrating. We get six episodes of Phumjai talking only about Tammy, and then two episodes of total chaos with an ending that makes no sense.

Another thing that really bothered me was the excessive product placement in such a short series. So, I’d say what saved this show were the actors, who are genuinely very good.

Read More

So bad it ended up being good

What made me watch it? Joss + vampires.

I've been waiting for Joss to fully dive into the BL world for a long time. He and Gawin made a couple with good chemistry, but I still think their acting needs some improvement. The BL itself has a pretty weak plot and some really bad special effects. But honestly, it was exactly because it was bad that it gave us something to talk about every week. There was always something to comment on — whether it was a cheesy effect, a terrible plot decision, or just to laugh at the series in general. So I’d say it was so bad, it ended up being good.

I actually liked that they took a risk with the vampire theme, knowing it might not turn out great. And I have to highlight the actress who plays Thara — what an amazing woman!

Positives

Joss being hot

Vampires

Thara

Joss and Gawin’s chemistry

Over-the-top scenes (unintentionally funny)


Negatives

The plot

Special effects

Acting was just okay

Read More

What a fab cast!

If you are looking for a sweet, easy to watch drama, this is not it. It’s a very condense, intense, spiral drama that will take you with the characters.

Massive shout for the writers and the director - it cant be easy to pull this one up - there are not that many characters’ lines that could carry the story - and by exposing bit by bit from each line they built a glorious picture.

Lee Jae Wook for me was the weakest of the line - and not because he was bad, but because eve try one else was so exceptionally good. Kim Jae Wook was mesmerising - he always excels in complex characters, especially if there is an element of disorder or trauma! Jo Bo Ah also delivered a solid performance and brought to life a girl, who really wanted to love and be loved.

The drama didn’t offer many explanations and left the viewer to fill the gaps, which I like - it’s like you watch many versions of the story.

All and all, very enjoyable - prepare some handkerchiefs tho..

Read More

Great visuals with a side of great potential

Beautiful visuals and a promising storyline, that’s what I expected would carry the series, had it been placed front and center. They brought in Kim Jae-wook as the villain, but somehow the story seemed to forget he existed—except for a brief appearance every three episodes. And in an 11-episode drama, that’s not much.

The acting was phenomenal. So far, I haven’t seen a drama where Lee Jae-wook disappoints, and this was no exception.

Unfortunately, the strong story they set up early on was pushed aside to make room for a romance that felt out of place. Because of that, what could have been a solid 9.8 dropped down to maybe a 7.5 for me.

I’m also not a fan of dramas where two characters introduced as “siblings” end up with a romantic storyline just because they’re not biologically related. It always feels unsettling and unnecessary.

Still, it’s a good watch. I recommend it for the storyline that ended up taking a backseat: the mystery of the lost children, the child-trafficking villain, and the one child who managed to break free. That part of the drama had real power—and I wish it had stayed in focus.

Read More

I laughed. I cried. I rebooted my own worldview.

“I finally realized that every answer I had hoped for was in everyday life that was too mundane to be ‘fate,’ yet too beautiful to be ‘chance.’”
That line? That line ended me. And healed me. And made me press replay.

“Love for Love’s Sake” is not just a KBL series—it’s a full-on emotional simulation, disguised as fluff, and coded with heartbreak, healing, and game mechanics so existentially metaphorical that I nearly filed an emotional bug report to the universe.

I went in expecting a sweet story. What I got instead? A ticking time bomb of 300 days, a sunbae who just wanted someone to stay, and a puppy-eyed idol who said, “I got you, sunbae”—and meant it.

💔 The Game That Played Me
The setup is simple: Myungha is given a mission by the "game" to make Cha Yeowoon happy. He’s given stats, quests, penalties, buffs—and a limited number of days. But what begins as a lighthearted simulation quickly spirals into something much deeper. The game is a metaphor—life itself, the choices we make, the timelines we abandon, the people we try to save even when we’re falling apart.

🧠 Character Growth: LEVEL 999
The emotional evolution of both Myungha and Yeowoon was painfully exquisite. Myungha, a man weighed down by rejection, abandonment, and self-loathing, tried to play the game right even as it glitched beneath his feet. And Yeowoon? Our precious idol boy grew into a man who no longer just wanted to be loved—he chose to love back, actively, bravely.

Their arcs are where this story wins—because every change is earned. Every breakdown feels real. Every tiny moment? A puzzle piece in a love story coded not by fate, but by choice.

🔧 Plot & Pacing: Nearly Perfect, with One Final Glitch
Episodes 1-7 had god-tier pacing. Cliffhangers hit hard, emotional beats landed perfectly, and the stakes kept rising.
But the finale? While satisfying emotionally, it introduced a time difference twist that—though symbolic—slightly disrupted the momentum. I didn't need that temporal hiccup to feel the reunion. The emotional weight was already there.

Still, the reunion? Kisses. Tears. The fluff we earned. Worth it.

🎮 Game Mechanics: Metaphorical and Meaningful
I didn’t understand every stat, every timer, or every rule—but honestly? That felt intentional. Like life, the “game” wasn’t always fair or clear. But it forced Myungha—and us—to confront whether love is about fulfilling missions or about choosing someone again and again, even when it hurts.

And once the game ended? What remained was real life. The kind filled with beaches, ice cream, found family, and days that feel mundane… but are actually magical.

✨ Final Verdict:
“Love for Love’s Sake” is for the story-driven romanticists, the emotional masochists, the believers in redemption arcs, and anyone who’s ever felt like a glitch in someone else’s game. It’s beautiful, bold, bittersweet—and it rewards the viewer who watches with heart.

I laughed. I cried. I rebooted my own worldview.
9.8/10. Only deducted 0.2 for the finale's slight pacing hiccup, but emotionally? It's a 12/10.
Watch it. Then watch it again. And maybe fall in love—for love’s sake.

Read More

Aight, let me be honest — I'm tryna only rate what could've been controlled, not the contestants merely.

Alright, now let me point this out right away: I've only watched Seasons 3 and 4, and I only know a little about Season 2.

So let's get into it:

Everyone's saying this was Si-ahn’s Inferno, but I don’t think that should be the main thing people rate the show on (at least I didn’t). Who the other contestants liked isn’t the cast’s fault. Sure, it made things boring — but honestly, blame the editing team for pushing it like some high-intensity competition and over-focusing on unnecessary stuff. Why does that dramatic music keep playing? Ew. It reminds me of those thirst traps on TikTok.

But I’m not here to rate the cast — I’m here to rate the show.

SYKE, let’s talk about the cast. As others mentioned, the casting choices were BULL. They clearly went by looks instead of picking personalities that would keep things dynamic, fun, and moving.

The competitions: Haven’t seen anyone mention this, but after a few episodes it’s clear the games rely way too much on physical strength — especially for the guys. That just makes it boring and unfair. Like... were the girls just some body diggers? This show heavily relies on visuals and physicality. At this rate, you might as well watch Physical: 100.

Format: They tried to act like the format was new — “Hey, this is different from the other seasons!” — but nah. Same as Seasons 2 and 3: contestants joining halfway, the same flow, same patterns. I’d only seen Season 3 and still predicted everything that was gonna happen. This show was predictable AF.

MUSIC WAS DOPE THOUGH

All in all, if Season 5 is gonna be like this, Netflix better just cancel it. You’d honestly be fine skipping it too.

Me before watching: 👦🏻
Me after watching: 👦🏻

Read More

The best C Dramas for 2025, without doubts

Superb production with a charismatic Liu Yu Ning

PLOT: The leaders of two neighboring countries (Wei & Qiao) were friends and had an engagement for their children. But the Qiao's defection caused the death of part of the Wei leaders. Years later, a marriage of alliance is decided, and the FL (Qiao's granddaughter, smart and calculating) is send to marry the leader of the Wei (powerful and suspicious). Moreover, the FL's welcome into the Wei city reignites multiple conflicts (love rival, quarrelsome, hidden secrets, etc.). The couple will need to learn to trust each other to navigate through obstacles.

+++ Great casting: Liu Yuning (a magnificent, charismatic ML) (♡´౪`♡), the beautiful Song Zu Er. They gave their everything (micro expressions, chemistry, ...) to bring their characters to live. Kudos !!

+++ Lots of excellent actors... and even Vengo Gao (♡´౪`♡). It's a shame that some actors are used to playing Villain/Viper roles; we know what's going to happen as soon as they appear... even if they do it with talent :)
+++ Effective direction, without being length, with a perfect mix of emotions (romance, action, tension, humor, etc.) and beautiful images & effects (sets & costumes, fight scenes, framing, slow motion, etc.)
+++ Excellent writing (coherence, realism, quality dialogue, good psychological progression)

+++Epic OSTs (and a superb ending song sung by Liu YuNing ;)

NO FLAWS

=> Masterpiece (to watch and rewatch without moderation) (ര̀ᴗര́)و ̑̑(ര̀ᴗര́)و ̑̑

*****************************************************
Superbe production avec un Liu Yu Ning charismatique

PLOT: Les dirigeants de 2 pays voisins (Wei & Qiao) étaient amis et avaient conclu des fiançailles pr leurs enfants. Mais la défection des Qiao a causé la mort d'1 partie des Wei. Des années + tard, un mariage d'alliance est décidé, et la FL (petite-fille Qiao, smart & calculatrice) va épouser le chef des Wei (puissant & méfiant). De +, l'accueil de la FL chez les Wei ravive de multiples conflits (love rival, querelleur, secret caché, etc.). Le couple devra apprendre à se faire confiance pr naviguer aux milieu des obstacles.

+++ Super casting : Liu Yuning (ML magnifique, charismatique) (♡´౪`♡), la très belle Song Zu Er,
+++ Bcp d'excellents acteurs ... et même Vengo Gao (♡´౪`♡) Dommage que certains acteurs soient abonnés aux rôles de Villain/Viper, on sait dès leur apparition ce qui va se passer ... même s'ils le font avec talent :)
+++ Réalis° efficace, sans longueur, avec un dosage parfait d'émotions (romance, action, tension, humour,...) et de très belles images & effets (décors & costumes, scènes de fight, cadrages, slowmotion, etc.)
+++ Excellent travail d'écriture (cohérence, réalisme, dialogues de qualité, bonne progression psychologique)
+++OSTs épiques (et une superbe Ending song chantée par Liu YuNing ;)

NO FLAWS

=> Masterpiece (à voir et revoir sans modération) (ര̀ᴗര́)و ̑̑(ര̀ᴗര́)و ̑̑

Read More

CHEMISTRY, a fresh start, and betrayal…

!!!!! LET ME START WITH CHEMISTRY. holy cow… the angst went CRAZYYY the slow burn was to die for. the JEALOUSY. wenxuan’s “ill support u always” treatment to li rong. WTF. this was crazy. wenxuan was SO secure attachment (slightly anxious) meets anxious avoidant :,) i loved the character development & how wenxuan helped li rong feel so secure within romantic relationships after being betrayed… HOW CUTE. ugh and their couple scenes had me drooling bro like the banter was there and the teasing . so good and i was floored. ofc wenxuan was hot too and the FL hella good acting - very surpised about that after seeing her other dramas!!

i loved the concept of a refresh and trying to fix everything. i loved how everyone had their soulmate they were meant to be with and persist!!! and how loose ends were tied(ish). ugh and LI RONG as an ACTUAL badass FL (not a “omg i’m so girlboss but i rely on my ML for everything” type). she literally commanded wenxuan and her army and the court. what a woman!!!! also court scenes and political scenes i usually can’t follow and don’t understand but this one was good!!! i understood the schemes

but oh my god. su rongqing GOT ON MY NERVEEES. AND WHY WAS LI RONG SO NICE TO HIM??? AFTER HE RUINED EBERYTHING?? HIS DEATH WAS SO SWEET??? LIKE BRO… HE WAS DELUSIONAL AND STUPID. and you COULDNT set his head right??? that was the worst part of this drama bro. i can’t.

Read More

Damn! Probably One if the best if all time

It's hard to find a bl with an actually interesting plot and I know many people will agree.

I don't usually enjoy "one person-many suitors" dramas but gave this a try happy I did! this exceeded my expectations in every way!

This was fresh and the plot twists are actually good and interesting.

The cast!!! I'm hoping to see them in many good works in the future. They are truly talented.

Lemme just point out everything I liked

Storyline
Cast and Acting
Barely any boring scenes.. No cringe scenes.
Interesting till the end!

I am kind of (maybe a lot) picky with shows I watch because when it's not interesting right away I just drop it.. I'm not the type to wait until it gets better..And I don't hesitate to drop it even halfway or near ending if it gets boring bcs I really can't stand meaninglessly dragging the story or the scenes that makes no sense...So if you are like me.. Give it a try! It's been so long since I've been so satisfied with a bl so I really recommend it.

Read More

Jiejie romance with well written characters & plot. No silly green tea!

I enjoyed the acting of Wang Xi and Xia Jing Ran so when this drama appeared on my youtube dashboard, I was intrgiued & decided to watch. I enjoyed it.

What I liked:
1. Romance - Sweet & good dash of spicy with good kisses. I liked that ML was playful & coquettish. This jiejie romance made both ML & FL work on their issues rather than let them fester and create bigger misunderstanding.
2. FL characterisation - I liked how her character was written because we got to see her facing challenges at work.
3. ML characterisation - I don't like secret identity but in this drama, I could put it aside because he was smart, mature & genuine about his feelings for FL.
4. Supporting characters - I really liked FL's brother especially when he was caught by ML for snooping. The dynamic between ML & FL's brother after that scene was fun to watch. ML's assistant was funny too.
5. Siblings - There were 2 pairs of siblings: 1) FL - her brother, 2) ML - his brother. Good contrasts in sibling dynamics.
6. Ending - Amusing & so sweet.

What I disliked:
1. Miscast - I felt like both Wang Xin and Xia Jing Ran were miscast. Wang Xin loooked too mature for 22 year old guy while Xia Jing Ran lacked assertiveness for the role of successful older businesswoman and she looked youthful still. Nevertheless they did well in their roles.

Favourite scene
When FL's brother was caught by ML

Read More