Reviews

MY GOD (lots of squid game mention)

This show was actually so, so, so entertaining. I watched this after finishing Squid Game season 2, so you could imagine me craving more. This show SCRATCHED that itch for squid games, but I wouldn't particularly say it's a squid game dupe, no, I say they have many similarities, but definitely show different meanings. The concept that the higher your level, the more you earn, defines a view on classes. A pyramid, if you will. And it shows how brutal money makes people. I mean shit, at the end of it, it was literal torture among others to get a life you wanted ( as long as you kept the higher ups entertained). It's way for gruesome than Squid Game, given the fact that no one dies and they are constantly being swapped between the lower class being tortured and the higher class being tortured until the highest just tortures them all. It goes more in-depth on how it's psychologically messing up these people more than how much they will do to win or to live normally after. It's so realistic, it's almost sickening to think that this is how people would most likely be if this were a real thing.

I definitely would say this is harder to rewatch than Squid Game's, since its such an acid trip to watch a game of cat and mouse between these characters.

SORRY FOT SHORT REVIEW, IM SLEEPYYYYY (also, this is so underrated, wtfff!!!)

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Its definitely super good if you don't hyper analyze it like most people (no shade...)

a few things I wanna say tho is;
Jung won being a mafia was probably the most predictable part of this drama since shes quite literally the FL's bsf and was so flat through out the show, though, through out the entirety of season 2-8ish I believed that Kyung Jo (that was (obviously) portrayed as a bully) was a mafia! i mean, the way he used to bully da beom so so much, I was so sure Kyung Jo and his two rats were absolute a holes, but after the last ep, I'm slightly more so think that da beom deserved it all since he's the one who made deep fakes of se-eun. Also, it made me realize why he was called a perv by Kyung Jo and his little gang.

The whole ghost thing
So, in ep 12, it was revealed that the whole mafia game was a simulation made by the parents of Se-eun, right? One thing that kind of confuzzled me was why the FL and ML were put under this? I'm sure the parents at least know the FL wasn't a problem or reason for Se-Eun's death (because of the present), so why was she put under the simulation as well? I also wonder why FL was the only one to see the ghost? Was it because she was her best friend or...?? Another thought, that dream at the beginning that was to foreshadow, was that supposed to be a part of FL's game since we know that the way Jung won was acting was apparently an "error", it makes me wonder HOW many errors were there? It's me thinking too deeply, I know, but it couldn't have been helped but to ask. The last episode surely left many unanswered questions.

random question
how the fuck did the parent even manage to drag an entire youth club to this simulation room.

Da Beom and the way he lived SOOOOOOO long (why???)
This is me talking of a pov of growing to hate his character after trying to defend him, but looking back, he deserved everything and was sooooo clearly mafia, but I was too oblivious until Kyung Jo's death. I feel like he would've been a more successful mafia if he were to use the fact that he was getting bullied shitless (unless the students knew he was the one to leak/make deepfakes(which it seemed they didn't know)). But instead, after getting a chance to kill his bully, he goes fucking psycho which made me tilt my head because I feel like its SOOO obvious that he was mafia.

WHY is Kyung Jo their fukcing lord
"everyone say who's mafia and ill choose who it is" HES ONLY SAYING THIS BECAUSE HE KNOW EVERYONE WILL END UP BELIEVING HIM AT THE END. and the irony of the one time they were like "yeah you MIGHT be bullshitting" IS THE ONE TIME HES RIGHT? When Woo Ram was said to be mafia, I literally had to laugh because, hell, even *I* was convinced he was a civilian
So Mis' character did its job.
From the start, I didn't like her. Her obsession with Jun Hee (ML) made me INSTANTLY know she was gonna be the mean girl. (Miss, why are you taking pictures of a sleeping boy?) OHHHH I just remembered the stupid birthday beating scene. The way she started fake crying after Jun Hee came made me PISSED. Jung Won and I were both side-eying her. I also hate when an MC is too nice. Whywhwywhywhyw Yoonseo are you so forgiving to this girl after she had two boys drown you and almost get freaking KILLED by a ghost. Though I will say she did what Da Beom should've done. PLAY THE FREAKING GAME CORRECTLY. she was actually a GREAT mafia, her gaslighting and acting was so good up until Kyung Jo's death. You can tell she was slowly losing touch with how to stay in the clear (after those two boys caught them with Kyung Jo's keys after his death ( hella sus.)). It's safe to say that if Na Hee (I LOVE NA HEE) weren't to take one for the team and reveal both that she was the police and So Mi was mafia, So Mi actually might have made it to the end.

Yoon seo (FL), you're a good person
Every time Kyung Jo was actually tweaking out, she tried her best to stop him. What a sweetheart :(.

Rip seeun, but your mom pmo
Maybe someone needs to prove me different, but holy SHART her mom's logic annoyed me. Yes, I understand your daughter was bullied to death, but taking a bunch of kids (innocent too,) and wasting their lives, putting them in a coma, and making them play a game over and over (WITH OUT REMEMBERING, SO THERES NO POINT BECAUSE THEY ARENT EVEN LEARNING THE STUPID LESSON) is doing wayyyy too much. Do I think only the culprit and the bullies should be experiencing this for an extended period of time? yes! Do I think Yoon seo (FL) and Jun Hee (ML) deserve to? FUCCCCKKKK no! they were the two that actually were her friends and Jun Hee actually TRIED to save her?? I'm not defending the bullies or the people who drove Se-eun to do this, but I feel like this punishment is unfair to at least Yoon seo and Jun hee.

ok I should be done until I realize a few things (also woo min is so fine)

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5 dramas in one

I really love this concept of having multiple main couples. It was like watching 5 different dramas in one relatively short c-drama with all the tropes and feels of any regular show. Each couple had their own struggles before rly finding each other and while at times the misunderstandings were beyond annoying, I appreciated how the conflicts always got solved and didn't last forever like in some other shows. The show has its flaws, but it really shines when it comes to the character and cast.

The mom was my favorite part of the show. She was absolutely hilarious throughout and held such compassion for all her son-in-laws except for when they did her daughters dirty. She is such a mama bear cuz even when she was afraid after her husband just died and people where taking everything from her family, she learned how to stand up for herself and her family and since then, she did not take no bs. Even when people called her crude, shameless, or vulgar she did not care as long as she was protecting her daughters. She raised all them on her own with such strong principles, she never wanted them to settle for anything less than what they deserved and that is why all her daughter had such successful marriages(eventually😂). The actress for this character was SOO freaking talented. Her comedic timing and facial expressions rly made any scene she was in. Missing Madam Li terribly and hoping to see her in more dramas

The reason I even started this drama was because I loved Lu Yu Xiao in Blossoms of Adversity(which i totally recommend if u haven't watched already), and Wang Xing Yue is fine shyt. Their relationship was a great start to the show, always bickering like a married couple even before getting married. It gave enemies-to-lovers with both plotting on each other's demise. I love kang ning for standing up for her family and not marrying Chai An when his mom was being so disrespectful. Loved seeing the mother beg for kang ning to marry her son afterwards. I enjoyed seeing their domestic life throughout the drama, and their scheming antics being used to protect the li family.

Now the most trifling couple in this show was du yangxi and shouhua cuz he treated my girl so badly so many times. They get married he ignores her and when he finally realizes his wife is a baddie(duh she's from the li family), he starts being jealous of her DEAD ex-husband like bro ur so corny. He had the nerve to be like "i could never kneel to my wife" and then ended up kneeling to gain her favor but after doing all that to make her love and trust him, he divorced her in the most embarrassing and degrading way ever. This girl has asked nothing of him but to stay by her side and he couldn't even do that. I guess his redemption arc was fine but my Shouhua was too good a wife to be treated like that, she wasn't even as hostile as her sisters and he still treated her like that, I can only thank God he now treats her like the Queen she has always been. Anyway, loved HeYi in The Princess Royal and was so hyped to see him paired with Liu Xie Ning(loved her in Story of Kunning Palace).

Now my favorite couple was haode and shen hui cuz their chemistry was unmatched. I was skeptical at first because when Shen hui was advocating for the death of yangxi I rly wasn't fcking with him, he also just looked weird a majority of the time. Idk if it was just me but he looked like a robot and his eyes were always bulging out and it was so weird cuz he's good looking when I see photos of him but in the show he just looked off for some reason. Anyway, this ship was the cutest. The amnesia plot didn't bother me at all(shockingly) because haode told him the truth immediately. She is an absolute cutie, no wonder shen hui couldn't resist falling for her. I loved how she made him a more empathetic person. They were so perfect together and I need to see them in a modern drama together.

While haode and shen hui were my favorite couple, leshan was my favorite sister and her relationship was very entertaining to watch. Yang xian can actually go to hell tho. Cuz what did u think would happen when you did that on her WEDDING DAY!! Also, people praising him for saving haode and the rest doesn't sit right with me especially since my girl had to beg before he even considered going to save them. All the male leads did things that made it hard for the audience to forgive them but yang xian was genuinely so hard to forgive cuz he was genuinely evil. I thoroughly enjoyed watching him get beat up by leshan. So glad she didn't change her violent ways once she got married and started falling for him cuz it was refreshing to see a woman in a historical drama that shamelessly demanded respect in that way. I appreciated how she was given the power to punish the yang family even beating her elders into submission(queen sh*t fr). Anyway, I was glad to see their happy ending, they were rly enemies-to-lovers. Tian Tian did such a good job in this role I was beyond shocked to find out she was a minor. SO glad they didn't make her be intimate with her significantly older co-star

Lastly, I appreciated them completing Qiong Nu's story and giving her a love interest. Her story as the adopted daughter was sad but I could understand both sides. Madam Li did treat her as a daughter but it was hard to forget her son whenever she looked at Qiong Nu and at the end of the day she is already doing her a favor by adopting her on top of having to raise 5 daughters on her own. I also empathize with Qiong Nu being abandoned by her family, losing her betrothed, and feeling left out as the adopted daughter. I'm glad they were able to actually talk it out together.

Overall, I loved all the character and all the ships. I could see why people found it hard to watch, the male leads were mad toxic. But I don't agree with people saying the wives were being abusive, they never beat their husbands without ample reason(cheating, lying, scheming). Fu Hui was being disrespected in her own home by her husband, she was 100% justified in beating his ahh. Now he is the obedient husband to a beautiful wife. I deeply respected the girls telling their mans they will not be allowed to get a concubine unless the wife is unable to conceive by the age of 40 which is impossible since their family is so fertile. That is actually so iconic. Also I was shocked to find out 3 members of the main cast were in kpop groups. Wdym fuhui was in WJSN, Shouhua was in gugudan(with god sejeong), and yang xian is in NCT. Like how did I not know any of this till now. Anyway, while imperfect, this show was so great, totally recommend.

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During a recent trip to Stratford, Ontario, I had the chance to visit The Little Prince Micro-Cinema, recognized by Guinness World Records as the World’s Smallest Movie Theatre! This 13-seater gem was fully decked out in charming old-fashioned theatre decor, making it such a cute and fun experience. We were lucky enough to catch this film playing during our visit (the other option was Ju-on, the original Japanese Grudge, but both my boyfriend and I aren't horror fans, so we skipped that one). Throne of Blood didn't seem to be the most popular pick that day because we were the only ones there so it was basically a private screening, which was awesome. The theatre does actually offer private shows for a couple hundred dollars, so honestly, we lucked out!

While chatting with the super nice lady that worked there after the show, she shared a bit about why she chose this film to screen and how it connected to the Stratford Festival that was going on. At the time of our visit, the play being performed at the festival was Macbeth, and she explained that the production was actually more inspired by this film version than Shakespeare’s original. Honestly, when we walked in, we had no idea the film was related to Macbeth, but when she explained it, we both had that collective “ohhh!” moment as it all clicked into place.

The film itself was very intriguing. It’s a black-and-white film, and we watched it with English subtitles. There were a few moments where the scenes dragged a bit (like a five-minute horse-riding sequence that kind of pulled you out of the story), but overall, it flowed and transitioned nicely. The acting and music were genuinely very captivating, and some of the effects and scenes were super impressive for the time. We really enjoyed the film, though to be fair, that might’ve been partly because of the whole experience of seeing it on the big screen. I would love to check out some of Akira Kurosawa's other works as well after this.

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Remake, but still worth watching

As someone who had already watched Go Ahead and loved it, I was hesitant to watch it's remake because I was afraid that it would ruin my fav cdrama for me.

My primary reason to watch this drama was that I heard Hwang In Youp got the girl in this one (Han Seojun fever ifykyk 😭).

(This is my first time of writing review, so please don't mind if I say something inappropriate. )

I love Go Ahead, it's one my favourite cdramas. And Family By Choice? I love this too.

Initially, I expected it to be the exact copy of Go Ahead. Although, the canon events Aren't changed, yet there were some small changes in this one. I liked the changes, as they were mostly what I found controversial in the original one.

In my country, if you call even a random stranger brother, then he is your brother - there is no scope for romance (I think you can guess the country). So, in Go Ahead, when the main lead got together, and Brother He too said that he liked the girl, it felt weird to me. But in FBC, the brother sister relation of the main leads is not much shown, so it doesn't feel so weird. And the brother wanting to marry the FL is also shown very less, so it all feels comforting and natural.

As for the acting, why I gave 9 and not 10 was because I felt more connected to the characters in Go Ahead. Yeah I said I found somethings weird, but I still felt more drawn to them, especially Brother He (portrayed by Steven Zhang). I'm not saying that Bea Hyunsung didn't do well. He did great too. All the other actors did well too.
The boyfriend's mother? I hated her like I did in GA.
The Brother's mother? I liked her like I did in GA.
The fathers? I loved them both, and shipped them both 🤭 like I did in GA.
The main leads? I loved them both more than I did in GA!

So, in conclusion, I would say that..
Although it's a remake and is very similar to the original one (obviously), yet there are some things which make it worth watching 🫶🏻

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interesting premise with underwhelming writing (BL side couple timings)

Overall: the past/reincarnation was interesting, but the characters and plot execution frequently fell flat. 8 episodes about 50 minutes each. Aired on iQIYI https://www.iq.com/album/i-m-your-moon-2025-x1y0b7cfb1?lang=en_us

Content Warnings: off screen punch, past deaths/murder, past punch/slap, grief, dub con kissing/sex

Timings for BL Couple
- episode 1: 18-20, 22-24, 27-29
- episode 2: 23-25:20
- episode 3: 7:40-14:50, 35:15-41
- episode 5: 18:55-21:45
- episode 6: 2:25-4:10, 16:30-17:35
- episode 8: 15:55-17:20, 45:25-46:50

What I Liked
- the past lives/styling
- the m/m side couple relationship development
- established f/f side couple
- that the guy was pretty mature in the finale

Room For Improvement
- Prey (and what a character name) felt/acted very young, I didn't catch character ages but a character said there was a large age gap
- how she treated Prey, kissing her and then saying it wouldn't work
- odd how they reincarnated into each other's family so Prey ended up dating her reincarnated grandmother???
- the kissing and more when 1 person was shown to be very drunk (but then seemed much more sober a few minutes later)
- nonsense/cliche plot stuff i.e. 1 guy didn't recognize another guy when he looked exactly the same, characters caused a ton of unnecessary pain (not telling her for a month?!), wore clothes in a bathtub etc

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When brilliance is blinded by vengeance, even the stars cannot guide a lost heart

Legend of Zhanghai presents itself as a tale of brilliance and destiny, led by a male protagonist skilled in astronomy and the decoding of ancient mechanisms. But behind the clever puzzles and polished visuals lies a story that feels increasingly hollow the deeper it goes.

The male lead may be intelligent, but his judgment is alarmingly flawed. He accepts Zhuang Zhi Xing’s accusations against the Dongxia Queen without a shred of doubt or verification. An act that contradicts the very essence of wisdom. For someone so capable, his lack of discernment is not just disappointing; it’s dangerous.

Even more unsettling is how carelessly he endangers himself and others. Stealing the Gui Seal and bringing it to the Imperial Astronomy Bureau despite clear threats. Eunuch Chao still alive, and his vengeful adopted sons and daughter looming, is not an act of courage, but of recklessness.

The most difficult part of watching this drama is seeing a protagonist so consumed by vengeance that everyone else becomes expendable. Many lives are sacrificed in silence, treated as mere stepping stones in his personal quest for revenge. Even a queen’s life is lost, reduced to collateral damage, an act that feels hollow and unjust. It’s as if the lives of others don’t matter unless their life mirrors his own family's. That kind of tunnel vision may be realistic in grief, but here it’s portrayed without enough reflection or consequence. Grief without reflection turns into destruction, and that’s exactly what we witness.

The female lead’s arc is equally disheartening. She falls in love too quickly, devotes herself too completely, and willingly sacrifices herself for his revenge, all for a man she barely knows. What could have been a moving story of connection becomes yet another example of a woman’s life folded into a man’s pain.

This drama is far from perfect. It has its beautiful moments: Clever twists, stunning visuals, and a male lead who is undeniably charismatic. But beneath that, it tells a story that often forgets the value of every life and the weight of every choice. Revenge may drive the plot, but it should not come at the cost of so many innocent souls without question, remorse, or reckoning.

Legend of Zhanghai is a story where intellect overshadows empathy, and revenge consumes compassion. It reminds us that no matter how clever a hero may be, if he forgets the worth of those around him, he is not a hero at all, just a man lost in his own darkness.

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What a groundbreaking drama!

My God! Wô de tien na! (Still practicing Chinese🤭)

Initially, I didn't feel the episode one but when I entered episode two...when i began to understand the storyline, I didn't leave my laptop till I was done.

This movie deprived me of my sleep.

Leshan and Kangning really cracked me up with laughter.

Especially their mother, that woman is a lowkey comedian.

I will never forget Mr. Fan (Fuhui's husband) and his so called bully, Mr. Chai (Kangning's husband).

The flow, the wit, the emotion, the romance, the filial piety, the comedy, the bond, everything just hit at the right proportions. Nothing was too much.

I HIGHLY recommend this drama😊

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Review: Love Letter (1995) — A Beautiful Film That Left Me Cold

After watching 18x2, which referenced this film, I was curious to finally see what Love Letter was all about. I’d heard so much praise over the years — how poetic and emotional it is, how it’s considered a classic of Japanese cinema. And as someone who genuinely loves romance and melancholic stories, I expected to be moved by it. Unfortunately, I wasn’t.

Visually, Love Letter is beautiful. The snowy landscapes, soft light, and quiet tone give the film a haunting atmosphere. The acting, too, is subtle and sincere. But for all its beauty, I found the story strangely hollow. The pacing felt slow in a way that dulled the emotional impact rather than deepening it, and I struggled to connect with the characters.

One aspect that particularly bothered me was the relationship between the female lead and her new boyfriend. Instead of offering true emotional support, he came across as impatient and even self-serving — trying to speed up her healing so he could take the place of her deceased fiancé. It felt more like he was in love with the idea of her — or maybe even with who she reminded him of — than with her actual self. That dynamic left me uncomfortable, and the ending, instead of providing closure, felt emotionally unearned.

That said, there were a couple of scenes that really stood out: the quiet moment in high school when she tries to light his notebook with her bike lamp, and the rawness of her voice echoing through the snowy mountains. In those moments, I could feel what the film was trying to do — the weight of longing, the fragility of memory — but they were isolated flashes in an otherwise emotionally distant experience.

I know Love Letter means a lot to many viewers, and I respect that. I can appreciate its artistic quality and understand why it resonates with others. But for me, it lacked the emotional depth I was hoping for. Sometimes a film just doesn’t speak your language, and that’s okay. This one didn’t speak mine.

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For once, an original K-BL plot with great acting... and yet...

The actors were really good and seeing them play the same characters across timeskips of multiple years didn't feel awkward as you might expect. The overarching plot was good as well and for once original - no more childhood friends turned co-workers or the like.

Unfortunately, the script writing lacked severely in places efter episode three. Some of the cuts felt out odd and make me do a double take to ensure that I didn't just miss an episode in-between. Some of the "drama" also felt unnecessary and often, the motivation of the characters was difficult to understand.

If the quality of the first 3 episodes had been maintained, I would have rated the show at least 8,5 and the only reason that I have not deducted more than 1 point is that the actors really did a great job.

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Sharp, Calculative and a whole lot of brains!!

Finally we're getting a hero who doesn't know martial arts! If you're looking for a cold-hearted main lead and his gang of misfits, this is that series!

Throughout the series, Zhang Hai has solely depended on his teachings, his cold heart burning with revenge, and slow and steady calculations when racing against time to capture and k-word the three villains in his life.
Every episode has you on the edge of your seat! There is always something going on, something happening to the people around Zhang Hai.
I also like that the romance arc is barely there in this series, which I like. And also because Zhang Hai has been guarding his heart against anything and everything that even remotely symbolizes love lol. The FL is such a great match for Xiao Zhan, they seem very comfortable on-screen, the dialogue delivery and acting is very natural between these two.
I also like the second lead/ second young master. First saw him in White Cat Legend. He has improved so much! Glad he's getting more recognition in this drama!
Still on ep 20, and waiting on the grand reveal of the third villain Zhang Hai has been searching. Hopefully soon!

rewatch value: 10/10

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