Reviews

I thought this was a decent drama up until the last episode.

The mother, she is one of the worst mothers I have ever seen. She played with her daughters feelings the entire time. How can you expect your daughter to pretend her father isn’t real. How can you expect your child to live with out ever being curious of who he might be, or what he might look like. This mother could only think about herself and no one else, not even her own daughter. I hated how she always acted like a victim, she would beat around the bush, never telling her daughter that her father didn’t abandon them, he didn’t even know she existed. This so called mother was not a mother, and they way she would come home all drunk, I cannot imagine how bad her child would feel if this was real life.

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Interesting Begin and predictable Ending

Ok I really loved how this Drama started. I watched it mainly because of Liu Yu Ning and he saved many scenes where the female actress failed to deliver. The costumes, designs, plot and cast were overall really nice. FL Xiao Qiao role was interesting in the beginning of the story, I was expecting her to be mischievous, calculating and even backstabbing but after she went to Wei she acted as boring housewife, the scenes where she was trying to act as 5 year old girl Infront of the lord were not helping at all. This kind of made their entire romantic relationship flat & boring. Literary every other character like the peony unibrow lady, the half brother Wei Yan or the fat couple were fare more interesting and entertaining than the main leads. I thought the story will end with the last two major battles where the Wei lord dies to the north and his half brother Wei Yan wins by defending the capital, then moves north , unites the land and take care of his brother wife and new born. Would have been a twist but they went the most generic boring way with minimal side characters sacrifices.
Comparing this to other master class historical (costume) dramas like "Love of like a Galaxy", "Story of Kunning Palace" it simply doesn't deserve above 9.

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This Japanese drama is so good!

Honestly, Koshiro (the supposed villain) changing near the end of the show is typical in J-Drama, and that despite the treatment he gave Ayumi, he secretly was supporting her and was trying his best to get her body back. His character doesn't make sense, did he fake wanting Kaga's body? Or was that just a ploy to get Umine to trust him?

Anyways, Kaga is and always will be the main hero of the story, the one who realized Ayumi was in Umine's body first, the one who made everyone happy, and the one person anyone could rely on. It's sad how Dramas always dangle the "best friend" as a choice for love interest but never follows through. I watched so many dramas that the best friend is never the choice in the end, so I kinda guessed it.

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A Haunting Tale of Love and Power

Dear Hongrang is a visually stunning and emotionally gripping Netflix period K-drama that dives deep into the struggles of those marginalized in a rigid, patriarchal society. Set in a world where power is held by the privileged few, it captures the harsh realities faced by women and the powerless, delivering a story as beautiful as it is heartbreaking.

The art direction is breathtaking, with every scene crafted to perfection, and the music effortlessly sets the tone. The cast shines, especially Lee Jae Wook as Hong Rang. His performance is magnetic—whether in emotionally charged flight scenes or moments of captivity and abuse, his raw intensity leaves a lasting impact.

What truly sets this drama apart is its layered storytelling. The grim depiction of powerlessness is portrayed with gut-wrenching realism. However, the series isn't without flaws. The missing child and snowman subplot, brimming with potential, gets sidelined by the love triangle. The one-sided affection from Jae I's adoptive brother, Mu Jin, feels overextended and detracts from the main plot.

As for the romance between Hong Rang and Jae I, it struggles with pacing. The prolonged "is he or isn’t he her real brother?" dilemma keeps viewers at a distance, making it hard to fully invest. By the time the truth is revealed, their sudden, intense love feels abrupt and underexplored, leaving little room for the audience to connect with their relationship. A tighter focus on the missing child storyline and deeper exploration of key characters would have elevated the drama even further.

Despite these missteps, Dear Hongrang is an emotionally charged, visually mesmerizing experience with unforgettable performances. Be prepared for heartbreak, but it’s a journey worth taking.

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Bit of a gem

May 2025

I came across this on Viki, whilst scrolling and seeking out specific actors, for something to watch. I've been in a bit of a slump, with nothing appealing to my current mood. It's a bit like when you're hungry, but don't really know what you want to eat to satisfy your hunger.

I can't recall hearing of this before, but gave it a go, and was happily glued for all of it.

A thriller that centres around a former trauma surgeon, who experiences a life-changing event. He then leaves that career behind, and instead becomes one of the top plastic surgeons. Circumstances lead him to become involved with the police, in compiling evidence for criminal convictions against those accused of murder and assault. This ends up tying in with his past.

Liked the cast and characters, with a great FL one.

I was impressed with, how amongst the fiction, the true value of plastic surgery, to victims of violence, or with facial disfigurements, was raised.

It ticked all my boxes. Worth a look!

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A Decent Storytelling, Could Have Been Better!!!

With a bit of an effort, this series would have been phenomenal and nothing short of a masterpiece. But it honestly did not believe in itself enough to make it memorable. Instead, it relied too heavily on the tried-and-true tropes of the day. Believe it or not, this WAS a good premise. As the expression goes, they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

Fifa (Ton Tonhon) is an unlikable character. Spoiled, pampered and feeling a bit entitled, has his eyes set on going to Japan to study. Cute as a button with a boyish charm about him, Grandma (Rudkloa Amratisha), the matriarch of the family, puts a kibosh to his high-handedness and says, bluntly, that if he wants and obviously needs, the family money, he must work at the Pokpa Nature Park which she operates and manages. Reluctantly, he agrees to stay at the Park for three months, simply to prove to her that he will not fall in love with it nor will it be as meaningful to him as it is to her.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2025/05/31/lost-in-the-woods-series-review-ep-1-to-7/

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This is my kind of drama.

The plot is the effect of an unexpected, tragic outcome in the prime of one’s life. The example is the inaction of the woman who wasted many years in indecisiveness. That loss is the message of the series. However this series was focused on Son Ye Jin. That is the weakness of this series. It diverted the audience’s compassion, to the acting skills of a peripheral figure. Son ye Jin’s character did not need to have a mask. She is capable to show a stoic expression very well.
I liked the invitation to see the peony and the aftermath. It was extremely sensual and stirred my groin. I am 76 years old and only my husband has been able to stir these emotions since we both were 17 years old.

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A Bittersweet Tale of Love and Loss

Just finished Eternal Yesterday and wow… what a story.🥺💔 Yamada & Oumi’s journey is sooo different from the typical BLs—it’s unique and hits u right in the feels. I really liked the acting, and especially how persistent Yamada was with Oumi. Even though Oumi was reserved at first, he opened up little by little.🥹

I was rooting for them to end up together, but even though the story was bittersweet, it ended on a meaningful note. What really stood out to me was Oumi’s character growth—he didn’t even want to become a doctor, but because Yamada believed in him and said he’d be a good doctor, he chose that path. And even five years after Yamada was gone, he was still Oumi's number 1. 💔🌈

It’s one of those stories that will make you smile, cry, and think about it for days after. I wish there was an alternate ending where they could be together, but overall, it’s such a beautiful and memorable series.🌸

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PERFECTION

Queen of tears being my first ever kdrama may have influenced perfect review in a lot of ways but i honestly do not care. I felt like i was watching a masterpiece throughout the whole drama and it made me feel a lot of special emotions. The romance, comedy, visuals and especially the OST had me pumped up all the time. TBH i loved the scenes that were predictable and i have seen a lot of reviews going into the deepest details possible and criticizing them, i feel like there is no need to think that deep LOL ( like how do you even think that deep smh? ). Just enjoy the drama FFS.
I actually wish it had like 20 eps tbh. Beautiful frigging acting too. Again, the OST is fricking perfect.
I feel sad whenever i think about the ending though...idk why.

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8 Eps of Pure Love?✨

Just finished I Cannot Reach You and lemme say, it's a solid 8.5/10 for me! 🙌 The acting and the chemistry btwn the leads were 🔥🔥, and omg Kakeru was just too cute & expressive 🥺💖. I also loved how Yamato was always so aware of Kakeru's feelings—he wasn’t pushy or overpowering at all.

It’s based on a super cute manga and tbh, u can binge it in a day since it’s only 8 eps. 📺💨 But fr, I wish there were more eps and more moments of them being cute together. 😭 Big shoutout to Hosaka for being so mature and helping Yamato & Kakeru figure out their feelings. 🙌 Also, I totally wanted a side story with Hosaka & Mikoto—those two were lowkey so cute together too! 🥰 They had this icy vibe that weirdly worked.

Overall, defs recommend if u love soft BLs with great chemistry and a heartwarming friendship-to-lovers story. 💕

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Resilience in a tough and often unforgiving world

Zhao Liying always delivers solid performances in tough stories ; the resilience of the character she plays also comes from experience in life and acting although the character she played in "The Story of Xing Fu" was not as poor and desperate as Gao Yuexiang who sometimes reminds of the slave girl of "Princess Agents" in her dire straits. GYX is a light grey character with a low moral compass but a strong sense of faithfulness to those she protects, thinking of her daughter, such as deaf and mute Hei Mei (played memorably by Lan Xiya, already noticed as prominent in "She and Her Girls", the biopic series about the mountain high school for girls - she is still playing support with as much brilliance as if she was lead).

The two struggle against the hurdles that keep the poor on the threshold of desperation, saddled with that backstory of going through prison for minor or more serious crimes while the gang that forced Hei Mei to break the law went scot free ...until the bloody retribution in the literally dying out gang in the end. Former ways of thieving are on the way of disappearing in a cashless society where Internet fraud replaces lock picking, and animal trafficking is on the rise while kids abducting is still a menace. Going to prison being also to make inmates reflect and reform, there is a clear goal, but former inmates insertion into society, as in most countries, is not easy, even with the sum allowed to start anew, and they are expected to fend for themselves or find support in their families if they have one, even a bad one.

Deng Hong is not a typical prison warden, but does have some sympathy for the downtrodden women who become sisters in need, and is impressed by the more moral Hei Mei who instead of ripping off old relatives of their former prison cell enemy, goes to lengths to help them. Deng Hong has a back story that explains her sympathy : she was a baby saved from drowning by an escaped inmate and was raised by a police officer, as she tells her story in passing, not insisting. She genuinely wants her former inmates and charges to insert back and start afresh, away from law breaking.

There are a lot of ups and downs in the movie that depicts another side of city under world. But finally there is a happy end, where blood stains are aptly washed clean, while the former law breakers slate is wiped clean.

So, this is perhaps a tad over optimistic, not as realistic as a "Xiao Wu" pickpocket story told by Jia Zhangke in his famous independent movie, but this one also reminds of that underworld of ordinary people whose lives also contribute to building a country, shown over the years in movies such as "Platform", "Suzhou River" etc. and referring directly to the spirit of the famous Feng Xiaogang crime comedy "A World Without Thieves".

It is an interesting watch, indeed not depressing or boring, even thrilling, although there is not much humor in this one. I balanced between an 8 and 9.5 for rating, since the story is perhaps too simple and unremarkable, but the main actresses made it come to life.

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