Reviews

Cute, Silly and Fun!

I went into this one absolutely blind, the only reason I added it to my watchlist, I liked the poster and Monster Next Door was a cute series.

To my surprise it's fantasy! and my favorite kind at that,I was suddenly thrown into a parallel universe where people inexplicably have mind reading abilities, at no point is the lore explained nor it tried to make sense, and it's fun because I was just as disoriented as the Phopthorn was. The peacock gag was too funny and not used enough, when it stopped showing up I actually missed it and when it showed up again I laughed like a maniac.

The second couple doesn't have enough screen time they were really cute and more time should've been spent on them rather than stretch the barely there plot and of all the stupid villains, the villain in this story has got to be the stupidest I've ever seen like what was his plan?? Did he have one??! The story isn't perfect but I still loved how over the top, absurd and self aware this series was.

Read More

Excelled because of WY AND XZ

I’ve been wanting to watch this drama for the longest time, but I was honestly scared to start because of the hype. The hype around The Untamed is absolutely insane, so I really wanted to understand what everyone was talking about. After finally watching it… I have very mixed feelings. It is an incredible drama and I genuinely enjoyed it, but I also had a lot of problems with it.
Let me start with the main issue for me: the production. I’m watching it eight years after it aired, and you can definitely feel that. The cinematography and the overall production quality felt outdated to me, and at times it even looked a bit lazy. If I had watched it back in 2019, maybe I would’ve felt differently, but watching it now in 2025, I constantly felt like the production kept pulling me out of the story.
The fighting scenes weren’t great — you could see the choreography too clearly. And the zombies… I could not take them seriously. The makeup was just not it, and it made it so hard for me to feel anything during those scenes.
Costumes, though, were really nice. Especially WWX — everything about his look was perfect: hair, styling, overall vibe. As for Lan Zhan, Wang Yibo already has a long face and the forehead ornament just made it look even longer. It wasn’t my favorite look on him, but he still served, so I let it slide.
I also think the hype worked against me. It was overwhelming. I feel like a huge part of why people are obsessed with this show comes from those who already read the novel and were attached to the characters long before watching the drama. Because I didn’t read the novel, it took me a long time to get attached. I don’t think I truly “got” the hype until I was more than 20 episodes in — which is a long time to wait.
Another personal thing: I’m not the biggest fan of purely platonic relationships — they don’t usually work for me — even though the chemistry was definitely there. So that was a small minus for me too.
As for acting, some performances weren’t strong. Mainly the villains. A lot of the actors were new, and you could feel it. I don’t hate any of them, but some scenes just didn’t land. Also, none of the villains were surprising or satisfying. I kept waiting for a shocking reveal after hearing everyone talk about it… but only the final reveal did anything for me, and even that was mild.
People always say The Untamed is easy to follow. For me, it was not. It’s full of characters, timelines, narrations, flashbacks — it took effort to stay on track. But surprisingly, the 50-episode length felt perfect. It didn’t feel too long for what it wanted to do.
The story itself is actually very good. The execution is where it struggled a bit.
Once the male leads “clicked,” I really enjoyed every moment between them, whether you see it as bromance or BL or just deep bond — it worked. The brotherhood themes were beautiful, and a lot of the relationships in the show were genuinely touching. The music was also amazing.
And I completely understand why people rewatch it. The first time is confusing because of the plot, but on rewatches you focus more on the emotions and the characters.
Do I think it’s worth watching? Yes.
Do I think it’s overhyped? Not necessarily — I think it was perfectly hyped for 2019. Watching it now in 2025, the excitement isn’t the same, but I can still see why it was a cultural moment.
What I wish (even though it’s impossible because of the drama behind the show) is a newer version — remade with today’s budget, effects, and production quality. The story deserves it, and the leads would shine even more in a better visual environment.
Despite everything, I did enjoy it. It was entertaining, fun, emotional in many moments, and definitely something I’m glad I watched.

Read More

Disappointing and frustrating ending

It really started strong. I loved Baek Ah Jin as a sociopath and how she only harmed those who harmed her (except 1 person). She did her best in getting back at people determined to harm her. But the ending really ruined everything for me. All she wanted was to get to a position where no one can harm her.

At first I was envious of her being able to have 3 men who love her so much but Jun Seo was so disappointing. The only 2 people who loved her were Jae O and In Kang but sadly In Kang was weak. I wish his grandmother hadn't passed away. I wish Ah Jin wasn't being pressured into breaking up with him. I feel horrible for Ah Jin's life. She just couldn't catch a break. My heart breaks for her.

I just hated the way Jun Seo behaved at the end. Undid everything Jae O went through for Ah Jin. Made his sacrifice a waste. Meanwhile Moon Do Hyeok got away scot-free. Really frustrating.

Just left a bad taste in my mouth.

Read More

THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL!!!!!! KYAAAAAAA I REPEAT THAT SO FXXXING BEAUTIFUL ?????

The only thing i hate about this drama is waiting for it every week😭😭😭. It started beautifully and ending beautifully. I did find ya's dad annoying but I'm happy ya and janjak didn't follow him and told their lovers about their mind reading powers while... the father didn't do it till the end. Poor lady she never knew her husband knew how she left but chose to ignore it and she suffered alone.
I really loved park🤭🤭Especially as real apo sadly we didn’t get much of that diva. Also Tailah and Janjak ❤️❤️❤️ my shaylas🥺🥺🥺 i was like aww a cute couple tailah is definitely the bottom until we saw tailah top😳 n definitely didn't hate it🤭🤭 if u actually did notice he was top from the start. I just forgot i was wondering like he's a top in thorn's world how come he switched here. He didn't 🍻😌😌 and it made total sense. Like this is my theory. Apo who lives in Thorn's body got together with his friend Fa cz in the last episode he scolds thorn for having that food every week which means real apo still went to gave dinner with Fa.. so he might be his partner...
Or... thorn was actually hit by the hotel owner (big's back from ep 1) and he took him to the hospital and what happened here happens there they fell in love with each other but from different worlds.. well we'll never know🤣🤣 but atleast we know apo and thorn both got happy ending. Surya married someone he loved. Ashin got his brother. Janjak was finally successful in seducing tailah. Ya's mother found love in her marriage and apo's parents got a son who doesn't cause problems🤣🤣 and obviously the dog/shaman got to repay his debt to thorn for the food🤣🤣 that was soo unexpected and a reasonable explanation for the soul switch.

Read More

I'll force myself to finish..

i had big expectations, especially because everyone was listing this as spicy BL. not in my books, maybe my standards are too high but NC scenes always ended way too quick, sometimes i wasn't sure if they even did it. and i'm not sure if there is 2nd uncut version, i couldn't find any that has different/ longer scenes.

that being said, plot is becoming more and more stupid each episodes. as someone else said, basically everyone that shows up is a villain and is scheming against Keen for some reason. there is too many villain plots for no reason. i thought that other boxer will be the main villain and that we will spend the season watching them prep for the BIG EVENT which was that boxing match. no, the match happens and ends that same episode. then they have another same fight next episode. whatever. then there's debt collector plot, and then there's that main boxing mafia villain (don't know any of the names lol). he's obsessed with Keen who is basically a kid because his dad owes him money and he died. like how much money can it be to torture this "child" who has no clue what's going on? this is by ep 8 and i'm so tired of this plot.

also Keen just showed up without knowing nothing about boxing, and suddenly he's saving the gym and making all these big deals by fixing the matches? ok.

i love the chemistry between the 2 leads and i also like that side couple. i guess that's the only thing i like.

Read More

Majorly disappointed

Ah-jin's backstory is devastating and it really makes for such a captivating story. I really rooted for her, despite all the horrible manipulation she's capable of. But then the plot took a real dive after episode 8 or so. So many plot points were thrown away after the mid-point (what happened to the agency CEO? And our classmate bully in the hospital?) And not to mention the finale. So ridiculous it's not funny. I really loved the villian husband that was a real match but Ah-jin but then there was no conclusion for their story. The character development lacked, and if there was, it was wasted by the end. Maybe they strayed away too far from the original webtoon.

The acting. I think Kim Yoo-jung shone best in this. The two male leads were a little wooden but that just might have been the fault of the writing.

There was so much potential, but this sadly did not deliver.

Read More

Pretty disastrous in a good way

I really really like the first few episodes of this, it gave a big "first note at love" vibes also same concept and sadly it was as bad.

Generally speaking it was well acted, story was solid and with good concept, the main problem was with the question that left answered, and the unrealistic turn of events, I know this is low budget but the negative points are completely about the script.

1- The drama within the drama: I understand the idea of the sponsor or the producer controlling the whole project, but if he was so against everything in this drama, why agreeing to it in the first place, that was weird, I mean if I have a fallen star I want him to gain his reputation so I push him into a simple low production movie with a rookie director and a child actor, I guess I'll be more thankful to them than controlling, and vise versa if he is still famous with paparazzi everywhere following him like Hawks then maybe this level of mediocrity isn't for him.

2- the whole tumor thing: if you have a ticking bomb inside your head, it's pretty unrealistic to stay for over a year after diagnosis living normally as if there is nothing wrong, they shows the guy getting dizzy and fainting once and that's it, them once everything is settled they have to fill the rest of the episodes (the totally unnecessary ones) with him in the hospital, I'd rather see him getting diagnosed during the filming instead of a year before, because he could have just lived the same way he did the whole year and he'd still have his eyes.

3- why did he want to be an actor? Out of no where once he knew about his sickness he decided he wanted people to see him, he even dropped out of school and worked as a bartender for a year then suddenly he wanted to be an actor! I mean I get it but maybe make it his dream job or something, a single line would be appreciated, since they only showed him getting into this whole thing because of Pei Jia.

4- what does that end means? I see it as a happy end but what happened to his eyes did he have the surgery? did he stay blind? I mean an answer would be nice, since they showed nothing but him and his sickness for the last 4 episodes or so.

5- second leads story: I didn't like that director at all, sometimes they shows him as an important person and sometimes he is just a rookie, also his indecisiveness and cowardness is slightly annoying, I mean I understand the way he has to compromise but he was a mob.

6- very long miscommunication arc: almost half of it has a miscommunication problem between the leads that lasted more than necessary and the whole "misfortune" that happened to the MC could have been easily avoided had Pei Jia been more open and told him about everything and properly warmed him, instead he just let him sign the contract because he is sick.

I believe it need more polishing in the script, this had a great potential even the weird kisses were not a problem but those illogical things did bother me, if you want to add a medical issue at least respect the audience's mind.

Read More

Unhinged

Don't get me wrong, I knew what I was going to watch. It's just that instead of a movie about BDSM, they just made it into a manga inspired soft porn with dubious consent and bizarre behaviors from most of the people involved.
If anything, I'm guessing the manga they were inspired by to make this movie is a hentai manga. So that would explain a lot of weird and unhinged moment's, I just think that for adaptation they could've at least tried making it more logical.

So much unhinged moment's that would never happen IRL, and you can only meet in that type of movies and mangas.
Like when Kaoru's mom gave his sex toys to a neighbor girl to hide them from him. In a paper bag for that matter, at this point she could've used a plastic see-through bag… Hello? Aren't you even ashamed of giving a paper bag full of your son's sex toys to a neighbor? Like that is just so wild.

Or Nana trying on the “clothes”, without knowing where it was or if it was used by anybody! Who in their right mind would do that. I guess you could say, that since he doesn't have a girlfriend it's probably clean and unused, but what if he likes to wear stuff like this himself and don't wash it afterward? Or worse? Like girl, please, think about it before doing something like that!
As well as Kaoru blackmailing Nana into submission. That is disgusting and while I could see an argument of “well she did come back for more” and well the only thing I can say to this is: OF COURSE she did! Because you are watching a porn that has nothing to do with reality, and none of this bullshit would've ever happened in the real life.

The consent is dubious in this as well as Kaoru being an absolute disgusting creep. The way he's behaving is absolutely atrocious, no one who actually participate in any kind of BDSM relationship will ever act this way. Disregarding of what she wants and thinks and just bluntly pressuring her into doing things she isn't comfortable with, nobody is doing that unless they agreed upon that prior to action.

Overall, I think I'm just isn't one of those people it was made for, and that's why I see it to be so problematic…

Read More

This is just gathering some thoughts as to why this comedy-lakorn/series didn't quite work for me despite a VERY promising start and offered here for others who may share them or are trying to work out their reactions. If you haven't finished it yet or adore it, feel free to pass this by. There aren't actual spoilers but I've marked it as such to reduce the chances of prejudicing anyone before they've seen it. There is a lot to like and it will work for many.

The physical comedy in the first episode was a delight, especially when it was a giant wink at tropes and conventions and fully committed to the spoof. It settled down of course, that sort of writing is hard to sustain. A strong female lead character, but also a nearly entirely male cast and a heavy lean towards young men's humour and let's call it a western amount of cleavage, swimsuits and ogling camera shots which they kept returning to. Clever play with product placements. And some of the moments which leant into the absurdity of the situations were good fun.

The lakorn set-ups and short-cuts mostly played for laughs mostly worked well initially. But two things stopped it working for me. The easy one to explain is the shift from fun, comedic violence to tense and 'serious' violence with the winks relegated to the denouements. Many will love the action of course but I found the quantity and pacing of it tiring. There was just too much for me, and more and more densely packed as we approached the end. Plus it took up a lot of a very short run time. All of the characters needed to have their moments with it I guess.

(Please note that I recognise action is a popular genre with many fans. If you've decided to take offence because I don't get on with it so well and I am talking about that in public, please don't.)

The second thing is harder to put into clear words, and ultimately more important. Because there was a full lakorn's worth of characters crammed into 8 hours, and a crazy twisty plot, and a fair bit of that was some combination of tropes as short cuts and played for laughs, I never really became invested in the characters. There were moments, but then it would race on to something else. I love lakorns for the characters and emotions, not the plots. The actors played their roles suitably to each moment, there was just too much crammed into 8 hours for me.

Maybe I'm at the wrong level of viewing, I've seen enough there were no real surprises here, including everything to do with the ghost, and the crime/police sides, and the backgrounds/motivations...but not enough to, I don't know. I sincerely hope that the majority love this. If you want to respond, I'm interested to read what you have to say as well. Please spoiler comments if there are specifics.

Read More

A great foundation of plot that failed to deliver

I went into Mr. Plankton with high expectations— a strong A-list cast, a story about loneliness and trauma, and a melancholic, reflective atmosphere. And honestly, the acting did not disappoint. The male lead, female lead, and supporting cast are all phenomenal. They bring raw emotion and depth to every scene, making moments of vulnerability, grief, and longing genuinely resonate. I loved watching them act— they carried the show whenever the writing faltered.


Pros (What Worked and Made Me Care)


1. Acting That Pulls You In: Every single actor brought life to their roles. The male lead’s fragile, broken moments hit me, the female lead’s struggles were portrayed with subtlety, and the supporting cast added real humanity. Even scenes that should’ve felt flat still carried emotional weight because of them.


2. Themes That Could Hook You: The show explores loneliness, trauma, inherited suffering, mortality, and the search for connection. I could feel that this story wanted to be deep, and in some moments, it almost worked — especially when the characters reflected on their pain.


3. Atmosphere & Mood: I appreciated the cinematography and tone. The melancholy, reflective visuals and the road-trip sequences matched the internal journeys of the characters perfectly.


4. Emotional Peaks: There were moments that actually made me feel something— like when the male lead breaks down after being mistreated by a potential father figure. Isolated scenes like that reminded me of the show’s potential and made me wish the plot had been stronger.

Cons:

1. Rushed Plot & Arcs: Rivalries suddenly turned into friendships with barely any buildup. I spent 90% of the show watching the characters hate each other, only for them to magically become best friends at the end. It felt forced, and honestly, it annoyed me.


2. Female Lead’s Mistreatment & Unrealistic Decisions: Her struggles and trauma are often ignored or rushed. The abrupt shift from heartbreak over her previous fiancé to romance with the male lead felt unearned, especially considering how badly she was mistreated by him earlier. Her encounters with her biological parents are minimized, robbing her arc of emotional depth. These choices made her journey feel incomplete and frustrating.


3. Male Lead’s Lack of Growth: He’s supposed to be “broken,” but I didn’t see him really evolve. The unlikable traits stayed, and I found it hard to fully empathize with him.


4. Plot Holes & Inconsistencies: The male lead’s inherited disease and his search for parental love had so much potential, but the ending ruined it. The adoptive father who abandoned him suddenly becomes the source of unconditional love— like, wait, didn’t you ignore him when he ran away? It made zero sense and felt like a lazy shortcut.


5. Climactic Impact Undermined: The show clearly built toward the male lead’s inevitable death, but it didn’t hit. Too many rushed arcs and unresolved subplots left me disconnected. The emotional climax fell flat, and I couldn’t fully feel the tragedy I was supposed to.


My Personal Take: I really wanted to love this show. The acting alone is worth watching, and the themes are strong and relatable. But the writing just didn’t let me fully invest. Characters’ decisions felt sudden, emotional payoffs were skipped, and the ending undermined everything the story tried to build.

If you can watch it for the performances and mood, you might enjoy it. But if you’re like me and need plot coherence, earned character growth, and emotional payoff, you’ll probably leave feeling frustrated.

Bottom line: Mr. Plankton had a lot of potential and moments of beauty, but plot holes, rushed arcs, and unearned resolutions prevented it from becoming the emotionally powerful story it could have been. I loved the acting— I just wish the story had been as strong.

Overally, Mr.Planktoon's ending was rushed. As this plot's main focus of building up for that inevitable ending, isn't a good match.

Read More

No more injustices

Unbelievable truly unbelievable, what a great story and well written piece of work from the beginning to the middle until the end

this drama is almost like a novel or a narration of stories
it deals with different timelines of one big story that begins in 2006 and finishes at 2023

the villain is one of the best villains in kdrama history…, he’s the center and the hero who started everything then goes down the hill and slowly falling apart

the detective and the reporter dynamic and chemistry is just so good ..,

Watch it without hesitation

“underrated man”

Read More