Reviews

ICONIC

This series is undoubtedly one of the best on GMMTV overall. The production is good, the cast is great, and while the acting could always be improved, overall it was very good. The soundtrack is very fun and fits the series' theme perfectly. From the pilot trailer, they made it clear it was a rom-com, and it was. But I was surprised by the depth given to the main characters with their backstories; they weren't just funny characters. Peach and her sister's story gave the series the dramatic touch it needed, in my opinion (something I complained about in We Are). Peach's story was very well handled from beginning to end.

The weak point of the series for me would be the Tawanaran relationship. Because the characters didn't appear much, it wasn't possible to connect with the couple and understand Aran's decision to end up with someone as toxic as Tawan. In contrast, the Romemok couple, although their story was brief, had a fitting ending.

Theepeach's relationship is the best thing about the series, along with the character of Thee. I love that even the children's adoption storyline was justified to give closure to Peach's past and wasn't just filler or something only for the fans.
Pondphuwin is a couple who have grown in all their series; their chemistry and performances just keep getting better. Kudos to the entire cast!! That score is well-deserved.

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Bad choice..

It is a very beautiful, romantic series that also touches on social issues such as the Korean education system, the pressure that children receive from their parents to get into a good university and how all this shapes their character...
Nice script, well-shot series, with amazing actors (multi-award winning Jeon Do-yeon, Cannes Festival award..Jung Kyuong-ho, main male character in many successful series). What I didn't understand is why they had to choose actress Jeon Do-yeon, who is 10 years older than actor Jung Kyuong-ho, as the female lead..If they wanted her for the main female character, the production and director could have given an older man the lead role...She looked weird in every scene with him..The couple felt uncomfortable (the viewer understood this), their romantic scenes had no charm and there was no chemistry...They tried very hard to seem in love, but they didn't succeed.. She was supposed to be Hae-yi's aunt and the youngest sister of the family, but she looked much older than her sister and especially for a mother of a girl... Their acting individually was great, but together they didn't..

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no denial denial club

sumpah ini ga bisa berhenti nontonnya the chemistry is cooking really well, suka banget sama penggambaran karakternya yang kaya manusia umum aja ga lebay second leadnya ga ngebet pengen ke female leadnya jadi ga terlalu terasa terganggu gitu pas nontonnya, dan adanya karakter dorami disini bikin cerita makin menarik soalnya ini drama yang personally sangat kutunggu sekali karena go younjung dan kim seonho tapi aku mikir juga kalo romcom kaya biasa drakor apa ngga bosen ya ceritanya, sempat kepikiran kaya dulu tapi pas nonton ada dorami jadi cegil mampus oke ini menarik hahah. tapi jujur bodo amat sama ceritanya karena tujuan utamaku nonton ini adalah go younjung yang cakep banget damn

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Easygoing, enjoyable, fluffy, funny and worth the watch

Usually my ratings are a bit lower, but honestly I did not find any problems with this series. The ending did not feel rushed, the acting was amazing, and there was a really good balance between humor and intense, meaningful moments. The chemistry between both couples felt natural and easygoing. There was some drama, but it was resolved pretty casually while still keeping things interesting. The series gave enough time to get to know all the characters and enough of their backstories to actually feel their pain and be happy for them. The soundtrack was enjoyable too.

For me, this is a rare case where every couple’s storyline was equally interesting and entertaining. I did want to know a bit more about Tawan and his backstory, but somehow they still managed to make his character good enough even without fully exploring it.

Another really nice thing, which honestly should be normal in dramas, was characters actually acknowledging cringey lines and actions. It made everything way funnier and more natural.

And can I say, this might be the fluffiest mafia family in the entire BL universe so far. A truly nice and unique touch that deserves to be explored way more.

Overall, this drama is very easygoing, so I can easily recommend it to anyone. It also works really well as a BL starter for people who are just getting into the genre

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Theerakit Kian Lee being the moment, the legend, and the icon.

This show is the definition of the CEO x Y/N trope. It was one of the first things I noticed in episode one, and once I saw it, I couldn’t unsee it. And really, it just made the whole thing more enjoyable. Add that with a bit of soap opera, and you've got an amazing show you can't look away from.

The series was exactly what the trailers promised, which is usually GMMTV’s biggest weakness. They show a certain vibe in the trailer, only for the actual product to be something completely different. But this series knew it wanted to be a romcom, and it was a romcom. It never took itself too seriously, and in the moments it did, it never overstayed its welcome or became unintentionally melodramatic. It knew exactly what it wanted to do, and it set out to do just that. The jokes all land, the character actions are consistent, comedy bits never go on for too long, and every single character has personality. Even the freaking bodyguards!

So, when the emotional scenes hit, they hit. And even then, the show made sure you never forgot it was still a comedy. The soundtrack and sound effects were perfectly placed, enhancing scenes instead of feeling awkward like in most GMMTV comedies. This was an actual comedy that had romance in it, not a romance that tried to shove comedy down the viewers' throats like most Thai BLs.

This is easily the best series PondPhuwin have done. I’ve watched all of their shows, and while they aren’t my favourite CP, I always tune in because there’s something about them. I enjoyed their past projects, but this one was it. It was iconic. THIS SHOW WILL GO DOWN IN BL HISTORY AS THE MOST ICONIC SERIES EVER!!!


TheePeach:

Let's talk about our CEO and Y/N first. Thee has to be the funniest person alive. It's the fact that he's not even doing any of this on purpose that makes this even better. Hell, boy brought a whole glass of water to give Peach so he could throw it at him cuz he thought Peach was mad. He's so over dramatic and cringe in the best way possible that you can't help but laugh and want more.

How often does he burst out into songs? Because there is no way ep 4 was a one off. I swear, the amount of times I had to pause the show just so I could catch a breath or scream because of how embarrassing it was, only for then to want more of his stupid ass.

And he fits the Rich CEO Alpha Daddy trope so fucking well. He has endless amounts of money. Gets humbled at every second when he's with Y/N. Is magically always there where Y/N is. Downbadism is a syndrome he doesn't want to be cured from. Is only nice to his fam, Y/N and Y/ N’s fam. Threatens to kill everyone that hurt Y/N. The list goes on. Every time I see even a hint of something from my wattpad days, it just made me laugh even more.

Pond Naravit has always been one of the most attractive men I've seen, but seeing him in these suits, acting like a Rich CEO, made him so much more attractive. This was exactly the kind of role Pond was born and raised for. There is absolutely no one, NO ONE, that could have replaced him for this role. The mannerisms, the facial expressions, the body language. They were so well done that you’d think that was Pond himself and not a character. They just gave bro the script and said have fun. And fun he did.

And him being so goofy made his character so much better than the classic CEO trope. Because while his personality will make you laugh until your ribs hurt, it's also one of the saddest aspects of him. He was a lonely child who used soap operas that his mum starred in so he could feel closer to her. And being a child who was sad and alone and scared, he internalised everything he watched and thought, “yeah, that's how normal people act.” He probably wanted to be so close to his mum that he ended up acting just like her, and honestly, that breaks my heart. He says and does the most absurd shit, and yet, I can't help but pity the guy. And watching him learn what a normal life looks like, a life he always wanted, was so heartwarming to see.

Yes, Thee found someone who could handle all his dramatic outbursts and dramatic lines, but he also found someone worth changing for. The Thee from the start of the series to the Thee now, there is so much of a difference. Yeah, it might not be the soap operas he watches, but hey, Khun Thee is enough of a drama queen to fill up that role. After all, his mum's soap operas have come to an end.

He's such a fascinating character and is by far one of my absolute favourites across all BLs. This show highlighted Pond's acting range, and I'm so glad cuz he improved so much since Fish Upon The Sky, and he just needed the right script to shine a light on this. From all the dramatic flair, to the more serious ones, to the light-hearted and sad ones, Pond absolutely nailed it.

And now everyone's favourite Y/N. At first, I was joking, but then they hit us with the tragic backstory, and I just couldn't unsee it anymore. And I’m so glad everyone else sees it too. And just like our Rich CEO Alpha Daddy, where Peach's character did so well in the Y/N trope, was making him level-headed. I swear, the level of patience this man exercises is astronomical.

Peach, for lack of a better word, is a simple man. Or, in the words of his exes, he's boring. He lives a simple life doing what he loves. And that was exactly what someone like Khun Thee needed. Peach might have thought his ordinary life was nothing to write home about, but for someone like Thee, it's the best gift he could ever receive. And for Peach, while he may grumble, and roll his eyes, and glare, Thee coming into his life and turning his ordinary into an extraordinary one was exactly what he needed.

Peach says he likes being alone. And at the start, you think, girl same. It's relatable. But then you realise, no, he doesn't, he's just lonely and got used to being alone. Peach is someone who had to grow up fast, had to make money as soon as possible so he could take care of his sister. He never had time to process his emotions or deal with his feelings because he constantly had to be on the go for his sister. Because crying would be a sign of weakness, and he can't do that as the older brother. But then, enter Khun Thee, and he was everything Peach needed and more.

Thee thought him the joys of having someone by his side. Thought him it's okay to be upset and sad because he's just human. Thought him to open up that part of his heart that he didn't think he ever would. And it just works. He offered patience and kindness, and in return, he found someone who loves him for all his being that he never got growing up, making his simple and ordinary life even brighter and unpredictable. These two are just two lonely souls who found comfort and a home in each other, and it makes me cry every time Peach cries or they're having a heart-to-heart.

And while Peach isn't as downbad as Thee is (cuz no one can be as downbad as Thee is), his love for Thee is so pure regardless. He humbles Thee, but never makes him change who he is. He'll glare at Thee for spending money like it's water, but always ends up indulging the man when it's within reasonable bounds. Is terrified of the violence that surrounds Thee, is afraid of him, but he'll compromise and come to an understanding that the violence is just part of falling in love with Thee. He understands that and trusts him wholeheartedly that he'll protect him. Is scared of Thee being hurt. Watching Peace come to terms with his feelings, and watching him learn that love should come from feelings and not logic, was so beautiful to see. His love wasn't anything dramatic or loud or fancy, but quiet and level-headed and patient, and it was love nonetheless.

These two together are lightning in a bottle. THE FUCKING CHEMISTRY!! THE PERIODIC TABLE WISHES IT COULD HAVE THIS MUCH CHEMISTRY, MY GOD!! Theerakit Kian Lee is the fucking standard. If your mans isn’t trying to move your WHOLE HOUSE, then does he even love you? He wrote a whole ass song for Peach, proposed to him privately without a crowd because Peach hates crowds, but broadcast it to the whole world because that’s just who he is, and the fact that Peach just accepts that and is so in love with him is just UGH, I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!!

Also, the adoption. I knew he was going to adopt them. And yet, I screamed when the two kids appeared at their weddings and started calling Thee dad. HELL YEAH, HE’S DAD. Or, in Thee’s words, call him Daddy. I just know they added this line for the edits. I know what yall are doing, you ain’t slick.

And don’t even get me started on Thee buying GMMTV. We were making jokes about it, AND IT ACTUALLY BECAME REAL. It’s GMM(THEE)V now. Love this. And the fact that Peach is just going along with his shenanigans while also losing his sanity is just the best portrayal of their married life.


RomeMok:

Yeah, yeah, everyone and their mums knew Rome was gonna be William, cuz who else was it going to be? But did I still scream when I saw him? Absolutely yes!

Mok is the fucking MVP of this entire series. Yes, Thee is the iconic, the moment and the myth himself, but Mok carried this show. Thee should be thanking Mok and giving him so many land deeds and buildings, or else getting with Peach would have happened so much later. Est’s facial expressions fucking killed me. That wasn’t even Mok, that was fully Est. He was so done with Thee and his stupid ass, but for the sake of his job and friendship, he kept his mouth shut lmao.

And whoever decided to put Est in glasses and in a suit needs a fucking raise. This man is so handsome, I was starstruck. And apparently, so was Rome. And bro, I totally get you. This man is defo Thee’s brother. No DNA tests needed. He’s such a menacing little shit, I love him. He doesn’t even try to hide how downbad he is for Mok its hilarious. And the fact that Mok is always spoiling him just makes me giggle. You know Rome plays that sad puppy act every time to get something out of him. And it fucking works, cuz Mok folded faster than boiled spaghetti lmao.

I was so upset we didn’t get more of them. I WANT THEIR LOVE STORY!!! It’s so sad that they basically grew up together, but hardly see each other. But you can TELL how much they love each other. The way Mok started to tear up when telling Peach that Rome will soon be living by himself in some faraway country nearly brought me to tears. Est the actor that you are!!! Mok is sabotaging himself, and it’s so on-brand for his character that it just hurts to watch.

He could have taken every opportunity to leave Thee’s side to join Rome and be happy with him. But he had been raised from a young age to be a bodyguard, to follow rules, so it only makes sense that he’d be the biggest stickler for them till the end. The fact that it took him getting FIRED to perhaps maybe enjoy his own life is just upsetting.

I have never celebrated so loudly at someone getting fired before. Because hell yes! Go be happy with Rome and have a wedding of your own!

I really hope we get more of them in Me and Peach. They deserve their own happy ending after everything.


TawanAran:

These two… What's with Perth acting as the toxic love interest in every BL of his? Last time I saw this man be a green flag was during Love by Chance. And in Never Let Me Go, but that was as a side character, so it doesn't count. Like bloody hell, I get it, Perth is an amazing red flag (though I will stand ten toes deep defending Yotha like my life is on the line), but can we get one show where his characters aren't emotionally exhausting his partners? And Tawan was defo the worst of them all. And if he was already this aggravating in the show, I don't even wanna know what bullshit he got up to in the book.

Aran deserved so much better. When he kneeled to the floor in front of Khun Thee, my blood fucking boiled. I swear to god that made me so mad. I was screaming at my screen cuz Tawan is the last person who deserves someone as precious as him! And that one scene of him informing Mok and Thee of Shohei doesn't count as a redemption. At least he apologised to Peach, or I swear there would be blood.

However, PerthSanta have done it again with a stellar performance. Did their story really need to be in this? Pft, no. This storyline was so rushed it's not even funny. But they had five minutes of screen time, and they ate up every single second of it. You could literally feel the exhaustion and pain and sadness in Santa's voice during that argument. And Perth's glare. Fucking hell, it terrified me. Why has no one given this man a villain role yet? Put these two in a room with the most awful script, and they'll still produce something spectacular.

That being said, I love a happy ending as much as the next bitch, but come on, there are just some couples that don’t deserve happy endings. Aran does not need this toxicity in his life, and Tawan should be so glad he’s handsome, or else I would have finished what Thee couldn’t do. Buried him six feet under. They shouldn’t have gotten together, instead worked on themselves individually and maybe meet somewhere in the distant future and maybe rekindle something.

I want my favourite pairing to be happy like everyone else, but there was nothing redeeming about Tawan for me to root for this relationship. But because it's PerthSanta… sighs in dramatic… I was also lowkey smiling when they reconciled. Though no one but me needs to know that. They just have that effect on me. Even though they stress me out every time they’re on my screen. First Perfect 10 Liners, and now here. They can’t give me a break, I swear.


Other stuff:

- Peach and Plub’s sibling relationship is the most wholesome thing I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing.

- Rome and Thee were the funniest sibling pair. Wanted more of them.

- Thee and Plub best in-laws, and we needed to see more of their shenanigans together, while Peach regretted his life decisions in letting the two meet.

- Mok and Thee dynamic was by far my favourite out of the whole show. Mok was so done with his boss's bullshit, but his salary was on the line, so he couldn’t even say anything. And Thee always reminding him they’re best friends is so precious to me.

- Wanted more for the wedding and adoption scene, it felt rushed.

- Should have fleshed out Tawan and Shohei a bit more, that dynamic was lowkey interesting.

- The bodyguards! I need a whole sitcom with just them and Thee.


This show deserves all the praise, all the hype, and all the love it’s getting. The memes from this show have made me laugh even more than the actual show, and Khun Thee is the most iconic piece of media I have had the pleasure of experiencing. We seriously need more Khun Theels in our lives. He has gone beyond Thai media and has entred K-pop stratosphere, that’s how iconic he truly is.

I’m so sad that we won't get more of his and Mok's shenanigans. I really hope GMM(THEE)V doesn't put PondPhuwin back in high school or college again. These two were meant to do romcoms, so give them more romcoms!!! But after the immense success and attention this series has garnered, they’ll probably be on more alert, so I can’t wait to see what they’re going to do next. Though I doubt anything will ever come close to this iconic piece of media, sadly. They are basically the face of GMM(THEE)V, and this series has definitely shown why that is.

Goodbye, my favourite CEO x Y/N!! Until Peach and Me!! You shall be missed, but definitely not forgotten. Best believe I’m coming back to rewatch this every time I need a good laugh.

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Behind every abusive parent is a complacent one

Truthfully I read the reviews before going into this drama, however, I find they fail to be completely honest with how it will make you feel.

To start the acting in this drama is phenomenal. The performances invoked such strong emotions and left a lasting impression. However, I could not rate this drama any higher.

The entire drama felt like pro-abuser propaganda. First we see how easy it is for siblings and parents to turn a blind eye to the abuse that they themselves are not experiencing, but the drama takes a turn for the absolute worse when the second brother assault the FL.

It became so frustrating the way EVERYONE excused his behaviour and found a way to turn onto the victim. And continually the FL let them convince her that letting the brother off was somehow a reflection of her “goodness” as a person. When she drops the charges she is then called harsh, even by her own boyfriend, for recording the apology video. She then deletes the video for everyone else’s sake, but it is written as her being able to “let it go and move on”. Every time she lets her abusive family walk all over her the writing is as if doing so makes her the better person. When in fact it just give them more and more opportunities to hurt her. And it also allows for their behaviour to continue. We see this when the second brother then hits his wife (shocker, shocker). And again the writing is everyone blaming the SIL for the brother's behaviour, to the point we get a monologue from the beaten SIL on why she was at fault and why she should stay with him. She actually goes home and APOLOGIZED to her abusive husband, only divorcing because of their financial problems.

The writers make it seem the financial irresponsibility is worse than physical abuse. For the love of God, somebody sedate me!!!!!

To not ramble on l, this trend continues for 44 episodes. The abusive family makes a mess then blames or pins onto our FL, everyone guilts her into fixing it, which she will inevitably do. Neve receiving proper gratitude or apologies. The last two remaining episodes decide that to make it right, the father will get dementia and (shocker) will need to be taken cared of by the FL. Which then makes the second brother see the errors of his ways and apologize to his sister for the years of torment… The End.

Needless to say, this drama gets a 7/10 for the incredible acting from the cast. But no higher because of the incredibly harmful and problematic message.

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The show should have been called “Sanghyuk-ah”

First, I will just say this FL, Jung Yujin, is abysmal. I don’t know if it’s the actress or the script, but her personality and manner of speech irritated me the entire show. 90% of the script was just her saying “Sanghyuk-ah” or other people’s names and nothing else. In fact, if you took a shot everytime she said “Sanghyuk-ah” in one episode, I don’t know that you’d still be alive to read this. I can barely remember any meaningful moment of dialogue between Yujin and anyone else other than Junsang and I did not understand why she had multiple men falling over her. The only time I can think she had a personality outside of Junsang was during that one night with the widowed old man. I thought the storyline was really interesting especially with Junsang/Minhyung’s origin, but other than that, I don’t know how I managed to suffer through 20 whole episodes of this. What I will say is both (all three?) men were FIIIIIIINNEEEEE, but only including Minhyung half the time because those glasses were silly. And the capybara he robbed to put on his head was not very happy.
Other than that, the OST was absolutely fire. Every song in this show was pure flames and definitely fit the mood and didn’t feel out of place. I love the orchestral/classical feel, even with the “pop" songs like 시작.
I really enjoyed the ending as well. I knew that their ending would not be completely perfect and happy, but for what they each went through, I think it was perfect for them. It was still a good show and I cried at the end, but I don’t know that I could make myself suffer through 20 hours of “Sanghyuk-ah” again.

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Can the romance and comedy be found?

SPOILER:

Watched it all. Such a waste of good actors. Rom-com? Rom-com where?! In episode 1-3 and then just traumas traumas traumas. EVEN THE DIMPLES WERE A CAMEO! he barely smile 🥴
THEY EVEN HAD THE FUNNY AHJUSSI (SUNJAE'S DAD!) and he was barely there!

There was too much.

-abusive childhood
-Dead parents
-Mother tried killing her
-He met again his first love when his brother introduce her as his girlfriend
-The whole wedding flop
-The hallucinations
-The Hiro being a diva but liking her but being weak(he was a mess)
-The first love appearing JUST as they were getting close
-The first love having a ONS with the FL assistant
-The ML mother and son drama
-Her "switching" with her hallucination
-Her looking exactly like her mom

-Also her parents were not dead, they both got rescued but her father couldnt look at her EVEN THOUGH SHE DIDN'T LOOK LIKE HER MOTHER AT ALL YET (that was his excuse)
-Her learning that from the ML instead of her family all her lies about what she remembered or not
-Her leaving him IN THE LAST EPISODE FOR WHAT LOOKS LIKE MONTHS TO A YEAR to find her mother AND ONCE SHE COMES BACK WE DON'T HEAR ABOUT IT


They kissed 3 times, one was one sided the other was ep 10 and the other last minutes of last ep.


where was the comedy except in episode 1? Why was she such a loser constantly saying out loud how he just rejected her after they knew each other very briefly. Where was the ROMANCE? Kim Seon-ho was soooooo good with Min-ha and IU, why does it feels so flat here?

At some point I was watching waiting to see ahjusshi🤷‍♀️ It started fun and quirky but took a nosedive so fast. So disappointing...

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Definitely an overrated show

This was definitely... an experience. I started this drama with lots of expectation because throughout the episodes' release I came across good reviews and some praise about it, but it did disappointed me, unfortunately. For this review, I want to break the show into two moments: pre and post-time skip.

I already want to state that the drama is very well produced and has a beautiful visual aspect to it. The soundtrack also rocks. The main problem is that the pre-time skip is really silly and childish. Like, they really tried to sell the mature aspect of the show, but it feels like you're watching a high school drama instead.

Starting with the FL, whose only personality trait is being cute. Really, I've seen other dramas with Esther Yu and I usually like her bubbly characters, but I missed something more in this one. In the first few episodes, they tried to give her some traits (like the subtle knowldge in mechanics and the black belt in taekwondo), but those just dissapear into thin air and she just keeps being treated like a child by everyone around her. Mind you, she's already 20 years old at this point.

Now about the ML. I thought he was very cool at the beginning. He's hot, caring, book smart AND street smart and he only has eyes for the FL (since he was a child). However, at some point after they start dating, he begins to act like he carries the world on his shoulders. He doesn't tell her ANYTHING about his struggles, in a way that, everything she comes to know about his whereabouts, she knows through a third party.
The accident arc was insufferable to watch and his actions were ridiculous. He ghosted her for 6 YEARS, claiming that he didn't want to be a burden to her, since he was crippled and vulnerable. So he made all of their friends and family lie to her, saying that they had no idea where he was, so that she would stop contacting him. I hate when characters act like they know what’s better for their partners and don’t allow them to make their own choices (and that’s the case here).

The action scenes are good and the racing theme was also cool, but that's it. After some time it becomes quite repetitive.

Now about the post time-skip: 6 years. REALLY? But, I guess we should be thankful for that, since the drama becomes better afterwards IF you ignore the ML’s actions. The FL spends about 2 or 3 episodes trying to get closer to him after their separation, while he pushes her away. Despite all that, I really enjoyed the ending, and what they did to the characters, especially the secondary ones, who were really cool since the beginning. The FL also changes a bit and becomes slightly more interesting and mature.

Overall, the romance carries the whole drama. The leads are very passionate about each other and they have great romantic scenes. Their kisses feel real and you can feel how much they yearn for each other. I liked that they were equally thirsty, which is very unusual for a Chinese drama. After the time-skip, FL was not shy at all. When they get back together, she literally gets on top of him and starts kissing him all over. I think that’s very realistic. It is very annoying when they portray girls who are always scared and hesitant about intimacy, to the point where it feels unrequited. That is why I get it why some people loved the show and ignored the other aspects.
However, everything else feels average and overrated. They could've cut at least 5 episodes without any problem. I confess that I was hesitant about watching this drama at first because I'm not into the adoptive siblings trope, but you easily get over it after a couple episodes. Especially because they don't have sibling energy after they become adults. I mean, he has always liked her, and on episode 2 my girl was already SCANNING him head to toe.

If you don't care about the plot and only want to watch some romance, you might enjoy this one. But if you are kind of picky (like me), you will feel bothered by the aspects I mentioned.

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More pop art than film

Caught in a very awkward disconnect that blends children's fantasy, pocket-sized kaiju and Takashi Murakami's unmistakable superflat aesthetic, Jellyfish Eyes struggles to find a stable footing and becomes so muddled at points that it is all but impossible to discern why anything is happening. The visual design is undoubtedly the film's strongest aspect, with each one of the weird and wacky creatures popping against the muted, almost sterile human environments, but the effects are so lacklustre and stiff that they all become this horrifying blend of adorable concept and nightmarish realisation. At times, the imagery feels closer to an art installation or a horror attraction than a children's film, undoubtedly thanks to the combination of Murakami and Yoshihiro Nishimura's backgrounds in their respective fields. The direction is passable at best, though the camerawork is downright hideous at points; it's clear Murakami has an acute visual sensibility, but a tin ear for expressing human emotion through drama. As a result, much of the film comes off as either insufferably saccharine or strangely out of tune, even with the bright colours. It wants to weave a tale of friendship and loyalty that also addresses humanity's propensity for destruction, but is more often than not let down by its failure to deliver any form of emotional clarity or dip below the candy-coating superficiality of it all. The pacing is slow, exposition-heavy and occasionally opaque, all delivered by a cast of child actors that scream more than they act, although the musical score was fine. Honestly, it's probably better to view Jellyfish Eyes as a failed experiment more than anything else, never fully cohering into a satisfying whole and would have undoubtedly worked better as the anime or horror film it was originally intended to be.

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