Reviews

When Love Compromises Too Much

This story explores the dynamic between a woman who is already settled in her career and a young man who is about to graduate from college and is just beginning to navigate the real world. Their age gap is ten years, and both characters learn to compromise within an unconventional relationship.

I really liked the chemistry between Victoria Song and Song Wei Long, but what became frustrating was the constant push and pull between them. Yuan Song was extremely serious about the relationship and felt there was no need to hide it or worry about what others thought, while He Fan Xing was deeply concerned with public opinion. Every time their relationship hit a roadblock, Yuan Song was the one making the compromises. Honestly, if Yuan Song had not been willing to compromise as much as he did, their relationship would have ended before it truly began. It was frustrating how immature He Fan Xing was despite being ten years older, while Yuan Song was realistic in his view of their relationship. The offhanded comments she made caused me to question her emotional intelligence, such as when she said something along the lines of, “You are still rather young, I will just be one of your many milestones in life.” Uh, what? I felt that was extremely disrespectful, and there were times when she made comments that basically suggested a breakup was inevitable. I feel like anyone dating someone who made comments like that, they wouldn't have stayed around for long.

I get He Fan Xing’s insecurities, but Yuan Song has never once given her a reason not to trust him or think he would leave her. One of the first things he did when they started dating was set up her fingerprint on his phone. At some point, it's not really about Yuan Song’s age or maturity. It is about He Fan Xing’s own issues, and there's nothing he could do to fix that no matter how much he tries. This was something He Fan Xing had to figure out on her own.

Song Wei Long’s portrayal of Yuan Song was perfect. He captured the character’s mischievous and humorous side effortlessly. My favorite scene was when He Fan Xing’s brother, He Can Yang, found out Yuan Song was dating his sister and confronted him. In that scene, Yuan Song was hilarious even though he was angry. He was overly dramatic, and I really enjoyed every scene featuring Yuan Song and He Can Yang together.

I also did not think it was necessary for the story to stretch across forty one episodes. The plot dragged on far longer than it needed to, which weakened the overall impact of the drama. I don't have the desire to rewatch the drama of it's entirety, but I will rewatch my favorite scenes.

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A police officer is a booty call to a gangster

That about sums this show up, lmao. This was fine; it was a little random, but overall an okay watch. I would give it a 7.5 out of 10, which is high for these lmao. The plot is random as hell, and it's a police officer x gangster love story with a bunch of random ass twists. I am going to say the pros and the cons, and then that's it.

Okay, so the pros for this show are that they are hot. Just starting right off the bat. The guys, at first glance, aren’t the best looking, but they grew on me, so it was okay. The police officer guy lowkey looks like Mad Tsai and Lykns Tui had a baby, and then this guy was that baby's cousin lmao. I know ball apparently, so I did halfway enjoy this show. Also, this show is all types of fucking addictive because I was on the edge of my seat, excited about what was gonna happen next in this weird ass show. They lowkey have good ass fucking chemistry, I can’t lie. So I guess that plays into them being good actors as well. Well, okay, actors, I think I put that in my cons as well lmao. Yeah, their sex scenes were pretty gnarly. I also love when they have drug problems because these shity ass shows always portray them very interestingly and make it seem like, well, what an actual drug problem is. Addicting and consuming, and this show was no different. Ignore the fact that he only stopped doing drugs to get that cookie, but that's fine. All progress is good progress...I guess. They switched positions on episode 39. It was completely left field but fucking awesome, because as much as I love set positions, I also love when they flip or change it up. That’s always nice to see. Daniel, after catching 2 bodies just straight up for the love of the game. I don’t really know where to put that, because it's like a weird middle ground between pros and cons. So, Daniel catching 2 bodies in the final episodes will be a pro, I guess. Yeah, I don’t know. They are good at kissing, well, at least they are really into it. I was laughing my ass off, like dang bro, y'all not going nowhere, why are we kissing so aggressively and so passionately? I thought the ending was pretty cool. A little weird but still cool. And that’s all I have for my notes on the pros of this show. It's a pretty fun short drama.

WHAT DOES THE TITLE EVEN MEAN? Catch me if you love me? Like, he didn’t love you to begin with, I mean, he did, but that's a grey area. And Daniel literally harasses him for the majority of the show, and we wanna talk about Catch Me If You Love Me. What about leave me the fuck alone if you love me? That's a better fucking title. If you have seen marry a ceo or whatever the fuck that bullshit show is called, these start the same. So you know, I was already pissed off. It's the same exact scene, I swear to god. This show did go a different route, but they still have some similarities. Just wrote my recommendation on this lmao. THE FORCED SHIT. Daniel spends most of the show, I think, until they switch positions, forcing himself onto Louis, like fuck. Like we found out later that he has been in love with this whole time, BUT WHEN WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT. LOUIS WAS GETTING BORDERLINE SEXUALLY ASSULATED FOR MOST OF THE SHOW. Especially their first sex scene, his face was just like he didn't want that (even though he did because he was really into it). Does the guy who plays Daniel have a wig on? Like it looked fine and then in one scene, it looked like he had a lace front on, and then I couldn't unsee it for the rest of the show lmao. There feels like a really random time jump in the middle of the show, and that just made me fucking confused, like I don't know why he did that, and also why we didn't connect that better? The plot folds in on itself like towards the end, and I was just so fucking lost, and then finally at the end, I understood, but they should have written that out better and not let the plot just completely fold. The last thing is, I needed more lore. Especially with him being an undercover cop, that was a nice twist, but I just need a little more lore with that because I am like, what the hell are we even doing? Bull shit, I swear. Uh, okay, that is it.

Uh, if you already pay for IQIYI, just watch it, but this feels oddly long for a short drama lmao. It's fun, so just turn off your brain and get ready to be confused and intrigued. Okay bye!

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Love and Missed Timing

Zhao Jin Mai, who played Nie Xi Guang, portrayed a female lead from a wealthy family who was extremely humble. At first, she appeared carefree and outspoken, but after her confession to the second male lead, she became a completely different character.

Song Wei Long as Lin Yu Sen was essentially Nie Xi Guang’s white knight. I wish we’d seen more character development and emotional depth from him. The character himself lacked complexity. Lin Yu Sen’s resentment toward Nie Xi Guang came from feeling abandoned after a significant accident disrupted his life. He never blamed her for the accident, but he struggled to understand why she hadn’t visited him in the hospital. Once he realized he could no longer be a surgeon, he continued to not hold resentment. Gradually over time, he began to harbor resentment towards Nie Xi Guang because she never once came to visit him. I liked that he didn’t let that darkness consume him, but honestly, I found it a bit unrealistic that he never blamed anyone. And becoming a renowned surgeon at 29? That stretched believability. Their relationship felt extremely perfect and honestly, I found it boring. It would have been more engaging to see how they handled conflicts and differences.

One of the most refreshing aspects of this drama was how Lin Yu Sen didn’t hold a grudge against Nie Xi Guang for long. Usually, dramas love to drag out grudges and revenge plots, but this one was different. When Lin Yu Sen asked Nie Xi Guang, “If I forgot everything that happened before, what about you? Can you forget the way I treated you before?” and she replied, “Yeah, I don’t hold grudges,” it was clear that he was genuinely ready to let go of his resentment. He never brought up the past again and truly got to know her, eventually falling even more in love. I really liked how he respected her boundaries and didn’t waste time courting her. Of course, the grudge he once held came from a misunderstanding, but it was refreshing to see him let it go.

Now, the second male lead, Zhuang Xu, was interesting. Normally, I root for the underdog, but this was the first drama where I genuinely couldn’t just because of the hurtful words he would say to the female lead. I can understand his intentions which is why I can't hate him. Early on, he said to Nie Xi Guang, “You seem unhappy with your job in Wuxi. If you are unhappy, find one yourself. Don’t be picky when something was handed to you,” and, “Then why don’t you find a job yourself instead of staying in Wuxi with your parents, being a parasite with no meaning?” The delivery was harsh, but his intention was actually to encourage her to pursue work in Shanghai. I felt that he truly wanted to pursue her once they were settled in their careers in Shanghai. It was already established that he would be working at a Hua Ya Bank in Shanghai. This was further confirmed when he deliberately handed out her resume to several companies there because he wanted to be closer to her in terms of location.

The real turning point in their relationship came when Rong Rong accused Nie Xi Guang of not relaying a message about an interview. But even before that, there was already a crack forming. When Nie Xi Guang lent Zhuang Xu money for his mother’s surgery and he later paid her back with interest. When Nie Xi Guang looked back on that moment, she saw it as a clear rejection. What she didn’t know was that Zhuang Xu only did this because his brother had told him that Rong Rong had told him Nie Xi Guang was supposedly telling people around campus she lent him money and that being together was inevitable because he owed her. Later on, Nie Xi Guang’s fake phone call to prove her innocence only reinforced Zhuang Xu’s doubts about her character. From his perspective, it made her look guilty rather than wronged. Eventually, he did discover the truth, but instead of apologizing, he chose not to. At that point, their relationship already felt doomed. Zhuang Xu’s insecurities stemmed from his humble upbringing, while Nie Xi Guang came from a wealthy family. Zhuang Xi at one point even says , “What do I have now to be with her?” There is a Chinese saying, “餓死老婆燻臭屋,” which literally translates to starving one’s wife to death and filling the house with a foul smell. He wanted to establish himself in his career before moving forward with the idea of being with Nie Xi Guang. One thing I still don’t understand is why Zhuang Xu never replied to her text. That silence was never explained and felt like a missed opportunity for emotional closure.

I had three favorite scenes, and honestly, they were all centered around Zhuang Xu because that’s where the emotional weight of the drama really lived for me. One was the private conversation between Zhuang Xu and Nie Xi Guang at their friend’s wedding. That scene was heavy with tension and longing. You could feel how much they still cared about each other, even though neither of them could openly say it. There was so much restraint in that moment, like both of them were afraid that saying the wrong thing would expose the feelings they were still trying to bury.

Another scene that really stayed with me was when Rong Rong asked, “You believe her over me?” It’s a line she’d used repeatedly to guilt and control Zhuang Xu. This time, though, his response completely flipped the power dynamic. When he said, “In the past, I always chose to believe you. I already paid my bill for trusting you,” it felt like a turning point. That line was about regret, misplaced loyalty, and the cost of choosing the wrong person to trust.

The final scene, and probably the most emotionally devastating one for me, was when Zhuang Xu finally lost control and confessed his feelings to Nie Xi Guang. Up until that point, he’d always been so restrained, guarded, and emotionally closed off. Seeing him completely unravel in front of her made the scene incredibly powerful. You could feel how much pain, regret, and longing he’d been carrying all that time. It felt less like a confession and more like an emotional breakdown, and that’s what made it hit so hard. That moment alone made his character feel painfully real.

Lai Wei Ming’s portrayal of Zhuang Xu was excellent. At first, I found his acting stiff, but I realized that his character is intentionally reserved and poker faced, never revealing vulnerability easily. He was complex, and he was the most interesting character in the drama. Honestly, I only stuck out because of Zhuang Xu cause his character was the most interesting. After episode 30, I skimmed the rest hoping to see more scenes of him, but there wasn't until the last episode.

As for things that annoyed me, Nie Xi Guang’s circle of friends was questionable, except for Xiao Feng, who consistently defended her. When others questioned her character, they mostly stayed silent. Rong Rong’s constant jabs were tolerated by the rest of the friend group, which didn’t make sense to me. If someone treated a friend that way in real life, cutting them off would be the obvious choice, but here, they kept her around.

Overall, this was an okay drama, but I don’t feel the desire to rewatch it. The main reason is how perfect Nie Xi Guang and Lin Yu Sen’s relationship was which made it boring. Honestly, I skipped a lot of their scenes. Plus, the chemistry between the leads wasn’t consistent.

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Messy Hearts, Second Chances

From the first few episodes, I was already fully invested. This season is emotionally messy, vulnerable, and very character-driven, which is exactly the kind of dating show that pulls me in. There’s a lot of complicated feelings, unresolved pasts, and people who clearly came here not just to date, but to actually face things they’ve been running from. It’s uncomfortable at times, but in a way that feels honest and human, and that’s what kept me glued to the screen.

One thing that stood out to me is that this season feels less about “finding someone new” and more about second chances both with people from the past, but also second chances with yourself - to face old mistakes, unresolved feelings, and try again in a healthier way. It’s risky, it doesn’t always work, and it leaves a lot of people hurt, but watching that emotional process is what makes this season so gripping for me.

The amount of love triangles can be tiring, especially when some friendships feel more emotionally compatible than the romantic pairings that actually happen. Watching people get stuck on one person while ignoring other possible connections was frustrating at times, and some heartbreak felt avoidable, but I also get that this emotional stubbornness is also very realistic for dating.

I also want to talk about William, because I feel like he’s being misunderstood by a lot of viewers. Yes, cheating is wrong, full stop, I’m NOT excusing it. But the way he talks about his past shows real guilt and self-awareness, not arrogance or indifference. He’s clearly affected by years of toxic relationships, and that kind of pattern really messes with how people view love, trust, and themselves (speaking from experience). To me, he doesn’t feel like someone who’s proud of his mistakes, but someone who’s scared of repeating them and struggling to be emotionally vulnerable now that he actually wants something real. Red flag behavior should be criticized, but growth and accountability should also be recognized when they’re there.

That’s why his dynamic with Izaya works emotionally for me, even if it’s kinda risky on paper. They reflect each other’s fears and flaws, and it feels like a relationship where both could either break or grow a lot. The emotional tension between them is what keeps me hooked the most.

Compared to the previous season, this one feels much more emotionally heavy and complicated, which I personally found more engaging, even if it also made things more exhausting at times Overall, this season isn’t clean or comfortable, but it’s raw, vulnerable, and emotionally engaging, and I’m fully seated for where these messy journeys go next.

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A visually stunning drama with lots of "tea"! (pun intended)

I went into Glory with very high expectations and, as expected, I wasn’t disappointed. Recently, there seems to be a wave of strong dramas with “Glory” in the title, and I was kind of anticipating The Glory, Blossom or even Blossoms in Adversity - type of vibes. Surprisingly, this drama turned out to be very different.

First of all, this drama screams high budget!! The production value alone is impressive: every detail of the setting is beautifully crafted and clearly well thought out. The Ming-dynasty–inspired aesthetics, the costumes, and especially the tea plantations are absolutely stunning. I also really appreciated the historical tea facts shown at the end of the episodes. The OST is gorgeous too and adds a magical touch to many scenes ✨

Despite having noticeable flaws in both the story and the characters, the show somehow managed to put me in a chokehold. It’s addictive enough to keep me watching, constantly wanting to know what happens next. What a pain watching this while it's airing!

But that said, there are also some issues that could have been done better.
The first arc of the story, especially the husband-selection plot and the He Xingming / Yang Dingchen storyline, felt unnecessarily long, and I think it coul've been shortened. It took up a lot of time of the drama without contributing much to the overall progression. Story-wise it could've been a 10 for me, if this arc and the one in the last 4-6 episodes were excluded.
This is my first drama starring Gülnezer Bextiyar, so I can’t fully judge her acting yet. However, her facial expressions often felt a bit stiff. At times, it was difficult to tell whether her character was quietly scheming or genuinely surprised / upset. Nevertheless, her visuals suit the role 100% - she's got that sharp and cold “Ice Queen” aura.
Now on to the characters: Rong Shanbao is a mixed bag for me. I admire how she prioritizes family above all else and refuses to get dragged into internal power struggles. Considering her difficult upbringing, her composure and emotional restraint do make sense. However, I don't agree with how she treats Lu Jianglai. While it’s true that he betrayed her first, he later makes continuous efforts to redeem himself, especially by solving the case etc. Yet she keeps him at arm’s length, barely treating him differently from the earlier husband candidates. Her lack of communication and tendency to keep everything to herself becomes frustrating over time.
As for the sisters, it honestly surprised me that the Rong family managed to survive for so long given how disunited they were in the beginning. I’m glad Rong Yunyin and Rong Yunxi had character development though. Rong Yunyin’s growth felt more believable, while Rong Yunxi’s change felt abrupt, like a jump: Suddenly she trusts Rong Shanbao and even speaks up for her?
Also, I'm actually growing even more interested in Yunxi and An Cha's story than Shanbao and Fusheng's...
The grandmother is another frustrating, illogical character. Despite her experiencing many setbacks, she sticks to her old mentality - familial piety, strict rules - alwways disregarding her granddaughters’ wishes.

Despite these flaws, there are many more things I genuinely enjoyed.
The story, while sometimes stretched, was engaging because of the constant twists where I expect them the least; especially the second half kept me hooked. My jaw literally dropped every second. This is one of the best written stories, I've seen in a while!
And lastly, Rong Yunwan completely stole my heart. She’s adorable and easily one of the most lovable characters in the drama.

So imo, Glory is far from perfect, but it’s visually breathtaking and I loved how the story develops, so I rate it 9.5 despite the few flaws ❤️

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Watch enough Thai titles and you'll run into (and hopefully embrace) their fantastic fluidity of tone, working by their own rules and inclinations and, for the most part, free from the constraints and limitations of narrow western marketing boxes. This film takes that flexibility even further - genres, western and Thai, become a riotous palette of textures, colours and emotions to play with. Whatever the story needs in each moment, that's what we're given, whether it's a piss-take of revisionist Westerns, an embrace of them, or the melodramatic love story they're wrapped around and woven through.

The art direction shows the intentionality of the filmmaking, with its shifts between organic and artificial. The colours are over the top and glorious, the violence is over the top and fake, sometimes comedically so. The music though, that keeps grounding it back in reality.

And there are so many details to notice along the way. For all that the result feels exuberant, chaotic and free, clearly a lot of care went into it. This is fascinating work.

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One of the Most Well-Written Political Thrillers

Don't let the rating fool you, if you're someone who is into this genre, you will definitely understand and appreciate the plotline and the spectacular performances in this kdrama.

Staring off from the very first episode with the hijacking incident and the reveal of our main character Baek Kitae, the drama sets out in a very clear direction. the performance delivered by Hyunbin is just outstanding, that even if you particularly didnt enjoy this plot you can't deny that his potrayal of Baek is on point.

The rest of the episode aren't any different, infact each episode feels like a movie that I would be willing to watch over and over again. I personally felt like every side character and subplot added to the overall storyline which kept it interesting at every level. Even what people kept pointing out as "boring men talking" to me was the most important part of the story as it added depth and layers and it really established what it was like back in the 1970s, it felt realistic and very well done.

Although I wasn't exactly on Baek Kitae's side (that's just my morality coming into play) and I really wanted to see Prosecutor Jang defeat him, this guy is just unstoppable, well composed and knows how to get what he wants, opposite to Jang whose character was chaotic, and many of his actions were rushed which ultimately led to his defeat.

I'm super excited for the second half of this kdrama, I hope we get to see more of Baek Kihyun, who in my opinion might be the only person able to actually stop Baek Kitae, and if the second half does happen to take that path id very much love to see it.

Overall a very solid watch for me, and if youre someone who doesn't just want to switch their brains off watching you should definitely give this show a shot, its entertaining and well done. A 9.5 for me.

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Favourite drama ever

The shock on my face finding out that i infact did NOT write a review for my fav drama of all time despite just rewatching it for the fourth time...

Now just to preface i am not a romance/romcom/ historical drama fan, i can watch them occasionally but i much prefer crime/police/thrillers and law dramas which is what initially attracted me to this drama back when it first came out. The blend of law and historical sounded so interesting to me and yall it was done SO WELL.

The acting was *chefs kiss* both main leads were absolutely phenomenal at their roles, i mean youngwoo acting out TWO roles ?? So perfectly ?! Obsessed. And not just them all the characters were so well written and acted out 🥹

But i loved how it didnt drag! It wasnt a whole load of misunderstandings and miscommunication *cough* a lot of romance dramas *cough* no no it was just right and the plot progressed perfectly throughout.

So to summarise the story 🤌🏻 the acting 🤌🏻 the music 🤌🏻 the characters 🤌🏻 just honestly perfect perfect perfect.

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My least favourite LXX drama so far

I like LXX and I believe he is a great actor, I've seen quite a few of his dramas and I think he has chemistry with every actress he acted with even in shows that were not that great or has a very ridiculous story.

But here there was no chemistry with the FL, his appearance was scarce compared to the FL, she is the main focus of the whole show more than the ML, the whole revenge story is lame and not interesting, I was bored while watching and I already had hard time following the story because the link I used to watch was quite weird and wasn't well edited which made the whole experience worse.

Is it unwatchable? Not really, but I've seen much better to not like this one, what I didn't like the most was the storytelling and I didn't even care about the two leads characters or the whole revenge plot.

I believe the ML has better other shows to watch and generally there are other VDs that are more interesting anyway ~

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A Quiet Story of Becoming a Parent, One Step at a Time

This was a drama about parenting — something no one is ever ready for, no matter how prepared they think they are. It shows the beauty, the fear, the mistakes, and the quiet moments of happiness and sadness that come along with it. At the end of the day, every parent is just a beginner trying to figure things out without a manual.

From the very first few minutes, I knew this wasn’t going to be like other dramas. It had a calm, thoughtful presence that immediately set it apart. Even though it deals with heavy and sensitive topics, it never feels heavy to watch. Everything is handled with care and maturity, and it never feels like it’s trying to lecture you. There’s a gentle calm running through every moment — happiness, sadness, and everything in between — like watching a still lake and letting your thoughts slow down alongside it.

The performances were a big reason this drama worked so well. Kasumi Arimura was especially moving, expressing guilt, regret, and the quiet feeling of being an outsider through the smallest expressions. The child actress was outstanding too — her fear of losing someone after already losing her mother felt heartbreakingly real. What I loved most was that every main character felt human — kind, mature, and deeply real. The ending was gentle and satisfying. It had been a long time since I gave a drama a perfect 10… but this drama truly earned it.

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serving nostalgia, seasoned lightly with confusion

thinking back, when i started this drama, all i really hoped for was to reenter the k-drama world—a world that had felt shut to me ever since i learned more about the darker side of the korean entertainment industry (and gained trust issues for free). naturally, my moral compass did what it had to do and i took months off, withdrawing from the fanbase and putting every k-drama on hold. out of sentimentality and maybe a teeny tiny bit of desperation to rekindle this passion of mine, i decided to choose my next watch and 'bon appétit, your majesty' felt like a breath of fresh air that somehow didn't seem entirely unfamiliar.

and now, after finishing it, i actually feel like being back on track.

the drama itself isn't groundbreaking, but it did transport me straight back to the 2016 k-drama renaissance. the aesthetic was so reminiscent of that era, yet blended with contemporary storytelling in a way that created a lovely, comforting sense of nostalgia.

what stands out the most is the sincerity of acting and the way cooking is woven into the narrative—not just as a gimmick, but as a genuine driving force. the dishes aren't just props. their preparation and significance shaped the plot, deepened emotional connections and honestly made me want to learn every recipe one by one. cooking became both a visual treat and a narrative technique that kept me captivated... and hungry.

the acting is an impeccable aspect of this drama. friendships were blossoming, and animosity was made believable. the romance, however... let's pause there for a moment.

iam afraid, from a personal pov, the inconsistency in plot development affected the relationship between ji young and yi heon severely. they often felt more like siblings as she offered this grounded, mature guidance, while his "maturity" was mostly cemented by the way he spoke, definitely not in the way he thought (some moments of brilliance were there, though). minus the epilogue, that's where they seemed the most compatible, which is strange considering the rest of their relationship arc. his feelings felt genuine, hers… not so much. and no, it's not about the age gap (both actors are consenting adults); it's the script tbh. maybe next time, writer‑nim, a little more depth and a bit better pacing, okay? we need more nuanced relationship development in k-dramaland (and less quirky visual effects).

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