Reviews

A Unique Time-Loop Mystery That I Lved

This drama was so good! The actors did an amazing job in every one of their parts. The concept of the time loop was very different and interesting, especially because he can only go back five times and that’s it. I also liked how it gave off the vibe of old Hong Kong–style Chinese police dramas. The bond between Section 4, the investigation crew, was really comforting to watch, and I loved how much trust they had in Ding Qi. The small comedic elements put throughout the show were also very funny and enjoyable.

I really loved Anlan’s acting in this drama you can truly feel her emotions, and it all felt very genuine. Since I really enjoy investigative-type dramas, this one was definitely a favorite of mine.

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They work hard for the money.

There is a bouncy '50s feel to Tsui Hark's lightning-paced blue-collar comedy, Working Class. One that represents a communal place of camaraderie and bright, day-glo dreams with an abnormal amount of political hubbub amid the four-colour fun. It may be a relatively straightforward comedy, but the film still exhibits Hark's incredible ability to add something to even the most well-trod narratives, showing us how life can be pretty unrighteous and hard to get through, but that man can find the meaning of life even in the most imponderable and trivial places and really be happy. The performances are hilariously exaggerated, as are most of Teddy Robin's ridiculous sunglasses and the bottle of baby oil used to keep an often-shirtless Sam Hui out-glistening his dry-looking castmates, while the romance between Hui and the always stunning Joey Wong is adorable. The best thing is getting to see Tsui on screen... he is such a cool guy, oozes charisma and intelligence, while his direction is as scattershot and screwball as ever, with some very well-handled comic scenarios that manage to move from cliché to humour, all brilliantly underscored by a not-so-subtle and incredibly catchy Canto-synth cover of Donna Summer's She Works Hard For The Money. Those expecting innovation may be disappointed by Working Class, but the film is ultimately a dazzling little gem in Hark's impressive filmography, one that's guaranteed to leave a smile on your face.

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FL actress is Gorgeous! So I'm biased.

Overall enjoyable watch. A lighthearted romance with no overdramatic drama or plot twists.

The story was okay; It follows all the same events and cliché's known to rich-man poor-woman type dramas. Doesn't make it any less enjoyable. The acting was great; fun to watch, nothing too serious happens. The romance was great; The love confessions were surprisingly blunt and straightforward, no room for misunderstandings, but came a bit late towards the final episodes. I just wished both couples formed a little sooner so we can see them actually be in love a bit more.

I like the FL actress, Lu Yang Yang. I'm watching this after seeing her in Step by Step Love, and fell in love with her quirky personality there. She's really fun and to watch, not to mention gorgeous too! Would love to see her cast in a similar role again, as I think it suits her perfectly.

PS: The final episode nearly gave me a heart attack, to suddenly go from such a lighthearted tone to extremely depressing and traumatic. I nearly cursed the writers out before they revealed it was all just a prank bro...

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I like to have loved it but that is not the case

I don't usually bother with writing reviews, I leave score and that it!. I am gonna be honest and started to watch it becuase of the ML Zhang Linghe, I can't say the drama was a disappointment but it wasn't great and something I would rewatch.

First off I love that the theme is about TCM, also each episode beginning they introduce 1 item and what is good with it. The drama was so slow going it got on my nerves. Even the amazing ML couldn't stop it from being a tad boring, the plain actress Fl, never seen her before and don't think she is a good actress or match with the ML to make them being a couple believable but this is just my opinion.

It really annoyed me she strung the guy all along and she knew that they had feelings for each other, she did the jealous thing when she thought he had a son and was so stroppy with him, once she found out it was a misunderstanding and to me this made it very clear to the ML she was interested in him. Yet she turned him down when he asked her to be his girlfriend, like what was that about? if your not interested then don't string him along; Yes I know the storyline of she is scared because of her ex, however they are friends and she didn't need to be so cruel to him. At this point I nearly dropped the drama, but I carried on and finished it but can't say I enjoyed it 100% I just wanted to finish it.

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Cozy, charming… and a little too busy for its own romance

I’m late to the party — but I finally got around to watching New Life Begins, a drama that had been sitting patiently on my “plan to watch” list since 2022. And you know what? I’m glad I did. If you’re craving a historical drama that lifts your spirits instead of dragging you through the mud, New Life Begins seems at first like a perfect fit — charming, lighthearted, and warm in all the right places. And to be fair, it does deliver plenty of those cozy, positive vibes. But it also stumbles in ways that keep it from being as satisfying as it could have been, especially if you’re here for romance first.

The opening stretch is delightful. There’s a simplicity and slice-of-life rhythm to the drama that makes it comforting — shared meals, seasonal shifts, moments of humor and everyday living. Add to that a refreshing emphasis on female solidarity: women supporting each other instead of tearing each other down for male attention. That aspect felt fresh, hopeful, and genuinely uplifting. Watching friendships blossom and sisterhood take center stage was one of the drama’s brightest strengths.

But here’s the catch: the central romance — supposedly the beating heart of the story — slowly gets pushed aside. What begins as a sweet, steady, and authentic relationship between Li Wei and Yin Zheng ends up feeling almost accessory, drowned out by side plots and the “girls power” agenda. At times, it felt less like a rom-com and more like a thematically scripted statement piece, where the love story was politely told to wait in the corner. For a drama billed as romance, that sidelining left me disappointed.

The lack of nuance in most of the male characters makes this imbalance even more obvious. Outside of Yin Zheng, who is empathetic, emotionnally intelligent, and beautifully played by Bai Jingting, the male cast is painted with embarrassingly broad strokes — hapless, useless, comical, or simply obstacles. On paper, this was probably meant to heighten the women’s empowerment, but in practice it undercut the message. True empowerment shines more when it coexists with nuance and balance, not when the “other side” is reduced to caricature. Instead of elevating the story, the flat portrayals of men cheapened it, making the intended message feel thinner and less impactful.

That imbalance trickled into the romantic subplots too. While Li Wei and Yin Zheng’s relationship initially felt grounded and believable, several other pairings lacked credibility or emotional weight — leaning on clichés more than real character development. Some of them left me scratching my head, wondering how these people were supposed to make sense together.
And then there’s the pacing. With forty episodes, the drama inevitably bloats. Secondary arcs stretch far too long, court politics and sibling quarrels repeat themselves, and attention drifts. Combine that with the sidelined main romance, and you’re left with a drama that sometimes forgets its own strengths.

That said, I don’t want to undersell what New Life Begins does well. When it leans into warmth, everyday joys, and small but meaningful growth, it shines. Li Wei’s journey is relatable — spirited, flawed, and human — and her bond with Yin Zheng, when the drama remembers to show it, is genuinely sweet and steady. There’s a lot to love if you’re patient, and if you appreciate female friendships as much as romantic ones.

For me, this lands somewhere between 7.5 and 8.5 out of 10, depending on how much tolerance you have for caricatured male roles or the slower pacing. Personally, I lean toward the higher end, because the warmth and positivity stayed with me long after the credits rolled. The charm, the sisterhood, and the cozy atmosphere are real strengths, but the sidelined romance and lack of male character nuance weigh it down more than they should. Would I recommend it? Yes — but with caveats. If you’re looking for a feel-good ancient slice-of-life with a strong dose of female solidarity, you’ll probably enjoy it. If you’re in it primarily for romance, be prepared: the heart you came for might feel like it’s beating quietly in the background while the drama pushes a louder agenda to the front.

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Iraq will not be disrespected ??

This show insults Iraq by reducing it to nothing but war and danger. Iraq is not just a name you can casually throw into a script for cheap action scenes, it is the cradle of civilisation long before you knew what the word means, a land whose people fought for its existence and whose history stretches far deeper than Korea’s. To erase our achievements and reduce us to a war zone, while exploiting our suffering for your entertainment is ignorant, insulting, and utterly disgusting. Iraq and its people deserve truth, dignity, and respect and we will no longer accept anything less. instead of spreading ignorance, get educated.
And to those criticising us for defending our country being mentioned negatively, no nation with pride would stay silent if its name, history, and martyrs were reduced to cheap stereotypes. Defending Iraq is not an overreaction it is our right and our duty. And in fact it’s nothing to do with you! It’s simple don't mention us.

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I liked this a lot so I’m going to start with my irritations. Longer than needed to be. They really could have wrapped it up nicely a few episodes shorter. Too much time on some secondary characters. While they add to the story, it’s just too messy of continuance of whirlwind repeats for several episodes.

What I did like was the acting, especially the male lead (Puen). His smile is so big it brightens the screen. He definitely carried the story with the cuteness of (Ofah) his screen Son. Female lead is fine but writers tend to make characters more stubborn than necessary. Main couple had good moments but could have been more. I love that it didn’t dwell on regular push and pull. This is one lakorn that is pretty good.

Many characters were so shady it’s sad. I mean in real life perspective, that’s quite awful. While I feel the actress who played Pin did well in her portrayal, it doesn’t negate that she was overly too much on the screen. Writer was trying to make up their mind of her characterization. Delusional? Psychological imbalanced? She became so annoying I had to fwd her, no more pity. Kong, fl’s sister was another character I hope no sister ever has. Trust me, so many characters here are pure scums.

On the overall though, i still think it’s one of the better lakorns I’ve seen. Strong leads, bearable romance, and good ending.

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fluff was fluffing

I fell in love with Keen,, he could dance well, sing well, act well. everything about keen was amazing, he literally carried the ship, carried the series. he was simply amazing. ofc he can do much better, it is his first lead role but he did an amazing job as compared to everyone else.
sea was awkward in his acting but that makes sense since it is his first time acting, so i can put it past him.
the music wasn't bad,, there were a few songs that i really liked but the bg music wasn't that great at times,, so ig i did the OSTs, not the music overall.
Louis was so fucking handsome in this series omg, i want P'Jang. but it did feel like he was very old as compared to this members in GUMP. same with book and neth,, neth seemed so much older than sea and i just dont know why they added the character of Shone or made it that way,, it made me feel a little uncomfy with him hitting on kang, before and especially after they broke up.....idky book did this role, he deserves much better.
NOW TO GET TO THE FLUFF. the fluff was fluffing like never before. i was blushing, smiling, cringing, laughing. Keen did amazing here too, i was cooing so much. i love when a character is so loud about their love.
also, the side couple, i felt like they stretched it for too long,, the entire drama with Jang could have been solved earlier, Tae could have realized his feelings earlier, anything literally.
the series could do better with casting, storyline, music but overall they did a pretty decent job.

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Great psychological thriller that messes up with your mind

It's been a week since I watched Memoir of a Murderer and I still feel dizzy just from thinking about it. I knew what I was signing up for when I decided to watch it but I did not expect that this movie would play with my mind as much as it did.

Memoir of a murderer is what the title implies: it's basically the biography of a former serial killer, Kim Byung Soo, who faces problems with his memory after he got diagnosed with Alzheimer disease. One day, Kim Byung Soo come across another potential serial killer, Min Tae Joo, who works as a police officer. Byung Soo tries to prove that Tae Joo is a serial killer while protecting his daughter from being a potential victim.

As one would expect from such an ambiguous premise, the film completely messes up with the viewers' mind. It had me constantly rethinking about what could be real and what could be false. Whom can I trust? Who tells the truth? I couldn't tell what was reality and what was a fragment of Byung Hoo's troubled imagination. The cinematography and the acting added to the distortion of the events, at one point I began wondering if I could be the culprit all along. There was not a single moment where I could settle for a final answer, every time I believed I had sorted everything out, the movie would prove me wrong. If it was a person, it would laugh at my confusion. During the last half hour, I felt like I was losing brain cells with all of the twists that occurred but it was so so worth it.

The production of the film was excellent. The dark and grey colours highlighted the bleak and mysterious atmosphere. The camera work was really effective, especially when it came to the characters. The editing and the combination of the scenes in general added extra layers to the ambiguous nature of the story. I couldn't tell what was truly happening and what was not.

One of the strongest aspects of the movie was the psychological exploration of the characters. When you have such a rich plot, you ought to explore the psychology of the characters and this is precisely what happened. Byung Hoo was a very complex person. You do not necessarily condemn his actions but you can excuse them to some extent. Even his murders were done with good intentions (or at least, that's what he believes). He is a troubled man who wants to protect his daughter and who is willing to go to great lengths in order to do so.

Tae Joo, on the other hand, appears to be the polare opposite. The film frames him to be a cold, manipulative psychopath who kills for the sake of killing. Although the film doesn't delve deeper into his past, his character still has so many layers to explore. I was constantly trying to figure out whether he was truly the culprit or not and I couldn't help but feel threatened every time he appeared. He was cocky, confident and despite the fact his cockiness got on my nerves at times, I was fascinated by him.

The cat-mouse game between these two men was thrilling to say the least. Byung Soo wanted to frame Tae Joo for his current crimes while Tae Joo wanted to frame Byung Soo for his past crimes. Both men tried to gain the trust of Byung Soo's daughter and both wouldn't hesitate to harm each other in order to reach their goal. It was mildly amusing to watch Tae Joo sabotage Byung Soo's attempts to find more evidence against him, I started feeling sorry for Byung Soo and the humiliation he had to go through.

Of course the successful portrayal of the characters must be attributed to Sul Kyung Gu and Kim Nam Gil's stellar performances. They did not just play their characters. They became the characters.

Sul Kyung Gu delivered an excellent performance, one that gave more depth to Byung Soo. I could feel his emotions through the screen. His frustration, his desperation, his love, his confusion. Everything was so transparent. I especially liked the way he used his facial expressions and his mouth, the little details in his acting captured Byung Soo's personality perfectly and proved how meticulous he is an actor.

Kim Nam Gil was one of the major reasons why I decided to watch the movie. Ever since I've watched him in Through The Darkness and Trigger, he has become one of my favourite actors. It goes without saying that once again, he did not disappoint. His role was very different compared to his other projects. Gone is the traumatized but kind profiler or police officer. Now he transformed into a serial killer who hid his true colors under his disguise of a good servant of justice. If any casting directors are reading this, I want them to know that I desperately need more evil roles for Nam Gil. He was phenomenal. The way he talked, the way he used his face, the way he acted...He commanded the screen and gave me the chills.

If I could pinpoint a small drawback that would be the pacing during the middle. The story never lost its spark of course, it's just that I found my attention drifting away at times after all of the chase between Byung Soo and Tae Joo. Nevertheless, the final act was a certificated banger. I do not want to delve into spoilers but be prepared: you will not be ready.

Do I recommend Memoir of a Murderer? Without a doubt! Those who love psychological thrillers will definitely appreciate it but even if you're not a huge fan of the genre, the acting alone and all of these guessing shenanigans will be enough. I am very curious to watch the director's cut version too and I cannot wait to dive deeper into this story.

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Strongest as a mystery thriller treasure hunt. Unbearable as a Romcom

None of the promo materials that I saw indicated this was a treasure hunt, which makes it so much more interesting that the undercover highschooler teacher romance, which is as creepy as it sounds whenever the story dipped into that plot line that also grinds the pacing to a halt. It is the worst part of the show which unfortunately means more often than not the female lead who is the teacher in the equation is the worst part. She is a terrible teacher not noticing the actual bullying occurring in her classroom while being extremely violent with the male lead who she thinks is a teenager and violating boundaries by showing up at his house on short notice. Once she learns he's NIH undercover, both of their brains go out the window. They are always out drinking together or touching hands, they are just courting a student teacher scandal.

The treasure hunt however is quite interesting, I really enjoy the clues being hidden in tales of ghostly hauntings that also mirror the real life school bullying of Hae Jeong and his classmates. The villain of the treasure hunt storyline is amazing. She is both cunning and unsettling that other kdrama villains think they are. The way she picks apart her daughter's self esteem, what she does with a steak knife to her own wrist in front of her daughter who freaked out at the photoshoot refusing to expose her scarred wrists, what she quotes about a slavery era book. Her daughter being cruel to Hae Seong's sister who just accepts it in order to be kind to the girl she saw with the scarred wrists. Later when she beats up a kid in the rest room who badmouthed her daughter in front of her and she chastises him to watch his mouth around elders while banging her own head on the mirror is so unhinged.

The romance is so forced, the drama would have been stronger without it. The secondary romance was also terrible and never funny even though it was supposed to be comic relief moments. The spy versus mastermind dynamic between Hae Jeong and Myeong Ju is so much more electric to see . I don't know if it's because I just didn't catch it, but I didn't see any specific branding on the sandwich shop until ep 4, which is a funny mini background mystery until it's revealed to be Qiuznos. The end where Hae Jeong points a gun at Myeong Ju only to hand it over to the same woman clearly having a dangerous mental health episode where she's already threatening the entire class of kids with oil and fire, was ridiculous. He's otherwise smart enough most of the time. I like that he clocked the principal truly caring about Myeong Ju and Ye Na and urged him not to enable her anymore.

The treasure hunt ending in Hae Jeong getting closure in finding out what happened to his father is meaningful. It's lovely that the cute little star motif between him and his father leads him to the gold his dad hid. All of his classmates showing up at his father's funeral was sweet. He got to remake his high school experience that was so terrible he got a GED instead the first time. His adopted father and son relationship with his uncle is also really sweet. I loved the moment he supported his decision to quit high school and was the one suggesting the GED. His annoyance at the thought that his adopted sister Yu Jeong may become his colleague is funny because he was colleagues with his adopted dad. Though there were still elements that I enjoyed, the momentum of the mystery and the pacing of the story really fell apart towards the end. It might have been a tighter with a few episodes less.

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Great acting in this BDSM tale of two people with complicated lives

I watched this drama as I was preparing for a reddit post on my favourite dark and dangerous female leads. I knew BDSM is an element of this drama so I wasn't shocked. I must say I enjoyed this drama a lot.

Trigger warning: BDSM, Mental health issue, Self-harm

What I liked:
1. Romance - One of the steamiest dramas with BDSM element to boot. I enjoyed watching dominant female & submissive male dynamics as they both consented to this dynamic.
2. FL characterisation - She had mental health issues but I liked her character because she wanted to be in a better place for herself and others that cared for her after being given a second chance.
3. ML characterisation - His motives confused me at times because the past version of him was vengeful. However I liked watching his struggles and character growth. It seemed to me that he knew the difference between love and gratitude.
4. Acting - Wonderful acting by Yue Yu Ting & Zhang Chi. They played off each other's energy & intensity.
5. Styling - Beautiful clothes worn by FL and ML.
6. Duration - Less than 2 hours which was perfect for me. Not draggy.

Disliked:
1. Confusion - Her life before rebirth & the sabotage confused me. I didn't quite understand the supporting character's insistence on pulling FL & ML apart. I knew the success would benefit the culprit but so what?

Favourite scene
When ML consoled FL who had harmed herself

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I love how unhinged these mini-mini cdramas are!

Enjoyment level-wise, this is an 8.5 but objectively, it's a generous 7. This show is super short and so so so much fun to watch! It's incredibly feral with a female lead who not only doesn't take any nonsense, she actively returns the negative energy you give her, tenfold. You spit at her? She's gonna poop in your pie! lol! I love how unabashedly heartless she is when it comes to saving her skin and harming her enemies. And she has good reason for it, too. People are out to get her! They're trying to kill her and she fights back tooth and nail. That's so refreshing. Usually, in cdramas, female leads take every abuse with grace and a tragic sense of justice but here, the female lead is not about that! She will smear herself if it guarantees hurting her enemies. Armed with fourth-wall-breaking knowledge of third-wave feminism and an intuition that would put Odysseus to shame, she fights the patriarchy and her in-laws to the bitter end if she has to. I don't know if you can tell, I just watched this show because the female lead was like a feral fox with unhinged revenge schemes and I loved every time she screwed her husband over. Like this man was a bloodthirsty, cruel, and privileged marquess with the power and means to squish her like an ant and she gave him a whole cardio workout, trying to chase her and take her out! Lol! It was delightful to watch.
Did it make sense? No! Was it very clever? Not really. Lots of ret-cons. Is it well-produced? No, you can tell everything is fake! It's mostly like kids playing pretend. Did all of its shortcomings impact my enjoyment? Not at all! Lol
This is not a drama you watch for quality film-making excellence or its deeply philosophical narrative. This is a show you watch because sometimes you're on your period and watching a drama is the better option than killing someone out of frustration. It's also just very vindicating to watch a historical character act like a logical person of the modern era, every step of the way.
We also don't acknowledge the last 4 episodes because lame fan service should never be acknowledged!
I HIGHLY recommend watching this. It's just fun! Like having gummy bears at 2 am!

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THE TWELVE! (But really, eight plus one)

DISCLAIMER, I decided to edit this review to provide more thought on my initial blunt one.

If you enjoy the superhero genre, hard hitting action scenes, with a hint of mythology... a comedy, a tale of ill-fated lovers... product placement - well, then Twelve is somewhat for you!

One quick PRO, before all the CONS below - they chose a good cast.

To start, Twelve is a drama that ultimately fails to deliver on a basic plot. There is no end, middle or even a proper beginning to Twelve. The overarching goal remains unclear, even after viewing all 8 episodes. And, this is mainly due to the choice they made to omit most of the story. I kid you not, most of the tale is hidden from you. You are introduced to many flashbacks, but they are not at all linear - in most cases, they tell part of a part of the story (it sounds better than it actually is).

Secondly, the story is convoluted and filled with tiresome subplots. As mentioned above, the story recalls many parts of the story - at all odd times. Information that would have made sense three episodes ago, are introduced late. All the while, new characters and concepts are introduced, without any supportive context - so you, as the audience - are often left reaching.

Thirdly, Its characters are inconsistent in their capabilities, and motivations. Somewhat related to what was mentioned above, characters are - in a word, confusing. This may be highlighted by the confusing narrative, but there are moments where you are left wondering - why is that? what is that? or - is that how that works? Nothing is explained in its entirety (again, partially due to the poor pacing), but even when things are explained - they don't remain consistent.

Lastly, the product placement... In a tale so poorly executed - whether it be the writing, special effects or shot choice - they did an amazing job for its sponsors (?) Action scenes? yeah, I remember some. Dramatic acting? Sure. But the product placement - absolutely unforgettable. They design it not to be - and, that's no joke. They specifically chose moments where characters are "out of world" - almost fourth wall breaking - speaking a dialogue, one could only find in a commercial.

This was a story about angels and all I remember is the coffee candy.

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