Reviews

An ACTUAL review

After going through the reviews and stalking some people's profiles to see if their taste is immaculate or not, as their reviews sounded like they watch some very high-quality BL series with the most unique, well-written plots, it's safe to say that I had a good laugh.

Anyway, the wicked game, as the title says, was wicked.

The characters made me hate them, scream at them for being such cruel people, yet a bunch of idiots as well.

The plot was actually well written up until Episode 9. The pacing of the show was good, the matters were resolved, and the show did not leave us with questions after it ended. It's episode 10 that could've been a lot better if they had just added the extended cut in the main show. After watching the extended cut, the show felt complete because Pheem talked about Thun not being a cop anymore, he talked about his guilt, and of course...they did the nasty. Poor noodle bowls.

I would've rated this show a solid 9/10 if it had the perfect music score, the extended cut, better editing, an unhurried ending and fewer of Chet's tantrums. I do not understand what people saw in Chet and Park because, to me, there was no chemistry between the two actors. Their scenes were boring, dragged out and totally unnecessary. I also skipped their flashbacks in episode 10 because why not?

Now, coming to the acting, everyone did a great job at it. Although I felt that Risa's bodyguard could've been better, it was still watchable. Daou and Offroad are a part of the few talented actors in the industry who act like they know exactly what the character went through, as if they are those characters themselves. After watching countless GMMTV shows and leaving the shows midway because of the terrible acting most of the actors did, it felt like a breath of fresh air when I discovered Century of Love and The Wicked Game. I did not have to skip scenes where Thun was singing, because for the first time, the actor could actually sing. I did not have the skip Pheem's breakdowns because again, he was not cringing me out, but instead making me feel bad for him, even though he did make some horrible decisions, and I was also not skipping the NC scenes because they felt too much or just too in my face.

Yes, the writing could've been better than it was, the editing could've been done by professionals, and not graphic design interns, and the camera could've been more focused, but the acting, the chemistry and the plot that was interesting, hair gripping, keeping you on the edge of your seats, made up for it.

I hope their fourth series is written by a different writer, maybe an adaptation as they've hinted and a better editing team.

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I don’t know about you, but Osaki Ichika as Haruka completely won me over in this series. I love her clumsy charm and how genuinely naïve she is, especially in her friendship with Hikaru. I also love how the supportive male lead helps her pursue the man she thinks she’s in love with. At first, I thought she would only see Hikaru as a girl because of his cross-dressing, but I’m glad their date went well and that she eventually falls for all aspects of him—not just his pretty face.

Because of characters like Haruka and Hikaru, Cinderella Closet ends up being such a light and fluffy romantic series. My only complaint is that Netflix released the episodes so slowly that I had to put the show on hold a few times… and ended up rewatching episodes more than once. But honestly, it’s worth watching over and over.

I won’t repeat the full plot since MDL already has a solid summary, but one thing I’d add is that Hikaru isn’t just a fairy godmother figure, he instantly becomes Haruka’s best friend, someone she treats like family.

Besides the unrequited love storyline, one thing I really appreciate is how naïve yet genuine Haruka is. She even befriends her ex-boyfriend’s ex, Suzuki Mio, a famous makeup artist. Haruka is truly a girl’s girl, and that made me root for her even more.

I also have to mention the makeup and styling in this series. Hikaru’s looks both as a man and in his female persona—are consistently gorgeous. So many times I caught myself admiring his outfits, especially the orange sweater he wore on their first date!

Overall, I recommend this series to anyone looking for a quick watch that’s light, fluffy, and fun. It’s charming, entertaining, and full of heart. And honestly, you’ll end up loving Haruka just as much as I did. I truly wish I had someone like her in my life.

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Very Enjoyable

It's now 2025 and I happened to catch this through YouTube recommendation. I didn't know any of the casts and didn't watch part 1 of this series, nonetheless I enjoyed watching this.

It's so refreshing to watch an emperor who is a nice guy throughout. Most if not all of the Chinese drama I've watched, the emperor started as a young optimistic guy but always ended up turning to the dark side (and betrayed the FL). The emperor also has an emperor vibe. His love story with Lian Er is so sweet to watch. I'm sure I will watch this again (just the part of love story between them).

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SADLY A GOOD IDEAS DISTROYED BY DESPERATION

i cannot not say much about the serie itself because i think other reviews did say it correctly.
Actors here (specially main leads) did a very good job showing their skills in a new angle, her they take on roles of villains in action series so rest assured this is not on Actors themselves.
To be honest ,i think that BL series have entered era where the writers and production team have lost their mind ,they are pushing violance in form of love ,cruelty and call it love .
Im worried that they no longer care that these shows are actually watched by teenand young people, what are you trying to promote to them???
They don't care about logic anymore and this is disrespectful to audience, and to the country itself: if a crime is committed, you upheld the law ,to presents a lawless contents is to imply that no law is respected, once you are poweful.
The cartoonish shooting scenes will make Indian movies look good 😅😅😅😅 to be honest use logic whil editing, because this doesn't help actors ,it make them lose the credibility as actors.
I don't know if this is on writers or directors, the script is bad that it destroyed the potential the series had
In any case the actors did well under these circumstances.

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Perfect binge watch for the weekend!

Romantic Anonymous was a series I binge-watched in a single day. It’s been a while since I’ve watched something like this, so I spent the week I had off catching up on shorter, fast-paced dramas—and this one was at the top of my list!

The story begins with Hana Lee, who struggles with anxiety and can’t look people in the eye. Our male lead, Fujiwara Sosuke, is a germaphobe. Both deal with their own challenges on a daily basis, but they share one thing in common: they both love chocolate. They end up working at the same place, and as they spend more time together—especially while trying to save La Sauveur after the owner’s passing—they slowly begin to fall for each other.

Below are some things I loved about the drama:

• The cast!
It feels like a collision of worlds. I grew up watching C-drama, lakorn, Bollywood, Jdorama, and K-drama, so seeing actors from different industries collaborating feels like a dream come true. I love every moment of it, and I’m so glad we’re seeing more Japanese actors working alongside Korean actors.

• Akanishi Jin’s return.
This deserves its own mention. Seeing Akanishi Jin acting again makes me so happy even nostalgic. The last time I saw him was during his idol days with KAT-TUN. If you know, you know what happened back then, and it’s been a while since we’ve seen him in a drama.

• The meaning behind each chocolate.
One thing I love about J-dramas is how they often focus on more than just the romance. Here, the emphasis is on the chocolate and the personal stories behind each piece. Because of this, each episode was unique and fun to watch.

Romantic Anonymous is perfect for anyone who loves chocolate and appreciates stories where even small things carry special meaning. There’s a sweet love line between the leads (and a second couple!), and the cast—many of whom are longtime industry veterans—makes the storytelling even stronger. I totally recommend this as a weekend watch if you want something quick, warm, and satisfying… because that’s exactly how I enjoyed it!

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The Penthouse both literally and figuratively collapsed this season...

I first watched the Penthouse years ago and it was one of my first K-Dramas. I binged all of the seasons in under a week because of how much I loved it. I didn't make reviews for the first two seasons but know that I thought they were SIGNIFICANTLY better than this one. I actually enjoyed them and they were FAR more coherently written. But season 3? Disrespectful to the legacy of the prequels.

The budget was still high and the show at least LOOKED fantastic. The music was great and one thing that disappointed me was that there weren't as many opera songs as I was hoping for. I really liked the singing in the previous seasons, but it was sparce in this one. The sound design is pretty good except for that one stock boom that happens during a "shocking" moment that sounds straight out of vine. The acting is still above average, but it felt weaker from Cheon Seo Jin and Joo Dan Tae; probably because their character writing suffered. A lot of actors had a glow up; especially the Cheong-a graduates. Bae Ro Na looked especially beautiful this season.

I think the premise of the first episode already set up the season in a way that was doomed to fail: all of the villains got out of jail within a YEAR and somehow all of them regained their wealth and status as early as episode ONE. It really bothers me when a new season decides to haphazardly retcon something from a previous season just because the writers want to completely change what happened instead of building off of it. Season 2 was at least respectful of the season before it, but season 3 was not. I heavily question if the writers changed this season.


However, the worst part of this season was DEFINITELY the writing of the characters. So many important characters suffered because of the atrocious writing:

Su Ryeon: She suffered awfully with how they killed her off in SUCH a BS way. Su Ryeon was doing FANTASTIC up until they decided to kill her off in an inorganic way. She was a woman that built a family for herself throughout all of the seasons, yet gives up on it in this one for little reason. Why would she EVER kill herself when she has Hye In, Seok Hun, Seok Kyung, Ro Na, and Logan actively waiting for her? She was torn to pieces in season 1 when she realized she wasn't there for her daughter that was given away, so why would she now abandon her children when they needed her the most? Those kids went through hell and yet they wrote her to be a bad mother by abandoning them in the end when she had a SAFETY NET.

Logan: He was "killed off" yet somehow survived an explosion and was shipped off into the penthouse without anyone noticing? Are you seriously telling me that Su Ryeon wouldn't follow him into the ambulance? Then whatever was happening with that 10 billion dollar check that was just laying around annoyed me since I can't remember it ever going anywhere important. Are you being for real when you tell me Su Ryeon hadn't opened that gift book before BAEK JUN GI???? Nah. But as for Logan, he was keeping things from his family for some reason and even when he was finally going to be happy by marrying Su Ryeon, the writers kill her off and then give him relapse cancer! What?! Why would he allow himself to die even if Su Ryeon had died first? Your entire family that adores you is still waiting for you and would do legit ANYTHING to save you, and Ro Na was needing him in her life more than ever since her both of her parents had died that season. He was also the new Chairman of the Simwoon group, so what happened to his responsibility over that? Who inherited it after him? Also, with the way the writers wrote his randomly thrown in twin, Alex, I have to wonder what they really think Americans are like......why are most bodyguards black and the thugs that beat up Yun Cheol in the previous season were as well. I'm not calling them racist, but I do wonder why that is...

Yun Hui: She wasn't as compelling as season 2, but that was fine since she took more of a backseat this season. I liked her friendship with Logan but of course we didn't get to see it much. I thought it was soo stupid how they went about the cliff car chase sequence. First off, she doesn't call the police immediately. Second off, she ends the call with Su Ryeon prematurely instead of taking at MOST 15 seconds to explain that Seok Kyung is her biological daughter. Third off, when she finds Eun Byeol in the car and instead of DRAGGING HER OUT, she decides to awaken her super strength and push the car from falling off of the cliff. FOURTHLY, when Seo Jin *does* grab Eun Byeol out of the car, she doesn't take the risk of jumping to the side in order to save her life when Seo Jin is CLEARLY out for blood. Yun Hui can be pretty naive, yes, but she is NOT stupid. So why did they write her that way??? I don't see an issue with her dying this season since it would have been weird in *this* show if the murderer of the girl that haunts the narrative gets to be all jolly by the end, but she should've gone out in a more sensical way.

Seo Jin: She stole the show in the first seasons, yet seemed too extreme in this one. It feels like any personal growth she had in the prequels was thrown away in order for her to be more vicious and deserving of retribution. I don't believe she would be so stupid team up Dan Tae again nor act so indifferent regarding Jin Bun Hong literally abusing her daughter. She literally paid 500 billion won with little hesitance to the ACTUAL scumbag Baek Jun Ki, and doesn't consider maybe just JUMPING HIM AND STEALING IT??? This lady literally killed people and nearly killed others, yet is afraid to have a nobody that will not be missed assassinated? I don't believe it. The way she killed Yun Hui also seemed premature since she was actually begging Yun Hui in her head to save her daughter, which she did, but then lets her die a brutal death spontaneously when she was just shouting that she'd save her in a moment. While I do believe she would have definitely killed her in season 1, probably in season 2, but season 3? I have doubts. I think a GOOD writing choice would have been to make her kill Yun Hui in a more heated moment, maybe half accidentally, then make her THINK she's happy about it and that her life will magically get better; only for her to later realize that she doesn't feel happier or more "whole" afterward and that her life actually feels LESS meaningful now that her one true rival was no longer challenging her. I think that would have been a great approach to her character, but they decided to simply make her evil and shameless even when killing her impaired ex-husband that she "realized" her true life for last season. Also, why didn't she get her vocal nodules dealt with last season? Why wait for so long? Did I miss something?

Dan Tae: A man of pure evil with a kill count that beats any others' in this show. He deserved to suffer immensely, yet I think he didn't get his just desserts this season. He dies, yes, but it was basically an instant kill and he dies still somehow viewing himself as the martyr. Is it actually possible for him to press the switch even with a bullet straight this his brain? I question it. I did enjoy learning his backstory, but I think it made me hate him even more because he went through a similar situation as the abused in this show, yet showed no remorse over it. I know that Jun Ki explained that Dan Tae copied his father's lifestyle after killing him, but it was harder for me to believe. They made him dumber this season too by letting Jin Bun Hong hold crucial evidence in her hand and demand 500 billion won from him after insulting him to his face. Why wouldn't he just get his botched Secretary to kill her and steal it? Speaking of his secretary, Cho was just awful as a righthand man. I've thought it since season 1, but I bet Dan Tae regrets losing his first secretary in the first 5 episodes since Cho is always fumbling every assignment and gets beaten so much, yet maintains his "loyalty" even when Dan Tae has nothing anymore. He someone weasles himself out of every cell he gets caught in, but it reaches a point of absurdity when he manages to always avoid police and get out prison with his criminal record. He somehow stole a rich man's identity after being a wanted criminal in Japan, and no one ever catches on??? Also, how did he manage to throw the real son into an insane asylum whilst being a wanted man??? It just doesn't add up. I also wanted more of his backstory with Na Ae Gyo in it. One scene of her at the tattoo parlor isn't enough for me to understand how a cold blooded man like Joo Dan Tae ended up adoring her and wanting to have children with her. They seemed so sweet back then, so why did they turn so cold in the future? They should've explained it better.

Yun Cheol: He felt pretty bland this season. I didn't like the way he died. I don't have an issue with him dying, but the way they went about it felt weird. I wasn't a big fan of how neglectful towards Eun Byeol he was despite supposedly "loving" her, either.

Ro Na and Seok Hun: Ro Na only really seemed relevant for a few things this season like tormenting Eun Byeol a bit and giving Seok Hun reasons to fight his dad. I liked seeing her succeed, though. Seok Hun was at his best this season and I enjoyed him fighting on his mom's side and not enabling his sister's bad behavior for once. I find him developing more believable than a lot of characters since he was showing signs early on into the story, but they still should have focused on it more in season 1. It's also a hard sell for me to support their relationship in season 2 when you realize he most definitely knew about her being bullied relentlessly for something that wasn't her fault, yet did nothing about it. He only showed up when it was revealed that his mom's killer was someone else. That makes him look reeeeally bad as a significant other. Red flag behavior; especially after his supposed growth up until that point. However, if I look past that, they were a pretty cute couple in seasons 2 and 3; a lot cuter than I remembered them being from my first watch years ago.

Seok Kyung: She was a raging bitch in 2 and a half seasons, yet they throw in a sudden redemption arc in the middle of this one since they must have realized they wrote themselves into a corner with her character. She was extremely selfish, entitled, and apathetic for YEARS, yet gets almost entirely humane after one orphan camp weekend trip and finding out about bullying her biological family? I don't believe it. The whole plot of her being Su Ryeon's biological daughter was nonsensical since you could TELL there was not intent for it in the previous seasons AT ALL. Nothing indicated that she wasn't Na Ae Gyo's daughter, but that added it in just to justify Seok Kyung suddenly becoming a remorseful person and "atoning" for her sins. Her working odd jobs and dressing plain at the end whilst refusing help from her brother doesn't really make that much sense for her character either. I also didn't like how this season seemed to have some weird dichotomy on whether being blood related to someone was more important in a family or not. It didn't rub me the right way.

Eun Byeol: I think she benefitted the most from this season writing wise. She suffers waaay too much though and it felt like the writers had it out for her. The plot with amnesia pills was extremely aggravating to watch, too. But I did like how her story ended. She was finally free from her mom and her expectations and could live a life for herself for once. She stopped looking away from her mom's crimes she committed in her name and decided to finally face them. She decided to accept the punishment on her mom's behalf by sacrificing her ability to ever sing again. It was sad to watch, but that would probably be the best for her in the long run. Soprano singing is what contributed to a lot of her mental anguish, after all. I'm just sad that her and Ro Na never got to reconcile as sisters. However, forgiving someone after they nearly murder you isn't exactly easy, so I get it.

Ma Ri, her husband, and Je Ni: They were pretty cool this season; especially Ma Ri. I loved how she was a strong woman and that she grew so much as a person. My only issue is that they made her so one note in season 1 that if I were to directly rewatch her harassment of Yun Hui and Ro Na after finishing season 3, I don't think I could tell they were the same person. If they wrote her with subtle depth from the beginning, especially with the backstory of her husband in mind, she would have had a more believable character arc. But all things considered, I did adore her joining the squad and how Je Ni is far less of a bitch this season and has a realistic friendship with Ro Na. Her husband that I forgot the name of was pretty much a background character and didn't really do much of anything that any other character couldn't have done themselves. I liked his start, but he fell flat; especially when he went to jail again off-screen.

Gyu Jin, Sang A, and Min Hyeok: Gyu Jin was somehow more annoying this season than the first two combined, but Sang A actually had a little bit of development. She tries to have more agency, but she reverts back to being one dimensional anyway. I only really liked how pretty she looked with long, wavy hair. Min Hyeok was most relevant in this season out of all of them, but he still wasn't that important. I'm biased into liking him because I like his actor, Lee Tae Vin, but his character development this season seemed out of nowhere considering how he was in the previous seasons. It seemed out of place for him to suddenly feel remorse and not thrive on watching others being bullied and harassed. His grandma was really annoying, too. I just thought I should add that there because where else am I gonna add it?


Other thing I wanted to say is that I really liked how they didn't chicken out with making Yun Hui the murderer in season 1. However, they seemed to have chickened out a bit in season 2 by making Dan Tae the killer instead of Eun Byeol. I understand they were just recreating the scene of the awards from their mothers' time at Cheong-a, in which Seo Jin didn't actually kill Yun Hui, but it would have been more shocking and respectable if they followed through with it being a teenager. People can be murderers and borderline evil even when they are as young as teens, after all.

There was also a lot of nonsense like how Su Ryeon just kept her phone alarm on and on her person even when she was walking down the aisle. Who does that? Then there was how Baek Jun Ki just escaped without returning, Joo Dan Tae somehow escaping a guarded mental facility in Japan, the fakeout of Logan's death at the end, and the confusing nonsense pertaining to the amnesia pills that I still can't wrap my head around. Why would Su Ryeon hang up the phone on Yun Cheol when he is impaired and SEES the crazy Seo Jin behind him?!?!? That is craaazy work on her part. I also hate the overused trope of "phone call or someone knocking prevents important conversation" that this show LOVES to abuse. I was so annoyed when Yun Hui was "blocked" from telling Su Ryeon about her long lost daughter just because someone knocked on the door at the prime time. Like, just tell her first before she is preocuppied??? The only kudos I give on something they overuse is recording threats people make. I usually get aggravated when stories don't utilize that cheat more, but this show made prime use of it. An issue this show has is never explaining how bodies are stolen or removed in order for characters to "revive." How is no one saying anything when there isn't a corpse around for a funeral? I don't get it.

Honestly, I'm disappointed with the writing team. ಠ෴ಠ

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sad but mid

first few episodes were excellent. the portayal of domestic abuse is pretty explicit and shocking, but it was necessary for the plot. i enjoyed the planning of his murder and his actual death very much. just what he deserved.

but, the rest of the story is literal hot garbage lol wdym this random doppelganger is a psychopath??? actually, why did we even go the doppelganger path??? i thought he was like a long lost brother or something but he's genuinely a complete stranger and that's just ridiculous. his character made no sense. the sister in law character is despicable and had absolutely no redeeming qualities but i guess it just runs in the family. i think i might have actually enjoyed this more if this was a story of overcoming the fear and escaping him to then serve revenge rather than a murder plot because people can't just murder their abusers and find doppelgangers to try and get away with it... so. they literally had the random rich gangster character right there. they could have used him to form that plotline. but, murder!!! wow!!!

also holy shit the scene where his dead body appears in the rain with his eyes wide open is pure nightmare fuel, actually got a scare out of me

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Gen Z in love

The series starts slow first episode setting up all the pieces, but picks up starting in the second episode where all the personalities, ambitions, and interests of the various characters interact and bring change in each other. Shane finding out he actually enjoys shooting people in lazer tag to even shooting his own team mates was funny as was the twist that the Literature club aren't stuffy elitist and they actually also enjoy Doremon that Kit brings up as his fave and gives his reading on it and Mon was only upset because he didn't give it a chance before and instantly got the comics to read so that he can also do a analysis on it. Kit is truly down bad to do math problems all night. It was a funny bit that Per happens to be a photo taking savant, taking less than a millisecond to get the perfect school ID portrait. It's cute that Shane and Kit can walk around holding hands though later he has to overcome his hang up of showing PDA around his friends. These kids have so much energy to wake up early to go to school together. Shane already has a an Olympian study schedule though, so he's already up. The way that the issues with the parents are presented and resolved is very nice.

The high schooler seniors act more mature in terms of knowing and expressing their feelings than the math teacher Tan who is ridiculously passive aggressive against the nice fellow teacher Nat who he has a crush on. Nat doesn't care that Tan stalked him though, he's finally found a guy that won't easily ditch him like all the other people he dated, but doesn't want to become serious. Tan is 29 and Nat should be around the same age, so they are about the tail end of the millennials age range. Tan is envious about how the kids are able to be themselves freely in this era with them able to abolish school uniforms and in terms of sexuality. Though Tan can't change his teenager years, he can make the most of the current times and he and Nat has a sweet, supportive relationship where Nat helps Tan realize that he needs to like himself more. It's nice to see the actor Papang get to play outside of the mature or bad guy type he's usually cast in. The scene where goes full soft boyfriend voice to ask a favor from Nat was really cute, his glasses magnifying the puppy eyes to completely melt Nat. Tan is able to give advice to Shawn not just as a math mentor, but also as an intergenerational queer one.

It's good modeling of communication for both the parents and the kids. It was a surprisingly strong point in the series where they don't villainize the conflicting views of the parents and the children nor the views between the two romantic partners. The only exception is Shawn's dad trying to sell the condo and break up their kids who have been raising each other and the lives they have created for themselves as part of the war against his ex-wife, using them as pawns to choose sides. Shawn has taken up a lot of responsibility even though he has two older siblings to take care of himself and them, even having to cover the bills. In the end his elder siblings at least help him by stepping up to confront their parents, his sister laying down the ultimatum that she will change all their last names if their dad makes them leave. There was a sweet and funny scene where Kit begs his parents to send off the Germany to study with Shawn and his dad sharply refuses, but reflects on it and tells Kit his remorse in not being supportive and is willing to send him, but Kit says he changed his mind, not mentioning that Shawn is no longer leaving and that heartfelt moment ends abruptly. It's so sweet that his dad was willing to do that for him. Mon and his school counselor mother though, love each other. He's unhappy with always moving around for her job, but she's not as controlling as she seems like she would be. She chastises him for not properly introducing his boyfriend when she came in and was the one ignoring Kim's calls all night. She's also having a friend get together when Kim takes Mon hope promptly before 10 and is happy that Kim is someone who keeps his promise.

Both Shawn and Kit each had different instances of thinking about where they want to continue their future, either abroad or at home, which major or which school or city, as does their friend group. It's all major life decisions that all 18 year old high school seniors need to make. It's nice that the characters learn that they can't control how it will turn out, but they will make a decision they won't regret not having tried. I like that Kit has some genuine concerns other than his boyfriend as reasons for not wanting to study in the US like the language and cultural barriers. I feel like for him, he made the right choice to study his major in Thailand instead. Surprisingly Kim with the average grades and scholastic performance gets excepted into the engineering program, which makes sense he would accept it and he and Mon become the long distance couple. Per the sports guy finds his calling in the film/communications department where Tar is also applying though unsure of which specific part he wants to specialize in. I'm so shocked that he never considered something in fashion as he's definitely the fashionista in the group. I loved his little dachshund shoulder bag and the shrimp plushie attached to his blue cap.

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Slick & Stylish

A 6 part series about a competition amongst the Samurai towards their final days and with a cholera outbreak, to win 1,00,000 yen sounded an interesting concept. And to my surprise, it was, to some extent.

The series seems like a combination of Squid Games, Hunger games and many other movies/shows based on competition. But what hooked me to the show was the clean production and the action choreography with many brutal fights that were very well done.

With respect to characters, their arcs have a small screentime except for Shujiro Saga, the main lead of the show. I wished the narrative and every character's arc was developed a little more. The pacing was sluggish, even with just 6 episodes. I saw either rigorous action or very minimal conversation among the characters, nothing in between.

The last episode veered into unrealistic territory which was jarring. Yet it also set up huge stakes beyond the contest for our intrepid little band of contestants. Surrounded by powerful enemies, it will be interesting to see how or if the writers can bring this to a satisfying conclusion when the second season rolls around.

My Rating : 3.5/5

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Drama

I chose to write this review because of the ones I just saw and it seemed like we have seen a different drama. For me this was an enjoyable watch and it kept me hooked till the end because it was dramatic and I like drama together with the chemistry between all the CPs. I would say the story was great even though it didn't give us the closure that we needed.

Pheem had the most character development in the whole characters and I wished to see Chet develop but sadly he didn't in the bigger sceme of things but he was getting there. I don't know what hapenned to Risa's mom from the first episode at least they could have brought her back to advise her when she started going astray because she was caring.

As it ended they were many loopholes in the story but after all it is series and I would really reccommend you to watch it because the plot is good and the actors are great actors, they did a great job. Don't just look at the bad reviews and deny it chance, give it a try and I promise you will llike it.

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Love the cast but the plot is just meh

I bet Kang Dong Won chose this movie for the fight scenes, because the plot is totally bull***t. My 2 stars out of 10 go to the cast and the first iconic 20 minutes of the movie.

The iconic umbrella scene was the only enjoyable moment in the whole movie. That’s also how I got tricked into thinking it would be a romantic movie with maybe a messy love triangle, as this is an old movie from the 2000s. But this movie was not just bad. Even though I love Kang Dong Won and Lee Chung Ah very much and that’s why I watched this movie in the first place, I couldn’t really enjoy any of their acting because the whole plot is just gross. None of the characters is likable. There’s no chemistry between the romantic couple, and the man she ended up with is a total jerk, and I have no words for the other man.

OMG. 🫠

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Brutally realistic yet unforgettable.

OVERVIEW:

Kim Nak Su, once a perfection-obsessed corporate climber, loses everything and confronts the emptiness of authority without affection. His wife rebuilds their life through real estate, his son forges his own path, and those he once controlled learn resilience, empathy, and self-reliance. Through failure, therapy, and honest work, Nak Su discovers humility, the value of presence over praise, and the quiet dignity of rebuilding. Lives intertwine, mistakes leave scars, but growth emerges: adulthood becomes less about being right and more about showing up, forgiving, and living with the weight of one’s choices.


___________________________

COMMENTARY:

“The Dream Life of Mr. Kim” is a wolf in the clothing of a workplace dramedy. It starts off posturing like a typical corporate satire about an aging middle manager pressured by a soulless system, but by the midpoint it shifts into something far more brutal and intimate: a character study about a man who has spent his entire adult life worshipping the wrong gods.

I went into it expecting light cynicism, a few jokes about hierarchy, maybe some redemption arcs neatly tied with bows. Instead, I got a story obsessed with ego, fear, social masks, and the humiliating price of self-deception. And beneath that is a grim sociological truth Korea has been avoiding for decades: older workers aren’t retiring, they’re being pushed out long before they want to.

This isn’t just one man’s fictional tragedy. Kim Nak-su, the beating disaster-heart of the series, embodies the middle-class checklist so many Koreans strive for: a general manager position at a major conglomerate, an apartment in Seoul, and a son studying at a prestigious university. On paper, it’s the dream life. In reality, it’s a system designed to discard people quietly. Nak-su is abruptly reassigned from the company headquarters to a remote factory, instructed to “keep quiet, kill time,” and even clean up after dogs - a humiliating demotion that reflects what many Korean workers face.

Only 17.3 percent of retirees leave their main job at the official retirement age. The rest are pushed out, with the average Korean leaving their primary job at 52.9, nearly eight years before the legal retirement age of 60. Reasons include recommendations to resign, early retirements, restructuring, reduced workload, and company closures. Those forced out often slip into nonregular, temporary, or daily labor, doing deskilled work far below their qualifications.

Kim’s fictional trajectory mirrors this reality: after resigning, he cycles through precarious jobs, from delivery driver to chauffeur-for-hire, forced to work not by choice, but necessity, because the national pension won’t begin until 65 and pays barely enough for survival. Experts call this decade-long void the “income crevasse,” a period that traps older workers without meaningful support. The public pension system and corporate culture collide in cruel irony: seniors in Korea work at one of the highest rates in the developed world not for fulfillment, but because the alternative is financial collapse.

What makes this show infuriating and compelling in equal measure is that Nak-su is fully responsible for digging the hole he keeps tripping into. His downfall isn’t delivered by some cackling villain in a boardroom. It’s built from thousands of tiny choices: refusing to listen to his wife, ignoring the kindness of others because kindness doesn’t come with a title printed on a business card, pretending his family’s needs are beneath his ambitions. He is constantly choosing the shiny, shortcut version of life, the one that promises power without vulnerability, and that hubris becomes his personal horror story.

Yet the series refuses to flatten him into a caricature. You feel the panic underneath his arrogance. When his job begins slipping through his fingers, you see a man whose identity collapses with it.

When financial disaster strikes and he hides it from his wife, it’s not because he doesn’t trust her, it’s because he can’t stand the mirror she unknowingly holds up, the one that shows him as ordinary, flawed, and scared. The show handles those psychological fault lines with a surprising amount of empathy. It understands that hurt people cling hardest to the illusions that are killing them.

It swings from corporate satire to raw domestic drama to dark comedy that hits so close to the bone you feel uncomfortable laughing. And then there’s the physical comedy of Nak-su’s humiliations - scrubbing floors, dodging barking dogs, trying to play the office hotshot while everyone sees right through him. But that humor never feels like cruelty for entertainment. It’s the sharp edge of realism: life will absolutely kick you when you’re down, but it doesn’t always do it with tragic music swelling in the background. Sometimes it hands you a mop and tells you to get over yourself.

Ha-jin, Nak-su’s wife, is the unsung hero of the story. She grows quietly while he spirals - finding work, rebuilding confidence, facing reality head-on. She isn’t a saint; she’s frustrated, angry, and tired of shrinking herself so her husband’s ego doesn’t bruise. But she is emotionally honest in a world where everyone else is wearing masks. Her journey exposes the truth the show keeps circling: the people we love are the ones most affected by our cowardice. Nak-su’s greatest sin isn’t failure. It’s refusing to let himself be vulnerable with the one person who would catch him.

There is something bold and deeply Korean about the capitalism critique here. The pressure to “look successful” is a monster that eats people alive, and this show doesn’t let anyone escape its jaws unscathed. It’s not glamorizing hustle culture or offering some “work hard and you’ll win” fairy tale. It shows the middle-class dream as a treadmill running on fear: fear of irrelevance, fear of losing face, fear of being left behind. And when Nak-su clings to that treadmill until it throws him off, the series looks at the wreckage and asks: was he ever running toward anything real?

By the time Nak-su hits his lowest point, the show has earned every drop of his despair, and every glimmer of hope that follows. It’s not a series that hands out redemption like a coupon. It demands that Nak-su bleed for it. And in a landscape full of dramas where characters learn lessons in the final ten minutes and live happily ever after, it’s refreshing to see a story that understands real change requires pain, humility, and the courage to admit you’ve been wrong about everything that once defined you.

Watching this show feels like watching a man dismantle the false architecture of his life brick by brick until he finally sees the sky. It’s uncomfortable, tragic, occasionally hilarious, and ultimately deeply human. It’s not the dream life he imagined. But it might just be the first honest life he’s ever lived.

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A Sweet Treat With One Very Suspicious Cocoa Bean

Romantic Anonymous is one of those quiet little dramas that initially feels like a warm cup of hot chocolate, gentle, comforting, and a little sweeter than you expect. The early episodes charmed me instantly with their soft pacing and the emotionally grounded premise of two people who struggle to exist in the world. Lee Ha-na, played with a delicate, jittery sincerity by Han Hyo-joo, has scopophobia, the fear of being looked at. For her, eye contact feels like stepping under a spotlight she never asked for. Fujirawa Sousuke played by Oguri Shun, her boss, is mistaken for a germaphobe, but his real wound runs deeper: he’s convinced he is the contamination, shaped by a childhood trauma that he’s carried into adulthood like a hidden scar. Watching these two slowly inch toward each other, awkwardly, cautiously, and sometimes hilariously, was the heart of why I fell for the drama. Their scenes together aren’t sizzling so much as they are quietly tender, shaped by tiny gestures and shy glances that never overplay themselves. Even their attempt to “practice” touch and eye contact comes with a playful self-awareness, the drama jokingly acknowledging how absurd it sounds while still giving the moment emotional weight.

The romance, if you can even call it that for most of the show, isn’t the dramatic sweeping kind. It’s more about two people learning to breathe near each other without panicking. Two turtles slowly poking their heads out of their shells. It’s soft. It’s understated. It’s care-driven rather than chemistry-driven. And honestly, that worked for me. This was always a healing story more than a love story, where chocolate becomes a language, connection becomes courage, and every small step counts.

But then episode 7 happened, and the tonal shift was so abrupt it felt like someone swapped the script with the outline of a completely different show. Suddenly we were in Bali looking for “rare cacao beans,” and in the most spectacularly convenient twist imaginable, the first random restaurant the characters entered just happened to be owned by the exact farmer they needed. I sat there blinking at the screen like my brain had blue-screened. This kind of deus ex machina shortcut is my personal storytelling kryptonite, and it broke my immersion instantly. One drop of that plot convenience landed in my emotional milk and dyed the whole thing grey. I hit the eject button so fast I thought that was the end of it. And normally, for me, it would be. Once I emotionally disconnect from a drama, that’s usually permanent.

But strangely, and I still don’t fully understand why, I came back the next day and picked up the final episode. Maybe it was lingering fondness for the characters, maybe it was curiosity, maybe it was the emotional momentum from the early episodes that hadn’t fully faded. Whatever the reason, I found myself giving the show one last chance. And to my surprise, the finale didn’t just pull itself together, it actually returned to the emotional spine that made the drama charming in the first place. The chaos of Bali slipped into the background, and the story refocused on what truly mattered: Hana finding the courage to step into the world a little more boldly, and Sousuke deciding to protect the chocolate shop not for business or legacy, but because he finally understood what it meant to bring happiness to others. Their personal arcs came full circle in a way that felt sincere and grounded, like the drama remembered exactly what it promised at the beginning and honored it.

The ending isn’t extraordinary, but it is emotionally honest. It’s quiet, thoughtful, and thematically consistent with the gentleness of the early episodes. No fireworks, no grand romantic declarations, just the inevitability of two people who are a little braver, a little healthier, and finally able to look at each other without flinching. That kind of closure, for this kind of story, is enough.

In the end, Romantic Anonymous isn’t a masterpiece and it’s not aiming to be one. It’s a warm, cozy little drama that stumbles hard in one episode but still finds its footing in the finale. If you enjoy soft emotional storytelling, awkward healing arcs, and characters who feel genuinely human in their frailty, it’s well worth watching. Just be prepared for one detour that may test your patience. For me, the journey, even with its flaws, ended on a satisfying note.

I know I don't usually do numerical scores anymore, but I’d give it a solid, warm high 7 out of 10.

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Intro to Twitter Idol Fan site Admins

The show literally dedicates a scene to breaking down fandom terminology at the beginning of the show for the normies that may be unfamiliar with the online/twitter fan culture before selectively delving into the strengths and issues of the culture through the characters that represent them. Namwah is the main admin of the fan account Fruitylove that is dedicated to ghost shipping an entertainer named Copter and a barista influencer called Maipai. She rudely crashes into Gap as she's running and filming content at the same time, spilling his pink milk drink, a notable drink reference from some OG bl wave moments from the mid 2010s and blaming him before huffing away. Of course the two attend the same university, the same class, and gets stuck as group project partners, so she tricks him to do their project at a Maipai event. Namwah makes Gap hold a Maipai sign, which is considerate compared to all the other shipper signs that litter the crowd. The show does not discuss the ethics of forcing or focusing a ship at an individual artist's event or to them directly. Doubly so for Maipai who doesn't even directly work with Copter. Because of drama coincidence law, Gap happens to be Copter's friend and access to tickets for his events and Namwah is able to bribe Gap to help out with her fan activity by being the sister of a famous music producer brother with a studio that his band can practice in for free 24/7.

Nawah's co-admin and best friend Noon is also revealed to be the sasaeng account who has been terrorizing Maipai to the point that he moved in with Gap. The sasaeng character gets off way too light and what she lost was all contingent on her own volition to self punish. This does show that there is the thinnest line between being a fan and a sasaeng and not enough legal nor social recourse to protect the people being harmed. Nawah wants to be stay friends with Noon despite everything and Noon is the one who breaks it off and even gets a heroic moment using her scooter to drive Gap to the contest in time. It's unclear if she even apologized and taken down all her creep posts on her account, merely saying that FruityLove is not involved. She stalked and stole things from Maipai and also stalked Copter. She used information from her best friend and Gap to dox where Maipai is living. She deserves a criminal record. It feels like the dramas that feature fans in the storylines are too fearful of truly criticizing the most toxic parts of fandom, because they do recognize that the intensity of their attention near or past the point of mania is what they rely on for money. This is one thing that doesn't need to be subtle, the shows should make it clear exactly where the line is and show consequences, even if sadly real life doesn't have them yet.

Being a online fan account often develops organizational skills to do PR which Nawah is able to translate to help Gap's band Evening Sunday. She immediately starts to post shipping moments to get attention online. Even though Namwah family is in the industry, her skills are honed entirely through fandom activities. This is the power and passion of fans that companies and artists try to pander to, fear, and in some cases even be hindered by. Whether it's negative or positive depends on case by case. Shipping moments is more socially accepting version of homoerotic fan service that boybands has long since utilized to galvanize attention that began with gay panic humor derived games way back in the day. The lines and limits of which depends on the comfort of the artist and their ability and wish to set boundaries or not between the pressures of their companies, contracts, and fan expectations. Another aspect is that a lot of the times the actors do not need to do anything and the fans will selectively curate and edit moments into a storyline that will rationalize a secret romance they want to believe between the two artists they want to ship regardless if it's real or regardless if it would be forcefully outing them if it is real. Often fans will claim this is for fun, but there is often a sizable and vocal portion of the population where the so called fun devolves into a mania where they believe the storyline that they themselves created and expects the artists to validate it . The artists often have to balance the parasocial connection that keeps the fans involved in supporting them while they promote whichever project and brands as a pair or group, while also somehow navigating through the entitlement of fan expectations. The drama does not explore this, but does mention another aspect where the band is accused of only growing their popularity through shipping bait rather than actual musical ability and also the smallest mention of fans of each artist attacking the other.

The drama asks for understanding for Namwah's love for the relationship of two entertainment people who aren't dating, but don't do too good a job of giving a clear thesis aside from it just makes her happy. There is too much understanding for the sasaeng character. I do like how they they showed the rival fan site admin also seems to be in the medical field, administering medical aid with her fellow admins becoming a impromptu medic team immediately whenever it's needed. The kindness and willingness to help each other in the community of fandom is one of the positive sides. There's also the valorizing of seemingly straight presenting fanboys who are given a lot of clout for merely being a fan of a different gender presentation than the majority of the fan population which is extremely true to life. Namwah has her own trauma suppressed skills and abilities that led her to interact with Copter as she performs with Evening Sunday. Her growing romantic connection with Gap was nicely done as was the romantic connection between her producer brother Shogun with Evening Sunday drummer and Engineer major Maitoh who happen to have all the same specific tastes from music, to movies, and especially food combinations which are more hyper specific.

The most horrific moment of the show other than it whitewashing the creepy sasaeng character is the Namwah's make over portion is the stylists snapping her prescription glasses in half. The frames and lenses may possibly be more affordable to replace in Thailand, but I need all stories to be more respectful to these medical devices, especially when the characters actually need them to see. They somehow already have Namwha's contact lens prescription available even though it doesn't seem like she's ever had them before and she's able to instantly wear and hopefully remove them with no issue. I like that Gap has already been long crushing on her way before she did the no glasses makeover. Her heartbreak over Gap having lied to get close to her and utilize her connection to her brother to elevate his band was easier to get over than her best friend betraying her was good too.

The standout romantic storyline is Maito and Shogun. I really like that Maito is seen also working on his engineering school projects alongside working on his band duties. He's always the way showing up to practice and taking all of his responsibilities seriously regardless of his developing crush on Shogun. In return, it's values that Shogun shares and appreciates in Maito. Shogun picking up the guitar to play a song and Maitoh instantly matching with the drums because they both enjoy progressive metal, which great taste, was a great intro to the pair. Maitoh is able to communicate with Shogun on behalf of the band and even help him understand his sister some more. Maitoh is the instrumental catalyst in helping Shogun to open his mind in terms of the band, his sister, and especially in romance. Shogun for his part stands up to the homophobic music equipment shop owner who looks down on Maitoh who had a crush on him when they were younger, claiming Maitoh learned the drums to get close to him. Shogun immediately announces he's going to change merchants and only asks if it was true if the reasons Maitoh learned drums was because of a guy, which of course not, Maitoh loves music which makes Shogun proud and declares Maitoh his "beloved student" in Mandarin. Shogun isn't aware at how his specific attentiveness towards Maito comes off to Maitoh nor to himself. Offering his headphones while performing a nausea alleviating wrist massage and gently holding Maitoh's wrists after Maitoh feeling some pain from practicing so much can be ambiguous, but standing shirtless and out of nowhere offering Maitoh to touch the scar on his chest is definitely some mixed messages.

It is understandable that Shogun initially tells Maitoh that he likes him as a brother because sexuality is a spectrum and he hasn't experienced that same sex attraction until he met Maitoh also sometimes the way you see people may remain platonic until suddenly they express interest in you and the way you feel changes. It's nice that Shogun has a conversation with his studio staff about how if there is someone who is everything you are looking for, but just one tiny thing, would you let that chance go and to not make it complicated because out of the billions of people on earth, is it that easy to find the one? The man has a silly haircut, but he also has sensible advice. I really liked that Maitoh sets a boundary with Shogun to put some distance between their interactions in order for Maitoh to get over him and when Shogun was watching Green take care of Maitoh that it isn't angry jealousy, but heartbreak and yearning that it isn't him. It was wild that Maitoh closed his eyes when Green was trying to kiss him, basically allowing it when Green was sabotaged by his own ship supporter Maitee, Maitoh's little bro. Maitoh was so heartbroken that he was almost willing to rebound with Green who has always tried his best to adjust to his preferences and take care of him if Shogun didn't come to his senses and showed up to win Maitoh heart back. Maitoh's parents instantly clock Shogun's food preferences match Maitoh. Maitoh being the best, directly confronts Shogun why he's there suddenly acting like he likes him after bro zoning him and doesn't say anything direct, just hugs him. Shogun does go for a kiss, but interrupted by Green who does force a kiss on Maitoh, which is not cool, but at least they make things clear between each other finally. It's so cute how Shogun snuck some bracelet making material from his sister and made a good luck keychain for Maitoh. It's a testament to real friendship that Green is able to witness the happy scene and be genuinely happy for Maitoh's happiness. Their romance gets the beach sunset conclusion with a funny moment where Shogun asks Maitoh in Manderin "Let's be together" and Maitoh's is confused asking if he's insulting him, before Shogun clarifies it means "please be my boyfriend", and they finally get to kiss. This being a private moment is better than Gap doing a whole friends and family proposal style to asking Namwah to be his girlfriend, but the girl enjoys dramatic romantic actions fanfiction style so Gap is doing right by his audience of Namwah. Maitoh already using his boyfriend powers to hold back Shogun from that paternalistic impulse to throtle pull Gap away from kissing his sister even though he was in on the confession party.

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