Reviews

Oldie but Goodie

Because this is my First Life - 16 Episodes 2017

In short, this is a story of a young writer named Yun Ji Ho (Jung So Min), who quit her job and is in need of new living accommodations. She meets Nam Se Hui who is need of a roommate and source of rental income. They both come to an agreement through the use of a marriage use as a contractual tool that fits both their needs.

This was an interesting story from start to finish. The hook of the story is Nam Se Hui (Lee Min Ki) who plays an emotionless character much like Spock of Star Trek or Sheldon from Big Bang Theory. Both enter the contract with no personal feelings for one another. But over the course of the program, they both fall for each other.

Some reflective and self narrating scenes were on the verge of being too long. But luckily that line was never crossed. There were many scenes that were exceptionally well performed. Jung So Min performed several scenes in which she had to show sorrow or other emotions that were very impactful. So much so that I felt her performance rivelled many other award winning productions.

The pacing of Lee Min Ki's character was perfect. He possessed a number of emotional and social barriers the were the essence of his character. The writers were careful to remove those barriers brick by brick in a suspenseful and meaningful manner, making it so much more interesting and rewarding.

There were two other side stories involving the main lead's friends. Their stories held up in their own right. Interesting and very well played out. If given a chance, those stories and actors could have been another series in and of itself.

There was just enough humor and twists to keep the interest for each episode. Many of which had a ending leaving you wanting to see the next episode immediately. Spoiler : One such example is that the first kiss actually happens at the end of the first episode. How is that for a hook?

This is just one of a few series that I have viewed with Jung So Min. And she has yet to disappoint me. I believe she possesses so much star-power that is often overlooked. Performances in Alchemy of Souls and Love Next Door just to name a few.

OST had some really good songs that fit the shows perfectly. Very lite and upbeat. However, I have only selected one to add to my current playlist.

I recommend this series and rate it a 8.5 out of 10.

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I really wish I could give this a 9 or 10 but...

The story was perfect, probably one of the best fantasy dramas I've ever seen UNTIL, they simply regress most of their progression as characters and couple for some episodes for definitely not good enough reasons, SPECIALLY after all they went through already.

I'll try to explain without spoiling anything, but it's like they spend a lot of time building their trust for each other, having it broken once, and then solving misunderstandings by proving how much they truly care for each other, rebuilding this trust, just for having it broken AGAIN for... reasons. And from there is basically 6 to 8 chapters of pure needless and frustratingly slow angst. I know this is somewhat standard for romfan chinese dramas, but this one feels specially jarring because it was PEAK AND ALMOST PERFECT until that moment. The characters were smart, there were no plot holes, no dumb misunderstanding, everything literally made perfect sense until that point. And honestly, the characters already went through what should have been the ultimate test to prove themselves for each other. They even share a very specific dialogue that should mean that there'll be no way for them to simply 'go back' to how they were before. And then shit happens, everything dumbs down a little, we go over the same problem for the third and fourth time, the pacing which was great tripped big time and never really got as good as that point, even when it does get better again.

I not saying all of this to say i didn't like this drama, on the contrary, I'm giving this a 8.5 due to my pure love to the main couple's chemistry, the characters, and the somewhat perfect story they had going until certain point. But honestly, it was so good that when the problem happened, it felt so much more disappointing.

But still i recommend it a lot! Now that I've vented, I'll talk about THE GOOD THINGS (besides its greatness until a specific point)
- Main couple chemistry TO THE ROOF!! It's in my top 3 at least.
- Definitely a how to write a female character done right. I love how the FL can be feminine, sweet and very powerful and inteligent at the same time, in a very natural way. Something a bit rare in this genre.
- The make up and clothing of the main cast was very pretty, detailed and purposeful. I specially love everything about 27's characterization and he is not even a main character.
- Creative story and background. The worldbuilding is a lot more creative than the common 'heaven realm x demon realm (or "animal realm") we see in most romfan c-dramas. Very interesting.
- Great music. You can feel already the quality from these dramas when they have specific music for specific moments and characters. It feels special.

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So trashy it's a ton of fun to watch!

This series was a wild ride.
I don't look for Oscar award winning acting performances, but some of the acting in this was really bad & over the top.
The writing made no sense at a lot of points, the musical score was repetitive and unimaginative. Let's not even start with the special effects & fight scenes...
Chet as a character especially was terrible & I found myself laughing whenever he appeared on screen.
I do want to commend Offroad for really exuding aura & confidence as Pheem in the first ⅔ of the series. It made him incredibly attractive & he had great chemistry with his romantic scene partners.
All in all I was incredibly entertained by the series & laughed a lot almost every episode.
So to me it's so bad that it's kinda good.
Will definitely be inviting a bunch of friends and watching this with them.

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A Patience-Rewarding Underdog Tale

Typhoon Family has one of the slowest first episodes I’ve sat through. I was genuinely fighting for my life to stay awake. But it’s also the kind of show where you feel the potential underneath, and I’m glad I pushed on because it eventually delivers.

What sets this drama apart from other underdog stories is both what makes it endearing and what makes it frustrating. Unlike Hot Stove League, Designated Survivor, The Winning Try, and similar dramas, there are no small victories along the way. There’s no steady progress or tiny wins to keep you hopeful during the journey. Instead, the drama seems to save everything for one big, ultimate payoff in the final episode. It’s realistic, but the lack of progress almost made me quit more than once.

One of my disappointments was the wasted potential of the female lead. Kim Min-ha is a genuinely great actress, and I’ve seen her shine in other works, but this drama never gives her the room to do so. The way her character is introduced makes you expect major growth and meaningful contribution. Instead, she keeps trying but never truly delivers, and it is consistently the male lead who ends up saving the day. She feels more like an extension of the story rather than a central force in it.

The romance is subtle and charming, even if it doesn’t offer many fluttery moments beyond the Thailand sequence. What it lacks in excitement, it makes up for in sincerity. Their chemistry builds quietly and steadily, and the development of their relationship is handled with care, making each shift in their dynamic feel natural, authentic, and earned.

The standout of the entire show is Lee Jun-ho. He is the heart of this drama and steals every scene with ease. The way he portrays Kang Tae-poong, with sincerity, joy, sorrow, hope, and that dorky charm, is infectious. You feel everything with him. Watching his growth from an easygoing, carefree person to someone who carries real responsibility and becomes someone others rely on is one of the show’s best qualities. He is also incredibly good looking, to the point where it’s impossible not to stay glued to the screen.

The group dynamic is another major strength. They may be a company, but they function as a true family. Their camaraderie, playful banter, loyalty, and determination to survive together are heartwarming. The found family element shines throughout, and each supporting character feels unique, consistent, and delightful in their own way.

Typhoon Family is a drama that takes its time, sometimes to a fault, but it ultimately finds warmth, heart, and purpose. It succeeds in creating characters you genuinely root for and moments that feel earned. By the end, the journey feels worthwhile, and their victories feel like your own.

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HOPE WARMTH SUNSHINE- LIFE REALITY CHALLENGES

i almost felt like a typhoon co. employee... their struggles were my own struggle, got so connected with the characters, especially the perseverance and sincerity of kang taepoong (uri junho ssi)

the slow burn romance was everything, the natural chemistry between lee junho and kim min ha 🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻

The IMF setting and the tsunami it brings in every episode was heartwrenching, BP inducing LITERALLY!! BUT at the same time the warmth of typhoon family and the golden retriever energy of kang tae poong... Balanced everything out!


and the ending was just... YOU GOTTA WATCH IT TO UNDERSTAND!! 🌺🌹🌸🌼🎍💐 😭 the most beautiful closure I've seen yet!!! 📸 gonna miss them all for sure!!!

THANK YOU TYPHOON FAMILY 🌀

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what the heck?!

I watch dramas to take me away from the real world and my problems. I love watching my dramas and being taken away to another world.

Nothing against the lead actor, but what?! They cast an old, overweight man as the ML?!? I just could not believe it. If I wanted to watch an overweight old man, I could do that in real life!

When I saw Seo In Guk and Park Hyung Sik were in this, I got excited. I love them both. Great actors and I loved their previous dramas. Very much so!

Despite the ML, I decided to give this a shot. I could not even make it past episode one. It’s like a mess! What the heck is going on?!

Then I decided to read reviews and saw others with similar opinions as myself, and decided to drop it all together. How disappointing. don’t even waste your time!!!

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enjoyable prime example of what VD excels at

Great chemistry underplayed for the purpose of the audience longing for more. FL who is a self-determined power and a ML who is loyal, compassionate for his girl and kicks ass of anybody crossing him, but both smart and open to share intimate moments with abandon and no shame.
A simple story stripped of superfluous subplots and unnecessary explanations presented in a concise (even if at times illogical) manner with just a few characters that exude humanity (the good the bad and the ugly) and actors who embody these characters and give their best to make us care about or hate them. All of that presented in (what I call) VD frames: selective focus on mood with the use of close ups and extreme closeups and chest+head shots interspersed with use of color/lack of it, blurring/fog/muslin cover that take away attention from well-known vistas, locations, exteriors and interiors and make you connect with the feelings on the screen, but with immaculate costumes, hairdo and makeup and occasional artistic detail that is very pleasant to watch. Except the occasional bumming of the shot like the failure to erase the wires from the falling down shot 🤣🤣🤣
I really enjoyed the mature (age and screen work) acting of the leads including almost chuckling moments and since I am not a fan of angst but collaboration of the leads - this was 7.25 for me.

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Pretty moments in between survival!

Typhoon Family is really different. Its based during the IMF crisis of Korea, a regular slice of life! Its about fighting, keep going everyday in life, falling and then again standing! Family, friends, colleagues, bonds are so beautifully portrayed. So many moments just touch your heart! I feel the writing, direction is beautifully done! After watching the end, it feels the drama just showcases a circle of life, situations and moments with it.
People who love romance, though its not fully romance based, this drama has plenty of romantic moments. The lead couple are beautiful green flags, always together, have top notch chemistry, support each other, and end up together as well. Actually they give such a married vibe from the very first episode. We also have a cute second leads couple.
Again, the drama is based in 1990s, so you need to understand characters would act according to that situation, though everyone goes through a transition as the episodes further. The family moments are top notch!
Someone who is interested in revenge, or winning almost everything, doing business deals, becoming a chaebol, this isn't it. This is not Itaewon Class! This drama is more about failures, and how people cope up with it, seeing their dreams fail! It brings tears to you. Continuous failures can make you feel that the drama is dragged. But it is not. The drama is about survival, and they survive. Its a happy ending! But the drama is not for everyone!
I personally loved it. After a tiresome week, eating good food while watching the drama gave such a complete feel to me! It made me blush, cry, happy and various other emotions! Do give it a try!
The actors everyone did such a good job! Especially Junho & Minha were fantastic!
I will remember this drama for a very very long time :)

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Easily the best BL of 2025!!!

If there's one thing you take away from this review, let it be that this series is 100% worth the hype it got (and hopefully continues to get)!!!

I was so surprised by domundi producing a masterpiece like this, i genuinely still cannot believe it! Tbh I really do not enjoy their shows, most I dropped halfway due to awful storyline or bad acting, others that i completed I didn't enjoy lol. This one definitely broke the streak!!

I love the mix of horror, mystery, thai mythology and romance, it's literally PERFECTION!! the storyline is never compromised for the romance amd vice versa which you really cannot say for many bls atm. The CGI wasn't making me cringe, the ghost makeup was done beautifully too!

The actors, though most of them are new, did exceptional!! I'd seen keng in paradise of thorns (he's such a beautiful man my gosh, i can't fangirl enough!!!) and had no doubts we'd do wonderful but namping portrayed the innocence and kindness of khem so so well, even though he's not the 'strongest' character, he's never overshadowed by others. Tle and firstone were also so damn good, I loved charn and his gentleness, his nerdyness and maturity and jet's protectiveness over those he loves but also his silly sides, it was wonderful! Also ofc namphueng, Icannot compliment her enough! That backstory gave me chills, she really had me in my feels everytime we saw her past.

The story is just so beautifully interwoven connecting the past and present, nothing is ever filler, everything and everyone is omehow connected! Also, I've watched like 100+ bls atp and they still managed to shock me with every damn plot twist!! The cinematography was so stunning, I was literally pulled into their world.

This was the first bl of it's kind and ofc they'd be more such masterpieces to come but this shall remain the blueprint!

I've rewatched the show multiple times already, only gave it a 9 cuz this shit is long af damn (worth every second)

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This story is insanely captivating. The chemistry is explosive between the 2 leads. This is like a romantic mystery. I'm in one corner rooting for Shulang and in the other corner shouting at Fan Xiao for being a self deceptive rat. Shulang is an awesome person. Hopefully before this series is over FX will become a better person. Right now he seems like a sociopath with terrific acting skills. This series is definitely going on "my repeat watch" list.

I have a visceral hate for FX. I metaphorically am trying to put my arms around YSL to comfort him for all the trauma in episode 10.

This has become my favorite BL of 2025. And that's saying something since I've watched ABO Desire about 15 times. The complexity of the characters is intriguing.
I adore YSL. He's has a steadfast character, dignity and at his core a compassionate nature.

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Mystic high school kdrama hits the romcom bullseye

Life is full of surprises that you will never know if your classmate wards off evil spirits after class. Your shaman classmate is no ordinary because she prioritizes her grades over her magic-religious rituals.

Cho Yi Hyun plays the role of Park Seong A, who at first glance looks like a normal high school student but in truth she is a full-time shaman at night. A dashing yet mysterious and cold Bae Gyeon Woo (played by Choo Young Woo) walks into her classroom as the new student. As if by fate, the two had already met the night before when Gyeon Woo and his grandmother visited her to cure Gyeon Woo’s seemingly series of bad luck. Unfortunately, Seong A already saw that Gyeon Woo is doomed to die. As she is instantly lovestruck with Gyeon Woo, Seong A vows to do everything to save him. She will be his knight in shining armor as she takes on all the evil spirits coming at him.

For starters, Choo Young Woo is hella sexy even with the number of band-aids plastered on his face and body caused by his series of unfortunate events. He plays the tall, brooding, athletic high school male lead so well. There are times his acting felt a bit flat and dull but I’m willing to let it go given that he played a fun dual performance here. He effortlessly switches back and forth between a timid, downcast teenager and a disrespectful, sly thug. In addition, Choo Young Woo had a very busy year as a sough-after rookie actor, bagging four main roles. He also starred in a BL series years ago, which proves why bromance with Cha Kang Yoon is a definite hit and highlight of the show for me.

Cho Yi Hyun is a delight to watch with her porcelain doll face card. She is truly a vision in traditional shaman clothing. She nailed her role as a shaman and gracefully performs ritual dances and chants, though sometimes coupled with a bit of chaos. The way she fights and chases evil spirits as if there were no tomorrow is hilarious and serves as a testament to how enamored she is with Gyeon Woo. Her dedication goes so far that even her mother is perplexed by her actions. However, her crying scenes always come off as comical and exaggerated that you wouldn’t take her seriously.

Yeom Hwa (played by Choo Ja Hyun) is the villain of the show and practices black shamanism which is working with evil spirits for personal gain. She has a very eerie aura and deranged personality yet her all-black outfits are definitely head-turners. Thankfully, she is not a one-dimensional character and actually has motives and reasons behind her wickedness.

One of my bones to pick with this is show is its uneven pacing. Some scenes have awkward flow that you will have a hard time discerning if it’s real or a dream or a preview to the next episode. I also need more description and functions of the talisman because they are often left unexplained (or perhaps these details were just not translated and left out in the subtitles).

Answers were also not laid out properly. The last two episodes were the most frustrating and confusing portions of the show. It got me scratching my head like there’s no tomorrow. What did I just watch? Why do I not understand a single thing of what they are saying and doing? There were just too many questions and too many loose ends to tie up at the finale.

Despite the shortcomings and sloppy ending, I still enjoyed watching Head over Heels. It is charming and lighthearted. The main cast captures the youthful and hopeful energy as well as being immature and reckless. Oh, to think back on your teenage years when you were carefree and free to make mistakes haha lol. This show is far from perfect, but I had a fun time watching these rising stars deliver a pleasant story and performance. This is not your ordinary high school romcom. Head over Heels took it up a notch by incorporating spooky evil spirits lurking around the school and our handsome boy Gyeon Woo. This show may be plagued by supernatural beings, but you will surely laugh out loud as if you were possessed, because its mystique and charm are truly infectious.

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A Dizzying BL Road Trip

Honestly, this could have been a really solid BL. The ingredients were all there—the drama, the tension, the big emotional swings—but somewhere along the way it just spiraled. If this series were a road trip, I’d be in the backseat clutching the door handle because the plot kept swerving left, right, upside down… it was dizzying. There were so many twists, so much over‑the‑top drama, and then the lead characters suddenly feeling borderline immortal. The production looked expensive. Big cast, big sets, big moments—everything screamed high budget, but the storyline just didn’t snap together the way it needed to. It felt like they had all the puzzle pieces but forced them into the wrong places. Daou and Offroad’s chemistry was the only thing that consistently made sense. And of course, Tongtong being gorgeous as always was a nice bonus. Every time he appeared, it felt like the show suddenly remembered what charisma looks like. So despite the chaos, I’m still giving it a 3.5 stars out of 5. There were a few good moments—it just needed a tighter story to match the ambition.

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