Reviews

Summer vibes with a lot of waffling about

I am extremely conflicted about Minato's Laundromat. On the one hand, I loved it. On the other, I disliked it.
Let me explain.

There were several things I loved:
* the summer atmosphere at the seaside town
* the sets, especially the cosy laundromat
* the teacher, with his hilariously bad memory, who nevertheless was very good at leading his students towards adulthood,
* the solid acting

I think what the production team was going for was a cute and fluffy summer story. The thing is, the story *also* shows clearly that both Shin and Minato are sexually attracted to each other, and get heart-rate-raisingly close to each other in some scenes (always ended by Minato, who pushes Shin away with a curse and a laugh) -- this part of their mutual attraction is switched on and off, just as the script demands. I would have liked to see Minato struggle more consistently with his desire; but what we got is a man who seems to be quite content with the way things are for the most time.

And a similar personality switch exists for Shin. He is both shown as the young, thoughtful and earnest boy, who has clear goals in life (studying medicine) and who takes care of his younger siblings -- and then, like flipping a light switch, he suddenly is a pushy "seme" who doesn't want to take no for an answer.

It's more these points that made watching the drama frustrating than Minato's endless waffling about.
Regarding that, it was also low-key irritating. We are told two reasons for his rejection of Shin's advances: 1) Shin is a minor. 2) Minato still has unresolved feelings for his old teacher.
The thing is, in the last two epsides, none of them are really relevant anymore. So, why is he still hesitant? (It feels as if he is just because the writer said so.)

So, although most of the series was lovely and nice to watch, as soon as I started thinking about character arcs and motivations, things fell apart. I know that this drama is based on a manga, which sometimes get one or two volumes too many, so that a once tight story loses its clear focus; and I suppose that might have happened here.


Was it good? -- It was entertaining and technically well done. character-wise, it wasn't as tight as it should have been.

Did I like it? -- Yes. No! I don't know.

Who would I recommend it to? -- Fans of fluffy, slow-paced Japanese BL dramas.

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✒ ⚛❇✴ A Little Extra Ordinary ⚛❇✴°7° °VG° ?%?

It's the rich-heir-has-to-start-from-the-bottom-with-nothing trope! I'm still good for 1/year. Maybe 2. Not tired of it yet. Qin ZiQi has been given an apartment and 💴, so he starts with more than nothing. It's an advance, though. He'll have to pay it back. He either makes it in the company on his own merits, or he doesn't inherit. If anyone finds out who he is, he doesn't inherit. This is his reward for getting his ivy league MBA (?) …maybe it's payback for him taking 5 years to get a 2 year degree… Anway, the fat years are over. The lean years begin.

OG is a 2011 release that is rated 7.6 on MDL. It is 1 season consisting of either 40 40-minute episodes or 25 90 minute ones, depending on your source. I know the math doesn't add up on that. Netflix is running 40 episodes and the first one is 40 minutes. That's all I can say as I type this. The /show/ adds up, though. It's a good old good-girl-reforms-bad-boy story, in the end. He was bad in that he was pompous and useless - that's a baaaad combination.

OG is simplistic - practically kid-level. Why do I like this and I trashed other Twdramas that aren't all that different from this one? It succeeds because it stays on course - cute, simple, cheerful, and error-free. There's simple fare that is put together well and then there's Love Now-3.6, which wasn't. A couple side characters are alittle much, but the two leads keep it on course - even though the romance could have been better. OG radiates warmth while other shows have the effect of a scratchy wool sweater causing constant little irritations. That is missing here, though two characters come close. What can I say? OG is my kinda stupid.

They keep it to modest mini dramas and some fail-safes (like his mother disapproving of his taste in girlfriends) while avoiding mistakes. It's pleasant hanging with these people. They're sincere (except for all that lying about his identity on ZiQi's part😜). Their relationship is cute. When it becomes painful (Ren really goes through it; the actress does a nice job) I felt for her, but it didn't crush me. It's just a smooth ride - A smooth escalator.

In the last 10 episodes the plot became more interesting, while many shows flounder at that stage. I wanted his mom to pay for her crimes against humanity, I wanted Kai Er to be hauled off to jail, or at least get fired, and I couldn't wait until Ren found out the truth about him so they can get beyond the storm that's destined to kick up from that. I also,really wanted her to treat ZiQi alittle better. She's going through too much, tbf. But what I wanted, most of all, was for Ren to do her hair, makeup, and dress prettily. They better make her look like a superstar or I'll be furious, I was thinking. (They let me down. She might just look her worst in the wedding gown).

The opening song is ratched, but the soundtrack is pretty solid. There's too many flashbacks in the last 2 eps, and they're only tolerable because the music is good. Some of the fashion is laughable, but heaven help me, I like some of it.

Roy Chiu (The Family, Man in Love) is the ML, Qin ZiQi. The Taiwanese took men's hairdos very seriously in this era. He's coiffed up superbly. He's a very good looking guy. I like his manner even though it's a little stiff and ultra cool. He has this habit of turning his head to the side in a way that reminds me of Ben Stiller in the film, Zoolander-8.8. Zoolander is a model and he names his varied vogues, or facial expressions. This guy's definitely sporting some Blue Steel.

Patrick Lee plays the duo's boss. He was great in The Fierce Wife-8, which starts slowly but ends great: It's excellent. Here, he's overly cartoonish - it's bad. He's in need of some bad boy reform, himself. This actor is still weirdly likable. Ren’s roomie is a tiny little cutie, Liu Yu Le (Kuo Shu Yao from The Wolf). She and Boss get stuck in the elevator together, one day. That, along with some other fateful run-ins get his heart stuck on Ms Liu. He develops a thing for her and chases her for the rest of the show. At first she's horrified and disgusted, but he's got over 30 episodes to work on her. Her voice makes falsetto anime characters sound like Annie Lennox. She's a wind-up squeaky toy. It's too much, at times. I told myself it was cute into the teen episodes but then I just wanted to smack her. She's too angry, mean, and grating.

ZiQi's dad is played by Shen Meng Sheng. He's one of the best things in Love Now-3.6. Lam Sau Kwan (Magic Moment) is ZiQi's mother, an over the top character. I can't form a thought beyond that. I'd love to see this actress again to assess her skills more. James Wen (The World Between Us, Once upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain-7.5, Douluo Continent-9) portrays Xu Cheng Feng/Old Yu. He will vie for our FL's affections. His ex, Wei Min Na (Janel Tsai) gets involved. Both Of them starred in The Fierce Wife. The director is Hsu Fu Chun who brought us The Rational Life-7 and The Fierce Wife, so I'm officially a fan.

Back to the beginning. Ren & ZiQi meet. She's blocking his view of a hottie whilst wearing the dino balloon-selling plushie. He writes his number on a balloon and asks her to deliver it to said hotness. She says ‘that ain't my job’. They argue. He pops the balloon and stomps off. He finds out he's been relegated to the cubicle-class in the following scene, ahd she's his supervisor. Guess who's the dinosaur now?

ZiQi wants to date the scorching hot Zheng Kai Er (Tia Lee from Jojo's World) but he can't be happy beside her. He keeps craving Shen Xing Ren's company. “Ren” is played by Ko Chia Yen of Someday or One Day & Copycat Killer. She's ordinary. An ordinary office worker, ordinary appearance, ordinary body, ordinary IQ, ordinary performance, ordinary educational background, ordinary income, and an ordinary sense of style. She has extraordinary spunk and resolve. This actress has a freckle on her lower lip. Never seen that before. Yang Li Yin (You Go! Girls!, My Unexpected Roommate) is really sweet as her Mama.

Kai Er turns out to be quite the snake. She's smart, so she picked up on ZiQi's true identity early on. She's been doing everything to advance her cause of becoming party to his fortune, which means she's been actively undermining Ren. This actress is gorgeous. I think that caused me to tolerate her longer than I should have. Her acting is a little strange, but I'm not sure if it's the part she plays. Kai Er makes some unsavory choices.

There's something quite sweet about the main romance. She's practical and often described as homely though I think she has an exotic look to her. (I was waiting for the episode where they dress her up because she's always in basic pants tops and ponytails). He's a bit of a brat. They spend many episodes in which they're virtually, but not officially, together. They're 85% there, and holding, because she won't make it official. She refuses to admit out loud that she likes him. Then she's offered a wonderful job opportunity overseas. Dilemma.

“Every penny I don't spend is a penny I earn,” she tells him in ep2. For their first date, once they are official, they stay “in” because cheapskate-Ren points out that renting a DVD is much more economical than going to a theater. I noticed they're watching Autumn's Concerto-7.2 from 2009, which is over 30 episodes, and they're at the end of the show: Long date! {I still consider myself fairly new to Asian programming, but my ability to pick up on what they're watching on the television may be a sign that I've graduated from noob to intermediate Asian programming watcher.}

Their first kiss is surprisingly good. She actually dropped money on the ground as he moved in. For a true penny pincher, through and through, this says volumes. In the end, their interaction is warm but not steamy. The actual romance takes a step back from the whole story.

No one is born annoying. ZiQi just has lots of growing up to do. The attitude he displays, like he doesn't care about anything or anyone, is just a front to hide his vulnerability. What he really wanted was a girl who feels like home as his parents were never around. Ren is there, and she is making his newfound “poverty” comfortable. Ren has been slogging away on her own for a long time. She cannot suffer fools, and ZiQi is borderline foolish. She's good for him. She makes him want to be a man. By the time the show has passed the halfway mark he makes this observation: “Only a mature and dependable man can truly give a woman happiness and a sense of security.” Well, bless his heart!


QUOTES📢

According to Indian philosopher, Krishnamurti, fear is one of the greatest problems in life. A mind that is caught in fear lives in confusion, in conflict, and therefore must be violent, distorted, and aggressive. It dare not move away from its own patterns of thinking, and this breeds hypocrisy.


〰🖍 IMHO

📣7.3 📝7 🎭7 💓6 🦋4.5 🎨6 🎵/🔊7 🔚7.5 🤗5 ▪ 🌞6 ⚡2.5 😅2.5 😭2 😱1 😯3.5 🤢2 🤔3 💤1

Shazams:
好朋友只是朋友 & 微加幸福 by Yisa Yu - it's lovely, 永不 by Daikyu Wu


Age 9+ Rated Everyone

Re-📺? Tough one. It's possible.

🇹🇼Taiwan
Age of Rebellion-9.5
Autumn's Concerto-7.2
Back to 1989-7.1
Black & White-6.8
The Fierce Wife-8 - worth sticking with
Inborn Pair-4.2
Love, Now-3.6
Love You-7
Office Girls-7
Two Fathers-7.5


C🇨🇳:
A Little Thing Called First Love 8.5;
Find Yourself 8.9;
The Romance of Tiger and Rose 9.8;
The Sleepless Princess 9.1;
Wait, My Youth-8.4

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Fake marriage trope built on deception that was stretched out way too long

One of my favorite tropes is fake marriage, but the series overextended it and backed it up with ML's lies upon lies—this arc could’ve been shorter, because they were mixing in a lot of things that did not add value to the plot at all.

The fake marriage arc felt like a huge chunk of fillers, and it was quite a challenge to get pass through them.

It does not help that the FL’s character is not my cup of tea. She’s like a confused philanthropist who’s a tsundere and a badass for the most part but gets affectionate during full moons. I'd usually pass this as a part of dimension in a character's depth, but for Liu Mian Tang, it's not really convincing.

The secondary characters were more likeable and had more potential for a proper character development, but I doubt this will be properly explored.

Are You the One is definitely not the one. At least for me.

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HIGH SCHOOL ROMANCE WITH A HEART

My School President follows the story of Tinn, a high school student secretly crushing on Gun, the head of the music club and the lead singer of the band Chinzhilla.

Honestly, I slept on this series at first. I dropped it after just one episode because I’d already watched so many BLs set in high school or university and felt burned out. But when I ran out of new shows to watch, I came back to My School President, lol!
Lesson learned: never judge a series too quickly.

After watching a super dark Japanese BL, I felt like I needed something light and fluffy as a palate cleanser. While the first couple of episodes didn’t hook me right away, things started to click around episode 3 when Tinn and Gun’s bond began to deepen.

At first, I thought it might follow a typical enemies-to-lovers trope (which I love), but even though it doesn’t go that route, it never stopped being entertaining. The characters and their chemistry really carry the story.

I didn’t know who Gemini and Fourth were until I saw them in Moonlight Chicken, where their chemistry was amazing. GMMTV really knows how to pair their actors. Even though this was their first BL series together, GeminiFourth looked incredibly natural, cute, comfortable, and free of any awkward or cringey moments.

Gun’s goal of becoming Tinn’s boyfriend? Too cute. His little flirty daydreams add so much fluff and charm, it seriously brings back memories of having a teenage crush.

The pacing of the show is great, and the romance feels authentic and not forced. Watching Tinn gradually gain the confidence to flirt with Gun was so satisfying.

And let’s talk about Sound and Win (WinnySatang), their chemistry is next level. Their constant bickering adds the perfect amount of spice and fun to the story.

At its core, the heart of My School President is Tinn’s unwavering support for Gun, helping him chase his dreams, putting in effort without expecting anything back. It’s an old-school kind of love story, and it’s genuinely heartwarming.

On the other hand, the humor, especially from Gun’s friends, keeps the vibe light and fun throughout.

This series doesn’t rely on over-the-top drama or drag things out unnecessarily. Whenever a problem comes up, it’s addressed and resolved without feeling forced or overly complicated.

The acting and writing feel super relatable, you can genuinely see real high schoolers in these characters. It’s not just the performances but also the shared moments that feel so honest and familiar.

For me, My School President is one of the best high school romance BLs out there. It nails the fluff, character development, chemistry, and plot. And the OST? Absolute chef’s kiss.

My School President proves you don’t need NC scenes to make a BL amazing, all you need is top-tier chemistry and a story that comes from the heart.

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An Easy to Watch Sweet Romcom!

This was a solid romcom. It was sweet and easy to watch. The story is simple, the romance is easy to root for, the characters are likable and adorable, and the short episodes make it even more enjoyable.

Daonuea confessed to Khabkleun back in high school but got rejected and went abroad. A year later, they cross paths again at university, this time as roommates.

I genuinely liked all the characters. Daonuea is sweet and cute, while Kluen is kind and definitely a green flag. Thypoon was a good addition to the cast and not toxic, which was refreshing. Pong and Ne brought in some fun moments, and Tingting looked stunning with her pink hair. I also appreciated how Fah was protective of his younger brother, Daonuea. It added a nice family element.

The plot is very straightforward. You pretty much know what to expect from the start, and that makes it very easy to get through. It’s the kind of show you can relax to without needing to overthink anything.

As for the acting, I can understand why people say Dunk couldn't act. His performance here wasn't great, especially during the crying scenes. I actually had to hold in laughter at one point. That said, he’s definitely good-looking, and I think he has improved because I didn’t notice the same issues in his more recent roles. Joong was a bit better, but still had his stiff moments. Personally, I don’t mind weak acting in romcoms if the overall vibe is fun, and in this case, it absolutely was.

I also got curious about Fah and Prince story, so I might check theirs even though the actor is not the same.

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Meaningless Groundhog Day

What was that?
After all that, we got that ending?

Admittedly, a two hour long film isn't enough of a runtime to actually fix all the messes the lead inevitably creates in each time loop, while also fixing the lead, who is a mess themself. Because that's the basic requirement of this genre, for the lead to either be a mess or someone who constantly creates messes even if they don't mean to. And our lead Earth? Well he is a whiny, bratty mess. His antics are funny sure, but make no mistake, he is a mess.

And because he's stuck in a loop, he obviously does what he wants to get what he wants because, no repercussions right? Because that's what usually happens, they're stuck in the day until it somehow resets to the perfect scenario. WRONG.

Earth here, gets out of the loop, and that's when all his antics come back to bite him in the behind. He's gotten every single person in his life in some sort of mess during the Groundhog Day and now it's up to him to reverse it all, or at least set everything right.

Now watch out here because I'm probably going to give away the entire plot.
He's messed up so bad that some things are just beyond repair!
That was the plot.
Earth is selfish. Earth reaps the consequences of being selfish. That was it.
I watched two hours to get this kind of plot-

Going the realistic way? Of course you can do that.
But going the realistic way in a movie about time loops? Noooooo

As much as I enjoyed the first half (great comedy and acting), the minute the loop ended, so did my enjoyment. The second half was also good objectively (great storyline and acting), but where was my feel good factor?! All that Earth did and all that he went through later, what was it for? What was that ending??

I'm torn. On one hand, it was a different take on time loop stories that I haven't seen before but on the other hand, I would've accepted the basic plot that's been done over and over, and I would've watched it happily.
Give it a try, if you're bored and would like some comedy and then maybe some hard hitting stuff about being a selfish jerk, this is the perfect movie to watch then.

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Residents of Chaos and Comedy

As someone who never watched Hospital Playlist, I went into Resident Playbook fresh—and I still found it warm, chaotic (in a good way), and emotionally satisfying. Even though the characters and technicalities weren’t groundbreaking, I genuinely enjoyed the journey. It didn’t wow me at first, but if I kept watching to the end, that must mean it had me hooked. I didn't realise until episode 10 that the episodes were actually on the longer side with the average being 1hour and 20mins or so, and to not check the episode lengths even once meant that I really was interested and invested in the show although at the beginning, I didn't feel much like that.

Yi Young & Do Won’s romance: They’re one of my top 10 K-drama couples now! Their chemistry was subtle but strong—though I do wish we saw more of their relationship before the matching rings moment. Like pls, give me some slow, cheesy couple stuff!!

The cozy chaos of the OBGYN setting: AHHHH. SO GOOD. 10/10 comedic relief. The whole show is full of small, cozy, chaotic, laugh-out-loud moments that make the medical stress bearable. It goes without saying the residents were so funny and I really loved their bonding moments and small stuff like them eating together. It gave comfort drama vibes. Not in a warm-sweater way but in a “these people are my friends now” way.

Pyo Namkyung & Jaeil x Sabi: Namkyung was probably my favorite character overall. My queen. Most relatable, most endearing, most chaotic energy. Her ending experiencing the whole cycle of life and death with her patient Yeom Miso? Oh, that hit. Jaeil and Sabi were just adorable, especially in the final scenes—give us more of them, please!!

Supporting cast: Everyone delivered. All the professors, nurses and other residents were very enjoyable. That one professor (you know who I’m talking about) with the worst dad jokes?? Actual legend. I love him. I loved that this show didn't focus on only certain duos, they actually explored all the professors and residents duos, which helped us see their characters and dynamics with eachother more clearly, and see the OBGYN department as a whole. But Prof. Seo Jung-min and Yi-Young were definitely the most iconic! Myeong Eun-won’s arc was chef’s kiss—her not being selected as professor? ICONIC humbling moment.

Everyone brought something. Acting? Really solid across the board. Go Youn-Jung obviously stole the show. No notes. Everyone else did amazing with what they were given.

OST magic: The soundtrack is stacked. My favorite is "When the Day Comes" by TXT, which I’m looping as I write this. Also featuring D.O, DK, Minnie, Winter, Yujin—actual K-pop takeover! One of the best aspects of the entire series.

One-dimensional characters: Even though I liked them, they could’ve been deeper. Do Won, especially, had potential for more layers. There is so much potential for the characters if a S2 occurs.

Lack of diversity in patient stories: Most cases were childbirth or surgeries in older women. I'd love to see broader age ranges and more unique stories.

Season 2 Wishlist:
New R1s!!!
Residents becoming R2s (and maybe having changes in their personality now?)
Jooyoung and her husband's reaction to Do Won and Yi Young dating
More Yi Young x Do Won domestic cuteness
Jaeil x Sabi finally dating
Namkyung mentoring Gi On (and their romance possibly??)
More departments! More unique cases!
Explore Do Won’s character better
Jooyoung and the whole “moving on from IVF” thing—if they bring that back, they better not erase the emotional weight of her decision.

The show managed to make each case feel heartfelt. Even if you’re not the baby-loving type, or the "empathetic for old women" type, the emotions of the women, the doctors, and everyone in between pulled you in. The realism was there, and the character growth was very nice. The way the characters were growing, it was very relatable. It's not like they just changed overnight. They didn't, but they shifted little by little. Like how people do in real life—through experiences, quiet realizations, and moments that stick with you. That’s what made Resident Playbook hit different.

Final Verdict:
Not a masterpiece, but Resident Playbook was a solid comfort show that gave me warmth, soft romances, and a few tears by the end. I had fun. I cared. And that’s more than enough.

Now give me a Season 2 or I’ll start throwing dad jokes at the writers.

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The Cutest Romantic Journey in the Fashion World

PLOT: FL, a top model making a comeback after an accident/breakdown, recruits a fishmonger/delivery man (ML, who suffers from retinitis pigmentosa) to cope with a show dropout. He seizes the opportunity to become a model and tries to survive the many challenges of the modeling world with her help (rivalries, backstabbing, contract struggles, stalkers, etc.).

+++ Tang Xiao Tian demonstrates all his talent here ♡o｡.(✿ฺ｡ ✿ฺ): magnificent, moving, subtle... A few older suit him well. An eye's pleasure ! I didn't know CiCi Wang, but I'm going to follow her from now on. They build a brilliant CL (solid, confident, inseparable :)
+++ An unusual and innovative setting, which shows us the other side of a very flashy, but harsh, and cruel setting. Behind the scenes is not always a dream ...
+++ Perfect production: no dead time, well-crafted images, lighting, and framing, and OSTs amplifying the emotions.

NO flaws

=> A superb and moving series ღ˘◡˘ற♡.｡oO I'll rewatch it in some months, without a doubt :)
********************************************************
The cutest romantic journey in the fashion world

PLOT: La FL, top model en comeback après 1 accident / break-down, recrute 1 vendeur de poisson / livreur (le ML, atteint de rétinite pigmentaire) pr faire face à 1 défection lors d'1 défilé. Celui-ci va saisir la chance de devenir modèle, et essayer de survivre avec son aide aux multiples difficultés du monde du mannequinat (rivalités, coups bas, lutte pr les contrats, stalkers, etc.).

+++ Tang Xiao Tian démontre ici tt son talent ♡o｡.(✿ฺ｡ ✿ฺ) : magnifique, émouvant, subtile ... Qq années de + lui vont bien. Un régal ! Je ne connaissais pas CiCi Wang, mais je vais désormais la suivre. Ils forment un CL génial (solide, confiant, que rien ne peut séparer :)
+++ Contexte inhabituel et innovant, qui nous montre l'envers d'1 décor très bling-bling, dur et cruel.
+++ Réalis° parfaite: sans temps mort, images - lumière & cadrages bien travaillés, OSTs amplifiant les émotions.

NO flaws

=> Une série superbe et émouvante ღ˘◡˘ற♡.｡oO

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As someone who has been eagerly waiting for TCB, I can confidently say that the long wait was absolutely worth it. TCB stands out as a faithful and witty adaptation that successfully captures the characters and humor of the comic material. Though I haven’t finished the entire series yet, it’s already become my go-to show—light, refreshing, and full of laughter.

The casting is on point, with Shen Yue perfectly embodying ZQD. The rest of the cast also fits seamlessly into their roles, breathing life into characters we’ve long loved from the manga pages. The 8 episodes so far reflect the quirky and sharp writing that the comic fans would expect, filled with clever banter and funny moments that keep the energy high.

What’s more impressive is how TCB made such a strong impact with almost zero promotional buzz. It’s rare for a series to gain traction organically in today’s oversaturated media landscape, and that speaks volumes about the quality and appeal of the show.

TCB deserves to be seen—especially by young viewers who will connect with its humor, chaotic moments, and hilarious scenes. Will definitely continue watching.

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A Drama About Nothing That Touches Everything

When teacher Park Ha Kyung needed an escape from her life, she'd take a day trip. She didn't pack for overnight, as that would be too much trouble, and, ironically, she didn't enjoy traveling. The drama revolved around her walking and eating in different locales, and that could have been extremely boring, but Park Ha Kyung had the gift of observation and appreciation for the small things. A quotation attributed to Albert Einstein states: "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." Park Ha Kyung doesn't look for large miracles; she is content with the tiny, healing ones that come from simple acts such as sincerely apologizing, sharing a meal with a stranger, or attempting something new. Definitely not a drama for thrill seekers or romantics, but I relished how different, subdued, yet rich, it was.

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Kinda mid, but good acting

I'll keep it simple. It is a very mid/plain k-drama. Not really a procedural TV series (in a hospital), not a rom-com (in a hospital), not a sad teary-eyes drama (in a hospital), just a kinda all-around one. A slice of life if you will. And there's nothing wrong with that. When it is good, ofc. Same every-day drama formula: some background where the stuff happens, you put the characters in different situations, make them choose one or the other to set them on a character arc, and thats all there is to it. Some series do it better, some don't....
So lets begin. The script is... complicated. It is nicely put together, mostly, but it feels like 2 writers went on it. You have the general, anything daily, aspect and you have the "here we must crank up the drama" cuts. And thats the low point of this TV series. Every time they need something particular to happen, it becomes cringy. Very cringy. Besides the cringy aspect, they also kinda ruin the character's development. Because if that person knows that doing x stuff is bad but still does it, well.... Even if 10 minutes later will say "i'm sorry", the "damage" is done. Thats not how you do character development. Or you do so with kids, not future medics...... Anyway, next. Beside writing and directing, everything else is kinda good. The acting (full with microexpressions) is very good, but thats because of the cast. The pacing is decent, the production value is ok, the cinematography is mid (with some nice moments reserved for the "special" moments), the soundtrack is ok, I guess. But all the good/nice aspects are destroyed by all those extra cringy moments, so....
I think one of the selling points for this drama were the cameos, 'cause its full of them. I won't spoil it. But, like I said, its a mid-tier k-drama so it has nothing special to keep you hooked. It is a perfect drama to watch when chillin', or doing something around the house, you don't need to pay particular attention to it. Because if you do, all those cringy moments will start to pile up and add to the discomfort. Will I watch a 2nd season? If I don't have anything else on my list, sure. Would I re-watch this one? I don't think so. Even if there's nothing (nothing at allllll) on the list, I'd rather re-watch a "good" one, or check a new series from a different country. Yeah, thats the answer: no re-watching value. Its ok watching it once, but it would feel like wasting time by watching it again, you know? Well, its up to you. Have a nice day.
PS: expect a lot of yawning. On screen, yes, but that will make you yawn also :)))

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"Why is being you your weakness?"

~~Crazy bitch meets gay.

"REALISM AT ITS FINEST" ~as some1 here said. YES! TRULY!!! A MASTERPIECE WITHOUT A DOUBT!!!!!!

A breakdown to put SIMPLY why it's a 💎 ;

~ A FRIENDSHIP I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD NEED AND WOULD PUT ME INTO SO MUCH WITH DEEP ADMIRATION. *spoiler ahead* the scene where they were running (JaHeui to the police station, and Heung running amidst the traffic going to JaeHui captured with such an amazing scenery is both heartwarming and breathtaking) is one thing that really sticks to my mind and is only one among my favourite scenes.
~ REALITY AT ITS FINEST! telling this for the 2nd time. I'll let you discover the reason behind this through watching the movie🤭

~PERFECT CASTING!!! I MUST SAY! 🤘
KimGoEun, as always didn't fail to display a powerful emotions with her acting, proving how promising actress she is and could really be.
SteveNoh, for my very first-time discovery of him through this, also did a really really great great job on this movie that his acting click very well along with Kim Go Eun. He really did a great job for his role with his in-depth portrayal as a gay👏 (further detailed explanation awaits you on movie😉)
& LeeSangYi of course! even given with a short screentime for his role, I knew it! the moment he appeared on my screen. I have this gut feeling that he would able portray and put such enthusiasm on his character. *another spoiler* Those stares that's still clear in my mind, that he put towards Jae-Hui (kim go-eun) in the rooftop gave me assurance that he could gave justice to his role.

~~~to be continued <📽️>

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Some thoughts about viewer experience

[Just a heads up that I tagged this review as possibly containing spoilers, because I talk about differences between the web novel and the show. If you've ever seen a romance drama before, the level of implied spoilerage in here shouldn't be too spoiler-y. But while I try to write about the drama so that you could read this and still experience the drama for yourself, I think of this review as better read after you've seen the drama.]

I came late to Amidst a Snowstorm of Love, and I found a division of opinion. My own opinion, though, is not divided. I am blown away by this passionate, perfect drama. I can’t get enough of the screenplay’s densely packed excellence; intriguing characters; and complex personal, social, professional, and family relationships. I love that it has that comfiest of tropes, The World Is Your Wingman! And I adore its moving touch with life transitions. With no antagonist nor any catastrophes to get in the way, the drama stays with the beginning uncertainties of falling in love, and the emotional journey of becoming a couple and facing obstacles together. I’m grateful for this drama’s emotional rewards, compelling mood, and romantic intensity.

But since I began my the journey despite the critics, I was curious: What’s up with the negativity? And I have some thoughts.

First, there are ways Wu Lei’s brand of celebrity is unique, so there may be more people with conflicting opinions about his projects. Second, this drama has a lot more going on than just romance, including not only large themes but also a complex, symbolically charged male lead. And those elements aren’t to everyone’s taste. And third, Chinese TV uses innuendo, while Western media is all about show and tell. So the drama’s strategies in adapting a web novel about a sexual relationship for Chinese TV may have frustrated viewers, if they aren’t into reading between the lines.

I'll start with the length of Wu Lei’s career and the variety in his roles. Because of the many different ways he appeals, his fans cannot all be on the same page.

Older fans remember the “Nation's Little Brother” as a child actor. Fans who came along later first saw him as a teen action hero. A still younger group met him as the badass elite cavalry commander, the relatable comeback athlete, and the vengeful Han dynasty general. And some fans may have taken a shortcut to Amidst a Snowstorm of Love directly from his arthouse role as the iconic Mulian. For westerners who followed Wu Lei from Netflix movie Upcoming Summer, with its international audiences levels of LGBTQ+ content, there could be some culture shock. Wu Lei has his own studio, and his fans aren’t given marching orders through a fan association like in larger studios. His projects can’t possibly please all the fans, all the time.

Second, Amidst a Snowstorm of Love is not a typical cdrama romance. It’s got some big themes. That’s a particular flavor of romance. And I think romance fans may have gotten their wires crossed about what to expect.

The themes are centered on male lead Lin Yiyang. Female lead Yin Guo has an arc, too — she comes into her own in multiple ways. But Yin Guo as a character is not super packed with meaning. In contrast, Lin Yiyang carries a lot of symbolic weight. For the nation, he’s a returning top level talent — a symbol of reversing “brain drain.” As a snooker player, he’s that badass who comes out of retirement, to the dismay of those who expect to beat him. As an individual, he’s an orphan and a loner. And he’s in exile, holding up a makeshift community, and facing trials to reach home. As the brothers who come for him show, his absence is a wound in their community. Clearly, these layers of identity aren’t just tacked onto his character to give him a reason to brood. They’re way more substantial than the typical CEO’s childhood trauma.

That’s already a good amount of depth. In addition, the drama creators may be drawing on neurodiversity to construct Lin Yiyang’s character. In youth flashbacks, he’s impulsive and emotionally dysregulated. He says, "I used to talk mean” and that he misread others’ reactions. It may work to say adult Lin Yiyang is following these masking rules: (1) Don’t do anything without thinking it through first; (2) Don’t talk, but if you have to talk, keep it short; (3) Build relationships with acts of service. (For example, he's appreciated in multiple locations as tutor, billiards mentor, restaurant helper.)

Further, like some neurodiverse people, Lin Yiyang has difficulty navigating complex communication in the moment. When he meets Yin Guo for the first time, his manner is undeniably uncomfortable and direct. But later he's often seen trying to avoid being overwhelming to Yin Guo and making efforts to give her physical space. At one point, an elder spots a gap in Lin Yiyang's understanding - thank goodness for the advice of wise elders in cdramas! In the beginning episodes, Lin Yiyang comes off as someone who is hyperfocused on Yin Guo and super motivated to respond to her feelings and desires, but hampered in getting that across.

So here’s this disability-inflected character and these layers of symbolism. And then there’s the drama’s reputation as best-romance-ever. But romance fans like different things. I’m a romance fan, and I adore big themes and a multi-layered male lead. I like romance for the sake of romance, sure, but for me it doesn’t compare with a drama like Amidst a Snowstorm of Love. However, for other romance fans, big themes interfere with the romance. And they like their green flag to smile and be bashful. They really don't want him to lock his deadly serious gaze onto the eyes of his object of desire to the point of discomfort. So Amidst a Snowstorm of Love is not their idea of best-romance-ever. I say again, some wires may have gotten crossed.

Third, some Western viewers prefer what they're used to: shows that show the progression from first kiss to first time having sex in a realistic and titillating way. They don't want to read between the lines — they want to see some action. With this drama, those viewers are naturally going to be disappointed. Chinese TV censorship works in multiple ways, including self censorship to meet official requirements and to avoid viewer complaints. There’s no way a drama can adapt a web novel that's open about a sexual relationship without substituting implication and innuendo.

I do enjoy reading between the lines. Partly, I like getting artful raw material to head canon about the characters. And another part is I get a kick out of the double talk. That innocent pizza? That Titanic reference (Titanic was notoriously censored in China)? Hey drama creators, I see what you did there!

So I had fun with the scenes of Yin Guo gradually opening up to Public Displays of Affection. I've come across a few arguments between English speakers about Yin Guo's resistance. But I interpret the PDA scenes as code for the couple going further with physical intimacy. It's a practical choice for the drama to substitute PDA negotiations for all the mutual acts between the web novel characters that would not fly with censors. I did read the web novel, and there’s zero PDA. The web novel couple, naturally enough, prefer to make out in private, on beds. In addition, the push and pull of the drama’s PDA scenes is absent — the web novel couple take their time, and they make a mutual decision.

That unrushed intimacy from the web novel — I think the drama captures it in the many small moments in which Lin Yiyang consciously chooses to follow Yin Guo’s lead. There are many scenes where he's utterly centered on her reactions and makes decisions following her cues. Despite the drama including that PDA push and pull, overall it catches the respect, vigilance, and attention Lin Yiyang dedicates to Yin Guo.

Taken as a whole, the drama does a wonderful job of conveying the spirit of the web novel in a medium with very different rules. I admire the drama’s creativity in getting around constraints. Even though I’d like to see the deleted scenes, the drama as it exists gives me everything I need to construct a satisfying narrative. (It was after finishing the drama that I read the web novel, and I found out I did get ahead of the characters, but not by a lot.) However, not all viewers want to decipher cues and references to construct their own narrative. Probably, there are more fans who feel this way on English language forums.

While there have been a few English-speaking anti-fans, Chinese viewership is extremely high, and Amidst a Snowstorm of Love has won multiple awards. This drama is a success with its intended audience. And the reasons for its popularity are undeniable: In addition to being superbly written and directed, and featuring amazing acting by everyone involved, it takes chances to push the idol drama envelope. My experience of this drama is undiluted joy and appreciation. It's beautiful, romantic, and deserves all the praise it's received, and more.

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Best Romantic drama 2025 currently

Overall, it is enjoyable. their chemistry is strong and cute.
Not only main lead actors but also supporting actors are have chemistry each other. the plot is engaging and fast-forward.
Both Main lead actor and actress are good in acting. I did not watch Liu Yu Ning's acting before. he acts really well, although he is not the best..

This is not masterpiece but it will be all-time favourite drama in my list.
I enjoyed and loved overall plots which is really engaging.
Mainly, I love leading actor and actress big cute sweet chemistry !!! I want more romantic scenes in the finale :)😆😆😆

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