Reviews

"If you stop the bleeding, you'll survive"

A Samurai’s Sorrow was a made for television movie directed by Inoue Akira. Set during the 8th shogun’s reign of the Tokugawa shogunate the special was embellished with ninjas, poison tongue needles, fratricide and possible matricide.

The castle is in an uproar because the shogun’s food has been poisoned. The leader has been subsisting on very little rice for nearly two weeks for fear of being felled by poison. Everyone is hoping Mondo will return and save the day. The poison taster and tester is also masterful with the sword and ladies. Mondo’s mother died when he was young leaving him heart broken. As soon as he returns to town to help the shogun, attempts on his life begin in earnest. Secrets revealed by rivals could unravel Yoshimune’s command and Mondo’s heart even further.

Mondo would have made Rurouni Kenshin proud. For the most part, Mondo didn’t kill those who attacked him, telling them, “If you stop the bleeding, you’ll survive.” Just being in Mondo’s presence could cause a woman to lose her sense of reason. He was said to be so beautiful and well dressed that he could be mistaken for a woman. Satoh Takeru, yes. Fifty-year-old Tamura Masakazu playing a character around thirty years of age, not so much. The actress who played his mother was only twelve years older than he was. All of the actors were subjected to horrendous wigs and exposed wig tape.

The problem I had with A Samurai’s Sorrow was that it lacked spark. With rival clans, concubines, allies, ninjas, and spies around every corner it could be hard to keep up with all of the characters jammed into 90 minutes, much less care about any of them. The basic premise centered around Mondo’s promise to protect the shogun with his life despite the shogun’s betrayal of his mother, rang hollow to me. His mother’s love and hatred for the shogun caused her to kill herself three times for the man. Her son was just as blindly loyal. An emo ronin who constantly mentioned his heart was full of sorrow and might be dead by morning just didn’t resonate with me.

12 May 2025
Trigger warnings:
Three goldfish died trying to save the shogun and this special. RIP little buddies.
Suicides, ritual and otherwise

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This series has a great plot

Well six episodes of a series is what most BL fans want especially when the series is short.
I have watched this series in one sitting and l literally loved it.
The first 5 episodes literally build the story, they tell the problems of the couple and how their love has manoeuvred through time.
But my dear the last episode ruined everything for me. The reason that Kim Min Joon gives for refusing to date Jin Hwan is just stupid and naive. How can you let go of a love so beautiful, of a man so perfect.
I really hated the last episode sincerely speaking because they had built up my excitement only to throw it in the mud.
Anyway it was a great series just that I feel the last episode should have been better 🤔🤔🤔

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Review: A Wonderful Korean Medical Drama

This is the first Korean medical drama I've watched, and how can I rate it? It's amazing in every sense of the word. From the action sequences to the music, direction, cinematography, and even the intense excitement—it completely blew my mind. Calling it amazing doesn't do it justice.

I enjoyed every moment of watching it. Every episode left me in a state of shock, excitement, anxiety, and awe at the brilliant execution of the story and visual effects. The cast was expertly chosen—each actor played their role with precision and passion. I was particularly impressed by how the drama highlighted the essence of the medical field.

What stood out to me most was the message that choosing a career in medicine isn't just about status or money, but also a deep commitment to saving lives. I was impressed by how the series emphasized this passion, especially through Dr. Baek Jang-hyuk's guidance, which encouraged the characters to reflect on the true reasons behind their choice of a career in medicine.

Dr. Yang Jae-won's role was a highlight for me. He brilliantly portrayed complex emotions—anxiety, exhaustion, fear, hesitation, and even phobia. I felt each one as if I were in his shoes, which is a clear testament to his performance.

All the actors portrayed their characters in captivating ways, sharing their personal motivations for entering the medical field, which made me care about each one of them. I am deeply grateful to everyone who contributed to the production of this drama.

Conclusion: I highly recommend watching it. It is powerful, moving, and unforgettable.

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A strong Female Lead escapes the Censorship Axe

This review will be Short, Sweet, and straight to the point,Just Like the Drama.

How do I describe Destined to Meet You, a drama I binged in one sitting? Let’s just say:

1. Good things come in small packages,think Tiffany rings and this drama.

2. Every now and then, C-drama writers seem to wake up, remember that weed is illegal ,creativity exists, and deliver something fresh, funny, and completely un-tropey. This is one of those rare gems.There was not a dull moment,the pace was perfect that a problem would be solved in one episode.

3. I may need Botox to fix the smile lines this show gave me because all those punchlines hit hard and a cold shower to recover from their chemistry.

4. The female lead? A revelation. She’s smart, bold, straightforward, and badass,basically everything the censorship bureau usually edits out. Somehow, she made it through untouched and ate without leaving crumbs.

5. If you’re in the mood for something quick, witty, with no angst or annoying side characters..this is your weekend binge. Honestly, I wouldn’t have minded 24 full episodes.

Famous quote by FL to ML:"Am asking you to help me bear a baby,no matter how talented I am,I can't do it by myself"(Viki translation)

Fun note: I called it the Chinese version of "When Life gives you tangerines" ..those who will watch will understand 😂

Important Passwords:

Director Zeng Wing Jie
Screenwriter Zhao Lin

These two must have connections in the higher-ups cos the "good things" they gets away with

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A hollowed experience

This is a boring show with little to no plot. The female lead is an aspiring editor that for some reason doesn't seem to do the job of an editor but an agent or PR most of the time, and the ML is a writer that at first is presented like this super popular rock star that everyone wants but is later presented like someone that people barely know and doubt.

The main issues are that the FL left her family for her career and that ML is not recognized by his father as writer, but both things are barely developed throughout the story; instead we have small, unimportant and at best forgettable incidents that for no reason cause trouble for the new girl intern in a workplace that is not only unprofessional but unrewarding as well.

The female lead seems to be annoying at first and a pushover, but she is the best character in the show since she is consistent with her job (which again has nothing to do with editing for the most part), but the ML is an annoying man child for half the show, and a boring one for the rest of the show.

The only reason why I decided to watch this one, was because of the promise that the main couple would not break up from beginning to end, but by the time they got together you are not interested anymore because that's what dragging does to the viewer.

This show could have been so much better with a good plot and a good villain. The bonus would have been if we were shown the details of their world and how writing and editing a book works for us to learn something and to be immersed, but that never happened.

I forced myself to finish it, and it was not worth it.

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A BL Gem From Lockdown Days

Boys' Lockdown is an adorable story about two guys who randomly bump into each other at a convenience store in the Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemic. There’s instant chemistry, but the enhanced community quarantine makes it tough for them to see each others. Even when they manage to see each other, they have to keep their distance, no touching, no hugs, just longing stares! The leads' chemistry is undeniable, the acting is just fine, and the storyline is simple but still keep me hooked. With only a few characters, it’s super easy to follow and doesn’t feel overwhelming. Overall, it’s sweet, light, and fluffy watch.

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A Makjang that features Park Hyung Sik as a grey character? Okay I'm in!

All hail Park Hyung Sik for single-handedly carrying this drama through. I saw this immediately after Bong Soon, so you can understand why I absolutely fell head over heels in love with a long, black-haired PHS.
I saw the first episode, and I thought this was another version of Song Joong Ki's Reborn Rich. The vibe of both dramas is similar, but this is a little different. The first couple of episodes, when the context is being set up, are absolutely brilliant. It seems like the drama was bogged down by its own expectations. It built a plan so huge and vast that, as the story proceeded, it wasn't able to achieve the scale that it wanted to. The characters are essentially all sad characters; everyone is powerless, but everyone is also a schemer, and at the end, no one really gets to have the last laugh. The battle between Seo Dongju and Yeom Jangseon was brilliant, and it made me want to root for Seo Dongju, even though I knew that he wasn't the nicest guy out there. So points to the writer for making a flawed character memorable enough that you want to see what stunt he's going to pull next. Apart from them, there wasn't any character memorable enough. The chairman was a cunning character, but again, not a nice guy. He had his preferences and biases, gave no shit to the women in the house, and was only interested in using people to his interests. I really did not understand the logic behind why Seo Dongju (who is so particular about whom to support and how to do it) decided to stick to Chairman Cha even after all the mistreatment. The writers portrayed it as if SDJ REEAAALLLYYY wanted to work for the chairman, because the Chairman is the best boss ever. That just made no sense at all.
The second tiff that I have with the drama is with Heo Ildo's character. I kinda understand where his intentions were coming from, but still, the way they portrayed him as this villainous character in the beginning, the redemption arc towards the end felt forced.
The final tiff that I have with this series is the romance part of it. For two people who are shown to be SO PASSIONATE in the beginning, they shouldn't be able to keep their hands away from each other, especially if both are living in the same house. But their romance just fizzles away, and the FL just becomes a cardboard cutout emotional support therapist for the ML.
The series had the potential to write many powerful female characters, but they all ended up receiving cardboard cutout treatments... such a wasted opportunity. Furthermore, several characters like the Administrator, the Hacker girl, Cheon Guho, or even Madam Pi, were just random people thrown here and there without any backstory or explanations. I would've personally loved a backstory of Cheon Guho and why he chose to stick by Yeom Jangseon through everything.
But the OST was good, and so was Park Hyung Sik. He was the reason why I watched the whole thing in 2 days straight and persevered through the dragging episodes from 8-12 (didn't see the point of dragging out a subplot for so long, they could've just ended it quicker). His hairstyle deserves another essay, and so does his wardrobe. His stylist needs a raise. And his acting was both cute and evil, the 미친놈 (mi-chin-nom) smile with the demented eyes was ON POINT.

Overall, it was quite an interesting take on the makjang genre (based on the few that I've watched) in the first couple of episodes. But it suffered the curse of the mid-series boredom and picked up pace only at the 11-12th episode or so. But by then, it was too trope-y to be excited over anything. The treatment of the series was also VERY manhwa-inspired. I actually thought that this was an adaptation of a manhwa, but it apparently is not. Either way, its a decent one time watch. Watch it for our Hyungsik-a <3

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Pure love ?

If you're here for Love stay, it's worth it. if you're here for the main actors performances, stay you'll love it. same for the fashion and OST. If you're here solely for the plot, also stay but know it'll get confusing halfway through.

I was stuck watching this even at 6 am. I was in from episode one. They struck a great balance between comedy and deep dark sadness at first and then it became a balance between suspense and love Wich I didn't mind either. At around episode 14 I started getting bored of them breaking up all the time and all the problems they kept facing. It was so on and off I started to get annoyed but oh did they fix it. I think I rated it so high because of how deeply they just loved each other.

It got me with the light funny scenes at the begining just to become one of the deepest mist heart wrenching dramas. it could just be cause I just lost my mother but I was just crying all throughout the second half.
I love the balance they struck with this drama and how it felt like an onion I just kept wanting to peel off to discover more layers. It was beautiful and the villains paid dearly for their crimes which I always Love. only thing is this was a bit too cry heavy for me and now I have to watch something light.

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Grief is tough but is necessary to move on

“i’ll remember you. i’ll continue living. because to us, loving myself means loving you ». I’m just stuck with those words.

Small drama but funny, sad to the point it’s heartbreaking but at the end hope emerges. I’m glad Hee-wan overcame her pain and guilt and just a started to live her life without forgetting Ran-woo as he lives through her. Just sad he disappeared in the nature but I guess he fulfilled his mission so it’s time for him to leave her.

The lead’s performance were quite impressive (Big up to Kim Min-ha, hope to see her more)

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I’m a sucker for family dramas

I cried way too much, but it was worth it.

Shin Hye-sun never disappoints. This is my favorite drama of hers . She made me hate her character for half of the drama.
And also her dad in the drama Cheon Ho-jin. I was happy to see him here because he is really a great actor! (Damn when he was running after that car, it broke me. )

Acting was great, but I think it could be better from some side characters..
Overall I liked the plot, but it had some unnecessary parts I would’ve skipped. Also towards the end I was hoping for more side character's story development, it felt rushed (to me).

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Recommended for a quick watch

It was a surprisingly fun watch. The story had just the right mix of supernatural and sweet romance which im totally a sucker for. I loved the concept of a ghost taxi service, and it kept me entertained with some touching and quirky stories along the way. The main couple was cute and had good chemistry, even if some of the emotional “protect each other” moments felt a bit underwhelming.

There were definitely parts where the pacing dipped, especially around the halfway mark, but thankfully it picked up again right when it needed to. Overall, it’s one of those shows that you would want to watch to fill up your time while waiting for other shows or just in general as a bing-watch. It's easily digestible but not stale.

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INTRIGUING

I went into this with no expectations
I started it almost a month ago but dropped it a few minutes in cus I was angry the grandma was making him go to the forest
I hate such storyline.
Especially with how mature and responsible Fifa is, he didn't complain much and adapted.
He worked hard towards his dreams even if his family could afford it.
I love him.
I hated Hem at first
I felt he was irresponsible passing Fifa off to Pudme without adequate training, who in turn left him to fend for himself on his first day.
I hold him fully responsible for the Allergy incident and he should have taken accountability instead of talking down on the boy who tried his best.
Also if I was in that situation and the bike got stuck in the mud I would not move an inch until the came to rescue me and then I'd see that useless domino effect it will cause or the change in their Equilibrium.

What I loved later on, is their dynamics.
They learnt from each other.
I don't know if they will ever get together but it was a perfect representation of first love
Hats off to Hem for being careful with Fifa and his feelings.

I'm happy they didn't go with the "He fell in love with Pokpa" storyline and make him give up his dreams because Fifa is the most hardworking and relentless character I've seen in a while.
For a teenager he quickly deals with whatever life throws at him
He is a very respectable character
I loved the ending
A season 2 wouldn't be bad but I'm good either way

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The Match – When the Hand that Teaches is Outplayed by the Stone that Learns

There’s something inherently poetic—tragic even—about the idea of surpassing your teacher. The Match is not just about the ancient board game of Go, it’s about obsession, pride, legacy, and the heartbreaking silence that comes when the student doesn't just learn from the master—but eclipses him. And in doing so, rewrites history. Set against the flickering cigarette-lit haze of 1980s-90s Korea, The Match tells the real-life story of Go legend Cho Hun-hyun and his disciple-turned-rival Lee Chang-ho. But don’t mistake this for a mere sports biopic. This is a psychological battleground where the 361 points on a Go board become a metaphor for life’s unrelenting choices, regrets, and invisible victories.

Let’s be clear: you can watch this film without knowing Go—but if you do understand the basics, even just the concept of territory and handicap stones, this film transforms. What looks like an intense stare-down over a grid becomes a chess match of philosophies. What feels like a silent moment becomes screaming tension. The beauty of The Match is how it embeds Go's complexity into its characters. Cho Hun-hyun (Lee Byung-hun) is flamboyant, fast, a man of patterns who treats Go like war and the board like a battlefield. His stone placements are aggressive, demanding, and psychological—he wins as much with his gaze and timing as he does with strategy.

Then there’s Lee Chang-ho (Yoo Ah-in), nicknamed the Stone Buddha for good reason. If Cho is thunder, Chang-ho is water. He doesn’t clash. He surrounds. Slowly. Silently. With patience so terrifying, you don’t realize you’ve lost until he’s already claimed your territory. Watching their styles clash is watching fire versus stone—and stone doesn’t blink.

Let’s talk Lee Byung-hun. There are actors, and then there are storms dressed in human skin. His portrayal of Cho Hun-hyun is haunting, especially in the latter half when the pride of a mentor gives way to the agony of irrelevance. Lee Byung-hun delivers a tour de force performance as Cho Hun-hyun, a man whose pride shines brighter than his title belts. From the moment he spots the young Lee Chang-ho in an amateur tournament, there’s a glint in his eye—not just recognition of talent, but of legacy. He sees in the boy not only the future of the game, but his own chance at immortality. Their early interactions hum with a near-paternal warmth, and you almost believe it’ll all end in mutual respect and quiet dignity. But Go is a war game dressed up in silence, and pride doesn’t go down without a scream.

Watching Cho's descent after his protégé’s betrayal is nothing short of mesmerizing. There’s one particularly unforgettable moment—blink and you’ll miss it—where Cho clutches a Go stone so tightly that it cracks his fingernail. No words, no monologue, no theatrics. Just pure, undiluted anguish squeezed into a thumb. That kind of visual storytelling, raw and unflinching, speaks louder than any confession ever could. It’s the heartbreak of a man whose legacy has turned against him—and who suddenly has no idea who he is without it.

And opposite him, Yoo Ah-in gives us a chilling, surgical portrayal of Lee Chang-ho—a boy prodigy turned stone-faced killer on the board. It’s eerie how much his performance mirrors the real-life “Stone Buddha” persona of the actual Lee Chang-ho. He moves like he’s made of fog, untouchable and unbothered. No glares, no smack talk, no inner turmoil visible to the outside world. During their matches, while Cho plays like a flamethrower—loud, fast, aggressive—Chang-ho plays like water finding cracks in your walls. He waits. He wraps around you. And by the time you realize you're drowning, it’s already over. That contrast in their playstyles bleeds beautifully into their personalities: one man shouting at the world to remember his name, the other erasing it with a quiet smile. A child prodigy raised in the art of war, who doesn’t engage in his mentor’s fireworks. He doesn't flinch, doesn't taunt, doesn't respond. And somehow, that hurts more than any betrayal. Their chemistry is not fiery—it’s gravitational. One pushes, the other pulls. The emotional tide is constant.

Even if you’ve never touched a Go board in your life, there’s enough drama in The Match to pull you in. But for Go players? This is rich, layered dessert. The film doesn’t spoon-feed the mechanics of Go, but it showcases the psychological nuance behind every stone. You see it in their posture, their eyes, their silence. You understand the weight of each move not because the movie explains it, but because it makes you feel it. That alone is a feat.

And yet, despite all its strengths, The Match left me wanting more. Clocking in at just under two hours, it feels frustratingly short—like someone folded a 12-episode drama into a 2-hour movie and hoped we wouldn’t notice. The first half builds beautifully: the mentorship, the fame, the rising tension. But the second half? It rushes through the emotional climax like someone skipping chapters in a book. Cho Hun-hyun’s descent into despair deserved more screen time, especially when you’ve got someone like Lee Byung-hun at the helm. We needed to see his world fall apart—not just be told it did.

Likewise, the film tells us Lee Chang-ho struggled with guilt and loneliness after defeating his teacher, but never shows it. It’s mentioned in passing by a side character and never explored. That robbed Yoo Ah-in of deeper emotional beats and made Chang-ho feel more like a cold enigma than a fully fleshed-out human. You can argue it fits his stoic persona, sure—but in a movie that’s all about emotional damage dressed in Go stones, it feels like a missed opportunity.

Then there’s the matter of the soundtrack—or lack thereof. For a film this emotionally charged, the OST is shockingly forgettable. No themes that haunt you after the credits roll. No musical punch to elevate the heartbreak. It’s not that the background music is bad—it’s just... there. Like wallpaper. And in a drama like this, where subtle glances and cracked fingernails carry the emotional weight of bombs, a strong score could’ve made all the difference.

And perhaps this is just the Go nerd in me talking, but I wish we saw more matches. I get it—this is a film, not a Go documentary—but there’s a certain magic in the game that The Match only gives us in slivers. I didn’t want melodrama between matches—I wanted drama through the matches. Every time the camera pulled away from the board too early, I sighed like a player watching an unfinished game.

Verdict:
The Match is not about winning. It’s about what you lose in order to win. It's about the tragedy of being a stepping stone in someone else's greatness—and how even that has a kind of dignity, if you let it. It’s the quiet surrender of a teacher who realizes that the game was never about the records, the fame, or the trophies—it was about the board itself.

For anyone with even a passing love for Go, this is a rare and respectful homage. For everyone else, it’s still a solid psychological drama anchored by powerhouse performances. It won’t give you fireworks. But it’ll hand you a single black stone, press it into your palm, and say:

“Now what will you do with this?”

A slower burn than most Korean dramas or biopics, but if you’re willing to sit with it—really sit with it—you’ll find a story that captures the ache of being both a creator and a casualty of your own legacy.

Score: 7/10

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I rewatched it too many times!!

Honestly, when you watch it at first it feels different. And that’s because it is.

This is one of my top k-dramas because it shows what’s life really like. I always like to guess what’s gonna happen next and here I couldn’t or didn’t even want to. I just went with the flow. It was bitter sweet, not sugarcoated and that’s probably why I loved it even more.

I usually watch dramas as a getaway from reality but I still couldn’t resist watching every single episode. I also rewatched it like four times. It gives me comfort, which might be strange but it’s true.

No spoilers-you have to see and understand yourself.

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