Reviews

Inside the crevices of our minds

May 15, 2026

I love Yumi Cell's Season 3, I only completed this season as the other seasons where kinda a snooze fest to me. Regardless, I think that in the webtoon, I already had a strong grasp of the plot even though I never finished it either.

I really love the portrayal of Yumi here, I love the progression she had from season one to two and three. I think that her overall growth in season 3 is the reason I was finally able to complete this season. Maybe Ill revisit season 1 and 2 again to actually complete them. Regardless, I don't think you truly need to watch all of season 1 and 2 to get the full details of the plot.

I love this little slice of life, henceforth a little deep dive into our brain thinking processes are just chef's kiss.

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Great cast but depressing and ultimately terrible story

For my review I'll start with the positives. Acting, setting, and time period are all compelling and well done. The general time period circa 1875-1900 is incredibly interesting and it tackles a lot of interesting issues regarding industrialization, nationalism, and the issues regarding China in the time period. Unlike other periods this can be portrayed relatively innocently in the context that it doesn't feel like the censorship board impacted the dialogue or plot much. The female lead is great and viewers will be able to enjoy the arcs of other main characters.

That being said this story is way too long and has such a disappointing pay-off. Let alone a happy ending, practically every character arc and story is completely depressing and ends with tragedy. I've watched and read a lot of "dark" books and shows and this one was one of the few where I felt disgusted about the complete lack of joy and hope within the story. Every single romance and plot line is an unmitigated disaster due to outside interference or external circumstance. How they handled the relationship between the two main characters is just unforgivable for this format. To watch 74 episodes (I mostly watched at 1.5x-2x due to how slow-paced much of it was) and end in that fashion is just not good television. Having a tragic ending with only the smallest remnants of positivity and happiness is fine for a movie, mini series, or play. In those formats you spend ~3 hours watching. For something with a view time around 65 hours it is unacceptable imo.

If you like the time period and are interested in a tragic romance/revenge show with financial elements you'll probably enjoy it. If you want any form of a happy ending this show is not for you!

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Great acting and chemistry saved a wasted plot.

The most important thing here is the acting. Specially Mix as Dean. I think is the most remarkable thing in all the series. Alongside Mix, I would like to mention Boom as Raffy and Earth as Jack. All the ast made a great job, but the most impressive for me and what got me hooked to this series was Dean-Jack and Dean-Raffy dynamics. The chemistry between EarthMix is tale as old as time, and Mix and Boom chemistry as two enemies divas was VERY good. I had to said tho, Mix carried the emotional and heavy drama scenes of this series. He's truly and amazing actor. The acting in general is what is more remarkable.

This series had a lot of potential, honestly, and the result is far from being 100% disappointing. I think it's important to understand that Dream On isn't a second season per se, Only Friends franchise would function as an anthology, and that's how I'm going to treat it for this review. First I want to talk about the characters, because they are the most important part. In OF, the Business Administration friend group were showed as toxic since the start but in OFDO the dynamics are different. The friend group here are Jack, Dean, Tua, and Timmy, and they are scripted to not to be a toxic group. What join all these people as a plot device is the stage play not the friendship, the plot works in a way that opens from the friend group adding the brother of one of them, the enemy of one of them and the crush of one of them to the mix through the play.

Remember that the premise of Only Friends is what its original title almost was: HURT PEOPLE HURT PEOPLE. That's what connects the seasons of the anthology. And if they make a third, that's what will connect them. Hurt people hurting each other, intentionally or not. In that respect, Dream On DOES delivers. The characters have their flaws, some more pronounced than others. They aren't perfect, but the point isn't for them to be; it's to see what the script does with them.... And the thing is, script messed up some times with this. It's important to the main characters to work as characters aside from the couple plot, with other relationship more than the romantic/sexual ones. Jack, Dean, and Raffy are introduced as the 'bad behaviour guys,' while Rome, Arnold, and Tua are the 'good guys.' We know enough about Dean, Raffy, Jack and Tua's personal plots to follow up the reasons behind their actions but I think not about Rome and Arnold. That missing depth would be more appreciated. Jack and Rome stepbrother plot is wasted, and subsequently the interesting friendship/companionship between Dean and Rome who would give more weight to Rome's 'betrayal'. Also Arnold having confusing feelings for Dean isn't showed or even talked as a thing until very late. We never see Arnold having second thoughts about Dean for almost all the series and then suddenly he was confused? That's came from literally knowhere.

Theres also plots that lead to nothing. Jack alcoholism was a perfect chance to show the different ways a person can be dependent of substances and different kind of addiction recovery, relapsing, etc. Everything is underexplained. Yes, in some cases people who deal with alcoholism in the past can drink alcoholic normaly afte but since any of that is mentioned see Jack drinking after his time in rehab feels generally lacking. Dean being drugged without consent, something is never spoken after and just a justification so the audience don't pick a fight for the almost kiss (who didn't work and made it worse, actually). Rome working in parties were not so legal things happens is also a wasted chance. All the Dean being a host and the leaked video is underplayed. Dean apologies with Raffy but Raffy doesn't apology with Dean? Their tentative friendship is also wasted. And speaking of friendship Dean and Tua friendship needed a deep talk, I liked the scene in the roller coaster but I don't think it was enough.

And Pete's crimes? Did he give back the money? Nobody reported him? The series throw things in the plot but there's no committing to develop it further. Other thing that could be managed better was the time skip that doesn't feel right and every couple seems to be in a different moment of time. For example, for Jack and Dean one year is very little for what they show, their lives now, their careers and their maturity doesn't make sense in only a year. They relationship is still kind of toxic and codependent that I can take it, ok, but that time skip was a joke. Five years and I bought it, but only one year? Same with Rome and Raffy, for them it's looks like it passed like 3 years, not one. ArnoldTua feels like only one month passed. And Timmy? Someone wants to think about Timmy?

Now, Boston. They brought him back basically to give him and BostonNick arch closure. (And of course, because of the hype). That's fine. I liked to see Nick moving on and being happy, also not indulging Boston.

NOTE! Even though I point out what the series failed at, it doesn't mean I didn't like it. It has the heavy mess and emotional drama we were expecting, the characters are memorable and it works well in the same universe. "It's not chaotic enough, everyone's not kissing everyone." And that's partly true, and I understand that casual viewers might be surprised or that the title Only Friends fills everyone with expectations, but I was already prepared for this. In fact, many of us who have been closely following the Dream On process all this time, from filming to its current airing, aren't surprised by the lack of pairings because it was made clear that they would take into account the feedback (some people seems to forget all that) from Only Friends when developing the script for Dream On.

The director (P'Ninew) worked with what he was allowed, because not mixing the couples isn't a creative decision this time; it's an ADMINISTRATIVE and PR decision. And that's something that's been implied many times. I admit that I personally would have liked to see Boston and Tua kissing in the flashback, Rome and Pete kissing in the car, and Boston and Raffy kissing on the lips before being interrupted. But I knew I couldn't expect that, so it didn't take me by surprise; I had already mentally prepared myself not to be disappointed and well, the story worka without that. EXCEPT for one thing: Dean and Arnold not-kiss. I feel that if they had kissed in the woods, the plot would have worked just as well. It would have made the audience feel like all the character reactions had more sense. I mean Jack ask Mew advice like if Dean did was comparable to what Top did, and it wasn't. There's a lot of things that can felt unfair from diferent perspectives bcs of that.

But putting that aside, I enjoyed the series. I liked the friend group (JDTT) dynamics and also the couples dynamics ans stories as couples. Messy toxic exes going in circles, being toxic people. I liked that nor Jack or Dean are innocent victims of each other, it was an actually well written toxic dynamic in the emotional aspect. Jack has many flaws that Dean knows perfectly well and is able to manage, and at the same time, Dean can't stop idealizing Jack and his emotional dependence, which, due to his own flaws, explosive personality, and problems, manifests in negative actions, scheming, and, well, a psychological disaster. Jack and Dean needed to grow individually in order to be together, and the series did an excellent job of establishing why by showing exactly who they are and what they are capable of when they are not self-regulated. They're not good people, but they're really great characters.

Arnold and Tua were surprisingly happy for what you'd expect in a Only Friends context, but despite that, I quite liked their dynamic with Boston. The problem is that since we don't know much about Arnold, his internal monologues were completely wasted. The whole subplot about him questioning his feelings is superficial because they don't make his conflict clear. First, it's Arnold's sexuality, then ruining the friendship, then Boston, then Arnold's feelings for Dean (again, seemingly out of nowhere) and the not-kiss. I also like that Tua isn't that perfect not-break-plate guy, I would like that mean/hypocrital side of him to be more explored, bcs it was truly interesting. I also like that Rome give himself his own value although his feelings for Raffy, It is interesting to see the plot of a self-aware crumbler who, in a way, puts logic before emotions without necessarily feeling less or being less hurt. The only thing I didn't understand was why Rome falls in love with Raffy. Raffy, whose friendship with Pete wasn't developed enough for their separation to be painful, was nonetheless a troubled character. Raffy didn't love acting, and while he wasn't bad, he wasn't the best either. His personal growth in realizing what he didn't want was very enjoyable to watch. There's nothing wrong with accepting that a character makes mistakes, by the way. Characters are not innocent babies, they had faults.

Again, the cast is amazing, the acting can save the weak parts of the script. I think they should be more brave with certain plot devices but since I also understand why they didn't do it, and the limitations, if this is what the series can offer, I take it. While it doesn't have a ton of kissing, the sex and kissing scenes are good, on-brand with what Only Friends is all about and also had an intention. For me is important that NC scenes had a why, not just being here for the sake of being here. The directing and acting are also good because P'Ninew is a good director and acting coach who did the best he could with the limitations he was given. The plot is chaotic and messy, in a different way, but it is. I truly believe it had rewatch potential.

Mi final score is 7/10.

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boring !!!

THAnk god it’s over, when I start watching something I need to finish it, I never drop any series even if it’s bad. And I never write any reviews, but after this, I had to.
I’m sorry but that was horrible. ONE OF THE worst BLs I’ve watched. Not the worst. !
When I saw the pilot I was excited, bcs I liked the first show, so i had very high expectations, too high….I haven’t read the novel but does the plot really look like this? Really I don’t get the plot, they act like someone was killed, they didn’t even cheat on each other. While watching this, in my mind was only “It’s not that deep bro 🤡” boring, boring and boring. Seriously, what a big downfall compared to the first show.
Forgetting the plot, their acting was mid 🫠
The only good thing was the intro/music and Aou carried this show. Boom was good too.
I haven’t watched any series with this cast, but I heard a lot about them (bcs they are popular ships, right?) so that was my first series with them and yeah, guys remember, popularity≠quality.
And what was that ending even supposed to mean? Season 3? Hell nahhh, better not. Don’t do it 🙏🏻 Actually, it’s not even about the acting, but the plot was SO boring, 0️⃣🧪.

Not the best, not good, not mid but not the worst 👍🏻

(Ofc, it’s only my opinion, I’ve read many reviews from other people about this show and others as well. I keep an open mind about every drama and other people’s opinions bcs I like it. You know, so many people, so many minds.) OH and I’m sorry for my English but it’s not my first language…😌🫶🏻

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What happened???

I don't know if it was the wait for this or the fact that I rewatched the first one a week before I started this but I couldn't be more underwhelmed if I tried. Again AouBoom's chemistry saved yet another show. For Christ sake GMM can you give these 2 their own show already!!!! Mix was amazing as well and it was fun to see him doing something different but the highlights were the cameos by the first series cast. I expected this to be a beautiful chaotic mess like the first one and instead got a lame attempt at angst. I watch 90% of the last 2 episodes at 2x speed only slowing it down for AouBoom's parts. Maybe it's my fault for expecting more from a sequel when I should have know better. I'm sure if you watch this one first with no expectations it's probably pretty good but after watching the train wrecks made by Ray, Boston & Boeing this one just couldn't hold up.

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ROME RAFFY RULED THIS SEASON

After OF S1 I really didn't wanna watch this cz of how messy the season 1 was but i gotta give credits to the comment section with all the characters interacting that made me give this one a go. Anyone who is wondering if you should watch this one? YES you should. It's not as messy as season 1 and is more digestible more like a watered down season 1. We get 1 cross couple kiss which is from an angle so uk the actors didn't kiss🤣. The plot is pretty close to season 1.

RomeRaffy being SandRay from season 1 where Raffy has a huge crush on Jack while Rome just unconditionally likes Raffy like Sand liked Ray. Their story is probably the best one among the 3 with proper build and character development. When i started the drama i absolutely HATED RAFFY but now that the drama ended i absolutely LOVE HIM🤭 his character just grew soo well throughout the story.

ArnoldTua were practically TopMew of this season wity Tua being the virgin who ends up falling Arnold who is "not loyal" to him. Their plot was pretty simple so i was enjoying it until mid season i.e. the climax🙄 i was expecting things to actually happen like how Top actually slept with Boston but then nah it was a small misunderstanding (a really stupid one) which blew up to the point that i was like "bro it's not a big deal". So they went from being my favorite couple to an ok kinda couple. The climax is the reason i rated this drama a 9 cz i felt they needed something solid cz that was just stupid. They probably did it cz they wanted to play safe after the backlash the season 1 received.

Coming to JackDean🙄🙄 the BostonNick of this season. Dean was kinda Boston but more pitiful n sad kinda. Jack was a Jackass. For the 1st time in my history of being a BL fan have i ever truely wished for a couple to get a bloody sad ending and break up was in their case. I've even rooted for black flags but jack is just a BIG NO. Jack doesn't have much presence in the 1st half he's kinda a washed out character compared to others who had strong presence in the series but if u pay attention u can notice how he was never a supportive bf and just wanted a toy, someone who'd listen to him, praise him and worship him which is what dean is🙄. I absolutely HATE that they got a happy ending n ik that man hasn't changed a bit even after all this he's only back cz he couldn't find someone like Dean😑 they're definitely gonna keep breaking up in the future.

Coming to Boston. All that hype about him bringing chaos 🙄🙄 nah nothing as such happened🤣🤣🤣. The entire series i was like now he's gonna cause problem but then bro became a green flag and left🤣🤣🤣

Anyways although i do appreciate season 1 for it's risk and amazing writing this was more digestible although i felt it needed a bit more now that we hv watched season 1 and are kinda ready to tolerate cross couple interactions. I've rated this higher than season 1. Watch it guys it's good

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Only Friends Dream On is pure emotional chaos and I loved every second of it

I went into Only Friends: Dream On expecting chaos, drama, and emotional damage… and somehow it still exceeded my expectations. This series really feels like a beautiful disaster in the best possible way. GMMTV took everything fans loved about the original Only Friends universe — messy relationships, toxic attraction, heartbreak, jealousy, and intense chemistry — and turned the emotional tension all the way up. What makes Dream On so addictive is that nobody is completely innocent. Every character is flawed, emotional, selfish, vulnerable, and painfully human. One moment you’re screaming at them for making terrible decisions, and the next moment you completely understand why they did it. The writing keeps you emotionally trapped because every relationship feels unpredictable. The chemistry between the cast is INSANE. EarthMix brought so much emotional weight to Jack and Dean — every scene between them feels loaded with unresolved feelings and history. Meanwhile, AouBoom and JossGawin added their own flavor of tension, longing, and heartbreak that made the entire friend group dynamic feel explosive. Nobody is safe in this show emotionally. I also loved the theater setting because it mirrors the characters perfectly: everyone is acting, hiding feelings, performing for others, and slowly falling apart behind the scenes. The “Romeo & Romeo” storyline was such a smart metaphor for doomed love and obsession. It made the emotional scenes hit even harder. And honestly? This series understands BL fans who enjoy emotionally messy stories. It’s dramatic, spicy, chaotic, frustrating, heartbreaking, and impossible to stop watching. Every episode leaves you stressed but desperate for the next one. That’s the magic of Only Friends: Dream On — it doesn’t try to give you perfect love; it gives you complicated love that feels dangerously real.
For me, this is one of those BLs that stays in your head long after the episode ends. A total emotional rollercoaster — toxic, tender, and unforgettable. 🔥

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unfortunately, i guess i will have to drop, i find myself pushing myself to watch so thats a sign that im not much interested in whats happening, i think the ml Zhai Qiu Yu is extremely annoying (im talking about the character behaviors obviously), overall i think its an execution problem, i feel bored? im sure it could have been made in a way that can be more interesting,
i find myself liking the second couple more, but i dont feel like anything is captivating me enough
but anyway i wish success for every cbl as they work hard to make them in the conditions that they are in ^^
note: i heard that its Jinx manhwa live action without the acknowledge, im not sure how much true it is as i didnt check the manhwa but if its true then i hope they give credit to it

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Wrong Title and bland plot

Only Friends: Dream On has two main issues: being tied to Only Friends and having boring characters. While the series boasts a great selection of talented actors, the plot and the characters themselves are lackluster.
However, the biggest hurdle is simply existing in the world of Only Friends. OFDO would benefit so much from being called Romeo & Romeo and existing as a standalone story. The appearance of original Only Friends characters every couple of episodes (and specially Boston's involvement in the plot) didn’t add anything to the story; it only served to remind the audience of a more interesting set of characters. I’m not even the biggest Only Friends fan, but you can’t compare the two series when this one can’t even handle showing two characters kissing if they aren't in an established ship.
To top it off, the ending was boring. For a second, I thought the show would do something daring and split Dean and Jack up, but of course, they didn't. It’s a case of wasted potential and a wasted cast

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Good story, but the romance timing was just off

I had high hopes for this drama/series because I have seen Pit Babe and Pit Babe Season 2, both of which I really liked. In Goddess Bless You From Death, Pavel (as Singha) plays a detective who has to solve a case involving ritual killings. This role suits him perfectly, and he plays it convincingly. Pooh (as Thup) plays an orphan who can see ghosts. This role also suits him well, and he delivers a convincing performance.

The story starts off with seven bodies hanging from a tree in an abandoned mall, and from there on, it remains engaging and interesting. The visuals, makeup, props, and cinematography really make the scenes shine. I didn't find it particularly scary, but I have watched a lot of thrillers. It did, however, have plenty of suspense and twists that weren't too predictable.

However, while I really liked the connection and chemistry between Pavel and Pooh in their previous work, it just isn't as strong in this drama. That largely has to do with how the romance is integrated into the plot. It feels as if the writers didn't quite know where to fit the romance into the series and just ended up dropping it in randomly. That was such a missed opportunity; the dangerous situations and high-pressure circumstances provided the perfect setup for heightened physical attraction or intense romance. I could have seen this getting pretty passionate, but apparently, the writers or directors didn't see it that way. The potential was definitely there, especially since this isn't the couple's first drama together, so things could have been even more intense than before—but unfortunately, it felt dialed back.

Apart from that, it is a good show, and I think others will definitely enjoy watching it.

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Plot

The Price of Confession ini honestly SO GOOD 😭 the vibe is super addictive. every episode feels like a mind game where you keep changing your theory again and again because literally everyone looks suspicious in some way. aku nontonnya tuh kayak “ok this is the killer” but then the drama is like NOPE 😭 and everything gets twisted again. especially the murder case of the dentist’s child… THAT PART WAS CRAZY. the clues are so subtle but also misleading, so you’re always second-guessing yourself. it’s not just a thriller, it feels like psychological manipulation for the audience too 😭 like you’re forced to think deeper but still end up wrong most of the time. dan jujur pas nonton, rasanya itu campur banget: tense, curious, and kinda anxious at the same time. setiap ending episode tuh bukan “relief”, tapi malah “WAIT WHAT JUST HAPPENED??” 😭 i also love how slow-burn it is. it doesn’t rush, but every small detail matters later, so you’re constantly overanalyzing everything. bener bener tipe drama yang bikin kamu jadi detective dadakan, but you’re always one step behind. overall, it’s addictive, smart, and super frustrating in the best way 😭🔥

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A Masterful, Gut-Wrenching Triumph

Dylan Wang and Pan Yueming both delivered in this drama. I watched on Youku with SVIP and hosted discussions for this drama, and I think it's underrated because of the one-episode releases and the hiatus viewers had to put up with on Netflix and VIP... who makes people wait four days before they can continue with a mystery show? Anyway, while some parts of the drama felt slower paced, I think overall, the drama did masterly well portraying realities - if you're frustrated with some parts, that's because all of our characters are flawed in their own ways, and nothing goes smoothly because that's human behaviour. I found myself more invested as I kept watching, and enjoyed very much sharing theories with other viewers. I also found the transitions between the timelines smoother than I would have anticipated, and overall, was very impressed with the directing for this drama and how it draws out your emotions. Very happy to see Dylan Wang step out of his idol drama role and showcase his acting range. As a rookie watcher for cdrama crime/thriller/suspense, I highly recommend for starters, but I can't comment against other dramas.

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