Reviews

Trash. Fake kdrama. It is Hollywood with asian actors. A big STEAMING pile of script

This drama is a fake kdrama. it is a hollywoody Idiocracy mutt
FL and Hiro are excellent actors. ML sucks.
The drama is a BIG STEAMING PILE OF SCRIPT.
it lacks all elements of a kdrama - warmth, communication, inner work, redemption arc, sharing, family, lightness, humor, compassion, ...

it is about isolation, sleeping around, FL kisses 2ML, etc etc It is western isolation and miscomunication of egoistical ppl. And they re rich and feeling entitled.

The start of ep 1 gives the preview of what it is going to be like - a very TOXIC drama - an immature selfish FL and a very cold ML who covers up for her.
Then she had an accident and evrything changed and for like 2 episodes it looks like the drama might take off. It was fun to see different countries and actors from various countries. BUT IT WAS JUST A GIMMICK, to make up for lack of content and plot...

By ep 4 or so, THE DRAMA DIPS INTO DOODOO.
It quickly gets super boring as the characters keep getting stuck and nothing moves forward.
They never communicate. The dialogues are ... weird...
The drama time is taken by scenery and trivialities, instead of CONTENT. Nothing really happens.

BY ep ... 6? IT WAS DEEP DOODOO. I JUST FAST FORWARDED THROUGH EVERYTHING TO THE END AND IT WAS COMPLETELY CRAZY. I fast forwarded to the end just to make sure I did not miss a U-turn to sanity and could evaluate to the end.
The drama became completely totally crazy. Literally. It looks like a nightmare of someone on something. and actually a lot of it *is* a nightmare or anxiety memories and "hallucinations" - ML talks forever with the imaginary character of his FL, etc. IT IS LITERALY CRAZY

It starts looking very Hollywoody as everyone sleeps with everyone, seems like, ... FL kisses 2ML.... nobody communicates... and nothing is resolved....

THIS IS NOT A "NORMAL" KDRAMA AT ALL
this is ... a drugged nightmare about very unruly lives of several young people doing all kinds of things. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH KDRAMAS

And I am really thinking this guy was 100% correct
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1_j6izmEX4 How Netflix killed kdrama

I was thinking - what is the goal of Netflix with releasing all 12 episodes at once? so that only Netflix drama is watched?

I think Netflix, Disney and other non-korean kdramas are a lot worse that Korean kdramas, they just LACK CREATIVITY
Disney's Made in Korea is a sinister brainwashing into the power of evil

This drama is ... ??? what is it?? A SENSELESS NIGHTMARE OF REALLY WEIRD PEOPLE

I this continues, kdramas will be dead very soon. Koreans are going to lose their creativity and freedom, they cannot address what they want but have to follow american $$$$ and do as their slave master says. kdramas will not be Korean, but american made with some Korean actors.just like this drama was. This is the death of Korean culture too

For someone tired of Hollywood cesspool, this drama could even look nice, but this is not a kdrama. It is ... a slightly less of cesspool Hollywood.

I feel like I wasted time to check this drama out, but I had to check it, before I made a decision NEVER to watch anything Netflix or Disney made ever again. THIS DRAMA IS A WASTE OF TIME.

you can watch a travel program yourself and see Canada, Italy, Japan, etc

and then watch some real kdramas, made by Koreans in Korea.

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Technicalities:

Th filming is WEIRD, they go back and forth in time and th whole drama has a nightmarish "look"
For the first several episodes, it was bearable bc there were enough "normal"scenes and it was not too difficult to pick up th plot.

I really liked the acting of FL actress and Hiro actor. Hiro is so real, it is fantastic! The actor totally nailed a Japanese spoiled brat. To the tee... . ML's brother is my fav actor from Discovery of Love and he did his part great too. I like the character of FL's manager and their relationship.

ML actor cannot act and is utterly boring to watch, the same face and demeanor from start to finish. ANd I remember seeing that exact ffacial expression and "acting" in another drama. Get him OFF.

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Indeed interesting

UPDATED:
I am here updating my review after episode 4. Am I still hooked, yes definitely! Begging for SBS/Netflix to release all episodes now please! Such torturous wait 😂 The storyline/plot is getting extremely interesting.
This drama is NOT for viewers who expects typical romcom, fantasy, straightforward , predictable storyline, if that's you, please do not watch this drama. There are a lot of plot twist, unpredictable, surprises which make it entertaining and interesting.

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Initial review:
Watched episode 1..and hooked from the first second (including the intro.....LOL).
It contains interesting plot and the gumiho behaves like the world revolves around her....and what is she with $$$ ! 😂
Kim Hye Yoon again convinced me of her execution of the role. Lomon and the other casts, are superb, especially the guy whom played the villain.
I am eagerly waiting for episode 2 !

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Hong Sisters' old dramas are better!

As someone who watched Hong sisters' drama since Sassy Girl Chunhyang era, watching CTLBT feels nostalgic: the signature character set up & plot of the writers.
CTLBT feels like The Greatest Love + Master Sun.

On eps 2, I was teary because of this nostalgic vibes. I also love "dark" vibes on A Quite Woman filming /scene. I am so happy for first 6eps.

But unfortanely after watched 12 eps, I feel something off. My Girl, The Greatest Love, You're Beautiful left long lasting after taste for me. I was also very emotional when I watched those dramas. I still listen to those OST till now, & I always recall the emotion back then.
But unfortunately I didnt really feel something emotional around eps 9-12. Why did suddenly I loose my empathy for the protagonist? Why all the problems seems like only decoration, that definitely would having happy ending? The OST is also forgettable compare to Hong Sisters old dramas.

My mind actively analyze why. I think the problems come from script structure & dialogue. The script failed to build depthness of the trauma of each character. The triangle love suddenly became main couple part + second couple part + Hiro part. The narative logic like: the manager moved to JHJ's house, but he never met CMH. Etc.

Now I am going to sleep. Seems my mind will still busy to analyze after that.

Edit:
I've just woke up LOL
Now I realize another factor. The title imply about human translation & interpretation: from missunderstanding become understanding & empathy; from hate become love; from stranger become lover.
But the script itself didnt really do that. Only missunderstanding. The main couple barely having deep & meaningful conversation. Dorami only tell FL secret, & ML do sacrifice in silent. Until last eps, FL didnt know that SFL is her manager's fiancee. Etc.
In example, the growth of FL rely on scenes when "she closed her eyes", suddenly everything come to resolution. The problems-resolution & characters development in this drama rely on editing!

I can compare this drama with Run On (a drama who also potray translator life) who really do great job about human communication: light, funny, but also deep & meaningful. Audience can see the growth of the character.
The charms that are absent from CTLBT.

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Opens the top of the best dramas of 2026

Despite the fact that I haven't finished watching it, I can confidently say that all my expectations for this drama were met twice over! Without hesitation, I recommend watching it!
This drama has once again brought me the joy and excitement of watching a Kdrama! It's a top-notch new release with an unusual story and an amazing cast!
The rom-com was truly a rom-com! I laughed a lot at Jang Moon-hee's actions and words, as she is so charming.
I adore Go Youn jung, not only because she looks gorgeous, but also because she delivers an outstanding performance in any role! As a zombie, she was completely unrecognizable! I’m 10 times more impressed with her acting skills! She is a true gem in the world of korean cinematography! Kim Seon-ho captivates me with his dimpled smile every time I see him! He is an exceptional actor! Although his character's attachment to his first love was frustrating, he ultimately found his path. He is an amazing character! I cannot help but praise their perfect chemistry and the level of cuteness between them. Their introduction was both interesting and beautiful.
I am highly impressed with the storyline, making me want to watch it without interruption. The scenery in the drama was captivating and picturesque, showcasing the beauty of different countries. It was a brilliant idea to film in various locations. The show, especially in its live format, was incredibly creative.
Overall, I am absolutely delighted with everything that happens in this drama! I highly recommend it to you! Idk what everyone’s saying about this masterpiece, but for me the kdrama deserves its place in my 2026 top! This drama is really 10/10 !

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Ten Episodes of Love Not Mystery: ForceBook's Chemistry Shines

Having reached the sixth episode, I must voice out my opinion on the series. The actors are really doing a great job so far. Force Jiratchapong and Book Kasidet have mastered this, even though they weren't as strong in their debut series Enchante and A Boss and A Babe. Only Friends sets them apart as a couple.

My take on this one, they have improved a lot as individuals and you can see their growth on screen together. I have watched all their works, I must say this is the project where they shined the most. The soft conversations, gestures and their glances are spot on and well directed. ForceBook here are lovers 100%, before you could say there was bromance, but now the chemistry has strengthened.

Moving on to the director, this is a 10-episode series, why are you rushing the story and jinx in irrelevant scenes when the pieces are coming together? This is where it falters, because it's really exhausting and might suffer from Botpleng's mental condition.

'Melody of Secrets' has a unique storyline, it's not just any series. We must feel the terror and suspense with each episode releasing, but none. It had a huge potential, but due to it's direction, it has just become a normal series...even though we are still guessing who the murder is. That's the only intriguing part, otherwise ForceBook deserve better honestly and all the popularity out there.

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Loving a Character Who Doesn’t Belong to You...

I started this series for Ayaka — and I stayed because she completely destroyed me in the best and worst way.
Ayaka is one of those characters who doesn’t just exist on screen, she gets under your skin. She is soft, feminine, kind, brave, and unapologetically in love. She knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to fight for it. As a masc lesbian, she is painfully, dangerously my type — not only in appearance, but in personality. Watching her felt personal. Too personal.
For the first time while watching a GL, I didn’t just enjoy the romance — I felt jealousy. Real jealousy. Not because of drama, but because Ayaka represents the kind of woman I would genuinely fall in love with. Every smile, every small gesture, every moment of vulnerability made my heart ache. I found myself yelling at Hiroko, not because the story was bad, but because Ayaka felt too precious to be hesitated over.
That said, I don’t hate the story — quite the opposite. The series actually portrays queer struggles well: fear, internalized doubt, hesitation, and the courage it takes to finally choose love. Ayaka’s pain, her patience, and her strength felt real. Her friendship with Risa was especially touching — supportive, honest, and full of genuine care. Seeing Ayaka cry over the possibility of losing that bond broke my heart.
Hiroko as a character frustrated me, but I understand what the story was trying to show. Fear doesn’t always look logical. And despite my jealousy, I was still happy that Ayaka got the ending she wanted — love, reassurance, and someone who finally chose her.
This series didn’t just entertain me. It made me realize how deeply I long for a love like that — and how ready I am to fight for it in my own life. Ayaka may be fictional, but the emotions she awakened in me are very real.

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Hated overall series and how the fl and ml are actually cheating and cheap couple .

Writers should not glorify cheating couples...if people see this frequently on tv at home...then slowly but steadily such behaviour will normalize.. Review Well i am Absolutely disgusted by the ml role. He took advantage of ex wife affection for him and wasted 10year of her life. I am still not able to comprehend how can you not love a person who lived with you for 10years .. like you will start loving your pet in few months but he still not able to love his wife but was okay to marry her..After watching this series,, i truly dislike ml and fl ..not just character but if i see them in any of the drama ... I usually stopped watching it. Well in reality cheating couples usually live happily ever after.. also what is with cdrama and cheating , extra marital affairs.. every cdrama have 1 plot.. why??? is this very common in china????

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SHOULD I WATCH BE PASSIONATELY IN LOVE?

Should I Watch be Passionately in Love?

Be Passionately in Love is easily one of the most heartwarming Asian romances you will ever watch. But it tends to leave it’s audience with a diverse misunderstanding of how the relationship of the main couple is supposed to be portrayed. Causing it’s viewers to express that it ultimately lacked the “passionate love” despite being written in the title. Overall resulting in a misunderstood version of the novel-based love story. While some claim it to be misleading and hold a boring dialogue, I am able to give you two conclusions of why this a must watch romance adaption!

Why should you watch this drama despite it’s mid ratings? You cannot and will not go wrong with this drama. From the original sound track, to the character development, family friendly aesthetic, and so on. That is if it’s viewed the way that the story was originally illustrated on screen.


With a total of 24 episodes, this novel-based drama starts off with a girl named Xu Zhi and a boy named Lu Zhou. They meet as young adults and the female lead pursues the male lead’s friendship after the intentions of trying to meeting his mother. However, the boy starts to convey strong feelings for her. Not yet acknowledging any feelings towards him, she also eventually see’s in a romantic aspect. Leading to the two developing a small but passionate first relationship. Unfortunately not long after their relationship forms the boy ends up leaving their home town to attend college abroad. Causing them to part ways and end their relationship. In conclusion he ends up returning and enrolls into her college in pursuit of her.


THE DRAMA IS NOT ACCURATE TO THE TITLE..


You may be thinking, “This sounds like a passionate and intimate drama!” It most certainly is, if you’re a patient viewer. We don’t get to see the main characters fully embrace one another until towards the end of the Asian series. From them starting off as young and “crushing” on one another, to the show ending with the leads older and united passionately in love. Even though the two reunite when they’re of older age they once again are able to reconnect the playful, innocent, relationship they had previously left off with. Forming another purpose in which some viewers deny the drama to be accurate to the title. The audience wasn’t expecting the type of passionate love that was displayed on TV. Which brings me to my first basis.

The 2025 Chinese drama faces some backlash due to it’s portrayal of staged kissing scenes. According to the media the lead actress of this drama, Liu Hao Cun is known in china for keeping a family friendly image. To the point of having a none kissing contract. Affecting her roles on the big screen. Despite this being in the drama over time the so called staged kisses between the actors become replaced by hugs and cuddles. Exceeding a playful relationship of affection towards one another. This twist in the drama has caused some viewers to immediately drop the novel adaption upon the discovery of the female leads contract. Because of the opposed contract audiences complain that the show Isn’t actually accurate. Where as I solemnly would disagree. Although the novel contains intense kissing scenes the drama shifts towards a more family friendly environment. It also shows us that lovers can absolutely show affection towards one another without there necessarily being a need for kissing.


THE ACTORS LACKED CHEMISTRY..

This is another frequent complain that’s fully displayed amongst the observers of this drama. Once again I will have to disagree, and here is why. The dynamic relationship of the couple in this Viki series can be seen as distinctively different from relationships in other dramas. It’s not your average, “Insecure girl chases after the cold shoulder cool boy” love story. This brings me to my second and final conclusion of why this drama is so misunderstood. The “lack of chemistry” people seem to often point out is actually the result of character/relationship development. In another sense the characters have to first grow individually before they can embrace their relationship amongst each other passionately. Resulting in a full dedicated love for one another.


In the novel the male lead returns to China in hope of resuming the spark him and the female lead had previously blew out. Even to the point of trying to enroll in her college. However, in the novel Lu Zhou (the male lead, also known as Lucy) is described to have a rough exterior due to past family trauma but portrays a soft poetic side to Xu Zhi. Whereas, Xu Zhi is interpreted to be resilient and witty. (Often being followed with the nickname, president Zhi) As the story continues with Lucy trying to pursue her again president Zhi is continually seen through the novel to suppress her emotions around Lucy and others. This leads viewers of the live action adaption to assert to the claim that the actors/characters were missing chemistry. But I can assure you this is not the case. The reason behind this common misinterpretation is due to the fact that in the novel President Zhi was yet to fully embrace her love to Lucy. We learn that it was unfortunately due to her experience with family trauma at a young age. Lu Zhou is able to relate and acknowledge this. Upon this matter she later in the show is able to convey stronger emotions towards him and her family. Meanwhile Zu Xhi also continues to show her full support to Lu Zhou as he deals with his family ordeals. In the end they both end up overcoming their traumas. Thus almost bringing my last conclusion to an end, which tells us that it’s not that the actors who lacked chemistry. In fact they were able to do such a phenomenal job at portraying these characters. Having us convinced at the beginning that there was something “missing”. Only to give us an ending to their love story we typically never would’ve imagined. They never once lacked chemistry, it was all part of a beautiful process. In the end I could actually feel the passionate love for one another. A passionate unconditional kind of love.

Lastly but certainly not least. The way the actors were able to articulate Zhi’s and Zhou’s developing relationship from the novel and bring it to life was outstanding to watch. By the end of the series, I could feel the joy that president Zhi and Lucy felt even when just glancing at one another. They were finally able to express their passionate love. Now to give a final conclusion towards my thesis about this romance drama. Yes, Be Passionately in Love is a misunderstood must watch gem. Are you willing to set aside it’s negative feedback and review the romantic Chinese adaption for yourself?

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dont judge a drama by its rating ..give it try

we cant judge a food without tasting it and after tasting it, it not might be everyone's favourite right? just like that dont judge this drama untill u see it, i know this drama is not a cup of tea to everyone but give it try if u dont like it just drop, if u like it continue.

for me it was pretty good start and pretty good ending but what was bad about this was 6,7,8 was kind of difficult to understand means when i think they are about to confess or they are happily enjoying themselves something happens then again they are against that was a whole drama in mid ..other than that there chemistry was good, they look so prefect together love the visuals and ya they captured canada pretty well. not to forget our kim seon ho smile he looked so dashing in this drama. anyways binged this drama from 3:00pm to 3:00am giving it 9.5/10. i just loved how they added funny things in every episode to laugh and seeing kim seon ho smile and they way fl is so pretty made me watch this drama till end .. it made me to leave good impression becoze of last 2 episode which was preety good. overall not bad it was pretty good and this drama is not cup of tea to everyone probably everybody will have different mindset and opinions

this is my first timing writing review after seeing all the hate in the mdl page, and leaving this review for myself

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Idk how u all get past that age gap

I can't believe these pedophilic shows are the most hyped kdramas
I'm baffled at the whole show having a highschool student as its fl with a male lead who is 900+ years old. Yes, he is going to be older than anyone he meets but they could not have made her a college student or something. If their aim was to have a helpless yet cheerful fl they could have done that but no. straight up child and she was childish the whole time. Its said that she is 19 but a 19 year old in school is no way mature or 'legal' for grown ass people to date. The creators clearly wanted a literal child to be the main lead for the show. They even end the show by reincarnating her as a school girl.
The Grim Reaper-Goblin-Sunny arc was the best part of the show. Their story, how their pasts are connected, how they don't remember each other yet they cross each other's paths were all done well. The show should have been about the grim reaper and sunny's romance with the goblin being the 3rd person narrator and ji eun tak being someone they all mentor/brings them together. A found family trope if u may

The lore was good too, it was interesting till the last few episodes where it seems like they let go of the buildup so that people ended up together. I didn't drop the series for the sole reason of finding out the story, not because of the main couple.

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What a pleasant surprise!!!

I hadn't watched a Kdrama for a long time, and this drama just brought my spirit in a snap, just like when I first started watching dramas in 2021. This drama has made the cut for my favorite K-drama list, which I have maintained till now. I have a similar list for other dramas in other languages (I will share someday). Now let's jump to the review.
I don't have that much experience or patience for a review, so please bear with me. I may not be able to describe the drama in words but can in numbers.
Story -> 10/10
Acting -> 10/10
Cinematography -> 10/10
OST -> 10/10
Rewatch value -> 10/10
The chemistry between the leads is very endearing, and for the first time I didn't dislike the 2nd lead; moreover, I enjoyed their interaction.
And lastly my love for Go Youn Jung ....🫠🫠 Just how pretty can one person be!!!

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The plot had so much potential, but the delivery and character writing was awful.

Let me preface this by saying I actually LOVED the first 9 or 10 episodes... but it all went downhill for the last 2/3's of the show. Which sucks because the plot and setting of the show had so much potential.

I was actually pleasantly surprised to see a lot of the short web drama or vertical drama actors here and thought they did amazing in the beginning. But once the show moved away from the lightheartedness and tried to get more serious and have that psychological warfare - the gaps in their acting really showed. Even the FL wasn't immune and I could easily guess the plot twist based on her expressions (sister dying, marrying Bai Luo, etc.), maybe this was on purpose but it completely removed any shock value when the plot twist was revealed.

The main gripe I have with this show is the poor character writing and this applies to almost everyone. It felt like the writers just arbitrarily made the bad guys good and the good guys bad. For most of the show I was rooting for the 2ML only for him to have half an episode at the end to be one of the main villians; no build up to it, just a short explanation from him when he was caught and it made no sense how they were acting for just a big plot twist. Same goes for the sister -- the beginning made it seem like they would be the main antagonists and then they just turn around from one moment or conversation. There was no actual character growth before they're meant to be forgiven by the audience.

Same gripe with the main leads. After the first 3rd of the show - I just couldn't root for their romance and found myself fast forwarding through their romantic scenes. I enjoyed it more and only continued watching for the scheming and to see justice for the antagonists (which kept popping up out of nowhere with little to no tie-in from earlier episodes). I loved how smart both the FL and ML were when it came to strategies and execution but it was like they were clueless when it came to strategy and communication with each other. Imagine how much more they could've done if they worked together instead of deceiving each other over and over and over again.

But I'm giving it 5 stars for the beginning and the potential. I love historical dramas around female empowerment and LOVED LOVED the setting around a matriarchal family and culture. The setting around a tea culture was also a fun addition and loved learning more about it in the whole power through wealth and power through nobility set-up. Also loved all the scheming and plot twists (even if done poorly).

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