Reviews

A case study in failed character endearment

This is not a great show. To be honest, I struggled to finish it, even taking a break for a year or two in the middle. But there's nothing glaringly wrong with it on the surface. The premise is fun, the acting is decent, the production value standard for its release date. So what went wrong?

Writing. It always comes down to writing. Sure the dialogue is slow and dry and obvious, but I think there are deeper structural problems which make this a failure in my eyes. The biggest among these is a failure to endear the main characters to the audience. On the surface, it seems an heiress working part-time would speak to humility and empathy, but really she has her own selfish reasons. Ji-yi is nice (and probably the best character) but she has little agency and is mostly nice in the polite sense. The guys? They're both kind of jerks. Jung-gi is a manipulative gold digger who I never forgave and while Chung-su has a heart of gold he never really puts his money where his mouth is.

So why do we care? Why are we slogging through this drawn out mediocre plot with zero interesting developments or unexpected twists? Personally, I was hoping our mc would turn out to be very competent and defeat her foes using her wits and her wiles. Not so. She is bad at her job, and the only good business idea in the whole series is Ji-yi's idea! What! And we never see Ji-yi get rewarded for that either! The mc takes all the credit and now I care even less about her.

But the romance! What about the romance? Meh. Whatever. Started out cute, but once they got together the chemistry just wasn't there. Chung-su was tsundere without the dere. I think he made three expressions of affection the entire show. Meanwhile jung-gi is a demon sent from hell to pray on the innocent. Enough said.

So we spend most of the show fretting over what will happen in these romances which aren't convincing to these characters who we don't like. And nothing interesting ever happens! Needless to say, not a fan. I don't recommend.

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Were we watching a different show?

This show was a HUGE miss for me. I had to sit and think about this for a few days before I wrote this. I didn't go into this expecting it to rock my world or anything, but I thought this was unfinished and incredibly predictable. There were several story lines that were not necessary or unfinished. The storyline with the team leader that was hired that goes after Phuwin was just a waste of an episode. It was used as a plot device to get us to think that Thee was in the mafia, when in fact he was so far from the mafia it wasn't funny. Perth's character was completely useless and did absolutely nothing to move the plot forward. I loved that in episode 9 Phuwin tells Thee not to propose, but then in episode 10 he does and then flash forward to them immediately getting married. Plus, Pond adopting the kids was something I called from the first couple of episodes. William and Est had no real point in the show. Someone needs to tell the mom that the roaring 20's are long over. The dad gave off this macho man persona. Supposedly, people in the family were gunned down constantly, but yet, we saw no danger what so ever. So much so that after the 2nd episode Thee who's whole world revolves around him being safe and not being gunned down was just like I am going to stop carrying a gun because Phuwin says it's safe. I'm sorry what?! I just thought that overall the whole show was just a big unfinished flop for me.

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unnecessary

You know what make Hidden Love so good, there not unnecessary stuff… if this show was like hidden love and just about loving each other and growing stronger together I think this show has potential… but with all this unnecessary detective spy stuff is what lost me… I like the characters and racing… I love the cute lovey dovey scenes… why not just keep it that way… I don’t get it why break them up… honestly if you wanna break them up fine it happens in every drama… come up with a better reason… why a dumb cliche ohhh I want to keep you safe… how about something more meaning like what happen in Sniper Butterfly… that’s honestly a underrated show… if you saw that show you would know what I’m talking about… so how about just keep it as racing and just racing as the plot and not racing to get into some detective spy trying to solve a crime… I’m not here for that.

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the little drama that could but wouldn’t

i loved the storyline. that is what pulled me
in. after episode 1$2 I almost dropped it because it wasn’t what i expected. but the fl was so good that i stayed. ml lead was ok for me but to me they had 0 romance chemistry. big sister chemistry? yep. but that was about it. the entire line of him suddenly out of the blue falling in love with her when just minutes before he cried for his first love, wasn’t adding up. it was so forced and rehearsed. i just couldn’t take him serious!
there was no magic moment or anything like it. just here we go we are in love now. you could tell with the fl when it changed but not him. his explanation was “I don’t know when it changed”. this entire story felt forced after a while. the sfl is a great actress and so beautiful but seriously… in this drama they just let her have one meltdown after another because she wasn’t famous?! playing one against the other with her crying and needyness. her facial expression barely ever changed. i wanted to see so much more of her and they completely missed that opportunity!
sml was great and I was on his side until that moment! until he raised his hand. i was done after that. idc what happened but You do not hit someone. idc if male or female. you just don’t, period!
that long drawn out “wait for me” ….seriously?! this wasn’t an illness or threat or anything like that. you lied. you got caught. you are facing consequences! the end. same with sfl and her running in the street. you caused the problems. take responsibility!
that marriage proposal was so rushed lol. i expected more romance.
i was a bit disappointed to be honest.
it could have been so much more.

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A Very Mixed Bag

Kim Seonho's performance in particular was subpar, often one-note and flat, though he had a few nice moments with the FL. The acting of the leads makes up a huge part of my enjoyment of romance dramas so I was never as invested as I would have liked.

The writing likewise managed to create some nice moments but mostly it didn't really capitalize on the "interpreter in the middle of dates" reality tv setting. The scenery was very picturesque and clearly a lot of money was thrown in the production but what for?

I was initially skeptical about the inclusion of Do Rami but it turned out alright, even if the writing flip-flopped in quality when it came to that plotline too.

Watchable but also forgettable.

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Hope in the light of human beings

Ultraman Tiga is so good that it’s hard to put into words what it represents to me. I believe it’s not just nostalgia that gives me such a warm feeling right from the opening theme. Back in the early 2000s, I used to run home to watch it with my older brother. In my region, I was lucky enough to be able to watch the entire series on free-to-air TV.
The scenes, the music, the shouts Tiga lets out during his attacks… everything feels exactly the way I remember it. The difference is that now I can appreciate the story much more. I have to say there are very few episodes that aren’t interesting or don’t manage to keep you engaged. Perhaps that’s due to the strong cast of characters, which makes you more invested in what’s happening.
It’s a shame how much Tsuburaya struggled with Nagano Hiroshi’s talent agency. He’s an excellent Ultraman and could have made more cameos in later Ultra series. Overall, this show gets almost everything right, especially in its episodic storytelling, even if it can feel rushed at times.
It’s an old series, but one that clearly was made with a lot of care. Watch it.

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Absolutely flawless acting

wahoo wahooo I loveeeed every single thing. The main leads did an incredible job. I still dont have the words to express how much this drama means to me and how it healed me. Do yourself a favor and go watch it ! Absolutely the sweetest drama with brilliant acting; Superb !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Very Underrated Series

This is such a "good feel" series and so realistic!
If you're looking for an action packed or suspenseful drama filled with excitement, this series is NOT for you. This is ten episodes of just pure entertainment at a very relaxing pace. Eiji Akaso is at his best with such a believable performance as the lead protagonist, Satoru Mukai. You go along for the ride with him as he tries to figure out love and friendship from past and present relationships. Just when you think he finds the perfect match, it just doesn't work out .. each and every time.
The supporting cast blends perfectly with several stories going on at the same time. They all intertwine with each other, making for a great final episode. I think my only complaint was that there were only ten episodes. I could have watched another ten, it was just that entertaining.
There's a line used at the very end of the series, "Being an adult is fun. It's not as grown-up as I thought it would be"
That pretty much sums up the series.
Great drama with just a touch of comedy. Extremely enjoyable!!!

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Art + Decent Messeage + Teen Angst That Hits… But Trips on Its Own Stylus.

✨ THE GOOD (THE MOMENTS THAT SLAP):
The concept is fresh , art club hijinks with personal drama woven in like paint on canvas.
Characters actually have personalities. Some even grow! (relatively rare lately)
There are legit heartfelt scenes that sneak up on you , you’ll feel more than you expect.
I get the damn message too althghought they milk the sh*t out of it.

🙄 THE “WHY IS THIS SLOW… THEN NOT?” PACKAGE:
Pacing is a damn rollercoaster , mellow and cute one moment, then suddenly sprinting like it forgot its midterm.
Some scenes drag like they’re drying paint .
Then it rushes emotional beats like someone yelled “WRAP IT UP, WE’RE OUT OF EPISODES!”

🤦 THE “STYLE OVER STRUCTURE” ENERGY:
Visuals are fine, but sometimes it feels like the show’s attitude is:
“Look pretty and expressive… plot? Nah, we’ll find it later.”
Drama pops in and out like it’s on break. Characters go deep… then shallow… then deep again? Cool cool.

💔 THE “I LIKED IT BUT I WANNA SCREAM” DEPARTMENT:
The emotional stuff can be good , but the follow-through is awkward as fu*k.
Some arcs feel incomplete, like they sketched it but forgot to ink it , and the damn subplots ,
yes with an 's' , it can't fulfill it's fuc*ing main plot yet investes in sub ones and neither felt complete.

🎯 FINAL VERDICT:
A quirky, artsy drama with actual charm… just don’t expect it to hold your hand while it paints.

✔ Watch if: You like creative settings, character growth, and messy feelings.
❌ Skip if: You need tight plots, polished pacing, or drama that doesn’t wander.

🖌️ Best paired with: Coffee, fuzzy socks, and the willingness to enjoy vibes over structure — like a cozy sketchbook with half the pages blank.

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The Death of Romantic Comedy's

This is a perfect example of how Romantic Comedy's are dying. Im not going into this show, who started from a good premise to a Romantic Comedy and was butched of his purpose with plot twist's and cliff-hanger. In the same way a dessert shouldnt be good for you health, but full of sugar and bad for your health and good for your soul, a romantic comedy should be heart warming, should make you believe and conforting, not this that make the viewer full of anxiety with more sad and "painfull" moments than good and happy moments. If you want to make a drama, a suspense, a thriller full of those plot twist's, that's fine, i like those too. But when i choose a show described as a romantic comedy iam for sure dont want this.
Anyway, looks like more and more we see this happening. Looks like Romantic Comedy's are dying.

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The closest Keita Amemiya has ever come to a kaiju film

I've been deeply neglecting the works of Keita Amemiya in recent years and figured that Iron Armoured Machine Mikazuki would scratch that itch. Serving as an update on the boy and his giant robot subgenre that gave us the likes of Tetsujin-28 and Giant Robo, the series plays around with plenty of tokusatsu tropes and mixes in elements from the big three, be they costumed heroes or giant kaiju. The cards are kept relatively close to the chest for the admittedly rather slow and childish first half, but dramatically reveal a darker, more introspective core amidst all the flashy heroics once the dust has settled. It combines late-Heisei tokusatsu aesthetics with psychological sci-fi and mythic symbolism, with Mikazuki, a mysterious iron giant born from human desire, blurring the line between weapon, god, and reflection of the human soul, resulting in a show that prides itself on emotional conflict, moral ambiguity and the consequences of wishing for power. The monsters aren't just external threats, they're manifestations of human obsession, fear and despair. There's an unmistakable ambition to the series, having originally been pitched as a one-and-done film before Amemiya and writer Toshiki Inoue retooled it into what it is today. Each episode has the scale and look of similar tokusatsu productions from around the same time, but with the added benefit of going against the Japanese norm and being shot in widescreen. You can thank the extremely large budget for that. It all lends a greater weight to Amemiya's incredible visual designs, half of which feel like they've been ripped right out of his '90s body of work. The direction is clean, the music extremely catchy, the writing engaging, and the effects work is to a rigorously high standard; even with the rough early 2000s CG work, it's thankfully rather unintrusive. While Iron Armoured Machine Mikazuki might be flawed, bleak and unapologetically slow in places, it's equally moody, haunting and deeply unconventional. It's the kind of series that lingers in your mind not because it was polished or popular, but because it dared to be strange, sombre and sincere in an era when few shows of its kind were willing to take that chance.

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Quite a gem

I didn't expect to like this series as much as I did. Not gonna lie, it definitely reminded me of Jack & Joker in a lot of aspects, which is a good thing. There were some things I disliked, but almost none of them affected the rating, and I still pretty much enjoyed this series.

Things I liked about this series:
1. Grandma. Literally the smartest and the best character in the whole series. Saved this series so many times.
2. Thee. He is extremely smart but also humane. He is one of the characters that was keeping me sane while watching this series.
3. The chemistry between the main characters is almost unmatchable.
4. Acting. Almost everybody's acting was exceptional. I would personally love to highlight the actors that played Charn, Thaenthai, and Thee. They did a great job with their characters, and I truly wouldn't be able to find a better fit for their roles.
5. Thee and Thaentai escaping. While watching this series, almost nothing made me feel as happy as seeing them be happy and finally relaxed. Before that, every time I saw them on the screen, I felt like I had to hold my breath because I was so stressed, but once they arrived at their destination, I was finally able to breathe again. I truly love that couple. They went through a lot, but they absolutely deserve their peace and quiet after everything.
6. I loved Rose and Maya. They were a great help and support system for both Tin and Charn when needed.

Things I disliked about this series that didn't affect my rating:
1. Charn is a psychopath. He keeps betraying, lying, and going behind Tin's back again and again. It gets to a point!
2. I really liked Thaenthai, but some of his behaviors were still quite crazy.
3. Thaenthai posting an Instagram story with a clear view of his and Thee's location. That was incredibly stupid from both Thaentai and Thee (since he didn't stop him).
4. Thatthep is an absolute monster. The worst of the worst, bottom-of-the-barrel type of parent. Let's just say I'm happy karma knocked on his door sooner rather than later.

Things I disliked about this series that did affect my rating:
1. Some visual effects were a bit funky, but I didn't mind it too much.
2. I feel like the drama between Tin and Charn took too long. While I was super interested in the actual case and figuring out all of the secrets, I had to watch Tin and Charn having constant fights about anything and everything. I would've preferred if they focused a bit more on the case itself in the series.

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A whirlwind journey through the omegaverse

Action/Omegaverse Mix/Cuteness/Drama

PLOT: Pit Babe is an Alpha A (somewhat with super sense), escaped from a "stable of Alphas" raised by Tony. He has become one of the best race car drivers. Dreaming of becoming a driver himself and wanting to protect Babe, Charlie (a recent student graduate and a pheromone-free Alpha) joins the team as a Babe's boy (sex buddy). His brother Jeff also joins the team as a mechanical technician. However, the obstacles are numerous: Tony's underhanded tactics (he wants Babe back); Way, a love rival; Winner's dirty competition (driver from another team); etc.

+++ Pavel delivers a superb performance, stealing the show in a tailor-made dominant male role, while still managing to show his vulnerabilities. Seeing him cry/suffer (and he does it a lot towards the end of the series) is heartbreaking for the viewer. Pooh (whose acting skills I don't doubt) shines less brightly in a softer, more subdued role (as the character demands). But the chemistry between the two is palpable.
+++ The entire cast is convincing and skillfully portrays characters with varying degrees of development. Even the Great Villain is good: we hate him :)
+++ Excellent OSTs

### No explanation of the Omegaverse and its components, so newcomers will be lost in the first few episodes. ABO Desire managed to rectify this flaw.
### Many overly obvious product placements (did the series need a real big budget?)
### While the grandstands at car races are usually full of (screaming and scantily clad) women, here, we don't see anyof them! Is the Omegaverse an exclusively male universe?
### A few plot holes and inconsistencies (the Alphas and Enigmas are supposed to be powerful, but they're no match for some bad guys?) but sometimes you have to be forgiving :)

=> I didn't believe it, (ʘ ͜ʖ ʘ) but now I understand why this series is addictive and got a second season (´♡‿♡`)
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Mix d'action / Omegaverse / Cuteness / Drame

PLOT: Pit Babe est 1 alpha A (qq super PW), échappé d'1 "écurie d'alphas" élevés par Tony. Il est devenu 1 des meilleurs pilotes de course. Rêvant de devenir pilote et voulant protéger Babe, Charlie (jeune diplômé, alpha sans phéromone) intègre la Team en devenant 1 Babe's boy. Son frère Jeff intègre aussi la Team comme mécanicien. Cpdt, les obstacles sont multiples : coups bas de Tony (qui veut récupérer Babe ; Way love rival ; concurrence sale de Winner (autre équipe) ; etc.

+++ Superbe performance de Pavel, qui crève l'écran ds 1 rôle de mâle dominant taillé sur mesure, sachant cpdt montrer ses vulnérabilités. ಥ_ಥ ಥ_ಥ . Le voir pleurer / souffrir (et il le fait bcp dans la fin de la série), est un crève-cœur pour le spectateur. Pooh (dont je ne mets pas les acting skills en doute) brille moins ds 1 rôle + doux, + effacé (comme le veut le personnage). Mais l'alchimie entre les 2 est palpable.
+++ L'ensemble du cast est convaincant et interprète avec talent des personnages +/- développés. Même le Great Villain est bon : on e déteste :)
+++ Excellentes OSTs

### Aucune explication sur l'Omegaverse et ses composantes, donc les non-initiés seront perdus ds les 1ers épisodes. ABO Desire a su remédier à cette erreur.
### Bcp de placements de pdts trop évidents (la série avait besoin d'un gros budget ?)
### Alors que les tribunes des courses auto sont en général pleines de filles (hurlantes et peu habillées), ici, on n'en voit aucune ! L'omegaverse est-il un univers uniquement masculin ??
### Qq plot holes et incohérences (les Alphas et Enigmas sont supposés puissants, mais ne font pas le poids face à qq mauvais garçons ?) mais il faut parfois être indulgent :)

=> Je n'y croyais pas, (ʘ ͜ʖ ʘ) mais je comprends maintenant pourquoi cette série est addictive et a fait l'objet d'une saison 2 (´♡‿♡`)

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