Reviews

Between Past and Present, Love Finds a Way

Someday or One Day is one of those rare dramas where, within the first minute, you already know you are in for something special. By the time the OST starts playing, your heart is already hooked. This is not just a romance, but a carefully layered story about love, grief, identity, time travel, healing, and human connection. Every rewatch reveals something new because the writing, direction, and production are filled with subtle clues and foreshadowing that reward careful viewers.

What makes this drama truly exceptional is its cross-genre storytelling. It is not only a romance, nor just a mystery, nor only a time-travel fantasy. It blends all of them together. At the same time, it becomes a reflection on loss, mental health, adolescence, and the longing to be understood. The pacing is tight, the structure is clever, and the puzzle of timelines never feels messy. Instead, the story slowly unfolds in a way that keeps you emotionally invested while constantly making you think.

Ko Chia Yen delivers a phenomenal performance. Because of the nature of the plot, she is not simply playing different ages of one character, but completely different personalities across timelines. At times she is an introverted, fragile teenager pretending to be a confident adult, while also being an adult trapped inside a teenager’s body. These layered performances could easily collapse in weaker hands, but Ko Chia Yen nails every emotional beat. You can recognize who she is playing instantly just by her posture, gaze, and tone.

The drama also works because the supporting cast rises to her level. Greg Hsu as Li Zi Wei brings warmth, sincerity, and emotional depth. His performance balances charm and vulnerability, making the romance feel natural instead of exaggerated. Patrick Shih deserves special praise as Mo Jun Jie. His role is complex, painful, and quietly tragic. He is not a typical second male lead, but a deeply layered character whose story touches on loneliness, mental illness, and misunderstood youth. His portrayal is moving and realistic, and he becomes one of the emotional anchors of the show.

The romance between Huang Yu Xuan and Li Zi Wei is one of the most mature and sincere relationships in dramaland. Their bond is built on trust, protection, and emotional safety rather than superficial attraction. They argue, they struggle, and they hurt, but they never stop choosing each other. It feels like the kind of relationship people hope for in real life. Their chemistry is palpable, warm, and believable in every timeline.

Another beautiful strength of Someday or One Day is its meaningful themes. The drama openly addresses grief, depression, identity confusion, bullying, and emotional breakdowns. It sends a powerful message about asking for help, caring for fragile adolescents, and not ignoring psychological pain. It also delivers subtle but important pro-LGBT and mental health awareness messages without forcing them. Every character feels human, flawed, and deserving of empathy.

The production quality is equally impressive. The cinematography is soft and emotional, while the sets and visual choices hide tiny details that connect the timelines together. The OST deserves special mention. From the opening song to the ending track, the music stays with you long after the episode ends. It becomes part of the story itself. This is one of the rare dramas where you never want to skip the intro or outro because the music carries the emotion of the entire narrative.

Overall, Someday or One Day is not just a drama you watch once. It is a story you experience, revisit, and slowly fall deeper into. With brilliant writing, unforgettable performances, a soul-touching soundtrack, and a love story rooted in sincerity and healing, it becomes one of those dramas that quietly stays with you forever.

If you want a series that makes your heart ache, your mind think, and your emotions overflow, this is truly a beautiful ride worth taking. 💙

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MASTERPIECE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, here it is, the first true masterpiece of 2026, and I'm all the more proud because it's from my favorite actor. I still remember the C-trauma of 2024 with Beautiful Lies! As for Turquoise Land, it was enjoyable, but clearly didn't live up to the hype.

But this one… it's a real knockout. A resounding success, even surpassing Speed ​​and Love.

And for those of you who haven't seen it yet, you're probably wondering: why is it so highly rated?

1) Originality:

Indeed, Love Between Lines stands out as a modern drama borrowing from E-Sport Gaming, a "Republican era" subgenre that reminded me of my favorite Chinese drama, FALL IN LOVE with Chen XingXu (a nod to that role?).

2) The OST album:

Each track has a soul! Sometimes magical, reminiscent of Narnia, sometimes gentle and rhythmic.
Each scene is truly perfectly suited to a specific moment, without the incessant repetition found in other dramas.

3) The Chemistry

I've seen him in everything he's done with different women (I'll post an edit about that later), and there are very few times when I've felt he was truly 200% present. He always has great chemistry with his co-star, but the countless kissing scenes in this one confirmed his professionalism once again, and perhaps also a very strong, genuine connection with her more than with any other actress.

4) The Story

How could anyone miss this captivating and moving story, driven by the quest for truth that brings peace to our hero's soul? The narrative is compelling, both for its immersion in the world of architecture and for its exploration of his personal vendetta and the complexity of his family relationships. The pacing is perfectly controlled: there's always something happening, without ever becoming tedious. The episodic format also proves ideal for tackling such a complex and nuanced subject.

5) The Production

The filming locations are absolutely magnificent, and the resources deployed to create an almost magical atmosphere are impressive, at times transporting us back to the 1920s. And what can I say about the train scene in the snow? Breathtakingly beautiful. Visually, the drama is simply stunning: the varied costumes of the protagonists, the framing choices, the camera movements… Nothing is left to chance.

6) The Acting

The entire cast delivered believable and nuanced performances! Some supporting actors stood out more than others. Especially the half-brother, who had a lot of charisma! My only regret, I would say, is that his personal story and their relationship could have been explored differently. I am very proud of CXX, always poignant in his performance, reassuring, protective; even in humor or anger, he moves me to tears, he truly impresses me!

As for LYX, whom I watched in all her dramas and shows to learn acting, I'm always in awe of her radiant and sparkling performances. She's never annoying; she can portray a wide range of emotions, and I find her very endearing!

CONCLUSION:

Based on a novel, Love Between Lines stands out as a fully successful and faithful adaptation, skillfully blending several genres without ever losing its focus. The perfectly chosen cast works wonderfully: the chemistry between the actors is evident, and their almost mirrored interactions reinforce the power of the narrative. The story is carefully constructed, driven by a quest for truth that intensifies with each episode. Between a touching romance, sumptuous sets, high-quality music, and a masterful pace, all the ingredients are there. The production delivers a remarkable drama, amply worthy of its global success, just like its predecessor, Speed ​​and Love.

A must-see. Bravo!

10/10!!!!!

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Love Between Lines is an Amazing Drama! Worth the Watch!

First of all, I’m really glad they didn’t follow the novel. They changed quite a bit, and honestly, it worked. Everything felt more cohesive and emotionally satisfying. Big kudos to Mao De Shu and everyone working behind the camera because the pacing and storytelling were handled really well.

Let me just say that Love Between Lines is so good. It has the right amount of angst, balanced by enough cute, lovely, and comedic scenes that it never feels too heavy. The character development was consistent, and the emotional beats landed where they should. We didn’t get a wedding scene, but it totally made sense since the story focused more on growth, healing, and emotional resolution rather than just ticking off tropes. And with so many kisses served to us, I’m definitely satisfied!

As for CXX and LYX, goodness, I’m so obsessed with their chemistry! I know LYX is always good at creating chemistry with her co-actors, but their pairing just hits differently for me. Their interactions felt so natural and effortless. From the quiet moments to the more intense scenes, everything just worked. They’re seriously perfect for each other on screen. Manifesting another drama for them, a full Republican-era one, please!

But really, it’s just the start of 2026 (we haven’t even celebrated CNY yet), and we’re already being spoiled with great dramas and amazing actors and actresses. Even the supporting cast delivered solid performances. And let’s talk about the OSTs this month. They’re definitely no-skip playlists! For Love Between Lines, every song fit the scene it was in. No awkward placements, no overdoing it.

So overall, yes, this drama is 100% rewatchable. Rewatching it an unreasonable number of times is totally valid. ❤️

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always excited for this drama

After being fully satisfied with watching Taxi Driver Season 1, I continued to Season 2 with high expectations, and it did not disappoint. Season 2 feels more mature and refined, with a broader scope of cases and even stronger emotional impact. The story expands beyond individual revenge missions and shows how the Rainbow Taxi team faces bigger enemies and more complex moral dilemmas. Each case is still gripping, but the scale and intensity are noticeably elevated.
Lee Je-hoon once again delivers an outstanding performance as Kim Do-gi, showing deeper layers of his character, from quiet determination to emotional vulnerability. The chemistry among the Rainbow Taxi members remains solid and heartwarming, making their teamwork even more satisfying to watch. The drama also improves its action scenes, making them more thrilling and visually engaging, while still maintaining a strong focus on storytelling. What makes Season 2 truly compelling is its balance between action, emotion, and social criticism. It continues to highlight injustices that often go unpunished, giving viewers a sense of catharsis and reflection at the same time. Overall, Taxi Driver Season 2 successfully builds on the strengths of Season 1 and proves that the story still has a powerful message to deliver, making it a highly rewarding continuation of the series.

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not just action drama

I first watched this drama because it was recommended by my friend and it became my favorite drama. Taxi Driver Season 1 delivers a powerful and satisfying story with a unique concept about revenge and justice. Each episode presents different cases inspired by real social issues, making the plot feel intense, emotional, and meaningful. The storytelling is well-paced, keeping viewers curious about what will happen next.
The acting is one of the strongest points of this drama. Lee Je-hoon did an outstanding job portraying Kim Do-gi, showing both his calm charisma and deep emotional pain. The supporting cast also shined, especially the Rainbow Taxi team, whose teamwork and loyalty added warmth and balance to the dark themes.
What I loved most is how the drama combines action, thriller, and moral questions without feeling forced. The action scenes are thrilling, the villains are truly hateable, and the satisfaction when justice is served is unmatched. Overall, Taxi Driver Season 1 is an unforgettable drama that leaves a strong impact and makes you eagerly want to continue to the next season.

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A fresh take on a beloved genre

So when it's men dating much younger women it's a dating show but when it's a woman doing it it's a noona dating show? This show is created in response this exact gender descriminination.

If you're looking for an in-depth analysis of the sociopolitical basis of dating, read something. This show is showing rather than telling. And what it shows are age gap couples navigating the early stages of attraction. The cast is interesting enough to give some laughs and the camaraderie between the women is especially great.

It was refreshing to watch a show with mature contestands, I'm not getting invested in the romance of a 23-year-old ever again. The women were all well-rounded and accomplished, but the men though younger were too. Some lacked communication skills, but this added drama, especially in the latter episodes.

There is one couple that will inevitably capture your heart and don't be afraid to ship it! Such anadulterated affection!

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These spicy scenes go crazy...I love it

These two episodes were better than the actual show. I hated these two in the show, I'm not even going to lie. They're relationship was all about sex and nothing else. Neither of them had any personality either. I was just sex and that's it. In these two episodes we saw more of an actual relationship from them and actual bonding sweet moments between them, than we did in the entirety of the rest of the show.

Do I like these two? No. That being said, I did enjoy this much more. their chemistry is really good too.

The spice...was immaculate. Actual TOP TIER SH*T!

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It has nothing to do with a "Double"

HORRIBLE! And note almost all of my reviews get an extra point if ML is exceptionally fine. This still ranks a 3. And horrible ML rapes FL without the usual excuse even. Then other maid says it was her he raped (because, you know, it's an honor to get with the rich guy). When he discovers she doesn't have butterfly tattoo on her shoulder, he literally kicks her under the coffee table (several kicks). FL so stupidly tries to remove the butterfly tattoo by pricking the skin on her shoulder BUT SHE FOLLOWS THE OUTLINE OF THE TATTOO SO ML SEES IT'S STILL A BUTTERFLY SHAPE even though it's oozing and scabby but it's still a butterfly 🤦 Story has nothing to do with a double. ENDING: Very abrupt. ML saves FL from an explosion but then he leaves her almost passed out on the steps to go do something. Someone hands her a note and the camera shows the note, but since I can't read Chinese... it ends. This is a prime example of how good looks can fool you. I had to constantly remind myself of the initial rape (no drugs to blamed it on) and the continual non-consent throughout because once he began to show care for her outside of the bedroom, I would almost forget. 😡 Mad at myself!

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First Impression: https://www.iq.com/album/peach-lover-2026-1x86zyfuj9x?lang=en_us

Overall: it was a sensual start so hopefully the plot either makes sense or it goes completely off the rails. 10 episodes about 50 minutes each. Airing on IQIYI https://www.iq.com/album/peach-lover-2026-1x86zyfuj9x?lang=en_us

What I Liked
- Sasom was upfront about what he wanted
- Po was into it and not a blushing virgin
- sensual scenes done well

Room For Improvement
- the AI generated art at the beginning and the end which is ironic given that the main character's job (drawing book covers) is being rendered obsolete by AI (can start at 4 minutes to skip it for the beginning)
- voicing inner thoughts (so much telling instead of showing)
- the end slideshow was not needed

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The life stories of a tomboy and a milksop

Anpan is the fictionalized biography of Komatsu Nobu and Takashi Yanase the latter of whom was a mangaka and the creator of Anpanman, a character so successful that it overtook the sales of Hello Kitty in 2002. Even from the title it's clear that the draw for this series is Anpanman, but, as the series faithfully documents, Anpanman was not created until Takashi was 50 which happens around week 21 in this series, and, even then, the anime was not created until Takashi was 69. And so the series, appropriately, is more focused on Nobu and her family. To be fair, all the evidence is that she had quite a bit more personality and more interesting jobs than her famous husband (named Yanai in this series).

Nobu and Yanai met and grew up together in a small village near to and now a suburb of Kochi City on Shikoku. Young Nobu was a bit of a jock (to the extent that it was possible in the culture at the time) who would always choose to run rather walk. As is common in asadoras, a child actor (Nagase Yuzuna) performs the character in the early episodes and Imada Mio takes over starting in high school. I found Imada's performance throughout to be perfectly fine and professional playing Nobu as upbeat and energetic pretty much throughout though it must be noted that Nobu is the very rare protagonist in an asadora that spans the wars who fully supported the Japanese wars in Asia and the Pacific. She is a grade school teacher during the final years of war, dutifully and enthusiastically drills her students with the war propaganda she is required to teach. And so when Japan finally surrenders, and she sees the cost of what she and others have done, she thoroughly regrets what she had done, quits teaching and sincerely seeks ways to make the world a better place. Indeed, one of the major themes of the series is how the characters respond to their parts in the wars.

Yanai is played by Kitamura Takumi who has the much more difficult role of playing a talented artist who is self-effacing and hesitant to the point of complete and utter inertia at times. The character is unrelentingly uncharismatic, and - absolutely no shade on the actor since that is how the character is written - he effectively portrays Yanai as such throughout.

I must admit that one of the reasons that I watched this series is that Kawai Yuumi plays the oldest of Nobu's two younger sisters, Ranko. As ever, she is an upcoming actress who is one to watch - she has already won the Japanese Film Academy prize for Best Actress (read my review of A Girl Named Ann here on MDL, and then never, ever watch the film). Ranko is a perfectly fine character with her own arc through the series, but there's not all that much for Kawai to do here even as she acquits herself well as usual.

On the other hand, it was Hara Nanoka's performance as Nobu's youngest sister, Meiko, that really caught my eye, and had me searching to see what else she has been in. Her portrayal of Meiko's crush on one of Yanai's friends is both delightful and hilarious. Meiko led the most conventional life of the three sisters, and so there is not that much for character to do in the second half of the series, but her turn in that first half is very fun.

Anpanman itself is a very strange character: a hero who happily offers his head to be eaten by the starving and always nonviolently fights to help people. And so this series is about how that character came to be, and the parts of that character which were drawn from the lives of the people around the real Takashi. I do think the series is successful in telling that story, and I also think it is reasonably fun and entertaining along the way. If you're a fan of Anpanman, then it's probably a must-watch. If you like asadoras as genre then it's well worth the watch: I have this one as above average though not near the greats like Amachan, Tora ni Tsubasa, Oshin and Gochisosan (the latter three of which span roughly the same historical time period). For the general viewer who is unacquainted with the format it's perfectly fine, but there are better ones to introduce you to them.

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First Impression: Cat For Cash

Overall: I was not expecting that tone for the first episode (it is not a crack comedy). I am intrigued about how the plot will play out. 10 episodes about 45 minutes each. Airing on GMM TV Official YouTube channel
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLszepnkojZI5WpQxIaeCGSKl7G1Px_U0c&si=f10YaiwuGAZSGRM3 and GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/6203/cat-for-cash-2026-e01 (in the U.S., U.K., Germany & France)

Content Warnings: there is a major one in episode 1, you can start episode 1 part 4 at 5 minutes 30 seconds to skip it, I'm keeping this spoiler free for now

What I Liked
- seeing First and Khao again
- caring moments
- the cats are cute
- that characters were fairly up front about who they are

Room for Improvement
- nervous about pacing

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