Reviews

Highly overrated but bland on the inside

I guess I can't seem to learn my lesson from not watching dramas based on reviews. I've seen a lot of wuxia/xiaxia dramas, so I'm quite unimpressed. I lasted till episode 21 because I had downloaded up to that, and the female was exciting to watch.
This drama felt so bland that I couldn't see exactly what everyone was praising. The few actions we got from the fl were great, but the plot itself wasn't engaging. I'm not a fan of the ml visuals, and he seemed to have all the time in the world in his hands, doing nothing but taking a walk. They had quite a few cute scenes and some of their interactions were funny but that was all I got. His acting was a little rigid. I preferred her general to the ml, but who am I to decide who she loves? Overall, the drama had potential but ended up being average for me. There was no tension or intense storyline to make me want to start the next episode.

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The Demon Hunter’s Romance (that was let go due to differing circumstances)

Amazing, but be warned your heart will be healed, torn, healed, and be broken again. I was stuck in a drama slump until this aired. I throughly enjoyed every episode, every moment from the beginning to end. Every detail, turn of plot, twists, connections—everything was painfully perfected. Every character, even smaller roles, were fleshed out and intriguing.

I especially appreciated how the love between Banxia and Xuanye developed. Thank goodness it was not a love at first sight or love without reasoning. Song Zuer and Allen Ren had overflowing chemistry in addition to the top notch storytelling. Gotta give a shout out to Chi Xue, Youhuang, Wen Jian, Lingying, and Xuanye’s father (the most amazing, understanding, and kind father—their reunion was beyond touching and made me teared up).

Alas, the divided ending… it was painful, but beautifully so—a perfect example of “it’s better to have loved and lost, than to not have loved at all.” I’m glad both remembered their last memories together, it would’ve been too much if only Xuanye remembered.

When the ending came and they ultimately, quietly made the best decision for their circumstances, I found it understandable. Xuanye’s people needed him, and so did Banxia’s family. They each had things to take care of, and respected the other person’s decision. For me, this was the ultimate act of love.

In my heart, I’ll imagine that they do indeed meet again after things have settled down in Carefree Land and resume living out their days together.

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The Porn Supremacy

It has become clear to me, from the very first scene, that the producers of this magnificent show must have hired someone from the gay porn industry as a consultant. This, I believe, is how their pre-production meetings went.

Day 1.
The Producer: Alright, everyone. The results are in, and the trends are clear. There is now a clear north-south divide in the BL audience. Those who seek chaste BLs of cute boys go to Korea or Japan. If they want spice… they come to us or go to Taiwan. Now, the greatness that is Mame showed us how low — I mean, how far — we can go. We now have to up our game. So, I have hired a consultant, Thunder Thighs, from the world of gay porn…
Writer 1: Oh god.
The Producer: …to help us improve our offering. Let’s give him a warm welcome.
Thunder (to thunderless applause): Cheers. Now, let’s get to work. Show me what you have.
Writer 1: I think we’ve covered all the basics. Two couples, potentially three; tall tops, short bottoms; rich tops, poor bottoms; boss tops, subordinate bottoms; slutty tops, virgin bottoms…
Thunder: Yeah, I get the idea. Are these dom tops?
Writer 2: One of them; the other is for chaste-chasers.
Writer 1: We also have the tried-and-tested office setting, women dotted around the periphery, time jump, accidental fall-and-catch, zero-percent body fat…
Thunder: Good, good. Any gay guys in it?
Writer 1: Only one. But don’t worry, he is a stereotype and will have neither personality nor boyfriends.
Thunder: Good. Nothing is more off-putting in gay porn than having gay men in it. What about the other guys? Are they “straight”?
Writer 2: Well, technically, they would be bisexuals.
Writer 1: But we don’t acknowledge them. Or use that word.
Thunder: Brilliant. This is all very promising.
Writer 2: Do you want to hear the story?

Thunder: Nah. No one cares about that. People usually just fast forward past it to get to the good stuff.
The Producer (puzzled): Why then have it in the first place?
Thunder: To give the illusion of reality, of course. You have to be able to believe that there is a world in which you can “pay the pizza guy back” by servicing him, or that you can “convert” a “straight” guy gay…
Writer 1: Ah, so this is another form of “conversion therapy”.
The Producer: You’re fired.


Day 2.
Writer: So, this is how the story begins. An inexperienced youth is initiated into the rites of gay romance by a brash senior. Time pulls them apart. But then, a few years later, they end up working at the same office, and…
Thunder: How does the initiation happen?
Writer: Well, we thought that they could spot each other across a Buddhist temple, know that they were meant for each other, bump into each other, literally, the top will then catch the bottom...
Thunder: What the fuck is this? Are you writing for the Hallmark Channel? This won’t work. Here’s how you do it. The old’un’s the top, yeah? Have him wank off secretly in a public place…
Writer: Secretly… in a public place?
Thunder: Yes. Then have the bottom catch him in the act, by hiding clearly where the top can see him.
Writers: Hiding, where he can be seen? 

Thunder: Yes. Then the top catches him watching, pulls him in, and says, ‘You’re so hard! Come, I’ll give you a hand shandy, and make you come." He'll go: "But I thought you were straight?" Wait… can the top be his stepbrother?
Writer: No!
The Producer (at the same time): Yes!
Thunder: Never mind. You’ve seen gay porn, right? So you know what comes next. One of them says: “Have you ever done this before?” The other guy says: “no”. Then, "Do you want to try?" Then, "Sure." Now, avoid kissing if possible, yeah? Kissing is “gay”. But if they must kiss, have the top say: “Can I kiss while I wank you off? It’ll be hotter.” The bottom says: “What if we get caught?” The top goes: “We won’t…”
Writers: You want us to put all of this in the first episode?
Thunder: Are you kidding? This is the first scene!


Day 3.
Writer 1: Should we talk about the other couples?
(Writer 2: Welcome back.)

Thunder: There’s more?
Writer 1: Yes, one more gay couple and one lesbian couple.
Thunder: What’s the deal with the other gay couple?
Writer 1: Well, we were going to have them as a sweet, romantic alternative to the spiciness of the first.
The Producer: We have to cater to the non-horny people, Mr Thighs. Otherwise, they’ll all go to Korea.
Thunder (looking at the cast photos and finding Yoon): Wait… Isn’t this the guy from Unforgotten Night? You’re telling me we’re not going to have him romp around with his chump in the office?
Writer 2: His Champ. And no, we are not.
Thunder: What’s wrong with you people? Have him take his kit off and bring back his back tattoo… Have Champ ravenclaw at it while he’s beneath his boss, like Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct. I guarantee you…
The Producer (getting up): Perhaps might be a good time for a break.

Writer 1: Okay, what about the lesbian couple? (To the Producer): Are we allowed to say “lesbian” in Thai BL/GL?
The Producer: No.
Thunder: Sorry, I’ve nothing to contribute to that. If you want to fetishise or demean lesbians, go to straight men.

To be continued…

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Cute and fluffy drama

Since only one episode has been released so far, I cannot give a very in-depth review yet. But so farit is very promising to me and I can't wait for the rest!

Story:
This is a story of two young and inexperienced people in an early 20th century setting. They get together thourgh a uncomplicated arranged marraige and slowly begin to understand and tackle what being married is like. I enjoyed the pacing of the sotry and their dynamic a lot in the first episode. I feel like they truly care for each other and want to make the best out of the situation.

Characters:
The characters are quite cliché for this kind of story. A timid and shy FL and an a little colder or closed off ML. What I enjoy contrary to many other dramas of this style, the ML is not domeneering or mean to the FL. He truly wants the ebst for her and vice versa. You can tell both are very emotional and nervous around each other,. I hope to see lots of gradual developement between these two.

Music:
Really sublte score so far, altohugh I do enjkoy the Main Score so far.

I would recommend watching this drama if you`ve enjoy a more calm but engaging approach to this kindof story.

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Review of rewatch after watching one and only

I have just now finished watching it for the 2nd time.1st time I watched it without watching "one and only" but now when I rewatched this I am amazed by how Shi Yi loved him across lifetimes and how Zhousheng Chen embraced his feelings of past life in this lifetime without any reservations. This has now become one of my best watch coz during my first watch I just thought that since Shi Yi is the dubbing artist for that drama she might have imagined herself as the female protagonist of the dubbed drama but now when I rewatched it I could tell that she constantly was reminiscing her past life. Zhousheng Chen who couldn't embrace his own feelings towards Shi Yi in the past life was attracted to her in this lifetime without him realizing. Such a beautiful connection of reincarnation with an ambiguity of them remembering their past life was truly heart whelming.

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A Lot of Action Not A Lot of Substance

Weak Class Hero Season 2 and The Uncanny Counter have a lot in common.

Their first season slayed and their second season just lost it's way. I feel liked I've Been Waiting so long to be reintroduced to Weak Class Hero 2 but it fell so short for me.

Sure it wasn't all bad I mean PARK JI HOON is a national treasure and seeing his performances is what got me through this sub par Second Season. With the added CHOI MIN YEONG I mean that dude is a good little actor and so effing cute.

RYEO UN from Twinkling Watermelon was an interesting addition yet his performance also fell short for me and I love that guy.
But a last minute return of Su Ho opened up my heart. I'll never watch this Season Again but if a Season 3 emerged from this mess that was Season 2 as long as PARK JI HOON & CHOI HYUN WOOK are in the cast I'll be there.

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So much potential, so it feels like a waste

I hate to give it such a mediocre rating, as it has a lot of good points. Music is fantastic, plot is interesting, romance has a lot of cute points. Executioin just is lacking. I found myself skipping forward quite a lot, particularly plots with Furong and his sister Youlan. After Ep 31 I pretty much read Cyn Lynn's blog of recaps so I could skip a ton to get to the end, I was just that uninterested in how everything turned out, except for the fate of the main couple.

In addition, I'm sorry but Zhao Liying and Lin Gengxin both are very wooden in their acting. I haven't watched anythiung else with either of them but this doesn't make me interested in pursuing any of their other works. ZLY's acting got better but in the mortal arc (when she wasn't a bird), her expressions literally did not change at all. I love how adept many Chinese actors are at microexpressions, but these were not microexpressions, they were flat/lackof expressions, which is most definitely not the same. Lin Gengxin was ok at his playfulness but I think his handsomeness did the bulk of the work for him, as did the voice actor who dubbed him. The kissing was cringingly awkward; sure I get they were both celibate before but recreating what two 15-year-old virgins are like when they first kiss isn't really necessary to sell that to us, right?

Anyway, I still did like this overall, I just feel frustrated that it had a lot more potential than what was given to us.

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Traveling from Joseon to Modern day

Hey everyone, last time on the K-drama study, I reviewed When the Stars Gossip, a show I didn't enjoy at all. I wasn't a fan of the story, and some of the characters were strange, making the show unenjoyable. Today, I'm here to review Heo's Diner, a show I hoped would be more enjoyable than the first drama I watched in 2025. Now let's jump into the review and see what my thoughts were for the drama.


Heo's Diner is a time travel show with culinary elements thrown into the mix. During the first half of the episode, we are in the Joseon period getting to know the characters of the period. Xiumin plays the male lead and the character that goes from Joseon to modern-day Seoul. I didn't mind the historical drama moments as that added to the mix. Mr. Homless played my Xiumin dies in the Joseon period which makes him time jump to the present day. I love the expressions the character delivered as he was experiencing new things in modern-day Seoul. Exy Playds the female lead Eun Sil is a decent character one that is gullible and light-hearted at times. I loved her interactions with Mr. Homelss as they had some good chemistry together. I loved seeing both characters working at the diner as Mr. Homeless was looking for who tried to killer Eun Sil's mother. The billion who owns the restaurant access from the diner did a fantastic job as he fits the role perfectly making him seem suspicious. Seeing Detective Kang working with the villion makes the detective feel like a sheep. I did find the whole plot easy to understand as you don't have to think much watching the show. Finding out that the villain who owns the restaurant tried to kill Eun Sil's mother wasn't a surprise to me as he felt suspicious the first time. I do find the ending sweet, but not overly happy.

The OSTs for this show were pretty good, but not overly special. 2Z released the first OST which grew on over the weeks. Acapella group Maytree who was on America's Got Talent delivered a sweet OST that worked wonderfully with the show vibe. I did find most of these OSTs to have a sweet vibe as I've been listening to them from time to time whenever I'm in the mood for them, but overall the songs were pleasant enough.

Overall I'll be giving Heo's Diner a low B for having a decent story and characters that kept me interested in the show. At least this show was better than When the Stars Gossip. I wasn't overly blown away by Heo's Diner, but I still enjoyed it for what it was. So don't forget to come back next time when I review The Haunted Palace.

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It's not so much a story of coming of age, but rather one of sensitivity

It happens without warning. It lands on the beardless and scrawny body of a young Nie Xiao Zhi, who wanders through the gardens and lytchee fields of his parents' family plantation on one of the islands of Zhejiang, a province in eastern China, and seeps into his veins, possessing him and leaving him without reserve with the force of an electric shock.
Unequivocal and inescapable, first love unfolds on the screen of 'Secrets Happened on the Litchi Island' ('Li Zhi Shu Xia Re Lie Dao') just a few minutes from its start, but it permeates the 120 minutes divided into seven episodes of approximately 15 minutes each, a series that shakes off the prejudices and common obstacles of homosexuality in its historical and social context, to tell a story of friendship, love, and admiration in all its splendor. In my case, it was a rediscovery of sexual awakening that caught me off guard despite the media hype and invaded me like summer days for a teenager, where the only goal is calm, carefree enjoyment.
'Secrets Happened on the Litchi Island' gives us a sensational romance starring one of the couples of the year: Liu Yihe and Hu Yi Chen, who, personally, I like as much as the duo formed by New and Pide, the two actors who played Fou4Mod and Chian in that order, in 'GelBoys', and Ahn Ji Ho and Lee Sang Jun, who gave life to Lee Hee Su and Kim Seung Won, respectively, in 'Heesu in Class 2'. Both shine independently, but when they share the scene the chemistry is explosive. The first thing that caught my attention was the beautiful filmography, the exquisite cinematography, the symbolism, a language steeped in that mixture of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, known as Humanism, the key to Chinese philosophy and the cultural thought of that gigantic country, from the most ancient times to the present day, and the aesthetics that immerse you in history.

SETTINGS AND FILMING LOCATIONS

Although the camera also rolls in Guangdong, Moganshan, and the Dongguan Jianyuzhou Cultural Park, most of the scenes were filmed in Zhejiang, with its rural interior, urban centers along the East China Sea, and the picturesque West Lake, where the labyrinth of islands, islets, gardens, stone bridges, and historical sites act as a winding guide for the protagonists through the secrets that await them in a summer that could very well have been the last or be the next.
Xiao Zhi arrives at this place, fulfilling his promise to Xiao Long, his older brother, to participate in the summer camp as a teaching assistant.
The meeting place and boiling love are a modern building surrounded by ruins that serve as a shelter where children play during summer vacation, the dining room, the outdoor garden that serves both as a recreation and play area and as a place where they will have snacks and lunch, and the lychee plantations, which will later be key in several scenes that must already be part of the history of Chinese and, why not, global LGBT+ dramas.
But of all of them, there are three places that inspire the most tenderness and intrigue in me: Nie Xiaozhi's room, which he will share with the boy who will steal his heart and which gives us clues about the younger Xiao's complex character; the bathroom where our main character suffers from embarrassment with his naked body submerged in the bathtub, when the person he has fallen in love with, without asking permission, undresses in front of him to shower as if it were the most normal thing in the world; and the pool where this other young man's swimsuits will drip with the remains of each dive before they are surprised by the sudden rain.

A TRIBUTE TO DAVID HOCKNEY

The paintings the protagonists discuss are from the work of British painter, designer, set designer, printer, and photographer David Hockney. This alone is enough to reveal the character of two young university students with unusual culture and interests.
The effect is as precious as it is effective: it gives the impression that the parents of the shy, artistic, and always deep in thought Xiao Zhi (whom we will never see) have built a summer retreat just so their youngest son can meet and fall in love with their eldest son's best friend.
Undoubtedly, several scenes in the series pay homage to David Hockney, famous for his obsession with pools, rain, and water. The scenes of the young man swimming underwater toward a standing figure in a luxurious garden are a reference to his work "A Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)", whose sale established the painter, born in 1937, as the most expensive living artist in the world. We can find references to two other Hockney works in "Secrets Happened on the Litchi Island". I'm referring to "We Two Boys Together Clinging" and "Domestic Scene, Los Angeles". In the latter, while one of the men is bathing, the other rubs his back... or perhaps, out of embarrassment, prefers to turn his back on him.

THE SLOW JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY, FRIENDSHIP, AND LOVE

This context, which already captivates even the most skeptical viewer, discreetly witnesses the first encounter between Xiao Zhi and his dark object of desire. He answers to the name of Chen Li, a handsome, charming, carefree, and curious university student who visits Xiao Long, the older brother of the Xiao family, during the summer weeks to help him with his work at the summer camp. Xiao Zhi shares not only his room and bathroom with him.
The plot unfolds primarily from Xiao Zhi's point of view. The camera follows him impatiently to show what he sees, his dreams and erotic desires.
After the subtle and unfortunate ambient introduction (as Xiao Zhi's cell phone will break as soon as it touches the island), the two lull us on a slow journey of discovery, friendship, connection, and love.
The love between Xiao Zhi and Chen Li begins slowly; They circle around each other, slowly closing the gap, allowing the initial indifference to disguise their interest to finally disappear. Although both have no experience in love, they are imbued with a deep feeling that leads them to shake up their lives.
Xiao Zhi ends up being much better at that game; he's assertive, self-confident, and able to stand up to his homophobic college classmates. He grows increasingly curious about his brother's friend. Chen Li still has to navigate the path of discovery and acceptance, which ultimately leads him to hurt the boy he loves and himself.
The series is very good at capturing the lazy ebb and flow of summer days, with the drowsiness and exposed body parts covered in blue and red garments (as well as paintings on the walls and various objects in those colors), which become a new symbol to identify the two protagonists.
Everyone seems to be moving in slow motion at the summer camp, with the exception perhaps of the children, who never miss a chance to play. Xiao Zhi's quiet hesitation balances the playful charm and carefree confidence of the boy she's fallen in love with. This languor fits well with the rhythm of Chen Li and Xiao Zhi's relationship, which evolves over meals, bicycle rides, playing under trees, climbing to the top of bushes to pick ripe lychee fruit, sitting on the stone structures surrounding the pool, and conversations laden with lyricism, symbolism, art and philosophy, which actually serve as an overture to the romance.
The first download occurs when Chen Li, somewhat taller and more muscular, presses his fingers into Xiao Zhi's back, neck, and ears, under the guise of applying mosquito repellent.
I can't remember the last time a scene managed to raise the hairs on my neck in just a second, so full of the intended stimulation yet so worried about the outcome of that touch.
In the friendship forged by our two protagonists, there is no hypocrisy; just two people learning to love, with their fears of accepting themselves, with doubts about whether the other loves them, giving way to mistakes and misunderstandings, but ultimately with the possibility of understanding who they are, what they desire, and with it, the value of forgiveness and commitment.

THE TIMELINE

The first five episodes tell us about the early stage of the relationship between Xiao Zhi and Chen Li, in which everything is pure (and at times extreme) desire on the part of the younger of the two. Chen Li seems willing to distance himself from his fears of coming out as gay. It's symbolic how the series shows that the lychee trees weren't filled with fruit while they were at summer camp, indicating that Chen Li wasn't yet ready to embrace his gender identity. And it is in this transition of observer that Xiao Zhi soon encounters passion.
Hu Yi Chen's performance as Xiao Zhi, in this first part of the series, is unsurpassed. Because he says little, and the few words he uses are rudimentary, but his inner self experiences moments of exuberant brilliance. He is falling in love. That's why the young actor must express everything with his gaze, which is emerging into life, into new experiences, dethroning the familiar to land with bewilderment (but certain) in the land of novelty.
Then, a time jump occurs. We leave the island with the protagonists, but they will walk their separate ways for three more years. We first notice the change not in Xiao Zhi's tears of frustration and bitterness, but in the shift in the color palette. It's no longer as bright and ethereal as it was at the beginning of the series. With distance, the shadows and chiaroscuros increase.
The non-linear timeline adds depth and allows for key memories and emotions to be revealed in layers. It's a structure that, while confusing for some viewers at first, ultimately pays off.
Xiao Long isn't the older brother any gay boy would wish for upon coming out, as he tries to separate the boys under the guise of protecting them, or perhaps out of ignorance of the feelings his brother has stirred in his best friend. In any case, the series' approach seeks to reflect the obstacles many queer youth face in their process of self-acceptance and discovery, when, in many cases, their own loved ones attack them. However, there will be no homophobia, nor will there be rejection of the brother or friend for their sexual identity.
The series lets the use of time work on many levels: to build the ever-deepening bond between the two protagonists, to co-opt the viewer step by step into the story, and so that when the two merge in a kiss and embrace toward the end, what Aristotle called catharsis occurs: giving viewers the chance to redeem their own passions by seeing them represented on screen.

LYRICISM, SYMBOLISM, MAGIC

'Secrets Happened on the Litchi Island' shows all the escapes and encounters; Xiao Zhi's advances and Chen Li's steps back as each moves in circles ever closer to the other. The two don't always say (can't or won't) what they really think. Then the director of the series speaks for them by making their desire evident in the cheerful countryside, in the greenery of the lychee plantation, in the bustle of the summer camp, in the water that one dries from the other's body, in the precious liquid that flows from the shower, falls from the sky in the form of rain, drips from the trees in the middle of a downpour, or in one of the two young people swimming in the pool while the other watches ecstatically.
The lyricism is seductive, like Xiao Zhi, fragile and joyful. 'Secrets Happened on the Litchi Island' isn't so much a coming-of-age story, with the loss and diminished innocence that entails, but rather a story about sensitivity. In that way, it's more about the creation of a new man who, as the plot suggests, is liberated by a pleasure that simultaneously establishes a sexual identity.
There are two scenes, among the best in world queer cinema. One is the dream. Xiao Zhi and Chen Li run together, hand in hand. They kiss passionately. The darkness of the night is broken several times by the light from their pursuers' flashlights. When the darkness is broken, the two young people, confused and fearful, are forced to separate. Then, they hold hands again, run, flee, show their triumphant love… This is an unequivocal message about the need to hide that many queer youth are forced to face under the prejudiced gaze of society.
The other scene is the passionate kiss at the end. A kiss that stops the world to create a new one, an unforgettable kiss, a kiss that is the prelude to something more. A kiss that makes you salivate and yearn to experience something like this. A kiss not from the heart, but from something more powerful: instinct. Suffice it to say that by then, the lychee plants had blossomed, and the boys were sending each other the fruits. So much symbolism in a small cardboard box!
All that remains is to suggest you watch the bonus episodes, which reflect small snippets of the couple's life after they get together.

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not bad but there’s room for improvement

I’ve waited for this show since last year.

because two reasons. one is Ren Jialun and another it’s about demon hunter and fantasy element. I had high expectations.

I was quite disappointed tbh. it was here and there. I expect more gritty and compact storyline and each arc.

my fav arc from this story definitely was the painting arc. it was the best out of all.

bring a fan of fighting scenes, this show fell short. terribly. RJL had a lot of still cuts after stunts and I thought that was a lazy editing. come on, show real fight. there’s not one memorable fight in here. even the choreography is slow at some parts.

being a demon hunter, I expect his character to be more fleshed out. in terms of his capabilities and personality. I know RJL’s strength and weaknesses, having watched his drama since Under the Power, this time he used his own voice, it was much better than his voice in burning flame BUT he still need to improve on his line delivery. there are times, he needs to work on his expression.

the problem of having a much fleshed out male character than the FL, is the FL stop growing and became stagnant. yes they love each other and such but I’m not feeling it deep. I have to thank Song Zuer’s acting that saved her character. this girl nailed it.

the problem of doing fantasy drama, the elements to play around is huge, yet I’m just seeing 30-40% in here. this is my 2nd time watching the director’s work (1st was eternal love and yes I skipped a lot at some scenes).

who was the standout character for me in this story?
Zi Kong.
every time he appeared on screen, it was magnetic. and his fighting scenes were solid.

this guy was a child actor whom i watched his some of his shows when i was a kid. and yes, he does practice martial arts irl so his fighting scene looked real.

while there’s lot of flaws and unpolished elements, this show wasn’t a total lost cause and there’s a room for improvement. I have to commend RJL for taking a DIFFERENT role rather than a Prince or king (he was the carefree Lin Jing and no nonsense Nalan Yue in A lifetime of love). it was a fresh air for me.

all in all not bad but can be better.

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You must have heard of "Cuteness Overload," but this series is a Full-blown Cuteness Explosion!!!

From the moment I saw the trailer, I knew this was going to be one of the cutest BLs out there, but I had my doubts because there's always that fine line between adorable and cringey. But wow, it totally blew me away. It’s beyond cute, like seriously, it’s ridiculously cute. I can't stop giggling, and I’m just melting into a puddle of pure happiness every episode. I never expected it to be this charming and heartwarming. It’s everything I hoped for and more!!

The storyline is executed so well. From the moment Shane and Kit appear on screen, it's clear they’re complete opposites, but somehow they complement each other so effortlessly. Shane is basically like a cat- a little aloof, but with a soft, affectionate side that makes you fall for him instantly. He's focused and studious, but deep down, he craves some fun in his life. Then there's Kit, he is all about fun and games, carefree and playful. He's terrible at math but he knows how to enjoy life properly. One teaches the other how to study, while the other shows him how to have fun. Also, there's that undeniable spark between them. They're just so freaking cute!! Every time they're together, it's like this perfect balance of teasing, teaching, and fun. You can't help but smile because they just fit so well, even though they're so different. It's not just about the studying or the fun- it’s the little moments that make them so adorable together. Honestly, they're impossible not to love.

Now, let’s talk about Kim and Mon- oh my god, they're just too cute! Kim falls for Mon the moment he lays his eyes on him, and honestly, I totally get why. Mon is just ridiculously adorable, especially with that smile and those dimples. The library scene? Total chef's kiss. Kim pretending to look at books while (not so subtly) looking at Mon and of course, Mon catches him staring. Then there’s that moment when Mon asks him for the literature section and Kim has no clue where it is but he pretends to know- so cute and funny. But what really gets me is how Kim goes all over the library just to find the literature section and that one book Mon needed. And don't even get me started on Mon buying and reading the entire volume of Doraemon (it has 45 freaking volumes) after Kim recommends it. Aaaahhhh!!! they are so adorable and whipped for each other.

Talking about other characters, I am excited for the storyline of the teachers. They don't seem to get along that well- at least not yet- but then they share the same office space and they're constantly around each other, and even if they won't admit it, you can see the little moments. Also, Tar and Per, they are best friends and also one hell of supportive friends but there's definitely something more and Tar looks absolutely adorable and soft in whatever he wears.

I am loving this so far. I can not wait to watch more.

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You want some of this?

4 minute read

The ‘Weak Hero Class’ Korean Drama series is popular amongst the youths of the IPad Gamer Generation (Generation Alpha 2013-Present) , Zoomers (Generation Z 1997-2012), and The Millennials (Generation Y 1981-1996). These are the frontline generations who faced bullying in school, as a way of life (About 14% of students consider suicide, because of Bullying in School). Generation Y (1981-1996) was one of the earlier generations to be bullied under public notoriety and thus saw much legislation introduced, aimed at stopping bullying in schools. However, bullying persisted even up to 2019 when bullying in schools saw a noted increase. Nonetheless, since then bullying in schools has been on the decline. Why this change?

To be noted, Weak Heroes are emerging as a sub population in the schools. Weak Heroes are those who were once the targets of bullies, being considered weak (simps). Now some are emerging as strong weak heroes (sigmas).

Terms of Endearment

Simp-Some one who is overly submissive, or desperate for interaction with the Sigma class.

Sigma—Strong Alpha males of the hierarchy class, often the bullies.

Beta males—A male who is perceived to be weak and unimpressive.

Now these Beta Males are emerging as the Silent Beta Males who are becoming the Weak Heroes. This is a rising phenomena of necessity, but it is working, as Weak Heroes are silently taking control away from bullies. Possibly as a result, bullying is on the decrease. Weak Heroes are not just a sub-genre of Korean dramas. It is a message of reaction and taking control. That is what makes this sub-genre so popular with multi-generations.

Weak Hero Class 2 is the next in the series of Beta Males becoming the heroes and it has already scored big world wide in just 2 days after its release. How many different ways can you tell this story and keep it fresh? They have managed big-time to do so with Weak Heroes Class 2. The new characters are so profound. Returning is the original Weak Hero Yeon Si Eun / Gray Yeon (played by Park Ji Hoon). We find him as a transfer student to a “Last Chance” High School. He is coming in with much street cred, as students find out about his notorious past.

Yeon Si eun befriends a new simp named Seo Jun Tae / Eugene Gale (wonderfully played by Choi Min Yeong) who wants to fight back. Joining the posse are two more new characters, two basketball players with mean Martial Arts skills. They are the new school sigmas. Ko Hyeon Tak / Alex Go (wonderfully played by Lee Min Jae) is noted for his high kicking ability and 360 kick turns. He is subdued and unpolished. However, the shining star, the character most all will love is the loud, larger the life big personality, but skilled Martial Artists Park Hu Min / Ben Park (expertly played by Ryeo Un). One villain of the court is the strong arm and psychopath Geum Seong Je / Wolf Keum (convincingly played by Lee Jun Young). The second villain is a Study Genius with the highest IQ and best Martial Artistry Na Baek Jin / Donald Na (Played calculatingly by newcomer and K-pop Idol Bae Nara). He is just like Yeon Si eun, but on steroids. Na Baek Jin makes the best nemesis, confronting our anti-hero Yeon Si eun, beating him at his own game.

It is usual that the second installment is not as good as the first. I am shocked and surprised at how good this second installment is. The storyline is so tight and congruent with Weak Hero Class 1.

Weak Hero Class 2 is a drama about bullying. There are a lot of fight scenes with a lot of pummeling. There is cursing and smoking as part of the story mapping. This drama is not for everyone.

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So much better than Season 1

First of all I really don’t understand the people who consider season 1 as brilliant! 😂 Apart from the first 4 episodes not much about season 1 was brilliant!!!
The characters mostly sucked and some of the characters from the beginning never came back which was sad. The story and motivation of the characters was lacking (e.g.: Beom-Seok and why he felt so much hatred towards Su-ho was illogical and annoying which was sad bcs I really didn’t wanna hate Beom-seok bcs I pitied him but in the end I hated him so much!)
The fighting scenes sucked too! it was just mindless kicking and loads of “shibal” exclamations… the violence was mostly boring unless Su-Ho was the one fighting.
And then the end: The worst end ever!!!! I was seriously not happy!!! But I couldn’t just give up on Su-Ho my boy so I ofc immediately watched season 2 as soon as it came out and OMG!!!! I literally finished it in 3 days!!!! Here is why I liked it better than season 1:

1. The new characters were just soooooo much better 😍😍😍I loved all of the three new boys!!! They all had their own unique traits!!! Especially Baku!!! What an amazing character!!! I hope we will see more of them!!! Also Hyun-Tak! Actually I liked the two of them a bit more than Si-Eun 😅
Not only the new friends but also the new villains were awesome!!!!! Baek-Jin was brilliant!!!! To be honest I really wanted to know more about him! As well as that hot psychopath Seong-Je!!!! I lowkey wanna see him fight Su-Ho if there is a Season 3!!!

2. The story line was way more intriguing. Ofc it sounds very unrealistic like why would a gangster use high school studenta for his dirty jobs. Also most of them didnt look like or behave like high school students at all xD That was a bit unrealistic tbh and partly the reason for the point deduction.
The ending was almost perfect tho! I did predict that either Baku or Baek-Jin would die and I guess I was right…

3. The fighting scenes were insane!!! The quality has suddenly improved so much compared to season 1!!! I am so glad they invested more in that!!! Tbh I feel like there were less fighting scenes in total but the existing ones had a higher quality.

Some thinga I thought were unnecessary were Baku joining the Union for a short time and Si-Eun’s accident… I wish they replaced those scenes with more background information on Baku and Baek-Jin.

Other than that I loved season 2 SOOOO MUCHHHHH more!!! Hoping there will be season 3 but judging on how it ended i assume there will be another season…

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Find Yourself.

Another very complicated drama to rate as usual from JDoramaland. If it was me, I'd suggest Shinobu-san to never ever get married – so that then all this pain, and in short the drama itself, wouldn't exist.

When an aspiring manga artist meets a man 12 years her senior, she is caught in a whirlwind romance, culminating in their marriage and a child, Yuta. (Yuta didn't deserve any of this lunacy; I'm glad he reacted the way he did by the end of the show and he kept me curious.)
Now, 15 years later, with her desire to draw what she wants clashing with the public's demand, she once again begins to revisit her passion; now hiring the help of a 22-year-old young man named Tachibana Chiaki, who seems to have ulterior motives towards her.

However, we soon learn that Shinobu's entire happiness was a façade; particularly when Chiaki begins to confront and reveal his own demons.

☆ As I can find no fault with the actors, who excellently portrayed such characters, I'll dive straight into them.

Starting with Shinobu-San and even Chiaki, nobody in this drama is technically a nice guy. All of them had been shaped by their past traumas and tragedies, molding themselves into versions that were either terrible for their future (Shinobu-san) or for the better (Chiaki).
I can tell that the men in Shinobu-San's life (the adults, including the editor) were some of the worst individuals. The editor practically lost all brownie points from my side when he began to seemingly try to bring his fantasy to reality, even if it meant cornering Shinobu-san or overlooking what was best for her.

As for her husband? Chiaki was a pivotal moment in her life, particularly at the end of episode 3, where he openly calls her out for her trying to protect her marriage even if it meant that she was tolerating an insufferable man who had ruined lives, all for the sake of staying safe.

--- There was something about how people succumb to their darkness/harsh reality of life depicted in a rather strange way. Their actions can not be justified, but it gave a sense of 'life' to the characters; may it be Chiaki's mom or even Shinobu-San's husband.

☆ Final Thoughts? This is definitely not for everyone; an understanding of how the brain worked for certain characters is important and difficult to convey through the screen. Also, the overall theme has infidelity as the impetus for the FL, Shinobu-san, and it's hard to digest.
But, as a bizarre JDrama? Yes, you can give it a try.

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