Reviews

Am I the only one that lowkey thinks Phun is a red flag?

I haven’t finished this drama, but I notice something while watching. At least until ep 9, I personally think Phun is an asshole. And I much prefer Noh get with Earn ((whoa who said that ✋😦🤚)). This Phun guy literally has a girlfriend, but meddle so much in Noh’s business, acting jealous or whatever, even confessing to the man. He is forcing him to stay ‘single’— cannot talk to anyone or he will sulk 🙄. And yes, I hate the girlfriend too bcs she also did the same thing.

AND THEN, finally they broke up. I thought okay good now Noh and Phun can be together. Um.. Why the fuck is there a time jump to 1 month later BUT STILL NO PROGRESS TO THEIR RELATIONSHIP? Bruh. I might crash out and drop this drama.

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A Fresh University Story Elevated by Two Beautiful Relationships

Finally something different!
Yes, it's true, we're still at university, because it matches the age of the actors, but at least it's not the usual engineering. The story between J and Jinn is magnificent, and the one between Farm and Van is no less so, but J and Jinn were something else! I hope to see them again in Our Sky, and maybe mixed together with My Magic Prophecy, that would be fantastic! If I had to find a flaw, it would be the conclusion, which seemed rushed to me, and the fact about the track and the races. I would have explored those two things in more depth.

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A Perfect Blend of Horror, Heart, and Outstanding Performances

A wonderful series, I'll miss waiting for Friday to see the next episode. A series with excellent plots. The make-up used for the “ghosts” is very well done; in fact, I must admit that I was scared quite a few times, but luckily, between one horror scene and another, we also had a breath of fresh air thanks to the love stories. The story between Thup and P'Singha is beautiful, perhaps a little unrealistic, but still wonderful. I really liked Lee in this series, I can't wait to see him again in another series, and maybe as the protagonist. Michael and TopTen, even though they are a secondary couple, did a wonderful job, making me emotional and happy for them. I did hate P'King, it's true, but luckily in the last few episodes he woke up and realised which side he was on. Pooh from Pit Babe has improved a lot in his acting and I'm really proud of him, keep it up.

SPOILER ALERT
I had already realised for a while that Thup's father was behind everything and that he was Thup's father, but I didn't expect Bom at all. While I'm here, I must and want to congratulate Victor because he was magnificent in his role, especially in the final scene, which gave me goosebumps; WOW!

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Great Chemistry, Weak Plot: A Series Full of Missed Opportunities

I'm not sure where to start or what to say, but let's try to start from the beginning. I watched this series months after seeing TharnType, but that wasn't a problem. What I liked about this series was that for once we got to see how the relationship evolved and not, as always, the protagonists getting together. I thought Ja and First's acting was spot on, as was their chemistry. The main problem with this series, in my opinion, is that the story isn't continuous; there are too many plots and they are underdeveloped.

SPOILER
Let's focus for a moment on the first plot, the blackmail with pornographic material. It would have been a wonderful story to develop, but instead they decided to conclude it in just a few episodes... but then how annoying that they don't go to the police and blame Fiat when he is clearly the victim and has done nothing wrong (except when he tried it on with Type)! Then there was the plot about what happened between Fiat and King, which was also opened at random and closed in the same way. In my opinion, this “plot” shouldn't have existed at all because it makes no sense, and then Leo, at random, not once but twice, kisses Punn to discover King's plan when that was clearly the plan... (Leo, I thought you were smarter than that)! Finally, the whole episode between mother and son, which in my opinion would have been the best plot if we really wanted it to be, but like the others, it was thrown in and then resolved without even extending to understand the story, even simply the relationship between Fiat and his father. There would be much more to say, but it is better to stop here. The only things I would save are Fiat and Leo's group of friends, the character of Leon (Leo's brother) and his story with Pob.

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A charming and much-needed program

This is already the second season of a Japanese dating show, but it is something much more than just a dating program or a reality show. I rooted for every couple from the second season as if they were my own friends — whether they ended up with the person they chose on the show or not, I truly wish them all the best.

Beyond the romantic aspect, the participants grow by sharing their experiences with one another. Even if they don’t find their other half on the show, they take so much away from this experience. It is a truly beautiful and touching program!

Of course, the producers aim to create a show, and at times I wished the cameras could be pushed aside and the participants allowed to experience these moments in private. Everyone seems so authentic and lovable that you just want to give them a hug. I admire how beautifully the participants are able to express their feelings and how maturely they communicate with one another.

Of course, it makes me sad that in today’s world coming out is still, for many people, a difficult moment because of fear of their loved ones’ reactions. I wish coming out could be a neutral statement — something no one would have to be afraid of.

This program, just as I wrote in the title of this review, is charming and very much needed.

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I can't stress it enough, watch this!

It's been a while (sadly) that I've been able to watch something and totally enjoy it. I was starting to think I'd never get out of my drama slump. I watched this, mainly for Jung Kyung Ho, who is always a treat. He was exceptional, as always, but I loved the rest of the cast as well. This drama was well-written, and I loved that each story line, for the most part, just had an episode or so. I felt invested in most of the stories. There were funny parts, which weren't forced, and heartfelt moments that had me tearing up. The ML was a complete jerk at the beginning, and his transition from that to a caring lawyer was a joy to watch - especially since you never quite knew where he stood. It had a great ending, and, I never say this, but I wouldn't complain about a second season.

I'm a dyed-in-the-wool romantic, but I was so glad they didn't try to force that on us. This drama, for me at least, felt "clean" for lack of a better word. It didn't have any extraneous stuff that just wastes time and has you reaching for the remote to fast forward. It's been a long time since I felt, "Okay, I can do with less sleep, I'll just watch one more episode."

I did have a couple of issues, things that probably wouldn't bother the masses.
1) It's rated MA, and that's got to be for the language. I hate cursing and find it completely unnecessary and jarring. Plus, when you hear it, and see it written out as well, just not a fan. Has anyone, in the history of tv/movies, ever said, "I loved that show, I just wish it had more cursing in it."? It's become so commonplace that the masses are de-sensitized to it.
2) I loved ALL the actors, but after you watch enough shows, you see the same actors, and you know immediately who the bad guys are.
3) This is not a problem with the show, but with the subbing. It's kept moving from the top to the bottom of the screen and it was white wording, which was often on a light background and hard to read. If I could just get a handle on the Korean language, this wouldn't be an issue for me.

So, at the end of the day, I have sincere thanks for everyone involved in this drama for getting me out of my slump.

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Animals

I went into this drama knowing almost nothing, and I emerged from it with a surprising boost in self-confidence. I really didn’t expect that. What started as a casual watch slowly turned into something that made me stop and reflect on work, self-worth, and how much we allow ourselves to endure.

Plot*
The story follows Umi, an assistant director working for a major Japanese Talk show. Her entire life revolves around work. She is overworked to the point where she can’t even remember how many days she has gone without proper sleep. Her work environment is brutal; she’s the one who does everything, the one everyone relies on, and the one people dump their tasks on without a second thought.
After pushing herself for too long, Umi falls asleep during a live TV broadcast. It’s revealed on air that she has been working without sleep for three days straight. This sparks controversy and public backlash toward the TV station, forcing the company to give her time off. During this break, and with encouragement from Kazuo, a freelance photographer working for a company called Animal, Umi makes a life-changing decision: she quits her job as an AD and embarks on a completely new journey.
She joins Animal, a makeup company run by a CEO with a modern approach to work culture, a bit like Google, one that prioritises employee well-being, mental health, and balance. For the first time in her life, Umi is encouraged to speak up, share her ideas, and take care of herself. Slowly, she begins to rediscover not only her voice, but also her self-worth and her ability to love herself.

Thoughts & Themes

Well, the drama’s principal topic on toxic work culture is very strong and very real. Japan is known for having an extremely strict—and often toxic work environment, but what makes it even more troubling is how normalised it has become. Everyone knows it’s unhealthy, yet no one complains. People just endure it.

Animal, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. The CEO actively encourages employees to take days off, go skiing, rest, and look after their mental health. Most importantly, he actually listens to them. It’s uplifting and refreshing to watch such an environment, but the drama is also smart enough to show that even a comfortable environment can become a trap.

That is exactly what happens to Kazuo, who becomes so comfortable working for the company that he slowly forgets and stops chasing his dreams altogether. It subtly shows how such comfort can become a trap. When everything is supportive and easy, some people forget their ambitions and stop chasing bigger goals. The drama suggests that comfort does not always mean accomplishment, and that sometimes growth only happens in uncomfortable places. It doesn’t romanticise either extreme, and I enjoyed that aspect.

There’s also a rom-com element running alongside the heavier themes, with love triangles woven into the story, which keeps the drama light enough to watch without feeling overwhelmed.

About the Title
The title initially caught my attention, and I assumed it would mean something else. At first, I was surprised to realise it’s simply the name of the company. But the more I thought about it, the more intentional it felt. Maybe it’s also a commentary on how toxic systems treat people like animals, working them endlessly without care, while this company tries to redefine what work should look like.

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Very Realistic BL

This was a really enjoyable series to follow. It's a very realistic BL drama showing the true struggles for two men in today's society on how to deal with their emotions and the obstacles they keep running into along the way. It's a slow moving story, but very entertaining with some meaningful storylines blended together with a touch of comedy, too.
I wasn't familiar with anyone in this cast, but they all do such a great job at keeping it interesting, without all the glamour & fluffiness of a typical BL series. Mitsuhiro Oikawa mixes well with Yuya Tegoshi, showing you sadness and loneliness, but can also put a smile on your face with the comedy wit they both possess.
The supporting cast adds some side stories that all center around these two main protagonists. Just a nice all around series to enjoy!!

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abusive and cringey relationship dynamics

Overall: I don't understand why they didn't focus on a romance between two students...8 episodes about 10 minutes each. Aired on YouTube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ__edMZliXtEdkx1zhKwx0tL0jSzV1qT&si=gc2JzxCkosSIn7Rp

Content Warnings: intimate partner abuse, punch, minor/non minor relationship, teacher/student relationship, non con recording/sharing/outing, non con touching, manipulation, grooming

What I Liked
- visuals

Room For Improvement
- why would I want to root for multiple abusive characters, there is no relationship development just abuse and the met him as a child added even more yuck to their relationship
- love triangle/3 guys all in love with 1 guy who...is smart academically...
- ghost story at the start of episode 5

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