Reviews

Desde el primer episodio, Love Scout logra captar la atención con su protagonista, Kang Ji-yun, una mujer que, aunque impecable en su papel como CEO de Peoplez, enfrenta dificultades en su vida personal. Su actitud rígida y su aparente arrogancia no son más que un mecanismo de defensa para ocultar su torpeza en el ámbito emocional. Su mundo, meticulosamente construido alrededor de su empresa, se ve sacudido con la llegada de Yoo Eun-ho, un secretario metódico y paciente que, sin proponérselo, empieza a equilibrar su caos.

Eun-ho no solo destaca por su eficiencia, sino también por su faceta como padre devoto. Su hija, Byeol, es una presencia luminosa en la historia, y la conexión que desarrolla con Ji-yun aporta un matiz tierno y natural a la trama. Mientras Eun-ho equilibra con destreza su trabajo y su rol como padre, Ji-yun, en contraste, parece atrapada en una burbuja profesional de la que poco a poco comienza a salir. A través de su relación con Byeol, la protagonista descubre una nueva perspectiva sobre la cercanía y el afecto genuino.

Uno de los mayores aciertos del drama es la evolución de la relación entre Ji-yun y Eun-ho. Su vínculo no se siente forzado ni instantáneo, sino que se desarrolla con una naturalidad pausada y creíble. Ambos se apoyan de una manera que va más allá del romance: Ji-yun aporta seguridad y visión a la vida de Eun-ho, mientras que él, con su paciencia y dulzura, la ayuda a confiar en los demás y a encontrar un equilibrio que antes parecía inalcanzable.
El elenco secundario también desempeña un papel clave en la historia. Jeong Su-hyeon y Woo Jeong-hun, la pareja secundaria, agregan un toque ligero y divertido a la narrativa, aunque su resolución puede sentirse algo apresurada. Por otro lado, el equipo de trabajo de Peoplez no es solo un grupo de empleados, sino una familia que, con el tiempo, enseña a Ji-yun que liderar no significa cargar con todo el peso sola, sino aprender a confiar en quienes la rodean.

Más allá del romance, "Love Scout" se destaca por su coherencia y profundidad temática. El equilibrio entre la vida profesional y personal, el peso del pasado y la importancia de soltar aquello que ya no nos define son elementos que se entrelazan con fluidez a lo largo de la historia. El ritmo de la serie permite que cada personaje tenga su momento de desarrollo sin sentirse apresurado ni estancado.
El desenlace, lejos de ser una conclusión convencional, refuerza el crecimiento personal de Ji-yun. Su decisión de renunciar a su cargo no es un acto de debilidad, sino el resultado de un proceso de autodescubrimiento en el que comprende que ya no necesita probar su valía. Su evolución, de una mujer obsesionada con demostrar su capacidad a alguien que prioriza su bienestar sin culpas, es el cierre perfecto para su arco. Además, el gesto de sus empleados al decidir renunciar en solidaridad con ella es una muestra de la huella que dejó en ellos como líder y persona.

Love Scout en definitiva es un drama que, si bien tiene aspectos mejorables, ofrece una experiencia cálida y emotiva en cada capítulo. Convirtiendose en una opción ideal para quienes buscan una historia de amor que valga la pena disfrutar.

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How second chance romance should NOT be done

I never really liked second chance romance (after all, what's interesting if the characters already know they like each other?) but then The First Frost came out and I realized how good the angst could be, so I tuned into this one, thinking it would be a great melodrama.

Unfortunately, I did not click with anything here at all.

In the main leads' story in the past, the FL was just really pushy and the ML really bland; their relationship happens at the speed of light without any sort of good build-up.

And then in modern day, their reconnection just really made me angry. The FL is extremely self-righteous and rude, while the ML just sits there and takes all the snarky comments she makes about him because he's supposedly so in love with her still. It gives pathetic more than it gives yearning and I just cannot fathom a person ending up with someone who seems to have such little respect for them.

The reignition of their romance is portrayed as a "I just couldn't help loving you" type of situation, but it comes across as codependent and unhealthy instead of romantic. I ultimately just don't see any reason why these characters could, should, or would end up together and not break up again, especially since they just don't communicate at all, even until the last episode, where we're given ANOTHER separation and time jump that makes even less sense.

The plot doesn't help much. Corporate warfare is a very common trope and I found certain plotlines — the poisoning of the sister — interesting, but ultimately we end up with a hodgepodge of tropes and antagonists, none of which are really clear: the lady who is in jail, the mom who started out evil but then I guess was okay, etc.

The last episode was the nail in the coffin. They separate again and then are brought back together by a random side character death. While the side characters were just okay — they weren't memorable and lovable but also weren't annoying — it just felt very random and made it seem like there had to be an external reason for the leads to reconnect; they couldn't do it on their own. The final scene...well let me just say that excitement and big grand gestures such as an airport chase scene will never sell me on the feasibility of a relationship. It's too short-term and just doesn't provide much depth.

2/10 (instead of 1/10) because the cinematography was nice.

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"Es un gran alivio tener un lugar a donde regresar

Welcome to Samdalri es una joya narrativa que entrelaza la importancia del hogar, la comunidad y el reencuentro con nuestras raíces. A través de la historia de Jo Sam-dal, una fotógrafa exitosa en Seúl cuya carrera se derrumba tras un escándalo, el drama explora cómo el regreso a su pueblo natal, Samdalri, se convierte en un viaje de sanación y autodescubrimiento.

Sam-dal brilla no solo por su evolución de la arrogancia urbana a la humildad, sino por su química con Yong-pil, cuyo amor por su tierra y su lealtad añaden capas al romance que florece entre cicatrices del pasado.

El guión evita caer en melodramas forzados, optando por momentos sutiles pero poderosos. Aunque algunos giros resultan predecibles, la narrativa se sostiene por su honestidad emocional y su ritmo pausado, que invita a reflexionar sobre el valor de tener un hogar al cual volver.

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Time-Travel Plot

It reminds me of Steins;Gate. I like the way the plot thickens suddenlyㅡwhich I normally don'tㅡbut this drama is sure enjoyable!

It starts with mysterious company hiring hopeless people by giving them mysterious missions daily. Missions were simple and sometimes corny, and it took like 3 episodes for me to believe it might be slice of life before the plot take turns to become much better. Everyone has their own missions, their own gains, what's okay and what's unforgivable. It makes us torn whether to be in whose team since everyone has gray moralesㅡbut I think it is beautiful, because that's what human is.

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A Proper historical BL Drama!!

Finally i got to witnessed a proper historical BL drama and you know what i absolutely loved every bit of it.


The story at first might seem confusing and complicated but eventually you will get hooked to it once you start understanding the plot.


Acting wise everyone has done a phenomenal job tbh, the main reason for me to watch it is mainly because Kon wen long, but then i actually loved every character in the show


An especial appreciation to Su Yin, truly what a character!! you will realised that if it wasn't by him to save the jin family the story would have ended a long ago with sad ending. So a big applause for his character.


Comedy , acting, action, romance everything was balanced well and put well. Loved jin bao and su ming banter too. Loved the bond between xu bao and his disciples also. All three of them were fun and emotional too sometimes.


Overall a truly great watch and i would definitely recommend it to yall trust me you won't be bored!!

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Bubbly Romance & a Storyline with full of beans

"Head 2 Head" tells a delightful tale about the lives of two childhood friends who were once rivals but later fell in love. They end up living next to each other and attending the same class and school. Even though the idea of "enemies-to-lovers" is monotonous, the plot masterfully creates a special situation that highlights the loved one's protectiveness while incorporating some humorous elements.

As usual, "Sea-Keen" is a delightful couple, and throughout this series, their performance was charming and refreshing. The second lead, "Surf-Java," likewise gives a very poignant and mature performance. For my part, I am excited about their upcoming project. Finally, JJ Chayakorn did a fantastic job portraying his upbeat and friendly persona.

In summary, "Head 2 Head," the series, gave us a lovely year-end present with a charming and novel plot and a cast of adorable actors.

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Plot Hole annoys me

I started this for Shi Xue Jing but I love Gu Ming Han in this drama even his character is scumbag in my eye. His voice and line delivery are top notch. The faces he makes are on point. They both have excellent comedic timing and can bring heavy topic looks like light problem. But for romantic chemistry from them is none to be found.

Actually there is big plot hole i really annoyed about this drama, its about the FL timeline that messed up.

The only redeeming thing about the female antagonist is that she cares about her son. And she didn't abandon her son despite the fact that he's sick and the father is using it to leech of her.

Only deserve to watch only once for lifetime.

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Mature audiences

Dark, manipulative, toxic behaviour from a well drawn character, Fan Xiao, who is frighteningly void of empathy. His target, You Shu Lang, a sweet gay man, in a simple, caring relationship. What ensues is an edge of the seat gripping story. Every reveal more disturbing and I, as the audience, was in fear for our sweet Shu Lang character. He is no soft, spineless pushover and his struggles as a child have imbued his character with compassion and strength; the white Yin to Xiao's Yang darkness.

The intensity of their relationship is breathtaking and obsessive. Both men have need of some component of their partnering even though Shu Lang realises earlier both start to recognise the unbalanced nature of their passion and the blurring of healthy boundaries that are destroying them both.

The actors are mesmerising and although Xiao has the strongest role the quiet strength and dignity of Shu Lang balances out some of the extremes.

I want to see more tales like this that do not rely solely on the BL nature of a relationship. Plot, intrigue, character development and redemption make this an excellent drama. The lighting, camera angles, settings etc etc are polished and help to portray the story brilliantly.

So take a deep breath of your black, slimline cigarette you are in for a bumpy ride.

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In short, the vibe kind of feels similar to Offline Love?

Ten young professionals get a five day vacation at Hainan, at a beach side hotel with a tropical climate. Then, we get a second half where they can choose to meet each other to date one on one. The visuals of the participants are pleasant and realistic - you can see their head shots on the cast page. From my view, they are calm, rational, and polite people who still hold onto some hopes and ideals. Just at the stage between the edge of youth and maturity. They mostly were filmed being themselves. This created a pleasant, positive vibe where you enjoy the feeling of people meeting new friends and getting to know each other, so if you like lighter shows mostly centered around real conversations and contemplative moments, you might enjoy this.

The ladies have stronger personalities and it's really wholesome that they get along so quickly. They felt like long-time college roommates having a small reunion. While the guys also got along okay, the show is carried by the ladies having fun together and taking time to confide in each other, with so many shots of them talking with each other, laughing with each other, and having fun. The shots of the guys are almost all them alone or off to the side, hovering but not directly interacting with the group of girls - although I can imagine college self at a party or bar trying to find an "in" to chat with a girl when they're in a group - nearly impossible if I were in their shoes. Luckily, they got to get some alone time and interactions through the dates on the show.

Even then, the production of the show gets the group off to a slow start. The show's accommodations have them all staying on a single hotel floor. They don't have the normal co-habitation of other shows in this sense. The cast often chose spend time in their rooms, sometimes together but often alone. They were only forced to meet at the hotel dining area on another floor, which had a long table that often separated the guys and ladies due to their comfort. Guys had to either send letters, take the initiative to knock on multiple doors to invite ladies private late conversations, and the guys felt much more shy than the ladies, despite the ladies also being introverted. So, half of the shots in some episodes end up being people alone in their room contemplating life, rather than group interactions. Eventually, people do get to know each other better, but it's a slow burn show.

The style of the production is hands-off, aside from offering date options and having daily cast interviews, there's no panel and no feeling of heavy handed producers directing storylines behind the scenes. Music choices and sound effects were all pleasant, indie-pop or pop covers in a soft style. The filming angles were from long-distance and were focused on being non-intrusive, though I can imagine some lighting crews working really hard behind the scenes. Unlike some shows, there weren't strict rules about how they could communicate, like not being able to tell each other ages or jobs until a certain day. So they all knew basic facts about each other and were free to pursue or not pursue anyone, they were only forced to choose a date activity and preferred partner, and they could also choose not to go on the date. I think the dates ended up being less important than their communication attempts at night to get to know each other.

In all, the casting and production choices led to a quiet, cozy show with many shots of just everyday activities, only sometimes accompanied by what the editors could get from the interviews about how they were feeling and those little editor text overlay comments. In the finale, my feeling was that of quietly rooting for these people to find happiness.

Note, I watched this on the HunanTV youtube channel, which that at the time of my review, episodes 4, 5, 6 and 10, the final main episode lacked English subtitles, and there's some errors in episodes 1-2. My Mandarin isn't great so it's possible for me to have missed some interesting tidbits.

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Sweetness overload

This one was really sweet but I do think it was strongest when there was some sort of conflict going on. It was interesting to see the main leads work through their past misunderstanding, and while I know the second lead is very much hated by the viewers, I liked his character and the FL's arc with it as a representation of how poisonous insecurity and self-sabotage can be.

When there wasn't conflict, I found the show kind of...flat? The main leads are nice together but they have a lot of cheesy lines that start getting quite repetitive and surface-level; the other story elements with the corporate scenes about solar panels was also something I didn't really care for, so those speeches were a lot of nothing.

I also think there are similar issues I had with this author's other works (Love O2O and You Are My Glory) where the main leads are just a little too perfect sometimes. It makes for an easy watch but hinders the depth of the story — like how financial hardship is a very real and difficult thing. I'm not expecting a show like this to write a PhD thesis on the socioeconomic landscape, but it brought up these issues and then never quite addressed them. The FL is given a pass because she's kind and a hard worker, but I just wish she had a little more of a confrontation with her own privilege. That might just be my own political leanings shining through though.

Regardless, I think this show works if you're looking for a light-hearted watch, and the chemistry is good. I appreciate that the relationship between the leads is mature. Kind of a good second screen watch.

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Cute enough

Sea and Keen were cute enough in this one, but their plot line just dragged on. I did enjoy the explanation at the end as to why Sea’s character was getting the vision, that was cool, but like does Keen’s character die in 10 years or was he able to fix the future? Keen’s characters conflict with his dad and mom dragged and then was too quickly resolved. Like I get why, he didn’t want his mom to die, but it was way too fast. Sea and Keen acted well and they have great chemistry. It was fun seeing both of them be goofy.

What I really liked about this show though was Surf and Java. I’m excited to see what they will do next, they were my favorite part of the show towards the end. They have a very natural chemistry with one another that is super enticing and genuine and that comes across in their performances. My favorite part of the series is when, I think episode 9, Java’s character apologizes to Surfs’s and admits the real reason why he doesn’t want to go home. Java’s range really showed through in that moment and I would love to see him do a more emotional series in the future, same with Surf. They’re both very talented and I will definitely be watching their next series’s.

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Strong Beginning, Potential Wasted by Editing and Pacing Issues

Shine On Me starts on a very strong note. Many departments are genuinely well done—the story is engaging, the characters are established clearly, and the emotional setup works. The early episodes are especially enjoyable, pulling you in with solid writing and a promising narrative direction. At its best, the drama shows real potential.
However, the biggest issue lies in the execution, particularly the editing. It is easily one of the weakest aspects of the show. Several episodes feel unnecessarily stretched, and two to three episodes could have been trimmed without losing any impact. The final episode, in particular, drags far more than it should. With tighter editing, the drama could have been far more effective and impactful.
The VFX is another noticeable drawback. The green-screen work is poorly executed and, at times, unintentionally laughable. Using green screen isn’t the problem—using it carelessly is. In today’s time, budget constraints can’t really justify such subpar visual execution. These technical flaws may seem small, but they slowly chip away at the viewing experience.
The performances in the last episode feel noticeably forced. The characters are meant to be in their late 30s, yet neither their appearance nor their behavior convincingly reflects that. It doesn’t align with the characterization built earlier, making it feel as though the characters haven’t aged at all. The interactions involving the child also come across as awkward and unnatural, which further weakens the emotional impact.
The drama would have benefited greatly from giving more focus to the supporting characters we’re already familiar with. Instead, several scenes are stretched for five to six minutes simply to fill runtime. The lack of substantial content becomes obvious, the pacing suffers, and what starts as dialogue-driven storytelling quickly turns monotonous.
I may sound harsh, but that’s largely because the latter episodes significantly affected my overall experience and rating. A drama needs to start strong, hold its ground in the middle, and end on a powerful note that stays with you. Unfortunately, Shine On Me falters at the end. The last couple of episodes go totally flat—predictable and underwhelming. The final episode, in particular, disappointed me in almost every aspect.
That said, I did enjoy the drama, especially the earlier episodes. It just didn’t meet the standard or potential I had hoped for, considering how promising the beginning was.

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A love that comforts you like a warm blanket in the harshest and darkest winter.

This happens to my very first review in MDL even after 6 years of watching cdramas because if any drama deserved appreciation more than what it already has right now - It is this one.

**Be aware the review might contain spoilers !**

**Overall** : This drama can be called as the *blueprint* on how modern idol romance dramas should be made. There is nothing new, nothing mind-blowing, no heart wrenching angst to keep you hooked and definitely not a dramatic love story. The love of Nie Xiguang and Lin Yusen is very ordinary and yet ever-present, the kind of companionship and warmth that you would long for in your everyday life and that is exactly why this drama shines among many others of this genre. With an impeccable cast delivering in their acting and chemistry, a solid and comforting plot to drive the story forward and beautiful camera language that tells the story on its own - Shine On Me is your perfect winter companion.

**Plot** : For any drama to entertain throughout its airing time, it needs a solid script and where can you find a modern idol romance writer better than Gu Man? She strikes once again! You see a girl (Nie Xiguang) being shamed for being brave in her love and your heart aches right then for her. For a love as blazing as her to be met with only coldness and indifference, it pierces your heart as it does to her. Zhuang Xu, her first love, he was not a bad person, he just was not right for her. She has always deserved better. The dialogues in this drama hits you and then stays with you forever. This drama is a perfect example of how you do not need a story with twists and turns causing adrenaline rush, all you need is a story that makes you fall in love with the 'love' they convey. It is not just the main leads, I cannot emphasize how much this drama showed the power of woman in business. The male lead's arc was also equally exciting. If every piece of a puzzle falls in piece just perfectly together, it has to be this drama!

**Screenplay/Direction** : There is not many dramas where the camera language is intentional and the story is told just through frames but once again, Shine on Me did it better than any! There was a scene that beautifully encapsulated the entire plot within a few shots -- Xiguang chasing after the shadow of Zhuang Xu, knowing that he has come to the place she is working at, but as she ran and ran towards him, he was only walking forward. The moment she stopped, he stopped and looked back - they happened to miss each other and he walked forward. But when she stopped and turned back, she found Lin Yusen standing right behind her. By stopping and turning back, she found the person who has walked into her life steadily and became her constant sun.

**Acting** : Zhao Jinmai quite literally becomes a sun in your darkest winter! She has long since shed the skin of every other role and when you see her on screen now, it gives you an out of world experience making you believe Nie Xiguang is real. She is real. This drama made me want to check every work of Zhao Jinmai, I'm that obsessed! Song Weilong does a decent job and most definitely improves throughout the drama. In the beginning I did find his line delivery and acting a bit awkward but he quickly picks up and presents a Lin Yusen who is believable and everybody's ideal companion to walk the life with. Every other actor on screen has made sure that we never feel disconnected from their characters even for a moment.

In a nutshell - If there is one cdrama that you really cannot miss out on, it is Shine On Me and none other.

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A future gone in an instant

My parents are having an affair and I ain't even mad about it. This is fun and pretty well done. I will give it to them. A very random pair that feels like a bad dream, but I would be lying if I said I didn't like them together. Okay, I would give it an 8.5 (8.75) out of 10. I am going to say what I liked, what I didn't, do an episode overview, and then put this show to rest after 3 long years.

Random ass ship, but they were fun as hell and have good chemistry. I think they are both good actors, stand alone, so them together was weird but good. The plot was pretty good, actually, and had some interesting lessons about life and the things you take for granted. I liked that a lot. I also liked what they did with the ending. Of course, I really do not know what I was expecting, but I did enjoy how they did the lesson learned kind of thing, and the thing about not being able to fix or save everybody. I liked how Gawin's character saw into the past about changing it, and I dont know if it was by choice or just the fact it didnt work, but he didnt go back and fight the future head-on, which was actually very interesting, and I did like that from an analysis standpoint. I forgot how many times he went back in time, and I am so obsessed that they did that a lot. Krist's character being an alcoholic was fun; I liked that for some reason. They are freaked out. Also, pretty good character writing for our main characters. The romance building was okay, I will give them that. This whole show was pretty good, and I would say watch it.

WHOEVER WROTE THE PACING OF THIS SHOW NEEDS TO BE FIRED. Jesus Christ. The first 5 episodes were gun to my head boring and genuinely so hard to get through, and it is because the pacing at the start is god fucking awful. Fuck. The ending was a bit empty because they jumped the gun in episode 11, but that's okay. I DO NOT GIVE A FUCK ABOUT PEAR AND HER PROBLEMS. Like, I am so glad they gave her dimension and made her stand alone from a man, but her placement of lore and background stuff was so incredibly boring, I really did not give two fucks. Actually, that goes for most of the side characters, just random, irrelevant, and take away from the main couple and their plot. They should have made the start more interesting, jumping off what I said earlier. I think that would have helped with the overall development of the show. The start was also confusing as fuck, and I am just like, what the fuck. Not a lot to complain about, but the things are a little major lmao.

Okay, episode overview time, which once again spans over 3 years, and I am so sorry to this show for leaving you on here for this long. "Watching it for Krist because he's a cutie. I am slightly lost because I don't read descriptions." "Things never go to plan for him; something is always going wrong." "I am thinking of how you would explain all the time travel shit to someone, because I personally wouldn’t believe them." "We are not going in the love direction right now, but these two are coming to terms with feelings and getting over all the childishness of always fighting for no reason, and there is only peace when Kawi is drunk out of his mind." "Whoever thought this ship was a good idea, I have some strong words for you. Wait, I can't lie, I'm obsessed with these two together, it's like your parents are having an affair. Krist is such a good singer. "Kawi is too cute to be straight." Lmao. I lowkey forgot this was time traveling. Gawin is so tall." "I am confused about how the globe works. I feel like if you fuck up time, you are gonna face some kind of consequences. You need some self-reflection; no matter what you change, it is always the same. Something about grown ass men playing in the water together does it for me. They are both great singers. I think Krist's character is interesting. "Shii, I'll wait." "GMMTV's biggest cry babies lmao. Put khao in here, and we will be complete. Interesting bit with him being an alcoholic. I think that guy at the end was a full circle bit, but idk. I like this, it's a good background show." "I DO NOT CARE ABOUT PEAR LORE HOLY FUCK I DO NOT CARE. GIVE ME MY MAIN COUPLE AND MORE LORE WITH THIS BITCH BENDING SPACE AND TIME, I DO NOT CARE ABOUT PEAR AND HER IRRELEVANT FUCKING MOTHER I SWEAR TO GOD." "I like the ending, they could have done more, but also it was a nice full circle with the globe and thinking about using it and then not, I liked that."

Yeah, this was fun. Uh, okay bye!

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