Reviews

Just MY Opinion

Most of this was really good cant say i disliked it but for some reason Just like with Fourever You i did not enjoy the first couple much. Maybe its just that i dont like this type of characters as much as others just like with season 1 i enjoyed North and Johan alot more than Hill and Easter. The story, acting and everything is really good but miscommunication/noncommunication just aint my favorite style. But i gave it a higher rating cause i did enjoy it and i see why others love it but it just aint MY cup of tea. OVERALL: i would rewatch and it is a good show i would recommend to others who like their story type.

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too focused on the sister's story

I really liked this drama. The story was emotional and beautifully filmed, and it kept me interested from the beginning. However, I honestly expected more development between the main couple. I thought we would see time passing and more moments showing how their relationship grows, their daily interactions, and deeper romantic scenes. Instead, the drama focused mostly on her sister’s storyline, which sometimes made the main romance feel a bit limited.

That said, I still enjoyed it a lot. The male lead completely won me over —
it reminded me so much of his role in When I Fly Towards You. He has that same warm vibe that makes you root for him instantly.

Overall, despite wanting more couple moments, Reborn is still a drama I genuinely enjoyed watching. It has a touching atmosphere and memorable characters, and the male lead was definitely the highlight for me.

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Should have read the reviews first.

I really like Ren Jia Lun, have enjoyed performances of several others in the cast in other shows. Bit lukewarm about Peng Xiao Ran, probably because I've only seen her once before in a not great role. All in all, I was looking forward to this drama.

BUT! Did a 12 year old write the script? So stilted, so cringe. Honestly, how did the writer convince a studio that this was good writing? No, I'm not a writer but I know what a good script sounds like. This isn't it.

When I can't get through the first episode without jumping out every few minutes I know it's not going to get better. I refuse to torture myself by watching good actors struggle.

By the way, was Ren I'll during filming? He looks gaunt.

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An addictive BL & investigation

PLOT: Charn, a cunning lawyer with a borderline sens of justice, is called upon to defend Thaenthai, a senator's son, accused of a hit-and-run which killsTonkhao, Tinn's niece who raised him. Tinn (an ordinary man, a karate instructor) wants justice, but faces the senator's armor of influence (corrupt, rich, and has a wide network). Charn eventually switches sides, and although relations are strained at first, he teams up with Tinn to seek the truth [and maybe more :)].

+++ Film is brilliant as the borderline lawyer, and his mischievous smile is (ღ˘⌣˘ღ) adorable. Jam brings to life a down-to-earth, frank, and solid Tinn with talent. The chemistry between these two opposing personalities is electrifying.
+++ See portrays Thaenthai with sensitivity, and the supporting actors are all very convincing.
+++ The OSTs are excellent, including the songs performed by Silvy.
+++ The theme is quite classic: the dilemma between rigorous honesty (good) and compromise (because you have to survive in this cruel world without getting eaten alive).
+++ The story is well-written and the direction flawless, cleverly alternating action scenes with gentler moments (sweet or humorous).

### The Great Villain is a bit caricatural.

=> I really enjoyed this series and I'm going to watch other FilmJam dramas right away.


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Une BL investigation addictive

PLOT: Charn, avocat rusé, borderline vis à vis de la justice, est appelé à défendre Thaenthai, le fils de sénateur, accusé d'1 hit-and-run, ds lequel a été tuée Tonkhao, nièce de Tinn qui l'a élevée. Tinn (homme ordinaire, prof de karaté) veut réclamer justice, mais se heurte au mur du sénateur (corrompu, riche et influent). Charn finit par changer de camp, et bien que les relat° soient tendues au départ, il s'allie à Tinn pr chercher la vérité [ et plus si affinités :) ].

+++ Film est génial en avocat borderline, et son sourire malicieux est (ღ˘⌣˘ღ) craquant. Jam donne vie à un Tinn terre-à-terre, franc, solide, avec talent. L'alchimie entre ces 2 personnalités opposées fait des étincelles.
+++ See interprète Thaenthai avec sensibilité, et les acteurs de soutien sont tous très convaincants.
+++ Les OSTs sont excellentes, y compris les chansons interprétées par Silvy.
+++ Le thème est assez classique : le dilemme entre l'honnêteté rigoureuse (le bien) et le compromis grey (parce qu'il faut bien vivre dans ce monde cruel sans se faire bouffer par les autres :)
+++ La story est bien écrite et la réalis° sans défaut, alternant astucieusement les scènes d'action et les scènes plus douces (sweet ou humour).

### Le Great Villain est un peu caricatural.

=> J'ai bcp apprécié cette série et je vais regarder d'autres dramas FilmJam de ce pas :)

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One of the top series

Why is this one of the best series? It breaks with a lot of the standards ot the kdrama. I congratulate the whole team, yet especially the writer for taking the courage to make it and push it through, I am sure, there was a lot of opposition. Why?
It is on eof the very rare daram with real strong female characters, while the male leads are weak and rather detestable,
though not all and not always. Supplementary, a lot of delicate sentiments are carefully depicted.
Park Min Young perefectly matches the role and she did a stellar job. The other actors, too.
Supplementary, a lot of delicate sentiments are carefully depicted. Of course, 16 episodes are too much, so the level could not be hold all the time, there was place for fillers and some deceiving standrds, yet also place for sentiments or humor.
Rating? Yes, most of the best dramas do not have high ratings, because the mass of people want the standard average stuff.

This drama is 300% worth its view time and a must watch.

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Too short...

A typical low budget production, at least they improved. They added background noise to the bar, even when we can see it's not a bar. And there is always a flashback of the last episodes evem when the episodes are only 8 minutes long (under 7 for the finale).

This is an unagitated series, with a chance meeting of two man in a laundromat. But of course one of them is not just there for reading a book or doing laundry... It tells the story of a university graduate hunting for a job and his uncertainties and struggles. Hyung supports him with tips and with a new suit, because he won't wear it anytime soon. In the end there is a little bit of drama but of course there is a happy end.

What I don't like especially with this series is how short it is. While it tells the story well, it misses some depth. I would like have seen this with 30 minute episodes or a lot more episodes... because the acting was good and the script was good. Not exceptional, but compared all the crap we get served, it's a a change of pace and a change of stupid, senseless stories. So, if you don't know what to watch, binge watch this series on Youtube for around 29 minutes and have a nice experience.

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crime board with red string background

investigation, crime, and mystery drama. it starts with a police forensic doctor who tries to find out why he and his girlfriend had a car accident 2 years ago. but it actually opens up a whole chain of cases, from serial murders to a drug factory. the story moves really fast, and every case gets a clear ending so it doesn’t leave us confused. the autopsy scenes are quite detailed, so if you’re not from a medical background, it can be a bit hard to understand. the friendship between the police team members is really goals. the most heartbreaking part is when wan gets killed and zhu is caught in an explosion. you can really feel the loss and sadness. their emotional conflicts are also well shown, they have to stay professional even when they are not okay. if it wasn’t for qi sizhe being so stubborn and his big love for yu fei, maybe the secrets around him would never be revealed

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To the Wonder is more than a drama; it's an experience

To the Wonder is a breathtakingly beautiful drama that quietly steals your heart. It unfolds as a deceptively simple story, yet its gentle pull is irresistible, drawing you into its world so completely that you cannot help but fall in love. The cinematography is stunning, capturing landscapes so vast and pure they feel like a character in themselves.

The drama's power lies in its profound authenticity. The performances are so natural and unforced that I often felt less like a viewer and more like a silent witness to a documentary. It offers a raw and intimate glimpse into a traditional existence, masterfully portraying the friction and poetry that arise when modernity gently brushes against ancient customs. The Kazakh way of life, with the village feeling like one extended, loving family, was a true privilege to experience.

At its heart, the drama beats with the extraordinary chemistry between Wen Xiu and Ba Tai. Their connection is so genuine and sweet that I found myself giggling along with them, completely charmed by their tenderness. My only, very slight, complaint is that I longed for just a few more moments with them at the end—but to say more would be to spoil the drama.

To the Wonder is more than a drama; it's an experience. An absolute must-watch.

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Not Your Typical Kdrama

Kdramas have made a name for themselves by using tried and true tropes and cliches to do an amazing job telling fairly formulaic stories. And they're fun, and I like a lot of them. But this is not that kind of show.

I would come close to putting this show into the same category as the film Parasite - not quite on that level of pure art in filmmaking, but carrying similar complexity in the writing and in taking a deep dive into human psychology. Though I would asterisk this by saying that most of the characters in Parasite are actually not as mentally damaged as the characters in Dear X. (Parasite zooms out a bit and looks at damage on a social level, whereas Dear X, though it touches on that, is more deeply focused on the characters' mental and emotional interior lives.)

I'm also not interested in talking about whether or not the female lead is being correctly identified by the term "sociopath" or ASPD (though I don't think she is) - the important thing is she's utterly damaged, selfish, brilliant - a real villain protagonist.

Mainly, I want to say, as a 20-year professional in the writing and publishing industry - the writing in this show is fantastic. The characters are deeply thought-out and realized, and the actors, of course, do a brilliant job portraying them. (I hope they win awards, seriously. They deserve them.)

I was particularly impressed by the overall story structure. The show breaks the story into 3 mini-arcs, neatly divided up into 4 episodes each: high school (and right after graduation), early acting career, and full stardom. The supporting cast shifts each time, and the immediate problem facing Baek Ah Jin (Kim You Jung) also shifts, keeping things fresh rather than lingering too long in one stage of her life.

For my personal take, the final arc was slightly weaker, just because my favorite parts of the show were when Baek Ah Jin was displaying her brilliance and taking action against her current "X" - I have a competency kink, I think. I love watching characters be awesome at what they are doing, and I loved watching this mentally damaged female lead take agency and make things happen the way she wanted. That gets a little lost in the last 4 episodes, and she feels like she has much less agency, which was a bit disappointing to me. Without spoiling, I would have liked Ah Jin's ending to go a little differently.

By contrast, Jun Seo (Kim Young Dae) and Jae O (Kim Do Hoon) both come to the point where their characters are fully realized, expressing what has been building inside them over the years. For them, their endings are exactly right - sad, but true to who they are.

If you don't like watching shows in which you can't approve of or relate to the characters, this show will probably not be for you. If you, like me, just want a solid story regardless of subject matter, give it a shot. For me, this is going straight into my "best of Kdrama" collection - and that's a short list.

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Affinity… or Infinite Pain?

The main reason to watch is the chemistry between the two leads. Early on, everything clicked: even when the plot stretched believability, it still had structure and coherence I actually rated it a 10 at that point.

After episode 19, though, the pacing completely falls apart. The story drags, wanders in every direction, and loses its consistency. The FL and her brother are insufferable from start to finish, and the dynamic between her and the male lead feels unbalanced and unhealthy, with him constantly carrying the emotional weight of her actions.

What bothered me the most is that, by the end, you almost stop rooting for the relationship and just start feeling sorry for the ML. Because of the virus and his past experiences, there’s a clear power imbalance between him and the FL, and it often feels like she takes advantage of it, which makes their dynamic increasingly uncomfortable to watch.

That said, it remains surprisingly entertaining and oddly addictive for quite a while you always want to see what happens next. But by the final stretch, that curiosity had worn off, and I mostly just wanted it to end.

Unfortunately, I ended up quite disappointed, especially considering how strong the cast was and how remarkable the OSTs are...

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