Reviews

The comments are lieing this is a really good light watch

I don't know why people hate this drama soo much with "ugh do ha is dumb for a 27 year old" or "the male leads have no personality". NAH. If this was a straight drama you guys would have went around posting reels on how much of a green forest these guys were or how cute doha was.

Where's he rule that a 27 year old can't be timid or talk in a serious tone? Also all 3 MLs had their own personality. Gyeon was this naughty, sweet childhood friend, jeon was this ideal man or 2nd lead who was perfect but couldn't get his man, and ha ram was this manipulative handsome guy.. i think i liked this more than others cz i spoiled myself with the final male lead i.e gyeon so i could watch the series from a pov where there are 2 leads and other sub leads not 4 leads and guessing who is who.

Also i think doha chose the right man. If i were him I'd chose gyeon too cz he stood with doha during his ups and downs all his life and was always there to protect him. Lets forget about haram cz he was kinda a red flag. Some might think jeon was deserving but even if he knew do ha was framed in the start (in real world that could be career ending) but he didn't try to protect him even in the farewell dinner he could do more but he didn’t u can see he hesitated at times while gyeon never had 2nd thoughts when it came to protecting doha.

So yeah its a good drama watch it. The actors are good the story is very relaxing n fluffy. U can watch it on a stressful day and relax❤️

Read More

Acting, Toxicity and Obsession at its finest!

Coming from a demanding viewer, this is a masterpiece. I didn´t expect much from this series since it was not hyped as much as the other chinese bls, but it definitely won a place in my heart. Everything is settled to perfection. If you wanna enjoy a bl with a fast-paced, toxic, obsessive, manipulative and with a more mature tone, this is made for you unquestionably.

The story unfolds quickly yet smoothly as they fall in love, and the acting feels natural and unforced. There´s no filler or "unnecessary" incidents throughout the series, not even a boring scene all along. The chemistry between Fanxiao and Shulang started messy, but it makes you obsessed, wondering how everything will end for them? I didn't read the novel, but I can definitely say that they ATE their roles, they just embodied them.

Overall this is an angsty drama, barely with touches of comedy; but when they wanna include them, they're light and silly and non-cringy jokes thankfully.

And let's talk about something many people overlook: the production of this series.
- The music appears at the right time. The soundtrack is also perfect.
- The lightning. Such an underrated thing to appreciate, but it works every time.
- The cinematography. From my point of view, I've never been more attracted to the colours of a series than this one. Every shot is perfectly recorded, from every angle, and don't forget the colours, utterly charming to the eyes.

For sure, there will be a few high-quality bls in the whole industry that include all the previous points, but personally, I love how the storyline develops along with the chemistry between the main leads :) Can't wait for how the story ends! As expected, chinese bl productions are always top-tier.

Read More

The On1y One is a coming-of-age drama that follows the story of Sheng Wang and Jiang Tian, two brilliant and very different high school students.

The initial conflict between Sheng Wang (the more carefree and rebellious boy) and Jiang Tian (the quiet and diligent boy) is very entertaining. The series handles well the tension, competition, and humor that arises from their forced cohabitation.

Unlike other dramas, The On1y One dedicates a lot of time to the development of the protagonists and their backstories, exploring themes like adolescent growth, academic pressure, and family problems with great sensitivity. You feel like you truly get to know them.

The romantic relationship is a very slow burn and is built with small gestures, intense glances, and intimate moments. For fans of slow burn and yearning, the series is a wonderful torture.

I only have one criticism I could make, but I'll let you discover it for yourself.

Read More

Not for everyone

Watching this you may notice there are no product placements. This is because the whole program, both seasons plus the specials, is probably heavily subsidized by the national police establishment. In Hollywood historically if the proposed TV show, movie, pleases the military (promotes a positive image and encourages recruitment) then it will get crucial support (expert advice, equipment, personnel, etc). I suspect that what's happening with this one. Is that bad? No and it depends. The people stories embedded throughout are entertaining enough. The image promoted of a professional police force, both for the police themselves to aspire to and the people to believe in, isn't in itself a negative.

Watch the first episode and you'll have seen enough to judge, although the development and denouement of the various story arcs only come later.

Read More

Plus & Minus is a warm, sweet, and easy-to-watch BL drama.

The best-friends-to-lovers dynamic works wonderfully.

Cheng Tse Shou and Fu Li Gong have a comfortable and believable chemistry. Their interactions feel like those of two people who truly know each other deeply, and they manage to convey the confusion, longing, and sweetness of their unexpected romance in a very moving way.

I find the secondary couple super lovely, two totally opposite people who manage to complement each other.

Plus & Minus is a warm, sweet, and easy-to-watch BL drama. If you enjoy slice-of-life romance stories with adult characters dealing with repressed feelings and excellent best-friend chemistry, it is a perfect choice. It is ideal for when you are looking for something tender and low in toxicity.

Read More

Trash Watched .... I'm stunned...

I basically skimmed through the entirety of this when I got to episode 3 and just knew this series wasn't for me. I thought Boy next World was a lot ... my fuck, I was not prepared for all of this.

Let's Dive In.

Porn. This is porn. No, this is not "soft core porn" or otherwise it would've been soft, and it wasn't! Was it hot? Of course, porn can't be bad (mostly). But this was entirely too much. The opening scene immediately catapults you into the NC of it all, with almost every single episode containing some kind of sex scene. First off, I'm a slow-burn girlie. If we've already gotten to every single base within the first 3 episodes, then I'm bored. On top of that, the sex is gnarly (everything's gnarly..). There's a scene were Jun is sucking Sorn's dick in the bathroom, which, okay that's enough as it is, but then you hear it. You hear him sucking dick. And then he gags on it, and then he SWALLOWS!! I had to pause and just walk around my room. I mean, this is quite literally insane.

I don't hate on people that loved this just for the NC, because it's there for obvious reasons. I just need a plot on top of the NC, or I am otherwise bored. Although, my favorite scene was probably them having sex and getting interrupted in the midst. That was funny.

This is the danger of having lots of NC in a series too... no one is watching for the series. Half the people watching this (like me) are skimming through this cause the plot is *thumb's down* but the NC is so hyped that you might as well watch it.

Outside of the obviousness of this series, the plot is bad! I could tell by episode two that this was going to be absurd! My goodness! I know these two are going to do another BL, and get this... omegaverse. Dear lord, save us all.

Ratings:

Story: 2/10 - plot? what plot? I also trash watched this. I'm not even considering this a series I watched for real.

Acting: 5/10 - could really sense the chemistry as they are moaning and grunting to each other.

Music: 5/10 - To make it worse, the play the most distracting english song through all of this. oh my god.

Recommendation Value: 7/10 - Sure, watch it. Boat is gorgeous, shirt on/shirt off.

Read More

ABO Desire stands out for being one of the few live-action adaptations that fully delves into the Omegaverse (ABO) genre, a subgenre of science fiction and fantasy where humans have a second gender hierarchy: Alphas, Betas, and Omegas (and, in this case, Enigmas).

The series ambitiously builds the complex ABO system on screen, including the biology, the social hierarchy, and the use of suppressants. For those of us who are fans of the genre, it is a delight to see tropes like pheromone attraction brought to live action.

The tension between Hua Yong and Sheng Shao You is palpable. Their interactions are charged with power and desire.

If you like BL dramas with a high production value, themes of toxicity, psychological manipulation, and are interested in seeing one of the few live-action Omegaverse adaptations, give it a chance.

If you prefer healthier love stories, with consent and a fast pace, ABO Desire might be a frustrating experience.

Read More

Empty calories - how an easy watch became hard to swallow

After almost dropping after episode 2, my conclusion is this: I don't regret not dropping it. But I wouldn't have missed out if I had. Many of the good aspects I found during the first couple episodes vanished until the last ten, making it harder and harder to finish.

Plot: Highly predictable and barely there. Despite every episode being packed with drama, the overall pacing is slow. Bad thing after bad things happens that the characters just try to make do with. Good things don't feel as if they're the result of the characters' own actions or skills, but pure luck.
If you enjoy various plotlines to happen at the same time, side characters to have great relevance for the plot and constant drama, this plot might suit your taste. I got frustrated at the lack of progress after around episode 15.

Characters: Both MLs were likeable, FL was okay, the rest felt like filling material. The antagonist to create all the drama was a bit over the top. What made me more mad than said character was the other characters' reactions to it, especially since it was never explained why they put up with that the way they did.
Every conflict felt shallow and could have been resolved in under a minute, which is why nothing ever hit deep or felt relatable. Instead, characters are empty vessels carrying the plot with no development at all. There was a lot "all tell no show" - 'we are all family' - but you never treated each other as such, 'I trust you' - how did that trust develop, why aren't you showing that, 'you changed my life' - you're literally right where you left off, what exactly changed?
As the plot progressed, more and more side characters got swept under the carpet, hence not bringing all opened plotlines to a closure.

Relationships: The bromance is barely there as 2ML is barely present (but when it's there, it's wholesome). The whole restaurant team never felt like family or friends with all the trust issues, betrayals and secrets going on. If you're hoping for a nice story about people meeting at their lowest and helping each other out, forming great bonds along the way, you couldn't choose a worse drama to watch.
The romance part was cute, despite a lack of chemistry, their relationship surprisingly open and healthy (apart from some bigger secrets that were brushed over way too quickly).

The cooking: For a drama called Wok of Love there's a big lack of actual cooking. It does get better during later episodes, but by then, I wanted them to solve their damn issues instead of holding monologues about how to butcher those poor lobsters.

Admittedly, they probably never wanted to be anything other than an easily digestible drama, and I went into it expecting just that. I wanted just one nice element that I'd enjoy to give it a higher rating.
The only hope I had was an easy watch about people growing as a team after their circumstances forced them to work together in a kitchen with tasty food as the side character.
In the end, the dishes looked tasty, but what they served lacked spice.

Read More

Fast Forward Romance

This is one of those dramas that would have perhaps benefitted from a longer run of 16 episodes.. Or maybe that’s just my wishful thinking as someone who enjoys Jung So-min and Choi Woo-shik. As it stands, the drama feels too rushed for its own good. It jumps from one story beat to the next so abruptly that even with my “tolerant glasses” on for JSM and CWS, I found myself frowning at the screen more often than not.

Story & Execution
The premise is simple: The FL’s long-term boyfriend (and legal husband) cheats on her and dumps her. On top of that, she ends up financially strapped. She then wins a conditional prize that requires her to be married, and through a series of coincidences, she ropes the ML into pretending to be her newly-wedded husband. Conveniently, he shares the same name as her awful ex. He agrees due to his own motives. Eventually we learn that she happens to be his childhood first love. From there, the plot hits every standard rom-com checkpoint: fake marriage setup, sentimental flashbacks, family power struggles, and the inevitable conflict-resolution loop.

Unfortunately, the writing never gives these beats room to breathe. The pacing is so compressed that character development feels superficial. Important moments appear and disappear before we can invest in them.

Tropes & Weaknesses
The childhood-first-love trope is especially tired here. It’s hard to tell if the ML genuinely loves the FL as she is now, or if he’s simply clinging to nostalgia. It’s a trope that’s been used to death in K-dramas, and as it is, here it adds little beyond eye-rolling predictability.

The secondary romance is barely a romance at all. The connection between the second leads feels forced, like a bullet point on writer-nim’s checklist. The cheating ex overstays his welcome by at least six episodes. Although he faces consequences, he doesn’t actually grow. Meanwhile, the “mystery” behind the ML’s parents’ accident is so predictable that it borders on parody. Nothing else in the supporting cast or subplots stands out in a meaningful way.

Performances
The two leads are the saving grace. Even when they’re just average, their average is still better than many others’ best. I finished the drama solely because of them. Without them, I would have dropped it by episode three despite being a completionist. They make their rather bland characters, Me-ri and Woo-ju, at least somewhat charming. Ironically, they shine more individually than as a couple. The lack of chemistry is probably another casualty of the rushed execution.

Overall
It’s a meh drama, somewhere between forgettable and mildly watchable. Despite the two leads’ earnest efforts, the show never finds its footing. It wobbles, stumbles, and ultimately crashlands. Sadly, it’s one for the red side of my entertainment ledger.

Read More

Definitely not a regret watch!!

JBL's have been really giving lately. Firstly I really enjoyed the costume designs and the overall aesthetic which I think was portrayed really nicely. The tension was there as we as the viewer obviously knew who Ai actually was.

The story telling was also portrayed really nicely. There was a clear flow, and the ultimate climax when Chiaki found out that Enaga was Ai. I also liked how they showed Ai/Enaga's conflicted feelings on wether to tell Chiaki or not who he was.

I also really liked the cinematography and the way the series was filmed especially the night scenes. The casting was also top notch, they embodied the characters really well. Especially Enaga and Ai looking like completely different people. The styling was done really well.

Overall, it's a really good watch that I would definitely recommend. The expectations where met, and it's a mix of tension that can leave you at the edge of your seat. I can assure you'll leave the series smiling.

Read More

There is no justice when seeking revenge.

Revenge will never give you a peace of mind, because it will always create victims that will hunt you till their last day. Never ending spiral of survival in the world that does not care.

It’s a drama that requires a lot of patience - 10 episodes in I still felt rather clueless about the past events and their impact on the current timeline. Maybe not completely blind, for sure not seeing the big picture thought. The writer takes their sweet time to explain the murders, their motive, connection between victims and the wanted outcome depending on the side. While the actual explanation is more or less spoon-fed to the audience, it does not feel like they tried to insult my lack of perception, but rather elaborate on the vague idea I already had in my head. It was delivered in a way that seemed appropriate taking into consideration the long and detailed set up.

I am not sure how much of a main character Qu San Geng was. For me I saw him more like a vessel for narration. While the story directly impacted him, somehow he seemed a little bit detached from it. Technically he was the force driving the investigation forward, so why does his presence feel so passive? I’m not mad about it, I think he served his purpose perfectly, but maybe I just expected to connect to his character a little bit more?

Ripe Town is a story about injustice - be it legal or social. About the power of status and money. About idealistic ideas that are crushed by reality. This is not a fun investigation, one could even say the ending feels unsatisfying. But that unsatisfying ending actually perfectly fits the story. I felt deeply frustrated more than once and even the more lighthearted moments left a bitter taste in my mouth.

That said, it was not all pain and suffering. Thanks to many interesting main and supporting characters, I can with full confidence say it was an enjoyable watch. Song Chen easily being the best of them all - not exactly good, but definitely not bad. Sticking to his convictions and morals. I also really like the “sidekick trio” Leng Gui Er, Gao Shi Cong and Feng Ke Zhui. Their dynamics were the ray of sunshine and fun that gave me a little bit of peace of mind.

One thing the drama did a phenomenal job with was making me switch my opinions about characters back and forth depending on the amount of information I had. It clearly shows the depth of the story and the characters’ actions. Nothing is quite as black and white as it may seem.

Performance wise, Yu Yao as Lu Zhi was probably my favorite along with Ning Li and Bai Yu Fan. Personally these 3 were the true main characters for me, and everyone kind of faded into background compared.

As for the production, I loved the color schemes used - the grays, blues and greens with hints of warm tones from lanterns created a somber and grim picture that accompanied the at times bleak reality of the characters.

Overall, I would for sure recommend it, but it is better as a binge watch. Be patient with how the story unfolds, you will get your conclusions at the right time.

Read More

Wonderful Love Story from Childhood to Married Life

I accidentally saw the teaser of this drama in Facebook and I immediately fell in loved with the young ML who was so handsome yet so arrogant. The young FL was very cute but a very talented and strong willed girl. The way she tamed the playful yet rebellious heart of the young ML was so funny and so touching so that their closeness since then leave no doubt that they are meant for each other and that they are destined for great things.
The grown up versions are almost exactly like their children counterpart. The ML grew up to be so tall and imposing man. He is so handsome and rich. He became a successful CEO on his own accomplishments and most of all he immediately went to search for the girl who changed his life to marry her. The search was so funny and so glad that they finally reunited for a beautiful and happy ending.
The FL has grown up also as a very beautiful woman who is also as successful in her own right. She is not as rich as the ML who is from super rich family from childhood but she has transformed from a poor village girl into one who is highly educated and multi-talented.
The two leads, the ML and the FL are so perfect for each other. There is a rumor that they are real couple in real life. I hope it is true.
Glad to see that the FL is so bright and strong that the villain failed in all cases to make her life difficult. The ML is also very protective and is very loyal. One of the few MLs who is not stupid to fall into the various traps or seductions of the villain woman.
It is so funny to see that the tall, macho and very tough CEO was crying thinking that his beloved will abandon him later on. In reality, they both loved and protected each other in their own special way. The Mother in Law and the Grandpa are so wonderful too. They are so loving and supportive of the FL from childhood until the end.
I really love this drama.

Read More

Is peach trap worth the trap?

I have conflicting feelings about this series. In the beginning it took me an arm and a leg to actually continue going, but I heard good reviews so I pushed through.

Overall the plot was slightly annoying in my opinion. As there was absolutely no use in Harem's character. The only actual love interests where the Ceo and the best friend (sorry I forgot their names). The Ceo and Harem's feelings felt a bit cheap, cause what do you mean you fell in love with the regular you hardly talk too. If the series was longer I'm sure this would have been developed much more.

I think the best friend should have had the weight of his feelings explained earlier on rather then at the end as it would have made the viewer feel more connected with the character and the weight of his feelings. We only find out later on once they're together that he's had these feelings for 10 years.

The last two episodes I feel had more tension and kept me watching. I could sense in the beginning they wanted us to think Doha would end up with the Ceo, but there was no shown reason for the appearance of their feelings until the end, which left me wondering why the Ceo even likes Doha.

Also I think, they could have carried on the green element later on in the series. For example when Doha finally confesses after the best friend got injured, he could have worn Green to confirm he was the chosen love interest. But that's a detail, that wasn't 100% necessary.

Overall, I think the storyline could have been fleshed out a bit more, but for what it was it wasn't bad. Later on I saw this through a small production point of view, which makes some scenes more understandable. Out of the airing korean dramas, it's not my favourite, but it could be a light watch for some, after watching something heavy.

Read More