Reviews

Friends to Lovers: where you grow together

One of the best modern cdramas that I have watched so far with friends to lovers trope. Our ML is the smartest person in the room, and our FL is head over heels for him. But he is not your typical dorky boy who ignores everyone and thinks that he is the smartest person in the room, even though he is. He is kind, caring, notices things, follows through his promises, and a very reliable friend to all of his friends. He shows his feelings, speaks when required to let her know that she is special and you can always count on him. Meanwhile, she supports him fully, sometimes even at the cost of being wrong. She is not someone who needs saving, she just needs a stage to shine. She is full of life, and again a very reliable friend. This drama is their journey of loving themselves first and then loving each other, to growing old together. Its a must watch for anyone who is craving for a good story and just needs some happiness in their dull lives. Its a 100/10 and I have rewatched it 5 times already!!

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An interesting action drama which raises questions about justice

Taxi Driver is one of the most recommended kdramas out there. I have seen people talking about it so naturally, I became interested. Since the third season is coming up, I decided to watch the first two in order to prepare for the new one. After watching the first season, I decided to share my thoughts about it.

From a technical aspect, Taxi Driver was very good. I don't know how they filmed the taxi scenes, but they were very cool to watch. The camera work was very intense, especially during the driving scenes and the closeups during the characters' dialogues added more tension. The fighting scenes were serviceable, I found the ones in the second hand better choreographed than the ones in the first episodes but they did their job.

The soundtrack was a highlight on its own. Epic and intense, with some emotional undertones at times. It gave me a retro feeling and it matched with the drama's tone. Vivaldi's Four Seasons was a great addition and it always added the required tension, giving an old-school tone. But the song that became integrated into my mind is All Day by Cha Ji Yeon. I had no idea that she was the singer behind it, talk about a talented woman. Every time the song played, I got chills all over my body, even seconds after listening to the instrumental.

Taxi Driver's plot relies on the themes of justice and revenge. The first part focused on individual cases that got resolved in 2 episodes while the second half focused on the Rainbow Taxi team and their own battle with the police and the organ harvesting organization.

The episodic format in the first half worked very well for this type of drama. We witness different cases of people who seek revenge against their abusers and who pin their last remains of hope on the Rainbow company. The drama tackles many serious topics, from school bullying to illegal porn trafficking, therefore if you want to watch it, proceed with caution. The fact that the cases were inspired by real events made the experience sadder. Just how many people who have been wronged didn't get the justice they deserved?

Taxi Driver challenges the morals of viewers by portraying two different sides: vigilantism and law. On the one hand, we have Rainbow Taxi members who help people who are wronged while on the other hand, we have the law, who is supposed to protect the victims and punish the culprits. However, this applies in theory only, for the law is not always righteous. Criminals often do not receive serious sentences or they might not even get caught. Under the weight of fear, helplessness and pain, to whom will the victims rely on? Who will offer them a shoulder to lean on, once they've been consumed by darkness?

It is no secret that the justice system is now flawless. Unfortunately, we have seen many cases of criminals not receiving strict punishments for their crimes - or not being punished at all. It's not hard to exploit the law as long as you have power and real life has proved this many times before. The members of Rainbow Taxi have experienced firsthand the cruelty and ignorance of the system, which instead of providing comfort and help, it held an indifferent position.

That was an interesting food for thought; if these feelings of anger, wrongness and bitterness are being bottled up, what will happen once they'll burst? To what extent are people willing to go, driven by the need for revenge against their abusers? And how can we criticise their choice? I found myself deep in thoughts with each passing case. The answers to these questions are more complex than we think but instead of spoon-feeding us, the series encourages us to give our own interpretation.

The cast was good and the actors did a good job bringing the characters too life. They fit their roles very well and no one felt miscasted. I especially enjoyed the performances by the villains, the actors made sure to make me hate their guts and pray for their downfall. I especially liked Choi Hyun Wook's performance as a school bully. He proved that he can shine in darker roles and I'd love to see him playing a similar character one day.

Lee Je Hoon as Kim Do Ki was certainly a highlight of his own. The way he sifted from Do Ki's stern and closeted character to his cheerful and outgoing personas during the missions was so effortless and natural. Many times I thought that he would be perfect in a comedy series, his charm was contagious and I had a blast watching him fooling around with the criminals. At the same time, he embodied Do Ki's feelings perfectly. I could tell by his expressions what Do Ki felt and thought. He humanised the character a lot and it was as if the role had been written specifically for him.

I'd also like to give a nod to Cha Ji Yeon. Holy moly, if that wasn't a commanding performance, I don't know what it is. She carried herself with such confidence and mirth, I was always unable to take my eyes off the screen every time she appeared. The tone of her voice, her body language, her maneuvers, her expressions, everything was spot on in order to showcase Baek Seong Mi's character. Definitely one of the best female villains I've encountered so far in terms of acting.

I was so shocked when I learned that Ji Yeon comes from a musical background and that she's mostly a musical actress. I'm not exaggerating when I'm saying that her performance can put other professional drama actors to shame. This woman is so talented and I'll watch everything from her (unfortunately short) filmography, just to experience more of her acting. And again, she killed it in the soundtrack!

Until now, I spoke in the best regard about Taxi Driver. It was entertaining and there's no denial about the importance of the topics it addresses. However, I must say that I unfortunately did not connect with it like many people did and in the end, I was left with an indifferent impression.

Before I'll go in detail, I want to clarify this: I'm aware of the fact that the production changed the writers and as a result, the second half is different. As you will see, I didn't like the second part that much but I also had some issues with the first act. Even if the original writer had been involved in the rest of the series, I'd still have some complaints to make.

I started noticing some issues with the writing from the early episodes. Having heard so many praising comments regarding the depiction of the cases and the victims, I expected the drama to delve deeper into these matters and explore the emotional and psychological state of the people more.

Nevertheless, Taxi Driver focused more on the revenge plans, which is not bad but it didn't make me connect with the victims that much. The series shows how devastated they are but it touched their feelings in a rather superficial way. I get it, this is an action packed drama so obviously it wouldn't focus on the victims and their psychological state. But I would have preferred it if we had seen more of them. I understand that this is a me problem, so feel free to not take this criticism too seriously.

While the first half didn't leave me in awe, it was certainly far more engaging compared to the second one. I'm sorry but the drop in quality was beyond noticeable, at least for me. In terms of storytelling, it was a dragging mess. I was tempted to skip many scenes and the conclusion felt both overstretched and rushed at the same time. I totally understand the purpose of the organ harvesting subplot but the payoff was underwhelming. The events that led to it were more exciting than the plot itself and until the very last episode, I was looking forward to be done with the series.

Another aspect I wasn't very fond of was the comedy. There were some good light-hearted scenes, especially the ones between Gyeong Gu and Jin Eon. But some other scenes failed to elicit a reaction from me. While I enjoyed Lee Je Hoon's portrayal of Do Ki's personas, this gimmick became kinda boring after a while. The case about the voice phishing incidents made me cringe in various moments. The jokes were a miss for me and the fake flirting between Do Ki and Madame Li made me want to straightforward their scenes.

Due to the focus on revenge, the emotional impact was lost, especially during the second act. While the series included some emotionally heavy moments, the constant shift in the tone didn't allow me to properly digest them or connect with the characters. One moment, we watched something sad and then the story would return to its epic tone.

The characterisation also left much to be desired. I would have preferred it if we had gotten more exploration about the Rainbow Taxi members. I didn't expect a strong development but it would have been interesting if we had seen the members trying to deal with their inner demons. In addition, while I enjoyed the characters, I didn't feel any strong connection with them. They had some nice interactions nd there were times when it showed how much they cared about each other but I still felt quite distant.

Go Eun's backstory and trauma was handled in the best way. We saw how she struggled psychologically and physically and that she needed time to get back on the case and through her flashbacks, we observed her relationship with her sister and the impact her death had on her. I sympathized with her pain and I rooted for her to get her revenge and finally heal.

Do Ki was also a character whom we got to know more, through the present and past. But while I felt sad for him and his trauma, I wish the series had devoted more attention to his feelings and motives. At one point, he began questioning the whole purpose of the Rainbow Taxi company and going against the law but it was handled in a very rushed way. His inner turmoil could have been utilized more in order to connect with him some more.

The character that disappointed me the most was prosecutor Kang Ha Na. Whatever the writers thought they did sunk harder than the Titanic. I was never annoyed with her character per se, I was annoyed at how underutilized and poorly developed she was. In the first episodes, Ha Na seemed like an interesting force in the series. She was introduced as a potential thread for the Rainbow Taxi team, a competent servant of the law, who wanted to serve justice. I expected her to be a complex character but alas, that didn't happen.

One of the major problems with this character was her inability to do her job right. When you are trying to sell your character as a good prosecutor, who is popular in the force due to her capabilities, you need to make her act in a way that will highlight her competence. Ha Na didn't convince me much. She relied a lot on the Rainbow Taxi company and many of her choices were questionable considering her experience in the field.

About her development...honestly, there wasn't much development. I totally understand the intention with her character but the execution fell flat to say the least. I thought we were going to see more of her inner conflict regarding her duty as a prosecutor to follow the law by the book and her duty as a human to help the victims, no matter what it took. There were some hints that showed her disagreement over the justice system but the writers didn't elaborate any further on that. By the time the shift happened, it was too late to make it believable enough.

All in all, Taxi Driver was a decent series but unfortunately I didn't connect with it like many people did. I can totally understand why it's popular and why many people love it and I wish I could say the same. I'm still going to watch Season 2 (in fact, I've already watched the first 7 episodes) and I'll give season 3 a try too. The drama has many good aspects and it raises some vital questions regarding justice and revenge. My review reflects my own opinion and I by no means want to discourage anyone from giving Taxi Driver a try.

Tighten your belts and enjoy the ride.

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Not a drama, but well worth the time to watch.

I thought i would try the first episode and then i was hooked, this series was interesting, informative, WYB was brillianthe, it shows a person who can take on a challenge quietly without being boastful or acting out. Teamed up with an expert in each field of endeavour, it was beautifully filmed and presented. We went from the rainforest environment to the snowy mountains to caving to rock climbing to the sea and last but not least to the desert. How to survive in each area whilst learning basic skills. i cannot pick out a favourite episode they were all good. Any crisis was handled well, particularly when WYB was suffering from altitude sickness, i suffered with this on one of my adventures and it isn't funny, i was also at around 5000m and the only thing you can do is go to a lower altitude as soon as possible, i understood exactly how he was feeling. I thought he was brave to go back up to the snowy mountains again but he didn't make a fuss about it.
They are saying there may well be a second series. If they work with the same team and format as they did for this series I will definitely look out for it.

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Some Quality Inconsistencies, But A Great Story Nonetheless

Dangerous Queen had several technical imperfections throughout the series, mostly to do with sound inconsistency; please do not let this discourage you from watching the show. TK and Nur have great chemistry and I personally believe their performances deserve applause, especially since this is TK's first series. I know some viewers were not a fan of the long stares, but to me this was a great display of longing.

As for the story, I think it was executed well. It was believable to me, the viewer. The one and only redemption arc at the end of the series seemed realistic to me. Though the sins of that person were not wildly egregious, so it was much easier to forgive them. The story had great pacing, I don't remember experiencing any lulls; it kept me engaged.

Also, the last episode in my opinion was not rushed, which is great to see, as it is something that often plagues GLs which have an episode count that is on the lower side. It is probably the best finale I have seen in a GL; it is usually where amazing GLs lose the audience due to the production team wanting to wrap the series up in a neat little bow.

If it weren't for the technical difficulties, I would give Dangerous Queen a ten, but hey, for the first GL Snur has produced, it was not bad. I hope they create more and improve in the future. I would love to see TK and Nur in a series together again.

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That was... I don't know

This show was broadcast at an inconvenient time. Compared to others such as Poisonous Love, Love Design, ClaireBell and even My Safe Zone, this one was the weakest in terms of production.

I really didn't like the pace, the constant long looks, and the dramatic pauses. I also found the music weaker compared to the competition. (The OSTs from Poisonous Love and Love Design are already a permanent part of my playlist).

I liked the first episodes, I liked Queen's tough exterior and Bo's slightly naive nature. Sam added a bit of comedy, so I hoped the show would improve over time.

Unfortunately, that didn't happen. Somehow, I wasn't on the same page as the main characters. I didn't believe in their relationship. Perhaps it would have been better to focus more on the characters' psychology, to build their relationship on a solid foundation and see their personal progress (what Queen actually liked about Bo is still a mystery to me) rather than overly dramatic plot twists.

It could have been a good show in the style of Fifty Shades of Grey. It's not really my cup of tea, but it could have been entertaining and something different from other dramas/comedies.

Of course, this is just my opinion, so watch it for yourself and decide if the show will become your favorite. But I'll choose something else to rewatch :)

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Enemies to Lover trope however both of them respect each other from the start

This is one of my first period cdramas. I don't usually watch period dramas as I like to stray away from fantasy genre, however I decided to watch this as there was no fantasy involved, and I liked the acting of the leads. Both of them have done a great job in carrying the complexity of their characters. Its an enemies to lover trope, however both of them are respectful of each other from the start (barring the very start because of certain old grudges). Both the leads are smart, witty, no one needs saving and both of them can handle things. One of the best things I would say was that no misunderstandings became the plot of the story, there were just there for very brief. Overall it was a good watch. If you like slow burn romance, understanding couple, with a dash of action, politics and smart moves, you would love the drama.

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Yummyyy!

This was cute! The food looked so, so good – I really would have loved a taste haha! I liked how the female lead took action often, I found her quite reactionary when necessary. Personally, this is not a grandiose series by any means, but I enjoyed its run a lot from start to finish, which makes me quite happy because Yoon A’s last drama … wasn’t for me to put it nicely. She plays these comedic characters well enough to keep my attention throughout! Now, the plot wasn’t that crazy, especially the political aspect. It was pretty watery, and I was emotionally unaffected from the events we see in episode 11 because I did not quite understand the grandmother’s motives to get rid of the late Queen. It’s not like she had a strong hold on the male lead after he became king, so why this plot? The ending was also quite funny … “We’re not telling you how he came back because that doesn’t matter” … okay?! 🤣🤣 That’s lazy, but I’ll let that slide because the show was overall very entertaining and visually pleasing! I only wish they could have toned down that filter … no one’s skin is THAT flawless to be honest… and everyone is pretty enough anyway! Good times!

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IT'S HILARIOUS AF ?

This mini series is literally the only part of Muteluv I cared about, and THANK GOD it delivered. It’s chaotic, sassy, queer and downright stupid funny in the best way. I went in kinda scared because comedy with queer characters can get messy if done wrong, but nope they handled it so well. Zero mockery, all respect, all camp, all vibes.

I swear these four episodes had me laughing like CRAZY. Ingky’s punchlines? Criminal. Someone arrest that girl because she did not have to be that funny 😭

I love the whole cast, especially Fluke as Nevia. I didn’t really know him off screen, but he plays this role so naturally it’s wild. His acting, his gestures, everything just fits. And now I get why he’s the leader of AirDoll. Also, every episode I’m just sitting here jealous of his makeup. Like queen WHY are you so pretty??

Mick as Pat is such a perfect casting choice too. He nails the younger cute innocent boyfriend vibe so well. Lego as Ingky looks gorgeous, and Neo is just Neo in the most chaotic way. Big props to Yatch for taking on this queer role too!

What I love the most is how the story focuses on friendship instead of forcing romance, though I’m lowkey shipping BankNevia and PatIngky too. (they're dating in my head).

It’s a genuinely well made comedy and I highly recommend it if you need something light and funny to relieve stress 👍🏻

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youthful infatuation to adult love

Such an amazing cdrama! There are so many emotions you can experience watching it! The relationship between main leads are giving a lot of love, although at the beginning it was difficult, but then it was nice to see them happy. Also they made a lot of efforts and fought for their relationship. And in the case of Xu Qin for freedom of choice. It was very hard for her to go against her mother, but she was able to stand up for herself. I wanted for her brother to find his soulmate, but the end turned out to be good for him anyway, and he was also able to get out from their mother’s manipulations and find his freedom. The story of the firefighters touched to the core, how they are constantly away from their family and anything can happen to them. It’s all their strength and sense of duty!
It's such an intense and interesting cdrama! A must-watch!

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Bound by Fate

Overall, I really enjoyed this drama (I binged watched it aggressively). However, I will say the Ep 1 - 27 were phenomenal and would rate 9/10. Honestly, the story could have ended their and didn’t need anything else.

Ep 28 - 38 were more lackluster after the 1st arch was completely. I would rate it 7/10

Total rating is 8.5 main leads had really good chemistry but it could have also worked as friends - some interactions felt a little platonic instead of the all-consuming love they declared.

Rewatch value would be low for me personally as there’s nothing left to discover after 1st viewing. I still enjoyed it and would recommend to others.

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Easy on the eyes with a touch of boredom and a rushed, crazy finale...

While I understand what the production tried to do - replacing homophobia with xenophobia for merman, they did not do a thoughtful job. Especially the story around the events 20 years ago were not done properly. It is mentioned in the middle of the series and culminates in the finale with a ridicilous solution to cure poisoning. Of course when you first see the actor playing Phraphai father, you already know who the bad guy is - that's when you "typecast" an actor for mostly bad guy roles. So the predicability shot through the roof - and I don't like that. That his adoptive son also plays a psychopath is also not helping.

The rest is ok, they even put effort in the merman fins which did not look out of place. The setting is also nice, it's not in the city, but of course we have the typical rich city boy and a very naive bartender who does not stand up for himself and is under the thumb of the psychopath most of the time. Because it's not a school setting I expected him to be more pro-active and not display such a passive behaviour. He is old enough to know what he wants and what he does not want. The first four episodes drag on a bit and I wished they had introduced the past event much much earlier and kept that storyline more in focus and did tell that story in more details and not so rushed. The side-story of Pings mother was just ridicilous imho. If you tell your son for 20 years, that he is a "monster" - but then change your mind when he left for a day - it's just not realistic in my book. And they did not really need that story-plot.

Storywise this is an average show, the production was ok most of the time and it's easy on the eyes. But just cute/handsome actors do not make a convincing story. It's far away from the worst thai BLs we got to see this year but it's also not really good either. It's an ok show and if you like the premise it's not too bad to watch.

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