Reviews

Lots of Mystery, Fantasy and Fun

A messy start, a heartfelt middle, and a slightly flat ending but overall, Genie, Make a Wish is an oddly addictive, emotionally layered fantasy drama worth giving a chance.




It felt like a colossal misfire in the first two episodes mostly because of how much information they tried to pack in right away. But once the pacing settled, I started to warm up to the characters, and that’s when the show became genuinely enjoyable. The humor shines through more subtly than expected, so some viewers might miss it and dismiss the drama as “bloated,” but it actually balances lighthearted and dark moments quite well.

Personally, I could really relate to the female lead her emotional depth and inner conflicts felt authentic. The side characters were all adorable, adding warmth and personality to the story. The side romance between the second female lead and the grandma did feel forced (and a bit odd because of the age gap), but I appreciated how the show explored the many facets of psychopathy rather than reducing it to a lack of empathy.

There was mystery & comedy and both in a more than enough manner.

There was some unnecessary repetition the female lead constantly hitting the male lead got old after a while but overall, it was binge-worthy. Despite the uneven acting and a slightly unsatisfying ending, the storyline remained surprisingly solid throughout.

Pros:
- Strong character development once pacing improves
- Thoughtful psychological elements
- Subtle comedy and emotional balance
- Relatable female lead

Cons:
- Overloaded first episodes
- Uneven acting
- Forced side romance
- Repetitive slapstick moments

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Beautiful to watch and listen to, but plot- and character-wise disappointing

The next three paragraphs contain my overall opinion and no spoilers. After that follows a very long rant containing many spoilers about what didn’t work for me.

I really liked the cinematography and loved the music, but a big part of the plot and the characters were underdeveloped in my opinion. I did not need the romance and frankly, I think the story could have been better had that time been used to further develop other parts.

It had some really beautiful moments, but other parts I just didn't care about because the story spend too little time on them. Especially the character development disappointed me. There were several characters that were not just flawed, but simply unlikeable in my opinion, so I did not care about them and was glad whenever the story moved onto the next scene without them. Other characters showed up, then disappeared for a while and then suddenly showed up again when it was convenient. And this story did not feel like it had four main characters...

My initial reaction after finishing this drama was to not recommend it, but now about two weeks later I don’t feel that strongly about it anymore. If you like the actors and enjoy a well produced show and good music, you can give it a try, but if you are looking for a really good story with well developed characters, this is sadly not the one. Nonetheless, I don’t think it was a waste of my time to watch it, it just fell short in too many aspects to rate it higher.


SPOILERS or me ranting about what I did not like:

I did not care about the romance, especially not as a love triangle.
When Akane and Naoki confessed to each other, she told him that she wasn't sure at first if it was love, admiration or fear she felt. And the series never really convinced me that she was actually in love and not just admiring him and gobsmacked by his talent and passion. Which could be an interesting inner conflict if they actually showed that, does she love him or does she simply admire him, but apart from addressing it in one or two sentences the series never dives into this topic.
I also didn't believe Naoki had romantic feelings for Akane. Love, maybe, the same he had for Sho and Kazushi, but with how deeply his character was drawn to making music and getting lost in it, I just didn't see when and why he would suddenly develop romantic feelings for anyone.

And I am really annoyed at how the script treated Kazushi and Sho.
Apart from one or two brief moments about his relationship with Naoki, how he feels about Naoki's work and his ambition, and why he joined the band, Kazushi's only point of being in this story was seemingly so they could have a love triangle. Similar to the other two, this was underdeveloped. Setting aside the fact that I wouldn't have liked this part either way, I also don't think they did a good job at showing how he fell in love, he suddenly just liked Akane. Further exploring his reasons for joining the band, his admiration for Naoki while also struggling with Naoki's way of working, and being somewhat jealous of him could have made him a far more interesting character.

And Sho... this might be my biggest disappointment, he was barely present until the last few episodes. There were some good moments that showed how calm and caring he was (unlike many others I did not see a potential romance there (although I understand why some people did :D), because, as stated above, I didn’t see Naoki developing romantic feelings for anyone, he was married to his music and to his music alone), but Sho was mostly a background figure. Sure, he was in a lot of scenes because he is part of the band, but it didn't matter to the story that he was there. Had they shown sooner how he and Naoki met and decided to start the band, I might have cared about him more.

I didn't like Kai, and the conflict with her as well as her character itself felt redundant, I cared about it so little I wish they would have cut this out.
Toya as a character was a lot more interesting, or maybe just more charismatic, but also just there for that little bit of rivalry and then gone until that brief appearance at the end. Again a character that could have been utilised in a better way.
Isagi was also not fleshed out enough in my opinion. I am not sure the story actually needed this character, but the reason for that might be that I was constantly annoyed when he was on screen.

The part towards the end about whether to try and save Naoki's life and have him get treatment, but at the cost of his spirit and taking away his music, what he cares about most, could have been great and deserved more screen time. The moral conflict of wanting to save someone and what that actually means, the wish to keep him alive, which is so human, clashing with the question whether it would ultimately be selfish to save Naoki's life at the cost of keeping him from making music which would make him utterly unhappy and ultimately break him because he would then just survive, but not actually live, was interesting, but only touched upon briefly.
It’s not even that I think this is the best potential conflict for this drama, but it would have been a great opportunity to let all the band member characters shine and show more about their relationships with each other.

There were some moments, especially in the beginning, when I did not believe in the driven genius, whenever Naoki ran around with the notebook or drew notes in the sky or whatnot, but other moments worked incredibly well. When he stayed in the studio until exhaustion, when he played and played and replayed melodies on his instruments, it was terrifying and it was beautiful. Akane had a few similar moments, showing not the same obsession as Naoki has, but her passion and determination, those were also great. I could have watched more of that, especially for the other two band members, show me more of that passion, that sparkle, that willingness to push through and create something, show me people who don't just like music, but burn for it so much that they chose to make it their life.
Whenever the show had moments like that it worked incredibly well for me. Characters who live and breathe for their music, who are driven, who are not always likeable because of that… Had the show focused more on this aspect and cut out all the scheming (the scale of which was sometimes just laughable), I would have liked it a lot more.

As I mentioned above, what annoys me so much is mainly that this story had so much potential and some of the good parts were truly great, so to have it fall flat in others parts that I would have been more interested in, feels even more disappointing.

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A good drama but .........

Actually this drama has very good starting . The first few episodes were very good . But has the story progresses the male lead and female lead develop feeling for each other from their story just started to lose its original plot. As the story continues it is back to the plot. Bot the romantic angle was short but little too much. The ending of the drama was very fast , he just recovered than killed enemy like really.......fast.

One thing I absolutely hate about this drama in the fight sequence of the female lead. I know she is a great Archer but close combat how can somebody survive with getting any injury....... Like ..... Seriously 😒 The ML depend too much on the FL.

It's just my opinion. If you want to watch it go ahead.
I have watched this drama only for Chen ZheYuan ❤️❤️ His acting is absolutely phenomenal. Love you 😘

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Your soul touched me with your eyes!

⚠️Disclaimer: I'm a romcom, slow burn junkie. Not every single romcom works for me because it takes certain mood, actors and storyline to kick that serotonin and dopamine to flow, surely it checked every single one of those. So keep that in mind, my opinion, rating, and this review is subjective.

Romantics Anonymous is that kind of drama which can sweeten up your life just by looking at the process of making luxuriously crafted chocolates.

✧ Storyline:
When Sosuke, a germophobe whose fear stems from a traumatic past, meets Lee Ha Na, a gifted chocolatier who conceals her identity because of her own fears of social interactions, they both realize there's something in each other that can make themselves at ease in each other's presence. As someone who suffers from mild conditions of both of the leads, I could totally feel how they felt. Even though the storyline revolved around the store Le Sauveur, the way they blended the background story of each skillfully crafted chocolate with dedicated attention, it was a wonderful experience in itself.

✧ Acting:
I'm a fan of both the actors, Han Hyo Joo and Oguri Shun. As usual, their on-screen chemistry was absolutely amazing. Their interactions were effortlessly chaotic and therapeutic to witness. But I discovered Akanishi Jin here for the first time and his charming aura left a bold impression on my heart. The side characters were equally well crafted, they reflected their own brand in their acting.

✧ Cinematography:
I'm a big fan of aesthetic cinematography. Stunning visuals of vast scenery, warm colouring, and the cinematography are no joke. This drama will give you a movie-like feeling right from the beginning. This created the whole atmosphere very relaxed, inviting and intimate. Loved it!

I don't know how to criticize this 8 episode drama; even though it is a remake, Japan took the food drama to another level. The visual impression of those high-end beautifully crafted chocolates got me drooling. It was heartwarming to know that every chocolate doesn't only contain the sweetness and flavorings but also bears the most important memories of our lives, which brings us joy in our darkest moments. Surely it wasn't without flaws but it was a lovely, sweet and enjoyable ride that didn't disappoint me till the end, so those flaws were really ignorable to me.

Overall, if you are looking for something sweet that will fill the cracks of your broken heart, then this lovely heartwarming drama wishes you to make sure you feel cozy and happy.

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My pet peeves and adorable leads

This drama has a lot going for it good actors, good chemistry, nice found family trope , bromance, roamans and an overall interesting story.


I love the second couple, wish they had a drama of their own and would have wanted to see more of the sisters story.

HOWEVER -

I do not really get the blaming a 12 year old for... well anything and I do not really get the whole dad part... Love the way our male lead pushes the dad away but do not really get the wife/dad/kid situation so the premise of the story does feel slightly off...

It has a few to many of my pet peevs, some parts of the story are confusing and they tried a little too hard to try to get the audience to cry leaving me wuth less tears and more of a oh come on... So while it wan an easy binge that had me hooked those last two to three episodes just didn't give me closure or protocolary interesting development. Insted it just added moments of annoyance and confusion.

taking away quite a bit from the over all score that could have been an 8 or even a 9...

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"It's not hopelessness that makes me suffer, but the endless hope"

When two grieving and angry mothers feel that justice has not been served, they bring a killer back to life in order to exact their revenge in The Resurrected. Vengeance turns out to not be so slick and clean, nor easily attained.

Wang Hui Chun is vigilant in the care of her daughter Jin Jin who lies in a coma in the distant country of Benkha. Her abusive, unfaithful husband continually berates her for not pulling the plug on their daughter but Hui Chun clings to the hope her daughter will one day awaken. Widow Chao Ching’s daughter Hsin Yi was brutally murdered by the same people responsible for Jin Jin’s coma. The mothers use their own resources to bring the killer to justice with the aid of another victim’s mother. When the killer dies “with dignity” it is too much for them and they put into motion an unnatural plan to resurrect him. Chang Shih Kai is not so easily manipulated and begins to create doubt in the mothers. Hui Chun and Chao Ching also grapple with the powerful people behind Chang, who could prove to be far more dangerous than the dead man.

The strength of this drama lay with the lead actresses. Shu Qi as Hui Chun was the follower of the two, usually siding with whatever Chao Ching decided on. Her world was swallowed up in debt and caring for the comatose Jin Jin, and drowning in endless hope. Angelica Lee’s Chao Ching came across as hard, obsessive and ruthless in her desire for vengeance. Broken by the cruel death of her daughter and her own guilty feelings, her only reason for living was to punish anyone involved with Hsin Yi’s suffering. She doggedly followed every lead offering zero compassion. Fu Meng Po as the killer Chang Shih Kai spent most of his scenes bloodied and tied up. He had to dig deep to bring nuance to the mothers’ despicable foe. While the writers tried to soften him with a tragic backstory, it had no effect on my view of him. He and his organization emotionally and physically tortured young people, killing them when they were no longer useful.

I had no problem with the mothers’ desire for vengeance on the man who tortured and killed their children. Hsin Yi died a horrific death. A mother’s need to protect resides deep in her DNA. Knowing her child was in danger, crying out for her and she’d been unable to save her, would be a parent’s worst nightmare. The first few episodes were enthralling. Even the social commentary on the wicked ways of the rich fit into the story. Then it seemed the writers didn’t trust their characters and added mysterious layers that were unnecessary and garbled things up. KISS is always best (Keep It Simple Stupid). The last few eps ran off the rails, though they managed to salvage the two mothers after tearing their characters up. The writers also reverted to a trope at the end that was tired and overused by the 1980s. I don’t think they were setting up a sequel, I think it was just a cheap trick at a jump scare.

I loved watching Shu Qi and Angelica Lee delve deeply into their characters’ pain and anger. They were quite compelling to watch. For these two alone, it was a drama worth giving a try. Despite the erratic and convoluted nature of the writing in the last three episodes, I still enjoyed this drama overall. The Resurrected was a dark, twisted vengeance drama that will not be for everyone. Please take note of the triggers. Others may find it far too tame. The supernatural element didn’t play into the story too much. The real draw for me was watching two, actually three women process their grief and rage in different manners, all by skilled actresses.

17 October 2025
Trigger warnings: Torture-both of the guilty and the innocent. Sexual assault. Sexual content. Brief nudity. Drug use. Smoking. The occult.

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You Gotta Have Heart

This turned into a court case like non other I've seen. It wasn't just the story about bringing all the antagonists to justice, but also the four stories that were intertwined, involving a single heart transplant and all the directions it would take. It starts out as a good vs evil courtroom drama, but quickly turns into a complicated, suspenseful & extremely entertaining series.
It may be a bit confusing in the beginning, but eventually everything slowly comes together deep into the story. You find yourself saying "oh now that makes sense from two episodes ago, I got it now"
I'm always a fan of JunHo, and he once again doesn't disappoint. He is excellent in the lead role, giving a strong, emotional performance. The cast along side of him prove a perfect balance together. Jae Myung, Gi Ae & Hyun Been complete the remaining protagonists in the story, each adding greatness to the supporting crew.
The antagonist in this are evil, cold & heartless ... in other words, perfect for this series. There's too many to name, but by the later part of the drama, there's definitely a count down in your head on how each of these horrible people will see their demise.
Besides having so many episodes with great "cliff hanging" endings, without a doubt, one of the best courtroom climactic scenes occurs in the final episode. It's brilliant to watch it happen, almost in slow motion. All the people you despise, they are left with their mouths hanging open, all in the same room. It gives a great conclusion to a terrific series.
Definitely a great watch!!!

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A New take on BL genre

I have never written any reviews for the series I have watched, and I absolutely love watching series. I am an avid BL fan being watching BL from 2010 onwards.
I'm writing this review for those that are still contemplating whether to watch this series or not.
First of all, this is not BL (as in boy's love), the couple are both mature adults(character age) that work in politics. So those expecting cheesy romance with lots of kisses, NC scenes your gonna be disappointed. Also no love at first sight, no I'm gonna not care about anything and just be with you, none of those.
Honestly I loved it. The couple slowly falls in love so its a slow burn but its done well. Certain series when they make it a slow burn it can really piss off the audience as its frustrating, but in this I feel like the plot progress was done well and it was engaging (this is from someone that hates politics and doesn't follow it), and they clearly showed they journey to falling in love, mind you the one of the ML was not a gay character so you can't except him to love another guy just all of a sudden.
But the best part of this was the characters. No one was a white prince, everyone was just human, making mistakes, being selfish. I honestly loved the character of Wi, really well written and I think Ben did a good job in portraying him. Boy Pakorn was amazing as usual his facial expression and body language really made him seem one with the character.

All in all this is a series about Politics and how one falls in one and navigates through it. I loved all the episodes and really hope they make a season 2 cause of the plot twist. Hopefully they will release an announcement for it soon.
I really hope that people can promote this series more on social media, that way the series will get more popular and more people might be interest in it. This way the BL genre can branch into more complex storylines rather than just cute college romance or NC dramas.

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Unforgettable love... because it's so infuriating!!!

This show didn't give me the same unbelievable rage that Perfect & Casual did, but it definitely tried its best to get there with about 10 episodes left. Is it sad that the best part of this romance drama is when they were NOT being romantic?

Here are the good bits:
1. Xiao Bao is super cute. Like one of the cutest babies ever on TV.
2. Generally okay chemistry when the two leads are both playing into the comedy elements -- they are both good at that.
3. The music is nice. I enjoyed the opening theme song a lot.

Now here are the awful/stupid/ridiculous/infuriating things:
1. HOT TAKE: The ML does NOT like the FL. He just doesn't. The show does NOT do a convincing job of showing that he likes her for anything related to her personality or how he is with her or anything that is NOT related to his son. At one point, he compliments her by saying she's a good psychiatrist, is efficient, good to Xiaobao, good to him, and that's it. The show failed at showing me that HQY actually likes QYY for HER, that he wants to be with her because he likes HER and not because his son likes her and she treats his son well.

2. The ML is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO controlling omg. He's not as bad as the ML in Perfect & Casual, but I just HATED HATED HATED how he would literally snatch her away from ANYONE she was talking to -- whether it was her shixiong or her best friend -- and then she would just WALK AWAY WITHOUT ANY ISSUE. DUDE. Your LIFELONG FRIEND wanted to talk to you! And he just pulled you away without any explanation!!! HATED HATED HATED his jealousy. Idc how emotionally inept he is. He has to do better.

3. The FL does have brains this time around... for a little bit. But I agree with everyone else -- do not go to her for psychologist reasons. She will not respect your privacy lmao.

4. The pacing is wack. They drag out the will-they-won't-they for like 19 episodes, they get together for 1 episode, they break up (noble idiocy trope obviously) the next episode, and then there's a rushed reconciliation 1.5 episodes later. WACK.

5. The worst part... the second couple. DUDE. No one has Yang Ruowei's back if they are just letting her settle for the shitstain that is Wen Gu. Immature piece of shit!!!!!! The best parts of their interactions (which were still too many) were when Ruowei would one-up him and make him feel like the undeserving loser he is. BECAUSE HE IS! The last straw was when he intervened (WITHOUT ASKING) in bringing Ruowei's family back when she has CLEAR issues against her family and does not want them involved anymore, all because he thinks she "needs" some family around. And then she obviously yells at him because he doesn't get her AT ALL (AND NEVER DOES!!!!!!!!! HE NEVER DOES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and it was a really hurtful thing for him to have done and suddenly in the last 3 episodes, after some more back and forth, he speed grows up and suddenly knows how to manage the company he has been put in charge of for the past several years. YEAH. SURE. I hated Wen Gu SO MUCH. This couple will break up two weeks after the show's timeline ends!

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?️ “Queen Mantis” — When Justice Isn’t Black or White

Honestly, this drama is insanely good. It really makes you question — if someone commits a crime to protect the people they love… are they still a criminal? 🤔 Watching kids suffer because of adults, and the police being helpless because “the law says they’re minors,” hits differently.
But the real showstopper? Go Hyun-jung as Mantis. Her performance is absolutely chilling — she doesn’t just act the role, she becomes it. There were moments when I literally got goosebumps watching her.
Now, being honest — the music could’ve been stronger, and a few parts of the story went a little off track. It’s not something I’d rewatch, but for fans of intense crime thrillers and morally grey characters, this one is totally worth your time.

P.S.: Guys, we actually have a female criminal lead here — and honestly, it’s rare to see that in Korean dramas!
P.P.S.: I’ll never look at quiet, composed women the same way again… you never know who’s hiding their inner “Mantis.” 😅

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Fashion, Deception, and Sexual Tension

The series centers around two main characters: Sumiura, who is inspired to become a fashion designer thanks to AE, and AE, a model with a hidden persona, Enage, who is a fashion student. They are teamed up to create a design for a competition. What I love about AE is his deceptive nature and the hidden agenda he has toward Sumiura, as well as his desire to draw out the darker, more corrupt side of Sumiura’s innocence. Sumiura, who was once a social outcast by choice, begins to slowly open up as the story unfolds. He definitely doesn't hide the fact that he is a massive fan, which is both funny and totally embarrassing.

One of the things I love most about this series is the electrifying chemistry between the two main characters. If you haven't seen the cigarette scene in episode 1. Check it out. There’s so much sexual tension, and it really amps up the intensity of the story.

What I didn't like was the fact that Sumiura failed to recognise his idol. Like is he blind or just stupid? They both (AE and Enage) have the same facial features.

The plot is engaging, the music complements the mood (mostly punk rock, but it's so good), and the tension keeps building. If you haven’t watched it yet, I’d definitely recommend giving it a try.

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