Reviews

Possessive Male Lead, in a fictional world setting similar to Omegaverse (A/B/O)

I am definitely biased since this is a 10/10 review for me. But hear me out. Many people trash on this drama for not being logical, but you got to understand it it is in a world different from ours. For example, you should not be judging a superhero or fantasy show to reality based logic. Just watch the show and let it unravel itself in building the kind of world this drama takes place in. BTW I have not finished the show, but I will definitely continue. It is a show that entertains viewers with its world, some steamy scenes, and an intriguing plot with character development. Below is a in depth explanation of the show.

THE WORLD:
The drama setting takes place in world where it is kind of similar to Omegaverse. You learn that in this world there are 3 types of people. The normal people (like a beta), Affinity Virus A or Yin ( like an Omega), and Affinity Virus B or Ren (like an Alpha). In the show, you learn that it is a planet similar to earth, but is now slightly different as it had been impacted by the Affinity virus. This virus has impacted the human population, previous extinct animal populations, and the animal kingdom. Due to this certain people are born with this Affinity virus and there are two different types. Those with Affinity Virus A or Yin, are like regular humans, except that by the age of 25, their body starts to decline and weaken unless they form a pact with a Ren or Affinity B virus carriers to suppress their A virus. Those with Affinity B virus or Ren, struggle with being empathetic and in manifesting emotions. For this reason, they are very likely to become sociopaths or psychopaths. To clarify, they have struggled with this since birth. In addition, those with Affinity B virus or Ren, are naturally stronger than Yin and normal people. When stimulated with danger, excitement, and etc, their B virus spikes up. This leads them to losing control and getting berserk. This makes them fever up and lose reason; even hurting those they care for. You also learn in the show that a Ren can naturally smell out a Yin nearby if the Yin is injured, since they have a certain scent. Ren wants to form a pact with Yin, as the two viruses naturally conflict and suppress each other. In addition a Ren can slowly be able to manifest emotions and empathize over a period of time with the Yin. Because Ren are naturally seen as a danger to society and used by the government for their capabilities, Ren are often mistreated and don't have a legal identity. Through forming a pact with a Yin and being recognized by the government, they get normal care and a legal identity. Once a pact is formed, the specific Ren and Yin couple will only recognize each other and can no longer pair with others. Lastly, like I mentioned above, this has also affected the animals and past extinct creatures to mutate and become more violent, where Ren are sent to deal with them.

Male Lead: Xie Xinxiu
In the show, you will learn that he is very strong compared to other Rens even. This is because he has a much higher level of B virus in him. This makes him with a body almost like a superhero. Xie Xinxiu was raised in a strict and old fashioned family, despite that his parents dearly loves him, even if they don't express it. You learn that the male lead can't empathize or feel emotions, thus he is often feeling bored in a listless world. Although he trys to blend in, he gives up doing that since there was no fun or challenge at trying to appear normal. I will not try to spoil to much, so I will tell you that the viewer first meets the male lead when he is being caught as a suspect for his parents murder as a teen. As he is caught, he meets the Female lead who happened to be at the arrest site. You learn that his B virus had mutated and made him suddenly develop an attachment or AFFINITY to the Female lead at first sight. Since then, he has wanted to keep the female by his side and posses her. In his view, the best way to capture the Female Lead and to make her fall in love with him, so that she will willingly stay with him and form a pact. The drama starts officially 3 years after the male lead escapes prison. Although a lot of stuff happens, the male lead has a character development in experiencing emotions and in genuinely loving the Female lead, rather than just possessing her. Although the Female lead is his focus, he does care about other things in the show. Such as the fact that he doesn't have emotions and wants it, the mistreatment of Ren in society, revenge, and the mysterious death of his parents. At the end, you just love him. He is such a possessive person that sincerely loves the female lead. In the drama, a common conflict for him is prioritizing the female lead and doing what she wants, or prioritizing himself and forcefully keeping the female lead to him. Lastly, who doesn't love a possessive toxic character who can do anything for you in a fictional world?! HOT!

Female Lead: Wu Nongyu
I feel that many people may dislike Female lead for being indecisive and being a weak character, but she is quite intriguing with depth as well. If you read above, you know that the Female Lead had first met the Male lead at his arrest, where she was creepily gazed at. Since then, she has had nightmares about him. She is inherently a character that is easily scared of things and reacts slow to digest the situation. No longer a teen, she officially meets the Male lead during her internship and in being saved by him. Despite being so scared of the Male lead, she is a good person. Even when the male lead threatens to cage her by his side in one of the episodes, she clearly tells him that she would only consider forming a pact or marry another if they can respect her and genuinely love her. She clearly tells him that she never would, as she could not see the love in his gaze, just possessiveness from the AFFINITY the male lead had developed towards her. Throughout the show, she sticks to her words, and only responds to him when she senses genuine love from him. I find this to be very intriguing and making her quite a strong character in a way as well. Despite having a crazy creepy man who can overpower her at everything, she treats him with basic respect, humane care, and never compromises at things that she doesn't want. Besides the focus of the Main leads relationship, Wu Nongyu cares about other things as well. In the drama you first learn that it is just her and her older brother. Later you learn Female lead's father was a Ren who would forcefully extract blood from the Female leads to hopefully cure his wife (Female lead's mother). Despite having some hate for her father, she knew that her father was loving and caring towards them. He was just obsessed with saving their mother, who she too desperately wanted to save as well. Being abused her father, her older brother took action. Since then, the older brother has a bias towards hating Rens, seeing them as danergous weapons that should only be used and then discarded. This is big as it influences the Female leads career decision, her clashing ideas with her older brother about Rens, her belief of family over justice, and her decisions near the end of the drama. Where I am at in the drama, she currently struggles with getting revenge and in maintaining the peacefully relationship she once had with the Male lead. Wu Nongyu is an easily scared character, she is spoiled, she is humane to all who deserve it, she is someone who supports the male lead and helps him gain the capability to have emotions.

There are many cool things about the show. It really just depends on what your looking for. If you want indulge in a powerful, toxic, and possessive Male lead; this show. Want something that provides you some steamy scenes and is entertaining, this show. Want something the is similar to fanfics you have read or reminds you of things you may have been into during high school, this show. (P.S. I am not sure if this is based on a novel or not. If so, comment please. I would like the name of the novel.)

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Worth watching for PoohPavel alone?

First of all, I’m a fan of PoohPavel ever since I saw them in Pit Babe. As Thup and Singha, they definitely have chemistry. We get several cute moments and a sweet ending, and there is character development—especially Singha, who starts out very rational and gradually becomes more open-minded toward spiritual matters because of Thup. Over the course of the drama, their relationship develops into a mature and trusting one.

However, I wasn’t always satisfied with the plot. Especially in the middle part of the series, the crime aspect became so dominant that the romance felt almost negligible. I understand that this is a mystery series, but firstly, the balance between romance and investigation shifts unevenly throughout the show, and secondly, some of the police work felt unrealistic. For example, characters often go alone or only in pairs to investigate dangerous or suspicious places, which was sometimes frustrating to watch. I also agree with others that the ending felt rushed and not as captivating as I had hoped—for instance the final fight.

I don’t have much to say about the side couple. They did add something new to the series, and I wasn’t dissatisfied whenever they appeared, but I also didn’t actively look forward to their scenes. Overall, they felt like a pairing with cute and teasing moments, but nothing particularly memorable to me.

The character development of King—especially his relationship with his father—was mostly well done. However, towards the end it remains unclear how King and his father actually resolved their conflict, since their conversation happens off-screen and we only get a brief approving nod from his father. This was a bit frustrating, as it was one of the major subplots.

Regarding the ghosts, chanting, rituals, and overall atmosphere: this is definitely a well done horror series, but I agree with the 13+ age rating on MDL. It’s not overly scary, but rather tense. Additionally, I really liked the gripping OST.

Overall, the drama was enjoyable despite its flaws, but it wasn’t consistently captivating. Whether I would rewatch it, I’m not quite sure—maybe if I ever run out of unwatched mystery series that interest me. During its airing, I also started and finished another ghost-related story called "Khemjira", so I naturally had something similar to compare it to. In summary, my feelings about this series are mixed, making it hard to clearly recommend or not recommend it.

Nevertheless, I’m definitely looking forward to "The Grim Lover", the next series starring PoohPavel.

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Most likely a waste of time

If im being honest i think if the plot woyld have been developed correctly this would have been a really good drama.
First i wasn't 5 minutes in and i was already cringing 😬, every few minutes something happened that made my skin crawl. The lack of not even intimacy but of contact made it so uncertain to know if the relationship was real or not. Two half-assed "kisses" in all 13 chapters and just the feeling that even tho all the dialog portrayed the ML (Sarawat) to be super inloved with tine didn't translate to actually physical touch (hand holding, hugs and kisses) the actors seemed to be really uncomfortable to be together and touching, which would have meant nothing if this wasn't a BL series.

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Relevant to Present Day

This is an epic which goes beyond entertainment and makes you think on so many levels. Even calling it outstanding does not seem to be enough!

As a non Korean, it took me time to understand some historical aspects but a second watch and background reading made a huge difference. It is much more than the story of a friendship which endures the unimaginable. It is also a story of power with many parallels to present day reality.

All leads and supporting cast did a phenomenal job bringing this story to life. I watched it for Woo Do Hwan, who performed spectacularly no doubt ( I am always in awe of the emotions he can convey with his gaze alone! Also how does he manage to cry like that?) but was very impressed by the acting prowess of Yang Se-jong (warm & innocent with but with nerves of steel), veteran Jang-Hyuk (no words, he can swallow the whole screen with his presence!) and a special mention for veteran Ahn Nae-sang, who played one of the most compelling on screen villian I have seen.

The supporting cast was also wonderful, the roles of the female actresses could have been better fleshed out but they made their own strong impressions nevertheless.

It is not without flaws, there is heavy plot armour, the time skips can be confusing, some age aspects between the younger & older versions could have been handled better. But I found these to be very minor compared to what the series has to offer and hence I am giving it a ten anyways.

I will look forward to more work from the makers of this project and this cast!

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Great storytelling, Perfect Cast, Superb Acting

Even before watching I knew this would be good. I was only familiar with Ryu Seung Ryong from Moving, Jung Eun Chae, and some of the other actors. But they all played their roles flawlessly. The family dynamic was so real, even the sister who Lee Se Hee really knocked out the park with her playing a way different character than she usually does.

This is one of those that will stay with you and when I just saw that it is the same director as Atypical Family I could totally sense the similar vibe. It was very soulful. Up there with Misaeng this is easily top 10 for me.

Just another masterclass performance by Ryu Seung Ryong.

My only criticism is the son's romance storyline, its a little bit kdrama cliche. That knocked it down to a 9.5 for me. But the actor himself was really good and he has a very bright future.

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Juu Hoo Jin and Sin Ji Seon Love Backstory

Up to episode 6 the story and the potential ending is very good. But, form episode 7-12 it goes downhill for me because of the conclusion of Sin Ji Seon love story.
I don't actually rooting for Juu Hoo Jin and Sin Ji Seon to be the endgame, but kinda let down on how Sin Ji Seon story end up. From episode 1-6 the buildup on Hoo jin and Ji Seon backstory is quite strong, but the story choice how it end is very bad for me. First of all, the amulet and enoshima island thing is end up unnecessary plot. the story is like shoved to make it Cha Mu Hee is the end girl. Yes, i know that cha mu hee is the female lead but i think it's too rushed for it to end up being end like that. Kim Yong U is listed as main character too but as a second male lead, i didn't feel like he is. I feel no chemistry at all from both Yong U and Ji Seon to being end up together in the end. I feel like Ji Seon doesn't know what love is, so she end up just dating anyone around her that she feels like. it's like cheap soap drama story.
But i like the scene where Hoo Jin and Ji Seon said goodbye to each other on their old feeling in the station. it should be more appropriate ending for me.
Conclusion is Ji Seon and Yong U love story is unnecessary plot for me because it's just to showed to people that Ji Seon has moved on from Na Jin Suk , it's ruining the story. It's like Hoo Jin love to Ji Seon in the past just being glorified but have no impact at all in the end.

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A perfect 10/10!

I wanted to watch this because it looked really intriguing when they first dropped the teaser for it, as well as I wanted to see more of PoohPavel after Pitbabe. This show blew me away. The plot of this show was so good! Everything was well thought out. Every issue and conflict was solved, relationships and character arcs all had a satisfying ending, and the whole show was just so enjoyable from start to finish.

I loved the mystery of the show! Everything with the ghosts and rituals was so interesting. The ghosts were creepy as well! I loved getting to see them all try to figure out what was really going on, and I loved that it mixed supernatural with real life murders. I loved that we needed detective work as well as supernatural and spiritual help from Thup. I loved the reveal of the who the killer was too! I loved trying to figure out who it was throughout the series!

For the characters
Starting with Thup! I loved Thup so much. Poor baby has gone through quite a lot. I was really happy he wasn't involved with the murders just because I liked his relationship with Singha a lot. I loved what he brought to the show with not only being able to see all the ghosts, but his knowledge of everything spiritual as well. I absolutely adored his relationship with Singha from start to finish. They were so cute together!

Now onto Singha! I loved him so much! I think he was my favorite character in the series. I loved that we got to see into his past with King, but also his trauma with his family. It was so cool seeing him be a safe place for Thup when he was seeing ghosts. I loved how he was a cop and wish all cops were like him. Seeing him open up more and more to Thup, as well as come to peace with his past, was so beautiful. And like I said before, I loved his relationship with Thup so much.

King! I hated his character so much at the beginning, but they did such a good job with giving him a good redemption arc. So much so I really liked his character in the end. The way he said goodbye to Singha was so mature as well and I really respected it.

I loved Mek, Darin, and Sey as well! I was really happy with how Sey and Darin's relationship played out over the show and liked them as individuals as well. Mek was great as well and I thought it was funny how often he was with Thup and Singha during a flirty moment.

Other things I loved!
-Everyone did a phenomenal job with the acting! Pooh and Pavel especially! Their acting really got to shine in this series.
-The makeup team did a great job with the ghosts and the bodies for the ritual. Truly creepy!
-The OST is PEAK! I listen to it all the time. I loved all the versions of it they used throughout the series as well, especially the piano version.

Overall thoughts
I just absolutely loved this show and looked forward to it every week! I'm truly going to miss it! I have no complaints about it at all. A true 10/10

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This Revenge mini drama is WORTH your time

This was my first Zhao Xi Xi drama and I LOVE it!! I stumbled upon this drama, on a Saturday night after doing some studying, and I was looking for a drama to make me feel like I enjoyed part of my weekend. The storyline is on point, and the actors delivered, and that includes the child actor as well. Zhao Xi Xi was great, she portrayed the character's emotions well, and I got hooked. I was planning to watch 5 episodes then call it a night, but fast forward to 12 episodes later and at 2 a.m in the morning, I was very much still captivated. I finished the drama ASAP the next day!!! In summary, this drama is worth your time.

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Girl needs revege. And fills for her acrylics.

This is actually my first short-form Republic Era that I didn't have to stop watching for Time Period Crimes (I'm looking at you, Bound By Sin), and over all? I enjoyed it. It was face-paced, and aware of what it was doing, and doing it as hard as it could on its shoestring budget.

Most of the show takes place in closed rooms and courtyards, saving their locations for the finale, but since this is such an intimate story, the claustrophobic nature works. We're mostly watching individuals square off in intense emotional situations. The story is all revenge, manipulation, betrayal, false love and true love, all the best soapy tropes. It is the sort of show where people have no peripheral vision, must hold still while someone monologues, and recover from intense injuries in days. Also, if you're going to die, odds are it will be the tidiest headshot imaginable. But it's a familiar heightened reality that feels pleasantly old-fashioned, and fun.

Liu Nian is doing wonderfully as the betrayed Liang Yu, going from naive girl to the competent bride of a crime boss. She's keeping the tone from being too dark, and holding her own despite the men around her. Wang Ze Xuan is delightfully horrible, as a conniving murdering bridegroom. Ryan Ren... felt a little uncomfortable in some of the earliest episodes, but he settles, and carries his quiet intensity through the remainder of the show. He simmers well with Liu Nian when the characters are on a more even footing. And this is a simmery show; there was a lot of sexual tension between the two that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Now, there are Time Period Misdemeanors. I am particular about that; I hate watching something that has ZERO respect for the time period while trying to capitalize on it. You guys; plastic surgery like this absolutely did not exist, and even if it did, it would take way longer than, like, a month to heal from. But if you can just deal with that nonsense, then there will only be a few other things you shut your eyes and pretend you didn't see. Most of the wardrobe is generally tolerable. They largely avoided the awful 'Gatsby' idea of how women dressed by sticking women in cheongsam most of the time. Granted, they have the wrong kinds of giant tacky jewelry, modern glam make-up and eyelashes, terrible 1980's hats AND horrible 1970's platform shoes, but breathe. Breathe. The men are just in uniforms or modern suits- also with the wrong footwear and big ass modern aviator sunglasses. But, we breathe. We also stare at that that terrible brutalist wine decanter they REUSED THREE TIMES- and exhale. And then there are the nails. OMG the nails. Big thick acrylics that look like claws, that you can see when they grew out in close-ups.

I ended up just being amused by these misdemeanors, because they're trying their best. We're also not supposed to take all of this very seriously, and everybody else is being so earnest, I was able to let it go. They couldn't even afford one car, bless them.

Over all, this is carried on the intricate writing of the close-knit plot, and the wonderful work of the cast. Well worth watching.

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Excellent, the adventure continues ...

This is a great story, with a fantastic cast of characters. At times it gets a little difficult to follow, at least it did for me, but it's a great adventure story following Saichi and a full cast of characters for the treasure of gold.
Kento Yamazaki plays a much different character than we're used to seeing him portray. He's fantastic as always!! Along with Gordon Maeda, who is completely transformed from previous roles, it's great watching them survive in this wild east wilderness.
About half way through the series, it sort of goes into a higher gear, so give it time. You find yourself going from a drama to a blend of some bizarre situations with a touch of dark comedy. Each member of the cast adds something to the story, making you wonder at times, who are the good guys and who are the bad.
The series really pulls you in during the last three episodes, making for some great entertainment. It leaves you definitely wanting more at the completion.
Looking forward toward the next installment in 2026.

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Interesting but lacking

I have to start with they did an ok job with getting actors that look the part, but that's about the only good thing. The acting was limited. I have to say I I was not a fan of Kida Naoya acting as Mito, it felt like dry and lacking. However Tomita Yuki as
Ikushima was very spot on, i enjoyed his acting. The actors sadly lacked no chemistry and there for did not real believable as a couple. I wish the series did a better job with the story as well. The manga was so good but betraying it live action just did not work with this cast to much. There were parts that felt like it was not needed and bored me. I was looking forward to the ending but the over all series was lacking in a lot especially trying to keep my attention. Sadly was not as good as I had hoped.

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This is cute

This was really cute. Will definitely watch again.
I hate that Jin U’s friend/roommate betrayed him. I’m actually glad that when the friend confessed, Jin U said “I’ll resent you forever.” With the kind of rules that boarding school has there’s no way you can convince me that he didn’t know they would be expelled. There’s so many dramas where friends betray the other and the betrayer just apologizes and all is forgiven. I’m glad this betrayer is getting punished as well.
I love how Eun Hyeok’s friend/bandmate played Cupid. She knew he cared for Jin U and found away to bring them back together. And the fact the she even remembered what Jin U looked like shows how much she cares for her friend Eun Hyeok.
Eun Hyeok‘s mom seems like she will leech all of his money. She didn’t want him to be happy she just wanted dad to be happy and send money. And one of sisters can go fall off of a cliff. It made me so mad when she said “he’s not real family.”
I’m happy the boys reunited and will get to be together.
Jin U giving his sister the money so she could pay for tuition and go to university as well was the icing on the cake for me. He truly loves and appreciates her and you can tell. Even though the parents fled, they should have been sending money back to help their kids.

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