Reviews

A Game of Intelligence, Betrayal, and Mental Survival

I don’t even know where to begin because I have so much to say about everything and everyone in this show. This was a whole roller coaster and such a nice masterpiece.so let me begin.

My favorite from the very beginning was Justin and he remains my favorite even after finishing the entire season. I just love him. I knew he wouldn't make it to the end because he was simply too good of a person. And in a game like this? The good ones are usually the ones who fall first. His elimination was definitely predictable, but what I admire most is how hard he tried to survive in such a devilish world. He gave it his all, and his heart was always in the right place.

Most of the players were genuinely great and deserved to win in their own ways. But what truly made the difference were the small details, the subtle choices, the quiet betrayals, the ability to control emotions and read the room. This show proved that being smart and intelligent isn’t enough.Now, I should say I’m not going to talk about every participant here. I’m only focusing on the ones who made the biggest impact on the game and shaped the overall tone of the season, the ones who, in my eyes, made the show what it was.

So Hee – The Emotional Genius
As a finalist and one of the smartest in the game, So Hee showed a lot of potential. She was my second favorite. I love her as a person, but I have to be honest: she didn’t deserve the win. She let her emotions overpower her logic at critical moments. In this game, showing weakness is fatal, and unfortunately, she allowed herself to be vulnerable. In The Devil’s Plan, weakness is for losers, no matter how brilliant you are.

Hyun Joon – The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
The one who surprised me the most was definitely Hyun Joon. At first, he acted like a soft, sweet, emotional guy — innocent, harmless. But in reality? He was crafting a huge plan behind that kind face. That man is truly cunning, and this game was built for people like him. I honestly admire him for how far he came. He had one goal: reach the end. And he did it. That said, I can’t say he was the most complete player. He wasn’t quite smart enough to beat Hyun Gyu, and his game relied a lot on deception and manipulation which, to me, felt dirty. Everyone in this game made shady moves, sure, but some kept a certain code. He didn’t. Still, I give him credit for fooling almost everyone.

7high – From Chaos to Clarity
7high had the most character development by far. In the beginning, I couldn’t understand him at all, he seemed loud, unpredictable, even a bit chaotic. But then I realized: that was part of his strategy. He wasn’t trying to please anyone. He didn’t play dirty games, he just stayed true to himself. He was always upfront whether he liked someone or not, he made it clear. He gave his best to those he trusted and never pretended. I think he’s much better as a solo player, and he understood the mechanics of the game very well. That’s why I predicted he’d make it far and he did. I respect him for staying real in a game full of masks.

Tinno – The Nice Guy With the Wrong Alliance
Tinno deserved way more. He was a smart strategist, clever, open-minded, and honestly one of the most well-rounded players in the game. But his biggest mistake? Trusting the ones with the most pieces. Yes, it’s good to build relationships, but in a game like this? Trusting the wrong people is suicide. I loved the irony of how he got eliminated by 7high, the same person he had betrayed. It was karma in the purest form. He underestimated the dangers of loyalty in a place built on betrayal.

The Fire Within – No One Gave Up
One thing I really appreciated was seeing how much every single player wanted to win. You could feel it. They gave their all mentally, emotionally, and strategically. Even those who got eliminated early were fighting. What truly stood out to me in this show was the intensity, not just of the games, but of the people. There’s something powerful about that. Just being able to survive in a world like this filled with betrayal, lies, and mind games, is already a huge win. No one gave up. And I think that’s what made the show so addictive, raw, and real.

Hyun Gyu – The Devil Who Mastered the Devil’s Plan
And finally, we have Hyun Gyu — the winner, and honestly, the most complete player in the entire season. He was the true embodiment of The Devil’s Plan.He kept his emotions in check.
He stayed calm and composed, showcased intelligence, strategy, skill, and mental toughness, got through the hardest situations by learning from his mistakes, qnd took risks when others hesitated.That was the difference. He was never afraid to stand alone. Even when he had alliance, he never fully trusted anyone, and that was his greatest strength. He always had a solo plan running in the background. And that’s why he won.
The road to success is thorny, but the most mentally prepared and the smartest will be able to overcome it, that’s exactly what Hyun Gyu proved. He didn’t just play the game. He understood it. He owned it. And he deserved the win more than anyone else.

Final Thoughts:
The Devil’s Plan was a rollercoaster. A psychological battlefield. A social experiment in disguise. It wasn’t just about puzzles or betrayals, it was about what people are willing to do when pushed to their limits. It made me think. It made me feel. It kept me awake at night, analyzing every move, every twist. This show wasn’t just entertainment, it was a full-blown experience. And I’ll say this: I didn’t even cover everyone. There were so many players with layers and stories, but the ones I wrote about were the ones who truly made the season for me. They’re the ones I’ll remember the most. I already miss the chaos. I already want more. And yes, I promise I’ll be back with more thoughts when the next season comes. I am waiting for the next unbelievable journey of The devil's plan 😉

Read More

It was a good series in general. I enjoyed watching it. Unfortunately, there were many parts I didn't like. The story was already familiar. A few stories like this have been made into series. The first one I remember is "The Rise of Ning". The fact that I can't remember and that they are siblings overlaps with each other. But maybe it could be the actors in terms of the treatment. The scripts are different, the novels they are inspired by are different. There are differences but there are also similarities. I liked that series more. I gave them both the same grade. This series hit me with its emotionality. The father incident in the death of ML's father moved me. FML's father's fondness for his daughter, finding and bringing her a husband, and laying out all his wealth in front of her affected me. In the same way, Qing Zhao's family's fondness for their children affected me. However, it didn't seem realistic to me that a very treacherous and cruel prince would spread roses in front of a woman he had known for two days and hired as a maid, decorate the surroundings with lights, and make her look beautiful. It was too much. It was rushed. A lot was rushed in this series. You threaten, you say you will kill, you beat them and then I threw roses on their way. I said no. It never happened. I was surprised by what logic they thought of such things. As a result, they turned the event into melancholy and had each other killed. In other words, it was as if the lovers died together. However, they were enemies. At least the girl wanted to kill the prince and avenge her father. As a result, she succeeded. It was strange that these things were done so freely. No one said don't do it. It has nothing to do with reality. After all, you are killing the prince. For example, the soldiers gave up very easily in the rebellion. These were rushed, I did it, it happened. I didn't like it. There are more, but I gave examples. The girl's acceptance of the family was also strange to me. It opened her eyes. She doesn't remember, but saying we are your brother and mother and accepting this was also rushed. I'm not even counting the love stories that followed. It didn't happen. The leading roles didn't fit together in my opinion. Although Lu Yu Xiao was lively and lively, Wang Zi Qi was that static. She played 40 episodes with one facial expression. It's not easy. Someone told her to stop like this. The man stood with the same face against everything. The same face loves. The same face gets angry. People are killing each other. The same face watches. Someone says I am your father, the same face. The same face says I love you. Wang Zi Qi seemed like he was forced to act. Lu Yu Xiao was great. She literally dragged the series. Well done. I really liked Snow Kong. This girl has a lot of work. She will do good things. I also really liked He Qiu. Such a brave role suits her. Roy Wang is like the man of bad roles. It suits her. I also really liked the veteran actors. They especially gave their emotions very well. The series wouldn't exist without them. Their effects are too much. I wouldn't tell those who want to watch not to watch it.

Read More

Just one doubt: Will it be as empty and boring as the prequel?

'Season of Love in Shimane' is a Thai BL series featuring a travel advertisement mixed with softcore erotica, continuing the story of P (Ekkapop Tata) and Pan (Pan Jirachot Chotticomporn), which began in 'Kiseki Chapter 2' (2024), whose plot immerses us in a travel vlog where four handsome guys who share a house end up sleeping together.
The arrival of Pan, Plai (Plai Chattrin Chotticomporn), PJ (Kritsana Planchai), and Tontae (Tontae Tinnakorn Puwasakdiwong), a group of Thai tourists eager to explore Japan, to the beautiful teakwood home of P, the Thai expat who now lives not in Tokyo but in Shimane Prefecture and works as a high-quality travel blogger, stirs memories in the host, who hasn't forgotten the romantic connection he had a year earlier with one of the visiting twins.
With the same strict rules of coexistence seen in 'Kiseki Chapter 2,' P awaits the arrival of the now young man who has achieved his dreams of becoming a singer, but he will be accompanied by his manager, who also aims to win Pan's love.
The encounter proves explosive, and the union of old and new friends is bound to trigger a series of tense situations, as well as some sexual encounters. We're here to see it. But above all, to see if it will lead to the definitive beginning of the two protagonists' romantic relationship.
Based on what we've seen in the first episode, 'Season of Love in Shimane' will show us passionate encounters, lots of skin, and the turmoil that every love triangle entails.
Without a doubt, these seven days of living together will lead to changes in the lives of these five people, in some cases for the better, and in others not so much... Will it end up radically changing their lives?
The series has a simple premise: the reunion of two lovers after a year apart due to their respective jobs and living in different countries, and the possibility of rekindling their romance and finally consolidating their relationship.
It also seeks to reflect the journey of a group of Thai tourists looking to have fun and relax while touring Japan.
'Season of Love in Shimane' successfully recreates the relaxed and casual atmosphere of a vacation. There's a pleasant charm in watching the five young people experience a trip to a destination unknown to them, living together in a house made entirely of teak, tasting food and drinks native to another country, experiencing the cold and snow, and touring exotic places.
However, the story is poorly written, and, as in 'Kiseki Chapter 2,' many scenes seem forced, as can be seen after Plai and Tontae arrive at P's house, where they are tasked with letting the host know that Pan will arrive the next day and that he won't be alone.
As in the prequel, the characters interact awkwardly, as if they don't want to be there, and only do so because it's written in a script they must follow. For example, it doesn't seem like P and Plain have met yet, and their reunion is rather cold and distant, not like that of two friends and possibly brothers-in-law.
The series explores themes such as friendship, love, travel vlogging, tourism, and long-distance relationships.

Curiosities

Director Paapare Khachaporn Roopchang ('Venus in the Sky', 2024), and his co-writer Piyapat Nanthanoraseth ('Switch On', 2021-2022), were in charge of writing the series, which is intended to serve as a tourist advertisement to reflect, through tours to exotic natural settings and scenes of soft eroticism, how five people spend a week together to end up making friends, finding love, discussing issues related to their respective professions or the places they visited. With this in mind, 9NAA Production, the Thai BL studio that produced 'Check Out' (2022), 'I Am Your King' (2017), 'I Am Your King 2' (2019), 'Skinship' (2020), 'My Blessing' (2023) and 'Kiseki Chapter 2' (2024), decided it was time to make a second series to pick up the story of P and Pan, based on a narrative already seen, such as in the also Thai films 'Present Perfect (แค่นี้ก็ดีแล้ว / Khae ni k dilaew), from 2012 and its sequel, 'Present Still Perfect' (แค่นี้ก็ดีแล้ว Part 2 / Khae ni k dilaew Part 2), from 2020, but with the variation that the romantic story is not between two boys who travel on vacation to Japan and coincide in the same hostel, but only one of them travels, while the other has been living for some time in that country.
According to the director, he also consulted with BL-loving viewers, and a common theme was the desire to see how different types of relationships were explored, especially with characters who, because they live in different countries, would have to have long-distance relationships, how changes occur in them between one encounter and the next, and what will happen to them after the reunion.
His intention, in addition to serving as a tourist advertisement, is to reflect that neither time nor miles nor oceans seem to be insurmountable obstacles to starting a relationship.
The sex scenes seem particularly simple, as nothing suggests to me that the actors didn't enjoy themselves while filming them.
The filming wasn't complicated; once they found the perfect house and the ideal setting for filming, everything fell into place without a hitch.
We won't be featuring Japanese actress Kikkawa Yuu or Thai actor BeBoy Nanthakorn Sringenthap, but we have two new faces joining the project.
In addition to 'Kiseki Chapter 2,' we've seen Ekkapop Tata and Pan in the short film 'Juicy Lips Juicy Heart,' from 2024.

The Best

There are several scenes from the first episode that I liked, particularly the ones where we see P remember Pan and the days she spent with him just a year before the current events narrated in the series. Another is P's erotic dream, which gives us a preview of the sexual scenes to come and will remind us of other Thai BL series, such as 'TharType,' 'Kinn Porsche,' 'Ailonghai,' 'Bed Friend,' 'Big Dragon,' 'Only Friends,' 'Unforgettable Night,' 'Chain of Hearts,' 'Love in the Air,' 'Be My Superstar,' 'Playboy,' 'Manner of Death,' 'Together With Me,' among others.
And the scene of P, Plai, and Tontae's tour of some of Shimane's natural sites, especially the Hinomisaki Lighthouse, in Izumo, the tallest in all of East Asia, with its beautiful surroundings and the proximity of a 17th-century shrine, and its beautiful surroundings. You can even see the distant Oki Islands, 50 kilometers out to sea.
Of the cast, P Ekkapop Tata and the twins Pan and Plai reprise their roles from 'Kiseki Chapter 2,' while the other two actors went through a normal selection process, auditioning.

The Worst

It seems like a common technique in BL series is to use extremely attractive actors, show them sexy or semi-naked, and engage in sexual intercourse. This is undoubtedly to grab the viewer's attention; to show the "sexual freedom" achieved in Thailand, but in this case the actors are extremely poor in their performances.
We are shown conversations devoid of content and meaning, forced anger, poorly portrayed jealousy, and feelings more typical of vegetables. Once again, a group of terrible actors come together in a BL series.

The expected

I wish the study of relationships weren't as superficial as it was in the prequel.
I wish for a better-developed plot, better-developed characters and plot, and not just the presentation of Japanese tourist spots.
I wish for more than holiday sexual shenanigans.

I'll resume the review later. There will surely be changes to the final rating.

Read More

Funny but crazy ＼(〇_ｏ)／

Romantic & slapstick comedy with an explosive CL ＼(〇_ｏ)／

PLOT: The ML (cold, rational, emotionless) comes to stay in the cottage of the FM (an irascible researcher in a potato lab), during the restructuring of the lab, which was bought by a large firm. 6 years earlier, the FL was kicked out of this group (by the ML, then HR Director) because she was the ex-girlfriend of the President's daughter's fiancé. Hate -> love between these two characters, both excessive.

+++ Intense & explosive CL with Kang Tae-Oh & Lee Sun-Bin
+++ The tone is clearly sarcastic, all the clichés to the second degree are here.
+++ Lively direction & good OSTs. Innovative agricultural setting.

### Funny but not addictive. Lots of caricatured characters.

=> A wacky series, performed brilliantly.
**************************************************************
Comédie Rom & burlesque avec un CL explosif

PLOT: Le ML (cold, rationnel, sans émotion) vient loger ds le gite de la FM (irascible chercheuse ds 1 labo de patates), durant la restructurat° du labo, rachetée par 1 gde firme. 6 ans + tôt, la FL s'est faite viée de ce gpe (par le ML alors Directeur RH) car c'était l'ex du fiancé de la fille de la Présidente. Hate -> love entre ces 2 caractères aussi excessif l'1 que l'autre.

+++ CL intense & explosif avec Kang Tae-Oh & Lee Sun-Bin
+++ Le ton est clairement sarcastique, on a droit à tous les clichés au nd degré.
+++ Réalis° vive & bons OSTs. Contexte agricole innovant.

### Drôle mais pas addictif. Bcp de personnages caricaturaux.

=> Série farfelue, interprétée avec brio.

Read More

Family is core theme of this drama

I came across this drama as I browsed Zhang Chu Xuan's list of dramas on Chinesemov.com The title intrigued me so I decided to watch last week. I enjoyed this drama a lot!

What I liked:
1. FL characterisation - The introduction was amusing. I liked how FL decided to turn around the character that she inhabited. She's smart & compassionate so that changed people's perception of her. I also enjoyed her scenes as family provider.
2. Family theme - I loved that family is core theme in this drama. A few scenes were touching.
3. Supporting characters - I really liked the three brothers & FL's daughter in law. It's wonderful that they were given arcs for character growth. Anyway that milk scene was funny because it backfired.
4. Styling - Loved the vibrant clothes worn by the cast.

What I disliked:
1. Zhang Tian Jing - I understand that his character doesn't have a lot of scenes but I found him lacking screen presence. His performance was underwhelming for me.
2. Romance - It is subtle but due to the lack of chemistry between Zhang Chu Xuan and Zhang Tian Jing, it seemed unnecessary to have romantic interest.

Favourite scene
When the youngest son defended FL from a bully & his father

Read More

Chaotic, Cringy and Unhinged But I LOVED it a lot!

Yeah so I watched The Heart Killers and I liked it. A lot. Like, way more than I should have. Clown level of obsessed.

First of all, this is a romcom that has a crime and action background story, so do not expect logic. I’m serious. Romance is THE plot. Everything else is just a build-up for it, so keep that in mind. And honestly, this is amazing!! I was completely entertained from the start to the end. I didn’t even care how over-the-top or unrealistic it was. It was just that fun.

So the story is about Bison and Fadel, two hitman brothers who run a burger shop. Yep, a burger shop. Kant, who is a tattoo artist with a criminal record, becomes a police spy to stop them from reopening his car-theft case. He’s tasked to investigate them but then realizes one of them is a one-night stand he hasn’t forgotten… Bison. So naturally, he tries his best to get close to him to get information. But the older brother Fadel is super suspicious and not having it. So Kant asks his best friend Style to seduce Fadel and take him out so Fadel would be less focused on him. Like that was the plan. And it kind of works. Somehow.

The story is quite new and unique for a BL. It is messy. Everyone is a red flag and I LOVE that!!!!! Seriously. I live for this energy.

This is a total cringe fest, and there were a lot of times I felt the embarrassment not only for the characters but for the actors too. Especially in the first half before I got used to the tone. This is not a complaint. I like me a cringe show haha. It added to the charm in a weird way. Once I accepted the show was unapologetically chaotic, I was in.

So about the characters:

Fadel: I liked him a lot. Like, a LOT. I felt like he and I have some similarities. Minus the fact that he’s a gunman obviously. I related so much to him. His thoughts were so much like mine. He had this whole "no matter how much you love someone, I just don't believe that you can completely lay yourself in front of them" mindset and I could not agree more. Love and trust are different things. He was so closed off about his feelings and thoughts. He has his walls so up, guard all the way up, and it's not easy at all to break through them. He believes in logic more than feelings. He is so INTJ. I liked his development arc too. Like, as he slowly accepts that he loves Style, he doesn’t just become a fool in love. He still is not all trusting even in love and I adore this so much.

I liked this man a lot. I don’t even know how to say it properly. Can he accept me as his sister? I want the lifestyle of not getting involved with anyone. Like??? That quote — "no matter how much you love someone, I just don’t believe that you can completely lay yourself in front of them." — has always been my motto. I wasn’t expecting to see it in a drama and it hit hard.

Style: Our unhinged crop top boy. He definitely has a style for himself. He didn’t even have to open his mouth for me to feel embarrassed. He just appeared on my screen and I got that second-hand embarrassment immediately. He is an extrovert and the word shame does not exist in his vocabulary. He is an auto mechanic and can’t resist when Kant offers him his father’s car he has been eyeing. So he goes all out to win the heart of Fadel. He annoys him a lot and keeps messing with him without even knowing he is a gunman. Like every "I’ll kill you" joke could’ve been real and he had no idea. Then the day after Fadel agrees to date him, Kant tells him about Fadel’s job and it hits him that he could’ve literally died in the woods while confessing to him. But it’s too late to back off.

I actually liked his scared reaction after that lol. And he did eventually fall for the killer but stayed unhinged. I want more characters like him. He was SO FUN. He is a diva. Every line he says is iconic. I can’t. I need a friend like him.

"You made me hit on a gunman. I could’ve made headlines: handsome man found in the woods."

Fadel threatening to kill him with a gun and Style says, "Can I buy clothes? Let me at least die in style. Handsome man with clear skin found dead in crop tops. My dad would recognize me."

And so much more!! My search history for the next years: Style iconic lines lol.

Kant: We have a tattoo artist with a dark past and a teenage brother he has to take care of alone. He is sweet but a red flag too. I liked him. I thought I’d have more to say about him but that’s really all. He didn’t have much of a story besides that and his relationship with Bison. I liked that he still did the job of getting info even though he was in love with Bison because YES!!!!! Don’t let love take the lead. He is a good big brother. Everything he did was for Babe (his brother). And I understand him a lot. He can’t just leave his brother alone because of a man.

Also, his tattoos looked fake as hell.

Bison: Literally an adorable puppy. But a bit dumb for a hitman. He was bringing out that damn gun every time like it’s his phone or something. Like?? But all this little cutie wanted was love. But a cutie can be crazy too lol. His feelings after knowing the betrayal from Kant? He went CRAZY. And it’s valid. Especially for a hitman.

Fadel: "We let them fall for us and then kill them. Make him believe you're crazy for him. Crazy in love, not crazy like psycho."

The way he had to specify that? LOL.

But seriously, with how Fadel and Bison killed people, they should’ve been jailed way sooner than they did. Carrying guns everywhere like it’s normal.

I don’t think I even have to talk about the chemistry because HELLO?!!!!!! It was off the charts. I will say though that I would’ve preferred some of the scenes to be just a hug or a small kiss instead of going all out, you know? But still. The tension. The vibes. The longing. All of it worked.

I really liked the scene when Fadel found out his ex didn’t leave him but was actually killed by Lily, his "mom," and Style comforts him. That moment was so good. It’s the one time Style’s quirkiness cools down and he makes sure Fadel knows that it’s not his fault. That Style would love him for who he is and stay by his side. It was soft. It was real. It was needed.

Also loved the friendship between Style and Kant. Besties for life. And Fadel and Bison, They are not blood brothers, but that bond is chef’s kiss. Total sibling energy. They’re so different but they just get each other. Gladly they’re siblings because I cannot imagine these two being friends with how opposite they are.

Anyway, I loved this show. I want more. I want chaos. I want crime. I want crop tops. I want Style quotes on a t-shirt. I want to emotionally detach like Fadel. I want more unhinged romcoms where everyone is a red flag and no one makes good choices.

I am begging for more messy, iconic dramas like this one.

Read More

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

Jo Bo Ah kills her role all the time!!! This was really good. I always to see Lee Jae Wook fighting. You could tell he liked her the first moment he saw her and fell for her because of how caring she is despite his identity. We most time see these married celebrities in dramas and their drama character either has no chemistry or limit the kissing/intimate scenes but this was not the case, she came to work lol and I admire that.
It was a good storyline and each character played their role well especially Kim Jae Wook (might be my 5th drama I have watched with him).
What I didn't see was what happened after the Prince situation in the final episode - I thought they would try to find who did it? But maybe adding more characters would have made it draggy even though the focus was on Hong Rang and Jae I.
I am h@ater because I thought she was going to be pregnant to give us that bittersweet ending lol
Overall, it was a great watch. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

Read More

A tale of shit wrapped as muffin

Oh, where do I even begin with this masterpiece of logic-defying brilliance?

First question to anyone who’s had the endurance (or misfortune) to sit through this chaos:
She had to marry her brother-in-law to take care of her sister’s kid? Really? Because apparently being the aunt is just too basic now. Why be a guardian when you can be a crown princess-slash-replacement-wife-slash-lifelong martyr, right?

Now let’s talk about the writer, who deserves a standing ovation for crafting a female lead so obnoxious, so utterly insufferable, that hating her feels not just natural, but therapeutic. And yes, I get it—character arcs in these dramas go from “spawn of Satan” to “goddess of redemption” faster than a plot twist in a daily soap. I, however, chose peace. I dropped the show before witnessing her glitter-drenched rebirth.

Here’s what really had me internally combusting:

Sister #1, lying on her deathbed, still obsessed with preserving her husband’s legacy like a “devoted wife” and planning to emotionally blackmail her sister into marrying her husband using a single page letter. No apologies, no second thoughts—just vibes and manipulation.

Sister #2, who thinks marrying the brother-in-law is totally normal because a letter told her to. Not a single brain cell stopped her to ask, “Why do I need to marry him to help with a child?” Ever heard of being a loving aunt? Or may be that was too logical for her dead brain.

This walking red flag of a woman then proceeds to emotionally devastate the one man who truly loved her, tossing him aside with the excuse: “I want to be crown princess.” Yes, because saying “I'm sacrificing myself for the child” apparently wasn’t dramatic enough? So let's go for a statement chaotic enough.

And the cherry on top? Five years later, she sends a letter to her heartbroken ex, asking him to help save her husband’s ass. Talk about the audacity. She wants to claim all the spots of his priority that should rightfully belongs to his life partner but doesn't like his advances. She wants to use him as a husband on the expense of being mere acquaintance. She has compassion for entire world from that brother in law to servants of palace but the ML

Look, I know there’s a certain niche that lives for these “PLAYING YO-YO BETWEEN TWO MEN ” FLs —but this lead? She’s not torn, she’s utterly detached from logic, reason, and basic emotional accountability.


Plot had enough pot holes and casting wasn't too helpful either ...richard was fine not the best thanks to his hopeless role here and ming Jia Jia's bucktooth appearance and mediocre acting doens't appeal to me at all. for someone like me who gives equal importance to FL she doesnt serve the purpose.

* Hence Dropped *

Read More

Well deserve

Many are saying the winner is not a potential winner & everything but as a viewer I didn't find it like that. This show is call devil's plan, not angel's plan so the participants have to trick other's or have to be cold to other's so that they will not get played by others. I did seen all the eps by now & I like how some participants backstabb others & how some some are playing for their own & I think all of them played only for their own benefit.


& Also yeah living areas team had alliance I get it but who didn't had an alliance? Everyone had an alliance, it's just that they made mistake & their frnds get eliminated & others went to death match. If they didn't had made mistake & had won the main match then we could have seen a big alliance rather than living areas team. It's their mistake & that's why they had gone through it & I don't think it's a fault of living areas team as they proved their intelligent, smartness in the main game & survive. So hating on living areas team is useless as it would have been same to the other side if they had won the main matches. I think all top 5 contestants deserve to be the top 5 & the final 2 contestants also deserve to be in the final.



For the winner, people doesn't like his cold behavior but for me I like how he was so clear about everything from start to the end, who is his people & who is he playing for. He won as he was smart, intelligent & as had a clear goal from the start to the end that he has to win.


At the end it's just a game & now they are all in good terms so I hope haters stop hating on any contestants & also stop cursing them as they are also a human being. I maynot like some contestants but it's just a game so my dislike to some contestants also end in the game. I hope people in the future watch this show & judge on their own, not by review. Until next season🫶

Read More

Wasted potential

The show started off very strong but slowed down a lot in the 2nd half especially from episode 9 onwards.

The cast had huge potential, which unfortunately wasn't fully exploited. You could already see in the first episodes how different and clever all the contestants were this year and they all seemed likeable. This year's concept of sending contestants to the death room every day was both the most interesting and the worst thing that could have happened to this show.

Why?

Well on the bright side, we saw the most interesting, exciting and fair matches of the season in the Death Room. It was a fair fight and we saw fair, good winners and losers. It was a real pleasure to watch these games, even if one of them was very lengthy.

The negative thing about the whole thing was that 2 camps formed immediately after the first night and the production simply did nothing to break up these camps and the tensions that arose. In my opinion, this had a negative impact on the show. Games in which all the participants played together as a group without losing any participants were completely missing. As a result, the further the show progressed, the more intolerable the character traits of some of the participants became and the rifts could no longer be overcome.

The main games seemed more like a sideshow in which the camps fought each other and the initially playful manipulations became more personal in my eyes over time in order to eliminate the competitors of the manipulating string-puller. The very first game was really good, it was exciting, funny and you could root for it. The main game in episode 6 almost felt like bullying. That was the first time I found the actions of some of the contestants really unpleasant. When the string-pullers were allowed to taste their own medicine later on, there was suddenly a lot of whining. At this point, the whole double standard came to light and the show took off.

The living area was just incredibly boring this year. The players in the living area didn't really do anything there except for one situation. Nothing else interesting happened.

In utter frustration, I stuck it out until episode 11, when I dropped the show that I loved so much last year and here in the first half/ two-thirds, because it was clear to me that there would be no winner as worthy as Seok Jin from season 1 and the winner was clear.

The production must seriously reflect on the season, because its concept has caused the imbalance. Players who were once in prison had no chance of escaping. There was only one possibility for one single player.
I now strongly hope that we get to see a better season 3, which hopefully manages to utilize the full potential of its participants in a positive way.

My suggestions:
- no exits in the first few days, but rather games in which the group plays against the system and increases its jackpot
- more games like the death matches, also as main games.
- i.e. a better mix of alliance and individual games, so that every player earns their progress and not just gets dragged along and the players who perform incredibly well are eliminated.
- Make the living area more interesting. Let people have fun. Give them the chance to increase the jackpot together without an exit or to earn an extra piece every day.
- Maybe create the possibility that not only one person can win.
- Create the opportunity for players to play their way back into the game.
- To balance the living area and prison, the production should have increased the reward for the death matches so that the players from the prison in the main game would also have the chance to change areas. With the chance to win more pieces, the living area people would certainly have wanted to go to prison.

---‐----------------------
The show gets my stars for the first half/ two-thirds and especially for Justin, who was an insanely great player, super fair, super interesting character, team player, strategist, single player, honest, direct and kind, and a few more. I had to deduct points because of the last episodes.

Justin, I hope to see you in more shows!

Read More

A challenging but rewarding love story

It seems like a lot of viewers go into Friendly Rivalry expecting GL, and end up feeling betrayed or baited. I had the opposite experience. I didn’t have high hopes for the GL aspect going in, and I ended up blindsided by an intense, emotional, and very queer love story. This is now probably my favorite GL series.

If you’re expecting a traditional romance, where the characters confess and start dating, I can understand why you would be frustrated—Friendly Rivalry isn’t one of those. It also isn’t *just* a love story, so if you’re looking for romance and nothing else, you might be disappointed. I won’t lie, I had my own queerbaiting concerns in the second half, when there’s less focus on Jae-yi and Seul-gi’s relationship, and I wasn’t sure where the story was going.

But I have no idea how someone could watch this series all the way to the end and come away thinking it’s *not* a love story. Like…how? If Friendly Rivalry revolved around a het pairing there would be absolutely no question if the characters were in love or not. Why are we holding queer stories to a stricter standard? Why do we need them to be *more* conventional to be “real”? Straight love stories don’t all have to be romcoms, do they?

Okay end rant. Friendly Rivalry is one of the most impactful stories I’ve experienced in a long time. The characters completely capivated me. All the actors are perfect in their roles, but Lee Hye-ri and Chung Su-bin as the leads are phenomenal. Jae-yi and Seul-gi are my Roman Empire. Their chemistry is off the charts, and their relationship is so complex—there’s jealousy and resentment, heartbreak and betrayal, but at the bottom is pure love. (And yes it is clear that they are attracted to each other. Folks let’s be media literate please.)

Honestly the GL elements are about as straightforward as Friendly Rivalry gets. Because while it’s addictive and easy to binge, it’s also demanding. I don’t want to sound like that Rick & Morty reddit post (“To be fair, you have to have a very high IQ…”) but I think FR goes over a lot of viewers’ heads—my own included. I’ve seen it all the way through twice, and I’m starting it a third time, and I’m still noticing details in almost every episode that I either completely missed or didn’t understand. The writing is *dense* and there’s almost no handholding. Just following the plot takes effort, and almost every scene contains symbolism or some hidden clue.

I don’t actually recommend binging the series because there is just so much to absorb. It’s better to take some time to process each episode, especially in the second half when you’re expected to fill in a lot of the gaps and connect the dots yourself. It can get exhausting tbh, and the plot towards the end is probably more convoluted than it needs to be. That and the focus drifting a little too far away from Jae-yi and Seul-gi for while (mostly in eps 10-13) are the main flaws.

If you can meet it halfway, though, Friendly Rivalry is richly rewarding. I’m in awe of how much thought and care was put into every frame. The director spent about three years working on the script, and you can tell—most things that seem unbelievable at first have a logical explanation, and the characters are multilayered but consistent. The symbolism adds further layers of depth. And on top of that the show is just beautiful. I would never have guessed that this is a low-budget production because everything from sets to costumes to cinematography looks amazing, especially the underwater scenes.

Friendly Rivalry might not be for everyone, but it was definitely for me. This is exactly the kind of love story about messed-up girls saving each other from their trauma that I needed.

Read More

Love this except for fl’s constant lies…

I’m at episode 9 and really loving this drama except for one thing. The fl keeps getting offended when the ml or his family implies that she/her family are devious and scheming. Yet she schemes, lies and manipulates without any guilt at every turn…? It makes me despise her character (and I really want to like her!)…how can he trust her when she’s so dishonest? Ugh.

It’s very possible that her character arc will have her feel sorry about that and change later on, but I’m doubtful. She seems cast as the one who is simply right no matter what because she’s the girl and he is the one who is always wrong because he’s the man, so of course he’s wrong... I’m hoping I’m wrong. Will come back and change my review later if it turns out better than I hope! 😌

Edit: ok, so, turns out she’s not just manipulating and lying, she’s literally spying, betraying and plotting against her husband, then twists things using his politeness to her to make everything seem like his fault. This is…🤮. I’ll give it a few more episodes if I can stomach it, but she’s disgusting.

Read More

When Charisma Gets Replaced by Scheming

Can we say… kinda? I mean, in the first season, the winner was way ahead of all the other contestants. You could see their superiority from the very first episodes. They won purely through the power of their charisma and intelligence.

The new winner… how can I put it… ended up winning because his BFF dropped out at the last minute. He used her all the way through to the end. Maybe he's more in line with the theme of the show, but honestly, I would’ve preferred a winner who made it to the finale thanks to actual skills, not tricks and manipulation. Sorry not sorry.

I hope the next season focuses more on individual play. I know drama always works, but this season had way too many alliances that ruined the chances of some really interesting potential finalists.

Read More