Reviews

Good Idea - But dragging

I loved the idea. Started watching it so happy. After episode 4 it kind of started to drag a little. No progress is made. The story between them is really predictable. I'm not sold on how one episode he's stuck on another woman and then next episode he's all of a sudden in love with the female lead.
Also when he finds out she's a fan she just says nothing. This is bad writting to just create drama.

Now i want to know who did it but I watched the last episodes while skipping 10sec all the time. It's so slow and so many useless scenes.

I will not rewatch 😁

PS : don't get me started on his 2005 haircut 😨

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So much guilt. So many regrets.

I would be lying if I call this a fluffy rom-com. Forget about doubling down on angst. Our writer-nim quadruple it by having all the main characters simmering in an bubbling angst stew. It is seriously depressing. Definitely not a breezy weekend binge.

However, if you hang in there, it will draw you in as the story develops and characters grow and evolve. I hope you are prepared, it is going to be a bumpy ride.

It all starts with the family's matriarch suffering a serious injury in a car accident. She lost a foot and ends up spending the next 7 years guilt-tripping her family into a pit of despair. She withdrew into their family home and turned it into a prison, nay, a torture chamber for all who crosses its threshold.

To be honest, I don't understand why she did that. Her kids are decent people. Her husband is loyal and caring. She was in her (late) 40's when the accident happened. Options are there to achieve a good degree of mobility and independence. It is baffling why she chose such a destructive path.

By the time we enter the frame, their family cohesion is largely gone. Everyone is on edge around her. All it takes is the slightest provocation and it is on for young and old.

When she passed away suddenly, it triggers more guilty feelings and recriminations. Let's just say the first few eps should be avoided by anyone who is triggered by this type of events. Forget a storm cloud hanging over their heads. It is an extinction level event. Everything from shouting matches to stony silence are all weapon of choice.

Oddly enough, the breakthrough came when all three reach their nadir. They end up having to talk it out as none of them can claim the moral high ground. We finally have relative peace and a glimmer of hope around the halfway mark. The clock is ticking though.

It should come as no surprise when the angst train hit us several more times. It is a nonstop rollercoaster ride. It is a little less white knuckle with the passage of time.

I won't spoil the A-plot as a lot happened and much of it are interrelated. Some are tropey. They are all relatable. I just wish it wasn't so relentless.

Without going into specifics, the role of communication is front and centre. Some straight talking provided us with breakthroughs. Yet at other times, it would breakdown completely. The show is keeping it real. This is something we all need to work on.

From my perspective, the main theme boils down to the old adage, carpe diem. It is not a panacea though. It offers a path forward for those willing to help themselves and seize the day.

In terms of acting, the ensemble cast did good. There is nothing fluffy about any of the roles. The FL and her father are first amongst equals. The weakest link, for me, is the FL's brother. He plays the angry young man with a touch of toxic masculinity. It is a one trick pony though. The mother deserves a special mention. She has a smallish role, but a very challenging one.

Oh, I almost forgot, the local priest is a delight! He is a contemporary of the FL and definitely not your typical parish priest. He is fed up with his flock using the confessional as some kind of free life coaching/financial advice/relationship consultation. His hands-on approach is a breath of fresh air. ;)

Does the show have a happy ending? I won't go that far. It is more of a promising one. Life goes on. There will be trials ahead. Their revitalised family unit will give them strength. I wish them the very best. Hwaiting!

P.S. One thing has been bugging me. The FL should have told Daniel she will buy him a ticket back to Korea as soon as he turns 19. I think that would be a more satisfying way to conclude this major branch. Those who have finished the show will know what I am talking about. ;)

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A Masterclass in Acting with a Divisive Finale

Dear X starts with a bang. The first half is a masterclass in cinematography and pacing—I couldn't look away. Kim Yoo Jung’s performance is haunting; she makes you pity her one moment and despise her the next as you realize the depth of her manipulation.

The male characters were the heart of the show for me. I was rooting for them the whole way through, and the friendship between everyone was so well-done. Specifically, the bromance between Jun Seo and Kim Jae-young was a major highlight—their bond felt authentic and kept me grounded in the story.

Unfortunately, the drama couldn't maintain its initial momentum. While it stayed "good," it lost the "amazing" quality of the earlier episodes. The last few episodes felt like a bit of a mess, and the ending was quite a letdown. I was expecting a much more polished finale for a show that started with such promise.

Even though the ending ruined the experience slightly, the acting and the relationships made it a journey worth taking.

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A beautiful watch

I found myself wandering why this show left such a huge impact on me!? I think it reminded me of the most delicious strawberry, mostly sweet, with a bit of tang/bitterness but so enjoyable it left me wanting more.

I really love a good slow burn and this one did not disappoint! The chemistry between the two leads was excellent, electric, swoon worthy - just all the feels. The supporting cast were great - the 2ML did a good job of getting me to dislike him - I guess that's just great acting on his part 🤣 while some aspects of the overall story were a bit predictable to me, I loved it anyway!

I loved Zhao Jinmai's Nie Xiguang. She was brave, unwavering in her loyalty to her friends, determined and just a strong character. She's wasn't without faults and always had a way of seeing through all the BS but I thought she gave Zhang Xu too much of her heart.

I didn't like Zhang Xu. However, understand he was a necessary character to highlight how obligation, societal expectations and lack of self worth can affect the way you see yourself and others. It wasn't a case of wrong place/wrong timing, it was fear based choices which led to his outcome/s.

On the flip side, you have Song Weilong's, Lin Yusen, a little misguided, broody but a romantic at his core. I felt like his subconscious always somehow knew the truth about Nie Xiguang which is why his endeavours to seek 'revenge' were really child's play. It felt like when Lin Yusen and Nie Xiguang were in the frame there was no space for us, a little too personal, the piercing gazes, the light touches and embraces felt genuine, authentic. I was really hooked by their love story and was rooting for them as I watched their journey!

As I write this, I'm listening to the soundtrack of the series to get me into the flow and was reminded of how the soundtrack was perfect for the show. As of it were vitally important character, carefully underscoring the climactic moments of this beautiful story, particularly the romantic parts. It was beautiful. 'Counting on you' by Zhang Hao and 'You are the sun in my life' by Lu Yuan Yi and 'Uncontrollably' by Ray Hou will be seared into my mind and heart for some time!

I was sad when it finished and hope to see the two leads in more dramas together!

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A new favorite!!

Can this love be translated? is such an amazing drama everyone has to watch. It follows an interpreter and a rising actress. The main lesson is that everyone has their own language that some may not understand, but it doesn't mean they can't learn it. All actors were great! Despite feeling bad for Hiro for not getting the girl he liked, I'm happy for the main couple. In my fantasies, maybe there will be a romance between Nanami and him as well... I also like how everyone was on good terms after this! I guess we'll never know how the meeting with Muhee's mother went, so it's like a happy open ending. I recommend this as a breath of fresh air!!!

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A powerful and confident first episode

The casting is honestly perfect. Every actor fits their role so naturally that it feels less like acting and more like watching real people unfold. The leads deliver layered performances, especially in the quiet moments where a look or a pause says more than dialogue ever could. The chemistry feels effortless and real, not forced for the sake of the genre.
The music deserves special praise. The soundtrack elevates every emotional beat and stays with you even after the episode ends. It knows when to be subtle and when to hit hard, making key scenes even more unforgettable. So far, it’s a very strong start and absolutely deserving of a high rating. I’m already looking forward to the next episodes. I love FirstKhaotungs acting so much I have no words to describe their acting.🫶✨️

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Yes!

I really enjoyed this series. The virtual reality elements/design hooked me in and I thought the storyline was interesting. A cool way of showcasing the beauty of old vs new architecture. I was never really big on architecture but was fascinated with the elements shown in the series. Very nice! The romance between the ML and FL was sweet and developed naturally (although frustratingly slow for me lol) and loved the different relationship dynamics and the contrast between familial love shown in the FL side vs the ML side. I was invested in all of the characters stories too, the actors did a good job in keeping me hooked all the way through! Thank you 🤗

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Good one

The Haunted Palace is a story about spirits’ resentment and vengeance. In the middle of the story, a serpent deity and a shaman become entangled. Together, they eliminate the spirits.
The serpent wants to ascend to heaven, for which he needs the body of a pure soul—one that willingly accepts him. However, the person is not ready for this and fights against him. That person is the shaman.
In the end, they fall in love with each other and live a happy married life.
As for the acting, the male lead gave a fantastic performance, especially when he portrayed two souls in one body. The actor who played the role of the king also acted very well. Praising them does not mean that the other actors were not good; all of them delivered strong performances.

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love always finds a way

Why am I giggling my ass off while rotting in bed??? I'm so single it hurts. I love the plot wrapped up nicely and I loved the chemistry between the actors. Even though I can handle miscommunication, this one irked me a bit, but I can understand why though. My favorite parts were their moments together in the lane and him simping over the female lead. I loved his acts of service and her words of affirmation for him. I am glad this show did not have an official second couple because I liked how they stayed good buddies. I liked how Pei Zhen was not a fully good person and would love to see what he does with his life now. I can imagine the main couples wedding perfectly. I lowkey want their proposal to be in the vr game too. <3

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BRING BACK 12 EPS!!!!

I loved the main TheePeach storyline, but everything else was rushed, unfinished, and abrupt! And all of it is Gmmtv's new 10 EP format's fault.

I understand not showing much of RomeMok, since it has a separate novel, so probably licensing plays a role. And I also feel like gmmtv will make a Calm down Mr. Rome series in 2027. So wtv, don't mind it, keeping it short actually made their storyline better imo.

BUT, wtf happened with TawanAran and Touch? They might have not been even included atp! This honestly feels like a straight disrespect to the author and the characters, cuz they weren't treated as characters even, just used as tropes to move the plot forward.

The way touch was haphazardly shoved into it to make Thee's storyline somewhat sensible after they fucked up Thee's parents plot is just....

I don't mind a live action being different from the book, honestly prefer it even, cuz it allows us to see the characters in a new setting.

But the way they fucked up almost all of the side characters and subplots is just not acceptable, and all of this happened so they can shove 1.5 books into 10 eps not even 1 hour long each.

10 EPs just completely mess up the pacing of a story, if they want a 10 EP series, the script should be written that way. The way gmmtv makes it right now makes it feel like they write a script for 12 EPs and then keep cutting and moving things around to get 10EPs.

I'd much rather take a 12 EP cookie cutter series with a 11 ep curse that at least has a fleshed out plot and finishes the story well rather than wtv the hell they are doing with this 10 ep format.

Gmmtv should bring back 12 eps, because good stories with poor execution is not going to work for long.

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Dare I say, this is the best family kdrama

This show was so beautiful from the start to the end from child actors who played like it’s on their lives wow just wow.

I was skipping watching it for so long but now I feel like watching is the best idea I have ever had.love how they did just do basic family drama stuff and added some special things like bi dan, poor thing, I know it’s just a character but poor poor thing. just want to hug you and en bi and tell you I love yall.

I know I sound like acorn ball right now but try watching maybe when you see en bi and bi dan you will get it.
Thank yall for blessing my start of 2026 ;)

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It's about building oneself to become worthy of something.

Funny. Let me tell you, Deung (?) 's character is so funny that even hearing his voice makes me giggle. Anyway, I think FUTS tackles more about building intrapersonal skills rather than interpersonal. It's about building oneself to become worthy of something. Pi is so stubborn, I must say. And some people are undeniably like that, right? When everyone tells us to be better but we are so egocentric that we think we are superior and everything. Until one big event will make us rethink about our words and decisions. Pi indeed has his esteem stomped by but it made him stronger and love himself more. For people saying that the actors are very stiff, this is where PPW started. And given the year this show appeared, the storyline is pretty good.

The ending is just too cute! When Pi's being stubborn and upset, I really really like how his eyes just send daggers out of everyone. Permpoon's Phorphor is just too cute!

When you have a bad day, this is a good choice to watch while crocheting. Got a good laugh and OMG, Phu cheeks are just so narak!

P.S: Taray mo naman Phuwin, may sariling lawa.

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