Reviews

Starts strong

Starts a bit awkwardly, then gets better. Excellent film score, good cinematography and acting with some nice chemistry. By the end of the 5th episode, I thought it was a 9.

Midway through, the situation is fully revealed, and the last half is spent unfolding the response. While some series wait until the last episode and then resolve everything in the last 5 minutes, this one chooses to drag it out over 5-7 episodes. The last three episodes are drawn out and tedious. and the resolution is barely satisfactory, i.e. a lot of build up for not much reward.

The challenge of a series is taking a story and cutting it into equal length bits to fit the episodic time constraints. In this case, because the acting, sound track , cinematography were so good, an edit of the series into a two hour movie would probably make this a great watch. There are quite a few sensitive and subtle moments, but also some clumsy and forced bits.

I give this a 7.5 because of all the great stuff that IS there, but for me, not a rewarding watch.

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When Shin Hye Sun's journey to healing feels like a relapse

Well, that was bad. A mediocre k-drama could even do better because atleast the characters have common sense albeit predictable actions.

I have a lot of bad things to say about this show so let's start with the good ones first.

The pilot episodes have that whimsical energy and dream-like, poetic style cinematography. The director is very skilled and he has helmed Twenty Five-Twenty One and Search WWW. He has proven time and time again that he can depict age gap romance properly and without the ick. Shin Hye Sun's acting prowess also drew me into watching this. She usually picks memorable characters, one that will stick with you long after watching it.

So one might ask—what went wrong? Everything went wrong from the moment common sense flew out of the window for our main character Eun Ho (played by Shin Hye Sun), an unknown announcer with 14 years of experience.

Hyun O (played by Lee Jin Uk) is Eun Ho's ex-boyfriend (don't get me started with how their names practically sound the same). Unfortunately, they work in the same broadcasting company PPS and unlike Eun Ho, Hyun O is more renowned and has moved up the career ladder a bit. They dated for 8 years but broke up 4 years ago.

Looking back, it still annoys me how there is not a single reason why Hyun O and Eun Ho should get back together. From the get-go, Hyun O is ambiguous and evasive towards Eun Ho. He still shows that he cares for her yet he denies that he still loves her. Perhaps, this is just a result of poor writing. If writernim wants to show that two people are inevitably meant to be despite their differences and misunderstandings, maybe she should have sustained their character arc. To be honest, I don't see any growth from the characters. They didn't heal or grow by the end of the story, they just relapsed (Ju Yeon is an exception).

Let me introduce the dashing and brooding Ju Yeon (played by the ever-charming Kang Ju Yeon) who works as an announcer in a different broadcasting company Media N Seoul. The only catch? He's emotionally unavaible haha I agree with the comments of some viewers that he's not yet ready to commit into a relationship given that he tends to be emotionally dependent on his significant other. He confuses love with deep care for someone. He is also the very definition of brooding male lead because he keeps to himself and constantly thinks of negative and distressing thoughts.

Of course, there is one character who is able to see through his facade and that is Hye Yeon, his co-worker. She seems unfazed even when he answers her questions half-heartedly or completely avoids her when she shows up unannounced. Her bubbly personality does not rub off on him. Hye Yeon has a big crush on Ju Yeon, hence she took her time to memorize him and so the tiniest change of emotion and mood can surprise her. Sadly, he never looked her way and he considers him as the annoying colleague that never leaves him peace.

Going back to Shin Hye Sun, she played such a commendable performance of playing two roles: Eun Ho and Hyeri. Possibly due to the stress of her breakup and the uncertainty of her career, she developed dissociative identity disorder (DID). In the morning at exactly 4 AM, she would go to work as announcer Eun Ho in PPS. Then in the afternoon at 4 PM, she works as parking attendant Hyeri in Media N Seoul. During her stay as the parking attendant, her other identity Hyeri developed a crush on Ju Yeon, constantly saving a parking spot on him but goes into hiding whenever he is near. Hyeri has this childlike wonder yet is wise with words perhaps a thing she got from Eun Ho's eloquence. On the other hand, Eun Ho is very much grounded in reality and self-critical especially even when her dreams are crumbling right before her eyes. Hyeri is the very reason I enjoyed the first few episodes. The moment she diseappeared and never resurfaced again still baffles me. Was Hyeri just a clickbait? Did they just add Hyeri to make the plot sound more interesting? Putting a character in the background out of the blue will never not annoy me. Her symptoms suddenly stopped the moment Hyun O started paying attention to her again. This just made it harder for me to connect with the character and understand the mental health issue.

Let's also talk about how they poorly handled the mental health condition. The conclusion felt like a quick fix and merely a stereotype of Eun Ho's sickness. I am by no means an expert but the portrayal felt less authentic and more stigmatizing. Putting a therapist in the show does not instantly make the story accurate and nuanced. The pyschiatrist appears to be merely an accessory rather than someone who is willing to help and support Eun Ho throughout her treatment and recovery. In addition, the mental health issue was used a plot device for Eun Ho and Hyun O's reconciliation. The story was so focused on their romance that the mental disorder functions more as a tool for their reconnection. Her DID comes across as decorative or secondary element rather than a central conflict driving the plot. This should have focused more on help-seeking behavior and recovery rather than showing how her sickness made her romantic relationship even complicated.

Can I also just say that the art direction does not suit Jin Uk's face card? I mean I have a bone to pick with his acting as it feels stiff and pained. His face is not as expressive as Shin Hye Sun's. His acting felt monotonous and robotic and he looks like he just recites his dialogues. It cringes me everytime the camera pans to him because wtf is that acting. His face does not give away any emotions except for being red flag and manipulative lol. I know he has personal issues that's why he thinks he and Eun Ho don't belong together. But for fuck's sake, just man up and clear the air between you two. Is that too much too ask? Perhaps the title should have been Dear Hyun O, Please Fuck Off. I also didn't resonate with his torment and internal conflict. All of the characters' emotions just feel superficial and barely scratched the surface.

Is this an office version of Nevertheless? Absolutely. Both kdramas ditch the good boy to an unpredictable, lackluster bad boy. But atleast Nabi sure knows how to pick her pretty boy 😪😪 and she didn't use her mental health just for the clout. She's just irrational and under the spell of manipulative sad boy and that worked better for me than Dear Hyeri. Can't believe this is the same writer who wrote When the Weather is Fine which is such a healing and warm drama. Dear Hyeri on the other hand is the total opposite, very traumatizing and glamorizes toxic relationships.

Overall, Dear Hyeri is just a second chance romance kdrama that exploits mental health for their own gain. The pilot episodes are intriguing but by the time you reach the last four episodes it's all convoluted and messy. The characters' backstories lack connection with their character arc, resulting to a baffling thought process and questionable decisions. This glorifies toxic, obsessive relationships and instills that love brings pain and sadness which is not the main point of love. The premise tries to depict that people tend to isolate themselves because of their traumatic pasts. In the end, the story failed to deliver this message and came across as an enabler of toxic behavior because of the lack of characters' growth. They all relapsed and went back to their old ways. This was supposed to be a journey of healing, not falling back to the very person who caused you pain and heartbreak. Dear Hyeri was unforgettable but for all the bad reasons.

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If We Could Only Rewrite History

After Completing this Drama
You can read my initial review upon watching 8 episodes below. But today, my review is after completing the entire series. Like a well-planned dish, today's review is layered with flavor.

First Layer. What country with a troubled past doesn't want to rewrite history? I read this drama was based on a real Josean king, so I explored the history. During one of the most amazing periods of a country's imperial rule, this king and this period was a stain on Korean history. This is where I love the creativity of screenwriters. Start with the historical but put a spin on it. This drama said "what if?" What if the Josean tyrant king had met the love of his life who kept him from much of his tyrannical behavior, how would history unfold? That's the main plot of this drama. But how to do this. A time travel narrative connected the present to the past. So the heroine travels back in time to sooth the tyrant and change, at least some, of the history.

Second Layer. What if this portrayal has some truth to it? If you read about the reign of Yeonsangun, it is not positive. He is known for purges where many were slaughtered, even royalty. Also, he kidnapped hundreds of girls across the country and forced them to be his personal sexual entertainers and "comfort women." Quite a contrast to the king's portrayal in this drama. However, the plotting of others in this drama is a part of the historical record, and one wonders if this plotting, along with finding out his birth mother and her death was hidden from him, led to such anxiety and paranoia in him it resulted in violence, indulgences, and death. It is a possibility during a time when there was little knowledge or resources for those suffering from mental health issues. I want to take this chance to say that in my research on this king, led me to another Korean production. I watched the movie The Treacherous on Amazon Prime. If you care to see a different portrayal of this king then watch this movie. I will warn you that this is not innocent, nor sanitized like Kdramas are. It's raw, it's reality, it's R-rated, and this king is surely mad. It was good, and the actors portrayal of their characters were amazing!!

Third Layer. The food and the love story. The food was the star throughout almost the entirety of the drama. It was amazing, comical, magical, and I gained 5 pounds just watching it. The two main characters showed chemistry in their attraction to each other which made the viewer glued to their relationship as it progressed. This is the 2nd drama I have watched with Lim Yoon A. The first was King the Land. She had such chemistry with Lee Jun Ho that I'm in awe of her acting skills and have become a true fan. She completely commits to a role, and the results speak for themself. I've seen a couple different dramas with Lee Chae Min as a supporting role. They were superbly acted enough that I knew of his work before his starring role in this drama. His main role as King Yi Heon has surely cemented him as a leading man, I am a fan and look forward to viewing his future roles.

Fourth Layer. The production value of this drama. With the spread of Korean entertainment I have seen dramas go from 36 to 24 to 16 to 12 episodes. Sometimes the compromise destroys the story. Koreans are amazing and superb story tellers when they have the room to develop the story. The proof are the amazing dramas over the last 10-15 years. With the increase in demand, I have seen stories compromised by shortening them for an audience plagued by shortened attention spans, and demanding western streaming services (Netflix, Amazon, Disney, Hulu). I'm saddened by this result. All of this to say that the production value of this drama stayed relatively high. The storyline was superb, my thanks to the screenwriter. The casting director got amazing actors in the right roles. The sets, the scenery, the costumes, the music, the cinematography was all superb. Thank you to the entire production crew. My only complaint, and its minor was the ending was rushed. It would have been nice to add substance to the king's appearance in modern times and exactly how he got there.

Well there you have it. A 4-course serving to a wonderful Kdrama. You will enjoy this production. I promise it is a delicacy worth watching.

It's Food Porn with a Side of Tasteful Fantasy - a review after watching 8 episodes
I'm only up to the 8th episode, but I just had to leave a review to say this is definitely worth watching. The time travel angle and the romance of the story take a back seat to the food. The food is definitely the leading character in this drama. The viewer is taken on a sexy, sultry, yet enchanting trip every time someone puts a bite in their mouth.

First, we get an up close view of the food passing over King Ye Heon's lips and into his mouth. Lee Chae Min's lips should receive their own star on the walk of fame....they are that luscious and enjoyable to watch. Once he begins to chew, he takes the viewer into a fantasy trip of his taste buds and mind. I laugh out loud each time it occurs as it gets more and more outrageous but delightful.

Watching these amazing dishes being prepared and eaten, especially by Lee Chae Min, is truly addictive.

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An amazing drama, not to be missed!

This drama is far different from the usual storylines. After watching a few episodes you become so familar with the depth of the characters that as susequent episodes unfold their story becomes so real that it feels like you personally know them, you develop a strong bond with them. The acting is extraordinary! All four actors playing the main couple gives amazing heartfelt, emotional performances that you form a strong bond with them. The story tells of unimaginable hardship, the deepest love you could ever experience, tragedy, strength, perserversnce, determination, loyalty, devotion and human dignity. There is no doubt that this beautifully filmed, spectacularly acted, heartwrencing love story will certainly garner numerous awards, high praise and millions of viewers.

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A romance so natural you crave more of it!!!!

Ah! Amidst a Snowstorm of Love was simply beautiful. Honestly, I have nothing negative to say. Yes, it’s slow-paced — but that pacing works perfectly with the story and the characters. A drama with such rich, layered characters takes time to unfold, and I’m glad it wasn’t rushed. Watching something so delicate grow into something so beautiful felt rewarding.

へ ♡ ╱|、
૮ - ՛ ) (` - 7
/ ⁻ ៸| |、⁻〵
乀 (ˍ, ل ل じしˍ,)ノ

╰┈➤Lin:
This man is a walking green flag. I’m convinced men like him don’t exist in the real world — these dramas just set my expectations way too high 😭😭😭. I adored his character. He’s quiet, introverted, and terrible at expressing himself verbally, yet he’ll go above and beyond for the people he loves. He doesn’t need to announce it — his actions speak volumes.
At first, he seemed detached from life, but the moment he saw that “ray of light” on a snowy night, everything changed. Even though he struggled to communicate, he had the courage to take the first step. And honestly? You can’t tell me this man doesn’t have rizz. It’s always the subtle gestures: holding her hands, playing with her fingers, brushing her hair aside, staring into her soul — his body language was everything. (˵ ¬ᴗ¬˵) How was this man single for so long? My heart was exploding with joy.

╰┈➤Guo:
She’s such an amazing, supportive, and relatable character. I appreciated her initial caution — it felt realistic and smart. Women should be wary of strangers, especially men. Her reaction toward Lin in the beginning reminded me of the saying, “Be weird. Be rude. Stay alive.” It showed she’s aware of her surroundings, and I loved that about her. Over time, their bond deepens, and they become each other’s pillar of support — it was beautiful to watch.

╰┈➤Supporting Cast & Themes:
The rest of the characters were perfectly cast. I loved how their friends supported Lin and Guo, even keeping their secrets. It felt like a genuine ride-or-die squad. The drama’s heart lay in its pure love and, most importantly, its communication. Lin didn’t stick to one love language — he did them all, and I adored those details.

I also enjoyed the sports aspect. I don’t know how to play pool myself, but the drama made it look so engaging. As someone who’s watched friends play but was too intimidated to try, I felt a real connection to those scenes.

Final Thoughts:
This drama was heartwarming, emotional, and stunning — it left a lasting impression on me. It’s definitely one of my new and favorite comfort dramas.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely. 💜

Would I watch it again? You bet I will. 💜

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Check yourself before you insult others

I am an Iraqi who cannot remain silent. South Korea participated in the 2003 war by sending thousands of soldiers to Iraq, contributing to the destruction of our country. Now a Korean series dares to insult Iraq and portray it as a miserable and terrorist land. This is not entertainment, but hypocrisy and an insult to millions of Iraqis. We have an Iraqi proverb that says: "He kills a person and walks in his funeral." And now, after you were one of those who participated in our killing and destruction, you are being exploited on our land after you were one of the reasons for our destruction. But we are not the only country that had a war. Why are you tarnishing our reputation? Why are you happy now? When you thought of producing or acting in these scenes, because of you, the world has started avoiding us. Because of you, apologize to us. Apologize to our past, our wounds, and our martyrs. You brought back the pain that we wanted to forget or were trying to forget. I hate you.

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Good but could be better

I am a huge omegaverse fan, and after the disappointment that Pitbabe was, I was so excited for this knowing there's going to be an enigma, alpha and omega + mpreg and heat/rut.

Of course it started off fantastic, the actor for Hua Yong nailed the manipulative act but other than that the acting was a lil flat, and Hua Yong's repetitive calling of the alpha got on my nerves after a while.

Then it started going downhill when the alphas literally raped their partner 💔 also I didn't like how they couldn't see in a brightly lit room their rapists?? Like at least put more effort into the editing.

Not to mention that Hua Yong literally forcibly marked him without his permission like please guys
BUT I gotta say it's very entertaining and I'm always curious as to what happens next.
Overall it was alright, I would watch it again but the plot and acting are lacking a bit.

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Oh my!! I need season two right now!!!!

This was fantastic!!

I started this as a BL but wow!! This is much much more than just simply a BL.

Tbh almost all the thai BLs tend to be simple, cute, fluffy, ridiculous with many plot holes stories... but this!! Ooohhhh this!!!!! it feels like a banal abbreviated description to just call it a BL.

Story was good, consistent but with some unrealistic twists, like I understand that you want to surprise the viewer but bringing dead people to live is just too tacky... Nonetheless it was perfectly executed, I couldn't find any plotholes, everything was well explained too, except maybe for the sometimes too good to be true situations.

Cast .... Spectacular!! Splendidly remarkable chemistry between the two leads and oh my baby Si Hyeon!! With his lovely melancholic gazes that hold so much pain and sadness!! And Tape was ... Wow!! Just wow! They guy basically pulled a one man show in this, because despite having a full cast of talents, he shines like the brightest sun!!!
Also, how come this guy is older than me 😂 sorry but he is now what 32-33??? FFS!! 😂😂 He doesn't look a day older than 25 !!!!

The cliffhanger end was sliggghhhhhtly weird, I don't understand the situation and why would "someone" reappear,.. I bet the only one who wasn't raised from the dead is the father lol speaking of fathers! How come half of the cast is missing here! I know none of them so I wish someone would update the cast because I gotta know the name of Mr.Joe, the King of the show!! This guy ATE and left no crumbs!!

I don't know what else to say, it's captivating, the pace is great, the sex scenes were HOT!!!! Like a plate of hot lava with extra spicy jalapeno sauce on it!! And the chemistry and friendship also worthy.
If you -like me- want to watch a BL, start this and you are in for a treat, bear in mind it's not a light fluff drama, it's heavy with a lot of triggers so be cautious, and also if you want to watch a drama that is deep with a story and good fights, give this a try!!! You definitely won't regret it at all ~~

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Boring

I really wanted to give this drama a fair chance because I like the actress and usually enjoy her work, but this one is just not it for me. The storyline feels dull and predictable, and I found myself losing interest very quickly. There’s no real spark or chemistry between the leads, which makes it hard to root for the romance or get emotionally invested in their relationship. The pacing is slow, and the plot doesn’t build any excitement or tension, it just drags along without any standout moments. I kept hoping things would pick up, but after several episodes, it still feels flat. Overall, it’s disappointing because the cast had potential, but the writing and execution fall short. Sadly, I don’t think I’ll be able to finish it.

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Most feel good BL so far. Lol

Mygosh, coming from DBK, Tay here is totally flippin 180 degree change from Pete. Lol. Karan is basically the epitome of greenest amazon forest. Lol. And Tay and New’s acting matured so much compared to DBK era for me, especially Tay’s (even though i think my bias is New. I can tell you this). Karan is such a green flag, nothing about him irks me at all. New is adorbs (how is that guy’s skin so fairrrrrr like howww. And having him in such a close up distance with Tay made that even more obvious).

The plot is well thought out and well executed imo. Sometimes, i have problem with certain BL’s plot (like they just want to promote BL that the plot doesnt matter much to them sometimes. The comedy factor rings well with me, i found myself laughing out loud at them. Achi’s monologue while listening in to other people’s mind, esp Karan’s in the beginning totally had me LoL High rewatch value what with all the whumps scenes and Achi’s fainting left and right (i legitly thought they would do us a flip and had that guy be down with terminal illness or something what with how many times he faints lol. Luckily they end it with HE instead of going down the sadist route. Other couples’ story were also interesting enough not to make me annoyed with too much screentime given to them. Pai and Rock’s relationship is a good heterocouple representation.

OSTs are fine (is the last song at the wedding a solo OST from New?) All in all, i am soooo looking forward to watching more of TayNew after watching this.

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