Reviews

Mayhem

January 2026.
I do love the cast, and my goodness did they have to put themselves out there.
It's a while since I watched S1, but it's a favourite... what happened, Disney+?
OTT I can handle. A little slapstick, dry humour, silliness to cut through the suspense & more visceral scenes ~ all that I can happily handle; but this totally lost its foundations compared to S1.
The weak and childish plot had everything thrown into it... cheap laughs, awful toilet humour, the cast made to act like clowns, drag (though KMG looked weirdly pretty 😆), novelty 'musical' scenes (not uncommon in some American shows), plus pops at S.Korea's seemingly woeful legal system, with a liberal dose of strong violence for good measure.
The constant, and weird, American dialogue from character Park Gyeong Sun (Lee Ha-nee), really irritated me, too.
The look of it was more polished than S1, but that's the only thing that's an improvement ~ the rest didn't come close.
The violence was still pretty strong ~ a drug Lord (the straightest acting in the series, from Sung Joon playing Kim Hong Sik), who didn't mess about with his philosophy of a life for a mistake.
Then there was the torturing of a female intelligence agent, featuring a mallet and lots of screaming... the outcome of which was funnier than a lot of the so-called humour.
That was this drama's biggest problem ~ it swung from violent and trying to be an action plot, to all out slapstick comedy. It did not work. If it's an action drama, any comedy needs to enhance the story and be a little more subtle, or clever, but this was far from either.
I did get the feeling the cast probably had a great time making this (Lord I hope so), but for me it was pretty awful. Sadly.
Can't believe it's the same script writer, and the Director was Asst Director, for S1. A let down.

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Great premise but dull execution

The idea is very intriguing, this is the first time I've seen someone wanting romance without intimacy or being in serious relationship, most dramas focus of the physical connection and disregard feelings.

Be that as it may, I think it was too sugarcoated and molded into a simple healing drama.
I genuinely wanted to see romance with no string attached, this's just two people with bad experience that made them scared to enter a new relationship or open up to others, romance has nothing to do with it.

I don't think Seri's past should affect her love life the way it did, because it's completely unrelated, not to mention they fell in love pretty quickly and I still don't know what exactly made them fall in love, because if a simple romantic gesture was enough for seri to fall in love and want a relationship then why was she against the idea in the first place... If she gave anyone a chance ( her colleague for example) she would have easily started a relationship with romance and everything, because it's obvious she wanted a that not just the romance, but the full package.

Same with Mahiro, I see nothing seri did that would make him fall for her except maybe being kind?

The way they went with the story has nothing to do with the idea they start with, that's why I was slightly disappointed, however the show was entertaining and fun, I loved the Mangaka character he was funny, crazy and adorable.

I wouldn't recommend it tbh, it was ok, if you have nothing else to watch give it a go ~~

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For Plot wise it was the best of Tainai Series.

Finally i have mood to writing review about Tainai series and personal take it was their best in terms of plot.

Li Keyi in this drama was really useful and not like spectator like Tainai 3. She was the one who helps Wu Tianhao character in this drama while almost of the brothers didn't believe him. Wang Daotie part are just comedic relief but his backstory wasn't well-written. And Zeng Hui character wasn't necessary in here.

I liked the Wu Tianhao plot it was too deep even the plot is feel so generic about real son was being thrown while fake son are using the family money with help of his real parents(the maid and butler).

Love how Li Keyi is back to institute to help spaceship project that real grandma was worked for. It feels patriotic and meaningful. Even the usual verbal sparring wasn't necessary.

For me it was the best part of Tainai series. Highly recommended.

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Hope in the season 4 they wont use Wang Peiyan character as a joke anymore.

Finally i have mood to writing review about Tainai and the greatest things in this drama are supporting casts especially the brothers (the grandpa's also included in this) so it was expected to getting popular.

Personally Li Keyi as Rong Yun was average because if the supporting cast was from unknown actors the result is absolutely different.

The earlier episodes had some flaws; for example, the woman was pregnant, and a DNA test could have been done directly, but they dragged it out for several episodes. The later plot was good even they added so many F4 reference, Yuyin scene in Good Girl, etc but maybe the jokes didn't make me laugh or i was too tensed when i watch this.

Chen Tianxiang in here was so refreshing and his role was an significant role quite like his tandem with Wu Tianhao. Personally Meng Na character was unnecessary in this story and her acting is her comfort zone. One of the cons of this drama is they are over the line with Wang Pei Yan slapstick joke and his character was like the idiom frog in a coconut shell by scriptwriter.

Still decent watch and personally Tinghuadao are milking this series and making Tainai 4 with Cai Xinyang as Li Keyi's love interest.

Recommended to watch for stellar supporting casts.

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Lost in translation

Let me preface this by saying I am a HUGE Kim Seon Ho fan. I have loved him in all of his works and have always supported him. So I went into this series primarily because of KSH. And, I also have been loving Go Younjung lately. Totally loved her in Alchemy of Souls and Moving, so I had no doubt that this series would be good because of the two of them.

And it would have been if they focused on the romance in this romcom. It was giving! They had such great chemistry - KSH and GYJ looked great together! Both fresh-faced, wholesome and not, beautiful, and those winning smiles! But no they had to ruin the plot with some mental health issues drama. I totally understand that they may be trying to make a point or something but they totally missed it. The story still could have been great without all that depressing drama which was not even properly addressed. I mean, if you are giving us something to go to therapy about might as well get us into therapy and healing by the end of the series?

Suffice it to say, I was frustrated with this series. Yes, I loved all the sweet and cute moments but damn, they really had to ruin it. KSH and GYJ were amazing. And so were the rest of the cast, the scenes were so beautiful - I can't believe they had such a big budget for it to just be a total letdown. I was not impressed. But it was still a good watch. However the short 12 episodes felt more like a chore and pledge of allegiance to Kim Seon Ho - which in a way, it really was. I only finished it because of him.

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Ending Ruins Whole Show

I was very interested in this drama because it was heavily hyped and distributed by Prime. The last dialogue of the first episode — “See you at the funeral. Either you die or me” — really got me. At that moment, I thought the drama would either turn into a complete ktrauma or have a truly satisfying happy ending.

But I must say, I’m somewhere disappointed with how it ended in such a basic, and mediocre way.

1. The ending is the most talked about, so I’m starting with that. There is a simple thing: if after so many events across the whole 12 episodes (around 12 hours), you still need someone’s death as a catalyst to bring the leads together, then I’m sorry — your writing is clearly lacking somewhere. Death should be the last resource to bring people together and here it was surely avoidable. All those hit-and-miss scenes ended up having no meaning at all. If she really wanted him to be with her, she should have acted sooner instead of waiting and roaming around. I understand hesitation, but after so many things happened, it doesn’t make sense anymore and just becomes frustrating.

The question is: how much time did you actually let viewers enjoy them together without any other tension, like company issues? I may be demanding too much, but at least a wedding could have been shown. Some good family time could have been shown since the whole series is centered on only the 2 characters. Instead, you chose a typical airport ending. I know it has context with their previous encounters, but seriously, the conclusion felt too ordinary and abrupt. She comes, stops him, and suddenly it’s “let’s live together.” Where were these emotions till now? The ending could have been shown in a much more wholesome way.

2. The next issue is that the story focuses too much on the leads — almost excessively. There are no other characters development shown. The friends are shown, but their individual stories or backgrounds are never explored. The office colleagues exist only to fill space and help.
One thing I do appreciate is how realistically the friendships are portrayed — the roasting, abusive words, and casual behavior actually feel real.

2. But when it comes to family, except the sister and the antagonist, nobody is fully shown. Well-known actors were hired but given extremely limited screen time. Their roles could have been prolonged with more depth, and perspectives from family, friends, and colleagues could have been shown toward the end.

3. The story relies too heavily on flashbacks. When I already know they are bound to break up, how am I supposed to enjoy those moments freely? This aspect covers most of the show. Instead of focusing on the progressive present — where at least the outcome is uncertain — the drama keeps dragging us back to painful memories. There are too many flashbacks with obvious outcomes, like the military part, the play, and several other moments. Since we already know how they end, it ruins the mood somewhere rather than enhancing it.

4. Now let’s talk about the characters. Starting with the female character — I honestly have very little justification for her actions. The whole story revolves around her, yet she just keeps running away.

5. In their 20s, everything was going well. When he found out she was the heiress of a big company, he still accepted it and didn’t get mad, even though it’s obvious that adjusting to that life wouldn’t be easy for him. Money doesn’t flow for him the way it does for her. Then the fight happened, and suddenly she ran away. The first major conflict you face, and you disappear and with out any word just vanish . I initially let this first one slide because of her immaturity in her 20s. But the second time is far worse. When his father was fighting for his life, obviously he couldn’t look after her the way he used to. Then she uncovers her past and leaves again — without a proper conversation. He comes home one day and she’s just gone, believing she’s gone forever this is the worst thing you can do. That alone would devastate anyone.
The wedding news afterward is just too much to bear, for him yet the show barely gives it proper weight. These things are brushed off lightly instead of being addressed with the seriousness they deserve.
From the male character’s perspective, he probably should have moved on after her divorce specially after she left him in the second time. Waiting endlessly isn’t healthy. But his character is written that way, so you can’t fully blame him. He keeps saying sorry everywhere, whether it’s his fault or not. That’s just who he is — someone who forgives everything. And because his character is like this, all her actions are conveniently absorbed, which makes viewers even more frustrated.

6. Another frustrating aspect is the constant time jumps. First from 20 to 28, then another unclear gap, then the time before her divorce — and even after all of this, they still add another one-year gap. After everything, you expect the story to settle, but it keeps jumping forward.

5. On the positive side, the way the show deals with alcoholism is genuinely commendable. Most K-dramas treat alcohol very casually, but here they actually show its harmful side. The screenplay and music are minimal yet soothing. The acting is flawless, which makes the characters feel alive and keeps the show engaging. The chemistry between the leads is unbelievably good and adds strong rewatch value.

In the end, when you dedicate an entire show solely to two characters, you need to handle the chemistry between them better. from the beginning I have known that separating them permanently would have been nonsensical unless one of them died. The only one perspective present and you do not explored that fully. Instead, the show chose the most mediocre ending possible, which reduced the overall value and left viewers frustrated.

That final two-minute clip is the savior. You killed that character for what? (The bench scene, by the way, is absolutely heartbreaking.) The ending needed to be written and shown in a more structured and emotionally satisfying way.

PS: These are my personal opinions — feel free to share yours.

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Simple Plot for CP driven fans.

The plot is simple; the highlight is the sweet romance between Lu Huanyu and Zhang Jinyi. Their chemistry are overflowing with sweetness and plenty of kissing scenes

FL is also well-developed; she's incredibly strong-willed, a master of witty banter, and never backs down. Liked how ML teaches FL business, helping her to obtain the group's inheritance rights.

The villain in this drama is the typical villain of a short drama stubborn with narcistic attitude. Old style acting method.

Decent to watch if you are not into plot-driven drama and want the sweetness of CP.

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A funny rom com

I understand why this series is so popular. It’s true that I don’t get all the inside jokes that Thai viewers might understand, but I still had a really good time watching it.

That said, it’s not a series with a complex storyline don’t expect something like KinnPorsche. It’s more about enjoying the moment.

My only negative point and I know this might sound immature is the kissing scenes between Thee and Peach, which I found quite underwhelming. I wasn’t asking for intense make-out scenes, but we’re watching a love story… at least kiss properly.

After episode 7, something feels really off. Pond gives it his all, while Phuwin sorry only seems to give about 30%.

The characters also deserved more development; everything stays very surface-level.

Tawan and Aran are basically useless to the story, and we keep seeing the same trope with Perth and Santa, which is becoming ridiculous.

Despite all that, the series is very comforting and funny, and I really enjoy watching it

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goods na dili na very goods

started out by good that i literally binged episodes 1-7 in one go with full energy and was expecting that adrenaline to keep up until i finished the entire drama in one go, but when i got to ep. 8, i was already starting to press the skip button several times per scene. this drama was branded as a cute romcom throughout the whole time everyone was waiting for it to release that when the plot twist hit, it was unexpectedly unpleasant.

first, i understand how muhee’s past and current traumas have affected her and eventually formed into something that completely influenced her mental state. it was actually very interesting to see because i think this happens to a lot of actors; they get really immersed in their role or get really connected with the character that it manifests in real life. second, i personally really liked the plot of hojin being a renowned translator/enterpretator but cannot, for the life of him, decipher muhee’s mind and actions, hence why he needed a ‘translator’ of his own.

however, i completely feel like this could’ve all been done without the ‘horror’ aspect. despite how many times “do rami” was shown—and probably, forshadowed—her actually ‘fronting’ was a bit of a whiplash to me. i think they got overly ambitious with trying to cover many genres at once to make it more interesting and, because of that, couldn’t focus too much on the psychological part of the plot. (speaking of, we never really heard of hojin’s brother ever again LMFAO) i honestly would’ve given this a 10 if it just focused on being a silly romcom.

still, i really liked the overall vibe and especially the cinematography! also really enjoyed the soundtracks they used—i think it really so well with the scenes that i sometimes replay it just to listen to the first beat dropping at a great scene. i’ll definitely rewatch this as a fan of all 3 leads (2015 me would NOT believe it if someone told me THEE sota fukushi would be in a kdrama!!!!!), but i think i’ll still skip on the horror scenes.

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A Visual Treat with a Weak Payoff

This drama stands out for its high production value, beautiful visuals, and well-chosen music. Go Youn Jung, the female lead, was perfectly cast and delivered a strong performance. Her outfits and styling added a lot of visual appeal, making many scenes a pleasure to watch.
The earlier episodes, with their excellent camera work and warm depiction of the characters’ budding romance, were especially promising and heartwarming. The pacing and music worked together nicely, bringing out the best in these moments.
However, the story itself felt slow and lacked substance. As the series progressed, the lack of a solid plot became more obvious. The last few episodes were particularly anticlimactic, offering little emotional or narrative payoff. Despite its strong start and impressive aesthetics, the show ultimately felt empty and unsatisfying. In the end, it’s not a drama I’d recommend for its story or for a rewatch.

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EVERYONE SPEAKS THEIR OWN LANGUAGE .☘︎ ݁˖

“I keep seeing auroras.” (Joo Ho Jin, Episode 10)

This was everything and nothing like what I expected, and that is the charm of this drama. I found it to be one of the most beautiful and touching storylines and characters I have ever watched. This is not the light rom-com I expected, but something more layered and nuanced. Crazy how they fit it so well within the bubbly and realistic love story. The chemistry was crazy, the acting touching, and the cinematography was a breath of fresh air. No one does abroad shooting as a kdrama can do, in my opinion, and I loved how, from Canada to Italy, from Korea to Japan, we navigated such growth and change between these characters. I know this could not be everyone's cup of tea because some people prefer a straightforward rom-com, but I genuinely have no complaints. I locked in from the very first episode and could not think or stop, I was just so engrossed in these characters and their choices, their words and actions. The additional elements we discovered as the story progressed were so vital to the storyline, and I was so surprised when I realised that's where we were going with the story. This was more than your typical mental health and mental disorders being explored as part of a trope. Do Ra Mi added to the comedy aspect of this drama. Yes, Cha Mu Hee was funny, but Do Ra Mi was the star. Without her, this story would not have had the depth that I so crave in rom-coms, so that they don't fall flat.

I love all the characters, so many of my favourite supporting actors were there, and I am a firm believer that all the extended cast really makes or breaks a story and drama. The exes and their plot were not dragged, everyone was mature enough to deal with their situations in different ways, but that is human, no? Everyone has different coping mechanisms and different ways to go about things. I loved Yeong U and Ji Seon's storyline. Just when I was doubting writers to ruin things using Ji Seon's breakup, they pleasantly surprised me with a completely new loveline, and I loved it just as much as Ho Jin and Mu Hee's. Kim Seon Ho gives such nuanced performances, and his eyes could do all the work, he does not need words to convery feeling and emotions. As for Go Youn Jung, I have loved her for a long time, and I feel like this was one of her most complex and layered characters, and she nailed it. Hiro really came through in the show, as superficial as he looked at the beginning, I loved the gimpses to the real him and how getting to know Mu Hee helped him grow and get comfortable with rejection and facing new things.

Love really is difficult to translate. Everyone is so different, words and feelings have such different meanings for everyone that love seems almost impossible in comparison. This exchange between Ho Jin and Professor Kim is so beautiful and striking that I want to mention it:

“Do you know how many languages there are in the world, Mr. Interpreter?”
“I believe over 7,100.”
“Nope. Wrong answer. There are as many languages as there are people. Everyone speaks their own language. That’s why we fail to understand each other, hear things the wrong way, and end up hurting one another.”
(Episode 3)

Can This Love Be Translated made me laugh, feel excited and relate to the emotions and experiences of the characters. One of my most anticipated dramas, I am so happy and relieved that it exceededmy already stellar expectations. A 10/10. I hope everyone can enjoy it and love it as much as I did. It's a thought-provoking, quiet and mature drama.

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behold my #1 drama of 2025

this historical gem is based on Ma Boyong’s 2021 novel Lychees of Chang'an and, in an unusual twist, had both a film and drama adaptation released in the same year.

the basic premise is familiar: a ticking clock, with the protagonist having to deliver fresh litchis from Lingnan to Chang’an, a journey of over 1,000 miles, for the birthday of the emperor’s favourite concubine. the details of this story are largely unfamiliar but as each new character and landscape is introduced, they settle comfortably into the narrative framework so that by the end, it feels that we have known them for a long time.

the cast is led by Lei Jiayin as Li Shande, a socially awkward official who is conned by his colleagues into taking on a task that every department knows is impossible and an effective death sentence for whoever ends up with it. Lei Jiayin brings us a neurodivergent-coded, gently obsessive person with occasional flashes of frustration that were deeply human and believable.

I’d also call out veteran Feng Jiayi for his portrayal of a conniving, transactional rural official who does not balk at discarding even his closest associates when they are no longer of use; and Nashi, with vivid and colourful visuals which contrast with the restrained exterior and emotional core of Amita, the leader of the Lingnan trader branch. I cannot praise these actors and the rest of the cast enough for bringing their characters so solidly to life and allowing us to truly appreciate how this journey unfolds without distraction.

the costumes, cinematography and art direction were bold and colourful and although some critics have some negative commentary on this, personally I have nothing but compliments. the overall look of the series is beautiful, and the choices appear intentional and designed with care even if at first glance they may appear wild. I was enthralled and more than once found myself hitting rewind either to admire or screenshot a particular frame.

a particular moment of outré comedy in episode 7 was the catalyst to take this unfolding story from likeable to something I was unashamed to admit that I loved. there were a few other bizarre moments sprinkled throughout, with enough restraint so as not to become tiresome. the closing credits contained various songs in an eclectic rotation, including Liu Yuning’s thoroughly entertaining 逍遥仙 (Carefree Immortal).

the last few episodes suffered from some slipshod editing, which appears to be the result of last-minute changes after the drama had started airing. while this was noticeable, the drama had built up so much credit with me that I was hesitant to downgrade its rating. taking a leaf from Li Shande’s logical brain, I simply reallocate the bonus point accrued from the first three-quarters to that last section, and give it full marks.

in short, this is a drama about ordinary people and how they survive within systems designed for rulers and wealth. it's a deeply human story and a strong recommend for anyone interested in non-idol historical C-dramas or the many stories of Ma Boyong.

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