One Step Away from Greatness

The first four or so episodes of this series were so action-packed and engaging that I couldn't believe my eyes. Was I really watching a Thai BL? Would The Sign be a sign of big improvements to come? It had everything that the Thai BL audience is starved for: a setting away from the college campus, a unique story inspired by Buddhist mythology, fated soulmates, and a bottom who is a match for the top in strength and ability.

My excitement fizzled out soon, though. It is not that The Sign became bad after the promising first episodes -- it was still a good series with likable characters, funny humor, and green-flag romance. But it could not meet the high expectations that it set in the beginning. The complex storyline, which consisted of several different threads, lost its way and began to meander, spending time on characters whose connection to the main plot is not clear and leaving plot holes. I believe that stories in which a lot is going on are more interesting to watch, but it seems that in this series, there was too much going on for the scriptwriters to handle. Furthermore, the ending was underwhelming, as the resolution of the main couple's conflict with the villain, which the story had been building up towards since the beginning, was done off-screen, by talking it out with him. This is so out of character for that villain.

Billy and Babe have amazing chemistry, and the whole cast delivered great performances. The production team deserves praise for their attempt to make a series that is different and better than what we usually get. They have succeeded in many ways. The Sign is one step away from greatness -- a step that could have been overcome by a good scriptwriter.

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Strong Representation, Weak Plot

Watching this series felt to me like looking at abstract art. I wondered, "Am I not sophisticated enough to understand what a masterpiece this is, or is this not as much of a masterpiece as others say?" Now that I have seen eight episodes, I think that Last Twilight is not that good. Let me tell you why.

1. It is weak on plot.
Remember how JimmySea's previous project, Vice Versa, had an interesting pilot episode, but then forgot about the story and gave us ten episodes of plotless fluff with product placements and unnecessary drama? Last Twilight does almost the same. The first episode introduced some interesting conflicts only to show us two guys just hanging out from episode two to episode six. There is a lot of walking around, a lot of cooking, and a lot of fluff, but a whole lotta nothin' in terms of plot. Then, episode six had a plot, but after the more or less cliched love triangle was resolved, the story went back to fluff. Many viewers will probably disagree with me, but I was bored. From episode four on, I watched at 1.75x speed, and some scenes still felt slow.

2. The character development happened too fast.
Last Twilight seems to be one of these stories that flesh out their characters well, but then forget that their personalities determine their behavior and the development of the plot.
In episode one, Mhok is introduced as an impulsive, blunt, street-smart person, freshly out of jail. Day is a spoiled and stubborn rich kid who hides his pain behind a bratty attitude. Their first meeting was so entertaining to watch -- great banter and sparks of playful chemistry. Then, in episode two, impulsive Mhok quickly turned into a perfect caretaker with endless patience, and Day's brattiness disappeared almost completely. Their character development would be way more impactful if Mhok had slowly learned to be gentle and patient and to take care of another person, and it had taken Day longer to open up to him.

3. The chemistry is one-sided.
Jimmy carries every romantic scene on his back. Sea is stiff. I don't feel any passion from his side. I didn't believe that Day had feelings for his crush, and I don't believe that he has feelings for Mhok now. In Vice Versa, both Jimmy and Sea were stiff in the romantic scenes, so it looked like bromance. Now, only Sea is stiff, so it looks like Mhok has a one-sided love for Day.

Last Twilight deserves praise for representation. It is great to see a good depiction of disabled people. Day is not defined by his disability.
Jimmy and Sea have both improved their acting. Sea's portrayal of a blind person struggling to adapt to a life without eyesight is convincing and sympathetic, and Jimmy seems to enjoy playing a more rugged character a lot -- he becomes Mhok.
The story is free from endless product placements, jealous exes, girls throwing themselves on a guy who is clearly not into them, and stupid misunderstandings. However, none of this is ground-breaking anymore. Other BL series have also moved past the negative portrayal of women and the other toxic tropes that were part of older BLs. The challenge now is to have a plot that can hold the viewers' attention until the end.

Last Twilight shows that the actors and producers have learned something from the criticism that JimmySea's last project got. I am happy that it is received well by viewers. As someone who was expecting more plot than I saw in Vice Versa, though, I lost interest quickly.

Edit: I watched the rest of the series. It had plot development and some good emotional moments, but the last two episodes were as bad as other viewers have written.

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The plot sank like the Titanic, but the Chen Yi x Ai Di ship sailed like the Flying Dutchman

The title of this review pretty much sums up my thoughts about this series. I binged it around the time when the last episode came out, and all I can tell you is that I cannot tell you what this story is about. The only thing I remember is that the plot makes about as much sense as a fever dream. It does not matter, though -- I skipped half of it to get to Chen Yi and Ai Di's scenes faster. The main couple, while played by attractive and competent actors, failed to engage me in their story and was forgettable to the point that I now have difficulty remembering the two characters' names.

I am sure that I am not the first person to write this in their review, but I would have dropped this series if not for Chen Yi and Ai Di, who carried it on their backs from start to finish. If you read 100 reviews fangirling over this ship, I will be the 101st. It is one of those rare cases when all elements needed for a great BL couple -- story, acting, chemistry, looks -- come together to make a ship that tugs at all the right heartstrings. Louis Chiang delivers a brilliant performance, turning the already likeable Ai Di into the best character in the show. Nat Chen charms and disarms as the quiet, manly, and possessive Chen Yi. The chemistry is off the charts. Furthermore, their story is the only meaningful and engaging part of the plot -- if they were the main couple, Kiseki would be a good show.

Is this series worth watching? Chen Yi and Ai Di's scenes are. I watched and re-watched them many times. They kept me up at night. I am not so sure about the rest of the show, though. You can give it a try, but you will probably stop caring about what is going on as soon as you get to Chen Yi and Ai Di.

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Deserves a Chance

I do not get why Hidden Agenda is being dragged so much on this site. Yes, Dunk's acting is subpar, but the rest of the cast are all great, and the story, while not unique by any means, balances non-cringy humor, drama, romantic tension, and surprising revelations really well. JoongDunk's chemistry is insanely good. Watching the two of them bicker as sparks fly between them is high-quality entertainment. The characters are likeable and easy to sympathize with, especially Zo. Yes, he is a chaotic fool, but he is trying! He just needs a little help to overcome his awkwardness and self-consciousness, and he will hopefully get this help [and more] from Joke, who, in case you are worried, is not an a**hole. Going by what I have seen of him as of now, I can even say that he is surprisingly mature, kind, and good at communication for a "cold, handsome, popular" BL lead.

Overall, I enjoyed the pilot episode of this series a lot. It is up to you, but if you are interested in watching it, do not let the criticism influence your decision much. Hidden Agenda is not nearly as bad as the other viewers are making it seem. I think that it even has potential to become really good.

Edit: The second episode is a little underwhelming. Except for the debate club scene, its plot is a whole lotta nothin' with clichés on top, especially in the first two parts. This series has the potential to improve, though. JoongDunk are really cute together and have great chemistry, Joke is charming, and some interesting things about the different characters' connections to each other are suggested.

Edit 2: Oh, the sweet, sweet tension between them... *heart eyes* I loved episode three. There is something about JokeZo's dynamic that makes them stand out from other BL couples that I have watched. The way in which their relationship progresses keeps surprising me, and Joke is coming increasingly closer to being my favorite love interest ever in a BL series. If you want something feel-good, funny, and romantic, watch this series.

Edit 3: The more I watch this series, the more I like it. JokeZo's interactions are so natural, so human. Although the plot is light-hearted, the progression of their relationship adds depth to it. JoongDunk's chemistry -- what can I even say? They are on fire in episode four.

Edit 4: Okay, I was defending this series, but now that I have watched episode five and six, I see where the other viewers are coming from. Every character in Hidden Agenda is supposed to have a hidden agenda, but the story does not do a good job at indicating this at all. It should have been building up toward the big reveal, not hiding everything behind a bland plot.
I also agree with everybody who says that something is off about this series. I am feeling the sinister vibes, and I am pretty sure that this is not what the production team was aiming for.

Edit 5: In episodes seven and eight, the plot went through an identity crisis, but JoongDunk's romantic scenes made them worth the watch. I lost count of how many times I have rewatched the bed scene -- it stands out from all other bed scenes that I have seen. Both Joong and Dunk were incredibly convincing, and the scene itself had a gentleness to it that I usually do not see in other BL series.

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This is how you promote your series

After I watched the pilot trailer of Hidden Agenda months ago, I became pretty hyped for this series. My excitement -- and that of many other viewers it seems -- waned after the release of the official trailer, which is in all aspects inferior to the pilot one, and I began to worry that JoongDunk will again get the short end of the stick with this project.

However, now that I have seen the special episode, I am happy to say that it eased my worries. Listening to the cast and the director talk about the series with so much love and excitement was a joy. The atmosphere on set feels amazing -- from the actors to the staff, everyone seems really happy to be there. Joong and Dunk's chemistry is even more charming, romantic, and natural, and Aou and Boom are a great pairing too. It was interesting to hear what the actors have to say about their characters and each other. There is also a funny behind the scenes story with Boom and his unplanned method acting.

Overall, whether you remain excited about Hidden Agenda or have lost enthusiasm after the underwhelming official trailer, you will most likely enjoy this special episode. There are snippets of the OSTs too.

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Perfect Chemistry

Our Skyy 2: Star in My Mind is an interesting case of the special episodes being way better than the series itself. The plot, while simple, managed to correct some of the series' mistakes. For instance, the supporting characters now have their own stories and relationships -- Typhoon got his happy ending, and the other friends had things to care about aside from Dao and Kluen's relationship.

Another highlight of the episodes was the important message about jealousy. In many BL series, jealousy is presented as hot, but it is not -- being jealous of your partner means that you are insecure in your relationship with them. It was so great to see Dao underscore this.

Most importantly, Joong and Dunk have more chemistry than a Chemistry textbook. If in Star in My Mind they had good chemistry, here it is through the roof. They are one of the few on-screen pairings -- not only in BL, but in movies and series in general -- whose characters I can genuinely believe love each other, are in a relationship, and have slept together.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by these two episodes. Even those of you who did not enjoy the series much might like them.

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JoongDunk Deserve Better

I am late to the Star and Sky party, but I am just on time for Hidden Agenda, so I might as well throw in my two cents about Star in My Mind, which I finished watching today.


1. Plot, or rather a checklist of clichés.

This series shows that even a sweet, uncomplicated story about a college student reuniting with his high school crush and realizing that his feelings haven't been one-sided can turn out badly in the wrong production team's hands.

The first problem is that everything in the world of this series revolves around our main character, Daonuea. His brother, friends, acquaintances, and the people who are romantically interested in him -- everyone's only purpose is to drive his story forward, to give him advice or to profess their love for him. Outside of Dao's orbit, these guys and girls apparently have no background and no life.
He has a cute friend called Ting Ting, for instance, who is part of a number of scenes, including his first appearance on screen, and seems to be close to him. Who is she? When did she and Dao become friends? After the last episode, we still have no idea, which I find weird because a big part of Dao's conflict with his love interest, Kluen, happened because of Kluen's close friendship with a girl. If Dao demands from Kluen to clarify his relationship with his friend, why did Kluen, who often gets jealous, not ask the same about Ting Ting, a girl that is apparently close enough to Dao to barge into his dorm in the morning, while he is still in bed?
Ting Ting is a minor character. What about Typhoon, Kluen's main rival for Dao's heart, though? He has a lot of screen time, but we know nothing about him except that he studies Medicine, his parents own a mountain resort, and he is obsessed with Dao. When he is not needed for the development of the story, he is forgotten about -- just like every other character except Dao and Kluen.

The second problem is that to spice up the simple plot, the scriptwriters of this series turned to the checklist of clichés and chose some of the worst ones.
A crowd of people falling deeply in love with you at first sight? Check.
Dating someone you don't like for a trial period of one day? Check.
Arriving at the precise second needed to overhear something that can be misinterpreted? Check.
Eavesdropping on a conversation only to walk away mid-sentence for no reason, completely misunderstanding what was said? Check.
Introducing a heavy topic like domestic violence just to use it as a cheap plot device? Check.
Romanticizing kissing someone while they are asleep and unaware of your actions? Check.
I think that there are more, but you get my point.

The third problem is the situation with Gia, Kluen's ex-girlfriend and close friend. It seems that the production team of this series intended it to be a great revelation that Kluen and Gia are not together anymore, but it was obvious from the moment she appeared on screen. In itself, this does not bother me much. What surprised me is that not only Dao, but no one else who went to high school with Kluen and Gia knows. Come on, these characters live in the age of social media. How do they not know that these two broke up ages ago? Things like that spread like wildfire without social media too -- at least one of Kluen and Dao's friends should have caught on.

2. Characters, or more precisely, two [not always likeable] main characters and a group of one-dimensional sidekicks.

Let's begin with Dao again. He is most definitely a character. The thing is that he is not a particularly well-written character. Although the scriptwriters have attempted to present him as a person who charms everyone with his kindness and attentiveness, his actions do not match this depiction. For instance, he knows how painful and humiliating rejection is, but he insensitively rejects a girl in front of his friends, embarrassing her. I do not mind a main character who makes mistakes, but he should be written as flawed on purpose and undergo character development. The scriptwriters of these series, though, obviously did not realize that Dao's behavior is wrong -- the other characters take his side.
Dao can also be really selfish, and he lets others force their decisions on him. A main character who has no backbone and allows himself to be carried by the current is not interesting to watch. It also does not help that Dunk, who plays him, has a lot of work to do on his acting.

More effort should have been put into writing Kluen. He had the potential to be a great love interest and a sympathetic character, but he did not get there. He was supposed to convey the struggles of people who are bad at expressing their feelings. However, the scriptwriters did not care to add any inner monologue, and this made him difficult to sympathize with as instead of struggling with communication, he seems indifferent to Dao's feelings. Kluen should have been written like Tinn form My School President -- a character who looks cold, but is actually overwhelmed by love and gay panic.
There is also a scene in which Kluen forces himself on Dao, which I think is completely out of character for him. The only thing that saves Kluen from being completely unlikeable is that Joong is a good actor, especially when it comes to facial expressions, and he conveys a lot with his eyes.

The rest of the characters are not fleshed out at all, and this makes it difficult to connect with them.


It is not all bad, though. Joong and Dunk's chemistry is amazing, especially in the last two episodes, when Joong stops behaving like Kluen and begins to behave like himself. The two of them look like they genuinely enjoy being around each other, and their kisses do not look awkward. There are also moments that made me laugh, which is great because I usually do not like the humor in BL series.

Overall, though, I hope that JoongDunk's new series will show what they are capable of as a pairing because this one did not. Their entertaining chemistry was almost wasted here, and at the same time, it was the only thing that kept me watching.

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Never Let the Ridiculousness Go

The scriptwriters of Never Let Me Go are not good, but at least they are self-aware. Recognizing how ridiculous the series' plot is, they decided to embrace this ridiculousness. The result is a surprisingly funny combination of historical fantasy and the fated soulmates trope. It is as full of plot holes and convenient coincidences as Never Let Me Go, but it manages to be entertaining because neither Pond nor Phuwin, nor the other actors take themselves and each other seriously. If you enjoyed watching the series despite its many drawbacks, you will like these two episodes too. Just keep it in mind that Ben and Chopper do not make an appearance.

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If your favorite character is Ayan, do not watch this

The scriptwriters of The Eclipse are consistent in their efforts to bend characters until they fit into clichéd tropes. They did it in the last four or five episodes of the series, and they are doing it here again.

In just two episodes, they managed to completely destroy Ayan's character, presenting him as extremely self-centered. What? Ayan, who spent all of The Eclipse trying to protect people from the curse, who understood Akk and did everything he could to help him, who supported Thua like a great friend, is self-centered? Give me a break.

Furthermore, Akk is now a person who cares too much about others. Really, scriptwriters? Akk, who almost killed his schoolmates to prove that he is a good student prefect and get a scholarship, cares too much about others? I think you are a little confused. Did you forget which one of your characters is Ayan and which one is Akk?

The destruction of the main characters aside, these two episodes were not bad. The great acting and FirstKhao's amazing chemistry made them an enjoyable watch. Khan, Thua, their friends, and Teacher Sani are all here to make fans of The Eclipse happy.

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A Surprisingly Enjoyable Mess

Objectively speaking, this series does not deserve the high rating that I am giving it at all. Most of the criticism that other reviewers have leveled at it is completely valid. The plot is a disaster, and the acting ranges from mediocre to bad. If you are looking for a well-written story, Never Let Me Go should not be on your list.

That being said, I enjoyed this series a lot. I am surprised myself -- I usually have no patience for poor acting, plot holes, and characters making obviously stupid decisions. What is it that made this mess so fun to watch for me? Let's see.

1. Good kissing scenes.
If you are tired of the classic "lips barely touching and not moving" kisses that plague BL series, Never Let Me Go will delight you. Palm and Nueng's kisses are intense and leave no doubt that the two of them actually want each other. Hot, hungry, passionate -- this is how I would depict PondPhuwin's romantic scenes. Unlike other reviewers, I believe that they have great chemistry together and that their acting was most believable during the romantic moments.

2. Striking visuals.
GMMTV knew what it was doing when it paired Pond and Phuwin. These two are maybe the most visually pleasing BL couple not only in their company, but in general. Their looks compliment each other so well. Pond gives off a bad-boy vibe, while Phuwin is classy and expensive, like a prince. Turning off your brain and watching beautiful people flirt with each other can be entertaining too. If you, like me, happen to be in the mood for that, Never Let Me Go is a good choice.

3. Rich bottom, poor top.
Now, this is a self-indulgent reason to like this series, but I am really into this trope. A prince and a servant, a billionaire heir and a bodyguard -- these are my kind of romances, and PalmNueng delivered what I was hoping for. Other reviewers point out that Pond looked like a kicked puppy the whole time, but I think that he did a good job conveying the inner conflict of someone in love with a person way out of their league. If you like the "spoiled, rich, and pretty bottom and smitten top" trope, you will have a great time watching Nueng and Palm.

This is all that I can praise Never Let Me Go for. Its drawbacks are many and glaring, and for me, they almost outweighed the good things about it. Had I not been as into the "rich, pretty boy and his bodyguard" trope as I am, I would have probably not finished this series. You should either turn your brain off and watch for the visuals and the hot romantic scenes, or do not watch at all.

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Good Idea, Bad Delivery

Since this series was neither touching nor memorable for me, all I have to say is that it suffers greatly from the stiff, draggy, sometimes unnecessary, dialogues between the characters, mostly between the main ones. Dear scriptwriters, when we people speak, we do not make long pauses in every sentence. No one would have patience to listen to others if we did.

I do not know where the chemistry between Kawin and Pluem, which viewers on YouTube are talking about, is. All I saw is a lot of awkwardness. Sad, angry, or happy, they express each emotion so half-heartedly that I did not care about their feelings. I skipped through scenes, hoping that the main plot twist of the story would be that Kawin and Pluem are ghosts too. Then, their lifelessness would have been understandable at least.

I would have dropped Ghost Host, Ghost House if not for the ghost family, who were likeable, funny, and interesting, and Kawin's look. Tod's stylist for this series deserves a raise. Not only is the actor himself an eye candy, but also his outfits are beautiful. Kudos to the styling team.

In general, this story could have been way better than it is. It had the premise that it needed to be entertaining. However, the production team chose to turn it into another boring, forgettable series with high-quality cinematography.

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Thrilling, Touching, Thought-provoking

Fans of Crows Zero and High&Low The Worst, assemble! South Korea is entering our favorite genre, "high school delinquents fighting and bromancing," to challenge Japan's supremacy in it, and let me tell you: the Koreans are starting with an absolute banger. Weak Hero Class 1 is action-packed, entertaining, thought-provoking, and will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions. It gives the bromance, friendship, and fights that are the genre's hallmark and at the same time presents a unique twist on the familiar story of high school rivalry.

What distinguishes this series from its Japanese counterparts is that its setting is more realistic. We leave behind the Japanese high schools from hell and enter an average school, in which teachers, ordinary students, and, sadly, bullying exist. Notably, the guys throw punches not like anime fighters, but like real high school students, and this is why the main character, Yeon Shi Eun, is so memorable and likeable.
Unlike his equivalents from Japan, he is physically weak, but he compensates for his weakness with his strength of spirit, bravery, and intelligence. He is a person whom I grew to admire over the course of the series because he reminds the viewers that courage does not mean lack of fear – courage means doing the right thing despite your fear – and this is precisely what Shi Eun does from the first episode to the last. Even when he and those dear to him suffer from the cruelty and injustice of others, he does not lose the kindness of his heart. In general, if I had to point out just one thing that the production team of this series did right, I would say that they gave us a main character who knows right from wrong and acts on his principles.

It is worth mentioning that the plot is heavier than those of the Japanese movies. While the delinquents of Japan fight to establish dominance, uphold the honor of their school, punish criminals, have fun etc., the focus of this series is definitely the exceptionally severe bullying. There are bad gangsters to be defeated too, of course, but they are present only in the first half of the story – keep this in mind.

Surprisingly for Korea, another hallmark of the genre, "bromance with no heterosexual explanation," is as recognizable here as it is in Crows Zero and High&Low The Worst. From finger hearts to calling your bro "cutie" and putting on your helmet on his head, to jealousy, to staring that makes the viewers exclaim "I want someone to look at me the way Shi Eun looks at Ahn Soo Ho," to sacrificing yourself to protect or take revenge for your bro, the familiar signs are all here. Who is open-minded enough to see it will see it.

This review will be incomplete if I do not praise the actors. They were all brilliant. It was Park Ji Hoon who stole the show with his great performance, though. I have been following his career since his days as a member of Wanna One, and I like him as an idol, but I had not thought highly of his acting until I saw him as Shi Eun. I believe that here he finally showed what he is actually capable of.

Overall, if you are looking for something that both is action-packed and has an interesting, well-developed plot without melodramatic romance, annoying characters, and unfunny humor, which seem to spoil many Korean series, this series is definitely worth the watch. I have not been so invested in a story in a while. Kudos to the production team.

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Good Prosecutor

I have mixed feelings about this series. On one hand, it is the most fun that I have had with a Korean series. On the other hand, I had to skip many scenes in every episode. This story manages to be both entertaining and boring, so I cannot decide if I should praise it or criticize it. Let me tell you what I liked and what I disliked – you will decide for yourselves whether to watch it.

1. What I did not like:

The plot is consistently predictable.
South Korea produces a large number of procedural series. It is natural that at some point making up a unique story in the genre becomes challenging, and I did not expect much from the scriptwriters. However, this script did not live up even to my low expectations. I could see almost every plot twist and story development coming from miles away. I knew who the bad guys are immediately because they either look and behave obviously suspiciously or proclaim their evil plans out loud like Disney villains. I quickly started skipping their scenes.

The story underestimates the viewers' intelligence and memory.
The outcome of the investigation that it focuses on can be predicted by anyone who has watched a procedural series – or a romantic comedy, or any other genre in which Korean scriptwriters have included characters who solve crime, catch elusive criminals, and punish corrupt influential people. Every time new information was revealed, though, the script of Bad Prosecutor spoonfed it to me. Furthermore, the same flashbacks were shown three or four times – a waste of screen time.

2. What I liked:

Jin Jung is such an interesting main character. He is a brave, smart, principled person with a kind heart and a great deadpan sense of humor, who quickly endeared himself to me. The comedy in Korean series usually does not appeal to me, so I was surprised to realize that with the bad prosecutor the fun does not fizzle out. As the story progresses, he becomes increasingly more entertaining. If you, like me, prefer subtle humor, you will enjoy watching him a lot.
Doh Kyung Soo did a great job playing his unconventional character. The only time that his performance was a little unconvincing was when he had to portray shock and grief.

For me, Shin Ah Ra is one of the most likeable Korean female leads that I have seen. She is neither a damsel in distress nor rude, violent, and unreasonably stubborn. A kind person and a supportive, understanding partner, she makes up for her lack of physical strength with intelligence and observational skills. Aside from several scenes in the initial episodes, she is also free from the hysterics and screeching that characterize the behavior of many women in Korean series.

Jin Jung's friends are another highlight. Quirky and hilarious, they introduce an element of unpredictability as they stumble through the missions that Jin Jung assigns to them. For a second female lead, Baek Eun Ji is a surprisingly nice, cool person. I like that the scriptwriters did not go for the clichéd trope of making her toxic, manipulative, and evil. Go Joong Do and Park Jae Kyung are also memorable, each in his own way. They do not fall into the category of supporting characters whose scenes I skip.

The romance is cute, subtle, and unproblematic – just how I like it. Although there is no physical intimacy, it is obvious that Jin Jung and Shin Ah Ra are fond of each other. They made me root for their relationship – both as friends and co-workers and as a potential couple.

Overall, this series is worth the watch if you are looking for a light-hearted, funny story with likeable characters and heart-warming interactions between them, but not if you want an intriguing crime investigation. Although he likes to punish bad guys and defend good people, Jin Jung is not a morally gray, relentless vigilante, so do not expect anything intense. This story is more like a well-written, way funnier version of Café Minamdang.

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Entertaining Action Spoiled by Inconsistent Writing

I was not impressed by Squid Game. With all due respect to the fans of Alice in Borderland, though, I have to say that for me this series is even worse than the South Korean one.

The first four episodes were great, almost on the same level as Squid Game in terms of gore and intensity, and the characters were just as interesting. I found the main character, Arisu, to be more likeable than his Korean counterpart. He is a good, principled, and smart person, so I cared about him and wanted to know if he would survive. Furthermore, the games seemed to me to be more clever than the ones in Squid Game.

Then, in episode five, the story started going downhill at a rapid pace. I felt like I was suddenly watching a different series. What should have been a survival story began to resemble a badly written mafia movie. Instead of games, I was fed tragic backstories and unnecessarily dramatic dialogues, mostly from characters whom I was given no reason to sympathize with. If the scriptwriters thought that I would feel sorry for a crazy mass murderer who tried to rape a woman because he was bullied at school, they thought wrong. They should have at least put some effort into making those tragic backstories less clichéd. At some point, I started skipping most scenes.

Aside from Arisu, the other character who kept me watching through these absurd episodes was Chishiya. Morally gray, charismatic, and smart, he was intriguing. The fact that the scriptwriters did not assign him a tragic backstory made him even more appealing. Murakami Nijiro, who plays him, is a great actor. He nails the Cheshire Cat smirk.

The last episode made a relatively successful attempt to improve the story and reach the quality of the initial episodes, but the plot twist in the end was neither emotionally devastating nor particularly surprising.
What made the final plot twist in Squid Game so memorable for me was that the character who turned out to be evil had convinced me that he was harmless and good, and I had come to care about him. I felt betrayed, and I had missed the clues, which had been in front of me the whole time, partially because I did not want to believe that this character was capable of such evil.
Things were not so with this series. The character who was revealed to be the mastermind behind the games had almost no screen time, so I did not care about them any more than about the extras. There were not any hidden clues that would have pointed to them. At the same time, though, every time this character was shown they looked confident and slightly unhinged. It was not difficult to figure out that they were plotting something.

Overall, I think that fans of Squid Game might not enjoy its Japanese predecessor that much. The production team of Squid Game learned from the mistakes of this series and delivered a story that, while flawed, is more consistent and thrilling than this one.

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So Much Potential, All of It Wasted

Project Wolf Hunting had the cast that it needed to become a hit, but the scriptwriters squandered its potential.

A group of despicable Korean criminals – rapists, mass murderers etc. – are being expatriated to South Korea from the Philippines by cargo ship. When one of these notorious convicts, Park Jong Du, sets his plan to escape into motion, all hell breaks loose on board.

This premise, while not unique to the genre, is solid. Had it been well executed, this movie would have been enjoyable, especially if action is your cup of tea. The scriptwriters made a mess of the story, though. The script is all over the place. It can be used as a guide to how not to write action:

1. Do not complicate the story too much.

In action movies, the bulk of the screen time is devoted to action scenes. This means that if your movie is two hours long, you have an hour or less for plot, so your approach has to be realistic and economical. You should not attempt to cram the story with a zombie-like monster, sci-fi tropes, and dystopian world-building. This is enough material to base a whole series on. You should not try to fit it into a movie about notorious convicts escaping captivity because the result will be absurd, disjointed, confusing, and boring.

2. Do not kill the most interesting character in the first half of the movie.

Nothing adds as much flavor and thrill to an action movie as a charismatic main character. What would Pirates of the Caribbean be without Jack Sparrow? It would be what this movie becomes without Park Jong Du. Evil, creepy, and completely crazy, he catches your attention immediately and does not let go of it. You are torn between hating him and being entertained by his murderous flamboyance. Most importantly, you become invested in his fate. Whether he will manage to escape is the question that keeps you watching. When he clashes with another convict, Lee Do Il, sparks fly, and you are promised a great dynamic: chaotic vs. lawful evil. Then, Park Jong Du is suddenly killed.
Scriptwriters, why did you make such a poor choice? If you wanted him dead, you should have killed him in the end. Instead, you made us viewers lose interest by answering the question way too early. Furthermore, you tricked us into thinking that a character is important only to kill him off like an extra, not even halfway through the movie. The only difference between his death and those of the extras is that sad music plays when he dies. Underwhelming.

3. Do not introduce two-dimensional characters only to utilize them as one-dimensional extras.

It is nothing new, of course, that in action movies many people are shown just to be killed. However, there is no reason to waste screen time on lines and scenes for these characters if they will not contribute anything to the plot. You do not make the viewers sympathize with them. You make them wonder why these characters were introduced if they die quickly.

Overall, this movie is not worth watching unless you are into plotless, extremely graphic gore – Squid Game level gore, if not worse. It does not deserve the rating that I am giving it. I would have rated it lower, but the actors all delivered brilliant performances. Seo In Guk is phenomenal as Park Jong Du. The unhinged look in his eyes alone deserves praise. Such great acting should not have been wasted on this mess.

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