Completed
Sunshine by My Side
14 people found this review helpful
Sep 7, 2023
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 10

Xiao Zhan always acting naturally

Young designer Sheng Yang (Xiao Zhan) meets his longtime idol award-winning director Jian Bing (Bai Baihe). Despite a 10 year age difference he has a strong affection for her and she’s drawn to him as well. He tries to be a little ray of sunshine to brighten her life.
Filmed in the city of Chongking this workplace drama has a movie feel to it. The way it’s shot, the attention to detail, and the great city scapes make for a very artistic urban atmosphere.
In addition to the slice of life story surrounding Sheng Yang and Jian Bing, the drama depicts struggles faced in different generations and stations in life, broaching hot-button issues such as sexism, ageism and bullying.
The acting is natural and on point - cast and crew included seasoned professionals along with fresh faces.
Xiao Zhan is an impressive actor with great range. He has three dramas of different genres in 2023 with three very different characters. The loyal persistent social cow Xiao Chun Sheng, the cool reserved high priest Shi Ying, and now the joyful and warm puppy Sheng Yang. Sheng Yang is so real that after just a few episodes I feel like I know him.
Sunshine By My Side is an interesting and entertaining watch so far. I’m looking forward to seeing how the story unfolds! this is very nice drama

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Completed
Semantic Error
1 people found this review helpful
Sep 7, 2023
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.5

Honestly should be a longer series but pretty perfect like this too

Yes! Exactly what I was looking for, a very fresh, lovely, short burst of cuteness.

From hate to love setting, starting with a bit of a weak reason for it, but it's lighthearted enough that you don't need more.
The writing and acting is excellent, no cringe, awkwardness, cheesy slow motion, or crap like that.
Very innocent, very honest, and feels very natural, just what I like.
The side characters are quite fun but they have just enough screen time they could afford with the short series.
Camerawork, music, sounds are all completely fine and quite a pleasant thing to experience that a show can nail everything and it doesn't stop you from enjoying a every moment.

Very decent series!
Not much depth, very little story, but the setting and the characters make the show very alive and lovely!!

/Also I think probably very good first BL if anyone is sailing out for the first time! Very modest and innocent~

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Completed
Witch's Romance
2 people found this review helpful
by Lizki
Sep 7, 2023
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 8.5
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 8.0

Idol Movie ^^ you have been warned

Though I did not know the male lead, the camera is on his face, like, all the time and I am not complaining.

Lovely face acting by Park Seo Joon, which reminds me of Hyun Bin's talent (see Crash landing on you).

No subtle acting for the other main characters, on purpose obviously, we even get some farcical acting!

It is a sweet drama.
There is trauma but it won't be heavy on your soul (no triple deep trauma at the end, like one cute-looking drama I still resent! grrr).

An unbelievable situation or two, but no loopholes (I believe).

The music fits perfectly and I am listening to it with pleasure. Nam Hye-Seung also composed for "Crash landing on you" and "It's ok to not be okay" ?! my 2nd drama and the first soundtrack I looked for : so dark and atmospheric, so very different from this one! Kuddos to the star of drama soundtracks for her versatility.

A simple story and the characters are simple as well, so there's not much motivation to rewatch on my part. Now I want to watch Park Seo Joon's other dramas! hehe

Enjoy :)

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Completed
Shikaotoko Aoniyoshi
0 people found this review helpful
Sep 7, 2023
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

Venture into the world of Shinto in Nara!

Tamaki Hiroshi plays a low self-esteem person who have bad luck in his life, not getting what he wants, both in love and work. After going through one problem after the other, he finds himself becoming a relief teacher at Nara where he ends up becoming a Kendo coach for the students alongside a fiesty teacher played by Haruka Ayase.

Things began to take a turn when he was strolling at Nara Park and a deer started talking to him. From then on, he got pulled into the world of Shinto (the ancient and native religion of Japan before Buddhism), as he discovers something sinister is about to be unleashed which causes frequent earthquakes and possibly the eruption of Mount Fuji.

It's a lighthearted show about two misfits getting entangled in the greater scheme of things, going on a "treasure hunt" across Kansai (Nara, Osaka and Kyoto) to save Japan from calamity while there are others who would stand in their way. If you like history and legends, and want something different than the typical dramas, this one is for you.

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Completed
Destiny Seeker
0 people found this review helpful
Sep 7, 2023
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 5.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

It gets better if you can survive past Episode one

The lead actors are doing their best with an uneven script that has a lot in the way of anything resembling a romance. That is until something clicks for no good reason or no explanation then

...it kicks into high gear and we see chemistry that should have been in earlier. A lot earlier. I blame the script, editing, and director for wanting to be so many things other than a love story.

Without giving any spoilers, there are several couples and only one makes sense as simple we belong together and it isn't the main couple.

But I give it a 9.5 for the last few episodes, if you can last that long you will see why.

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Completed
Career
0 people found this review helpful
Sep 7, 2023
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

Good mix of seriousness and comedy.

I'm a fan of Tamaki Hiroshi, so I started watching because of him but stayed till the end because of the story.

I like that the cases shown are more realistic in a sense that it involves things that happen in real life like scammers, stalkers, bullies, domestic violence, vandalising, and it shows how the police struggles with numerous cases with the lack of manpower, figuring out which case to prioritise while facing unreasonable demands from upper management.

Tamaki Hiroshi's character is like a Japanese Captain America, someone righteous and have a high sense of justice who is willing to go out of his way to help others even if it means getting on the nerves of the seniors and management, and even sacrificing himself. He wants to change the police force from within as he sees hierarchy and bureaucracy gets in the way of solving crimes.

Overall, it is an enjoyable crime drama for me. Not too serious and not too comedic. Perfectly balanced.

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Completed
A Clear Midsummer Night
0 people found this review helpful
Sep 7, 2023
46 of 46 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 9.0
Story 10
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 10

My favorite C-Drama to date

For this show, the most important thing to me is the story. It has everything from high-stakes business, to romance, to complex family situations. The business storylines are particularly notable - I haven't seen any other show do such a good job of showing office politics and strategizing between two rival companies.

The drama can also be touching at times, and genuinely brought tears to my eyes on multiple occasions, especially around two thirds of the way through.

Character development is really strong - in general, characters have two sides to them and nobody is "completely good" (with possible exception of Yang Mi's character) or "completely bad". There are multiple character arcs, and some characters who are villains at the start turn out to be very good by the end and vice-versa. These arcs are believable in the sense that you can see the motivations and causes of why people change over time.

The music is something that annoyed me in general, as the score can sometimes be too cheesy and ruin the mood of some scenes. (Although it's better than some other dramas I watched which had almost no music at all. There has to be a balance.) But the music is redeemed by the excellent OST. There are 5 songs - 4 of them are recorded by each of the 4 lead actors, and the last one is by the main male and female lead as a duet. They are great songs, each with its own mood which fits that character quite well (for example, the song recorded by the actor who plays Ling Tian is all about whisking a girl off her feet and taking her to fly away - kind of a show of male dominance, while the song recorded by the actress who plays Lai Xue is all about trying to determine if a romance was really true or just superficial.)

The ending of the show was good, but could have been a lot better in my opinion. It wasn't as emotionally moving as some of the earlier episodes.

One of my biggest problems with the show was that certain events happened off screen, which would be really nice to have seen. I won't mention what they were here to avoid spoilers, but I'll put a separate comment about that with spoiler tags.

Overall, I really loved the show, although it still has some minor flaws. I don't often watch shows twice, but for this one I probably would, as so much happens and I'll enjoy reliving the ups and downs.

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Completed
Love You Seven Times
0 people found this review helpful
Sep 7, 2023
38 of 38 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.5
This review may contain spoilers
In this drama you can certainly tell that they spent a lot of money and time into it. The props and costuming looks really elegant and nice and the cg effects are beautiful. The color might be a bit too flashy and pastel for me though. Another point is the drama does very well with the plot. It was really easy to identify and uderstand. I like how the point of the story is they have 7 lifetimes but they accidentally discover the conspiracies of what actually happened.

I have an issue with the casting. Ding Yuxi is the only person who actually has experience and is fit for role. He has the ability to pull off minor expressions and he’s fit into the style. Yang Chaoyue, I can’t really say the same. Her acting in this drama was way better the “The Journey of Chong Zi”. But even if it was better, her acting skills are still very poor. Her crying scene’s look really fake and forced. Especially during her begging science in her 2nd life to release Lu Changkong, I couldn’t feel the sadness and her expressions were really bad.

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Completed
Jun & Jun
3 people found this review helpful
Sep 7, 2023
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 6.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 4.5
This review may contain spoilers

Cute but Lacking Plot

If you decide to watch this series, it's best to leave any expectations at the door. Otherwise, you're likely to be disappointed due to the lack of a substantial plot in this series. The description is quite misleading.

Lee Jun is a former idol who receives an internship offer from his ex-manager, now turned good friend. Little does he know, the new director of the company is none other than his childhood friend, Choi Jun, who happens to be romantically interested in Lee Jun. Meanwhile, Lee Jun's close friend, HyunJae, secretly harbors unrequited feelings for him. Further complicating the romantic dynamics is Lee Jun's former senior, Simeon. However, Lee Jun seems to be completely oblivious to the love square that surrounds him.

Despite the messy and incoherent plot, along with an abundance of unnecessary office scenes, the series manages to have its cute moments. Lee Jun's character, an average-looking idol, is relatable to many viewers who can put themselves into his shoes, which is part of the series' charm. After all, who wouldn't want three attractive individuals vying for their attention, even if they don't all fall into the same "hotness" category? It's a well-known rom-com trope to pair an ordinary protagonist with above-average hot pursuers , and it seems to work here. I mean you won’t find me rejecting Choi Jun and HyunJae anytime soon. You can keep Simeon. Just take a look at the comment section to see how thirsty people are for Choi Jun.

This series undeniably had potential, but unfortunately, it falls victim to subpar writing, directing, and editing, making it quite a mess. Nonetheless, the show manages to offer some eye candy, as Korean BLs are often praised for their visual aesthetics, setting them apart from BL series in other countries.

If you're seeking a well-crafted plot, this series might not be the right choice. However, if you’re just looking for some silliness to binge that requires no thinking but delivers in the visual department, then this series might just be what you're looking for.

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Completed
Nineteen to Twenty
0 people found this review helpful
Sep 7, 2023
13 of 13 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 6.5

a must watch

this was my first dating show, I was not really eager to watch it but I didn't regret I did, as someone in my 20s too, I felt seen.... it was really beautiful ❤️
to those that were on the show, thanks for being vulnerable and to my favorite couple, I am rooting for you ☺️☺️
i really enjoyed watching this show, I am really not so good at reviews, I just write down my thoughts. ☺️☺️


















































































































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Completed
Not Others
2 people found this review helpful
Sep 7, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

Big yes and then … eh?

This is a hard one to rate for me, because I absolutely love 90% of it, but the last episode was such a bizarre turn for me that I ended a drama that had me dying with laughter for eleven episodes feeling so weirdly unsatisfied and just let down. I do recommend it, because it’s a blast, but the ending was just weird and gave me none of the closure I was expecting and just generally need from a story. It feels like my kite string just got snipped, and I’m floating around in confusion.

So now I’m going to go rewatch If You Wish Upon Me and Into The Ring so I can see the actors in that couple find more satisfying conclusions 😂

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Completed
Todome no Parallel
0 people found this review helpful
Sep 7, 2023
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

WATCH IT AFTER THE MAIN SERIES

PLEASE, watch the 10th episode of the parallel series after you finish the main series.
It has a more conclusive and satisfying ending, I assure you!!
It's not necessary to watch the first 9 episodes, since every episode is not related to each other.

*SPOILER AHEAD*
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........ ...........................
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OTARO AND SAIKO DO END UP TOGETHER, YEYY!!
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Completed
Fireworks of My Heart
2 people found this review helpful
by Zogitt
Sep 7, 2023
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.0

A glorious blend of the good, the meh and synchronised flag-waving

This is a very watchable show, but its plots and tone change so often that you feel exhilarated and exhausted in equal parts. This makes it hard to give a concise rating. When it is good, it is heartfelt and stirring. But it can also get cheesy with a side order of jingoistic flag-waving. I suppose my rating is between 8 and 8.5.

At its core, this is about the aborted love story of a pair of teenagers who met towards the end of high school. Their budding relationship was torn apart by the FL’s domineering mother. They met by chance ten years later and things develop from there. If the plot sounds tropey then here's your gold star. This show walks on familiar paths but it does set a cracking pace.

During early episodes, our leads would "chance" upon each other repeatedly. When you realise one is a firefighter and the other is an ER doctor it means they only meet at emergencies. Consider even a small city in China can house millions, that’s a very small but dangerous corner they live in! It feels so contrived and is almost farcical.

All these entanglements finally brought them back together and this is essentially the glue that held the show together. Once we get past the push-pulls and denials, we have a very romantic pairing. Our leads have good chemistry, and they are certainly photogenic. It was gratifying to see the FL grows a spine and stands up to her controlling mum once she is all in. Amore trionfa sempre!

While both stars are beautiful people, Yang Yang is the face of this show, and he is everywhere. This can cut both ways. Fans of YY will rejoice but someone who is less enamoured might start to notice some flaws in his acting.

The other star of the show is the firefighters and their daily grind provides most of the subplots. A shoutout to the ensemble cast who filled the ranks. They must have trained hard for their roles. Some of the action/training scenes look very challenging. They are ably supported by the staff of the ER department where the FL works. However, these plots are a mixed bag. It can go from inspiring and exciting to banal. I appreciate the work of first responders, and I'll not begrudge their moments in the sun. However, some of the dramatisations are over the top. Plots and pacing is uneven. There are a lot of nationalistic messages aimed at the local audiences. Your mileage will differ.

The mother of the FL is straight out of central casting. She is the personification of a rich, immoral, domineering matriarch. She can probably trace her matrilineal line to a Tang Empress. She is a force of nature and rules with an iron fist. The only problem is that her role is very one dimensional. Her only goal is to obtain power, wealth and a total control over her serfdom. She never has a moment of self doubt or regret. It is tiring to watch her do the same thing over and over. Her “Death Bed” conversion feels particularly contrived.

In the end, fans of the leads will be happy, the production value is high, particularly some of the action set pieces. There are impactful and poignant moments that will stay with you. The romance is sweet and swoon worthy. Once the OTP get together, they skipped the handholding and went straight to home base which is rare in a c-drama. However, it is an inconsistent grab-bag of highs and lows, original ideas and contrivances. This annoys me because I really wanted to recommend this show unreservedly, but I can’t.

I can certainly rewatch some of the romantic scenes (repeatedly) but not the whole 40 eps. OST is very nice.

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Completed
Todome no Kiss
1 people found this review helpful
Sep 7, 2023
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

INTERESTING PLOT AND EYE CANDY ACTORS!!

EVERYTHING IS PERFECT. It's so good I pulled an all nighter and finished it in 2 days 😂😂.
I started watching this because of Mackenyu, but ended up falling for Kento 😍😍.
I loved the chemistry between Kadowaki Mugi and Kento Yamazaki!!
I really hope they can be in more projects together as leads!! 😭😭

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

I wasn't honestly satisfied with the main series' ending, but after discovering the 10th episode of the parallel series, I WAS RELIEVED to find out that Saiko and Otaro DO END UP TOGETHER!!! 😭 😭 😭
Saiko doesn't remember anything, but Otaro slowly rebuilds her memory by telling her everything and they start to create new memories by being together. Gosh, how much I loved this two!! 🤧🤧

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Completed
The King's Affection
2 people found this review helpful
by tori
Sep 7, 2023
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 5.0
This review may contain spoilers

One of the better gender bender romances, but drawn out too much

I am not normally one that enjoys these kinds of dramas where the female lead crossdresses- and makes the male lead confused about his orientation. Usually these dramas have a lot of logic thrown to the side, (like obviously her voice was higher pitched and she has no Adams apple). However I did stick it out because the FL actor was truly amazing in this role. This is the only one I've actually seen the FL play a king.

I had some complaints:
-at about episode 11 or 12, the drama was getting a little boring. Male lead doesn't finally find out that she's a girl till really late into the show.
-you already knew who the evil characters were the whole time(her grandfather and uncle). the plot was taking a really long time to resolve.
-Conveniently FL also has a little brother that she could abdicate to.
-did not swoon in any of the kiss scenes because she was always dressed as a man..
The drama suffered from being a little too predictable and maybe that's because I've seen wayyy too many sageuks. I think they could've shortened this drama to 12 or 15 episodes.



**spoilers below***
Was a little disappointed in the second male lead's plot line. He was very handsome but just felt inserted into the story for the most part. It was kinda weird how he became king after his older brother killed Fl's younger brother. That felt like a quick move, or lazy resolution to the plot?
The ending was good, but a lot of random bloodshed that didn't really need to happen?
All in all it's worth a watch if you have nothing else to look at right now...

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