Reviews

All Concept, No Plot

Okay, so it's a romcom. I wasn't expecting it to be groundbreaking or anything, but it's clear they tried to take a movie, stuff it full of tangents, and set it free as a drama.

I enjoyed the first half or so... but at a certain point, I was just like, "Okay, where is this going?"

The chemistry was decent. The characters were likeable. The costumes/wardrobe was hands down the worst I've seen in a drama. Normally, I don't notice this unless I'm like, "Oh, I like her outfit" but maaaaaaan the outfits are supposed to be avant garde and expensive because they're actors and chaebols... No. They are jarringly and distractingly tacky. (Except for her dress in the opening scene, which was gorgeous.)

Overall, it had all the makings of a decent drama--the cast was good, the music was good... but the all-over-the-place storyline really didn't cut it. The tear jerker aspects felt really forced. Like, shoe-horned in to create some depth and meaning... but it didn't land for me (and I'm easy cryer).

As a weird aside, I really enjoyed the music score, even though it was repetitive. It fit well.

Read More

Last half hour

I thought I had accidentally skipped an episode or something because suddenly the lead couple start bickering non stop. I kept thinking they are just doing this at work so people don't realize they are still together. Nope, no such luck. I didn't realize episode 12 was the finale, I thought it had the typical 16 episodes so I was thinking how are they going to continue this story line now. Well, good thing it did end at 12 through it should have ended at 11 1/2! Melting Me Softly had a similar ending where the characters were almost out of sync with each other. This is a rom com people! Quit taking away my rom com high at the last minute!

Read More

A guilty pleasure with and unexpected result

It’s my first time writing a review, but I feel the urge to share my feelings after binge watching it.

I didn’t want to watch it because of set up, after being where the FL was it felt too real to watch, but I’m glad I did. I think everyone has at least one of the experiences depicted in the show, with all the red flags and knowing well that it’s not going anywhere, but still jumping into it.

I saw myself in every single decision made by the FL, trying to keep the distance, but failing miserably because of all the attraction.

I know that the drama ended differently than the manhwa, and I was a bit happy that they also got a happy ending for the ML. It healed my scars knowing that it is possible, at least in a drama, to get the bad boy to chose you and for him to try to get better in the process. I really leave my hope that they will have their casual happy ending.

Don’t be afraid to watch it, if you were traumatised like me. Who knows, maybe it’ll heal you as well.

Read More

This would have gotten a 9.5 rating from me if the real world arc in this drama was done better. But the murderous siblings power struggle was boring and poorly written without adding to the overall story. Most of my review will omit that portion of the series because I honestly skipped over almost all of it.

The novel arc and romance portion after returning to the real world has topped my list of favorites. The production quality, cinematography, OST, and acting were all fantastic. There was great chemistry between all the characters, fun lines and interactions with little references to other works. There are a couple one dimensional characters in the novel world but it made sense for the story and was delivered well from the actors. The romance was told well and progressed in a way that felt natural and fun.

I do recommend watching this show but be prepared to skip over large sections of the real world sibling power struggle story line because it was overly dramatic and only detracted from the series. There was also a poorly constructed villian in the novel arc that was used as a plot point to force the main characters to confess.

Also be prepared for the obvious and repetitive product placement in this show.

Read More

JUST WANT TO SAY

FROM START TO NOW EP 42, I DONT MIND ALL THE BORING PARTS LIKE THE AUNTIES DANCING ETC. ALSO EVEN IF I AM ANGRY WITH THE THE 2ND FEMAILE LEAD FOR WANTING TO SEDUCE BO HAI, BUT THE MOST ANGRY IS WHEN THE FEMALE LEAD DECIDED ON HER OWN TO BE THE HERO TO SAVE BO HAI USING HER OWN SACRIFICE BUT ACTUALLY IS LETTING PPL USE HER TO HURT BO HAI. JUST FEEL SHE IS SO STUPID. AFTER SEEING THIS I JUST CANNOT STAND HER ANYMORE BECOS SHE BELIEVE IN THE DEVIL (MO NAN). SHE THOUGHT BECOS SHE DO WHAT THE DEVILS ASK HER TO DO SHE CAN SAVE BO HAI. SERVE HER RIGHT FOR LOSING HIM .

AS I HAVEN WATCHED TO THE END, BUT I SUSPECT THIS MO NAN IS ALSO BEING DECEIVED BY THE OTHER DEVIL (WILLIAM). PROBABLY HIS FATHER KILLED BY THE WILLIAM.

HAVEN WATCH TO THE END , HEARD THE ENDING NO SO TERRIFIC ALSO. WILL UPDATE AGAIN AFTER WATCHING THE ENDING. ALSO OF COURSE I HATE THE 2ND MALE LEAD AND THE FEMALE 2ND LEAD , MALE BECOS HE IS EVIL AND FEMALE BECOS SHE KNOWS HE IS EVIL BUT STILL WANT TO SYMPATHISE WITH HIM.

ALSO WATCHING BECOS OF BO HAI, FROM THE COLD TO THE WARM AND BECOS OF COURSE LOVE HIS LOOKS AND ACTING.

Read More

I didn't expect this nice of a story line, chemistry, acting from 8 episodes bl. I didn't get bored and don't have to skip scenes in all episodes. JamFilm already proved themselves in To Sir with Love so I was pretty excited to watch them again and they didn't disappoint. This drama is a worth watch. Charn's character is the one which attracted me the most in this series. His smile gives creepy feeling and when at sometimes when he sincerely laughs(that's mostly when he is with Tin) it is a clear contrast which shows how much he changed from a soft hearted lawyer to a cunning selfish power hunger and revenge seeking lawyer. I was very happy that tenthai finally got free from his abusive father and had Thee by his side at end

Read More

enjoyed the second half more

Overall: I'd really like to see these actors with better writing. If I were to start this at episode 4 and think they had just started dating, then the terrible communication and reluctance would make sense. But their characters' ages were 25 and 32, they were dating for 5? years (engaged for 3), they had known each other for 18 years (age 7 and 14). Their relationship dynamic didn't make sense to me even with a traumatic past event. This is based on a book which I didn't read and I reviewed the series on its own merits. 8 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on YouTube and iQIYI (uncut). Mandee also produced: Bed Friend, Cutie Pie 2, Cutie Pie and Why R U

Content Warnings: past death/gore, attempted murder, maybe held against will, dub/non con kiss, manipulation, manhandling, trauma/mental health struggles, stalking

What I Liked
- Kuea & Diao's friendship (and Diao and his friend group)
- Lian & Kuea's scenes
- Lian & Yi dream sequences/their dynamic
- cameos from characters in Cutie Pie
- couple funny parts like that dog's costume in ep 3
- sweet moments
- mystery aspect
- good kissing/intimacy (note, this is cut down in the YouTube version)
- Diao's evasive skills in ep 8
- Max's real mom played Yi's mom
- the ending of episode 8 was absolutely adorable
- production value (everything looks beautiful except too much blur filter, the actors, the sets, the cars, etc)

Room For Improvement
- I struggled with the characters and the relationship dynamic, we had an attractive, taller, stern, controlling character paired with a cute, shorter, avoiding physical affection character. The relationship felt more parent/child than equal partners, though thankfully this did start to change a bit. However, Yi said that Diao couldn't go to his own sister's party in episode 4 which was not cool. Also in episode 1 it appeared that there were security guards in their home to keep tabs on Diao/prevent him from leaving and security cameras inside the house for the same reason. And then the writers could have had Diao (an expert in martial arts) fight off those dudes but he got like 1 hit/punch in and then was a damsel in distress. Also him getting around on his bicycle further infantilized him.
- the manipulation/lying to Diao starting in episode 2
- poor communication, they didn't have sex in over a year? they've known each other for over 18 years and can't say what is bothering them, what they need from a relationship, problem solve together how to fix their problems? (I did like that one scene when asking about their honeymoon and future family plans), in later episodes they both say the importance of better communication but then don't communicate well
- the writers didn't make it clear that they had collaborated on their plan
- should have cut out the whole love rival side plot and explained character motivations more
- how Diao frequently avoided physical affection from his boyfriend
- too many time jumps in the first episode
- fart joke humor (and they've known each other for 18 years so what Yi said never happens in front of people was a total lie)
- comedy noises including the goat bleating
- cliche plot point at the end of episode 1
- maybe it was supposed to be funny how the dad prefers Diao because I found it really sad, Yi's dad was awesome in some ways but he was overly harsh to Yi at times
- terrible tiger cgi
- nonsense plot things: in 18 years, Diao didn't know that Yi has sisters (even if the marriage was recent that is something you would know about), Diao had never met Yi's mother in the 18 years that he knew him?, assuming someone is cheating because they smile/hug the opposite sex

Read More

It’s beautiful. It’s moving. It’s bittersweet. It’s somehow heartwarming despite the cold setting. There is some indescribable feeling in my chest after watching it. I really don’t know what to say about it. I feel like I can’t analyze this movie or break it into parts. All I can say is that it’s really, really good, and I really, really like it.

MDL wants me to make this at least 500 characters though, so I have to write this little paragraph in an attempt to reach that count. My deepest apologies for this frivolous little paragraph down here that is wasting your precious time.

Read More

The "Bad Boy"

I had only seen Lee Jun Ho as the polished, uptight hotelier in "King the Land" , where he played a very good part. However, in Rain or Shine (Just Between Lovers) he is superb as the "bad boy" , and classic "angry young man".
His "Granny" sees through the facade, and she, Na Moon Hee, is my second favourite actor in this programme.
Most of the main characters are complex - dealing with their own trauma from the past - and the actors portray their pain well.
I haven't finished this series, but, so far, it's been an emotional ride - with a little humour to balance out the tragedy.

Read More

Loved it! Finally a great Anime-adaptation. Highly recommended

I loved it. I wholeheartedly recommend this adaptation. I started watching One Piece in 2003 and am still a fan to this day. I never thought there would come a day where I would love an anime-adaptation (after the epic fail of Dragon Ball and Death Note) but I am happy to be proven wrong. It was obvious how much love went into this production. So many great details to bring this world alive. I am so thankful that Eiichiro Oda kept the final say and made them re-shoot scenes where he thought it was done wrong/not good enough. I do not know which scenes were the ones he asked to be redone but as the final result is so amazing, I am really really thankful that he did, otherwise I am sure they would have butchered his masterpiece as well. There is finally hope again for anime-adaptations.... if it gives us such great results, the creators should always have so much say in their work's adaptations.

They chose great actors, their resemblance to the characters was wonderful. They dressed as in the manga/anime. They acted as in the manga/anime. That was what I wanted from an adaptation and this is what we got. Therefore it was so good. Obviously there are some changes between the manga/anime and the drama adaptation but they kept it as close as possible.

Read More

First of all...the intro...the very first part of the series was very creative and the transition.....well done. I can't help but wonder about the massive budget put into this series so far

Also, Woow. Just woow. Max really outdid himself with the whole alpha male persona he's showing here...from the way he sits to how he commands every room he enters. The visuals too...kon diao's visuals are stunning and the overall production is typical Domundi top-tier production.

There's little to review since the first episode was mostly answering the questions i was honestly wondering about after seeing the trailer and bringing us up to speed to YiDiao a few years after Cutie pie, so i'll write a proper review later on. Just thought i'd move things along.


Anyway...ill be waiting for the next episode eagerly....this is definitely worth it

Read More

Fluff with crumbs of supernatural elements

I wasn't really expecting this drama to be this cute, but I really liked how it turned out!

The story mainly revolves around the relationship between Bu Xia and Jiang Chi, with a lovely combination of tropes. There is a supernatural element in the story, but it's not explained nor developed all that much and is mostly used as a device to bring the two protagonists closer. I'm not a big fan of this, to be honest - I wish they used the supernatural element more in the story, or just took it away entirely as I don't believe it's too important for the sake of the plot, but it didn't spoil the fun so I'm not too disappointed.
The romance, which is the most important part of the story, was developed beautifully. Buxia and Jiang Chi grow closer over time naturally - their forced proximity and Bu Xia's circumstances made me worry about the pacing, but it was just right and very satisfying to see! All the events between them happened neither too soon nor too late, and most importantly THEY ARE SO CUTE. There might be some cheesy lines and moments here and there, but I didn't mind at all. While neither Bu Xia nor Jiang Chi get too much introspection, they are shown well enough to let their personalities shine, so I was already in love with them by the end of the first episode.

It's a rather short series, it can easily be binged in the span of three hours, so if you like a cute romance with lots of fluff, this is for you! On the other hand, if you're interested in the supernatural elements of the plot, I suggest you watching something else.

Read More

It was a wild ride!

But it was worth it and, most importantly, fun. Charn (Well, actually his name is Chan, but the whole fandom ignores that and calls him Charn.) is a sociopathic lawyer whose intentions always lead towards money and power. That's totally not the typical BL main character. I mainly loved the originality: a lawyer that sets buildings on fire and manipulates people around him for his own benefits? You don't see that very often, especially with gay characters.
 
THE PLOT: But as Britney Spears sings in "Criminal", someone fell in love with our criminal—I mean, our narak little lawyer. Well, of course they were enemies at first, but as we saw in the first episode, Charn falls for him instantly. That "him" is Tinn, whose niece got killed in a "car incident". Charn is the lawyer of the accused murderer, the son of a rich and powerful politician. But Charn doesn't believe that it's an accident, so he decides to help Tinn find the truth behind this complicated case...

CHARACTERS: All the characters were so original and fun. Now I'm repeating myself, but it was really that funny and good. Every character had their own story. My favorite was Charn (that smile, that damned smile..), but there was also one that stole the show in the last two episodes: Charn's ex-boyfriend, Nawin. He was the Tankhun of this series. The love between Charn and Tinn was so sweet. I love the enemies to lovers trope, and this was made so amazingly. I really, really loved them. Especially in the last episodes, they were protective of each other, and Jam and Film portrayed them very well. Film and his smile? *chef's kiss* Give him an award now!
 
OVERALL: Every episode was full of fun, great fight scenes, amazing actors, a great story, and much, much more. I can't recommend it enough. Yes, it had a small budget, but does it matter if it was a masterpiece? And we got a wedding in the end! I'm crying! IT WAS BEAUTIFUL!!!! ❤️❤️❤️ I'll be rewatching for sure.

Read More