Reviews

Some trainwrecks do have some redeeming features, I guess...

I think just about everyone agrees that Our Story was a huge disappointment. And it was. Zeke and Fifth were adorable in My Story, in fact they saved that series to a large degree. As for Our Story, here are my pros and cons:

PROS

SOME OF THE ACTORS. I will give props to Fifth, Kevin (yes Kevin, he played his annoying character very well), Joel, and Sean (the only real likeable character of the series) for playing their roles effectively.

MUSIC. I've always liked the catchy theme song. One of the best features of the series.

LORRAINE/IRIS. We didn't get enough of them, and their road to getting together was not developed well. But they were sweet, and kudos to Oxin for introducing a nice GL couple.

STORY. Okay, don't shun me for this. Was the story a trainwreck? Absolutely. Did it often make no sense? Yep. So why would I list this as a "pro?" Because, unlike so many BLs I've watched this year, there actually was a story. It may not have been the story that most of us wanted to see, but there was a story. A weird ass story at times, but it was there.

NC SCENES. Filipino BLs rarely disappoint when it comes to this aspect.

MATT'S MELTDOWN. Matt's freakout when his underwear sniffing video surfaced was the highlight of the entire series for me!

CONS

ZEKE. Hells bells, he turned out to be a creep. Like many of you, I really lost all interest in FiZeke as a sustainable couple, halfway through the series. They really turned him into a cheating creep. He never apologized for his misdeeds: Fifth did all the apologizing. I was in favor of Zeke reuniting with Kevin and having the two of them get lost.

KIM/PARK/SEAN TRIANGLE. First of all, I found Kim to be unappealing from Day 1. Girl, you ain't all that, you're no great shakes as a businesswoman, and your ass kissing got old yesterday, okay? Sean was so nice and didn't deserve being played. (And whatever happened to Sean? He just disappeared.) Park was as big of a hemorrhoid as Kim, so I guess they deserve each other. Barf.

JELAI/JEROME. Wth? So Jelai, who I guess we're "supposed" to like, decides to cheat on his "boyfriend" (his "baby boy," whoever THAT is!) with Jerome, who seems nice until he goes postal and his head spins around three times. And Jelai ends the relationship by telling Jerome what a good person he (Jerome) is. Sure honey... if you like hanging out with psychos. Their entire relationship was just eww.

TOO MANY CHARACTERS. It was just too convoluted. It took me most of the series to figure out who they all were. At least half of them could have been eliminated... that in itself may have improved this mess.

CHRISTMAS MUSIC. This started in October. OCTOBER. And it continued in every episode after that. There was no talk of Christmas until the end of the series. A complete miss and, frankly, annoying.

But -- somehow -- I still watched. I guess we all did... but why? I think it was because, despite the disappointments and craziness, there was something entertaining about this complete trainwreck that kept us watching. Like slowing down for a car accident.

I'm giving it a 6.0/10.

Read More

I really enjoyed it.

I really, really enjoyed this series. The fl wasn't vapid and childish, she was so cute. The ml is always one of my favorites so no surprise there. The storyline was okay, tropey because the fl always seemed to step into better opportunities. Most people would never see even one of and she got like 10. I think that could probably be my only complaint about the series, her success was really improbable.
The ChuChu chick was aggravating. She was supposed to be so perfect and she smile in Yun Shu's face but she kept doing sneaky things to try to make her look less than her. You're older and more successful and yet you still are jealous of and trying to sabotage a young woman. I don't care if their relationship was contractual, that was a married man and she kept trying to steal him. And the whole time, Yun Shu was smiling at her, trying to be nice to the lady who was trying to steal you husband.

Read More

I’m dark and intense but will protect those I love

Personal opinion…any other face that played XW would have made me feel the relationship or romantic line was controlling and boarderline toxic. XW character is very intense, intelligent but possessive. He’s definitely not the type that has the mindset of “if you’re happy, I’ll be happy”. Realistically, keeping JXN near him is actually way more dangerous for her as XW is a strong strategist so would have enemies everywhere. It would have been nicer forJXN to leave and realise her love for him on her own and come back to him. I truely believe that “if it’s meant to be yours, it’ll come back to you.”

I felt they way they got together in the end didn’t feel like love but more like JXN felt too much debt to him. Almost like pity and very forced. I think over time she would have definitely loved him but as an audience, I didn’t get to see that transition.

Story is similar to “Love like the Galaxy” and some things were done better, like the way the main male lead was smart enough to get the revenge he so desperately wanted but also didn’t walk all over the FL trust to get there. He literally said and then showed that JXN was the most important thing to him when he stabbed his own hand. Actions do sure speak louder than words. On that note, there was also some things that wasn’t done as well like the aforementioned rushed/forced love. Give JXN some time to breath and process so she can make the decision herself to return to him. I think that the couple in “Love like the Galaxy” had a literal 10 year or so gap before they got back together. They were more mature and more trusting. As they say “Distance makes the heart grow fonder”.

But damn, ZLH face is just too gorgeous. He really played the role well and the man can cry like a god. His intensity, jaw clenches and beautiful lips makes it really hard to take your eyes away from the screen. He really didn’t have the air of “imperial teacher” though but considering the story line, it’s a smaller issue than the others. He really did not suit his “modern” day look either so whoever styled him for that did us a great injustice.

BL was great as always but her make up and hair didn’t make her stand out. The first episode when she was Queen, everything looked majestic. I guess that was the point but her “younger self” image really made her look older than when she was the Queen. The Princess really was beautiful and made BL look like an extra in some shots when they were together.

Would rewatch literally for only ZLH and BL but otherwise the story was average. The kiss scenes really felt like they would melt my screen so I’m so glad it passed review! BL always has such great kisses with all her ML but I would say ZLH takes the cake as the best kiss partner so far.

Read More

It okay thats love

I've been anticipating this drama since the announcement of its release. However, after watching the first episode, I found it cringe and decided to hold off until all the episodes are available. Despite reading mixed reviews, I'm contemplating whether to watch it, especially considering the talented cast. Some comments on MDL suggested that episodes 30 and beyond are better, so I skipped episodes 1-31 and went straight to episode 32, but its so cringe. I'm having existential crisis whether to continue or not.

The script... I couldn't believe the dialogue coming from Bailu and Dylan's mouth. However, having just finished SOKP and being impressed by Bai Lu's performance there, and being a fan of Dylan Wang from TLBFD, I thought I might as well continue watching since I have some spare time. After a few more episodes, I think I'm starting to understand Shuyi's character. It's indeed a complex character. As the saying goes, love can lead to foolish decisions. Even a great journalist can make poor choices in love. But that's part of being human. Love can make us vulnerable, and in this case, perhaps a bit like a drama queen. Although, I find Shiyan's character a little unrealistic in this story.

Since I've only watched selected episodes, I don't think I'm qualified to give a comprehensive review. However, for those wondering whether to watch this drama, my advice is to approach it with an open heart and mind. Acknowledge its flaws, and you might find some enjoyment. For drama enthusiasts, a good drama is a gem, and even a less impressive one can still offer some entertainment.

Read More

Double Savage, more like double jinx

Double Savage, more like double jinx

I originally watched episode one and then began episode two but found it boring so I put the whole series on hold for a while. After watching more shows with Film in it, and gaining more appreciation for her as an actress I decided to revisit this series and ended up binging episodes 2-12.

Pros:
- The whole cast is amazing and their chemistry is what you’d expect in real life
- The characters’ personalities, interests, hobbies, and dreams are pretty diverse
- Ohm, Perth, and Baitoel are the perfect siblings—the oldest sister with two loving, respectful younger brothers. Their relationship and intimacy were something to envy.
- The plot is intriguing, thought-provoking, and entertainingly messy. A criminal and cop as brothers, it’s like having two siblings who support different sports teams.
- The story of Korn being a jinx was consistent throughout the whole show so viewers were able to sympathize with his frustration of being blamed for anything and everything that goes wrong.
- Ah and Li’s loveline, and their child
- The order in how certain twists were revealed and parts were filmed was satisfying.
- The twist on Rung’s revenge. She was trying to avenge both her and her parents and not just herself.
- The revelation of Uncle Wit and Ah’s father-and-son relationship was the biggest plot twist the show saved for the finale and though I had a notion they were father and son, the hints that led up to it were subtle yet beautifully done. I.e. Ah always wins when he plays chess against Mek, then when he plays with Korn he’s defeated by a move that was taught to Korn by Uncle Wit, Ah’s father. In the finale, we see Uncle Wit and his grandson playing chess. Uncle Wit mentioned having a son twice.
- The instrumentals in serious and emotional scenes were great!
- I love that whenever Korn or Win fight or grab each other’s collars, it’s slightly awkward and not neat/rehearsed. There was authenticity there and it truly showed how inexperienced Win is and it added into his character as the adorable younger brother who had nothing but affection for his older brother.
- I was just complaining in another review about GMMTV’s misuage of guns. In this series, it was watchable. It’s not the best but by far it’s better than a lot of the other series that had guns in them.

Cons:
- If it’s true that you can get out on temporary bail, flee, and return after your charge has expired after committing a crime then that's extremely worrisome and needs to change. I mean, with that kind of loophole, how is it that more people aren’t committing crimes?
- The timeline--there’s a lack of exposition. In the beginning, we know Win and Rung were in their first year of high school. Then after some time, they were accepted into the colleges/universities of their choice. There was mention of Korn being a few years older than 20 and then Ah and Li’s kid came along in the end. It’s nice to show rather than tell but sometimes a timeline is necessary, especially in the case of Ah and Li’s relationship and Korn claiming to have completed school. And how long before everyone's charges expire?
- As mentioned above, Ah and Li’s relationship. Although the show was building attraction, we never got to see them being lovey-dovey until Ah was dying and in flashbacks. Mek’s death was similar, the show dumped flashbacks on us. I assume it’s to indicate that when people are dying, they tend to see images of all the happy moments in their lives but the flashbacks weren't necessarily theirs as they all involved the main characters and didn’t give us insight into their own past lives. I would assume Mek’s most memorable times would be with his mom and not just with his current gang members.
- Ah, Mek, and Korn tend to practice hand-to-hand combat but most of the time they used guns so we never got to see them apply their training.
- For a drug dealing den, the security sucks. How is Li able to waltz right in on multiple occasions unsuspected? And Win, who I would assume took precaution sneaking in, was easily detained? Is Li really a witch???
- Korn’s line “I only shoot those who deserve to die” was so out of character. Did he not learn from his first mistake? Dude shot a cop thinking it was the criminal who needed help. Besides, who’s to say who deserves to die and who doesn’t deserve to? Korn was a righteous character and that line was a major disappointment.
- Korn is the cliche main character who appears to have flaws and/or made mistakes but in the end, is revealed to not be at fault for anything.
- Kriangkrai’s commander never got what was coming to him
- The relationship Rung has with Korn and Win is plausible on camera but in real life, it would be extremely awkward how anyone could maintain a brother-sister relationship after all that's happened
- Except for Win, no one seemed to take Rung’s future being ruined seriously. Even her parents were lukewarm and very accepting, approving of her being a fugitive on the run. Given their closeness, I thought they would drop everything and move with her.
- How did Korn know Win caused the accident with Rung’s parents? Although I don’t condone Win running from the scene, I don’t see it as him ‘killing’ Rung’s parents. He cut in front of them, people do that when driving, but because Rung’s father wasn’t paying attention to the road he panicked and swerved. I would consider that an accident, not manslaughter.
- I hate that after Win asks to take back the promise he made about Rung and confesses his feelings AND asks Rung’s parents for permission to date Rung (while Korn was also a witness to this), Korn takes Rung to a room and proceeds to pet and kiss her. That part just boiled my blood, primarily when Korn’s romantic feelings for Rung are nowhere as strong as Win’s. Rung demanded an answer for her feelings but what about Win's?
- I don’t know why, I mean I know why because we wouldn’t have a series otherwise but why Korn or Li never bothered to tell Win the truth lost me. “The gang used Rung as a scapegoat, it wasn’t Korn’s doing or decision”. “I’m staying here because dad doesn’t want me home and though I’m a criminal, I’m refusing to do anything illegal.” Win’s hatred towards Korn was justified when Korn refused to tell Win anything and cut him off first.

The bottom line is, there wouldn't be a series if Rung's family never moved into the neighborhood. Their families were each other's jinxes.

This is for sure a highly recommended watch and rewatch.

Read More

Had a promising start but ultimately flopped

The drama had a promising start, but from midway through, it started to flop. The plot was somewhat unique. We have all seen couples get to know each other because they team up in the gaming world. But one is not an ordinary Oppa; he's a gangster Oppa. In the beginning, it was quite interesting to see how this gangster and the normal boy would get together. But everything happened quickly, and the plot became quite messy. For instance, it conveys that Wahl is Guy's best friend, but he has more feelings than a friend, though he has a girlfriend. And for Tew and Guy, after a couple of interactions, they got really attracted to each other. especially Tew; his gestures show that he liked Guy from the very beginning. Okay, let's say it's love at first sight.
The other thing is Guy's acting. I acknowledge he's looking good, and I liked his acting in "Ai Long Nhai," though it's not very standard. But here it's crappy and gibberish. I can't stand the way he acts. He needs to improve his acting so much. Or else the director could have changed the actor. We all know that there are many potential actors, but they don't have many chances to show their colours. And this Kenji guy gives psycho vibes. It would have been better if the stylist had changed his hairstyle. It's worse. I hope the ending will be better.
 

Read More

Best Drama In 2023

This is the best drama series in 2023, in my opinion. The casting was superb - Zhao Lusi and Chen Zheyuan are both excellent actors and lived up to expectations in the series. They personified their roles so that you really cannot imagine anyone else playing the characters of Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu. Their chemistry is electric. They are physically so comfortable with each other that you will probably think they are a real-life couple. Many of their fans in fact, have been clamouring for them to work together again. This is the first time Chen Zheyuan has taken on this type of role - his character is generally more mature, calm and steady than what I have seen in his previous work. It's a good transition for him as he takes on lead roles in 3 upcoming dramas, all of which are quite serious. Special mention also to Victor Ma - very natural, totally believable as Sang Zhi's older brother. My only wish is that they had kept to the novel where the lead characters' age gap is concerned. There's a 7-year age gap in the novel, but in the series, the gap is reduced to 5 years. The OST has a good mix of cutesy-sounding tunes with a couple of touching ballads as well. Definitely songs to add to your Spotify playlist. If you want to have a warm, fuzzy feeling from watching a good movie or drama, watch this. It'll have you crying and laughing along. Most of the time though, you'll probably have a goofy smile on your face - the series is just that sweet! Happy watching!

Read More

Bride's Revenge is a well written and produced miniseries. This drama is about simply revenge and not really about the romance between the leading couple. Although there is certainly a nice, smart, and tender relationship between Ye Qing Lan (played by Qu Meng Ru) and Mu An Cheng (played by Vincent Wei), they don’t get together until the very end of the story, but the audience gets to see them working together to bring the villains to justice. The female lead starts as a nice and lovely girl that is force to become calculative and cold hearted by the antagonists in the story proving that, even though revenge is never sweet, it will sure give the victim a sense of satisfaction knowing that justice was served. The cast did a very good job bringing their characters to life and the drama was entertaining. Enjoy it!

Read More

Tongue-In-Cheek Clever-Silly And Romantic.

Lighthearted, fun, sweet, and cute with emotional depth that kind of sneaks up on you.
It's special because while it has many tropes/clichés that are often predictable, they're purposefully taken 1 to 2 steps further in unexpected ways. Because of this, the whole series is very humorous instead of cringworthy. They do it very well. Things are done/acted a little dramatically but earnestly at the same time. I was really impressed with the whole cast.

In real life the type of behavior Noey exhibits towards Thi is full of red flags and could lead to trauma bonding (unpredictable hot/cold, threatening/rewarding, etc). In this fictional tale however, I was able to enjoy the well done tropes of enemies-to-lovers, bully/nerd, and hard to others but soft to the love interest. It takes some time but Noey's character does mature and redeem himself beautifully.

FYI in the last episode keep watching because the epilogue continues through the credits and all the way to the end.

It was a little tricky for me to tell the grades and age difference of the main characters, especially at the beginning. I believe Noey starts the series about 16 yrs old and Thi is 5 years older as a junior in college, so about 21. Noey starting so young in the story works because he's young enough to act as immature as he starts out being.

The age difference was never made weird in this story, which I appreciated. Young people can fall in love too. And as MidwesternLibrarian says on Reddit, "I don't mind their fictional age gap because there is no way Thi is manipulating Noey. Noey is going to do what Noey wants to do." Truer words were never spoken, lol!

General Spoilers below.
There is a good amount of romantic attraction/tension that is tastefully done keeping the age of the characters and actors in mind, two interupted almost-kisses, and a very basic kiss at the end. (Which I was totally fine with, especially since Tar who played Noey would have been 17-18 at the time of filming.)

I loved how the miscommunications in the first few episodes lead them into falling for each other instead of falling out, lol.

There is some medium angst near the end but it is resolved and the ending is satisfying.

I likely won't watch again on my own but it could be fun to see with other people.

Read More

Had potential but felt like filler for what's to come in season 3

I can't tell you how excited I was for this season and how let down I ended up. I'm not sure what happened between the seasons with either writers, directors, etc. but something obviously changed because of how completely different season 2 was from the first.
I was actually okay with the time jump and introducing a new world/characters, but then nothing happened for like 3 full episodes other than major exposition with brand new characters that I did not care about at all. Also it was certainly a choice on the writers' part to sideline the MAIN characters for practically the entire season. It wasn't until Hyunsoo and the other OG characters started getting more screen time that I was genuinely interested in what was happening. Every brand new character they introduced was pointless to me. I didn't exactly hate them, but I just didn't see the point of devoting so much time to their seemingly meaningless storylines.
In my opinion what they should've done is actually shown Hyunsoo, Yi Kyung, and the child becoming a little family so that when it all falls apart there's an emotional impact on the audience. We also should've seen more of Eun Yoo and her interactions with the new characters (the soldiers, civilians, and the weird camping duo). In other words, the season should've centered around the main characters.
Honestly most of this season just felt like it was filler for the upcoming 3rd season and I really hated that because it had the potential to be something better and it really fell short. I actually do think the 3rd season will be really good just based on what's been set up in the last episode of season 2, and I am looking forward to that, but I was mostly just so frustrated with how this season played out.

Read More

Felt like a breath of fresh air.

This is the first time I'm posting a review since I've created this account .

This is series is simply a breath of fresh air...the acting...the cast...the chemistry between the leads...just 4 episodes in and I'm already in love with everything.

After seeing two leads, I already had high expectations and I'm beyond satisfied. From start of episode one to end of episode 4, I didn't stop smiling once. Looking forward to episode 5.

If you're contemplating whether to watch this series or not, I advise you to watch it. Trust me, you most definitely won't be disappointed.

Read More

This series is adorable.

I enjoyed watching this series, it takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions. The characters are very well done and have great development. You do see some growth which I always enjoy seeing. The actors have very good chemistry and I really enjoyed the band and friends supporting the relationship and being there for one another. It does some a lot of realness about the bad in society but the good outshines it thankfully. The music is fun and I do appreciate that it shows a great depth of emotions and the emotional hardness that people can face, it's great that there were friends to show that support. The only two downsides I saw were that I really wish they had them kiss at least once to show that beautiful depth of intimate moment and I wish it was a bit longer than 8 episodes, this series has great potential.

Read More

A Dull Demon Doing What’s Been Done Many Times Before, but with little Flare

The premise of this series was quite cliche. It could practically write itself due to how much this type of story has been done. Unfortunately, the writers could not make this interesting at all. The “demon” (Gu-won) is very good looking, love the actor. But there was nothing interesting about him. He made deals with desperate people and collected on those deals 10 years later by collecting their souls and sending them to hell. Okay. Seen this before. Now what?

It is intriguing that he has a cross tattoo on his wrist that apparently holds all his powers and he did have an encounter 200 years earlier with a little girl which I’m guessing somehow connects to the FL in the present, but the details of that story thread likely won’t be explored for another 10 episodes.

The demon’s first meeting with the FL was fun. And the power struggle going on at Almighty Ju’s company has some spark, but overall the story fails at being interesting. The leads look great together but have lukewarm chemistry. The only relationship that really popped in this was Doo-Hee and Ms. Ju. Really loved their conversations and chemistry.

Again I can already guess where the story is going. Gu-won will of course see the error of his demon ways and in turn find his humanity by giving up his powers for love and eventually becoming mortal. I’m also betting he made a deal with Doo-Hee’s parents (probably to save her life or ensure she has a good life) and that’s why they died in that car accident. This will be a source of angst in their romance. Nothing wrong with a story being predictable but it needs to be interesting. I gave this three episodes and just couldn’t care enough about the story to continue so I stopped watching.

Read More

You might have to roll your eyes a bit, but it's no doubt worth it

Past lives, reincarnation, fate, comrades and a love to die and live for.

The overall concept is unique and interesting. Even the chemistry between the actors is so electric. But here's the deal: as the series rolls on, the drama cranks up, and at times, it's like they're pushing the limits of over-the-top. Still, it’s a fun ride, and you might have to roll your eyes a bit, but hey, it's still got that something that makes it so worth it.

"The Sign" is a mesmerizing blend of fantasy, mystery, and romance that gripped me right from the opening scenes and towards the later half it gets dramatic and more intense but it keeps you hooked. To add up, there's a mystery surrounding the leads, and when I say mystery, I don't just mean the supernatural mystery but also murder mystery. Also, the chemistry between the leads, Phaya and Tharn, is the beating heart of the series. Their chemistry is seriously electric. I can see the sparks and concerns so clearly. They are absolutely adorable, and the tension between them is seriously intense.

Now, let’s talk about the crew. Yai, Thongthai, Khem, and Singh – these guys are the real MVPs. They bring the laughs and the serious vibes, fitting into the story. Whether they are playing the role of doting or teasing friends or serious comrades, they ate up their role. And may I add I am in love with the chemistry of Khem and Thongthai. Khem is seriously so whipped for Thongthai and they are so adorable together. I want more of them. Yai, Tharn's brother, I absolutely love him, his humor and the way he dots on his little brother.

Also, Freen, portraying Wansarat, deserves special mention; she looked incredibly pretty and radiated in every scene, from her appearance to her expressions. Also, Doc Chalothon I don't really like his character. Oh my godd!! he gets on my nerves. Heng really did a good job portraying Doc's character. Talking about Mayris, I think she is kind of cool. And the bond that Phaya shares with his grandma and sister is just so heartwarming to witness. The whole cast really did an amazing job portraying their character.

Definitely recommending it.

Read More