Reviews

Not very good

Story:
-The story line was ok and it gave a good perview into the lives of chinese actors and how they have to deal with media, popularity, etc.
-Lots of choppy storylines.
-The younger sister was soooo annoying for several episodes and yet overnight grew up even with hair/makeup?

Acting:
-Good acting but the FL role was a little too much...too sassy and narcisstic in some scenes and yet she was very forgiving which I appreciated and had integrity in a tough industry.
-ML was good looking but a bit stiff and maybe a little too much even for the role
-Side kick roles were funny but not as funny as other RomComs

Overall: Didn't like it and it could have been done in less time. Will not rewatch

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Watch Vigilante instead

This show is a recycled plot of 'Vigilante', another antihero K-drama which aired before this one. It has the same plot with Vigilante, but with different circumstances. You can expect they copy paste every single idea of Vigilante.

To be honest, the first three episodes were disappointing. I felt really bad for watching it. If I hadn't watched Vigilante, perhaps it can satisfy me.

If you wish to watch this show, try to think twice before deciding or you can try Vigilante instead. It's super boring and the writer seemed to have watched through Vigilante back and forth, given that both have identical plots. Happy watching for those who haven't watched. I will try to cover Vigilante's review next time.

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magnifique ?❤️

Une des plus belle histoire que j'ai regardé avec beaucoup d'humour et surtout beaucoup de larmes ????. Un gros coup de cœur pour les acteurs, ils étaient tous trop adorables ? surtout @hexuanlin.official qui joue QingKui ❤️❤️❤️ J'espère qu'il y aura plus de séries avec elle en tant que FL à l'avenir. Les effets laissaient à désirer mais bon, tout le reste compensait largement. Sinon vraiment magnifique

Notation personnelle ?:

Note Globale 9 / 10
Scénario 10 / 10
Écriture 9 / 10
Suspense 7 / 10
Originalité 9 / 10
Addictivité 9 / 10
Pédagogie 5 / 10
Créativité 7 / 10
Personnages 9 / 10
Humour 7 / 10

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One of the Best Chinese Period Drama!

Story:
-So fun with the dual identity, strong ML & FL which was great to watch
+hoped they would develop more of the playful humor surrounding her reveal of her double identity but then again it was during her state being attacked.
-The story is excellent with so many different characters that weave together and believable
-The ending was a bit anticlimactic when they fought the villian.
-The intrigue, the manipulation of trying to gain the throne and then the realization of what's important and how difficult it is to be in a place of power and to use it well...very good.
-And as someone commented...best portrayal of woman admiration and friendship even with liking the same person. Strong portrayal and positive light on women.

Acting:
- Yang Yang did an amazing job of the elegant, sickly genius Prince and the strong, intelligent, powerful Hei Fengxi. His small inflections, smiles and facial expresssions were well acted.
- Zhao Lusi was positively fun and excellent. Her portrayal of Bai Fengxi and then Princess Xiyun was right on target! Innocent, playful and yet strong in martial arts, smart and wanting just to exact justice not be in a place of power.
-Qiwu was played very well as the strong female clan leader and smart as a whip, supporter to both lead roles.
-Rest of the cast played every role so well...it was so fun to watch esp the antagonists and their plotting.

Overall:
I have to say this has everything: wuxia, romance, power struggle, royalty, beautiful costuming, beautiful scenery, great humor, military strategy, and well acted. Pacing, directing, sets, costuming were all good...the only thing is the ending was a bit less descriptive but all in all it made you want more! I've rewatched certain scenes so many times! You definitely cheer for the couple and it's hard to stop watching. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did/do! ;)

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Opposites attract and create very deep love stories

Strange strength is that of love that transcends the barrier of distance and time, mocks prejudices of all kinds and also manages to perpetuate itself in art as an inspiring paradigm for future generations.
But there are loves that break, in addition to social and temporal molds, those of carnality and logic. How, why, for what, are just the first questions in the face of the inevitable evidence of these powerful attractions.
We don't know if it's because of something in physics or chemistry, but it's no lie that opposites attract and create very deep love stories. Perhaps it is these differences that make them feel a strong attraction towards each other and, what's more, if they complement each other healthily, they will be able to have an almost perfect relationship for life.
However, patiently overcoming obstacles to get to that point will not be an easy task!
When a series becomes a mass phenomenon, regardless of whether or not it has its cinematographic values, it is because it touches some intimate fiber of that audience that occupies their armchairs in front of the television to enjoy it. With '나의 별에게' ('Naui Byeolege, Na-ui Byeol-e-ge, Naui byeorege'), English title 'To My Star The Series I', from 2021, which has only already been seen by millions of viewers in everyone, proves the axiom.
Because? Its theme, which was evidently the driving force behind its success: the differences between the two characters, one of them a famous celebrity and the other an ordinary chef, in addition to telling about a homosexual relationship. Their lives will be shaken when one of them, who flees from the press and his followers after being involved in a media scandal, is forced to leave his comfort zone and will cross paths with someone who does not want to leave it.
The Korean BL drama, in 9 episodes, revolves around Kang Seo Joon (Son Woo Hyun), a famous free-spirited film and television celebrity who goes into hiding after being implicated in a public scandal. At his hideout he meets Han Ji Woo (Kim Kang Min), his new roommate, an introverted and conservative man who leads a modest and unpretentious life.
Forced into an uncomfortable situation, they begin to share their personal stories, fears, and dreams. Despite his fall from grace and not having started the relationship on the right foot, Seo Joon believes that his luck changes when he meets and falls in love with the boy who represents his antithesis. While they spend time together, between the actor and the chef, who move in two very different social spheres, a romance arises,
Seo Joon is not only famous at the peak of his career, playing the leads in hit dramas and television variety shows, as well as high-profile advertisements, he is also outgoing, extravagant and very charismatic. Accustomed to being the center of attention, his personality is pure magnetism that attracts other people to his presence; while Ji Woo, who always tries to go unnoticed and not experience any upheavals in his life, represents the humility and simplicity of a down-to-earth boy who prefers a quiet lifestyle with simple pleasures, such as cooking or hiking.
And against everything predictable, one falls in love with the other and what is worse... it is reciprocated.
The series, by director Hwang Da Seul, who took her time to weave the story, with the meticulousness that characterizes her, worked like a craftsman in her eagerness to recreate every detail about a topic that she is passionate about: boy love, as he did with two other dramas: 'Where Your Eyes Linger' (2020) and 'Blueming' (2022), and the short film 'Inner Me'.
With a simple, but captivating and visually emotional plot, the novice filmmaker, recognized for her creative abilities, shows that it was no coincidence that she won the Award of Excellence at the V Catholic Film Festival for her 2018 short film 'Spring That Summer' .
To do so, it was based on Park Young's script about a romantic relationship between two initially heterosexual boys. The film exposes prejudices about homosexuality in Korean society and, above all, in the world of arts and culture, reflected by Jeon Jae Yeong (Kim Pil Hyun), Seo Joon's crisis and talent manager. , upon discovering the budding romance between the two protagonists, but later he will become an accomplice of the two lovers. The series also reflects the role of the media and social networks in the public's perception of youth idols.
Emotionally charged, 'To My Star' captures the essence of intimacy, vulnerability and unconditional solidarity within the queer community, with two young people navigating their gender identity and cultural background as its narrative heroes. Through an under-researched focus on BL storytelling and powerful performances, the series explores the complexities of human connection and challenges conventional notions of love and intimacy.
The chemistry between the actors is palpable, allowing the depth of their relationship to shine on screen. As the story unfolds, their interactions are conveyed through silence, abstract soundscapes, and textured cuts, creating a captivating visual experience that immerses the audience in their emotional journey of self-discovery and acceptance.
With good intentions, successful gags and sharp dialogues, the series immerses us in the relationship between two young people that, due to misunderstandings, does not start well, but as they live in the same apartment and enjoy cozy and intimate moments together, they will open their hearts.
Since Freud we know that sexuality develops together with subjectivity. It has to do with the pleasure that can be experienced in the body from the bonds built with another.
This reality does not escape the director. While they got to know each other, See Joon and Ji Woo began to learn to enjoy themselves and each other, that experience that shapes our relationship with pleasure, that of each one of them and that which we share.
Soon Woo-Hyun, the actor who plays See Joon, and who worked with the director in the short 'You Ghosted Me for a Week', from 2021, is usually worried about work and the mess in which he finds himself involved, But he tries his best to spend time with Ji Woo.
This, despite the seriousness of his character and overwhelmed by the presence of a being as overwhelming as his roommate, is the first to fall in love. The way he initially builds a wall of protection around himself in front of the other, the glances he steals from Seo Joon in the first episodes, the intonation of his voice and the strange blink when he doesn't quite know how to act when Seo Joon He moves around her, his facial expressions, his gestures, his entire body, express that he likes her. However, he is cautious, as he suffers from disappointment in love in the past and does not want to be hurt again.
Kim Kang Min, the actor who plays the character of Ji Woo, and whom we know from his debut in 2019 with the SBS series 'Stove League', unlike the famous Seo Joon, lives with his back to the world of celebrities. Employed in his friend's cafe, he is actually a talented chef, but his culinary skills are not shown to the public of large hotels and luxury restaurants.
Pretending to get along with the roommate, Seo Joon insists on befriending Ji Woo and spending time together. Those beings with two very different personalities will little by little get to know each other and enjoy each other's company.
As the days go by, the camera captures the moments of the two boys getting closer. Through silence, abstract soundscapes and textured cuts, the intimacy between Seo Joon and Ji Woo is conveyed in a visually striking way, resulting in genuine and authentic performances that resonate with audiences.
Although it does nothing new or innovative with the premise, the diversity of conflicts they face, their psychological complexities, and the emotional evolution of the characters, add layers to the narrative and weave an intriguing web that keeps viewers in suspense.
'To My Star' explores the idea that true intimacy can be found in the simplicity of sleeping next to someone, in sharing those small moments and spaces of everyday life, transcending the physical act of sex, even if it is artistically fine. recreated, shown.
The series challenges social norms and invites the viewer to question their own perceptions of intimacy and love, while presenting a snapshot of the complexity, tenderness and vulnerability that people experience in unconventional circumstances, such as living together and the relationship between people from two different worlds.
The direction and cinematography contribute to the artistic and visually appealing quality of the series. The deliberate use of images and narrative style create an atmosphere that demands the viewer's attention and encourages introspection and invites reflection.
With a fairy tale ending and a clear resolution for its characters, 'To My Star' successfully captures the beauty and power of love, and serves as a reminder that true intimacy can be found in unexpected places and that love transcends social expectations.
With the final credits, I was able to conclude that I was looking at an audiovisual full of conceptual proposals related to gender identity, personal and social psychology, and the configuration of individual and collective destinies, in a country where today LGBT+ people continue to be discriminated against, and whose paths today, in the 21st century, cannot end up united in a marital alliance, as the refusal to legalize marriage between people of the same sex by a conservative society persists.
In this sense, the series contributes to the struggle of the members of that community in the defense of their trampled rights.
Note: The review of the film of the same name can be found, in MDL, on the page dedicated to the series on the platform.

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really disliked the second couple

it was fine. the drama was fine. was it the best thing I've ever seen? no. but it was fine. but, man, I could not stand the second couple. by the 8th episode, I ended up fast forwarding through all their scenes. I would have much rather had more scenes with Woosik or the father than them.

I liked the first couple, even though there wasn't much to their relationship. I've never been one that needs tons of making out to be satisfied with a relationship in a drama, and you don't definitely won't find a ton of making out here. you'll barely find a couple of kisses. but that was good enough for me.

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Endearing sweet funny series

I found this series to be sweet and endearing. It is a fun lighthearted BL with lots of overdone comedy and cuteness. the teacher-student relationship was nicely played and developed. The leads are fun to watch, I wish they had more intimate moments, but the chemistry was there and the show of growth was nice to see. The cast was enjoyable to watch and it all looked like a fun fast series. I watched it in one sitting and I found it to be funny and sweet. The only down part is I would have liked to see more intimate moments and show them more together as a couple. the side couple was cute but wish they showed them being intimate more as well. The story was well developed and the series has a lot of good parts that made you smile, laugh, and feel affection for each other, but I wish only there were more intimate parts like holding hands and kissing more that would have shown more chemistry. I really enjoyed the series and would recommend it if you enjoy light hearts sweet school boy first love stories.

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Love Can Define You

Director, Editor and screenplay writer they are very intelligent the way they handled the story
I think there is some budget problems in production side dew to this problem they compressed the story to budget friendly
If they didn't do that we can able to see more episodes and complete story
So many cut off and edited patchwork scenes in this drama
But even so they can manage to give good outcome in this way they are intelligents
All the artists are deliberately lived in to Characters Especially main lead chemistry & their screen presences is Lovable & cute
--------------------------------------------------------------------Thank you all-------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Memorable. Ep 1-4 are very thoughtful & Ep 5-8 are more melodramatic.

General spoilers only. "You can't help if you fall for a boy or a girl, or someone else." About multiple characters who feel different from "normal" in various ways. Characters experience a lot of yearning and pining (a lot of it is romantic in nature though characters also yearn to fit in or to find their place in life too), internal struggles and insecurity, and waivering back & forth.

The two main characters are blood-related siblings, so this is best watched with a non-judgmental approach, otherwise you might want to skip this one. There is also an openly gay secondary character and a tertiary character who loves their step-sibling (not related by blood).

There are great messages explored throughout the screenplay about questioning societal norms, mores, and expectations (especially when it doesn't hurt others- the people who feel like outliers are the ones that are hurt by trying to conform to other's opinions), deciding what's right for one's self, not being passive in one's own life, and more in that vein.

Nothing is handled lightly, by the story as a whole or by the individual characters. Various concerns about each character's feelings and their situations are explored. There are voice-over thoughts from multiple characters.

This is NOT a spicy story. There is some skinship but not a lot, two light lip presses, and one brief scene near the end that only implies the two lead characters slept together.

Technically I would rate this a 7.5/10 overall, but there were a few things I loved about it, and it engaged my thoughts and emotions enough to be quite memorable so I'm giving it an 8/10.

The first half is well crafted and thoughtful. I would give Ep 1-4 a 9/10. The second half gets more melodramatic in ways that I found excessive at times and I would rate Ep 5-8 a 6/10; the plot starts feeling less realistic and increasingly stretches credulity. A couple of actions or reactions didn't feel quite in line with a character's previous build. Overall I still found it pretty satisfying though; it helped that the show starts at the end before going back in time so I already had an idea of how things were going to work out. That allowed me to mostly shrug off the frusterations in storytelling and character actions as I watched things unfold in the second half.

All of the actors (except the mother) were very well suited for their rolls. Suzuki Jin, Yamashita Mizuki, and Ito Asahi were especially enjoyable to watch and almost immediately got me invested in their characters. The mother, on the other hand, is extra in a way that is not written or acted particularly well. Which makes her even more annoying. Luckily she's not around much.

General Spoilers below.

The number of times people dramatically drop to the ground (in faints or illness) is ridiculous. I could handle one, but after that it breaks credulity.

I loved one of the internal thoughts of a character with unrequited love. The character being daunted by the difficulty and hopeless pain of it was so relatable; "You want to be best friends forever? Then I can't tell you forever."

FYI SIDE NOTE ON SUBTITLES:
I could only find this streaming in the USA on KissAsian (as a last resort) in February 2024. Ep 4-8 all had lagging subtitle issues. It would be fine for about the first 15min of every episode and then the rest would lag behind by multiple sentences.
So I recommend checking if this is going to happen in whatever platform you find it on before starting to avoid frusteration.

Edit: I ended up downloading the video and subtitle files on my computer in order to re-watch it properly.

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I had this marked on my calendar from the moment I heard about it & not disappointed.

I'm a fan of the contract marriage trope mostly coz majority of them go from hate to love, which is my cup of tea. So, when I first heard about this drama, I immediately added it to my "plan to watch" list.

Read a few people's comments that the actress is not that good or the drama is not that good. In my opinion, the 2 episodes I have watched were good. Right now, they are more interesting than "Dr Slump" or "Flex X Cop" for me. The first episode starts out a bit slow but halfway through it and I was hooked. The 2nd episode is real deal. It kept me interested for the entire duration of the episode and now I can't wait to watch what more unfolds.

3rd and 4th Episode: How adorable can the ML be? Both episodes were so fun to watch, from him saying "I'll steal you from my brother, make you fall in love with me, and dump you" to him going "I like you" in period of 2 episodes was so funny. He was also so bothered when he decided to change his approach and set her up on a blind date. She wasn't really that bothered about the blind date, wouldn't have been if the guy hadn't turned out to be pervert.

5th Episode was pretty much the ML saying horrible things about FL. I get the enemies to lovers trope needs some of that in the beginning but the descriptions he uses for FL are not tasteful at all. The FL was pretty hurt when she overheard stuff he said about her but had to pretend that everything was okay. She didn't even receive an apology from him.

6th Episode was ML going out of his way to ignore FL because he finally accepted that he liked the FL. He tries so many different ways to get over her, but remain unsuccessful. While I didn't much like the ML in 5th episode, I couldn't help but laugh some of their shenanigans.

7th Episode was so short. I wanted more of it. Everything was good, I'm on tenterhooks, waiting for the moment when ML finds out why the FL is marrying his brother. I hope he is accepting, but from the promo's it doesn't seem like it. Just finished 8th Episode, wow, now there's only two weeks worth of episode left. I feel like why is this one so short? And yet I can't wait to reach the end. Ai yo, I see the the current dynamics between the two, but the ML still thinks that the FL doesn't know the truth about his brother. He doesn't even know that she is in it for the her personal reasons. Waiting to see how he is going to react once he finds out.

9th ep: As expected, the ML was bound to find out that FL knew about his brother and the fake marriage thing. She should have told him, but the situation is overall shitty. This is the reason, I wasn't excited about them dating each other, at least clear things up first.

10th ep: This was such a good opportunity to have everything out in the open and make things somewhat right for everyone, but no, according to the Kdramaland cliche, the leads need to separate for some amount of time before they can have their happy ending, otherwise the world would fall apart.

11th & 12th: I'm so sad that its over. They break up in 11th, we have a 1 year gap and they get together back in 12th. 12th episode was so damn good. It didn't feel rushed, the ending was a bit weird but acceptable. I do love the scene where he both FL and 2ndFL keep throwing him at each other, you take him, no you take him.

Everyone kept talking about Kim Bum cameo, but I can't get over how gorgeous Lee Soo Hyuk looks as a groom.

Coming to the actors, like many viewers I do think that Moong Sang Min can do better as an actor. He is a treat to watch, but many of scenes seemed a bit awkward and not as emotional as the character deserved. But I just can't see any other actor in the role. Hoping to see more of him in romcoms. Jeon Jong Seo was a perfect fit for her role. I wouldn't mind seeing these two work together again.

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An okay watch for a Suzuki Jin or Noona-romance fan.

Suzuki Jin is what got me through this. He is a good actor and charasmatic enough to keep me watching and to make me want a good ending for his character even if the screenplay is written simplistically.

While the screenplay does bring up various concerns one might have with an age gap romance, and social and familial navigation, it doesn't explore them well or deeply. It's not very insightful or thoughtful. A couple things come up repeatedly though they feel only partially discussed (like they're being used as a writing crutch), while others are resolved with unrealistic ease. There's way too much going on with the plot and side people so there's no time to explore things with more meaning. Character psychology and development stays simplistic as a result.

The set up is insanely fast. There wasn't adequate time for me to get invested in the characters before they started doing things that strained their likability. The first Ep of 20 min has Mayuki confess to Shino and them starting a relationship of sorts and growing some feelings, then it's all angsty struggles from then on. Shino's character was bland and I couldn't get invested in her.

There is a good amount of sweetness, skinship, and hugs, and a couple of kisses. The hottest scene is in the first episode (shows a bit of the lead up to the two main characters sleeping together).

Some suspension of disbelief is required for various things throughout the story.
General Spoiler below.
(Ex: who would start living with the person they are in love with and *immediately* leave their home in that state of disarray every day? Especially when it's a usually thoughtful character who is still trying to secure the other person's affection! That really came across as a forced plot point because the writer needed it to happen early on to prompt the "kid" arguments.)

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What's cooking? In this series, Nothing

This story is your standard Thai rom-com droll series, treating gay relationships like infantile, immature, puppy-love versions of Pollyanna tales. Not that it is not cute; it is. Not that it is not entertaining; some of it is. Not that it does not have good messages and themes; it does. But it is tedious, boring, and unchallenging with not a shred of originality to the story or plot, although the food looked awesome. And the actors all (save one) could have done this series sleepwalking. In other words, it is standard stuff, cliché-driven, with lots and lots of triteness thrown in for good measure. This series gives new meaning to the term ‘light-fluff’. Again, there is no point summarizing the story. Take parts from a slew of Thai BLs and you got it. Their love story weaves and bobs through many what seem like endless banal episodes. Both acting as if they are in grade school rather than in college. The acting in this series by the main performers is standard. It is cute and some parts of it were entertaining, and they delivered their lines well. In terms of intensity of a relationship, there just was not any.
You can read the rest of my review of this series at BLBliss.com.

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