Reviews

I'm still confused

At first I thought that the problem was me - this is a series that seemed very interesting based on the trailer alone, so I wondered if I my expectations were too big to begin with.
After watching 10 episodes (and having a hard time finishing the last two), I realized that the problem is in the series itself.

First of all, the idea that is supposed to be at the base of the series is not very clear. At the beginning I thought it would be some kind of spicy enemies-to-lovers story, but the ingredients weren't quite there - the reasons for Uea to dislike King so much are not solid enough to be convincing, and King's opinion of Uea at the beginning is a complete mystery. When the FWB situation started, I hoped that these things would be explored more as the series went on, but it never happened.
Instead of that, the story took an unexpected turn as it revealed Uea's turbulent past. I didn't mind the presence of such themes, but I was expecting them to be taken seriously and to be explored properly, which (again) never happened. If anything, it looked more like whoever wrote the story wanted Uea to have as many traumatic experiences and toxic people in his life as possible. I started to wonder if someone in the production team believes that "trauma is sexy" or something like that.
The series itself ended up failing with both the FWB story and the abuse survivor story, by never diving deep enough in either theme. The agreement between Uea and King becomes secondary very quickly, and Uea's problems only seem to grow in number. The relationships between the characters (not only Uea and King, but also their friends, colleagues and family) were also never shown properly, making their interactions always sound ambiguous - I was never sure whether one was supposed to be a close friend or a well-intentioned acquaintance. The miscommunication (which I was half hoping would not be there) and the awful pacing did the rest of the work to ruin it for me.
The acting is good enough, but since the story is so lacking in the first place, I was not able to enjoy it as much as I wished to. As for the music, it was too repetitive to add anything to the scenes. The sexy scenes were pretty mostly because the actors themselves looked pretty, I believe.

I was able to finish the whole thing thanks to some miracle, but I have no intention to touch this series ever again. I wish the writers chose one route and did it well instead of adding so many elements and handling them so badly. Its potential was wasted entirely and I can't bring myself to recommend it to anyone at all.

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I liked the drama even though each episode was short. I don't even know the actors but I admire their partnership and they both have chemistry. I hung up on episodes and hopefully have season 2. I still want to watch them. The actors are acting well especially the main characters "the couple". Honestly, I just tried to see if there was a good movie or drama series that wasn't boring to watch and this is what I tried. The first episode was already exciting, so I really followed it until I finished episode 14. Then, I waited for the next episode to download. Until the episodes were downloaded and I watched until the final episode.

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finally a good gmmtv show

I decided to give this series a shot after I saw Mix in the first episode of Fish Upon the Sky, and instantly fell in love with his smile. So, yes it was a very shallow reason to watch but oh well. Turns out this series just made me fall in love with him further. He is so extremely talented for a newer actor, and he portrayed Tian is such a good and realistic way. This series does a good job at handling the concepts of loss, tragedy, and rebirth. It focuses a lot on our main character who was very self-destructive at the beginning of the story getting a second chance in life and then going on his own journey of self-realization and growth. He grows so much throughout the series and was extremely easy to root for. He was always doing his best!! The other main lead (played by Earth) was a bitch push and pull, because at some moments he was likeable and at others he was not. It was at times hard to keep up with him. Also this series probably has one of my favorite coming out scenes in any series ever!! I kind of enjoyed how the romance was more focused on the feelings of the characters and them learning each other instead of overly physical aspects. Very enjoyable side-characters and actually mostly cast members that I'm okay with from GmmTv. This was truly a gem with a garbage fire (perhaps I'm a bit of a GmmTv anti).

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2020 hasn't had any good lakorns but My husband in law is a very good refreshing lakorn. It's a cute love story and the chemistry between Mark and Mew is beyond amazing. They both did so well in this lakorn.

My husband in law was my most anticipated lakorn of 2020 and I honestly was disappointed after watching the first few episodes. I almost dropped the lakorn because the whole hacking story was boring but I came back for it and I'm happy I did. The beginning was stalled for too long, the hacking story went on for too long which made the lakorn lose essence. However, it picked up after episode 7. Mew was no longer hiding her feelings and Mark was slowly falling in love. The moments they spent together was so cute until you realize Mew did all this because she was leaving and that made everything so painful. I really felt her pain because she loves him so much. She did so well playing a girl holding onto her first love while knowing it's not hers to hold, the pain was so real. And in the end when they realized how much they love each other, the sacrifices they were willing to make for one another left me speechless. Such love exists. Mew spent all her youth loving and dreaming about Mark and now her dream is no longer just a fantasy, it's coming true.

Overall, this lakorn has showed me love and even though the beginning didn't start off so well, I did love the second half of the lakorn a lot.

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Just another kdrama with bad ending

Drama starts off really good
Becomes boring in mid episodes with repetitive story feels like a loop
Predictable for most of the part
Toxic couple
The only thing that kept me going was the story of the side characters
They could have made Na-bi discover female empowerment. They could have made her realize with Jae-eon that no one deserves to go through an abusive relationship. What about Jae-eon saying he fell in love with her at first sight? This was never a crush because if he really had fallen in love with her, he would have had intentions of getting into a serious relationship with her from the start. And not just after losing her
End's

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I think "Circle: Two Connected Worlds" is the perfect sci-fi binge drama I was hoping it would be. With only 12 episodes, and such a compelling story, I easily finished this in two days. The most interesting thing about this drama is how it's literally split into two different stories, so it almost feel like you are watching the original and the sequel at the same time, and you're basically waiting for the stories to eventually connect. The first part is set in 2017 (which is actually the past and called “Beta Project"), and it has more of a sci-fi thriller feel. This story centers around a disturbing trend of suicides at a school that are more than they seem to be. The second half is set in 2037 and has more of a sci-fi fantasy feel with a detective edge (called "Brave New World") which took a little more time to grow on me. I do think the fantasy world was imaginative, yet realistic, for just 20 years into the future (I want those phones), but I still was more into the the story set in 2017 involving the 2 brothers, the suicides, and this mysterious "being". The Brave New World part of the story has more of a dystopian society feel, that is equal parts "ideal" and creepy. I guess which you prefer may depend on what genre you prefer.

Those looking for a romantic drama should know that this falls more in the category of bromance. The story centers around the relationship between twin brothers played by Yeo Jin Goo and Ahn Woo Yeon in the Beta Project episodes, and Gong Seung Yeon rounds out the trio as the mysterious Han Jung Yeon. There are so many twists in the story that I am hesitant to talk about any of the characters too much, but it's fun to figure out who's crazy, who can be trusted, and who the heroes will be. Yeo Jin Goo as Kim Woo Jin definitely has star quality that I remember from "The Moon that Embraces the Sun", and "Missing You", where I think he was better than his "older" counterparts. He is the deserving star of this drama and I think he did a great job. I was initially less impressed by Gong Seung Yeon and her blank face stare, but I really started to like her as well, and I'm impressed by how beautifully she cries.

In the 2037 cast the stand out is Kim Kang Woo as Kim Joon Hyuk. It's initially very hard to figure him out which I think is a good thing for this kind of story. This is the first drama I have seen him in, so I had no expectations for him, and by the end he made me tear up. I also really loved Lee Ki Kwang as Lee Ho Soo, his reluctant side kick. This was another character that really grew on me as the show progressed.

The rest of the cast, in both worlds, were really good, even when some were, almost comically, acting in an over the top manor. The villains in particular were definitely extra wide eyed crazy. But all the characters were played well, and those who had a matching future counterpart were matched pretty well. Even the kids were super cute, so I have no cast complaints.

Now, the story is definitely full of complicated and confusing twists, and some of the logic may not work if you pay too much attention, but in general I thought they did a good job of keeping the story constantly interesting, especially when the two stories started to merge more. There may be some holes in the science that I'm sure you could find, but what I liked about the story was that it was more about the moral questions that the science brought up, than the scientific details. I think they hit on some really thought provoking questions like "What makes us who we are?", or "What creates inner peace?", or "Can science go to far?", or even "Should happiness trump all else?". Those are just a few of the things this drama touched on in this story that I thought were very interesting. There are some other thoughts and themes that would fall too close to the spoiler zone to mention here, so I will just sayI enjoyed the philosophical aspects of this drama as much as the story.

I will say that I have mixed feelings about the end. I think the goal was to leave it open for possibilities of a sequel, or just to keep people thinking. Not every question is answered either, but I think everything that needed to be resolved was resolved, and the rest is just open for interpretation, or a season 2. I could see myself watching this again, because it's not drawn out, and it would be interesting to watch the story knowing how all the pieces fit. I admit that the fact that it's not very predictable is what kept me watching initially, but the story and characters are entertaining, and the surprise element isn't it's only appeal.

Overall this is not the kind of KDrama I would usually watch, but I'm glad I expanded my horizons a bit. I do like sci-fi in general, and love Thrillers, and both of those elements were done well here. This may not be full of rom com antics, but it is not totally without some romantic elements. If you like endearing cops cracking the case, there's some of that too. It's also the perfect length, so there is absolutely no dragging storylines, or rushed endings. I know this personally opened me up to watching more dramas like this one. "Circle" didn't give me the obsessive feels that my favorite dramas give me, but sometimes a really good story told well is all you need!

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VERY Long Fever Dream.

I'm so mad that I don't even want to write a full review at that...

In the beginning during episodes 1-5, I enjoyed the show. I was confused a little bit but still enjoyed! But somewhere in the middle just ticked me off. Like... what the hell is even happening?!

The story is basically about time traveling at this point. The female lead sucks a bit, the male lead is way too nice. No personality after that. The second female lead is just annoying. Woo Do hwan's character was the only one I enjoyed. In fact, he's on my new favorite actors list.

What's even happening in the story?? I have so many questions! How did so many people time travel?? How did it even work?? Why is Luna even involved??

The romance. Oh. My. IT SUCKED! When did they fall in love?! Didn't Tae Eul literally not like Lee Gon the first few episodes?! When did they start dating!? Like. What?

OH! And DONT let me talk about the villain or villains if their were more but, they SUCKED. THEY WERE SOOO BAD! Where they even a main??

The acting was average. Nothing made me feel emotional. Expect for that one scene with both of Woo Do Hwan's characters.

OST reminds me of Goblin but just way worse? It was alright though, nothing that made me die in the inside. I actually enjoyed 1 or 2 soundtracks

I am NEVER, repeating again, NEVER watching this again! Unless I wanna, 1, cringe, 2, change my score 3, just watch for my 3 favorite actors again, or 4, just for memories.

Finishing this show was like a chore. I won't lie, the endings did make me hooked for more even though I skipped basically 80% of the show.

This show is whole damn fever dream. it's like taking Benadryl one day and you dreamed about this. Then woke up and said "what the hell was that?"

Anyway, this show tried to be Goblin a bit, it failed. I don't recommend but if you are THAT much of a fan of any of the mains, check it out. Not even Lee Min Ho, Kim Go Eun or Woo Do Hwan could save this show.

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Niche comedy drama

If you only enjoy idol costume drama you'll just need to avoid this one. This is a niche comedy drama probably only Chinese speakers can understand.
The whole cast has a local accent, not like an imitated one but natural sounding heavy accent.

Story starts out with Chang Zai, a timid cook (ML) just want a wife. He end up standing in for his Twin brother Chang Hai as the legendary sect leader navigating his way through the world of martial arts. I don't think there's really a directional plot because most of the episodes are just silly every day happenings.

Most of the comedy pokes fun of the martial arts world and not everyone will find it funny. I personally enjoyed it on the side and thought it was pretty entertaining.

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I just finished this lakorn today. It's so entertaining, lighthearted and romantic. It's the perfect drama series this holiday season.

I think this got to be the best lakorn this year for me, why? The nang'ek is not a pushover and the pra'ek is very smart. It's quite a rare thing to see in a lakorn series. There were also a lot of pranang scenes that gave me feelings like I have butterflies in my stomach lol. I love the two leads chemistry.

The most special reason for me why I like this drama a lot is because of Paeng, she started as a very misunderstood bratty character who made every person in Artit's life hate her because of her misguided attitude when provoked. She changed for the better because she matured without any trace of her past self at all after many years. She is the one person in the drama whom I think deserves happiness because I see her growth as character. As a viewer I love her to bits and pieces. Best female character in a lakorn series this year.

P.S. I am going to watch this drama again today to see what I have missed out previously. Hehe

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Better Days (2020): A Palatable Pinoy BL Series

“Better Days” was a tasteful Filipino (Pinoy) boys’ love (BL) series. There was a bit of bitterness, but also a little sweetness. It wasn’t too sweet, too spicy, too sour, or too salty -- it was just about right. There was nothing too fancy or over the top about it. There were enough ingredients that made it a palatable Pinoy BL series. For the most part, it was a very wholesome Pinoy BL series.

“Better Days” had a simple plot/storyline about rekindling childhood friendship, confronting daddy issues, and discovering oneself as a vlogger, chef, and maybe even as a lover. It’s also about Pinoy cuisines! Character backgrounds were clear. At first, I was really uncomfortable with the unequal power relations between Kian, the boss, and his house helper Aron especially when the childish Kian was throwing tantrums and the timid Aron was showing signs of lack of confidence. But because of good character development, the issue of unequal power relations was somehow resolved. While it felt a bit short in terms of relationship development, in the end, it was shown in some ways that they support and love each other. Even though it obviously hurt, Kian was supportive of Aron who received a culinary arts scholarship which will most likely mean that they’ll have to be away from each other for quite some time. This was difficult for Kian because Aron made him feel loved. Aron for his part, eventually realized that he also needs to love himself. While “Better Days” had a straightforward plot/storyline, it didn’t shy away from larger societal issues like the COVID-19 pandemic. When Kian’s father died and he couldn’t even bury him because of the COVID-19 pandemic, I was reminded again of the major challenge that our entire world is facing right now. Like Aron and Kian, we are all hoping for better days ahead.

Script was natural and realistic. Screenplay had good comedic (“it’s a frank!”) and dramatic (“you ask every day why were you left behind”) lines.

With regard to acting, newbies Benedix and Chesther were fine. They appeal differently but both of them are adorable. Chesther’s Kian was annoying at times but he’s still cute, lol! Benedix’s Aron was nice... plus, he cooks, lol! Even with the dearth of intimate moments, Aron and Kian’s chemistry was evident. I liked their funny and tender moments together. They were mostly bromance moments but they were alright. Benedix and Chesther fit their roles perfectly. It was also good to see Jomari and Rex as guests on this series.

Audio-visuals were mostly ok. Notwithstanding its small budget, “Better Days” was actually well-made. I especially liked the presentation of Pinoy cuisines and how they’re cooked and prepared (I miss Pinoy food!). The soundtracks “Lahat ay Posible” (Everything’s Possible) by Carlos Dala and “Nandito” (It’s Here) by Benedix were nice.

In summary, I would certainly recommend rewatching “Better Days.” It’s a palatable Pinoy BL series with wholesome plot/storyline, fine acting performance, and satisfactory production. By the way, “Better Days” has Book 2 (hopefully with less of the bromance and more of the BL romance ) to look forward to.

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Ofcourse, One of the best BL I've watched, The suprmacy of Japanese BL!

I don't know where to start, I can't explain the excitement I feel on watching this! As you guys know, Japan is one of the powerhouse of BL, and this one really deserve a 10/10 rating! The casting is sooo perfect, The background music they use!!! It was like they're low key promoting their song but honestly it fits perfectly! I can say that they have the healthy relationship that we're looking in every jbl, no affairs or anything. I love how both of them take care of the love between them and let them grow. from the main characters up to the side characters, they all did a great job! This is worth watching a thoussand times, I swear if this series is already available in netflix, I will never hesitate to rewatch it, and also Im a big fan of naniwa danshi and snowman!! you guys should check it out!! I want to say more about this but I dont know how am I going to eplain this, you guys should watch it yourself and you will understand what am I saying, this series is one of the Best series ever! I dont wamt to drop any japanese bl here because all of them are so freakin good and I dont want to compare them all. YOU GUYS SHOULD WATCH IT!

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Sex in this series is the theme, pure and simple

Erotic, sensual, and steamy. This breaks the mold of every other BL series out there by a mile! It is astonishingly different with twists and turns I did not expect and deeply appreciated the production efforts. This really is an astounding series that needs to be seen to be believed. Undoubtedly, this will not be for everyone and some may not appreciate its darkness or its delve into the occult. While others might not have liked the acting here, I thought it was brilliant, entertaining, and on point. There is a lot of sex in this series. It is one of the most erotic BL series I have seen, and it is not afraid or ashamed to display it. It is raw, lustful, and manipulative in most cases interspersed with a softer, gentler aspect, on occasion. You can review my full review of this very good series (just too short) at ppbongi.medium.com.

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Loved this drama!!!
It's one of my favourite ones EVER!!!
It's such a touching story and my favourite version of it, it's my fifth time watching this and i still haven't got bored of it, you can watch it over and over again and love it just as much each time.
The characters are really believable and the actors playing them do an amazing job!
I cannot praise this drama highly enough, if you're even the slightest bit interested in watching this i strongly recommend that you do, i promise you will not regret it!
This drama had me laughing and crying and sometimes both at the same time! It's a roller coaster of emotions and i become so attached to the characters that my emotions rose and fell when theirs did.
So to anyone who wants to watch this, you will definitely fall in love with it! :D

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CONTAINS SPOILER!

I really loved the drama, everything was perfect and I felt the same feeling when I saw my first drama years ago. It had been years since I had felt this feeling, the euphoria, happiness and tension that filled me happy for hours and hours!

Me and my mother finished the drama in a matter of days and until now we are outraged by the “death” of Lieutenant Lee-

My head is full of more and more theories and I believe he will come back-

whoever created the plot really has a brilliant mind, and whoever chose the cast deserves an award!!! i knew some of the other dramas but i admit i fell in love with others and i plan to watch the others dramas!

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