Completed
Sa Kao Duen
6 people found this review helpful
Apr 8, 2019
15 of 15 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 6.0
This review may contain spoilers

Prepare for a long nerve wrecking journey

Right Kratai (Sakao Duen ) is a 16 year old girl, when she arrived to Thailand with her dad, on their way to visit some family members there was a surprise waiting them, that's Sakao Duen's grand dad & his right hand, such a coincidence Songklot is a doctor returning back home to see his sick mother also in the same train and in the same compartment.. While she was trying to run from her grand dad, she hides in the bathroom, cuts her hair with the knife, Songlot had shaved, she finds his jacket, wore it and starts to run. Kratai taken from her dad, so that her dad could marry the daughter of an ambassador, she's been brought to grand dad's house and her cousins and aunties behaved terrible to her, but later on being send to other aunt's house. That's how the story begins.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Songklot played an important role in Sakao Duen's life but he eventually fell in love with her, but also trying to court her aunt.

Kratai was a proper tomboy who grew up without her mother only with dad.

How about the cousins and aunties who are desperate, jealous of Sakao Duen / Kratai, every single episode if one doesn't cause a problem the other one does.

Wanting the guys who doesn't want them, and even after they have been told they love someone (sakao duen / Kratai ) else, they continued to chase the guys

On the other hand Aunt has got a couple of guys who are trying to court her. I couldn't figure out whether the auntie really loved Songlot or she thought he's the best of all. I admit one was a loser , some needs to be desperate even thinking to be with him. She had another guy a business man who was trying to court her, and I thought he was more matching to aunt comparing to Songlot.. Auntie Lek is a grown up woman from Songklot's behaviours, the way he looks at Kratai / Sakao Duen, the way he gets worried about her, the way he can't stop thinking & talking about her, should have set the alarm bells on. If not when he was so worried about Kratai / Sakao Duen when they want to send her to Private School or when there was a fire in the farm all should have set the alarm bells for the aunt. But it didn't, she had all the hopes..

Kratai / Sakao Duen & Songlot took long time to understand or admit they love each other. Songlot asked about love to his brother & sister in law, they described it to him, and he only those symptoms with Kratai / Sakao Duen..

Prince understood way before Kratai / Sakao Duen had been send to private school for 3 years. Later on after she's back while Songlot and Prince talking he warned him that he can't court both aunt and niece, and he doesn't want him as a son in law because he's indecisive.

When Kratai / Sakao Duen was in hospital unconscious the way Songlot looks at her, the way he wants to touch, kiss but can't, it hurts a bit.

But he also pushes her away from him.

It's nerve wrecking, Kratai & Songlot has enough screen time but not even a proper kiss, they stare, touch, all sort of childish games but no action.

If I was Kratai, I don't think I'd have ever forgiven a man like Songlot..


It's not bad, but it's not superb either.

I don't think it has a rewatch value

Oh Forgot to add nearly all the leading ladies are younger than New, even the auntie.

Also nobody had changed physically except Kratai during the 3 years she's been away from home in school.

Even the little kids are still at the same height... They aged grand dad a bit.

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Completed
My Queen
6 people found this review helpful
Jan 27, 2022
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
This review may contain spoilers

Almost made it

I started watching this series with high expectations. I was also pleasantly surprised to see some elements of improvisational acting games that I have participated in here in the States. So again, really had high hopes for this.

PROS
Song Che - this character was probably IMO the best one. His comic timing and reactions were phenomenal. His facial expressions were great. He lit up the screen every time he was on it. Then the interaction between him and Zhe Xiang just sang. His last line to her about letting him lose to her forever was epic.

Murong Chen - this character was a perfect foil for Yun Ya. His ability to deduct and get out of doing things was fantastic and funny at the same time.

Chang Kong and Xiao Ai were perfect as servants And their love story was touching and heartbreaking.

The use of video game actions at the beginning of the series was well done. I liked how each character had a particular part to play, similar to a party of players in a D&D game.

CONS
Now the bad. Jiang Meng Meng - I had a major issue with the main character of the series. Her immaturity when presented with the fact that her love interest is living a double life just blew my mind. While her character in the "game" was 17, I was under the impression that she was at least 25 in real-time. But the level of childishness she showed, her unwillingness to listen to someone she had been traveling with for some time and who had put his life on the line more than once for her, by this time I was ready to reach thru the screen and slap her silly.

Then when she is presented with her love interest making the decision to save his brother, which he has told her he was going to do all along, her irrational reaction was way overboard. She had already decided that he didn't love her or wanted her, so why was she getting all bent out of shape?

I was also not impressed with the dark downturn the storyline took. Throughout the first half of the story, you portrayed the heroine as fairly upbeat and happy-go-lucky. But the minute she is presented with dark forces, it's like she doesn't even exist. I'm sorry, most people who are naturally upbeat and happy are pretty hard to change personality-wise. But she flipped 180. Blew the story for me.

And the last 4 episodes or so, when she had reached level 4 of her training, and her love interest had come back for her and then accepted the treatment she gave him, it was all I could do to finish the series. But by then I was committed to finishing it. But it was difficult.

But none of this compares to the last episode. WTH guys?! What kind of ending was that? I just about threw my drink at my TV I was so frustrated with how the series ended. Not a happy camper.

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Completed
Lesson in Love
6 people found this review helpful
Feb 5, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

Lesson in Love ... plot twists and karmic connections ... don't be fooled by face value

This series is a wild water ride of tragedy, plot twists, karmic connections and misdirection. It starts slow but keep watching as it will take you on a ride that you least expected.

For me, this was ? EPIC ? storytelling. Don't be mistaken thinking this was a story of a sordid little affair between teacher and student ... there is far more to the story than the description lets on ... the plot is a complex one, the psychology runs deep across multiple characters and yet it flows seamlessly ... it takes you very slowly at first and then before you know it, around half-way, you hit dramatic 'white water' and then things get really rough ... there are twists and turns and hidden rocks below ... what you thought the story was about ... is not what the story is about.

Your emotions are going to get a beating, but at the very end of that intense 'white water' ride of a drama ... the waters suddenly slowed to a gently flow ... at last you could 'float'. I had tears at the end as well, but these tears were of a different kind.

"Lesson in Love" ... yes it was ... and it was a lesson for many of the main characters in this series ... including the viewer watching it. It is a series about people, their pain, their loves, their hidden stories and drivers ... it is a story about unexpected degrees of separation between everyone ... it is the story about the 'face' value of someone's life and actions and the fact that people are definitely not always what they seem to be and because of their hidden lives and/or because of their failure to communicate, it is all too easy to jump to conclusions and 'see' someone's life and what they do to be something that it is not and "kill" them for it.

I have two MVPs in this series. The first is the ML Zhang Yi Xiang ... he is a character that runs deep and is far more that his public face value ... he is so he is 'pure' even when the whole world is against him. I admire that kind of integrity and tenaciousness ... age is not necessarily an indicator for these attributes. Edward Chen did a stellar job with that character.
My next MVP is Yi Xiang's Pa ... not only was he a hot Daddy, but he was just gold in how he respected his son's self determination and saw through the game plays of people around him. I so agreed with him when he said: "if you are not hurting anyone, why would I oppose it." ۹(^ᴗ^)۶

AWESOME series ... I am glad I watched to the end ... I am glad it was not what I thought it would be when I started watching it. It was brilliantly acted, the script was amazing ... nothing was irrelevant at all ... the art of misdirection was superb ... WOW what a ride ... and best of all a HE ...۹(♡´◡`♡)۶

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Completed
Introduction of the Princess
6 people found this review helpful
Dec 1, 2015
44 of 44 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 8.5
I still haven't figured out why this drama holds such a special place in my heart, but it really does. Even after rewatching it multiple times and seeing the flaws ever more clearly each time, I still love it.

I simply love the story and find it fascinating enough to be rewatched again and again. While the story is not without its plotholes (more so due to drama not explaining some of the characters' backstory when necessary therefore confusing at some parts) the actors in their respective roles are getting it done, and general chemistry of the cast gels everything together. Every relationship I can think of that actually mattered in this series had good development backed up by good chemistry ...whether it is as lovers or unrequited love, to twisted familial relations between mother-son, husband-wife, siblings etc. One of the strengths of the drama lie in the deep portrayal of the different dimensions of the characters, illustrating who they actually are and what they mean to one another in an unspoken/mutual way at the end of the day before all that royal status.

The acting in this one is really good with the best performances coming from the older royal generation (both the male leads' mothers) and the male leads themselves - Wallace and Yan Kuan as the respective kings of rival states. Both are impressionable and very well-casted for their characters, that I cannot imagine anyone else portraying these characters. Wallace as Liu Liancheng will make your heart as torn and perplexed as the character himself. To date this is still my favorite Wallace Huo performance and role even though the amount of time he gets is little compared to his other works. As for Yan Kuan I've decided he is not a man of our time, capturing the quintessential ancient male hero all too well in every possible way.


The drama is one big show of eye candy - be it the gorgeous palace sets and costumes of the different kingdoms and particularly the very attractive and talented male cast. If there is anything Ruby Lin is doing right in her first producer stint, it is her eye for casting .

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Completed
Rookie Agent Rouge
6 people found this review helpful
by Soju
Jun 5, 2017
45 of 45 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 7.5
This review may contain spoilers
When I had first decided to watch this drama I didn't know what I was getting myself into. At all. I'd never seen a war drama per say, and I didn't know how this would turn out since it was set during the WW2 era~ the only reason I'd decided to watch this was because Zanilia was in it and I was on a solid Zanilia Zhao marathon, having watched 'The Mystic Nine', 'The Journey of Flower', and 'Cuo Dian Yuan Yang' before this, and also rewatching 'Boss and Me' for the second time as well.



I must say though, I was sucked in so fast I didn't know what hit me! I went through this like a storm, episode after episode till 4 in the mornings! It was crazy, but the thrill this drama presented was amazing. I really loved this drama, and maybe you will love it too.



--



YOU WILL LIKE THIS DRAMA IF YOU:



+ Like Zanilia Zhao



+ Love badass female leads



+ Devoted, badass male leads



+ Like Spy dramas



+ Like war dramas



+ Like a crazy second female lead ~ and like to see her going crazier with constant defeat.



+ Like a very complicated but thorough second male lead. (Ah, Song Mian. I love you.)



+ Like villains you can not really come to hate. (It's crazy, but the main Villains seemed more gentle than most characters here~ especially the female second lead.)



+ Do not mind character deaths. This is a war drama, people. You'll see a lot of character deaths. Trust me.



+ Don't mind crying.



+ Like happy endings.



--



I hope you fall in love with both Song Mian and the main male lead just as I did. I hope you cry and laugh with triumph. I hope you question the confused feelings in your chest about have about the main villains. I hope you learn to appreciate and forgive these characters just as I did. But mostly, I hope~ that you come to love this drama just as much as I did.

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Dec 25, 2018
1 of 1 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
It’s a very simple and short classic drama. The style of narration resembles a documentary because of the fragmentary nature of the story and cold light of the filming. We watch Young Joo (played by Park Yoo Na) and Sung Chan (played by Kim Min Seok) as members of the curling team playing on the ice. We can hear the stones slide on the ice and strike against each other as if we were present and watching the match.

Youn Joo is always angry and we don’t know why. Her frustration and anger escalates, and she can’t escape from emotions of the past. The relationship of the main leads could develop smoothly, but it doesn't. The problem of the guilt and redemption, dealing with conflicting feelings, avoiding confrontation with that what happened, make this drama to be something deeper.

It’s a good drama and acting of Park Yoo Na and Kim Min Seok is very natural and convincing, but what is interesting in this is the director’s job. If you like a bit artistic and minimalist drama special, you may like this one too.

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Completed
Material Queen
6 people found this review helpful
Jun 3, 2012
22 of 22 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
I must admit it, the beginning of this drama wasn't very interesting to me. However, as I continued to watch the show, I really enjoyed it and couldn't stop. The chemistry between the two lead was excellent and I could feel their love and passion. Furthermore, the storyline was very good as there were obstacles to their love through the story and each one of them was not useless and didn't feel like a cliche. The fashion was very nice too, it didn't feel as if they didn't have enough budget.

As the drama ended, I wished to see more but there wasn't... I really enjoyed this show and hope the beginning doesn't put you off if it does :)

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Completed
Forecasting Love and Weather
6 people found this review helpful
by Doril
Apr 3, 2022
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 5.0
Story 5.0
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 3.5
Rewatch Value 3.0

Confused Like a Cyclone that Dissipates and Leaves an Unclear, Cloudy Day

This show was passable but lacked a unifying storyline necessary to tell a compelling story. It delivers a complete beginning, middle, and end, but I found that it failed to innovate the tried-and-true Kdrama formula in any meaningful way, and didn’t execute the plot in any special way. You may find some joy in watching it, but I think that it will not satisfy you, unless you are a megafan of the cast or crew.

Before it aired, this show seemed like a guaranteed high-quality, mega-hit. For its production, you have the relatively-new NPIO Entertainment who were riding high from their 2021 Red Sleeve, a veteran director whose last major work was the Baeksang winning When the Camellia Blooms, and a screenwriter whose credits include the well-liked Dr. Romantic series. For its lead cast, you have Song Kang, who somehow managed to be in 3 productions during COVID-filled 2021 while still winning hearts of fans everywhere, and Park Min Young, sometimes considered one of the most beloved actresses for romance-genre Kdramas. It seemed like a formula that could not fail and at first it seemed like it wouldn’t.

The series came out of the gate like a strong typhoon blowing ships of the water. It tried the unique formula of treating weather forecasting like a high stakes medical diagnosis that would either save or doom the patient. To be honest, I found it both completely ridiculous and mesmerizing: they showed scenes where the predictions were a highly-controversial, still-science discussion similar to how surgeons might debate a sick person’s treatment in a hospital show. They showed potentially life-and-death consequences of the weather, like accidents caused by unclear weather. It was as if meteorology was actually weather manipulation and the national weather service was comprised of super scientists who toiled 24-hours a day to make this happen. By episode 2, I was actually on-board with this TV blueprint.

However, it quickly abandoned this strategy and devolved into a typical family-style Kdrama, whose main characters happen to work at the same place. Moreover, the show piled main and side character storylines that didn’t really have too much cohesiveness with each other: you have main characters that try deal with mismatched expectations about marriage, two-timers that got married and are dealing with the challenges of marriage, a stoic man who gets attracted to the main character’s cartoonist sister, a woman who needs to completely take on both familial and work responsibilities to support her husband, and an estranged husband who tries to reconcile with his family. For me, not only were there too many plot threads, but also no real link to the weather theme of the show, aside from some hasty weather analogies, like the tagline of this review. You could have moved all the characters to a law agency, a hospital, a stereotypical office, or pretty much whatever line of work you wanted and it would have changed nothing.

Moreover, I was really confused about what message the story wanted to send: is it trying to tell us something about work-life balance? Is it trying to show us different perspectives on marriage? Is it trying to tell us to think about the difficulties of weather forecasters? This confusion led to my ambivalence about the character development too: I wasn’t invested in the break-ups, the make-ups, or other evolutions of each of the protagonists as it didn’t feel that each of their individual plot lines were working toward any kind of grand scheme. My internal monologue towards most of the happenings of this Kdrama would probably be “that’s nice.”

Other elements of the show didn’t work well for me either. I usually don’t tend to focus on KDrama OSTs as they are usually all the same, high quality tracks or background music. However, for this one, the OST was so just forgettable: aside from the Cheeze track featured in the trailers for marketing, I don’t think I can tell you what other songs were in this show.

The acting worked, but I don’t feel that the actors and actresses were given much to work with, so I don’t feel I could really comment on whether they did a passable job or a spectacular job. You kinda have the standard, in-love-modes, sad-modes, angry-modes, and other stereotypes that just match the average storyline.

Overall, I’m really disappointed with this one. I watched it until the end due to habit, usually doing things like washing the dashes, and I found it really forgettable. It’s possible that Song Kang or Park Min Young brought you here, but unfortunately if you’re looking for a compelling, unique, sensible story, this is not it. It starts with a whirlwind and leaves on a cloudy day: it's not the bright, warm, sunny weather you were hoping for, but it's also not a horrible, destructive typhoon. It just is.

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Completed
Hope or Dope
6 people found this review helpful
by Shoi
Apr 30, 2022
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 6.0

Dark themes in a light way

What I liked?
1. Plot
It was something new and refreshing. We get to see a lot of different people, from different backgrounds, dealing with different stuff. This drama was pretty much fast-paced, so I absolutely wasn't bored, while watching
2. Character portraying
Also not typical. Almost all of the main characters (maybe beside crazy mum) are morally grey. Their characters are very realistic - they don't have a lot of luck, sometimes they are acting very emotionally, just as we all do.
3. Production (graphic)
As for web series, I was really impressed. The colors were amazing, my fav of it all was the top floor in the motel. Besides that, whole show was giving this special "youth" vibe, but not in this standard, highschool and a bit cliche way (it has to be said, I am not a fan of highschool drama), but more serious (still not very dark)
4. Format
Sometimes, especially when I am tired by the day, watching long dramas can be even more tiring. I also don't like a lot of filler scenes. Here, we have 10 eps, which was for me ideal for this kind of drama

What I didn't like?
1. Lack of romance
Don't get me wrong - I really enjoy no-romance dramas and I watch them a lot. But as for series, which genre is romance, I would expect something more. Chemistry between main leads was pretty much okay, but I am kinda disapointed, as I expected something more
2. Untapped potential/ plot holes
I know there will be a season 2, so I am hoping for explanation. There was a few unexplained things, which for now doesn't make sense, but we will see how they are gonna to solve this, But also I am not a big fan of more then one season (this is one of the reasons I stopped watching most of the Western shows)
3. Why did they all hate that one character?! I completely didn't understand how could they could hate character for what they parent did..?

Overal, I pretty much liked this series. It was good, nothing special and won't be in my mind for a long time, but fun to watch. If you want something quick to watch, with cool vibe, but not boring - I reccomend!
If you reading this, I hope you will have an amazing day/ night! <3

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Completed
Chains of Heart
6 people found this review helpful
Apr 30, 2023
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 1.0
Story 1.0
Acting/Cast 5.0
Music 3.0
Rewatch Value 1.0

What did I just watch?

Seriously, what was this? Although I'm sure these actors could produce good work it will definitely be with a better script and director. It felt far too long and like the overall story could've been helped by some judicious editing. I never felt any connection to any of the characters and felt nothing between the leads or even the second couple (they felt like such an odd pairing, no natural chemistry at all). We could've learned about smuggling and illegal wood trade, novel topics for a bl, but it is peripheral and haphazardly told. Finally, the fight scenes really needed a fight scene coordinator and some training on the actors' parts. Some scenes it was so bad I actually laughed out loud. I want my 8+ hours of my life back. This was basically a cheaper version of KinnPorsche but with no plot, romance, or reason for existence.

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Completed
Summer Snow
6 people found this review helpful
Mar 23, 2015
11 of 11 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
Some people may be put off Summer Snow because it is showing it's age a bit, but I urge you to not let that stop you from watching this drama.
Summer Snow is a beautifully written, beautifully acted Japanese Drama which will surely touch anyone who watches it.
It deals with many different topics surrounding family life and romance in a very real way and does not fall to some of the cliches that some dramas use.
The ending was both brilliantly written and unexpected which I find unusual in a Japanese Drama, which just adds to it's timeless quality.
I recommend this drama to anyone who wants to watch a heartwarming tale, and you may just shed a tear or two in the process.

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Completed
Love in the Moonlight
6 people found this review helpful
Jun 28, 2020
18 of 18 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 8.0

Fairytale kind of romance

I loved this drama. If you're a sucker for romance and a clichè type of storyline, then this would do it for you! Plus, I never realised how charming Park Bo Gum is till I watched this drama! The two main leads have really good chemistry.

Only thing is, the female lead started out bold and gutsy at the start, but halfway through she sort of lost her voice and was always appealing either scared or sad.

However, it's still a good watch, with plenty of cute scenes between the leads!
OSTs were alright, nothing that memorable.
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Completed
Vagabond
6 people found this review helpful
by Kes
Oct 17, 2020
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.5
Thrilling, fast-paced and loaded with gripping action sequences, Vagabond has certainly raised the bar for action-packed kdramas.

Vagabond starts off slow and sloppy with subtle plot holes and unimpressive lead characters. If only there were less talking and more of swift buildup on the first half, the pacing of the story would have been far from faulty. However, the flaws went unseen as the veteran actors help elevate this series while Seung Gi and Suzy Bae show off their charisma and chemistry. There are also fleeting touches of humour which made it a lot more fun to watch.

On the other hand, the elegance and visual coherence of the set pieces have given this kdrama a discernible impression. Although the big-deal stunts aren't that many, they will still make you jump up and down with exuberance.

Overall, Vagabond is a gratifyingly clever, booby-trapped thriller with the right amount of fun and swoon. Lastly, to those who are skeptical on watching this series, I will give you a piece of advice: don't let the first half's boring dialogues get into your nerves because the exciting action awaits on the later part.

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Be My Favorite
6 people found this review helpful
Aug 14, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.5
This review may contain spoilers

Lightyears of Poetry

I believe everyone at one point or another in their lives has wished for the chance to go back and change the past, do things differently, fix past mistakes, etc., I know I certainly have. What Be My Favorite does so well is show that making those changes isn't as simple as we might like to think. It requires personal growth, pushing outside our comfort zone, thinking about more than just oneself and sticking around to maintain those changes, plus a touch of magic, of course. This drama was so beautifully done, so well thought out and executed, it has certainly become one of my favorites.

The story, dealing with time travel, could have been great or a total flop. The way it was handled made it great. Rather than getting into the mechanics of time travel and trying to make it too sci-fi, it explained just enough for things to make sense and didn't go any deeper. The story as a whole though did feel deep. This isn't just a fluff drama, it actually has substance and quite a lot at that. It touches on various issues, but rather than being preachy like some dramas get, those elements were added in an organic way that flowed and worked within the story. Those issues included LGBTQ+ rights both as a whole and more specifically the lack of those rights when it comes to medical care, alcoholism regarding both the pros and cons of drinking alcohol and why some may choose not to drink and that is totally okay, and grief in understanding that there are some things that simply cannot be changed and learning to grieve for that loss, but also accept it. Despite the sci-fi elements, there was a very realistic feel to everything. Aspects such as the gap between the rich and poor were shown, how someone does in school does not define them or their abilities, that we won't succeed at everything and failure is a part of life but doesn't need to define it, and our actions truly do have consequences both good and bad.

The pacing is very nearly perfect. There are one or two spots that are a touch slow, but not obnoxiously so. One aspect that I really liked was the way the passage of time was handled. Comments, brief shots of calendars and the like helped make it clear that time was passing. But the crowning touch was the montage in Episode 10 which was absolutely perfect and so much better than a sudden time jump. Not only did it provide a myriad of cute moments between Kawi and Pisaeng, but it also showed how their relationship had progressed over time. Other dramas should take note, this is the way you do it.

I don't think there was a single character that I didn't like in some capacity. No one felt superfluous, they all served some kind of purpose. What helped was keeping the cast pretty tight. Yes, there were scenes with more characters, but they kept the core group small. Not having a second couple helped a lot and allowed the full focus to be on Kawi and Pisaeng which was good since the build up of their relationship was a bit of a slow burn. That focus enabled them to better show their changing feelings, particularly with Kawi. The best part of their relationship though was the communication between them. I cannot even describe how refreshing it was to see such a healthy relationship portrayed where both parties truly respected each other and actively sought to communicate with each other. Even better was that it was shown throughout and was a core aspect of their relationship. And the importance of communication was echoed in other relationships, between Pisaeng and his mother, Pear and her parents, and even with Kwan and Knot.

Kawi was a great character. His growth was so well done as he learned to step outside himself and take his life in his own hands to influence it rather than just letting things happen to him. He made conscious decisions to fix things and make changes to himself. It was his willingness to acknowledge his faults and then correct them that enabled him to change his future. Pisaeng was another great character. Similarly to Kawi, he had his faults, but he too was willing to address and correct them as he actively listened to the criticisms he was given. His obvious respect for Kawi as a person and as a lover was clear and refreshing. Also refreshing were the characters of Max and Pear. Max was not just the token gay friend, he was a fully realized character who served as a sounding board for both Kawi and Pisaeng. And his advice and comments were usually pretty on the nose. He supported them both unconditionally while adding a good dose of humor at times. Similarly, Pear was not the token female friend. Again, she was a fully realized character and, as a woman, I cannot describe how much I loved that. She wasn't the jealous ex-girlfriend or wannabe girlfriend and her only purpose wasn't to be a supportive friend, though she was that. She had her own hopes and dreams as well as struggles that she had to deal with. Communication was again a key element with her in regards to her relationships with both Kawi and Pisaeng. Pisaeng's lack of communication regarding his feelings towards her was actually a source of pain for her, despite the fact that was exactly why he hadn't said anything, so he wouldn't cause her pain. It showed that sometimes silence is not golden and being open is actually the better option.

I've seen most of the cast in at least one other drama if not more, so I had high expectations for them and they did not disappoint in the slightest. Having only seen Krist in SOTUS, I was excited to see him play a character so polar opposite from that of Arthit. He was phenomenal, completely embodying the character of Kawi with all his quirks and awkwardness. And his chemistry with Gawin was fantastic. They played off of each other beautifully and had such a great connection. I will say it's a subtler chemistry than seen in other BLs, but I really liked it and felt it worked within the context of the story. I've seen Gawin in a few dramas and was thrilled that he finally got a leading role. He acts a lot through his eyes and he does so effectively, this time was no different. Despite having less experience than other cast members, he absolutely held his own. Aye is a seasoned and talented actress that I've seen in several dramas. She did a great job at giving Pear depth and really making her emotions and turmoil understood and felt. Similar to Gawin, Aou is less experienced, but I've found him to be quite a versatile actor. He gave a grounded feel to the character of Max as well as a certain level of assuredness that gave his character more substance.

The production was very well done. The cinematography was beautiful and the music was fantastic. Both Krist and Gawin are very talented singers and they certainly did the soundtrack justice.

Despite the numerous lessons and themes woven into the plot of Be My Favorite, I think one of the biggest takeaways is simply to live in the present. Too often we look to the future, imagining how things might be and we miss what's right in front of us. Kawi's life improves when he stops looking to the future and instead lives in the present. I think it's a good reminder for all of us. I cannot recommend this drama enough, it is truly one of the best I've seen, one that I foresee I'll be coming back to multiple times.

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Completed
Cinderella and the Four Knights
6 people found this review helpful
Feb 8, 2018
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.5
Story 5.0
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 5.0
Why the title says 'Cinderella and Four Knights?' I think its more like 'Cinderella Babysitter in Action and Four Adult-Child'? Lol. I think the story is too cliche.  I don't find anything exciting from the drama, except the visual, is good (the cast are good looking and eye candy, as well as the house and other settings, ). The story is total sucks and does not make any sense. It's like being forced and unnatural.  The ending is too rushed and not memorable. Some the actors or actress may be new... I find their acting is not that great yet.  The only thing that I like is Park So Dam. They did a great job to cast her, She is adorable and fit to be the main lead.

The heartwarming scenes are all forced too... I can't sympathize at all.  I think this drama is overrated too much or just not for me.

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