Reviews

Worth Every Minute

Story
The story of this series is simple - theation re are two families at odds, and the children of these families have a history that brings them together and keeps them together. There is a twist, the non lead sibling is a bit protective of the antagonistic family. We find out little details in between that lead to an unbreakable bond between two cast members. We see all the bumps on the way and how they forge this really RELATABLE attraction.

Acting/Cast
Before I saw episode 1 - this was an excitement. Ohm has always been a favorite and Nanon was really coming up. I expected them to have good chemistry, but I was absolutely blown way. After episode 3 - hell I was hooked. I understood why people did not like 1 and 2 - but i knew there would be something more coming after - and I was not let down. Everyone's character evoked the type of reaction the director wanted. If we wanted to be angry at a character - EVERYONE WAS ANGRY - if we wanted to feel bad for a character - EVERYONE FELT IT - It didnt have to be some convoluted storyline to evoke false rage in a cringe weird situation that wasn't plausible -- The emotions came out. And our leads. Holy SHIT. what a fantastic duo. There couldn't have been anyone else in GMM TV to do this. The trust with each other as actors, the love between the characters and their portrayers, the trust in the cast and crew, simply blown away. I have only felt this way twice before, in I told Sunset About You and Until We Meet Again. Less so in UWMA - I think Ohm Thitiwat had to grow into his character more, but he still pulled it off. Here, though, 1000 stars

Music -
When we got Just Friends? - we died. Knowing the significant of that OST was interwoven into the show. It was done in a way that was simple overall, but damn, so significant. When to OST changed for end credits, WE KNEW IMMEDIATELY - then we got Secret. It gave so much power to the actions of the characters. This was Pat falling after Pran, but falling so DAMN hard. Then P'Aof tries to mess up up again - with Our Song. Which has been playing since the beginning. And the significance of that being the underlying them throughout - My god When Pran sings Our Song in Ep 11 - it was so damn emotional.

Rewatch Value 10+
You haven't seen each episode 10+ times? WTF



Overall

I'm a little late to the BL world. I honestly didnt start till right before the pandemic. Started Dec 2019 with SOTUS on netflix. I loved Kongpob. Made my way to SOTUS S on netflix because I wanted more. From there, YT suggested Dark Blue Kiss which was still airing and Love By Chance i think or 2 Moons - Well, i just watched them all. SOTUS was my first

after those, Youtube suggested Until We Meet Again - 4 episodes were out, but i didnt know that. I watched the first 4 and then couldn't find episode 5. (It wasn't out yet). I just expected them to all be out. UWMA was the first one i watched weekly. It was so different it quickly became my favorite (After a 17 week involvement).

I've loved shows since, I've watched many weekly - Light on Me, FUTS, ATOTS, - And I enjoy the differences in them and what they offer. Even if its silly - Sometimes need a silly break.

But Bad Buddy Came along - and it wasn't the silly parts of the fights, it wasn't the story - The story is pretty basic.

But it was something simple. Love is love, and how do people in love work around that love.

There are things in this show I've done, and have realized, and have kept me around with someone - its an understanding

its an understanding that there are things when you are 20-25 that happen - sex, sniffing, pheromones, etc

there are things that are hard if you aren't out - family

friends - can be tricky but true friends are there for you

you have some people you rely on always - PA (then Ink - then korn then wai) - but wai is a bitch

And its not perfect, but you can whether that storm.


Im sooo damn happy with the realization of what a happy gay relationship is like. This is the first and only show that has show that a couple is 50/50 - and it takes 2 - it takes so much effort for that balance and its NOT BASED ON SEX ROLES.

The top was a dud - 5 min
The Bottom was a 10/10

Things are fluid - and they are wonderful. And Loving, and there for each other, and someone who will walk BESIDE them -




Thank you for this BEAUTIFUL portrayal of an LGBT relationship.

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A Superb Chinese Historical Drama

A League of Nobleman was a superb drama. It was also intriguing, entertaining, and amusing. I think the cinematography, CGI, music, and costumes were remarkable. The cinematography was practical and realistic. Some of the costumes were dapper and exquisite. The actors and actresses look good in their costumes.

Speaking of the actors and actresses. The ensemble cast was a match made in heaven if you know what I mean. The main actors had great chemistry. All the actors had great chemistry with each other.
The main actors acting performances were splendid.

You know what I like about the main protagonists, Lan Jue and Zhang Ping. I like that they weren't warriors, fighters, or immortals. They're just humans with strengths and weaknesses. They are just humans trying to get through life.

Zhang Ping's detective skills were fantastic. He was intelligent and clever. He solved cases like they were nothing. Not only was Zhang Ping smart and clever, but Lan Jue was also smart and clever. The crime cases were visceral. There were some visceral moments in the drama that left me breathless. The twists throughout the drama were clever and unpredictable. The season finale was bittersweet.

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Want something sweet to watch on an afternoon that will make you smile? This will do.

STORY: Same as the details section but I add that she wants to draw a BL cartoon.

Total run-time: approx. 2 hours over 8 episodes, 15 minutes each; a binge-worthy series.

ACTING/CAST: Cute cast and fun to watch, especially Joo Seung Joon and Yoo Ji Wan!

MUSIC: Sorry, didn't pay attention.

REWATCH VALUE: Hell yeah! Gotta see this once more.

OVERALL: Funny, sweet, cute, hot guys, though it is short but I felt long enough to tell a fun story. I might mention there's no overt BL in this but it is suggestive enough to enjoy it. It's got a happy ending too.

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Only if you are a fan of fight scenes, Mik or Louis

Would I recommend this lakorn?

Yes - if you like action, more specifically hand combat because even though everyone went around carrying guns, they would rather fight. The hand combat is probably the better part of the show with Mik as Dave and Louis as Drago coordinating well and duel fighting against the bad guys.

No - if you are looking for romance. Very little chemistry between the main couple. Visually, they looked good together, but their interactions were rather stiff. Other than some hugs and a forehead kiss, and lots of "Are you OK?" from the ML, there was nothing else to satisfy the viewers. There was much more chemistry between the two male leads with their constant nodding and exchanging of looks with each other. There was definite romance for the secondary couple. Even then, it was a little unbelievable since the girl did so much bad stuff to the guy, so he's a total doormat to me.

No - if you are looking for a good story execution. Everything is kind of weakly linked together and some loose ends were never explained. This drama could have wrapped up without the extra 10 episodes, but the director must really like fight scenes since that was at least a showdown between the good and bad guys in every episode. Also, the bad guys were always around because the good guys must really wanted to make merit and they would never kill the bad guys. In fact, they constantly welcomed them back into the group. With this group of leads, you get infinite chances to do all sorts of evil stuff because the leads just never learn their lessons. It's like rinse and repeat - "Oh we got attacked doing this...that's ok, let's do it again because it cannot possibly happen again...ooops." Or someone is told not to leave the safety of the place because she's targetted and the next minute, she does exactly that...

Maybe - if you are a fan of Mik or Louis. They carried the show, more Louis in my opinion. They looked good and they did well in the fight scenes. Preaw did not impress me at all. She constantly had a shell-shocked look and her character was just ok, a little weak and useless. She's pretty much there to be a damsel in distress. Even though she can shoot a gun, no one gave her one to protect herself even though everyone else had one. She was constantly hiding in the best spots to be caught. Her strength is that the Naga won't eat her.

Speaking of Nagas, they showed up during some crucial moments but they were not featured much. The story was connected to them but as I mentioned before, kind of loosely. The story was also about past lives, but the plot development there was bad, and I think they cut out scenes since those scenes were shown in the ending credits but not in the show itself.

The best part for me is the romantic OST. The intro rock song was interesting but way too long. It was about 3 and half minutes long and really dragged into the start of the show.

Overall, I started off enjoying the show but it got too draggy. I would ask people to give it a watch and feel free to skip some episodes since you won't miss much.

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Aaahhhh cutenesssss

I just loved this drama. The actors are both stunning, found their acting really natural. Their chemistry is also on point.
I just loved the vibe this drama has. It’s so relaxing, no unnecessary drama between the characters, villains etc. It is a realistic love story of two childhood sweethearts. ().
Usually I don’t like these types of dramas, but here the childhood sweethearts trope worked well with the whole story and it was a nice addition to the romance.
I am no scientist to give an opinion about the whole "love experiment" thing and its accuracy in real life lol *this is a drama after all* so I don't mind it. I think it was really creative.
I really appreciate that this drama has almost no dubbing at all. It' s a bonus for me: I usually hate dubbing, feels like it takes some of the authenticity of the acting. I prefer the actors' real voices. In the case of this drama, the male lead's voice is amazing, so glad they kept it authentic like that.
The female lead is so cuuuute. I loved her. Usually I find the female characters in such dramas quite annoying, but here she was just such a sweetheart.
The male lead is so handsome. And aaaahhh, again with this voice. I can’t wait to watch him in more dramas.
P.S. I forgot to mention there is, at a certain point, some heavy topics related to family and child-parents relationship. Still, really well done, made me feel even more empathetic towards the main characters.
Really recommend it!

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Wow, I'm a new member here and cannot believe that I am the first to write a review of the Legend of the Condor Heroes 1994. It's a most underrated series that I must have watched over 50 times. If you've read the novel by Jin Yong then you should like this series as its the most accurate adaptation of all the ones I've seen. There's no fluff and draggy scenes. 35 episodes worth of storyline pretty straight out of the novel. Some of the dialogue between the characters were from the novel too. Looking back, Athena Chu did a pretty good job in the lead role as Wong Yung. For me Athena has played the role better than other actresses that I have seen other than Barbara Yung in the 1983 series. Young, pretty, smart and devious. Julian Cheung as Kwok Jing and Gallen Lo as Yeung Hong were respectable male leads. Julian looks heroic and handsome. Gallen looks sly. Suitable for the roles. The costumes I didn't mind. Although putting Kwok Jing in a pink costume at the start was weird... It is what it is for a 90's drama I guess. The ending song by Julian Cheung really ranks up there with some of the best songs in wuxia drama series. Overall it was a well made series. Jin Yong adaptations these days may have breath taking views, slow mo/stop freeze computer generated special effects fighting etc but the storylines just don't cut it. Sometimes simple is best. Also they seem to select weak (sissy) looking male leads that don't look heroic at all... I give this series 9.5 out of 10 and I've consistently watched it again and again in stints. It's 35 episodes so easy to re-watch.

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prepare thyselves

one word.
intense.

this wasn't your typical high school romance where the fl and ml bump into each other and they instantly make their vows for an everlasting future together. yeah this isn't a fairy tale.

in here, we have the exploration of different themes such as the feeling of first love, the gravity of loneliness and what it can make people do and also the aftermath of one's choices.

to be frank, i wasn't entirely sold on how this teacher who is definitely broken and has many deep rooted issues suddenly fell for mr. kanai.... however, i do like the portrayal of that eery aura of ms. minigawa's character. the creepy smiles and ill intentions under the saint-like interior and you have a recipe for a nasty nightmare.

the interactions between the main leads are quite interesting and while everyone are rooting for these two to have a happy ending, i find myself thinking the opposite. yes, they are cute together. a mutual understanding was there and they comforted each other at their lows. with how they started out as replacement for each other's unrequited love, there is bound to be some time needed to recover from that.

i kinda found their farewell a bit dramatic because they're obviously still going to see each other in school lmaooo but i do love the ending and seeing hanabi meeting with her new friends; something she didn't have before.

overall, this was nicely written and well produced with heavy elements on the psychological aspects and yeeh smiles are creepy now.

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I totally loved this! Gourmet took precedence for me over all the currently airing or newer dramas I have been watching this week. I just couldn't stop watching and lost a lot of sleep in the process. It's a really heartfelt drama centered around family drama and food that I think many would enjoy. I thought I'd put in a good review, because I think it deserves higher ratings than it has.

THE STORY: I was hooked on it from the first episode. It's about a father and 2 sons who run a renowned historic restaurant serving traditional Korean food. What I really enjoyed is the way the father-son and brother-brother relationships are played out. There are good guys and bad guys, but the bad guys are relatively well-rounded and realistic. You can kind of see their point of view and feel for them. The actors all do a great job bringing these characters to life. Kim Rae Won is really likable as the the sincere and naturally talented chef, Sung Chan. Kwon Oh Jung is good as Bong Joo, Sung Chan's overly-ambitious brother. And Choi Bool Am is endearing as their father.

The story touches on themes like balancing modernization with protecting tradition and heritage, living up to your parents expectations and finding your own way in life. It's relatively realistic for a drama. Just like in everyday life there's a little bit of everything - some fun moments, some sadness, rivalries, competition, jealousies, heartwarming and supportive friendships. There is some romance. It was cute, but not the main focus of this drama.

THE FOOD COMPETITIONS: The plot involves not just one food competition but several cooking competitions. And it all looks so good to me. I want to taste it all. There is a lot of focus on the food preparation and the drama of coming up with interesting creative recipes that will outdo the competition. I love watching cooking competition shows so I really get into this aspect of the story and find it exciting. And I don't know much about Korean food so it is really interesting for me to watch them making it and see how they eat and appreciate it.

THE PACING: I read some comments about it being slow. I didn't find it slow, but I can understand why some people might feel this way if watching people making food or talking food doesn't interest you or you prefer dramas with more focus on romance or thrills. But I thought the pacing of the story was just right. Every scene had its purpose and moved things along at a comfortable pace.

Maybe it's not everyone's taste, but this drama left me feeling happy and satisfied just like a good meal. It's definitely one of my favorites!

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What She Put On the Table is a mini series inspired by Taiwanese TV chef Fu Pei Mei's (fiction) novel, but is also inspired by Fu Pei Mei's own life and recipes.

The series has two timelines, one in present day in which a son goes to check on his grandmother in the hospital (essentially to collect money from her), and one in the 1950s/60s that follows two women, Ah Chun and Fu Pei Mei. These two women are drastically different (poor/rich) but their lives come together over a series of events. Each episode is split between the timelines, as the grandmother reminisces people and recipes of the past.

The story was always engaging, had beautiful cinematography, and had consistent pacing throughout. It was more on the slow-paced side, but that's also just the reality with Q series and nearly 1.5 hour long episodes. None of the characters were perfect, but each of them relatable. I thought the characters' diversity of backgrounds and interests reflected Taiwan's society from that time - a clash of old immigrants from Guangdong, new immigrants from Beijing, KMT soldiers, PRC sympathizers/sleeper agents... The back and forth dialogue with Mandarin and Taiwanese can be expected from Q series.

Though the drama was interesting, rewatch value (especially for me, who rarely rewatches dramas) is very low - it's a very well done drama with characters that were sweet but not something addicting.

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A Genuine Surprise!

This series tricks you. It lulls you into thinking it is going in one direction, only for that to be a ‘red herring’. Or maybe not? That is what made this series so immensely enjoyable and entertaining to watch. This is honestly a beautiful series to absorb because it takes you from the expected to the unexpected. More importantly, you feel these characters.

This is ground-breaking in a sense that it tackles a fairly common condition with dignity and gives it a plausible ending. This is often a misunderstood medical condition and hopefully this series will shed some light on something that often brings pain, aguish, guilt, and confusion to an induvial no matter what direction the person has chosen to lead.

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A different twist to the 2007 remake.

Well, being a 2022 remake of the drama, it contains different elements when compared to the 2007 version.
Some changes are quite obvious, being the usage of smartphones or Bluetooth headsets (Smartphone usage isn't that common in 2007)
Also, there is some setting changes in terms of romance (more focusing on the Komue-Osugi pair), the office scenes is toned down quite significantly due to much shorter length of the drama (8*21 min episodes when compared to 7*45-60 mins episodes of the 2007 version) and how they swapped their bodies.
Osugi has become a much more important character than the 2007 remake (and there is some twists being included that is not seen on the 2007 version)

It is a light hearted, easy to watch drama in general.

Overall I would recommend you to watch both 2007 and 2022 remakes as both dramas has their own charm on it.

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Best decision I made was to watch this drama! I have never been so engrossed in a tv show. The cast had such fantastic chemistry and their acting was on point. The plot continually develops and there are no loose strings left behind in the story (everything connects). I honestly wanted more romantic screen time between Ha Ri and Min Joon but I feel like they had the best chemistry in comparison to other couples I've seen. Honestly, the best drama i've watched and I'm planning to rematch it now and then. This is such an underestimated TV show and I honestly don't understand why very few people have seen this. It is AMAZING!!!!

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A Cherry Christmas!

Cherry Magic has that magic to unite all BL fans to swoon over Kurosawa and Adachi's relationship. Not going to lie, I too fell into that booby trap. I've gone into the show expecting myself not to get obsessed over it. However, I was proven wrong and head over heels on this show.

The show's idea is straightforward. The show started with Adachi who received a birthday gift on his 30th birthday to read other people's mind when there's physical contact with others. Adachi wasn't used to this lifestyle and one fine day, he came into contact with Kurosawa in the elevator and found out Kurosawa's seven years of s̶i̶m̶p̶i̶n̶g̶ crushing on him. Therefore, the adventure begins, and Kurodachi was born.

So what do I love about this? Firstly, the show has presented such a sweet relationship between Kurosawa and Adachi. Every interaction the two had left me screaming as I was watching it because they're so adorable? And patient with each other? And communicate when they have conflicts? And they've seen each other at their absolute worsts? Count me in. I love that their relationship in this show brings out the best of both Kurosawa and Adachi. It doesn't change their personality; it makes them stronger, more confident and helps them be the best versions of themselves. They were already good. Love just made them realize it. I also thought it's refreshing since there isn't any talk about sexual orientation and stuff; it's only two people falling love which turns out to be two men. We need more love stories like this!

However, there are no shows without flaws, and I have to point them out.

The 2nd couple was very odd. While I like the two characters individually, their relationship didn't stand out to me. Their relationship progression leaves a strange taste in my mouth, especially with them doing it RIGHT AFTER they got into a relationship. Sadly, I wasn't emotionally attached to them compared to the main couple.

The last episode also fell short. I am not a fan of the breaking up at Episode 11 and reuniting in Episode 12 (the last one, excluding the extras). It's just a plot device so overly used in romance stories. I agree that the conflict has to be brought up in the 2nd last episode but to be immediately settled in the last episode? The conflict was resolved way too quick for me. The sudden outburst from Adachi and my boy Kurosawa tearing up to make up in the last episode as if nothing has happened previously doesn't sit right with me. Also, Adachi's rapid change of mind to do it immediately do it with Kurosawa felt OOC for me. I had unanswered questions about why he wanted to do it. I thought the show should have more episodes because the conflict resolvent was very unrealistic for me. I wasn't sure if Adachi wants to lose it because he was ready or he wants to give up his magic to live an ordinary life with Kurosawa because he feels like he's too dependent on his powers. Even though I like the ending, I just wished that the show could have been dragged on a little longer. Hence, I couldn't give the story a 10.

So, why did I still give a 10 in overall? Well, this is a show I've been begging my friends to watch it. I loved the first 10 episodes, and I kept rewatching it because I love the relationship here. I was just so touched, and as an ace, this is such a great representation. If I don't give this a 10, it will break my heart. In conclusion, this is a wholesome drama that every BL lovers to watch. I will always question how a story of 30-year-old working adults brings me more joy compared to teenager's first love stories.

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An easy watch :)

This drama is a relatively easy watch. I am a big fan and admirer of ZYX but putting that aside. This review is wholeheartedly my honest opinion of this show.

First of all, the cast is good looking. Everyone is pretty much good looking and pretty however, I have to give extra attention to ZYX outfit changes in this drama. She looks like she’s on a runway in every scene when she is in the workplace and even when she’s out. Regardless of her small short and slim figure she rocked the outfits and looks for her character. The male lead looked great with the spectacles. Really completes the whole mysterious domineering vibe he had going on.

Their acting was good as well which is no surprise there because they won’t be casted if they weren’t right? They all were able to showcase the emotions and personalities of their respective characters making it theirs and making the once fictional character come into life and allowing us to be a part of it by witnessing it.

I have seen their chemistry behind the scenes and I can tell it was a comfortable and positive atmosphere and working environment for everyone allowing better results. And I have to add the chemistry between ZYX and the male lead real life friendship they have is so sweet and swoon worthy. I was the one guilty of watching those bts scenes rather than the actual drama because it was so sweet which explains why there are speculations of their actual relationship.

The plot of the drama is easy, entertaining but nothing too complicated nor intense. It’s more of you thought it would be intense due to the numerous factors but it end to be wasn’t. ZYX character at the beginning can be seen as frustrating but I urge you to keep watching because there is more to her character she is a badass that for the courage to love someone who is actually right for her. So please no hate on her.

The hate should be her ex bf and the male lead ex gf who just infuriate me throughout. You ll get it when you watch it.

The romance and passion elements is there nothing too much but the kiss scenes and the swooning scenes is able to make up for it.

The end scene wrapped up the drama just nice where they were able to start a whole new life with one another. Which is so sweet.

You know if I were in China I would be all over and voting for them and the show but I m not so I can’t emphasise enough that this is a good watch and the actors were all great.

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