Reviews

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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A must watch!

Story:
The writing is consistently good from beginning to end. There were no plot holes or overused tropes in this drama. The story flows naturally and it will take you on a roller coaster ride of emotions. It is a family drama. It depicts the reality of life; the struggles of marriage out of high school due to teenage pregnancy, the breakdown of a marriage, the distant relationship between parent and kid, and so on. It even has some funny aspects that will surely make you laugh. It is perfect all around.

Cast and Characters:
I'm not familiar with any of the actors in this drama except for Kim Ha-neul. One of the strengths of this drama is how good the acting is. The lead actors, and even the supporting cast, were all fantastic.

Music:
I loved all of the OSTs. It all fits perfectly based on the theme of this drama.

Overall:
This one is an exceptional drama. It is a must-watch.

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Another piece of evidence that shows why KimuTaku is the GOAT of J-dorama. The rest of the cast also did superbly.

Being a school (or an academy) drama imposes certain limitations and patterns on storytelling, still, it was a great watch.
I set the rewatch value low due to some thriller and investigative elements.

What I appreciate the most in this TV special is the production part. The portrayal of a police academy is concise (possibly as a good PR project from Kanagawa police).

Music/OST is not that standout (typical of one-off TV specials). Ending theme is a good piece though.

Summing up, being 2 parts TV special will take more time to complete, but you will enjoy a different kind of police-theme dorama with a decent cast.

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I absolutely love this story & now I love this version of it more than Playful Kiss. I believe this had more depth to it in character development. Even though Xiang Qin was really dorky at times her dork-ness became cute after a while. I love the 2nd season more than the 1st b/c I got to see into Zhi Shu's character more. I understood his character the whole time b/c emotions r hard to deal w/ especially when u don't know what ur feeling. I love this b/c I help others deal w/ emotions they don't understand everyday. Even though the methods r different (we r not allowed to fight w/ our cts.) the rxns r fun to watch.



This is 1 of the bestest dramas ever and I will watch it over & over & over. I hope others get as much from this as I did.

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I happened to watch this mini-drama/movie at one go. It pleasantly surprised me. I didn't know what to expect since its duration was so short. However, it managed to keep me hooked from the start till the end without boring me.

While the story is cliche in all aspects, it has a certain charm to it. Rainie and Show both played their parts very well. I loved their chemistry and they were fun to watch together. I would say the last episode was a bit cheesy for my taste but the rest of it was fine. I particularly liked Rainie Yang. I've never been a fan of hers before but she seems quite different from her 'Devil Beside You' days. I liked her acting as well. Show also looked hot in this.

Anyway- if nothing, this show is worth watching just for the amazing camera work. I have to say whosoever the director was did a great job of it. He actually made me want to visit Australia. I think mentioning this is relevant since this movie seemed like a big promotion for Australian tourism. LOL.

Worth a watch and maybe some time in the future, a rewatch. Definitely recommended for Rainie and Show fans!

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I seriously love this drama! The suspense and mystery is just too awesome!! The story line is great because it doesn't rush right into each case but builds it up. I love how the first 2 episodes were about how season 1 ended (well of course that is normal for a sequel). One thing i liked about it was that they didn't rush right into it, but build it up and showed it over 2 episodes rather than 1. Also each case was just as suspenseful as the previous one. The ending was just amazing, and like the beginning the last case was split into 2 episodes! They put some serious thought into this!

Can i just say i love this cast, seriously i don't think i can ask for any better cast members for this drama. Every actor portrayed their character soo well.

Joo Sang Wook as Yeo Ji Hoon was just awesome! I loved how his character was hard to figure out because at the beginning you get mixed feelings about him but then as you understand what is going on you can't help it but to love him! One thing i really liked about him was how he became more casual-looking near the end, and that he became closer to his team! One thing i really liked about his character was that he kept me on my toes for the first 2 episodes because his character was seriously hard for me to figure out. But ones i understood his character i ended up loving him more haha

Jo An as Nam Ye Ri was great! i really loved how her style of clothing changed in this season. She looked gorgeous and stylish as well as tough and had the you-don't-want-to-mess-with-me vibe going on. I really liked how her character developed from being a damsel in distress to an amazing officer! I really hoped for Nam Ye Ri to end up with Yeo Ji Woon >.> seriously i wanted more romance between these two Dx (then again it is a crime drama so =/ )

Kim Sang Ho as Baek Do Sik and Choi Woo Sik as Park Min Ho were just great! i loved the random comedy factor that these two portrayed.. though i can't really call it 'comedy' but their relationship made me smile soo much! I love Choi Woo Sik as Park Min Ho, i don't think anyone could have portrayed this character any better! He was just too awesome and funny! I love Woo Sik *.*

I really liked the ost, though there was really just one song, it was still really good because it had that mystery feel to it, which fit totally in with the drama. If i had to choose which season had a better ost then, i think i like the 1st season's sound track more.. That doesn't mean i don't like this season's sound track.. I just prefer season one ost. But i love both songs!

I gave the rewatch value 9/10, which is pretty high, but that is because i don't think i would get bored watching it again, especially Joo Sang Wook's character, he was a mystery to figure out plus i love mystery/crime dramas a lot so i would rewatch it anyways. Also i think i would go over the same feelings and questions over in my mind while watching it again.. especially the ending. Seriously i think i will have to watch the last part of the last episodes over again in order to grasp what is going on xD

Overall, i gave it a 9/10 because i think this is an excellent crime/mystery drama, every episode was great, especially the ending was just too awesome!! Like the 1st season, this season ended with a cliffhanger, suggesting to me that there is definitely going to be a 3rd season!! I can't wait for it *.* I hope they will keep the casting the same because i don't think i can handle a different casting for this drama! Guess we will see what is gonna happen next!

So if you love mystery/crime/investigation dramas then i recommend you to to watch this drama! You won't be disappointed :)

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Angry Mom is seriously a very fierce show but the kind that's so compelling because you don't know where it's going to go or what the characters are going to do next or what line the drama is going to cross. Yes, it's stressful, particularly the first few episodes when I wasn't sure if I was going to like it and stick with it. But by episode 3, with the dynamics and the premise set up, I knew I was going to enjoy it.
I was a little nervous starting this one having heard of violence and intense bullying. I guess you could say I have a weak stomach. But as always, when Kdramas pick a topic, they dig into it and explore it and twist it upside down and analyse it under a microscope.
I found Ah Ran pretty annoying throughout the drama although she has the cutest smile. Even after finishing it, I'm not exactly clear why Ah Ran was acting so mean towards her mother.
Plot-wise, it's actually quite slow. But the slightest development in the drama made me sit up and pay attention. This happened again and again. By the halfway mark, I was wondering what would be the next thing that would capture my interest and all the drama had to do was rearrange the seating plan in the class and bang, I was back on board. Haha.
If this was a book, I think I would be really depressed. There are a lot of bad things that happen but it's like I didn't realise it until I sat back to count them up. The main characters throughout the drama are continuously banging their heads against a brick wall. It's fail after fail so it's unusual for me to be able to be able to stick with the drama and actually appreciate it.

Kang Ja
I knew I was in good hands with this heroine. Her school days were equally as violent but she was the one dishing it. She was quite the legend. The contrast of the sweet and naive mother with Kang Ja's actual personality is really interesting. Ah Ran is the one person who can walk all over Kang Ja. But it's also great how being a mother is part of Kang Ja's personality too. She's bossy and empathetic and wants to look after everyone.
I think the fun part about this is that there's a lot of maturity to this heroine that is lacking in the other characters because she's twice their age. And she understands where they are coming from even though they might present with a false front to appear cool or to remain in the school hierarchy.
When Kang Ja's secrets starts spilling out I like that she doesn't make any apologies. She believes in what she's doing.

Go Bok Dong
I liked him from the start. He's a forced baby gang member and he owns it with his whole tone, language and body demeanour. He's like, really vicious. But most of the time it's his attempt to steer people clear of danger. His actions speak much louder than his words.
I was so tickled pink when he was worried that Jo Kang was ruining her life. It was the sweetest thing ever.
When it comes to romance, Bok Dong has zero swag.
Go Bok Dong really broke my heart actually.
I've never felt so sorry for a character.
He really gets the short end of the stick.
Some of his most emotional moments, are really quite comical and yet it's so important to him I felt doubly bad all at once even while I was laughing.
The actor Ji Soo is really amazing. I was so convinced of his adolescence. His portrayal of a teenage boy unable to deal with letting his heart feel and the way it comes bursting out at random moments is brilliant.
My favourite moments were when he was being scary. He uses his face so effectively to convey his vehemence. He is also really good at crying.

No Ah
He's such a harmless and gentle teacher. I get a big kick out of seeing him scandalised by the other side of the tracks. As his dad says, “You were beaten as a kid and now you're a teacher you're still getting beat up by the other students.”
Of course he has a big heart but generally I was scoffing at his ineptness. He fails miserably at cracking the kid code. But he perseveres. And when his kindness shines through at some moments of the drama, it's very touching.

Hong Sang Tae
This kid seems like a predictable character but he was full of surprises as the spoiled poor little rich boy.

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If you're looking for a bit of fluff in between your normal dramas then look no further than You Drive Me Crazy!!

STORY -

It's relatively simple enough: best friends sleep together, best friends are awkward about it and then angst ensues. There's nothing overly complicated about the plot, but with only four episodes, that's pretty standard. What's amazing, however, about that is the fact that for only four episodes, this drama had a way of making me feel so much for its two main leads. When there was angst, my heart genuinely ached for them because of how much you could feel they loved each other but were too afraid to go there. There are some 16+ episode dramas where I didn't even feel that for the main leads and I've spent hours and hours watching them interact, but these two managed to twist into my heart within 4 episodes. Less even! I fell in love with them within the first 30 mins of the drama!

The story isn't perfect by any means, but it just doesn't seem to matter because the two main leads had such natural chemistry that they made any plot, any piece of dialogue or skinship work without feeling jarring. The way Rae Wan looked at Eun Seong made even my heart flutter. It was so raw and powerful and that's without even a word said between them.

ACTING -

So that brings me to the acting and I have to say it was flawless. All of the actors were perfect in their role, even the supporting ones, but honestly, I hardly really noticed the supporting cast. Since it was only four episodes, of course most of the scenes were between Kim Sun Hoo and Lee You Young, which is just fine by me because like I said, the natural chemistry between them really elevated what should be a very simple and cliched story. Absolutely beautiful acting!

MUSIC -

Not particularly noticeable except for Kim Sung Joo's song, which is so sweet and wonderful. I didn't know who he was before this drama but wow, I love him!!

REWATCH? Whenever I'm in need of some sweetness, hell yeah I'll come back to this!!

OVERALL... I know sometimes we just need some fluff after a really intense drama or in between really intense dramas, so please, please give this one a go!

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I came for Kim Se Jeong, and stayed for the amazing unlikely hero cast.

Honestly, I ignored this drama for a while. I didn't even bother to check reviews about it even after it repeatedly showed up as a Netflix suggestion. It was only when I started to obsessively watch "A Business Proposal", that I decided to watch this to fill the time in between those episodes. I figured I liked Kim Se Jeong so much in that cute rom-com that maybe I'd like her in this too. I was right about that, but I had no idea I would instantly love this odd group of unlikely heroes just as much. This drama started off grabbing my attention from the very first moments and the pace never slowed down for me. I was intrigued by the mysterious story, impressed with the cheesy but exciting and well-choreographed superhero action scenes, and loved super cute Cho Byeong Kyu as So Moon.

"The Uncanny Counter" in many ways is So Moon's coming-of-age/superhero origin story, so Cho Byeong Kyu being so likable is a huge reason why it works so well. I won't say too much about his journey and how it starts but I will say the permed hair element was a really nice touch. The character is so super sweet and easy to root for, and he's the perfect, believable, choice for this role. The rest of the team is just as perfectly cast. Kim Se Jeong plays the tough and guarded Do Ha Na. Yoo Joon Sang plays tough guy Ga Mo Tak. Yeom Hye Ran plays nurturing mother figure Chu Mae Ok. Their team seems completely mismatched and I think that's what makes this show so good as we learn about "counters" and what they are called to do. I also loved that each counter has their own story and reason for joining the team, their own unique strengths, and none of them really outshine the other. Teamwork is the major theme in this plot, in spite of the focus on So Moon specifically, so it's great that all of the leads shine.

The supporting cast is filled with great characters and performances too. Kim Eun Soo & Lee Ji Won were so great as So Moon's protective BFFs, which is amazing considering the real-life age gap between them. They are definitely #friendshipgoals. Ahn Suk Hwan is funny as the fifth-wheel member of the team and flamboyantly rich Choi Jang Mool. I loved the wholesome grandparents, the equally mismatched "Yung" beings, especially the motherly yet disturbingly creepy Wi Gen. The villains are pretty campy and over the top, but work well with the style of the drama. The real evil MVP, however, is Lee Hong Nae who is so good at being bad, and dare I say he made evil a little too sexy. He is the perfect match for the main team of heroes with a great evil grin and those eyes... I love a good villain and although this show is full of evil types he definitely out-evils them well.

I don't want to say too much about the plot itself because part of the fun of this drama is discovering everything as the main character does. There's a lot of violence, and many bullying scenes, but nothing that I would call gory or scary. The story is pretty dark and often sad, but I would still say it is more of a lighter feel-good drama. The story also has a great pace, with thriller elements and many moments that I didn't quite expect. There are many tropes that you would expect in a show like this, beginning with the infamous white truck of doom, but I applaud the writer for keeping the story exciting from beginning to end. I LOLed, I cried, I cheered, and embraced the blatant messages about the power of having support and alliances and letting go of trauma and guilt.

Would I watch this again? Absolutely. Even though there is a suspenseful element to this story there's so much more than that that makes this drama so enjoyable. It's also inspiring to watch So Moon's determination despite all obstacles, that's a whole mood all by itself. I also think some of the early scenes will hit different knowing how the story unfolds and who the characters are. I'm sure there were a lot of small details I missed.

Overall, I'm so glad I decided to watch this drama. I definitely consider it a new favorite and I am excited about the thought of a Season 2. I would definitely recommend it to fans of superhero stories, movies like the Matrix, or people who love to root for the underdog. This drama is great as a complete story, but I can easily see all the possibilities of continuing the story of this whole "counter" universe and I'd love to see more of this specific team.

This drama is equal parts familiar and original. It makes the unbelievable relatable. It also, like So Moon, surprised me by exceeding my expectations. I can't compare it to the webtoon, since I obviously never read it, but I am almost tempted to, although I would never want to ruin whatever ends up inspiring season 2. Next Season Count me in!lol

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The Love Contract that Last?

This tender swoon worthy miniseries is nothing new yet has a nice pace and flow for the storyline. The twists that de-bunk typical trope pitfalls were fun to watch and consider. The turnaround reveals and warmth from the extended family gave a refreshing add to what the typical 'contract love' stories provide. The chemistry between the leads was very good and 'moments' were swoon worthy. The antagonist throughout became a bit tiring, disjointed and reaching at times. The ending seemed rushed, forced and incomplete which made the overall arc of the storyline miss the mark. It is okay to watch, but for a better landing for the appetite of 'contract love' I would stop watching @ episode 23.

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Nanno takes on different symbolisms and interpretations of her character, but she is definitely not human. Evident in being repeatedly killed but still made it out alive (Episode 2: Apologies) and existing in different eras without aging (Episode 12-13:BFFs). Some symbolize her as Satan, or Hellgirl, Devil, No One, God, or an experimented being. But I only see her fitting as what the title sees of her--- A girl from nowhere.

A character with a twisted ideal of justice who acts according to people's desires, pushing them to suffer stretched consequences to the extremes. And it even goes well according to her plan, deliberately ruining lives and blaming it on them for choosing to be selfish, for being a slave to hate and power. The story goes on in favor of her, always as she leads them to a path of no return.

Then when she's satisfied and had enough fun, she disappears traceless, all people remember is that she was Nanno, hated or glorified.

The series is just the worst of everything. The dark side of humans, terrified to embrace their vulnerabilities that it haunts them and destroys them. It's all about knowing what's really matters, is it riches and glory? Beauty and power? Apology and Forgiveness? More than humanity and mercy?

However, there is the slightest light in Episode 8: Lost and Found where Nanno comes across TK, a lonely thief boy, who had sincere love for her. This is a first for humanizing Nanno's soft spot for people who are empty. (Who knows maybe Nanno is the same?) or it's just plain pity.

Maybe Nanno manipulated TK or really loved him with all their similarity, who knows. But it's the only straightforward episode that was not psychotic or brutal. It was plain peace and comfort.

But I can say this for sure, Nanno acts so much like a judge who deems people respectable or disgusting, right or wrong by subjecting them to trials and observing them in dire situations in every episode's story where they are given the choice to opt out but are too drawn by the glory of desire that it traps them, making it hard for them to escape. It's like a genie's wish but with a price to pay.

I hope there's a season 2 backstory or sumthn to enrich us of the sense of it all. Beyond the rotten nature of man, what lies in the future then? And I do hope it does not anymore generalize all humans as glory greedy freaks who are cowards who can't fight back and take responsibility for their actions. The series presents too little opportunities for people to grow even if it's broken or dim.

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Train Wreck in a Fancy Wrapper

Only watched this because I really liked Checkmate and this had the same theme and cast. However, I didn't expect a debacle of these proportions. How this has an 8.4 rating here is beyond me, unless its because of actor fans; but then different strokes for different folks.

Pros: Literally the SML or QCS carried the entire show on his shoulders. His character was intelligent, gutsy, had great martial arts skills, loyal, caring, supportive to all he cared about. Maybe not the full brains of the operation, but very close. Other likable characters were Old man Bai, Adou, and Salim. They rounded out the support nicely. Production when it came to sets and costumes was gorgeous as all Republican era dramas are. That's it, there were no other pros for me.

Cons: I could just say everything else and that would suffice but I will elaborate a bit. The ML had serious issues of laziness, greed, and multiple personalities that only seemed to slightly disappear towards the end. The FL was the usual toxic, prepubescent voiced, self entitled brat that thought the entire world owed her for her father's lack of parenting skills. There was zilch chemistry between the leads other then constant bickering, so them getting all lovey dovey towards the end and getting hitched was very much an afterthought that felt more like incest because they acted like siblings with QCS having to essentially babysit both even during cases, which made things look very unprofessional and half-assed.

The plots and cases were rather dull and unsatisfactory; all suspects confessed very quickly after always repeating the same remark about evidence; there was no real pull between ML and murderer. Like "Yep ok, I confess". The European additions to the cast had to be the worst and what got hit for ratings first for me was the nasty anti-Semitic remarks by both the Chinese and European cast. While I understand the time period and things were up in the air in China politically, Jews never posed a threat and therefore the Fascist comments were not only unnecessary but revolting. Had that continued, I would have dropped the series on principle.

The lack of cohesion of the Europeans speaking English, with their lips moving inaccurately to what was being said was sometimes hard to watch and often caused a headache. Also what was the point of them speaking English to their Chinese counterparts only to switch to Mandarin? It looked very sloppy. The ending was rushed and felt like it was filmed in a day. This was basically a train wreck in a fancy wrapper.

Would I recommend it? No, I absolutely would not. Yes, this was somehow a spoof on something to do with Agatha Christie, but for the life of me, I don't know how or where. This is probably one of my shortest reviews for a show, because it had literally just about everything wrong with it. So, save yourself the headache and find something else.

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The show started off good, but completely fell apart. The first few episodes were cute and developed a great backdrop for the two main characters to build their relationship. This drama could have been a sweet love story. However, the writers decided to throw everything away by including kidnapping, amnesia, and hypnosis. It's insane how the story twisted and turned. Just to completely mess with you, it's revealed the main guy fabricated all the events leading to the marriage in order to get the main girl. Watching this unravel was creepy and disturbing. It's beyond me how the writers played off these events to keep the relationship moving forward. The second half of the show was an utter mess and the relationship was so toxic. I can't believe she had a baby with him, considering his abusive behavior.

The acting was really good, but it doesn't justify taking the time out of your day to watch this show.

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