Reviews

One of the TOP dramas

I love it, i love it, i loove it! --- This reaction i send to my best friend when i finished this drama.

Great actors, amazing story what i did not see before.

Drama is super funny, cute, scary and everything what i needed.

And also pretty hot (actors and some scenes).

I did not know what will happend next, (only like 2 times and in normal k- dramas you know half story from beggining)

Only like 2 things did not make sence for me, but that was the scene that we all hate, when you shout : do not do this or do not go there :D so nothing bad.

I finished it in 1,5 day, becouse i could not take my eyes from that.

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The Show that is a realistic slice of life if you equate realism with misery

First off I had no issues with the ending as id already been hugely disappointed well before that. The open ended nature was an achievement given what came before. This IS NOT a realistic slice of life these are not average or ordinary lives. Also not having a happy ending or a show being full of misery does not automatically make a show more realistic than a happy ending rom com.
This story if you want to call it that is not anything. Two peoples lives intersect and one persons actions the FLs have huge impact on the Mls not so much the othwr way. We see so much more of ML life that we could onclude this story is about a man whose life is dominated mostly negatively by his relationship with an incredibly toxic flawed and selfish woman. This may seem unfair as he is a frustrating chatacter at times but the worst of him is usually reacting to his relationship with her and he always wants to maintain it whereas the worst of her is always about her thinking only of herself.
The interactions with her and the Doctor are what realky majez it impossible to see any hope for this story or relationship. She is with ML fully committed but from the time this guy appears she indulges him until she is in fact cheating even if its not physical though she finalky rejects him just!! As bad as that reflects on her whats worse is we are told explicitly that the break up is not because of him but following and judging length of the time skip she marries him and has his kid almost immediately after breaking up. The fact that no time is given to explain this or explore this in the drama is unfirgivabke abd makes everything else meaningless. Once she has the child thats it game over. BIG SPOILER AHEAD

The fact that the writer resorts to the childs death as the device to return her to Korea and reunite is distasteful to say the least. Anythig that happens after this is just not fate or meant to be its just tragic.

True to form the FL meets ML and of course does enough to sgaje him up i to breakimg up with his fiancee but doesnt want anything else.

If a woman like this is supposed to be offered as slice of life realistic its a big disservice to women.

He is just a man who cant get over his first love keeps meeting her and getting himself ruined tbat is the only consistent part more toxic and abusive than realistic IMO.
Aside from this there is not one really likeable secondarycharacter or story in the whole thing. Its uncanny. The FL brother is a selfish Ahole similar to FL. The FL friend is portrayed as pathetic and at a crucial point without any reason we can see compketely slates ML to FL.

Even the blurb above here is compmetely misleading. It is gratitous angst and cruelty with no resolutuon or meaning dont wate your time im sorry.

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THE MOST ADORABLE THING EVER I WANNA CRY.

THE MOST ADORABLE THING EVER I WANNA CRY. Everyone in this show had great acting skills (which is kinda uncommon in C-drama if you ask me), and the chemistry between all the characters was MWAHHHH their friendship is to die for?? .

This might seem like I'm being overdramatic or something but like really I've never been this invested in a C-drama before it quite literally hurt to finish, there's like a big gap in my heart in the form of this series, this was the missing puzzle from my life I love it so much.

NEVER SKIPPED A SCENE ( I lied I did skip once ?)

I WAS SMILING THE WHOLE ENTIRE DAMN TIME.

10/10 would a 1000% reccomend.

It's gonna take me a while to move on from this and watch other series with the same actors in it cause I just cannot accept the fact that they're not besties and in love in real life I wanna throw up.

Okay bye. (PS: I rated music an 8 cause I don't pay attention to OSTs... oops, so take that one with a grain of salt)

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Interesting premise

I do like this drama, it is a very interesting twist on two very popular and tragic love stories. It takes Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and blends it with the Chinese story of the Butterfly Lovers, put it in a strange setting that is a mix of Hong Kong with a Wild Wild West cowboy feel. You can feel the lawlessness of everything and how people can get shot and killed yet nobody bats an eye.

I am still watching this so will update when it is all done, but so far the mixing up is done pretty well. Will it end with tragedy like the original two stories? Who knows?

Update: I have just completed the series and I can say for sure that the series is good. It is not great, but it is worthy of being a 7/10 easily.

The fusing of two tragic romantic stories somehow managed to work here. Moses Chan as Leung Shan Pak and Aimee Chan as Zuk Ying Toi togetheras a couple was very touching, and I found their romance believable and convincing. Sadly, the other love story with Kalok Chow as Romeo and Kayan Yau as Juliet didn’t work with me. I understand this is following the original Romeo and Juliet’s love at first sight story beat, but my issue is with Kayan Yau as she lacks any onscreen charisma. There was no observable chemistry between her and Kalok so I was never convinced they were in love and wanted to really be together. I actually preferred watching Yuki Law over Kayan, and when that happens you know the casting went wrong somewhere. Please stop pushing Kayan as a female lead until she’s improved further, she’s not ready yet. She wasn’t ready in that TCM drama, and she isn’t ready here.

A wasted opportunity in the drama was when Aimee Chan took on Kalok as a disciple to teach him how to use a gun. They put this all into one episode and suddenly Kalok is pretty good at shooting. They should have done this earlier in the drama so that we would have gotten to see them build a rapport as teacher and student, making the final scenes have more impact. I won’t spoil it, but the final scenes with them both in there would have had a bigger emotional hit if we had witnessed this bond over the series.

One major gripe I had with the drama was the constant gun spinning and twirling the characters do as they drew guns to fight or train. It is so ridiculous sometimes as they would spin it halfway into a life or death gunfight, wasting 2-3 seconds spinning it before opening fire. It feels forced and in real life would have gotten the person killed.

The best part of the series? Weirdly enough, Joman Chiang as Zuk Ying Wah, Aimee’s cousin. She is the boss lady of a salon in the lawless 8th district and her gunslinging abilities are the best in the series, like nobody even comes close. Her story is also really tragic so when she goes on a revenge mission you can emphasise with her. Her skills are so badass that she did the Taken film bullet curling while dual-wielding to defeat both Aimee and Moses at the same time. Undoubtedly the coolest character in the drama, so her absence at the end of the drama was a huge hit for me. I was secretly rooting for Moses to get with her instead of Aimee… that’s how much I liked her. TVB, do a sequel with Joman and give her a happy ending!!! Do it!!! Easy win!!

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Enjoyable and funny but far from a masterpiece !

There are a lot of good stuff like the acting, the messiness or people theories so I enjoyed myself.
But we need to talk about the sl*t shaming in this story. You cannot sell your story as really sexy, explicit and progressive and then have all characters who don't want to be in a relationship and just want to enjoy s*x be the bad guy in your story, they're just bad to be bad, no background, no reasons for their actions. They are just sl*t because life I guess (Boston best example). For me, it's really problematic.
That's being said, almost all characters don't really make sense too, they act to make the plot move forward :
- Mew calling Boston before having s*x with Top when they don't seem to be that close
- Nick putting the listening device in Boston car before the party for no reason
- Ray having a breakdown in front of everyone after telling the truth to Mew
- Mew hitting Ray in the face after the breakdown even if he does the truth
- Daddy Dan character just came and disappeared
- Boieng character same
- the token lesbien duo
- the r*pe accusation plot....
And it's just what came out of the top of my head.
Now, the relationships and characters !
- Mew and Top were really boring for me sorry, I don't like the virgin who's gonna change the bad boy from his bad habits because he's just soooo perfect. Not my cup of tea I guess. And I didn't like their characters as individuals too. I just remembered that Top used to take dr*gs and stopped thanks to the power of love ! With no consequenses
- Ray and Sand were cute but Ray did a lot of f*cked up things. Not respecting Sand boundaries and all of it being played as if it was funny just doesn't sit right for me. (The scene were Ray interupted Nick and Sand vacations after Sand told him not to come...) Or Ray calling Sand a bunch of names when he's mad and never really apologised for it either. Like there is nothing cute about this relationship if you think about it. They could have shown us the impact of that kind of codependancy but no. I'm happy they take Ray alcoholism kinda seriously even if he's pretty clean, his friends drink next to him as if he was not an addict, no discomfort... It could have been really interesting to also see the burning for Sand, being the only reason for someone sobriety is not easy.
- Nick and Boston were cute, I really liked them at first but they didn't get enough screentime in my opinion. It could have been really interesting to see their characters and the reason behind their actions. But I think the writer's opinions really shaped their story, especially for Boston.
And I'll finish by saying that if you don't know how to write about serious topics like addiction, abusive relationship, r*pe accusations, you SHOULDN'T !
But yes, It was an entertaining show ! So watch it if you want to have fun ;)

(sorry for the mistakes

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My Roman Empire

For a series I binged watched, it is amazing. My first lakorn was Love in the Air and I thought nothing could top it, but now, I think this series may have changed my mind. The scenes when Nuengdiao and Palm are together alone made me feel like I was walking into something. Their scenes and emotions felt so real to the point it was uncomfortable. The way they looked at eachother were saying whole speeches without speaking a word. They went through so much together and I love the way they would do anything to protect each other. One thing I didn’t like about this series is the soundtrack and the way they kept running away from eachother, but all in all this series is amazing. Eventhough it is up to preference, this series is definitely worth every second.

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Recommended

I've waited patiently for this to dropp. And I'm not disappointed at all. I loved all the actors in it. They played their part really well. Of course I've mainly watched it for the three main characters...

In my eyes it's nor a bromance so if you where hoping for that I'm sorry. All three of them are pretty close to each other.

It's more a detective kinda drama with slot of nice moves. The ending really killed me tho. I was holding my heart the whole episode :).

They didn't really stretched the series, where u would say 40 episodes is to much or too little.

I myself have problems finishing series because I know how most of them will end, after watching just 5 episodes. But I had to finish this one to keep my mind settled. Not because I could see through ot but because I got attached to the characters.

I highly recommend others to watch the series. Its also a good start for people that are new to historical cdrama's.

Also to be more familiarise with actors like Joseph Zeng.

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All Amazing Dancers

Firstly, I want to give a shout out to all the dancers, they were all amazing. It must have been had but they kept going.

Despite Mnets edits and dramas, In some ways, this season is better than SWF1. With this one, we got a better knowledge of most of the crew members and followed them through their journeyjourney unlike in SWF1 (E.g Holybang they only introduced HoneyJ & Jane).

The dancers are amazing, the choreography as well all awesome. In the end there will always be one winner but in a way, they are all winners and I am rooting for them.

1 million
Bebe
Deep n Dap
Jam Republic
Lady Bounce
Mannequeen
TsubaKill
Wolflo

Fighting!!!

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Drama portrays every thing was easy then or the people were fooled easily

JCW is one of my favourite guys. I read some of the 10star reviews of this drama, here on MDL. But had to force myself to watch till episode 3. Didn't like anything - how easy it was to take over the gangnam by killing the old boss, how easily JCW fooled the boss, passed off as dead friend's cousin and became the must trusted guy and how easily they killed off the Busan gang leader. Just too easy and I find it hard to believe.
I liked JCW actions, he's does best of the best actions. The fight scenes are well acted.
P.S. does using cuss words in every f***ing line make it a good 90s crime drama. Felt more like teens acting off as grown-ups by using big cuss words.

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One artsy series with high production and directing quality

I'm not so crazy about the story (to each's own), but some people might like it. I give it a 9 because this is one of the few martial arts series I've seen with a high-quality production value—especially the directing. The director is an artist. He did the slow motions perfectly, not over-abused and repetitious. The music is top-notch. Very fitting of the moods. The OS is excellent with a Blues undertone. The storytelling is a bit confusing., but due to the production value, you stick with it. This is not a typical roll-out martial arts series where the ending will spoil the entire series after you binge-watch and feel burnt out and disappointed. The length is just right. A build-up of surprising elements. As I mentioned, the director is someone to watch after. I am looking forward to his other works.

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The actors in the show are all amazing, but Khaotung steals the show with his exceptional acting skills. He is beyond amazing and has become one of the top Thai actors in the industry. His portrayal of the character is so convincing that it's hard to believe he's not the character himself. The other lead actor is also commendable, and his performance is so moving that it will leave you in tears.

The chemistry between the characters in this show is absolutely astounding, and it elevates the overall quality of the series to new heights. The way the actors effortlessly connect with one another on screen is truly mesmerizing.

Overall, it's a beautiful story that will leave you feeling inspired and moved. The acting is top-notch, and the storyline is unique and unpredictable. So, if you're looking for something new and refreshing, this drama is definitely worth your time.

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Messy, Messy, Messy

Frankly, it could’ve been even messier. Still disappointed they cut out the scene with Sand and a baseball bat from the teaser trailer lol
Anyway, I really like that GMMtv took on a queer centric drama directed by an accredited gay director. He clearly had a vision and you can see the influence of series like Queer as Folk and other media.

They delivered what you expect: a messy, somewhat toxic series about a group of LGBTQ+ young adults. It’s got solid acting, decent flow, and overall delivered an entertaining experience.

Acting is really solid. They pulled several of their heavy hitters for this. Khaotung was especially impressive as he managed to balance a flawed yet sympathetic character struggling with alcoholism. His scene in therapy was probably the most impactful of the show.

Since it’s a BL, I should discuss the relationships. Each relationship had a full arc and for the most part they felt fairly complete.
MewTop is probably most central to all the drama. I found them the least compelling and I honestly don’t think they are going to work out long term lol. They’re like rushing to move in together at the ending after the cheating debacle. I just don’t see Mew ever fully trusting Top again and I frankly don’t think he should lol.
SandRay are probably the healthiest and they communicate the most out of all the pairings. Their arc is primarily about working through their baggage and helping Ray toward sobriety. Sand is a bit of a desperate character when it comes to Ray, which I didn’t like much for their dynamic. Overall though, they seemed the most likely to work out.
BostonNick has caused the most discourse between fans of the show. For the most part, their relationship can be nailed down to two people wanting completely different things out of their relationship. I’m glad they did not end up together because it would not have worked out.
Boston is a polarizing character and personally I think he got the most screwed by the narrative in the end. He’s a promiscuous gay man who prefers casual sex over relationships. Should he have slept with his friend’s bf? No, that’s shitty and he deservedly lost his friend because of it. But then there was all this stuff about people having sex tapes of him without his consent and lying about him assaulting his friend’s brother. And it’s treated like that’s not a horrible thing to happen to him… like damn.
I did like his conversation at the end with Nick. Nick broke it off but he acknowledged it was just because he didn’t want to force Boston to be someone he wasn’t. And that Boston was fine as he was.

I’m honestly not sure how I’d feel about the show if I binge watched it. It was fun to just kind of tune in every week and not worry too much because all of the characters were going to be messy regardless lol.

Either way, it was fun and I would recommend.

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Recognizable, Real, Bittersweet, And Hopeful.

If you've ever felt taken for granted in a relationship with someone you love, you'll probably understand the character Fumiya easily. If you've wished you could go back to the start of a relationship, this series explores that "what if" in a way that is thoughtful and realistic even though there is an element of fantasy to the premise.

The relationship and characters were so recognizable in multiple ways that every moment and emotion resonated. For me, it was a little emotionally difficult to watch at times because of this; it brought up a lot of my own bittersweet memories. There was hope and sweetness too though, and wonderfully nuanced acting, and I binge-watched it without pausing or fast-forwarding. [Update: I even re-watched it 3 months later and still loved it.]

What I like about many Japanese BLs is that everything is *not* always spelled out for the viewer. The dialogue and internal thoughts are realistic in that way.

The story starts off at the peak of a fall-out that seems unreasonably abrupt. As the story progresses however, we are intermittently shown memories of Fumiya's that show both the good times of their relationship and what lead up to the fall-out.

The psychology, emotions, and actions of both characters are things I've either experienced or seen and are very realistic. (I have not known anyone with selective amnesia but that plot point doesn't change how real the rest of it is.)

I see in reviews that many people don't understand Fumiya, but the screenplay and acting continuously give us breadcrumbs to his experience that were more obvious to me, so I thought I'd share a general summary of the character's psychological state:

The main point, is that Fumiya's growing hidden hurt means that any small new hurt triggers ALL of the past hurts, *whether directly related or not*! This leads to abrupt mood changes and shutting down or blowing up, even over seemingly small or mundane things. In addition, accumulating frustration can lead to resentment and biterness, which comes through when Fumiya snaps out something harsh. Eplained more below.

The cinematography is good, the differentiation between the present and flashbacks are clear, and the music was very emotionally fitting without being obvious.

GENERAL SPOILERS below.

The way Fumiya reacts to any type of praise may be subtle, but is extremely telling. There is surprise, small pleased smiles, shyness in the way he ducks his head or eyes flit around, biting or compressing his lips to hold in just how good it makes him feel, and an eagerness to do more. There are similar reactions when Ritsu gives him attention or makes him a priority in situations where he has learned to no longer expect, or even hope for, it.

Fumiya has been feeling increasingly taken for granted and of low priority to his boyfriend for a while. His major flaw is he doesn't know how to talk about this and keeps his frustrations bottled up; he says okay, that's fine, I'm not mad because he wants to keep the peace.

On Ritsu's side of things, he has not been intentionally trying to hurt Fumiya, but has made work his highest priority and has fallen complacent in his relationship. Like he says to Fumiya though, he won't know what's going wrong unless Fumiya tells him straightforwardly. Ritsu can tell there's friction but Fumiya often says 'it's okay' when Ritsu asks questions or apologizes.

The only reasons why this got a 9 instead of a 10 from me had to do with the last episode. This episode felt rushed (unlike the others).
1) I liked how the turning point for Ritsu was triggered, but his conclusion felt a little contrived to wrap things up quickly (what was there to be "afraid" of about sharing that part of his past?) Though it gave a symmetry or balance to things, it didn't quite make sense.
2) I wanted more time with them together at the end processing the relief of reconciliation. I also needed more time seeing them moving forward together for my own emotional state to transition to a more hopeful equilibrium after going through all the heavy feels. I feel emotions really strongly though, so this may not be as much of an issue for others.

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Entertaining and Worthwhile

The title “Trillion Game” intrigued me, but was far from what I’d envisioned. I found it to be entertaining and refreshing. The characters were played well, and I was especially fond of the main characters: Haru (played by Maguro Ren) and Taira (played by Sano Hayato). Both-really-all the primary players were new to me; at least, they were not in my memory. But these guys, I won’t forget! Immediately, Haru’s mischievous smile and cunning laughter drew me in, compounded by his sway, swagger, self-confidence, and shrewd antics. To talk about Taira’s character would give too much away, but he was the perfect pairing for Haru. I liked the storyline, and how Director Yoshiaki guided us through each episode with resolve. It is fast-paced, a mixture of comedy, drama, suspense, and romantic waverings. Of notable mention, Rinrin (played by Fukumoto Riko). My research of the leading actors revealed a very youthful bunch, which I found shocking, because their acting abilities were seasoned and mature. “Trillion Game” is already on my list for rewatching.

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NEED S2 PLS

Why don't many people talk about this drama? Is it maybe because the storyline is heavy and about politics? But you know this is a hidden gem drama!!! The story is about maybe you can say the daily life of people who work in the government, and I got to know how the process and what government people do.
Maybe for people unfamiliar with politics or who have never liked politics, this is a heavy plot.
But I really suggest this is a good story and makes you all suspicious of the cast and don't forget the mind-blowing plot twist that should be watched at least once in a lifetime!!! And you have nothing to regret, a little advice if you watch a drama that has never tried the genre is better to watch without any suspicion first thanks me latter

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