I thought that with only 14 episodes, I could blow through this without a hitch. But I was wrong. The drama started out strong; I especially loved the flirty friendship between the main couple. Elvis Han has the suave financier down pat, while Elvira Han oozes smarts and sexiness as the hardworking, no-nonsense lawyer. And oh, the sizzling chemistry between Tang Ying and Zi Quan really lit up the screen. But that’s about it.

Because when both are at work, they’re being played by their colleagues, supervisors, and both seem to work on projects that failed (through no fault of their own, but by the machinations or neglect of other people). Setbacks are inevitable, as they are part of life, and it’s how you overcome these obstacles thrown your way that counts. The show imparts more than a few nuggets of wisdom, but by the 10th life lesson, it became too preachy.

The drama also introduces so many random characters, but none of them really fully fleshed out. Most are one-dimensional, like the bratty sister whom I cannot stand, and her cringey boyfriend. She only became interesting towards the end when she ditched her possessive BF and moved in with a younger guy (her landlord). I feel the drama brought in all these randos just to prove a point, like the sugar daddy equates women with useless barns or the socialite who sinks her teeth on Zi Quan once she learns he’s no longer single. The main leads used a lot of these side characters as teachable moments, especially when they aim their gaze at the audience. But mostly, I was so bored to death that I couldn’t fake liking it.

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For the reasons that many picked this up because of "It Started With a Kiss" vibes, I dropped it because it gave me ITSWAK vibes. I seriously dislike people (not just females) who don't have the dignity and follow a guy around just because you saw him for like five seconds and devote five years of your life chasing that demon, ahem, I mean, dream. What if the guy's married? What if the guy's a junkie? And I hate the disparity of dumb, clingy female chasing, a good-looking, smart guy who thinks he's all that so it's okay for him to be arrogant. Being a pathetic loser ain't cute. Putting down someone isn't hot. This is clearly an incurable case of toxic behavior.

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I dropped this once after I watched a couple of episodes. Then I thought maybe I wasn’t giving this drama a fair chance, so I picked it up again. But no, I had to drop it halfway as my first instincts were right about this: It’s a vapid show about two people stuck in the feelings of their teenage years, but the years that passed didn’t add to their maturity (at least on the Female’s part).

Xu Qin is still under her mother’s thumb despite being a hotshot doctor. Also, the push-and-pull games she plays on Song Yan would also make me exhausted, even just by watching. I could not understand how a character, who has so much sass when confronting her colleagues, becomes like a cowardly cat with her tails stuck between her legs when she goes home. It looked like Wang Chu Ran had only two speeds, and I was lulled to sleep with her flat delivery.

And what the fahk are all those coincidences? Am I supposed to believe that after years of not meeting each other, all of a sudden they cross paths like every five minutes??? Really?? Is Xu Qin the only doctor in the city??? Is Song Yan the only firefighter in that area??? And all the safety protocols they seem to abandon, just so they can get a love shot between the two, is just making me shake my head vigorously that I could have suffered from whiplash.

I only stuck around for Vin Zhang’s character, but after he left the Fire Dept, there was no more reason for me to hold on. Even Yang Yang’s pretty boy face could not make me watch this long, drawn out drama which is more like a PSA for the front liners. Yes, it was commendable that it portrays the livelihood of firefighters and doctors, and how they make decisions that save countless of lives. But it wasn’t enough for me to continue the story.

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Picked up this drama because the premise sounded interesting: a virgin meets another virgin and enters a FWB contract. Occasionally adorable, but mostly predictable is that they both caught feelings after having coitus a couple times. Of course, a drama cannot do without a rival love interest or two, who obligatory part ways for the leads to end up together. Despite the sexual tension Takada and Totsuka bring to the screen in the beginning episodes, it did not carry towards the end. Waste of talent, especially Izuka’s. And I certainly didn’t expect the weak-a$$ peck that fell short after the enormous buildup. Watch only if you want to pass the time, but not necessarily.

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Japan really knows how to do age-gap romance. This light-hearted drama, albeit formulaic, has its angsty moments. Bratty, spoiled high-schooler, meets a recently divorced woman who is down on her luck. Despite suddenly finding herself homeless and penniless, Hayame still is tenacious when it comes to doing what’s right and wrong. However, because of her unintentional destruction of someone else’s property, Hayama concedes to Issei’s dice game of life. Although Hayame is reluctant to play along with the outrageous requests, she sees no way out until she’s able to pay off her debt.

To no one’s surprise, Issei becomes enamored with the resilient Hayame. But so does Issei’s brother, to the consternation of many others fangirling over the inn’s young master. Though love triangles or love trains abound, we know who the end game will be. Although, I would have been equally fine if Seigo and Hayame end up together.

His love for Hayame spurred Issei’s character development, and there’s nothing cringey about wanting to become better (more responsible, more mature) in order to gain her affections. Issei’s grandmother and butler are adorable as supporting characters. Aside from the obvious references to the Cinderella-trope, this drama is a delightful, easy watch.

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If you are expecting a Prince Charming and a Cinderella-story from this drama, don’t count on it. I get it that not all heroes wear capes, because this one just flicks a lighter but doesn’t smoke. Yes, Li Xun is a genius in his own right, but he could be less cocky and I would have been fine with it. Right at his heels, Zhu Yun attempts to tame this golden retriever by chasing after him, like she’s herself a dog that won’t let go of a bone.

The pacing is choppy, but manageable to watch. Cinematography and choice of music are good. The cast is diverse, so are the secondary characters, but all these good points do not negate the fact that I struggled to finish the show due to various factors. For instance, the inconsistent re-introduction of some characters who show up at odd times in the drama. I feel some characters are even under utilized (ahem, Tian Xiu Zhu) and just serve as props to the main leads, which is a sad fact because other stories could have been more developed.

For example, I would have been interested in how Ren Di’s band went from obscurity to popularity, or how her relationship with Xiao Liu evolved. Or even how Shu Miao took a legal path in her career, when she was a major part of Zhu Yun’s college days. Instead, we see such as useless POS like Zhi Jing be part of L&P board of directors and living prosperously, as if he weren’t the one tormenting Li Xun and Zhu Yun in their early days. Instead, Li Xun and his group were prohibited from joining competitions for years, while Zhi Jing could still pull strings despite being exposed in public.

Another case in point is that both male and female protagonists are unfailingly stubborn, sometimes to the point of infuriating, hardly giving leeway to anybody except to each other. They do this awkward dance where they are hot/cold towards each other, but with other people, they are self-righteous, if not selfish. I get it that Li Xun had a tough childhood, and Zhu Yun an over-protected one, but I wasn’t buying the cool-aid that because of their backstory, they expect the world to owe them something.

Yes, tenacity is good, ambitions are even better, but there’s a limit to which these things are met where it doesn’t adversely affect other people. Good news is, both Li Xun and Zhu Yun learned their lessons, over the course of their journey, to be more forgiving of others. Whereas Jian Hong failed, and in a karmic joke, life serves him an eff you, but Li Na, to her credit, stood by his side despite being given a reason to run for the hills.

Another case that baffled me is the fact that, Zhu Yun’s helicoptering mother, for all her scrutiny and apparently above-exceptional monitoring skills, failed to learn how her daughter ditched to study/work abroad to be with Li Xun, not once but twice is beyond me. I am not saying that I agree that the mother should control a full-grown adult who has her own right to choose, but I find this comically inconsistent. And how Zhu Yun, who is normally pushy when it comes to her boyfriend’s welfare, is suddenly timid at the sight of her mother. Also, the way Zhu Yun manipulates Tian Xiu Zhu to cover her whereabouts, without the latter getting anything in return but a “thank you”, wasn’t really supposed to be how “an innocent young lady” behaves.

The ending for me was anti-climactic, especially in the case of Zhi Jing. Are we supposed to forget how his behavior drove his ex-girlfriend to suicide? How his deplorable actions indirectly caused the death of Li Xun’s sister? Though granted, he did not inflict the final blow, and her death was more a result of a string of coincidental events. Still, he had malicious intent and his lack of remorse didn’t justify the punishment he got, but fully deserved.

For all its flaws, the drama isn’t bad, but not that great either. I only finished this show because of the rave reviews, but I didn’t love it as much as I probably should have.

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I should have known from the poster alone that this will not be some great masterpiece. But did I expect this one to be? Certainly not. I’m just curious how such a large age-gap romance will play out on the screen.

Well, the sinister but ill-timed sound track certainly was a letdown many times where I anticipated a stabbing or two to take place. So all that foreboding knife-wielding was really there just for show. Much like the various ASMR of gurgling and brushing of teeth were actually people just practicing oral hygiene and did not carry some sort of symbolism.

At one point, I even expected the romance between Shinobu and Chiaki to go south. And I am so okay with that, as they later both took on separate paths and lived without each other for years. But aside from Yuta the son, and maybe Okano the Magazine editor, the rest of the characters were frankly unlikeable. From the misogynistic ex-husband to Chiaki’s mother, both battling each other out for “The Worst Parent of the Decade” award.

Then, towards the end, where each of these characters started their own monologue to tell their own backstory, but more like an excuse for their shitty behavior, I almost lost it.

But like some other rubberneckers, I can’t help but be glued to the screen watching this train wreck of a romance go by.

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I enjoyed this rom-com more than I expected. Perhaps it may be because of its short run typical of Japanese drama that allows all the essence to be compact without being draggy., unlike the long and drawn out fifty-episodic offerings from other countries.

First, it shows the typical Japanese work culture where everyone is worked to the bone and doing overtime is common and even expected. Shikamori Umi is no stranger to this and continues to run around until she reaches a limit.

Second, the drama demonstrates that change is possible when Umi gets recruited as an intern at an agency, where a very different and refreshing work culture has been established.

Suzuki Airi is a natural, transitioning from a bare-faced, exhausted employee to a spritely, newly motivated worker who wants to try her best at everything, even over-extending herself sometimes. But she realizes that just fell back into the habit of over-pleasing others.

Her coworkers, her new boss and especially Kazao, and even Hina manifest ideas that shape Umi’s worldview, in that working hard is commendable, but also is taking time for yourself. The cast was supportive of Umi’s endeavors and she finally learns to be independent.

This drama was delightful and gratifying. Also neat was the trivial fact that three of the male actors in this show were in other BL dramas that I’ve watched. I did not even recognize Izuka Kenta in that whatchamacallit hairstyle.

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Yes, I know many people think this show is over-hyped with all the rom-com cliches that it could find. Sometimes, I listen to the keyboard critics (like when I passed on “The Heirs”), and sometimes I don’t (like I did in this instance). But I am glad I did not listen, not only did I find “King the Land” enjoyable, I found a newfound appreciation for Yoon Ah, whom I wasn’t really too keen on when I saw her last in “Love Rain.”

Are there other pairings with better chemistry than Jun Ho and Yoon Ah? Sure. But I will recognize Gu Won’s and Yoon Ah’s effort in portraying two people who couldn’t be more opposite of each other. One who constantly smiles as she sees the silver lining in every situation, and has the tenacity to tackle challenges despite setbacks. While the other has a persistent cloud over his mood, because of his mother’s mysterious disappearance that he sees as abandonment.

Despite his lack of emotional intelligence, Gu Won tries his best with what he can, and after meeting Sa Rang, he learns to become more attuned to the needs of others. I also loved how the rest of the cast contribute to Gu Won’s character development, from “The Six Siblings” to Sa Rang’s Grandmother, they all shape his world view that allowed him to develop programs that are considered progressive for his hotel business, treating his employees and regular customers as “kings” in their own right despite their status.

To say that this drama is without its flaws is a lie. Could the product placement be less ubiquitous? Yes. Could the drama use fewer tropes? Maybe. But in the end, when Sa Rang realizes that the genuine pleasure of serving people isn’t necessarily being in the most prestigious lounge serving top-tier customers but in the every-day common folk, do we see the fundamental principle of this drama.

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This is one of those dramas where I would have been fine without the two leads ending up together. It’s not that I had an issue with watching student-teacher relationships, as I’ve seen tons. But the execution, and the backstory towards the end of when Murai first fell in love with Tanaka wasn’t sitting well with me. I actually would have preferred if Tanaka end up marrying her colleague Yamakado, whom she had more chemistry with.

The romance feels very one-sided, or perhaps this was the show’s intention I don’t know. But I think it was really more of an escapism on Ayano’s part, and only after confronting her own ambiguous feelings for Murai did she break free of her illusion from Hitotose, an online game character who she has been obsessed with, as his eyes reminded her of her friend’s (Really weird if you ask me, if you find out who). I wasn’t also keen on the second couple, where there was lack of development, nor rhyme or reason why Yayo-chan should be with Hirai.

The only saving grace about this drama is that it keeps reminding us that it is wrong to be in a relationship with a minor, from Ayano herself who tells Murai this, to Yamakado reminding Ayano that this is one line people shouldn’t cross, to the ending that thankfully does not show any further skinship between the two.

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Though the relationship between teacher and student serves as its backdrop, it is not the taboo aspect that should stand out, nor does this drama romanticize grooming as some may be inclined to believe. They handled the triggering subject of suicide with care and caution, with the insistence that there is so much to live for, despite what one might think as a life-ending suffering. Mikoto felt that there was no more future for her after she was rejected by her first love when she encounters her teacher on the rooftop. Haibi Jin distracts Mikoto with absurd requests or plies Mikoto with off-hand comments to distract her from her goal.

We learn that Haiba Jin was also once in what he deemed as dire strait, when his mentor tried to dissuade him from ending his own life. And it was because of this life-changing moment that Haibi Jin paid it forward and gave Mikoto a purpose. When Mikoto learns nothing is worth dying for, she develops genuine feelings for Jin.

There are many things in this drama that some people may find problematic, but the show is cognizant of these situations, for example, when Haibi Jin can be considered as stalking Mikoto around town, all he was really doing is ensuring she does not make another attempt at her own life. The show also mocks itself by injecting dry humor and reminds us not to take this drama at its face value.

At its core, this drama highlights the importance of the will to live for oneself, as much as for others, without trivializing the hardships that one may encounter as no more than experiences that one must go through in life in order to be stronger.

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This easily shot to the top of my favorite modern Chinese drama list, with my favorite actress in tow. Zhao Lu Si is nothing short of amazing in this romance where her character is crushing hard on her brother's best friend. If it were anybody else, the FL will probably come across as clingy and annoying, but she just does it with the right amount of sass.

First time encountering Chen Zhe Yuan in a drama but he's not too shabby himself as the doting big-bro type who is totally clueless in the love department despite his handsome looks since he's pretty focused on working to clear his father's debts. Of course, the difference in age while one is still a minor in itself is a tricky situation, when treated the wrong way. But we learn that Jia Xu does not even express any romantic interest in Sang Zhi until much later when the FL was in college.

I believe the drama made this distinction as clear as day to make all those accusations of pedophilia or grooming baseless. You can't accuse Jia Xu for encouraging Sang Zhi's affections when he is oblivious and does not even see her as more than a younger sister. The feelings of the FL has always been one-sided until they both got older and the show demonstrates this in several occasions.

In other aspects, the parents are not caricaturally cruel but had the appropriate amount of concern for their daughter's well-being as well as being supportive. There are no over-the-top characters and most are well-rounded. The pacing of the plot suited the narrative, and there was no blinding inconsistencies that I can think of. There was the right amount of fluff, angst, comedy and romance in this drama that I enjoyed watching it from beginning to end without touching the FFWD button.

Last but not the least is the swoon-worthy OST that I barely even notice in other dramas, but here, it serves as a delightful backdrop to Sang Zhi and Jai Ju's platonic-to-romantic journey.

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The drama started out strong, with a formidable female character who is as resourceful as she is kindhearted. I enjoyed Song Yi as Liu Yu Ru and initially assumed that she will be a pushover due to her dainty appearance, but she held her own despite the circumstances surrounding her family. With a twist of fate, Yu Ru got herself hitched to the male lead, despite her fervent adoration for another man.

For his part, Bai Jing Ting portrays Gu Jiu Si with all the playfulness when he was a delinquent and with all the seriousness when he became a high-ranking official. The two leads ooze enough chemistry to make their sham marriage believable. However, I almost gave up mid-way through this drama as it dragged through politics but I was interested enough in Gu Jiu Si's character development to continue.

I also liked the secondary characters, especially the brotherhood between the two kings and the friendship among the young group who were supportive of each other despite past grievances. Jiu Si and Yuru's benevolence knows no bounds, that it sometimes becomes a detriment to the show. Perhaps the message is to forgive those who wronged you, and people who make mistakes can get a second or a third chance. But just because it's a noble thing to do, doesn't mean that people should get away with murder and still be able to live their lives without consequences.

I feel that the final episodes were a bit anti-climactic for me and the drama lost some of its steam as it tries to wrap up some loose ends. But all in all, a decent offering, if you take a break or two,

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This series managed to pack a decent plot in such a short length. I was dubious at first how the face-swapping could be achieved in this scenario, fearing that it would lead to much confusion, but surprisingly it did not. Although I would have liked the reverse happened, with Kay Song portraying Shi Qi and Ke Ying to be Shen Qin, the current casting also worked well in this case. I became more intrigued the more that I watched, especially wanting the ML's to discover the switch. But I was mildly disappointed towards the end when Shi Qi did not get her face back. The plot twist was not nearly as unexpected but it was definitely a good effort.

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I am not typically into heavy melodrama, unless I count those teenage years of watching British shows about royals, or those childhood days of watching Hong Kong drama series about corrupt cops and dishonorable politicians. But Youth of May was a surprising pick that brought up memories of Martial Law when I was living in my home country. While my experience with martial law pales in comparison to the martial law imposed during the Gwangju uprising, this drama certainly puts into perspective how people have suffered and sacrificed their lives in the fight for democracy.

The drama starts with the discovery of the remains of one of the victims of that fateful event in 1980, but we don’t know who had died. It could be any of the characters the drama will introduce later, except we know that a broken pocket watch was found along with the ruined corpse, and that watch could belong to anyone. So there will be death, we’re almost sure of that, and it would not be pretty.

Then the show takes us back to the days before the uprising, when innocence and love can still bloom despite the political oppression surrounding the area. The chance meeting of a nurse and a medical student turns out to be destined, as fate later brings Hee Tae and Myung Hee together when the latter’s bestie asks her to stand-in as proxy for her blind date with the son of the Head of the Anti-Communist Investigation. This arranged date was supposed to bring the two families together as political allies, with the Hwangs gaining a rich businessman as an in-law and their resources to facilitate the government, while the Lees try to take advantage of political clout to release Soo Ryun and her friends from being incarcerated.

But of course, the activism in Soo Ryun doesn’t allow her to collude with the opposition as she and her friends regard Hee Tae’s father as no more than a government lackey intent on suppressing the democratic freedom of its people. At first, it was funny how Soo Ryun coaches her best friend on how to be rejected by a suitor, but all the tricks and tips Myung Hee deployed did not prevent Hee Tae from wanting to see her again. Although Myung Hee does not seem to mind the affections bestowed upon her, she realizes that she cannot entertain these feelings as she plans to leave the country in a few weeks.

Undeterred, Hee Tae launches an all-out charm offensive, despite his father’s warnings, and pleads with Myung Hee to take a chance on him, even if it’s momentary. The chemistry between Myung Hee and Hee Tae is palpable on screen. Lee Do Hyun’s playfulness balances out Go Min Si’s wistfulness, and they are certainly better matched than Lee Do Hyun with Song Hye Kyo (that romantic pairing as dry as a flatbread). Both leads brought their A-game to this drama and carried so much weight that their characters, despite their flaws, are humanized. The rest of the cast also bring life and color to their respective roles, even the actor portraying the hated Ki Nam who lords over the city, or the actors playing Soo Chan and Soo Ryun who were grappling with the dilemma that their protected status almost exempts them from further investigation, while the poor suffers injustice.

The cinematography and fashion are on point as it paints the 80s cultural vibe against a political backdrop, where they separate the haves and have-nots. The pacing of the plot also sets the urgency of living in the moment when they still can and while Hee Tae and Myung Hee navigate their feelings for each other, they are faced with the reality of the struggles happening around them. Their personal choices on continuing with their star-crossed romance hinge on the plight of their friends and the citizens of Gwangju. Whereas Hee Tae wants to hightail out of the city at the first real sign of political trouble, Myung Hee feels obligated to stay and help those who are victimized by the soldiers.

Although I should commend Myung Hee’s compassionate nature, I sometimes got irritated at her reluctance to leave that put herself and Hee Tae in dangerous situations. Following in her footsteps is her brother who also decides it was a good idea to bolt when he feels like it and causing his sister grief. If only he stayed in place where he should, Myung Hee wouldn’t have gone and tried to save him more than once. Their father is no better, with his attempts to cross military zones and roads that have been closed due to volatile circumstances. Everyone seems to be trying to be a hero and recklessly go into perilous situations that can be avoided.

I understand that cowering and hiding inside your own house is not the solution either, nor I am suggesting that the government at the time had the right to impose martial law or that the soldiers are justified in beating innocent people senseless just because they look like students who are about to protest, but when the situation calls for you staying inside your house for your own safety, I don’t see why you would go out of your way to incur danger.

So kudos to those who are brave enough to die for their beliefs; without them, there will be no calls for change. And Youth of May serves as a reminder that those who came before us paved the way for a better future.

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