Like entering a deserted alleyway at night - tread carefully.

There are a lot of dark truths depicted in this drama.
It starts with Kim Mo Mi's childhood dream of making it big as an entertainer. She has the body and the talent, however, her face does not conform to societies standards of beauty. Her solution to wear a mask and live stream fulfills this desire,
Her fans are men who lust after her and during a brief encounter with a shamelessly flattering man she is attacked and almost raped. The man is accidentally injured and her rescuer is another fan who has been stalking her. Her instinct is to call the police but she is persuaded by Joo Oh Nam that he will fix things.

Each chapter reveals more about the the individuals.
Their fears and lack of autonomy leading to reaction without plans. We learn some of their back story and how their family upbringing has emotionally crippled them.
The decisions made are reactions that they justify;
She asked for it
He deserved it
God wants me to punish her
I was pulled into the drama by the terrific acting and the moody lighting and sets. A tawdry element overlaid with gritty reality and a serious lack of glamour is reflected in the choice to have plastic surgery to become beautiful but still have the inner ugliness show through.

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Good in parts and off in parts so quite inconsistent but the actors nailed it.

This is a fairly unsubtle drama. The actors play their parts well and the camaraderie in the kitchen is heartwarming.

Our two FLs are polar opposites so it is easy to dislike the self-effacing Na Bong Soon, although her character development makes her a lot more likable towards the end. Shin Sun Ae has a very bold personality and feels grieved that she died so young and is nearing the 3 year time of ghost departure. She is focused on possessing female bodies so that she can get laid and ditch her virgin ghost grudge.

Meeting chef Kang Seon Woo seems like the answer to her prayers so she goes all out trying to seduce him. This is so startling to him because of Na Bong soon's about face of character that he is very flattered but decidedly uncomfortable.
This comedy premise is also uncomfortable for the audience as at times it borders on sexual harassment.

There is a mystery about how Shin Sun Ae died and the ever helpful officer Choi plays a dark and damaged character that also is exaggerated towards the end then unbelievably looks like he gets redeemed. WTF!
I almost dropped it whilst the hostage situation unfolded it became too absurd with characters charging off without police assistance and the evil spirit being exposed as the really bad element.

I also do not understand why Asian dramas are so hung up on starting a romance the abruptly leaving to go overseas - probably a cultural necessity ......

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A scrutiny of corruption

This complex tale of corruption by the people in power and the actions used to cover up their greed and malfeasance is quite gripping.

The ML, like his father before him, is a genius at maths. His savant nature enables him to absorb and compute vast data and understand it. He appears disconnected to the world and has only one friend that he can relate to and together they set out to correct the corruption.

Enter the jaded lawyer whose ability to use his rhetoric to confuse his audience and lead them to the outcome he wants (has been paid to get) and truth is lost.

The story may have a dry topic, however, the cliff hangers come thick and fast as the master mind conspires with the corrupt officials to maintain his position and do away with these two upstarts.

Their near death experiences and last minute rescues keep the action at the forefront. Their touching trust in each other and strong support add warmth to the story.
NB Ep. 13 the solo singing of the Tea Harvesting song is breathtakingly beautiful.



Terrific support roles, great settings and camera work add to the enjoyment of a tale well told and relevant today.

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Classic Wuxia with top acting from the ML

I enjoyed this grand epic of a tale and I was surprised and grateful for the extra episode giving me an alternate ending.

2023 and I decided to watch this 2016 Wuxia, romance fantasy so even though the special effects are impressive, (the steam punk flying machines are a hoot), some can seem dated. There are tropes galore, however, perhaps less dated at the time. You can expect glamorous castles, bloody fight scenes, evil wicked queen, a species that some members able to grow impressive wings and fly, second ML syndrome and enemies to lovers.

Zhang Ruo Yun plays the ML Feng Tian Yi and he is standout in this standout, layered role and gets to act out various personnas with flair. He has a lot of presence bringing nuance to his acting utilising facial expression and body language.
The FL, Yi Fu Ling, played by Guan Xiao Tong, despite her extensive acting credentials, paled next to Xiao Tong.
There are lots of costume changes, I kept chuckling as I wondered whose wardrobe is the FL raiding.
The evil queen is suitably scary and is killed off along with her clever ex husband the mysterious creator of all the engineering marvels including the flying city.

Lots of action, magic, machines and fantasy to keep me interested.
Some plot holes and the usual lack of communication leading to misunderstandings (lazy writing) to be expected from Chinese Wuxia. Overall still good entertainment.

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Two juicy roles for the main male leads and they work out beautifully

These detective stories are adapted from the novels about Poirot by Agatha Christie.

I am a big fan of the fashion from this era and the production of sets and wardrobe and lighting are terrific.
There are two handsome male leads and if this wasn't under the strict Chinese censorship I could imagine a very lovely BL story.

They flirt and Qiao Chu Sheng plays the role of protector /provider to the more ingenious Lu Yao. The dinner with violin and gift giving is very sweet.
Together the brawn and brains make up the investigative team to solve a series of murders. Lu Yao deduces the solutions from his science and medical knowledge and Qiao Chu Sheng provides the martial arts and police back up. Both actors do a terrific job inhabiting their roles and we learn about their backgrounds and what has shaped the characters they become.

There are interesting side characters - Salim and Lu Zi Fu in particular.

I like the comedy and bickering between all of the main characters. Leon Zhang proved he can do manga style comedy in Mr. Pride vs. Miss Prejudice. The rest of the ensemble contribute well to the complex mysteries.

The acerbic reporter, Bai You Ning, who makes up the trio, is less successful in adding to the story. More of an annoyance. She has zero romantic chemistry with Lu Yao and the writers have badly scripted the ending.
We are left with a cliff hanger but I hope they read the commentary regarding Bai You Ning and maybe lose her out to sea.
Also at odds with the drama is the poorly executed parts where English is spoken. Out of sync and not matching the voice of the actors it is a jarring annoyance.

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What a fun RomCom!

A strong female lead with shades of Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo and Inspector Koo. The fight scenes are vigorous and necessary for the storyline.

The dialogue between the actors is on point, often hilarious and delivered with conviction. There is a hint of bromance and lots of slow burn romance that gets to a nice, adult relationship.

Friendship between the 4 main actors is lovely and supportive as the main lead's past dramas are revealed. lots of layers to the story had me bingeing the last 5 episodes. Heaps of laugh out loud moments, comedy, cringe, slapstick and acerbic wit combine to deliver good comedy.

I hope all these actors are cast into more opportunities in the future.

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Not a simple cheating story

Take one heterosexual female married to a closet gay man and introduce a bisexual cutie who is romantically interested in both of them and you realise this is not a simple cheating story.

The lovely teacher Nakamichi Misaki has been in an almost sexless marriage for five years and keeps telling herself "it's all right."
We learn, later on, that her husband, Nakamichi Yuki, has been coerced by his family to play the eldest son role and marry despite the confession later by his overbearing father that he already suspected his son is gay.
As a student Ina Shuhei confessed his feelings for his teacher Misaki and then left to study art. He appears again as the lover of Yuki.

Thus begins the exploration of norms in a Japanese society with regard to sexuality and relationships.

Shuhei has a strong belief and philosophy that he is able to love more than one person at a time and his preferences are gender fluid. He desires a relationship with Yuki and Misaki yet hopes he will not harm or hurt them.

Yuki has discovered his passion through Shuhei and has to struggle with his platonic love for his wife and his wish for her happiness.

Misaki is the one who spends the most time questioning her beliefs about herself and adapting her ideas about monogamous relationships. Initially the idea of losing her love interest Yuki causes her to pretend all is well. Later she attempts to incorporate Shuhei into her husbands life only to discover she is marginalised and has also placed an added burden onto her husband.

The tense scene of their 'death' is an interesting way of introducing the topic of suicides in the LGBT community.

Although the themes are complex each actor and scene add to the story being explored. My own experience and beliefs are not too hard set so I felt empathy for each of their stances and liked how the writers did not provide answers but left me with questions.

My only negative was in the (dead fish) kiss scenes with Yuki and Shuhei that were opposite for Shuhei and Misaki's.

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Cuteness has a use by date

A young man approaching 30 has had the good fortune to be considered cute in a country that reveres looks. This has enabled Kosuke to glide through life and loves with little effort and no self reflection.
His looks have opened doors for him in business and smoothed over difficulties so upon meeting a character, claiming to be his future self, who foretells that he will soon lose his cuteness panic sets in.

In quick succession events conspire to reinforce his popularity is waning and it forces Kosuke to begin some soul searching. He is basically a really nice, helpful and cheerful character so his cuteness is not his only redeeming feature but he is unaware of his strengths.
A new co worker seems immune to his charms. She is stiff, withdrawn and very results driven. They are partnered up and with his natural supportive actions Izumi gradually begins to like him. Hers is a difficult role where only micro gestures are used to convey her robotic stiffness and awkwardness. A good foil for Kosuke's more flamboyant, warm gestures.

An interesting plotline a little weird because the future Kosuke is taller(?) The cuteness factor is captured beautifully by the male lead and his personality had me rooting for his success.

Easy and fun drama with only slight exaggerated actions that are common in Japanese manga conversions. No nasty characters, Polite, consensual actions from our ML - a stolen kiss from the FL.

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A dark love story with a sweet ending

The main couple will pull you in with their chemistry and restrained acting. The beautiful kimonos are as much a visual feast as the traditional sweets depicted. I loved the descriptions of these confectioneries as they are presented it added depth to the the story as did the emphasis on their world of politeness and manners.
Another surprise addition is the evil mother singing Gothic tales as she plots her next evil deed.
Plot twists and reveals kept the tension up as the pieces of the murder puzzle and accusation of Hanaoka Nao’s mother Yuriko are uncovered.
Takatsuki Tsubaki is depicted as a severe, focused person trying to win over his grandfathers approval in a bid to be the successor. Hanaoka Nao is just as focused and determined to discover why her mother was framed for the death of Takatsuki Tsubaki's father.
The love hate attraction determines the push and pull of their relationship.
This is a complex story of traditional mores in a conservative Japan and the tragic consequences.

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I want a follow up to these people and their lives I am very invested in their characters.

This is a very stylish drama the cinematography is quite adventurous and the warm pallet is pleasing. Throughout the drama the music is prominent. Beautiful words and tunes are very evocative and set the mood especially as the sadder details are revealed. Often the actors are shot in close-up with just the music as their internal reaction to the earlier scene is processed.
The two main actors are mesmerising. The young female He Ran, played by Xu Ruo Han, whilst having her hair washed meets the ML Xiao Han, played by Jerry Yan, and is immediately attracted to him and his deep sexy voice. Thus begins her persistent pursuit of him.
There is more social taboo in their culture around great age differences so even though they become lovers the relationship has many secrets.
I fell for the charismatic Xiao Han, his calmness, deep voice and hidden talents married up with a rocking physique.
The female leads character at times was annoying, however, her actions were in keeping with a young adult that has been secluded away and cossetted and controlled by her fearful mother.
Her mother is a strong, yet damaged character and the offer of a relationship with her much younger coworker is charged with expectation.
The pairings work because of the directing, writing and all the many talented people who finalised and edited the story.
Spoiler: watch the credits for the conclusion.
I want a follow up to these people and their lives I am very invested in their characters.

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Worth the investment of time

I loved this drama and was drawn in by the mystery of why Ji Woo had walked out on Seo Joon without explaining himself, leaving Seo Jeon to worry and fantasise and not let go because he needed a reason. When he does track him down, a year later, he is met with a closed off defensive person who rejects any romance overtures.

This omission of why the two leads are behaving in the way they are allowed me to feel the confusion and pain. I spent a lot of the time with tears in my eyes as I waited to see how this drama will play out.

The writers have made them very human. The actors captured the angst and craziness that is relationships, breakups and the effects on the one left behind. The backstory is gradually revealed so we can once again gain empathy for Ji Woo.

The push pull dynamic is displayed in all its illogical actions and internal drama and thankfully they work out a compromise so they can keep their relationship happening. It is not fairytale perfect and involves compromise but we are left with hope for their continuing growth in their relationship.
Not a BL but a slice of romance for all, no matter what your orientation.

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Like a good meal you will want to sample this more than once

The actors are very experienced and are able to convey their thoughts and feelings in a realistic and believable fashion.
This gay couple in their 40's, at first, seemed mismatched and in one internal dialogue Shiro has he admits Kenji would not normally be someone he is attracted to but for a life partner he is his ideal. The internal dialogues are scattered through the episodes and give further insight to their relationship.
Like most couples (they have been together for around 3 years), there are some doubts and insecurities that help us, the audience, to appreciate the extra societal restrictions, as a gay couple, they have to navigate.
A very telling scene towards the end is when Kenji explains to Shiro's father the career options faced by men when they realise they are gay and will not be marrying and having children. It is very poignant.
The every day actions of work, domesticity, shopping and cooking that this couple share demonstrate the love and care they feel for each other. Other gay couples are introduced and highlight different aspects of how Shiro and Kenji relate to each other. Shiro's respect and diffidence towards his parents and their gradual opening up to how his sexual orientation will impact their future is handled sensitively.

So excited to find there is a follow up movie of the same name - now on my PTW list

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Men behaving badly

This drama is primarily exploring power and male friendships.
None of our MLs are married and each has been brought up in court where intrigue, betrayal and suspicion are rife.
The respective personalities of these kings and their loyal close friendships are displayed as concurrent stories that intertwine and entangle with lots of battles, fights and deaths along the way.
Ah Li is revered for his glamorous looks and lusted after by many yet his character is the one to watch. He is playing the long game and successfully manipulates remotely without revealing his final intentions - segue to Series 2 which I will put on my PTW list.

I hope the second series gets more funding to make some of the sets and props more acceptable.

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Gives off a 'front row seat' vibe

The mood of this drama is like a very gritty play where the dialogue is given the most focus and the actors convey raw emotion.

The characters are flawed and hurting and in this secluded house past traumas come to the surface in broken remembrances.

Although it is dark at times this is still a story about love and loneliness.
A lonely mother devoted to her son but wanting to control and keep him with her as her best friend.
A lonely young man just discovering his sexuality and torn between his love for his mother and his burgeoning need for independence.
A lonely architect living a monastic existence as perceived punishment for past mistakes.

In their own ways each character is trying to use their influence on the others for their own advantage. The different means they use is what defines their personality. Sometimes we are overwhelmed by the volume (lit and fig) of words and other times the silences are deafening.
Left me with a lot of unanswered questions.
Who was the most selfish?
Who really showed love?
Who was really the strongest of the group?

I would love to rewatch this as a movie without the breaks.

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A wild ride

Totally enjoyed this over the top spoof of a spy story.
The two leads play off each other well and the humour is fast and often slapstick. Not too be taken seriously, however, the fight scenes are very entertaining and despite a high body count it is not a gore fest.
The humour is not sophisticated and is often accompanied by a sight gag. I felt engaged and liked their characters.

The FL, Yoo Da Hee, played by Lee Sun Bin is suitably ernest and despite her small stature is quite fearless and brave. The ML, Woo Su Han played by Kim Young Kwang is, seemingly, naive and focussed on money but ends up with a surprising background that saves the story. I like this couples sparring remarks and later support and protection.

There is a Mission2: Possible in the offing so I will be waiting.....

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