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inject it into my veins
i adored both lead couples and their dynamics because they didn't lack chemistry, acting, or storytelling. however, i wish they had promoted the younger brother and xu jiajia as the side couple considering how much impact their story had on everyone else's. the reason why my rating isn't higher is simply because of xu jiajia's dad. that man didn't deserve the ending he ended up getting. surprisingly, overall, this drama was a great watching experience from the start until the endalso, li mo should never quit making these hidden gem slice of lifey cdramas
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weirdly addicting
when i started this drama, i thought that i wouldn't like this drama but i grew quite fond of it (to drop it). the setting was unlikely to average jdrama. this story is centered around two women: imai natsu who accidentally inherited a huge sum of money as a care taker, and motomiya mitsuko who is helping her to gain leading role over the company. the story ends on a good note for both of the leads. now, one thing that bothered throughout the series was camera work and whatever kind yellow filter they were using. if there are more than two people on the scene this japanese style directing doesn't work. in my opinion, acting was the highlight of the series, especially the leads. the major issue that i have with writing were the lack of intelligence of some characters (natsu has the intelligence of a four year old), and poorly executed plot twists (that also might've been on director). regardless of everything, i couldn't look away.Was this review helpful to you?
Hot Mess
PS: it's my first time writing a review so bear it with meI must say that I feel underwhelmed about the whole drama. The casting choice was good and the special effects were all well done but something important was missing from the plot.
I liked the topics that were addressed and how those were adressed. From the characters' pov, the story was confusing and jumpy. It felt like a lot of important scenes were removed from the script. Instead of those, there were only action scenes.
Regardless of this factor, I completed it. I don't know if it was the smartest move to leave this drama with an incomplete ending knowing how past netflix series have been treated. Would I rewatch it? No, because I would grow to hate it
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Impossible to Revisit
What I really enjoyed about this drama was Son Ye Jin’s performance. I dare say this is her strongest performance yet. She perfectly captured both the essence of the script and the lack of it. Ji Chang Wook gave an okayish performance next to her. However, Nana felt completely dull, which is sad because her character’s motives are at the center of the storytelling.My main issue with the script is that it felt somewhat rushed. I blame it on the eight-episode quota. No doubt, the best part of the drama was the directing and production.
Overall, I don’t think I’d rewatch it, mainly because the writing lacks personality, leaving even established actors like JCW struggling to make their characters stand out.
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A Slice of Depression
Starting this review of by saying acting was amazing. I had some reservations about GYJ's acting which she sucessfully overcame. Since I had seen other actors in other dramas, I wasn't really worried about overall quality of the performances.What left me somewhat cold was the writing. I understood what the writer was going for, but some of the comedic and melodramatic moments felt out of place. Overall, directing and music choices fit the drama genre very well.
My review probably leaves you wondering why I gave this drama only 7.5. The reason is quite simple. If you're already struggling mentally, this drama will likely leave you feeling even more depressed. Because of that, I think it's important to watch it at the right time.
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the theme will expire if you keep going in circles
let's start off with the bad things about this drama. leads' story lines went in too many circles for my liking. this could've cut the series by 10 episodes at least. however, SY and LY acted the hell out of these characters. it's probably the best acting that i've seen from both of them. surprisingly, i enjoyed the side couples' story lines. the other story line that should've been shorter, was her mother passing away. k!lling an elderly person has become a standard so it ends up giving NOTHING to the story. the music was really off putting at the times. they were targeting international audience but it fell flat. i would've preferred if they used already existing english songs.also, this drama have so many incredible one liners "the harder i work ,the harder i will fall", "the snacks will expire if you leave them out for too long", "it's your business if you you wish to stay in the past but i'm not obligated to wait for you in the same place" etc
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surprising news: netflix destroys yet another series to promote a remake
this whole season feels like "buy one get one free" offer. my criticism towards previous season felt really justified after finishing this dragged-out season.no eul, in ho and gi hun heavily carried this season. i wish we could've learned more about in ho, since he's the most complicated character in the show. also, no eul was handled pretty poorly, but it was nothing compared to all other additional characters - or should i say, cannon fodder. they literally had no purpose other than to provide cute tiktok edits or pro-life propaganda (which no one really dares to bring up).
this season's saving grace was gi hun's character development. for the first time, viewers can see him struggle with the games in the way that has never shown before. in previous seasons, he had hope for a better tomorrow. after his failed attempt at leaving the games, gi hun becomes more vulnerable and unstable. unlike others, he never loses focus on why he first joined the games, which was to support his family financially. this is beautifully shown through him keeping jun hui's baby alive, which in the end cost him his own life. the scene where other players try to kill a baby to win the games was probably one of the most fcked up scenes i've seen in a TV series in a long time, but it was also so well written that i can't complain. as a viewer you can tell this scenario was written by someone questioning the future of the humanity.
honestly, i don't see anything wrong with the ending. there's no what ifs or buts. i'm just glad that the baby and junho survived. i had no hope for other characters. season 2 and 3 point was to promote the american remake anyway. hopefully, hwang can have a nice holiday on a remote island [without the games] as he wished for.
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One of the worst k-dramas released in 2025
Honestly, I can't point out one thing that I enjoyed about this drama. Sure, it had an unique premise, superhero who needs money to have powers, but writing went downhill pretty quickly. The pacing was horrendous. There were long scenes featuring antagonists doing their "evil stuff". This drama is something I literally finished only because I wanted to see how bad it could get. Spoiler alert: it got pretty bad. The biggest issue was the directing. Why do we need to see character in every angle before he/she moves? There was also a weird camera sequence in last episode with the apartment building. The editing didn’t help either, nor did the soundtrack choices. Why play intense instrumental track after someone at the gunpoint doesn't get his brains blown out?It might sound harsh, but I couldn't tell whether the acting was bad because of the editing or it was just generally bad. After Typhoon Family, what a downgrade this drama is for Lee Junho. It's not even worse recent performance by him but for most of the cast. I'm only pointing him out because he was the one who made me tune in for this drama. The rest of the cast doesn't have that star power.
This drama feels like something only a five-year-old could enjoy.
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Taking a Step Toward Something New
I always adore when Asian dramas step outside their usual cliché comfort zone, so when I read the description of this series, I was already intrigued. Writing-wise, this drama does quite a few interesting things. Not only with its semi-educational themes, but also by breaking away from the stereotypical tropes found in other Asian series as well. Without spoiling too much, the writer handles the second male lead in a particularly fresh and unique way. Another thing I’d like to highlight is the amazing casting overall, from the leads all the way down to the extras.Was this review helpful to you?
10/10 acting, 6/10 story telling
i don't know why they decided to take on an impossible task, turning a film into a series. i know that they don't like give credit to chinese media but sheesh. i can't imagine how they catered this excellent cast (the saving grace of this series) and this ended up being the final product. in my opinoin, it's okay to change some things in the story, if it saves the scriptWas this review helpful to you?
strong impression
this is a slightly heart felt drama that tells a story of two female actresses in a show business, one retiring and the other one starting. the soul of the drama is definitely lee hanee. without her, this drama simply wouldn't work. my only complaint is that the drama should've been even more female centered. honestly, these men were pissing me off big time. this drama def isn't for people who romanticise entertainment industry, and expect pure take. overall, it left really strong impression on me, and I'm glad that I gave it a shot.Was this review helpful to you?
drama for the girls
this drama is made for everyone who likes dramas set around 90's and girlhood. the main reason why i started watching this drama is the introduced plot which remained engaging until the last episode. acting remained top notch throughout the whole series. dare i say this is the best kdrama cast assembly of this year.Was this review helpful to you?
Wasted Chemistry
This drama is the definition of great chemistry and skillful acting between the leads, which sadly goes nowhere. One thing I dislike about the "noona" genre is how writers often make the female lead immature or oblivious just to make the male lead seem more mature and a better romantic match. Strangely, they rarely do the same when the age gap is in the other way.Was this review helpful to you?
Too Idealistic for My Taste
The biggest aspect this drama lacked was an in-depth exploration of psychological disorders. The storyline that rubbed me the wrong way the most was Sora's, which is even worse considering he was one of the main characters. I didn't look up whether the drama was based on a manga or something similar, but his storyline was handled so poorly that it was hard to watch. By the time it reached its conclusion, I had already given up on the kid. Not only that, but his actor was probably the weakest performers among the younger cast.The art therapy aspect of the series was nice, but the writer should have included psychiatrists, psychologists, and other specialists, especially when dealing with more extreme cases of school withdrawal. Overall, the casting was good and the drama itself was engaging.
I'd recommend this drama to anyone who enjoys cozy, character-driven stories.
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Better Than Expected
I started watching this drama on a whim and ended up loving it. It gave off the vibe of early 2020s kdramas, largely because the writer mixed comedy and drama so well. The highlights were the acting and chemistry of the main cast (the core four), the intriguing plot, and the ending.However, the story telling it self isn't flawless. There are a few minor issues, and some of the casting choices regarding the supporting and guest characters were questionable. Overall, it was an enjoyable watch from start to finish.
I'd recommend this drama to anyone who has been missing good justice dramas.
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