Minor Flaws, Strong Overall
I went into this series with no expectations and was pleasantly surprised. Not only was the pacing solid, but the overall cast delivered strong performances. Special kudos to all the leading actors. Elvira Cai is slowly becoming one of my favorite “underground” Chinese actresses. There’s something special about her performances and script choices. Also, I didn't think Jing Bo Ran had it in him to play such a complicated character. Another highlight was the strong on-screen chemistry between all three leads. The writing had a few minor plot holes, which I can overlook. What I can’t overlook, however, is the way the lead couple was written. Their relationship needed better development.Overall, it’s a good crime drama by Chinese drama standards
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it's cute
I'll admit, I was drawn to watch this film because of the hype. No need to beat around the bush, it didn’t live up to my expectations. The acting is fine, but the storytelling is the real issue. honestly, I can't blame the audience. The hype probably came from the lack of strong k-dramas/k-films this year. it reminded me of the c-19 era when everyone was suddenly releasing good music, simply because people were hungry for something to hold on to. However, I’m not the kind of person who can survive on crumbs; I need a full meal. This plot has been done hundreds times in other EA films, (especially in China and Japan), where seems to be a strange obsession with killing off characters in romance films. Within the first ten minutes, I guessed the entire story arc, and I haven’t done that in a while.Was this review helpful to you?
mothers are mothering
This drama really surprised me with how good it was. The best way to describe it is: a hidden gem. It feels like an oasis in the desert (current kdrama landscape). the number of female-centered dramas seems to be decreasing every year like the population of pandas, and I find myself hunting for them more and more. this drama's strengths are strong leading ladies, solid storytelling, and high rewatch value which most of the dramas lack nowadays.i recommend this to anyone who enjoys the mystery genre with a little bit of slice-of-life.
personally, i'm already looking forward to confirmed season 2.
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easy watch with weird spacing
despite majority of the story being written in WXX's point of view, this story belongs to everyone except her. cheng yih (ML) has an interesting family dynamic. even though SML is low key obsessed with the FL, his passion for music made him stand out. compared to all that, FL seems dull. i can't even blame the actress, because she was giving her all. writer should've focused less time on the love triangle time line, and more time on after the time jump period. overall, it's cute, but predicable film with happy endingWas this review helpful to you?
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one of the best drama releases this year
this is what happens when you give great actors a great script. everything from the first episode until the last episode was thought through. also, i really liked that the divorce cases were portrayed realistically [court cases can last long and are often messy].the only complaints i have are regarding two story lines. first, CEG forcing her daughter to interact with her dad, which felt out of character for her. secondly, the whole one sided crush trope between EG and UJ. it's as if writers threw it in the first episodes, but didn't know what to do with it in the final episode. overall, it's a great watch, and i'm thankful to whoever thought casting jang nara and nam jihyun as leading ladies.
PS: if you're a romcom enjoyer, you've come to the wrong place
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surprisingly good
it was on my planned to watch list for quite some time, so i'm glad that i finally watched it. this drama's strongest point is the bond between the women from different backgrounds. currently, a lot of kdramas are struggling with portraying friendship between 3 women without one of them becoming more of a supporting character. another thing ,which i loved about this drama is that comedy isn't forced (despite it being an older drama). it's all thanks to the great acting by three leading ladies and storytelling. this drama def isn't for hopeless romantics, but slice of life enjoyers. the moral of the story is finding OWN way in life, despite ageWas this review helpful to you?
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typical short revenge drama
i wouldn't have finished this series, if the episodes weren't that short-- bad acting for the most part
bai xu han ended up carrying the acting department
- weird editing but it's common among short dramas
- bad writing
MC forgave to a woman who tried to KILL her and CHEATED with her husband
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trying to please people with happy ending isn't always a good thing
when i started watching this series, i thought that they would make their break up make sense, and they would properly solve their issues. it didn't happen. instead, we got two episodes of fluff, and three episodes of present. i feel like the writer was just pushing CH and AJ's differences aside until the final scene was taking place for the viewers. CH felt random quilt over the break up in last episode for some reason. AJ neglected her until she packed her bags and left. It makes you wonder if they're going to fall into the same rabbit hole.despite the writing flaws, this drama has definitely an excellent cast, and cinematography.
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bitter hell
this drama really had many loop holes, draggy plots, very dumb main characters despite their degrees, a villain from comic books (can't believe that writer let her get away without punishment for so long). two things that kept me watching were the two leading ladies: kim hee sun (also, her character was the one i was rooting for this whole series) and lee hyeyeong for their masterclass acting despite this horrendous script and cinematography which was so breathtaking. what made me extra bitter was the ending of NYW. i can't believe that writers made NYW give up her career for a suicidal psycho.for people who are considering watching this please threw logic out of the window.
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Good Enough for a Sequel
I’d like to start this review by saying that my expectations were low. It wasn't caused specifically by this drama, but because second seasons (especially with long waiting period) have been a mess lately. If I had to describe this season in a few words, it would be muscle over poetry. The writing is much more fast-paced compared to the first season, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, it becomes an issue when you can’t emotionally connect with the characters (especially new ones), which happened to me. Thankfully, that aspect of the story is saved by the skillful acting. Regardless of how this season performs, it raises some red flags for me heading into (the possible) season three.Was this review helpful to you?
Too cliche
It’s an easy and certainly boring watch, but for some odd reason I just couldn’t drop this drama. In all honesty, this should’ve been a nice limited series with 6 episodes, but instead we got 12 which mostly focused on the second male lead and female lead story line which lead to nowhere. Watching this series felt more like a chore than entertainment. Both main characters also fell into tired J-drama stereotypes: the woman with low self-esteem and the man who hides himself behind a cold exterior/ has a weird personality. If you’re thinking of watching this, don’t.Was this review helpful to you?
the chemistry was chemistrying ... but
let me start by saying that alice ko and jasper liu are both fantastic actors. they delivered solid performances and did nothing wrong. in fact, their chemistry was the glue that held this series together. unfortunately, the writing was the show's biggest flaw. the decision to focus on emotional cheating, a messy marriage, and a pushy mother-in-law as central themes had potential, but the execution fell flat. additionally, the "plot twist" was underwhelming, and the characters showed little to no growth until the very last scene, which left me disappointed. however, i hope alice ko and jasper liu won't be discouraged to on make another drama together.Was this review helpful to you?
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Strong Cast, Weak Character Writing
My initial reaction to this drama was positive. It had everything you could ask for: three female leads portrayed by incredibly talented actresses and a court centered premise. What fell apart, in my opinion, were the characters’ individual storylines. It was as if the screenwriter didn’t see them as separate individuals, but only as a friend group. As the series went on, this became even more noticeable. Overall, the soundtrack was okay, nothing outstanding.I wasn’t going to mention it, but why are we still doing open endings in 2026? They rarely work especially for this type of series. This drama clearly has a specific audience. If you’re not into law dramas with female leads, it simply isn’t for you.
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could've should've ending ruined the last episodes of the series
i had to narrow down my ratings after seeing the last few episodes but overall it was an enjoyable watch. let me start with the strong suits of the drama that kept me watching:- good acting by everyone from the main cast
- great cinematography
- interesting plot
- lovely support characters (i really liked that all characters had their own ambitions in this story . we even got flashbacks of their past which added a lot to the story)
- chemistry is out of this world
- moral of the story: don't trust men
- women were portrayed as smart people, especially XFF
now the things i didn't like that much:
- at some parts downplaying SA
- promoting it as an angsty romance (there was no angst since the beginning, only yearning)
- cheap cgi effects (but it's slowly becoming a trademark of a popular drama)
the biggest mistake writers ever made the messy ending of the show. they were trying to please core audience the book lovers and viewers at the same time. it ended up blowing up to their face
- SYR just offing himself after writers portrayed him as the obstacle
- WN's forced ab*rtion
- don't get me started on the battle scene where everyone got offed followed by peaceful epilogue of the leads
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might be triggering...
My Broken Mariko is a visually stunning Japanese film that explores complex themes like mental health, grief, and redemption. The story follows Tomoyo as she travels across Japan to deliver the ashes of her best friend, Mariko, amidst the struggles of her painful past.Through the visually striking imagery and outstanding performances, the audience is transported into Tomoyo's emotionally-charged world.
The music is thoughtfully composed and helps to create a vivid atmosphere, heightening the emotional impact of each scene.
Overall, My Broken Mariko is a journey of self-discovery and redemption that serves as a reminder of the human capacity for resilience and the importance of accepting help from others. The main reason why I can't give it a higher rating is because it has a low rewatch value because of triggering themes.
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