Wow.

I've been watching dramas for a very long time. And I've had a lot of experiences with these types of stories. But never in my life have I seen a cast that has just been so unlikeable from the very start of the show.

The female lead is an absolute doormat who can't stay away from the male lead to save her life even though she wants him to stay away from her? She is introduced as a bad person, she's incapable of giving affection to anyone aside from her crush but yet she continues to date people regardless. She plays with people's feelings and we're expected to feel bad for her? Why would I care about someone who repeatedly continues to step on other peoples feelings. Her drunkenly calling the male leads number is not cute... Its JANK af.

And the male lead has emotional issues
(cuz of his weird ass parents that I can't even begin to understand? The "trauma" that he has due to them just seems STUPID, with the way he was acting I thought he was abused or something?)

but instead of confronting them, he continues to play games with a female leads feelings? He's a narcissist and he is freaking annoying and I'm tired of the misunderstood jerk trope. He manipulates her heart strings like some Machiavellian villain controlling with his favorite puppet. He rejects her over and over and she STILL can't get a damn clue? She tells him to leave her alone but he forcibly invades her life like some sort of chronic disease. Even when she makes it clear she does not want to see him at ALL, He forces her to see him anyway and interact with him even when she's making the effort to try an get over him( good for her). He starts liking her magically when she starts giving the 2nd ML the time of day. His ego won't allow her to forget him and cease being a source of amusement for him. I honestly found myself wondering if he even thought of her as a person?

Women chasing men who don't want they ass is so tired and played out. We need to move on from that y'all, its 2020.

Aside from the second male lead none of the main characters are likeable. The idea of them having a relationship built on desperation and pathetic schoolgirl crush syndrome is honestly kind of disgusting, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE ML HAS NO RESPECT FOR HER WHATSOEVER.

This drama is a Trainwreck but I will finish it. I must. Hopefully it'll get better.

Edit: Alright. Someone took a fat dump inside of a side characters car. I hate it here and I want to go home.

Final thoughts: the drama put me to sleep on more than one occasion. I loathe the progression of their relationship. Not to mention the needless pushing and pulling... This drama itself is a cliché and I'm tired of this. This drama gets a fat juicy F.

Read More

Naw

Ok so everyone loves this drama but I actually depise it... It makes me so angry. With the discussion of mental health being so stigmatized in South Korea, I understand that the drama tries to normalize conversations about Mental Health, illnesses, and other disorders. Its right in the name. " it's okay to not be okay." I understand.

All of that goes right out of the window when you realize that NONE of the main characters take the step to see a mental health professional. Treatment is reserved only for zany Side characters who are used as cardboard cutouts to move the plot along.

The FL does things that would either put regular people in jail or in a madhouse.... but the show brushes off her behavior? I've seen so many people gushing over the locker room scene but that was NOT COOL. If the sexes had been reversed I wonder what everyone would be saying.

All three of the leads have SERIOUS issues and none of them ever really do anything about it. Yeah your mental anguish makes you interesting so don't do anything about it!

Read More

Confusing and disappointing.

After waiting YEARS for this drama it finally came out and its... not the best. Despite the fact that the drama has been delayed for years and everyone has been expecting it. Absolutely everything looks unfinished unpolished and cheap. I'm not really sure what setting it's supposed to be in, and some of the costume choices are almost insulting to the eyes. Theres wayyyy too much plastic, fake fur, and feathers.

Some of the songs are bangers but everytime I hear an electronic pop song in the BG, my blood pressure rises. After starting off incredibly strong the quality starts to dip after episode 10 or so? I think that the show could have benefited from having it story simplified or a longer run time, so it could have an ending that actually makes sense and is capable of providing closure for a viewer.


The best thing about the show was the explosive chemistry between Bai Lu and Luo Yunxi. They were too hot for words. As an adult I'm glad the drama is not chaste, and showcases some passion.

Read More

A little weak compared to part 1

This was a big budget drama that borrowed a lot from Wuxia dramas and it's super obvious when you start watching. Personally I loved the effect and was immediately pulled into the story. The costumes, sets, effects and music were all on point and amazing. The amount of care and effort is so visible in every frame. This drama has a very typical underdog story that is also propped up by an underlying mystery which takes 30 episodes to fully unravel. I feel that the first season was fine for the most part and had a lot of satisfying “anime-like” moments that pulled you deeper and deeper into the world. The problems start becoming more apparent when you consider the romantic aspects of this show and it falls a little flat. The acting in this show is phenomenal from everyone involved when you set aside the romantic parts. In the first season I couldn’t help feel a distinct lack of chemistry from the leads… The secondary couples are not not even worth mentioning at all. The chemistry between the main couple does manage to improve in the second part due a major change in the depiction of the characters. Despite the fact that the romance manages to improve in the second part, the characters all get REALLY dumb. They also start saying and doing the dumbest stuff to move the plot along and some of the retcons (pertaining to reincarnation) were too much to be acceptable. All in all its a pretty good show but it wasn’t tied up well enough to be truly great, memorable or rewatchable.

Read More

Good! but not "Great"

So after hearing that this drama would be comparable to "Strangers from Hell" I kinda went in with high expectations. I wanted it to be just as thrilling and moving and In a way I did get what I wanted but It just wasn't as striking.

I want to give the highest praise for the acting and production. Lee Seung Gi and P.O. in particular had me almost crying near the end. The editing, direction, and music were all great to experience.

I personally feel that the biggest disappointments of the show come from it's writing. There are multiple instances where I feel like the drama does not even attempt to respect the intelligence of its audience. There are so many fake outs and deliberate misdirections that aim to increase the longevity and the intensity of the show but end up working against it instead. When you do take the time to notice things and take note of certain clues and facts that you've been given, the drama never takes the time to vindicate a viewer's theory at any point in time until the end.

I think of Dr. Daniel in the amusement park and just Yohan in general. It was painfully obvious that he wasn't the Killer but the drama kept insisting on that which just made it more unsurprising when the real killer is revealed.

I feel like the highest priority of the show at any point in time was to cause as much discussion and controversy and surprise as possible. There is a philosophical side to its story and I think that it tries to make a statement but at the same time it kind of fails towards the end.

I still enjoyed it and would recommend it!

Read More

I'm biased, so Imma say its basically perfect.

Everything about this drama is on another level.
Writing, cinematography, costumes, plot, acting, action, and supporting characters?!?!
It was all so enjoyable. I inhaled the show like oxygen and finished 56 episode in 4 days.
For ONCE I didn't feel as if it were dragging and would have liked it to be longer so we could get more of a "fairy tale" ending, but its still fine.

The only bad points are repetitive plot points, and the show never really making you fear that anything bad will happen? Its hard to explain but when you see how the emperor acts youll know.

Its SO refreshing! Its also strange.

This couple and story has me in a chokehold and I don't wanna leave it behind.

Read More

Cookie Cutter

Its the same story we've seen before but even LONGER and more boring. The entire time that I was watching the show I couldn't help but think that this story could have been told in half the run time. 30 episodes would have been MORE THAN ENOUGH. In order to further add to the unoriginality this drama takes several actors from both Love and Redemption and Ashes of Love.

Yang Zi is a grown woman of 30 years and still shes being forced into these cutsey roles where she has barely any agency. I feel like MY eyes will spit blood if I have to watch Cheng Yi do it one more time. Both leads are punching bags thoughout the whole thing.

Aside from them no one really matters? Cardboard cutouts that serve the plot when necessary. The candle holder cat faced lady was so obviously and laughably Evil that I could not keep a straight face anytime she came on screen. I couldn't help but wonder as she stood next to the emperor Ying Yuan, why he couldn't see that she was obviously evil? I also despise the fact that this drama pits sisters against each other, I understand that you need to have the evil lady but there is no need for that type of tension between both sisters. Is it that hard to imagine that women might possibly want to support and love each other? When will female camaraderie be celebrated?

The only enjoyable parts of this show are when they are in the mortal realm just solving mysteries and collecting loot. It was fun and way more intresting than the boring immortal realm stuff. If you ask me that should have been the show. Just a demon hunting guy meeting a "good" demon girl and solves mysteries with her and they fall in love. Sprinkle in some commentary about nature versus nurture, some tension with the guys sect and rivals. And BOOM a watchable drama in 30 episodes or less.

Read More

Going down roofie road.

After binging this drama in the span of less than a week. I have to make a formal apology to "From Now on Showtime!" because this show is basically the same thing but like wayyy worse in every aspect.

Its boring, predictable and cliché. The stalker serial killer, the b*tchy 2nd FML, the second lead not liking her until he's got competition... All of it made me wanna hurl. The show not being able to remember it's own lore about magic.

I don't mind dramas being commercials... But I still wanna be told a good story. I was totally on board for this show until the 5th episode? Once he drank that DAMN love potion it was OVER for me! Such a dumb decision! Speaking of dumb things.

I could not bring myself to believe that a woman willingly wrote this. Every single female character with 1 exception (and no, its not the FL) is a joke. An actual joke. The FL's only characteristics are her being "nice" and liking hot guys. Aside from her dad dying thats all we know about her. Everything else circles back to those two things. Oh? she's hardworking? YEA cuz she's "nice". Oh she's making dumb magical decisions? YEA it's cuz she likes hot guys. The script has her isolated from other people without really giving a valid reason. If she's so nice why does she get bullied and isolated everywhere she goes… I know it's Korean fiction but there's gotta be a reason for her lack of human connections. Even the biggest bitches I know have a couple f*ckin friends??? Her superiors and coworkers are all disgusting shallow people who walk all over her, take advantage and so on. DESPITE THAT! The FL still wants to be friends with them?

LADY PLEASE have some respect for yourself.

I really dislike when women in dramas can only think of men... you don't have any hopes? Dreams? Goals? Hobbies? The coworkers and 2nd FL have lives that only revolve around the males they drool over... So pathetic. Also the 2nd FL is a freaking delusional hypocrite that honestly made me head cannon that she was a stand in for someone that actually bullied the writer in real life, that way she can feel like she punished her bully through the show… All of this seems like bad fan fiction. The Mary Sue FL, the lack of romantic tension, and the one dimensional 2nd FL… it all reeks.

The male characters are basically pieces of paper. I don't know why the ML ended up liking the FL? He was so rude to her and then BOOM the worst decision of the show comes and all of a sudden he's all about her… The 2ND ML seemed like he might have something relatable and interesting going on… but it doesn't get enough development and he too also starts liking the FL for shallow reasons… I have nothing to say about either of the villains… Both were so boring. The mayor man…. allows his uneducated daughter to make political decisions for him because she's angry… What a whack politician…

The biggest issue is the FL making the conscious decision to trick a man into drinking a love potion that would FORCE that man to love her. This action is the biggest issue for me... Is her life so bad that she needs to essentially magically roofie a man? She's that desperate for love??? WHY??? So cuz her dad died she has the right to force men into a relationship even after being PREVIOUSLY REJECTED BY THE SAME MAN? I just can't wrap my head around this creative decision.... THIS and everything that results from it are tainted. If she gets into a relationship with that guy… then everything that takes place is r*pe… I don't understand how the writers missed that… The drama doesn't really make any effort to condemn her actions either, instead it's used as a comedic trampoline… All kinds of shenanigans take place after that…

The cinematography, music, and acting were all fine I guess.

I can confidently say this was my worst drama of 2023… too much of it rubbed me the wrong way. I would gladly watch King The Land 20x times more than ever watch this again. Just awful.

Read More

I'm being super generous.

This is a cohesive review for both parts of the show.

This show means business when it comes to tragedy, so watch out!

As some other people have pointed out this show is wayyyy better in the first half. I think the main issue that comes up in ep 10 onwards, is that the story relies on people making dumb choices for drama's sake. Characters that you've gotten to know will dead-ass look at the camera and make the dumbest choices you've ever seen.

Due to that there are a lot of scenes where I'm bored or angry. Not to mention how many coincidences there are to help the characters float along.

Despites the flaws this drama was still incredibly compelling. Every episode moved me or made me physically ill from the stress of watching. I thought the ending was pushing the limits of believability, BUT I was satisfied!

One of the best Korean dramas in YEARS!

Read More

This PROVES ya'll will do anything for a check.

I have so many issues with this show, but its not the worst thing ever.

Main couple had no real chemistry, and I keep wondering if PHJ is even really suited to these regular romcoms.

I felt nothing by the end but I didn't feel as if my time was completely wasted.

Whole thing REEKS of weekly production. Nothing feels linear or cohesive. Character plotlines are either nonexistant or get tied up SUPER quick. I kept thinking about little things. Hyejin's dynamic with her BF's mom would have been more intresting with earlier and frequent scenes. If she had been offending her BF's mom slowly and consistantly for the length of the show think of how much funnier it would have been.

Such an obvious lack of planning.

Does have a traditional HEA tho. Its alright. Won't ever watch it again tho.

Read More

BAD + Crazy

The big twist is that this is not a supernatural drama about possession, but rather a thriller involving DID.

I have to applaud this drama for being better than Killme/Healme or Hyde, Jekyll, Me in its depiction of what kind of traumatic even triggers DID.

That's the good stuff.

K functions like a ghost... I've rarely heard of DID patients being able to see and interact with their alters... It was hard to believe... shoulda just made him a ghost...

There are investigation portions to the story but they all take too long... Some things that could be resolved in 2 eps are stretched out across 4 total sometimes. The drama reeks of weekly writing because the relevant plot that you've been following will be dropped in favor of something new...

I'm not sure if this story was planned out but its bad enough that it FEEL like the writers were making shit up as they went.

ACTION was great! I actually adore K!

Read More

A Relic of a Bygone Era

The first thing that came to my mind when I started this drama was "dated". Everything in this show is extremely dated. The cinematography, music, story, and tone all feel like I've been blasted back to that very warm era from 2008-2012 for Asian dramas. Unfortunately It's been a decade since then and I need a lil more than what this show was able to give. Plain talk: it's really boring.

Though the drama tackles some serious issues like CA, SA, dr*gs and MORE, but it has a serious tonal issue. One moment we'll see the worse thing ever happen to a person and three minutes later you'll see some of the most cheesy comedy ever. The framing device is also weird? It's like a 4th wall break thing like The Office but it doesn't contribute anything… So what's the point in having it at all?

The story is simple… boring… and linear… At times I was shocked at how mature the content could be then be pulled out immediately by the erratic tone. This drama does not know what it wants to be: A crime solving law drama, A conspiracy drama, or a tacky rom com…. in the end it split the duty unevenly…

A big issue for me is the FL and how she's obviously not like other girls…? Shes built up to be a bad B who can take care of herself but the only reason she gets anything done is because she's surrounded by men… I wasn't a big fan of her silly or "cute" moments because I really never felt like I could take her seriously. Like if that chick from It's Okay to not be Okay acted like she did THEN I'd find it cute because that woman was actually a bad B…

The leads had pretty ok chemistry and had some nice moments from the beginning. The whole cast had great acting with only one person standing out.

But like JO HAN CHUL tho… dude was the bread and butter of this drama and carried the entire thing on his back. He was so ridiculous that I'd wake up everytime he was on screen. Man really felt like he was having fun writhing on the floor in his underpants.??? It's worth watching just for him, played a great scumbag.

All in all if you like simple straightforward stories with no detours or if you're feeling nostalgic for dramas they stopped making a decade ago then this is the drama for you. You'll definitely have some fun but never rewatch…

Has a satisfying more traditional HEA too!
Hated the wedding dress tho…

Read More

One of the best of 2023

There are so many dramas that get made with the intention of communicating some grand message about some societal problem or depict something particularly provoking in the hopes of making ground breaking commentary that sticks in viewers minds for years. I feel that in the hopes of achieving this goal a lot of dramas fail to tell a good story. I think that writers and directors often forget that in telling a great, entertaining and memorable story they will usually end up fulfilling the goal of sending a message that sticks in people's memories for years to come. Twinkling Watermelon is one of those dramas. This drama and My Dearest were the only two truly great Korean dramas I watched in 2023.

I HATE teen and music dramas. This was amazing enough to make me sit through a combo of both.

TW is a typical supernatural time travel, music drama that revels in many of the drama tropes that we are used to. At the same time it has a new and fresh energy from mixing genres, inspiring nostalgia, and introducing less well known actors to us. I usually can not stand to sit through music/band dramas but TW just grips you and does not let go. It's funny and heart breaking and joy inducing all at once. It does all of this while bringing awareness to the plight and strength of the hearing impaired, while tastefully depicting the ignorance and lack of consideration that they have to endure.

I think that the drama does a great job of showing a viewer how they can better themselves and their relationship with other people and easily be more considerate of the hearing impaired.

I love the ending. It's such an amazing surprise.

It's honestly almost perfect. That's it.

Read More

Give it a try!

This was a big budget drama that borrowed a lot from Wuxia dramas and it's super obvious when you start watching. Personally I loved the effect and was immediately pulled into the story. The costumes, sets, effects and music were all on point and amazing. The amount of care and effort is so visible in every frame. This drama has a very typical underdog story that is also propped up by an underlying mystery which takes 30 episodes to fully unravel. I feel that the first season was fine for the most part and had a lot of satisfying “anime-like” moments that pulled you deeper and deeper into the world. The problems start becoming more apparent when you consider the romantic aspects of this show and it falls a little flat. The acting in this show is phenomenal from everyone involved when you set aside the romantic parts. In the first season I couldn’t help feel a distinct lack of chemistry from the leads… The secondary couples are not not even worth mentioning at all. The chemistry between the main couple does manage to improve in the second part due a major change in the depiction of the characters. Despite the fact that the romance manages to improve in the second part, the characters all get REALLY dumb. They also start saying and doing the dumbest stuff to move the plot along and some of the retcons (pertaining to reincarnation) were too much to be acceptable. All in all its a pretty good show but it wasn’t tied up well enough to be truly great, memorable or rewatchable.

Read More

Please understand what you're getting into.

This is a story about a 30-sum year old woman getting psychometric powers after touching the butt of a cow that got hit by a meteor... then using those powers (which only activate when she is touching a booty) to catch a serial killer.

Of course Shenanigans ensue...

I don't understand why people are taking this drama seriously. This is a comedy, and its a damn good one.

All the jokes were funny and memorable. The cast did an excellent job. I didn't mind the lack of romance because its clear that isn't the point of the show. The goal is to make you laugh! That is what I needed and wanted!

Music and cinematography were great! Added several tracks to my OST list!

I thought the chemistry was fine... some people are complaining about their dynamic when its legit enemies to lovers. ML starts off thinking the FL is a S3x offender... I can understand him being abrasive to her touching him without consent. His reactions were totally appropriate!!! Despite that their relationship develops and deepens.

Its a fun(ny) solid drama that warmed me up!

Read More