ShortCircuit

Because you're seeing it from his POV (where he obviously has his reasons to act as he does) and not through an outsider's lens?... He's one to break things and yell at people who he has to pay (and make even his manager kneel to him), now imagine this would be presented to you without context... is he still a victim or a brat/asshole?!

I have watched Fabricated City in its time, then tried to make it through the drama, too. Couldn't make it past the first half, though I (kind of) tried.

I'm going to be mean and say it shows how JCW was much hungrier in those days. He put a lot more of himself into his roles (or at least a lot more in the movie as compared to the drama). And I seriously loved the side characters (particularly his movie mom.) When I saw they tried to do the same thing again but changing whatever they thought they could get away with... I was seriously disappointed (because yeah, when I saw he got a brother instead of a mom, it was clear the sacrifice would be his bro. And I like Ahn JiHo, I don't want to see him as a disposable character in any drama, LOL - yeah I know it's weird. He just made a very lasting impression on me with Nobody Knows).

I wanted to keep watching for DKS at least, but helas, not even my EXO love could keep me in LOL.

So I'd recc' Fabricated City right back. It was grittier, a lot better action (IMHO), just as overly dramatic resolution but a lot more easier to take in two hours compared to 12, and I (kind of) liked it. Despite its shortcomings (of which there were also plenty, but again, easier to take in a movie as compared to the time investment in a drama).

There's no BL but hey, have you taken a look at The Company? It reminds me SO strongly of The Spirealm (though I don't think there'll be any BL in it.)

Then I'm waiting for Cashero on the 26th (fingers crossed it won't turn into a second Twelve, LOL), and on Jan 2nd, Ji Sung's going to be back :D I guess we'll have something to watch THEN :D

Oh, this is not a bad start at all. Hoping it stays tight all the way to the end and that they don't pull a switch from victim-to-villain somewhere around the middle as some dramas are wont to do.

Oh wait, it has comedy and romance, phew, that's a save LOL.

Anyway, I guess I'll be watching. HE is doing a lot of heavy lifting with his emoting and she's good too. I am intrigued. (Also want a second-couple romance, get the friendly sidekick his own romance please! He's cute :D)

ETA Current running theory - it's his other bandmate who did it, the one with the huge chip on his shoulder. It would make sense he'd come to his house to rib him some more for their 4th mate getting hurt. And if he found the second there, they could get into a fight and things would happen. OR, even crazier, LOL, what if the 4th mate came by (pretended to be hurt or something). He looked like a goody two-shoes, those guys are evil masterminds in kdramas LOL.

Came in for Machida Keita and the trailer's promise, stayed in for Takeuchi Ryoma, didn't get a good (or satisfying) ending, but hey. The man's got moves. It's a good eye-cleanser for a while. (And nothing else much to watch at this point in time anyway).

The British invading Japan to get their tea, LOL - on point, LOL.

...He doesn't motivate me to go to gym, though, he just makes me more depressed in ~'tis the season to be jolly~ and all. *sigh* Life's too short to have to work so hard at it.

TBH, it takes two to tango and this time Takeuchi Ryoma danced almost alone. (And I do like Machida Keita a lot, but this wasn't it. I wonder what the manga presents the two leads as).

There's a feeling of a lack of an actual ending to this story, and I don't know (or actually expect) if there'll be another one, so maybe they should have considered that too.

Otherwise, a beautiful presentation, good production values, kind of empty of emotions (TR acted and danced circles around the rest of the cast.) If this was aimed at the manga's readers, they maybe could fill in the blanks, but I haven't read it and to me it lacked a bit, mostly in intensity.

Best scene - Suzuki throwing away that medal, LOL, he wasn't going to even pretend he was happy to be placated with it. And all his love expressions. I seriously was very disappointed there was such a little response in kind from his screen partner. Oh well.

ETA OMG Takeuchi Ryoma is the guy from Then You Try Making It!! Wow. He looks so different, I didn't even tag him for a known face, LOL. And he looks so much taller in TYTMI, hahaha~ That's actually a plus - this guy can ACT. Well enough that you can't even see him behind the character. I think I'll look him up more often.

Sing shyness level - paranormal :D

...Soooo. Are we all suspecting King's dad to be the former cop in Sisaket who learned shamanic dark magic or not? Because I am.

Incense Burner will give a LOT of insight into teen LWJ's mind, LOL. And a complete shock. It's ALWAYS the deep running waters that scare you :D

He's only human.

Also, no h@rny jail til the extras. Then he should do double time.

It was WWX's FIRST KISS EVER. And then he died. He didn't get a base of comparison til LWJ kissed him again later LOL.

The greenest green flag to grace dramaland will forever be Xiao PingZhang from Nirvana in Fire 2. This man is a fierce fighter and tender lover, knows right from wrong and protects his loved ones against the world come what may. He's the ideal male embodied, LOL. (And he looks amazingly handsome too because life is not fair to the rest of us.)

There will never be anyone to surpass him. Go watch that drama and then come back to tell me I'm wrong (I'm definitely not wrong).

P. S. Also, Si Feng is not a green flag, he's an idiot. If I were him, I'd've cleaned out all the cultivators LOL, demonic or orthodox. The FL character in that drama was a PITA and deserved to die in the fire of a thousand suns.

I came to love how soft-spoken IlJo is. And how desperate JeongHan got.

The only other kBL to make the feelings surge like this is just Love for Love's Sake (which, if you haven't watched it yet, what are you waiting for?)

And that SONG!!! That song set the mood for the whole drama and I want it in my playlist on repeat.

Thyron - Up in Flames
https://youtu.be/R0z9DCSlg7g?list=RDI1log_nGcHY&t=77

I wish they'd release the slow edit for the drama...

Also staff: Now kith.

Yup the size difference is the same as in the novel and donghua, LOL. WWX is VERY miffed about it because he originally had been as tall as LWJ, and in MXY's body he only comes up to his chin or something, which frustrates him to no end :D In the drama, other than the perspective change and all little tricks, they also used hair crowns for LWJ to make him appear a bit taller, while WWX almost never wears crowns (unless he's not in a scene with LWJ.) When he's with LWJ, his hair is raised a bit in a red-ribbon-tied ponytail and that's about it, LOL. Xiao Zhan is a long tall drink, as they say, he couldn't help it :D

Also, LWJ's eyes are a light hazel colour (novel/donghua) which is sooooo cute on him. But in the drama obviously they let WYB show his black eyes because they had already changed WWX's appeareance after rebirth (or better said they didn't change it at all), so if it goes for WWX why not for LWJ too...

It goes back and forth between the present and the past. It's in smaller pieces but overall I guess yes, half of it is in the past.

I don't know how the manhua does it, if they put the Yi City Arc in it time (past before WWX's rebirth) or do a mix-up of events like the drama did. I wonder if they're going with the Yi Iron plotline, LOL (the donghua didn't, 'cause it's not in the novel either).

It's because first it's WWX's story (the past) then it's THEIR story (the present).

WWX got kissed in a forest and liked it even before dying and being reborn. I think it's safe to assume he would've been all for it even in his original body, LOL. He also was very much attracted to LWJ, going as far as teasing him insane as a teenager. The signs were there :D

Two Weeks and Time Between Dog and Wolf (because LJG).
Black Out.
The Embers.
The Devil Judge.

Is Esther Yu using her real voice in Speed and Love? I don't even dare to try and see for myself. Not even for Fei QiMing's sake...

The Vendetta of An looks good, but it's on the backburner - too little time, way too much to do in the end of the year.

*Using my Jedi mind tricks on you* Listen to the audio drama, do!

Yes, listen to it :) You'll find some very familiar voices telling things you never heard in the drama (and should have, LOL)

ETA: this is the final part of the extra "From Dawn Til Dusk" - my favourite extra I mentioned before. Because hubs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUxlfElSnPs

LOL, if you're watching FMVs, there's going to be a lot going on that is not in the donghua at all. Since we now have GenAI to make (up) new stuff or complete what was left out... yeah. There's going to be a lot of that.

But the donghua (both the original and the chibi version) are great. Just try them.

He was basically in tears, our eyerolling king... How could you... *dramatically* How COULD you ALL?....

Anyway, he got better, LOL.