Complex and dramatic GL that delivered!
This was an absolutely beautifully done GL, with complex characters and emotional storylines. I love Film and Namtan, and was super excited to see them act together and they delivered on the roles. They managed to tackle real-world issues like disability access and homophobia, while still being able to focus on building a romance between the characters. My only complaint with this one would be that it did feel like a lack of honestly between the characters caused a lot of the later issues, but overall it was a great watch and it makes me even more excited for GMM's future GLs.Ai and Oom (Namtan) are twins, but polar opposites. Oom is the perfect child, with a good job and an upcoming wedding to her rich fiancé. Ai, on the other hand, is scraping by as a delivery driver. On the night of her wedding, Oom asks Ai for a favor: now that she's married to a man she needs to break up with her girlfriend, and wants Ai to do it for her. Shocked by the sudden news of her sister's affair, Ai almost doesn't agree; however, after Oom gets into a car accident on the night of her wedding leaving her in a coma, Ai feels she should honor her sister's wish. Upon arriving at her girlfriend's house, she meets May (Film), who has recently gone blind. Ai doesn't have the heart to break up with May for Oom, and instead pretends to be Oom and keeps the relationship going. Ai and May start spending more time together, and as her feelings for May grow, so does her guilt.
I was super excited to watch this show, especially after how much I loved GMM's other GL 23.5. I am typically a bigger fan of more dramatic shows, and figured this would be right up my alley. I do think that a lot of themes in the show were already brought up in similar ways in other GMM shows (disability awareness for the blind in Last Twilight, swapping places with a twin in Not Me, etc.) and could have either pushed these ideas a little further or tried to do something a bit more different with them. Regardless, I'm super happy to see GLs finally becoming more popular and am excited to see what Film and Namtan do next!
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Stick through the beginning and it's wonderful
I was a little worried going in to WoH because I had kept hearing such great things about it, and I was concerned it wouldn't live up to the hype. However, after getting through the beginning of the show, each episode started to get better and better.WoH is about Zhou Zishu, who is the chief of Window to Heaven. Window to Heaven is an elite team of assassins who take out corrupt officials in the martial arts world. However, Zhou Zishu's family has all left or been killed, so he decides it's time fo rhim to leave too. However, in order to leave Window to Heaven, he must imbed the seven nails of torment into his body, which leave him with only three years to live. He decides he will spend these three years wandering the world, drinking good wine, and basking in the sun. However, it seems that his remaining years won't be so peaceful - he gets wrapped up in saving a child, Chengling, after his clan is killed, and Wen Kexing, a fellow martial artist, is following them and trying to befriend the two. Zhou Zishu is wary of Wen Kexing, but over time the two become closer and jointly help to teach Chengling. But it seems the entire martial arts world is against them as everyone tries to get their hands on the Glazed Armor, which opens an armory said to hold all the secrets of the martial arts world.
Overall, this series was great. I honestly don't know how the relationship between Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing got past any kind of censorship, because calling someone your soulmate THAT many times is not something two homies do. It was great to watch their "friendship" develop over the series, and as secrets come to light, we see that friendship tested. I do think the "I'm going to sacrifice myself to protect you!" got a bit old after the (I don't know) 5th time?? But it truly went to show how much these characters learned to trust and rely on one another. I do think my biggest complaint about this show is that I think it would have been much more interesting if it was told from the perspective of Wen Kexing instead of Zhou Zishu. I found Wen Kexing to be a much more interesting character, and I feel like we could have gotten a little more exploration of his character. Still, I would highly recommend this one! BUT BE SURE TO WATCH THE EPILOGUE AFTER YOU FINISH EP 36!
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Slowburn rivals to lovers?? Count me in.
Bad Buddy is a show that I didn't expect to like as much as I did. While it looks like a classic, cheesy, Romeo-and-Juliet style romance, it's done exceptionally well.The relationship between Pat and Pran starts off with what seems to be them hating each other - except that's what the character's want everyone to believe. Not only do their parents forbid them from being together, but (naturally) architecture and engineering students could never date due to their rivalry. This forbidden romance between childhood best friends that have finally been reunited is just an enjoyable and sweet watch. The conflicts throughout the show make you enjoy the characters' arcs, and watching them go through issues with their families, friends, and school.
Bonus points for including women as actual characters with personalities (let's go lesbians!!!)
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The Perfect Follow-Up!
After watching the first season of Enigma, I was super curious to see what they were going to do to follow it up. Frankly, I was fine with the open ending of season 1, but was super glad they decided to continue with the show. I LOVE seeing Win as Ajin, and I was really curious as to how they would up the stakes for a season 2 and BOY did they!!As Ajin continues on his journey to hunt for Enigma, he moves on from the high school and instead gets involved in a competition where actresses are competing to be in a famous director's newest project. However, there's something sinister behind the scenes - the lead actress will get to wear the dress created by the director's grandfather, but there's somethin dark lurking in its creation. Ajin guides Plengpin through her journey to win the top spot, but the pair might regret ever entering the competition.
I LOVED the way they continued this story. Sticking with the idea of competition between women from the first season was a great way to keep the story feeling cohesive, but it's very clear that they are no longer dealing with an amateur like in season one. The magic and the villains are so much more intense - and the chemistry between Ajin and Plengpin much better than season 1 (mostly because the female character is, yknow, an adult). The backstory, both with Ajin and this mysterious dress, were incredible. It really made this season feel more thought out than last, which I really appreciated. The twists at the end had me SHOCKED and I can't wait for season 3! As always with shows of this length, I would have loved another episode or two to really dive into some of the backstory, or to flesh out the finale a bit more, but overall it was such a great watch. If you even remotely enjoyed season one, this season is worth watching!!
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I FINALLY UNDERSTAND THE HYPE
If you're considering watching this at all, DO IT!As someone that had never watched a Chinese drama before, I had no idea what to expect when starting The Untamed. I have had it recommended to me countless times but always put it off because of the length of the series. Finally, I figured I should go ahead and give it a shot - and I immediately fell in love with it. This is one of the best series I have EVER seen, and I don't say that lightly.
There's no way I could ever give a proper summary of this show without spoiling some major plot points, but this story explores the world of cultivators, where warring clans bring about questions of honor, loyalty, and trust. Wei Wuxian is our main character and is wonderful to follow not because he is without faults, but because he has many. Throughout the (admittedly, messy) timeline of this show, the viewer watches Wei Wuxian face hardships that make him question time and time again if he is doing the right thing. After you watch him promise to "live with no regrets", you see it constantly become more difficult for him to do so.
There is nothing better than a show that properly delivers a complicated protagonist that makes the viewer question if they agree with their actions. This is done exceptionally well in this show. Additionally, I found that the political issues between clans were very interesting and engaging, bringing up complex topics where you can see both sides. This adds to the complexity of Wuxian's character extremely well. Wuxian is constantly battling between maintaining order by doing what everyone wants him to, and diverging from the status quo to do what he thinks should be done - and this gets him in a lot of trouble. Plus, the relationship between Wuxian and Lan Zhan is just wonderful; I know a lot of people weren't happy that this isn't explicitly queer, but believe me, it may as well be. I was worried that because this is a much longer show than I'm used to that it would get boring and repetitive, but it never did. Each story arc connected to the next perfectly, and continued to build until the very last episode. The only issue I could see people having with this one is the time jumps, which as long as you're paying attention, I don't think are too bad. Same with the names of the characters, as many of them have multiple names. As long as you can get through that, this show is absolutely wonderful. It's beautifully emotional, visually engaging, and will have you staying up late to watch another episode. Deserves no less than a 10/10.
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Who can get away with murder?
I will always eat up a revenge thriller, and The Manipulated was no exception. I had so much fun watching this! I absolutely LOVED the main character's story, and seeing Doh Kyungsoo as the villain was absolutely INCREDIBLE. That man can really play a psycho! While I would agree that the beginning of the show had a greater punch than the last few episodes, I still thoroughly enjoyed this one from start to finish. Framing someone for a crime they didn't commit is always so interesting, and the way this was weaved into the whole plot was so fun!Park Taejoon is an extremely hard working man. As he prepares to open his botanical-themed cafe, he works as a delivery driver to make extra money. When one day he finds a phone ringing with no owner, he does what any other respectable citizen would do and returns it - and it doesn't hurt that the woman offers some cash for him as a reward. However, he had no idea that this simple act would be the beginning of his downfall: the following day, police barge into his place and arrest him for the rape and murder of a woman. Even though Taejoon has never even met this woman, and has his whereabouts from nearly minute around the time of the murder, it seems no matter what he does, he'll be found guilty. Taejoon is determined to figure out exactly why he was the one charged with this murder, who really did it, and who he needs to find to get revenge.
I genuinely had so much fun with this drama. The entire concept being centered around this idea of horrible rich people paying a man to frame someone else for a crime they committed was so interesting. I loved the way that Taejoon's attitude changes throughout this show, and it is super fun to watch. Not to mention, the villain was so interesting. I'd highly recommend this one if you enjoy crime/revenge dramas, you have GOT to give this one a try!!
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Almost Good
I LOVE OffGun. I think they're a fantastic pairing and I will watch pretty much anything they're in. However, I was honestly disappointed with the Trainee. This show took so long to get good, and just when you think there's going to be developments in their relationship, you get nothing but crumbs. Additionally, the side couple had the worst trajectory I've ever seen in terms of relationship development, and overall it left much to be desired.Ryan (Gun) is finishing college and in need of an internship. When there's an interview mix-up, he ends up interviewing for the directing team at a production company where he meets Jane (Off). Somehow, he gets the job - and hates it. Jane is extremely strict with high expectations of Ryan, who has never worked a day in production. Jane is frequently yelling at Ryan, to a point of Ryan being in tears. However, slowly the two of them start to understand each other more, and Ryan soon realizes he's developing feelings for Jane, though Jane remains guarded. You also have Tae (Sea) and Ba-mhee (Piploy) who seem to have a failing relationship, as Tae never has time for her. But as Ba-mhee starts spending more time with her mentor Judy (Kapook), she realizes what it's like to have someone take care of you.
The relationship between Ryan and Jane was SO SLOW. Not your typical slow-burn slow, but slower. I wish they would have condensed the first 10 episodes into about 6. There's just so much potential for that relationship dynamic - sneaking around the office because the relationship has to be a secret, the repercussions of a mentor dating his intern, the backlash they could face, etc. Instead, we get none of that, and instead are left with the same issue for the entire show: Ryan likes Jane, and Jane won't tell Ryan how he feels. There's so little time for them to be happy that the show feels incomplete. I think if I didn't watch this weekly I would have liked it more, but it was just frustrating to watch most weeks.
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A Must-Watch!
I was super excited to see Bible work with Jes in this show, and BOY did they deliver!! This show was absolutely incredible and had me at the edge of my seat every episode. A thrilling, action-packed plotline was perfectly partnered with a slowly forming romance between the main leads, and side characters that could stand alone in their own series round it out beautifully. The only potential issue with this one was that the 18+ rating needs to be taken real seriously....both with the violence and explicit sex scenes.When Great (Bible) hits and kills a woman while driving, he suddenly finds himself with a strange ability: he is occasionally (and not of his own will) sent back in time 4 minutes to fix mistakes. After preventing the death of this woman, she still ends up in the hospital. Great, feeling bad about this, goes to visit her and meets Dr. Tyme (Jes). The two slowly get to know each other, but it seems their lives are more intertwined than they thought. Great's family's shady business seems to be willing to go to any lengths to continue their work, and Tyme seems to be somehow connected to all this. Meanwhile, Great's brother Korn (Bas) and his boyfriend Tonkla (Fuaiz) seem to be more involved in the inner workings of this shady family business, which is straining their relationship.
I can't begin to describe how incredible this show was. The plot twists were INCREDIBLE and had me sitting in shock at the end of the episodes. I can't possibly describe all the interesting plot points that happen without horrible spoilers, but it is truly an experience to watch it. I love when a plot doesn't only revolve around the romance, and this one definitely isn't focused on it, but uses the romance to enhance the plot. Again, the explicit scenes in this show were a bit much for me, but overall it was fantastic and I would highly recommend it.
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Missing Romantic Conflicts
This show was not what I expected it to be. From the description and trailers, I expected a lot more romantic tension and miscommunication between the leads. Instead, this story ended up being a lot less about the relationship and more about family circumstances.Dokrak (Bonnie) agrees to help her brother Kawi (Sing) win over Pam (Emi) by drawing her postcards. Everything seems to be going well between Kawi and Pam, but as Dokrak and Pam also become closer, it's clear that Dokrak has feelings for her. As Pam insists on learning more about Dokrak's strained relationship with her family, it's hard to tell what Pam's motives are - her feelings for Kawi, emerging feelings for Dokrak, or personal gain. Once Pam and Dokrak become closer, the two will have to choose between keeping the peace or revealing their feelings.
I wanted so much more from this relationship. I was super excited to see Emi and Bonnie together, and while I loved their portrayal of these characters, everything felt too easy for the relationship. I wanted more conflict with Kawi, more angst, and more hardship for the main two. It just felt like after they were together, the relationship immediately had no impact on the story. This show definitely revolves more around family issues for both characters, and their relationship fades into the background after the first few episodes. While I thought they had great chemistry (and hope to see them act together again), I do wish we could have gotten a little more relationship drama and a little less family drama. Still a fun watch, but left me wanting a bit more.
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An unfulfilling short series
I was really excited to start The Bequeathed because it seemed like it had everything I liked wrapped up into a short 6-episode series. It wasn't until I started the final episode that I realized there was no way they could wrap everything up as cleanly as I would have liked. The twists in the story weren't all that surprising, and I felt that I wasn't too invested in ay of the characters.Yoon Seoha finds out she has inherited a family burial ground from a recently deceased uncle whom she had never met. Meanwhile, she finds out her husband is cheating on her and she likely didn't get the job promotion she thought she would. When a man claiming to be her half-brother starts fighting her for this burial ground, it seems like Seoha's life is spiraling out of control. No matter which way she turns, it seems that only hardships follow, and though she's suspecting everyone around her, she can't help but feel like it may be her family's own bad karma.
When it comes to crime K-dramas, there's a high bar. I love a good mystery, a good investigation, and a good, well-thought out killer. Unfortunately, this one just didn't quite deliver. While it was a very enjoyable and quick watch, I felt that something was lacking the whole time. I found Seoha difficult to sympathize with, as she always threw the blame on the closest person and never seemed to think things through. If they wanted to focus on the police investigation, they could have done that too, but that also felt like it was only peripheral even though they attempted to flesh out the cops working the case as much as they could. I think this story would have been a lot more compelling if told from the perspective of the lead detective instead of Seoha, or if Seoha was a bit more likeable as a character. Still, it was a fun show and an easy watch because of its length.
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Incredible Thriller to Binge
I think some of the low ratings here are from people that expected this to be a BL because Fluke is a main character. It's not. But it is an amazing thriller series that will have you constantly wanting to watch the next episode.Dan is a new transfer student to St. Lawrence all-boys school. He quickly learns of a kid named Trin who went missing the year prior, and the other students found it strange that Dan sat in the exact desk that Trin did. Dan begins looking into Trin's disappearance a bit more, with the help of his friends, and it seems as though things are more complicated than he thought.
However, Dan has more pressing matters than Trin's disappearance. A shadow figure keeps appearing in his dreams and attempting to kill him. This worsens, and begins to happen even while he's awake. With the help of his friend Nai, who can see ghosts, Dan tries to keep his reality separate from his dreams - though the ghosts and shadow man make this difficult. As these encounters worsen, Dan realizes these visions may be tied to Trin after all...
This show had me on the edge of my seat every episode. Watching the main character start to lose his mind in his attempts to distinguish what's real and what isn't was truly a highlight for me, and Singto's performance as Dan was outstanding. The effects were good, and the twists and turns the storyline took were absolutely excellent. The only reason this wasn't a 10/10 was because the ending could have been wrapped up a bit better, but overall it was excellently done. However, if you're looking for a new BL with Fluke, this isn't it. Still, give it a shot if you like thrillers/supernatural horror/etc.
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A Business Gay Performance
This show is not good. I'll start there. However, it is hilarious. If you watch it like you're watching a badly scripted SNL skit, it's AWESOME.The plot is Nine and Mill are debuting together in a group with the concept of "business gay performance," which is essentially fanservice. Naturally, the two of them realize that they have feelings for each other as well. The pacing of the show is totally off, the script is bad, and the acting is worse. It's basically them acting out poorly-written fanfiction. It's never as queer as you want it to be, and instead you're left laughing at the absurdity of the show. I enjoyed watching every episode of this and laughed real hard at it. Don't go in with high expectations. It's probably only worth watching if you're a fan of onlyoneof, in which case the plot seems very fitting considering the group's concept.
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Cute!
Being honest here: I only watched this because I'm a fan of Omega X. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was! I'm always going to criticize the typical format of KBLs, because there's rarely enough time to actually accomplish what they want to do with the show. I feel like this show had the perfect amount of romance, plot, and conflict for the time that it had! Was it the best show ever? Maybe not. Was it super fun to watch? Absolutely.Na Aejoon (Kevin) is a high school teacher and long-time fan of idol group A-One. It just so happens that his bias, Choi Siyeol, ends up doing a variety show at the high school Aejoon works at - and asks specifically for Aejoon to show him around. Aejoon tries to play it cool around Siyeol, making sure he doesn't know that he's a fan, but when Siyeol starts flirting with Aejoon, that becomes much more difficult. However, Siyeol's motives for flirting with Aejoon aren't clear, especially as conflicts with other group members resurface.
Like I said, I mostly watched this for Kevin (and he was ADORABLE in it), but I ended up really enjoying it! If you're looking for a short, cute, and fun show, this is definitely a good one to watch. I wanted more for the side couple but, again, this show was short. If you like idol romance, or are just a fan of big height differences in couples, give this one a try!
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Bringing Back Yearning!
I was super excited to see a historical drama from GMM, and I'm so glad it turned out as amazing as it did! The romance was so soft and sweet, though not without its challenges. The directing was incredible, and the backdrop of the time period really tied it all together. While the show was sometimes a bit slow or the conflicts a bit repetitive, it was still an amazing watch!Rati (Inn) was born in Siam/Thailand but grew up with his father in France, and now works as a translator. At the beginning of WWI, Rati travels to Siam to teach the nobles French as France attempts to recruit Siam's help in the war. While there, he meets Count Thee (Great), and the two quickly become friends, though it's clear from the beginning that there's more feelings than that. However, their love seems impossible with everyone against them.
Great and Inn really surprised me in these roles! I watched them before in Wandee Goodday and really enjoyed them together, but this was so different from that show that I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I ended up LOVING them as Rati and Thee! They did a great job portraying the longing and heartbreak of their characters. The conflicts were very predictable (of course there's an arranged marriage, parents finding out about their relationship, etc. etc.) but I still quite enjoyed them and thought they were done very well. I wish we got a little more on the issue of France and Siam - the biggest issues seemed to be that Rati would have to return to France, as opposed to the political issues of their relationship. Still, it was a great watch and I would definitely recommend it if you enjoy historical dramas!
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Surprisingly Predictable
Overall, I thought Knockout was a solid show. I really enjoyed the boxing plotline, and I'm glad there was a good evil villain. However, I felt that none of the twists were all that surprising, and that I was never fully invested in the story because of it.When Keen (Nice) loses his father, his father's friend tells him that if he ever needs help, he should call him. Soon after, Keen learns of his father's debt and the debt collectors won't leave him alone. In a desperate moment, he calls his dad's friend, who sends Thun (Gunner) to help. Keen learns of his dad's friend's boxing gym, and starts staying there along with Thun. Keen becomes the gym's promoter and starts setting up fights for Thun. The two develop a relationship while navigating the debt collectors and other drama in the boxing world.
This show would've been better if I had waited until it all came out to watch it I think. The twists just weren't quite interesting enough to keep me fully invested. That being said, I really enjoyed the couples in this show and thought it was a fun watch. If you like boxing and action, it's worth giving this show a chance.
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