Don't waste your time
This is genuinely one of the worst shows I've seen. Between the horrible wigs, a mostly nonexistent plot, and toxic couples, there's no reason to watch this.Day and Itt suck. And learning their back story makes them WORSE! Save yourself the mental damage this show does and watch literally anything else. Even the side couples are horrible! The more you learn about every character, the worse they get. An amnesia plotline spanning the entirety of the show is only interrupted by a back story full of sexual assault. The only good thing about this show was making fun of the wig they gave Itt.
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This review may contain spoilers
A whole season to set up for a finale
I wasn't really planning on watching s2 of Squid Game, mostly because I thought the open ending of s1 was satisfactory. I ended up giving it a try and while it had me watching all the episodes back to back to figure out what happened, I was left unsatisfied by the end of it. This review will contain spoilers from here out!I thought that the concept of Gihun returning to the games to shut it down was great - the first two episodes had me excited to see the plan unfold, and I was hopeful that things would work out. Going into this season, I knew that they were already planning a third, so I didn't expect everything to be wrapped up. However, the first section of the games was frankly underwhelming, with none of the deaths even feeling that meaningful. We spent less time with the characters and didn't get much backstory on them, so it felt like I was less invested than I was with s1. Also, I felt like I was constantly waiting for this big plan of ending the games and it took so long for it to happen. Instead, we just watched Gihun live through another set of games and learn the same lesson that he did in s1: people's greed is not stopped by reason. As I reached the end of the series, I could tell it was going to end on a cliffhanger, and it didn't even end in a good spot! It really felt like this entire season was just to set up for the next. The games felt less intense, the deaths less tragic, and the plot to stop them was nearly nonexistent. Frankly, I wish I waited to watch this until s3 came out so I could just watch them both back to back.
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Tried to do too much
My impression was that Gun and Pitch would be the main couple in this series, but their relationship was the worst out of all of them. An overdone, uninteresting love triangle with Zo that lasted way too long and an underdeveloped relationship between Gun and Pitch led to their relationship being so much nothing. Any time the story revolved around them, I found myself not paying much attention. The other two couples, however, stole the show. You have a sweet relationship that slowly forms between Wayu and Wayha, and then the messy and dramatic relationship between Pawin and Korn. These two couples are super entertaining and fun to watch.However, the number of characters got the best of them in this show. With no time to develop the relationship between Gun and Pitch, the series felt incomplete. Not to mention the murder plotline that was introduced that receive little attention AT ALL despite being a major issue? It felt like the writers were throwing darts at a board to try to come up with what to do towards the end of the series. The ending felt unresolved and unfulfilling. I had to look up how many episodes this show had because I thought "this can't be the end, right?" Overall not a favorite of mine, but the side couples saved it and made it watchable.
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Truly Something New
Love You Teacher is a show that I think really tries something new in a way that definitely pays off! I think a show like this dealing with the complex topics that it covered could go very poorly, but this show actually handled everything really well. I also LOVE that the plot had really nothing to do with the romantic relationship between the main couple - they have already been together for seven years, and there's truly nothing that could come between them. It's about these two characters trying to figure out how to navigate this sudden change in their life.Pobmek (Perth) and Solar (Santa) have been together since they began college, and are now both teachers at the same school. Solar is one of the school's best teachers and clearly loves the kids; Pobmek probably couldn't survive teaching elementary school kids without Solar. One day, Solar is hit by a car on his way to work, and while physically mostly unharmed, he wakes up as seven year old Sun. Pobmek has to navigate not only teaching kids at school, but also caring for Sun at home. Every other day, Sun wakes up as Solar instead, with no memory of what happened during Sun's day. Pobmek, along with other teachers at the school, have to try to figure out a way to get Solar back in control.
I LOVED this show. While of course the main story is about Solar/Sun, I think they do a great job highlighting Pobmek's struggles as someone suddenly needing to care for his partner. The exhaustion and guilt that follows is so well done and really made Pobmek's character feel real. Also, I felt that the way they handled the whole Solar/Sun thing was actually super well done - not gonna lie, I was quite nervous going into this show because of this. I do think they could have benefitted from a bit more explanation, especially towards the end of the show when the viewer learns about Sun's past, but overall it was handled well. Plus, Perth and Santa will always deliver on the chemistry between their characters, and I am really glad that they made it a point to be careful with their relationship during the whole Solar/Sun switching problem. Like I said, all of these issues were handled way better than I thought they would be. I also thought the pacing and ending of the show were super well done. Since most dramas focus on the couple getting together, I found this to be a nice change of pace with the couple already together and navigating hardships as a team. This one is super refreshing for it's unique themes, but definitely on the more emotional side, so absolutely worth watching if that's something you like!
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Kept waiting for it to get better
After the success of Love in the Air, I was curious as to what the actors would do next, so naturally I tried Love Sea. Unfortunately, this one really missed the mark for me. It was extremely average, with the most predictable plot imaginable. While the actors did a fine job, their characters didn't feel all that different from their roles in LITA, and the story kind of went no where.Tongrak (Peat) is a wealthy, very successful author who decides to take a trip to an island to get over his writer's block. On the island he meets Mahasamut (Fort), who shows him around and takes care of him. While on the island, the two start hooking up, and Tongrak decides he wants Mahasamut to come back to Bangkok with him, where he'll pay him to basically be his live-in boyfriend. They enter into this contract with one condition: no falling in love. However, Mahasamut claims from the start that he can't agree to that one term.
For at least the first seven episodes, this show was frankly kind of boring. I'm just not a huge fan of the friends with benefits to lovers concept, and this one was exceptionally predictable. I thought of dropping this drama so many times but kept thinking that it had to get more interesting. While it picked up towards the end, even then I felt like we weren't really getting anywhere with the relationship or the characters. I think this is only worth watching if you're a big fan of Fort and Peat.
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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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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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A little bit of everything!
Love of Silom was a show that truly gave viewers a little bit of everything - drama, action, crime, romance, you name it! I really enjoyed how they managed to make two characters, each with clear motivations and fears, and find a way for their romance to work out so well in the context of a crime drama! While there may have been a few lulls/repetitive conflicts, overall this show was super fun to watch and I'd definitely recommend it.Wayu (Poom) has worked as a bar host ever since dropping out of college to earn money to support his family. In need of more than just what the bar can bring in, his friend suggests sex work as a side gig. However, when the client wants more than Wayu wants to give, the night gets violent. Luckily, Krit (Up), a cop, is there to save the day. Wayu and Krit continue to meet up after their chance encounter, which comes in handy when Krit starts investigating a human trafficking case related to bar hosts. Krit then has to grapple with his developing feelings for Wayu, his ability to work on a case where Wayu may be in danger, and the pressure his family is putting on him to marry the woman they have chosen for him.
I really enjoyed the crime romance aspects of this show! The investigation was really well done (though it could have gotten a little more screen time in my opinion) and I really enjoyed Krit being torn between getting information from Wayu and keeping him out of danger when the two options are mutually exclusive. I do think spending a little more time on this and a little less time on the whole arranged marriage plotline would have benefitted the show a little, but I still thoroughly enjoyed this one. Up and Poom did a great job portraying these character, and even when one of them made a decision that I wish they didn't, it always felt like it made sense for their character since the show had plenty of time to flesh them both out. If you're looking for a show with a little action, a little romance, a little investigation, and a little stripping, this one is definitely worth trying!
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