KingC

A 1300 Year Old Cycle.

My review comes three years late after finally getting a chance to rewatch it.
I had followed the drama while it was airing and remember losing interest half way, watching the final episode and skipping through the scenes around Episode 11 - 14. It was this rewatch that finally made me understand why I found certain parts less than interesting.

A young prodigious man is tricked into the service of a supernatural being, Jang Man Weol, after his father was conned into making a deal with her 20 years ago.

Then, we get to see an exclusively detailed view of how Gu Chang Sung's entire life gets turned upside down as a result. I admit, he was an unsuspecting and unconventional male lead --- half of the drama, he is stuck in a state of constant dilemma, attempting to make decisions and also learn about his mysterious master, Jang Man Weol, the owner of Hotel del Luna where he is forced to work.
Jang Man Weol had a lot of "pecadillos" rather than being a genuinely evil being. But, I consider her very first decision of tricking Chang Sung's dad into selling his son to her the most cruel one. Burdened with the punishment of running the Hotel for 1300 years, she awaits to serve vengeance to the ones who had forced her through this dark path. It is now upto Chang Sung to see that she crosses the afterlife safely and remove her resentment.

I loved the three ghosts who served the hotel -- Miss Choi, Mr. Kim and Hong Joon. They were humourous. I also adored the rapport between Chang Sung, Sanchez and Mi Ra. I sometimes wished that the story focussed more on the humans than the ghosts. The ghosts whose tales were prominently followed were all emotionally depressing. I did not find them boring, as each one had a pivotal role in changing Man Weol's view on life.

The major events in the story are pre-planned by the 'deities'. And everyone of them managed to get on my nerves except for Police woman Ma Go and Medicine Ma Go. The way they dealt with the lives of living beings like cards was difficult to watch.

Last, but not the least... I could feel why Jang Man Weol sought revenge for centuries. This was also the weakest point in the drama for me. The backstory of a very important character was almost laughable. It was a moment that I waited for as I wished that it would make me find him redeemable, but in the end, he sounded like a coward.
I suddenly understand why Chang Sung was the male lead instead of him. He might not have anything heroic happening around him, but he definitely had enough intellect and loyalty in him.

I wonder how hard it was for IU to act as Jang Man Weol. She had around more than three outfits per episode and I can't imagine how exhausting it was for her and the stylists of this show. (I loved JMW's style though!)

The soundtrack of this drama is absolutely unforgettable. I can remember almost all the songs even after three years.

I do find the drama absolutely delightful and enjoyable. It's not a masterpiece, but the brilliant performances by the cast, beautifully shot scenes and a story that completes a satisfying circle is definitely worth giving a try.

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"Who does not prevent the crime supports it."

With Beyond Evil, I finally realized that I enjoy psychological crime thrillers more than romances. Though it was one of those dramas that received a momentary hype while on air, I decided to check it out as the reviews seemed promising.

Well, well. Akiyama Shinichi would be pretty proud.

Set in Manyang, a small, rural town where all its inhabitants are more like a real family, Lee Dong Shik, a police officer, has a few strange eyes on him. He was the suspect of a case from 20 years ago, a double event that included the murder of a girl and the disappearance of his own sister Lee Yu Yeon. The almost forgotten cold case is brought back to life with the transfer of Han Ju Won, the perfect, elite son of the ambitious Chief Superintendent of the Korean Police Force. Han Ju Won, unfortunately, has a plan. He is hell bent on getting Dong Shik proven guilty for his supposed crimes… while harboring a secret of his own.

I kid you not, this drama is not "who is the culprit?" kind as in Flower of Evil. It's a game of 'tag, you are it!' between two police officers who are forcibly paired up and have no choice but to work together, setting aside their differences. The first two episodes were a whirl of confusion as I desperately tried to make sense of what exactly was going on.

If you are a constant viewer of dramas, then the plot is definitely not much of a suspense -- it's quite predictable. It's the very web of intrigue and questions that tempt viewers to keep watching episode after episode.
It was also a didactic experience for me as it shed light on some of the 'stupid' laws that lets criminals get away. This is a strong shadow over the "entire" drama --- characters take actions while attempting to circumvent these laws.

Lee Dong Shik is without a doubt, the soul and star of this drama. The story is nothing without him. He knew his game well. The first few episodes of tag between him and Han Ju Won were absolutely riveting. His mind games and rhetoric questions made everyone doubt themselves and drove me mad. His dubious actions even more so. I loved how confident he was in his craft and how easily he managed to rile up the very egoistic Han Ju Won. It's my first time seeing this actor and I'm in complete awe of his performance. How can a human being portray so many emotions? That too, wild, intense and absolutely mind numbing once with such clarity and depth? All in the same episode? I could figure out his thoughts and actions within the first two episodes, but without Shin Ha Kyun, I highly doubt if Dong Shik would be receiving my approval.

Han Ju Won… ah, yes. I remember seeing a post about why nobody had killed him yet. His stickler for rules and his holier-than-thou attitude made me want to smack him at times. But, he wasn't a hypocrite and I'm glad that the writers didn't make him one. Rather, he was a victim of circumstances.
It's strange, but I loved how Dong Shik finally managed to rub off on him. Yeo Jin Goo has proved himself a versatile actor from his previous works. He did not disappoint.

Park Jeong Je, Dong Shik's best friend, is another worthy mention. And everyone from the Manyang Butcher shop.

The bromance is really slow burn. But, absolutely worth every second of your time. I loved seeing Dong Shik and Ju Won together. Their 'I refuse to tell you that I like you' attitude was highly endearing and fun to watch. Both of them had a terrible habit of blackmailing each other, and watching them attempt to untangle their own net traps shouldn't have been this enjoyable under normal conditions.

I was surprised by how much I liked Lee Chang Jin. A very, very, gray/bad/confused character, I mirrored his reaction multiple times. He had several valid points, but he was also too dumb to exist.

Every single character reached a point where they were pushed to the inevitable moment of making crucial decisions, and watching it unfold on screen was absolutely thrilling. The story veers towards a game of deception during the latter half and had several nail biting scenes that had be binging three episodes a day.

However, there are a few answers that were told just in passing, making it seem almost as if the writer had conveniently written them in to avoid leaving out any plot holes. This is starkly visible as we near the finale. And judging by the fixed episode duration and number, I am willing to forgive everything.

The Soundtrack is to die for. Music is the second most important aspect of a drama and even an average one can become a masterpiece if it has an excellent audio team.
I have 'Timeless by BIBI' and several background scores on repeat since the time I first heard them.

This is definitely one of the best dramas I've watched.
It is an absolute feast for people who love looking like the Pepe Silvia meme and enjoy racking their brains to make connections and assumptions. Its thrilling, emotional, engaging and absolutely riveting.

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Simple and Humble.

This is one of those simple movies that is buoyed solely by the emotional appeal. It invokes us to think and I loved its quiet production.
Mitsuomu, aspiring for a 'cool' job, moved to Tokyo years ago. He returns back to his hometown, now disillusioned and hopeless. Everyone expects him to take over his father's furniture craft (a job he had ridiculed before), putting him at odds with him.
However, he meets Yamato, an orphaned boy who was adopted by his Grandfather. His optimistic and lively demeanour soon changes Mitsuomu's view on life.
The relations between the grandfather and Yamato and Mitsuomu and his parents are the very backbone of the movie, despite not being strongly stressed on. Their rapport with each other was slowly built bit by bit. Romance is not a prominent aspect, but they were really heart-warming to watch.
I did wish that they showed scenes of Mitsuomu evincing his interest in Carpentry. It was told in passing and did not seem convincing enough.
Overall, it's a really pleasant watch.

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"I'll Jump Through Timelines For You."

Someday or One Day begins it's journey as a regular contemporary romance drama with a tragic twist: Huan Yu Xuan, the FL's person (Wang Quan Shen) has been dead since the past two years after a plane crash. HYX struggles to get past his demise and seeks out for hints that proves that he wasn't too much in love with her in an attempt to get a leverage to let go of him, despite imagining him multiple times. What she discovers only makes her drop back to square one. It is at this time that she gets a Walkman from an anonymous person. And from there stars the real story…

☆ The drama unexpectedly takes a smooth twist into the time travelling genre and for a while, I believed that it was just some minor fantasy element. But, no. It was an actual time travel element that had blood and bones. The characters, their choices and the whole time travelling governs the basic plot. We are pulled into a maze of events that talk about the past, or rather the past of a young introverted girl, Chen Yun Ru, and her friends Li Zi Wei and Mo Jun Jie. The only thing in common is that Chen Yun Ru and Li Zi Wei are doppelgangers of the future Huan Yu Xuan and Wang Quan Shen. Time travelling to another timeline, into another completely different person comes with a few setbacks. Huan Yu Xuan soon learns from the future that she must protect herself from a mysterious stalker and try to stop Chen Yu Ru's fate: dead by the New Year's eve of 1999. Moreover, she finds out that there exists a deeper connection the past and her future.

But, is changing the future as easy as it seems?

☆ The plot was meticulously written with a strong purpose. It tried closing off all loopholes and giving us convincing answers. I could visualize the time loop that writer had written the story with. One factor that made me not find the drama boring was the variety of characters. We spend significant screentime with closed off Chen Yu Ru and the kind hearted Mo Jun Jie. We get to know Chen Yu Ru's family and her troubles. We are delighted to see the way Huan Yu Xuan deals with situations and her vibrant personality. Her friendship with Mo Jun Jie and Li Zi Wei was a treasure to cherish. The actors performances were excellent, particularly Alice Ke, for her portrayal of the two starkly contrasting characters with precision.

We get heartbroken seeing Wang Quan Shen and his relationship with Huan Yu Xuan. There was a point where I could not see a happy ending for anyone. Time travel rarely ends up with roses, but more with roses 'and' thorns. I guessed a few minor events before it happened, but the way it was executed was smooth and realistic.

☆ The opening, closing credits' and their soundtracks captured the emotions of the drama perfectly. They implied a lot about what was going to happen in the drama at the first place, but we don't understand the symbolism behind it until we've completed about more than half of the episodes. Also, I'm not a fan of songs of the genre such as Wu Bai's 'Last Dance'. But, this drama forced me to like it.

☆ One thing that irked me was how I fell asleep multiple times, particularly during the initial episodes. Though the slow pace was essential for capturing the viewers and setting the base for the story, it made me wish that it was a tad bit more fast paced.

All in all, this is definitely a drama that you should give a try, particularly, if you are a fan of romance and time travel genre. I loved piecing together the puzzles and guessing what was about to happen. I wished for every single characters' happiness by the end. I too hope I'll meet someone someday who would also come back to me one day.

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A Renascence in All Ways.

The Liar Game returns after a two year hiatus, completely invigorated with power and deviousness. This series might be one of the few sequels out there that outshined its predecessor.

☆ Kanzaki Nao-chan and Akiyama-kun are pitted along with Fukunaga (AKA the Mushroom from S1) two years after their last match. However, this time, they are headed for the semi-finals. The games in the second season are unflinchingly deceitful. While the players of the S1 were pulled into the labyrinthine game against their will and with no choice left, the players in this one are clearly worthy of the arena. Not only are they experienced with the workings of the game; none of them are completely unintelligent. The stakes are much higher and the opponents far more stronger. I felt incredibly like an imbecile while watching the games unfold. All of them appeared facile, but once they begin, they are a far cry from what the players were promised. The psychological play on human minds was boggling to watch. It was a battle of brains that was absolutely nerve-wracking and thrilling.
(As an added bonus, I inadvertently got to know the rules of all the games mentioned in Poker Face by Lady Gaga.)

☆ While the Nao-chan in season one was forced to become enlightened about the depth of human greed and deception, this season is where she actually proves her worth. She maintains the same personality as in season one, but it's evident that she has actually grasped the concept of the Liar Game. Still dubbed as "stupidly honest", I suddenly realized why she was an integral part of the game.
Akiyama Shinichi is still the prime mover, but he is forced to face opponents who are as skilled as he was at his craft. He is as eccentric and enigmatic as he was in the past, but we see different facets of his that we hadn't seen before.

☆ The production style is definitely outdated, but the comically dramatic laughter of the 'villain' was more sporadic than the first season, which is definitely an improvement. I also found the OSTs to be absolutely fitting for such a thrilling drama. I loved both the Capsule songs used: Sugarless Girl and Love or Lies.

☆ The first season was tamer and provided the perfect basement for the second to be built upon. I admire the writer for managing to maintain the mysterious aspect of the show and deepening the purpose behind the ridiculous game of deception. For once, I didn't find them to be desultory, but witty and intelligent. It was a true test of human nature. This aspect is given much more focus in S2, which is undoubtedly more explosive than the first.

I can see why fans of such psychological gaming shows find this absolutely unforgettable and riveting. It left me pondering about how the game represents the real world and how vacillating humans have become due to their guile. I couldn't dislike Nao-chan. Someone like her was not meant for a game like this, but she is ultimately the player who breaks all rules.

Japan adds their own flavor in all the dramas I've seen and they did their magic with this one as well. Definitely one of the few series that got me scratching my head out of sheer confusion, but kept me glued to the screen to know the outcome.

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A Bittersweet Twist.

Slice of life genres are rarely everyone's cup of tea. The realistic portrayal of life and relatable characters are what makes one fall in love with them. When dramas like Go Ahead peaked back in 2020, no one paid much attention to silly kids' genres dramas such as I Don't Want To Be Friends With You. MangoTV never bothered to subtitle it and it wasn't until six months later that Kukan Drama Channel decided to pick it up. And then the magic began...
-- The Plot:
Li Jin Bu, a 17 year old who is sick of her single mother's neglectful and careless antics decides to stay overnight at a Public Bathhouse as a sign of her displeasure and finds herself transported 20 years back to her mother's cold North Eastern hometown. Lost and confused, she has no choice but to track down the last person she had wanted to see: Li Qing Tong, her mother... who is completely unaware of who she is. Cooking up lies and jumping through hoops, guided by a mysterious man, Jin Bu takes it upon herself to change her mother once and for all.
--- The Duo:
Li Jin Bu is no angel. She is lonely, stoic and often ruthless with her words. She is perhaps, one of the most realest characters I've seen in a High school drama to date. Her mother, Li Qing Tong is not a bright one either. Slightly dumb with low IQ and high EQ, she tries her best and doing things the right way. As time goes, Jin Bu starts to grow up along with her mother and gets to know her from a different angle. The show explored the depth of their relationship perfectly. They go from mother-daughter to realizing that they are each others' best friends.
--- The Brotherhood:
Honestly, Chen Jun He, Duan Xiao and Ba Dan were characters that made me laugh and cry at the same time. Particularly Chen Jun He. His antics with his friends, his family and Qing Tong were the highlights of the show.
-- Romance:
I rarely ship ships. But, I'd die for Jin Bu and Duan Xiao. Subtle romance without words are my top weaknesses and this couple managed to hit all the feels the right way. Jin Bu never confessed outright to Xiao. And I understand why. But, she always put forward what he wants and tried to be her very best to him. Her sincerity and his trust were beyond heartwarming. Their every moment together was like a piece of treasure.
-- Overall:
I have no words to describe how much this drama means to me. It was in no way a perfect production, but it made me lose interest in other dramas for two months straight. The characters, the lessons, the sweet memories that it left for me can never be put down in words. But, I sincerely implore you to give this little gem a try. :)

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The Darkest Minds.

A 9/10 because this was extremely an eye opener for me. I've never investigated murderers, looked up police procedures or psychopaths and had never even known that they had certain behavioral patterns until this. Though, a caveat for thrill seekers -- this drama is no regular "thriller". It is more procedural and gives an indepth look into the lives of Criminal Profilers. (This might be the reason why I did not feel to rate it a 10/10.)

I am quite curious about how the original book was written because Through the Darkness is carried by the efforts of two budding criminal profilers, Song Ha Young and Captain Young Soo. Despite their intense passion for that specific line of work, they often face ridicule from their colleagues, thanks to the apprehension that follows anything new.

The entire story as a whole is told in an almost episodic format, loosely based on some of the major crimes that were headlines in South Korea. (As a matter of fact, Gu Young Chun, who was sentenced to death, is still alive and imprisoned.)

In particular, I was impressed and terrified by Song Ha Young, an introverted detective who was extremely sensitive to the emotions of everyone surrounding him. I have to say, he is hands down one of the most genuinely nice and fluffy male leads out there. We see his intense passion for his work. What was surprising to me was how I grew attached to even his own mother, who definitely has less screen time than any other characters who are working on the field. His rapport with his more extroverted colleague was one of the lighter parts of the show. I slowly began to care for both of the profilers and their family.

Captain Yoon, one of the major female characters, was introduced in a rather annoying fashion —- I grew to like her refurbished attitude as the story progressed, but I failed to understand her rude approach to the Criminal Profilers in the first place. I found the female reporter disconcerting as she had only a countable number of scenes. I wished to see more of her passion for her work.

The crimes were gruesome and the interviews were bleak —- but, as someone mentioned, we are the creators of our destiny. We choose to become who we are.

Funnily, both my mom and a friend of mine advised me in the exact same manner that Song Ha Young was admonished on episode 8 and 9.

I hope that the real authors as well as the entire cast and crew behind the scenes received extensive counselling and therapy after wrapping up. This show is not for the light hearted.

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A Slow Descent Down the Hill.

First: if you are looking for the 'thrill' and anticipation that one experiences while watching Signal (2016), Beyond Evil, Mouse (both 2021) or Flower of Evil, this drama isn't for you. I will suggest this drama to anyone who is looking for a unique story of two brothers. The murder and psychological aspects all come in second.

I dropped this drama precisely at the 13th episode, then watched the final episode to sate my curiosity.
The number of times I've seen it recommended alongside other thrillers is what drove me to begin this. I should've not kept prior expectations beforehand; this would've saved the rating from getting tanked.

The story had a good start that is enough to pique my curiosity. It's already established that Lee Hyun had a traumatizing experience as a child. Now, back in Korea after his stint as a Criminilogy Professor, he is drawn to certain murder cases that revive memories about his missing brother. On the other hand, Cha Ji Ahn, a cop, has stalked him for 20 years while on search of a serial killer whose last known interaction happened to be with Lee Hyun.

I don't usually go off about female leads, but Cha Ji Ahn's character and her backstory were the weakest part of the whole plot. I never really cared about her past or romance with Lee Hyun, thanks to how the writers wrote her as an almost comical and cringeworthy caricature of a cop. The main poster doesn't include her and I can see why. (Her annoying nature becomes bearable after episode 8. She was not irritable when it came to scenes of crime discussions with her team, but I skipped everything else of hers involving a casual Lee Hyun.)

I loved Lee Min's interesting game of cat and mouse. This was what kept me going throughout the whole drama. Park Bo Gum and Do Kyung Soo blew the cap off with their performances in this one. DO, Lee Joon Young's younger self, was stunning in his portrayal of a complete psychopath, but his delivery of certain lines are going to be some of the most memorable ones in dramaland. (Particularly at the end of EP1 and almost his every flashback. Another person to add to the list of Bunny Serial Killers.)

Seo In Guk has potential, but the shifting tones in his character made me feel less emotional towards him -- it went from comedy to stoic all at once. The character Lee Hyun didn't seem to get a break. The scenes of his that I enjoyed the most were all the serious ones.

I found it hilarious that Lee Hyun got everything solved instantly with the help of the Art gallery director -- I must not have watched enough to know his true identity or this is lack of paying attention from my part.

By episode 8 or 12, I knew who was who -- biggest let down as the story seemed rather bleak and uninteresting after the big reveal. (EP12 has one of my most favorite moments: the conversation between the two brothers. Both actors delivered emotional and heartfelt performaces.) I fastforwarded quite a bit after that, eventually deciding to drop the whole thing as it did not seem to have what I sought. I will not be going back to this drama anytime soon.

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You Who Came From The Stars.

If you ever had a chance to meet a version of you from another life and timeline, what would you do?
Love Upon A Time's underlying theme rests upon this fact. Like any other time travel drama, it comes with the same caveats, but what I admired about the story as it wrapped up, was how consistent the characters and rules of time were.
You just know that there existed a distinction between the past and the present, almost as if the flow was rough around the seams. But, it is this little point that made me add an additional half stars to my 8.5 rating.
Well, here goes my thoughts.

Time travel and History are two genres that rarely do well in synergy. The suspension of disbelief becomes a necessity to admire its beautiful and often tragic elements; something that viewers find highly disconcerting as the existence of paradoxes makes the former impossible to ignore. And melancholy is a feeling desired by none.
But, without a doubt, none can deny that they are always suspenseful, regardless of what genre of time travel the story is attempting to convey. Was it going to be a romance? Doomed for sure. Were they going to change the past? A price has to be paid.
Hence, isekai dramas, although a deluge of them are already present, tend to scare away viewers.
Like all drama viewers, I too, have had my fair share of the same genre. The Eternal Love, my first Chinese Drama, happens to be of the exact same kind as Love Upon a Time. If you think Nakhun Patthanathada was over the top, Qu Tan Er would have given him a run for his money — the girl got transported a thousand years back and she did not even attempt to hide that she was not the same person as she was before.

Scratch all that, I love time travel dramas and novels. Unfortunately, our male lead Nakhun Patthanathada doesn’t.

★ A rational English Literature student. Nakhun, finds himself plagued by a series of ill omens, culminating in him spectacularly failing Thai History as well as inciting his English Professor to grant the class an assignment on whether they believe in time travel fiction after he trenchantly refuses to divulge from logic. Fate offers him a chance to fix both his academic issues - sending him back directly to Ayuthaya Kingdom, 400 years ago.
Forced to assume the identity of a certain “Klao”, he attempts to navigate the past with his non-existent knowledge and find out what had happened to the real Klao. All while being constantly monitored by Klao’s childhood friend, Lord Phop, who starts to suspect that the new Klao indeed might not be the one he had known.

★ The drama begins with a pilot episode that goes a tad bit overboard with emphasizing how exactly unlucky Nakhun was. It takes its sweet time, introducing characters very much earlier while slowly building up the plot around them, letting their personalities and relations simmer and settle. Particularly characters such as Jom and Kaew.
Moreover, Klao’s storyline is literally buoyed by an ensemble cast - particularly Phop and the servants Chuay, Sai, Phong and the cooking Lady, who offer insights and flashbacks into the mysterious Klao’s past. Something that Nakhun himself might not be able to provide.

Personally, I liked how they managed to instill the truth about how high the stakes were for Nakhun - he was nowhere close to the real Klao and his modern shenanigan and detective work combined with the classic historical set up that characters such as Phop lived by gave an amalgamation of two different genres in a rather comic manner - it was romance for Phop while it was a mystery for Nakhun.

★ I’ve always admired JJ’s skills after seeing him in The Next Prince. (Yeah. Considering that his plotline was pure smoke, he managed to create something out of nothing just through sheer talent, which is why I remember him.)
But, Love Upon A Time gives him the opportunity to portray a variety of emotions - Nakhun is a versatile character who changes according to the person he deals with. He is rather funny with Thee, doesn’t mess around with Pun, careful with his words when it comes to Phop and manipulates both Phop and Chuay to get his way. He is also sharp and knows to defend himself quite well.
While Nakhun is more serene, the character Klao is hinted to have had a miserable existence. Moreover, we can make out exactly how different those two were.

★ They do not kid around with time travel. The prickly part? The viewers are stuck in the past as Nakhun is. This can be either thrilling or annoying, but as I am in the former category, I did not mind it much.

★ As for Nakhun and Phop’s romance? Nakhun clearly informs viewers about what he thinks of their relationship and I share the same sentiments as his.
Phop is already in love with Klao, which Nakhun perceives quite early in the story. From Nakhun’s point of view, the romance is fun and easy to follow and is evidently the lighter aspects of the rather tumultuous past of Klao. But, the caveat? It is bound to be doomed.
So, in spite of cheering for the couple, viewers can't help but feel despair. They were bound to the rules of the time and time itself was their biggest enemy.
Then, there is Phop. Who is clearly stuck somewhere in the middle of a modern romance and historical tragedy.
Net is an expressive actor and he does not disappoint, bringing Phop’s internal dilemma to life. He shines in the final episodes, both as Phop and Tinnaphob. I have to give it to him, his future self was a lot more calm and composed as compared to Phop from the past.

★ Jom - it's surprising that he received a lot of dislike initially. To me, he was a very interesting character and I found his actions quite different from how others perceived him. I might be in the wrong, though.
Latte plays the two very different characters extremely convincing – one was a goofball foolishly in love with Pun while the other was a very serious Physician who thwarts Kaew’s attempt at romance. Just like JJ’s Nakhun and Klao. Both characters are a stark contrast to their modern counterparts.

★ Kaew/Pun -- the most consistent character in both the past and present. Kim Pongsaton was absolutely ethereal in his role. Calm, quite and collected to both Thee and Nakun's, he was a scene stealer.
His romance with Thee was both endearing and heartbreaking to watch.

★ The Friendships, particularly between Jom/Thee, Pun/Kaew and Nakun was heartwarming. Not to mention Chuay, Sai and Phong

The story is almost told by an ensemble cast without whom the plot wouldn't move forward. Even minor characters like Varna exist to prove a point rather than simply being a plot device.

★ Nakhun and his mother -- initially glimpsed in EP1, her presence as a very important person in Nakun's life doesn't change, even when he goes back to the past. There was something deeply moving about seeing the simple love between a parent and child being portrayed on-screen. (I'm in a similar situation as him when it comes to college, which might be the reason it struck home.)

★ Villains -- the mystery is rather high stakes and dawdles as a result of the 'culprit'. But, it is not until the final half of the drama that things begin to become more clear. I have to say, by the end of the drama, I felt rather satisfied with how everything wrapped up.

★ The Soundtrack was absolutely beautiful. All the different OSTs, along with their instruments were absolutely wonderful. Particularly the one by Bowkylion and JJ.

And so were the traditional outfits. I loved Kaew's in particular as it seemed to simple suit him perfectly. Also, Phop's uniform and Varna's outfits.

★ Is the drama perfect? No way - but that's the thing about time travel dramas. Considering that we had only one and a quarter episode to reestablish Nakun's life back into the future. There is also an upsetting truth when it came to this, but I understand why it had to happen that way.
But, Love Upon A Time acknowledged these inevitable changes and boldly pulled the story closed without leaving any loose threads.

★ This is definitely one of the best works by Mandeep Channel, perhaps following Khemjira, Your Sky and Duang With You. There was a story and characters to build up and they managed to arrive at a neat denoument without stepping off line.
Kudos to the cast and crew and I'll definitely be looking forward to Net, JJ, Kim and Latte's future works.

I began this as an experimental watch, but three months later, I have completed it with satisfaction. A solid 9/10 for being one of the most wholesome dramas I've seen this year.

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Rewrite The Stars.

For a drama that was being provided for free on Youtube, Head 2 Head exceeded my expectations. The storyline is nothing new, and the very simple portrayal of family, friendship and the explosive dynamics between them all is what elevates this show to another level.

Childhood friends turned rivals Jerome and Jinn has made it their mission to annoy the living daylights out of each other, including moving to extreme lengths such as courting the other's crush.
When one such 'competition' ends with Jerome crashing his car, he starts to dream visions from 10 years ahead... visions in which he and Jinn are no longer at war. Jerome begins to realize that the dreams might not be as simple as they seem when he scarily cross checks facts, revealing a crucial information that rewrites everything he had assumed about Jinn.

Why was he receiving these visions? Could he really change what awaits him? Who exactly was Jinn to him?

☆ Most of the drama takes place at college, or in their homes. Honestly, it's an almost accurate portrayal of a college students life. The relationship between the kids and their parents is one of the main backbones of the tale and I adored how it was depicted.

☆ I have to give it to GMMTV... this is my 4th drama from them and however the story strays, the characters are all fully fleshed out human beings who are relatable. Characters are empathetic and make logical arguments, which was refreshing to watch.
Yes, there were tough episodes, but the writers couldn't afford to drag out conflicts with only 12 episodes.

This might be the true highlight of Head 2 Head. Not to mention that every actor was convincing to my eyes.

☆ The second couple, Farm and Van are equally captivating as the main one. They were definitely the sour apples, and time might've been insufficent to portray Van's growth, but they somehow managed to bring it to the finish line.
Throw in their friend Mai and we get a gang of mixed personalities that doesn't seem unrealistic.

I'm not the best judge when it comes to technicalities, but, honestly, this drama was a warm hug for me since November 2025, without being overboard or underwhelming.
It was a sunshine after rain moment for me after Khemjira, which I had completed prior to it. I'm slightly upset that I won't have anything to escape from reality for a while.
I wish that Jerome, Jinn, Van, Farm and Mai continue to live their lives in the best way, whichever universe they exist in.

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Missing Links.

I guess this drama is supposed to be a dark one filled with tension, considering that it's taking place during a time of war and their country is right in the middle of it. But..
The cast, story and even the outfits are decent, however, the story failed to grab my attention. I blame the editing.
Plus, completely skipping the past of the main leads and directly heading for the conflict was a wrong move by whoever planned it because I did not feel emotional at all.
Su Yan was particularly irritating. I don't know why, but she almost seemed slow when time was dire, did not provide proper explanations to Wen Yuan and many of the troubles could've been avoided had she reacted on time.
Don't get me started on the King. He left absolutely no impression on me, even when he was at his most powerful. Pretty sure that Su Yan could've properly handled him, but alas, the story calls.
I would suggest this if you need some "break" and watch some good acting, despite of the story.

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A Nice Snoozefest.

There. My review's title is my 'a few word summary ' of Breeze of Love.
Honestly, the actors were excellent and had chemistry/angst, but the story did not do a good job in capturing my attention. The characters did not seem to have been fully fleshed out.
The overall set up was reminiscent of Our Dating Sim, except that this one has the college as the backdrop, but unlike ODS, I did not quite buy into their relationship.
For one, the separation and the reason was cut up and stretched far more longer than necessary. Ban Dong Wook was frustrating to watch. His side of the story remained obscure until the end. I understood that he was the introvert of the story, but hey. I couldn't quite root for him.
I loved Do Hyun, though. Atleast, his reason for being pissed off was valid.

The trouble might lie in the fact that the flashbacks were just not sufficient/placed at the wrong timing for me to catch up to them.
Their relationship was nice to watch though, so give it a try if you want something light.

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"People Crave for The Normal."

As a person who enjoys binging thriller dramas, this one is sure to have ended up in my dropped/fast forward list had I tried binging it.

The very interesting discourses and comments regarding certain characters is what drove me to begin watching this drama. Slice of life dramas are not my forté. But, seeing such intense character analysis for a seemingly sunny drama was what made me curious.

Probably one of the most well loved dramas that premiered last year, "Our Beloved Summer" is the chronicles of Choi Ung and Kook Yeon Su, two vibrantly different personalities who are forcibly put together in high school to film a documentary. The Proximity Principle proved true and it's not long before their hateful relationship morphs into love. After a disastrously earth shaking break-up, they meet five years later. Now, grown up and absorbed in their own career paths, they are unexpectedly thrown together again. But, this time, both of them are determined to change for the better…

I suck at expressing emotions in general and have a penchant for accepting characters and the story as it is presented, hence watching this was personally a purely fun experience for me.

Be warned… the slice-of-life tag doesn't lie.
The story follows the ordinary lives of both Yeon Su and Choi Ung along with one major supporting character (Kim Ji Ung).

Sticking true to the tag, it's the characters who are the soul of the story. Though it began with almost little to no emotional attachment from my side, I slowly grew attached to them by episode 14. There is not much purposeful happening with the plot, so, if you are a fan of strictly plot driven stories, this drama isn't for you.

Kook Yeon-Su can sit together with Kat from 10 Things I Hate About You and I wouldn't bat an eyelid. Studious and meticulous in every aspect, she sets vigorous boundaries and rules to who or whatever crosses her path. Including Choi Ung. She has an almost aggressive reaction to everyone, trenchant and assertive with her words… which naturally makes her one of the most unlikeable students in her school.
I found her bravado tiring. But, the writers did a good job, taking time to explain her actions and errors.

Choi Ung is far from her strict good-girl regimen. He slacks off at class, is meek like a puppy and knows more social skills than Yeon Su. He understands what he has signed up for once he begins to date her. I loved how he was not driven by goals, but rather went with what his heart wanted.

The life outside their perfect bubble has an almost domino-like effect on them. These polar opposite duos had their own ways of expressing their emotions as a result. Yeon Su was more on the *tell* side of the sphere whereas Choi Ung was on the *show* side. They each await empathic responses to unasked questions. To me, this lack of understanding and failure to express themselves was the prime reason for their break up. Now, as adults, their tables have turned. They are much more aware of their mistakes and are ready to accept the error of their ways.

40% of the drama is seen partially through the eyes of the Documentary Producer, Kim Ji Ung, Choi Ung's best friend. He was a character whose presence was pivotal in understanding the leading ones. We see a deeper side of Choi Ung through him, his own personal troubles, his support and ear for Yeon Su, the rapport with his workplace colleagues… even Ung's manager and Sol - I were important.

NJ, an idol, felt really out of place. She was not annoying… but I didn't understand why there was so much time being invested in her story, which could literally be spliced out and kept as a different special episode. Her presence did incite major changes to certain characters, but I felt that the writers failed to portray her with more depth or importance. The main reason seems to be her lack of interaction with the major characters.

It's the actors who breathed life into the chara ters. They lived them. Even the minor ones. Choi Woo Shik was mind blowing in portraying the very insoucient Choi Ung. Rather than appearing lifeless and boring, he was vibrant and unique. Kim Da Mi had less internal monologues than Choi Ung, but the process of unwrapping her various layers was smoothly portrayed.

I didn't find the drama too funny, though. There were a few slapstick comedy scenes, but there was always a serious shadow in the background for more than half of the drama.

The soundtrack was overall pleasant to listen to with "Home" and "Christmas Tree" being my favorites along with the opening theme by Kim Hwan Hee.

It's a drama that I'm sure I'll probably never rewatch. But, sometimes you stumble upon a coin on the road and check it out.
As Mr. Park said to Ji Ung, people crave for the 'ordinary'. And so do I.

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A Compact and Warm Story.

I began this one in order to get out of a drama slump and it unexpectedly became one of my favorite short KDrama! What made this attractive to me was not just the romance, but the distinct characters and the struggles that they dealt with.
-- Taekyung struggled with being a loner; Shin Woo takes time to adjust and feel comfortable with strangers; Da On is bent on making everyone happy and never knows how to say no. Namjung is a cheerful and supportive friend wheras So Hee tries to get what her heart wants.
--- The pacing of the drama was excellent. With 16 episodes spanning around 29 minutes each, they managed wrap up everything quite neatly. There were some episodes I felt that would drag on certain parts, but it never did.
--- The relationship (including a love triangle) were surprisingly not too forced. Although, I still do not know when somebody is a bad actor, everyone's performance in this was highly convincing. They played and looked the part that fit their characters' personalities.
--- I loathe love triangles with deep intensity, and almost dropped this drama. But, this was one triangle/unrequited love that I felt was well written. There was no unnecessary pushing or pulling, but just went with the flow in the right way.
--- I found the setting and cinematography pleasing to the eyes. The OST in particular, was simple, but managed to capture the essence of the drama without going overboard. I was particularly happy to hear A.C.E, a band that I'd followed since their debut. (I particular loved the song Spark. Fever by Mooz is my next favorite. And the instrumental "You".)

It was nothing too special, but it had really warm vibe that we rarely get from many dramas.

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100% Warm Fuzzies.

When I meant that it was fluffy drama, I wasn't kidding. It's like an overdose of supposedly cute and sweet events leading to our leads falling in love, but I'm sorry to say that I found the main leads' storyline absolutely boring. I can't help but feel disconnected with their characters. Especially the three main female leads. I was able to enjoy scenes of them individually or with other supporting cast. But, once they were actually together, the 'comedy' part just fell flat. What was supposed to be funny came off as cringe.
I loved Zeng Li's scenes when she was having her internal monologues or just thinking by herself.
The cast was trying their best, but some scenes looked not so natural and in character.
Don't get me wrong, this drama is not unwatchable by any means. It's aesthetically pleasing and has warm color tones that puts one's mind at ease. And it was shot in several beautiful locations that I found breathtaking. I'd suggest this to anyone looking for a candy floss drama with beautiful locations, good looking actors (who attempted to bring justice to their role) and fluffy love.

Another thing that I loved was the small lessons and thoughts that each episode had. They were really heartwarming.

If I could pick a character whom I was actually curious to watch, it was Wu Ying (and Liu Yu Cheng as an extension). Their storyline was kind of off as well, but I found it more interesting to watch. Deng Hao Ran is another character whom I absolutely adore for spilling the truth to Ma Yi Yi. To be honest, all the characters grew on me, but there was something still missing in the main leads. I don't know why, but the story is beautiful as a whole.

The OST is really, really beautiful. But, there were some instances I felt that it did not fit the ambience.

Overall, I can say it was very enjoyable. The only trouble I had was this constant disconnect with some characters that made me skip multiple scenes.
I literally kangaroo hopped through the drama.

I think it's time for me to admit that I've grown too old for dramas like these. But, this certainly could've been much better or interesting. I couldn't help feeling like they tried too hard. Yet, I would certainly ask you to give it a try. It gives you a lot of warm fuzzies.

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