Refreshing like a watermelon on a hot day

Here is a drama that is about youth, coming of age, with hints of romance. Overall the whole feel to this drama is nostalgic and friendly, tragic sometimes, happy sometimes, it gives a lot with just the first two episodes alone.


The first twenty minutes of this drama is really good. The chronology of events are easy to follow, and I personally love how they had the childhood backstory at the beginning. It is a smart way to get you to know your characters upbringing, and you will understand them better because of this. The child actors are amazing and for the most part none of the actors I have a problem with.

Ryeon gives an amazing performance, and his parents and brother have hearing loss so the communication between all of them is nice to see. I like to see how they adapt to their circumstances, and how it holds them back, etc. Ryeon's character Eun Gyeol has a lot of depth to him, and it is a hard character to fill. He acts as a bridge between hearing and silence, a communicator and a 'trophy' for his family. He is a very good son and doesn't put himself first other than his music. So that right there is a well written character/family.

The pairings and relationships between characters are where this drama shines. I loved all of them and was looking forward to each episode to see how the characters grew. I can tell they had fun filming and everyone really cared for the roles they were in, so when watching it didn’t feel like roles, everything felt natural.


For Seol in Ah and Ryeon The chemistry between the two is so fun and credit to Seol In Ah, she really is good at differentiating her roles here. It’s really fun to see her character develop. She seems at first to be arrogant and not caring about how she affects others around her, but she is actually very perceptive and has tragedies that shape her to who she was, and she also grows as a person through the drama and her journey. I am finding her to be one of my favorites if not my favorite character.
These plot lines of time travel are tricky but very interesting. Because in the end it is about growing and learning about characters, rather than them shaping their own fates. Maybe Gyeol's future will change because of this. The logic is confusing with this, that is ok thought because it is a drama and its just fun.

As the plot developed those stories and characters become more clear, personally I am rooting for the parents to get together (as I’m sure we all are). I love how this drama just gets better and better with each episode.

This drama really was a gem out of all the dramas I have seen this year. The amount of care and learning that went behind the roles particularly amaze me. I enjoyed this a lot and it is one of those I would recommend to anyone honestly.

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A Complete Knockout

This drama is amazing. I’ve been waiting for it because I really like Park Ji Hoon and was excited to see this project in the works for him. The aura of the premise and the snow overall sold it to me, but with most things I highly anticipate.. they either don’t come out, or they fall flat.

Weak Hero Class One soars beyond my expectations and delivers a gritty, thrilling, and clean drama that is full of everything I love to watch but haven’t seen enough of. It isn’t over saturated in any way, neither on the end of being too dark that it takes itself too seriously, or not taking itself seriously enough.

This drama doesn’t have things it doesn’t need, like unnecessary adding romance, it focuses on its characters and keeps its tone throughout. This drama is binge-able (which I did do) and leaves more to be wanted, but not in a way that it didn’t wrap up what it needed to for the first part.

It’s short with 8 episodes long, but it doesn’t lack budget or care. The script is as clean as the visuals, and the fighting is beyond what I’ve seen in a k-drama for a while. It has a lot of fight scenes that are pretty brutal and not for the feint-hearted, and a lot of them. It’s not redundant or sprinkling in fights; they all serve their purpose

I love Yeon Shi Eun uses his smarts to beat people senseless in unorthodox ways. How he goes over what he’s about do do/doing, with theories and proven facts is engaging. The actors on this drama are all young and they look like high school students.. which is a plus plus. The main cast are amazing in this and very impressive.. especially Park Ji Hoon. He takes his character and brings him to life believably, bringing heartbreaking moments, and pure intimidation with his attitude towards other characters. He’s not out there with his intimidation, he’s just way smarter .. and that’s scary. In a good way. It’s so satisfying to watch his overpower those physically stronger with his knowledge. I like how he orchestrates the fights for himself rather than completely letting others do it for him.

The dynamics between the main three is also very good. I love seeing Choi Hyun Wook play this character of a jock again like in 25-21, but this time it’s still completely different of a character. He’s morally a good guy, and he fights for others but keeps an aloof attitude. The flight choreo for him is insane and engaging the whole time as well as the fun and charismatic lines he delivers. The character of Oh Beom Ho is also very interesting and adds a mellow balance to the main three, his story is also heartbreaking and full of deception.

This drama just falls right in line with my interests in what I like to watch. I love dramas like this to the core. It’s got action and it’s got the grit to back it up. It’s not scared to keep its tone but still has its funny moments. Park Ji Hoon is so impressive with the acting. He portrays the looks of pain and anger so well. It’s all believable and there isn’t a sore spot with any of the cast. Everything checks the right boxes with this one and I can’t wait for part two.

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Never Let Me Go.. how could I ever?

This drama is off to a promising start. There isn't much for me to go off of development-wise, but I can see a lot of potential with the characters here and the situations they are in.

Neugdiao is the main focus of the first episode and he has a great amount of potential here and I'm interested to see how they will develop him. His father died and he is now the heir to becoming the head of a conglomerate.. I've seen things like this before but the tone of this show is very mellow so far so I'm thinking that it won't be overplayed and instead we will see him feel the weight on his shoulders but try to keep it together. He already does not like being called young master, and I can already see several scenarios play out in my head of him breaking down and admitting he doesn't want anything to do with the company he already is destined to be the president of. I don't have anything else I can really say other than speculation, but as for the acting for his character it is done so well. He has a lot of emotion to give in scenes but also has emotions to withhold. It's a tricky character to get right, but the acting isn't fake crying or sobs.. it is really good for a the first episode and I know that this is only the tip of the iceberg for him.

Palm is the counterpart to Neugdiao and they will be the main couple. They have tension in their scenes but it is restricted enough that this drama isn't comedy. It is a breath of fresh air to see something like this come out of GMM, the last show to feel like this was Not Me, and that was so good. I am glad to see another more mature drama from them. Palm's character also has a lot of potential and mystery behind him, which is slowly shown through meeting his mother. She isn’t winning mother of the year at all and it’s heartbreaking when she admits she loves herself more than him. Palm has little to no grounding in his life with parental figures, so I get why he chooses to love Neung. It’s the fact that he chooses to do things for Neung that he is not obligated to, Neung and Palm contrast eachother so much but that makes their dynamic interesting.

Someone who doesn’t know love and the other who knows exactly what it isn’t. Neungdiao had been showered with his parents love his whole life while Palm was cast away. And Palm isn’t the bitter one, instead it’s Neungdiao who feels so sheltered that he expects others to only be nice to him for their own benefit. Palm isn’t going to be a perfect bodyguard because he’s a flawed person, he is in high school and hasn’t trained at all and was asked on a whim. The only motivation to protect Neungdiao initially is his father telling him they have to and are indebted. Really I think it would be horrible if Palm was perfect at protecting him, and I’d much rather have what is shown here. Neungdiao doesn’t need complete physical protection, his emotional state needs to he attended to way more. And Palm loves him naturally and they grow a beautiful relationship.


The settings in this show are new and very good looking.. so is the main cast. The camera work is clean and so is the editing. I really like the direction they are going with this show being more mature. So far it is so promising and I'm happy that GMM is giving us this show. They are taking a step in the right direction with this one.

With the plot holes I just have to say you are watching a drama. The idea is to be immersed and I get that plot holes can pull us out of the drama to a degree. But I really am not a stickler about them with this drama, they are too jarring to me. Instead I’m glad that the drama is taking the risks rather than shying away.

Episode 5 really is a game changer for this show and made me impressed enough.. I am really in awe that this show is delivering where others seem to fall flat. The plot and every scene has an impact on characters and is well rounded as a whole. The payoff scenes deliver so well where characters open up and break down. It is phoneomonal to see this on YouTube really, for the general public to get amazing content like this for free? GMM really is confusing me with this one because it is just so marginally more sophisticated than anything they have done, and they can fall short before with others or take it too seriously.. but Never Let Me Go keeps every aspect of what it delivers so tight nit. The acting over a 10/10, the story isn't too complicated but the characters have depth and keeps it interesting.

Now Palm and Neung are starting their romance and I was thinking how could it possibly be natural? But it is, there are little details of buildup between them that it isn't out of the dark. Palm and Neung have a connection and are just starting to tap into it, with Neung and Palm both being very insecure they can open up to each other and have beautiful moments. I can't really give a review that will give this show justice. I am not overstepping anything though. This show is thought provoking, excellent in every way. I can't find any part to pick apart. Each episode has higher stakes and it gets better and better until you are completely immersed.

This show is beyond a BL. It is two people being able to be vulnerable around eachother, it's not hyper sexualized in any way and is so refreshing to see. When I watch this show I feel respected.

All this praise isn’t me saying the show is perfect. It’s really me saying I enjoyed and looked forward to this drama admist the flaws.

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Confusing but worthwhile

I really enjoyed the first half of this series as it was easy for me to pick up what was going on. Someone imprisoned on purpose to pick up intel for a case. The twists and turns are really good and this show is very suspenseful. It’s really too bad it got too confusing for me to be fully immersed.

Kang Ha Neul is an excellent actor. This drama really couldn’t showcased that more, but when it did it was amazing. It’s a good thing he’s a scene stealer because he’s the main character. But as for his character Yo Han? I didn’t know whether to like him or not. At the beginning I liked him as some sort of underdog, with his grandma dying I sympathized with him. But his character started to fall flat when he got out of prison- and that’s when the show started to really get confusing for me.

It’s not the genre of suspense/thriller that makes things hard for me. Flower of Evil does an amazing job at having plot twists and tense situations and mystery but I understood all of it. Insider has too many things going on for me to understand. It started getting really dicey when the little boy Minhowas introduced (and sadly died).. it’s like all the most intriguing characters get the shaft here. The show focuses on the bad guys too much.. there’s a lot so I can’t even remember the names.. but they all jumble together for me. I watch and go - oh this guy is bad so that’s why the main characters are doing this. I had to do that a lot, just accept things without understanding. And I hated that. But to the shows credit, when you do understand the show is really really good.

As I said earlier, everything that goes down in the prison is phenomenal. The gambling and hierarchy is amazing. The cinematography is really good. This show has so many good things but I think it just needed to ground itself. Instead of showing the bad guys so much, just show a few moments of their plotting to add to the suspense and twists. It was hard trying to find their motivations and what they were planning the same time as Yo Han.

My favorite character was Seon Oh, coming from the whole prison arc he was a wild card. I loved him and was disappointed how his character arc ended up.. in sort of no where. He had the main character energy for me. Yo Han’s character was all over the place with the revenge.. I didn’t know where he drew the line- like killing or letting someone die. It’s not bad when a main character is an anti hero- but Yo Han didn’t explain.. you don’t know much about his childhood (unliked Seon Oh). You just know he has a grandmother that was murdered and have to fill in the gaps of his life from there. So Seon Oh was better. He had the experiences that we know about so I sympathized with him more, and even thought he wasn’t doing the best things I still rooted for him. His dad was murdered and he was forced to do bad things with the impression that if he didn’t he would be alone again. I understand why Yo Han is the main character, but I wish the writers would’ve picked up on Seon Oh’s potential. Yo Han isn’t the cookie cutter good guy, so that’s good- but Seon Oh is better. To me.. I could go on and on about why but this is just my opinion.

Lastly I’ll recommend to very smart people. I’m not dumb, it’s just hard for me to understand more than several plot lines at once. This show is thrilling but gets tangled up after the prison arc. That is my review 8/10

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More than meets the eye. Success can come from small places.

Overall this show is good and a step up above most C-Drama's I've seen. I really like how easy the story is to pick up on because it isn't too intense. This show so far is handling it's comedy/relationships very well. I've seen only a handful of episodes but I didn't see a review and figured that I'll share the main points that could help recommend this to others.

The main female lead is very likable as she's ambitious and a hard worker. She also has this adorable quirk of pushing her glasses up on her nose. The main male lead is played by Kenny Lin and he does an amazing job at balancing arrogance with charm peaking through. He is perfect for the personality he is portraying and looks very good in a suit. I can't wait to see the dynamic between the two leads be more fleshed out. This show is perfect for an easy lighthearted watch without forced fluff and romance.

Now finishing up the show I am truly impressed. The writing of the female lead was done so well, Ning Meng is very strong and never once had been swayed by her feelings. She is loyal to her family and has really good morals, watching episode 29 hearing Ji Ming compliment her personality really made me happy. She is recognized by him and always was, and although there isn’t too much romance, I really find it fresh. A lot of C Dramas have coincidences for characters to be together, they get together early on and a lot of unrealistical and annoying antics occur between them. In Master of My Own it focuses on Ning Meng’s work and her growth in her career. Ji Meng is cold, but he warms up with Ning Meng by the familiarity they have with each other. I really like this story when comparing to other C Dramas, the females are much more powerful and aren’t just objects to be married too. A lot of dramas don’t blatantly say that, but there is a lot of focus on a women to get married and then her husband leading her. Ning Meng is mature and is never openly pursuing a relationship, she really is a great role model. She’s not too serious and isn’t one dimensional.

I really thought this drama was going to have her lose the glasses and put her hair down and then turn into a romantic comedy. But it didn’t, instead she made the move for herself and wasn’t seen any better than she was before or “prettier”. She just looked different but was never once perceived as ugly just for having glasses. Also as rude as Ji Meng could be, he put up a front as the bead of what once was his dads company. But he always wishes Ning Meng the best and realizes his faults while helping her out in small ways. I love his character the most if it wasn’t for how amazing Ning Meng’s is. And together they are even better.

The thing that I have criticisms over are the other side characters being forgettable, luckily they weren’t focused on too much so it wasn’t an issue. Ms. Shi is the expedition, she is a CEO of her own company and gives Ning Meng a chance. There’s a lot to say for this drama, I am just so glad how they handled its story. It was never hatred from Ning Meng for her to become successful, and she never looked down on from where she started. Ji Meng developed nicely as a character as well and also a person. Another criticism is writing off the second male lead the way they did, where he would just become creepy or unlikeable for the sake of him not being a contender. They didn’t have to make him be a jerk like that because he really never was a contender in my eyes to begin with.

To sum it up: the whole success story is done really well. There isn’t any cliches to put the female lead into, and she is by far the best written female lead in a story like this that I’ve seen. A smart and capable women who truly doesn’t depend on a man, although even so she’s not 100% cold and one sided towards them. The male lead compliments her and they naturally develops a relationship from what they have. This drama is just really soothing to watch, and I recommend it over Love is Sweet any day. This story does office romance so much better and is natural and not too cringe to watch. It’s a perfect balance of everything.

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I’m Interested in You.. until you are very uninteresting

I’m a huge pessimist about things so I don’t know if this drama will be a full melancholy or if it will be lighthearted. So far it’s a calming watch as the plot and setting are easy to follow. I think the name of this drama is really clever, as the main characters work in a bank. he promotional wall warn you of love square.. it’s a melancholy and won’t be fast paced or tropey… whatever

As for the first episode .. I really liked it. It doesn’t seem like the plot is too much for the show to handle, and I think it will follow a slice of life with characters opening up about their backgrounds and we will learn why they are the way they are. The main two characters are both very likeable. I love this upwards trend of respectful men that are caring.. very green flags here. It’s so heartwarming to see a man simply cherish and care for someone, the main character has been pining for the main girl but he isn’t overbearing about it. He has been working with her for years and hasn’t pressured. He admires her from afar.

Yoo Yeon Seok is the main lead and he is the green flag. I really love his character so much, he is just a really good person and the first episode shows many examples of that. He is also a handsome guy and it’s nice to see how this actor can stay in a lighthearted drama, but sell a completely different character so well. The feelings he has for Ahn Soo Young are very wholesome and I love how we can see this coming from an adult man. I see a lot of high school dramas portraying crushes and those are fine. To see a grown man feel excited and get worried about how to react for someone is interesting since I haven’t seen it too many times. Especially done where he is just so respectful and cautious.. the guy gave her his jacket when she was climbing a tree. He notices her and does small things for her without making a big deal out of it or holding her accountable.


Ahn Soo Hyun is a very interesting. She is very soft spoken and takes care in what she does. She has ambitions to move up in her job but isn’t too overly confident. So far I’m the most interested in her story, why is she so calm? Why is she so nice? I understand why the lead pines for her, she is really just an intriguing girl that people want to be around. She’s appealing and the first episode sets it up for a story between the two that could be very satisfying. Moon Ga Young does a great job with her character, as I saw her in Tempted playing basically the opposite of this character. Although she can come across as cold in some scenes, there is a reason to why she’s holding up a wall. With this being a melodrama I believe she isn’t just one sided and harsh; I want to see why she gets cold and harsh and how she can thaw out.

This drama isn’t too amazing /yet/. The trailer makes it look like it will be dramatic in the right places and tugging at the heart strings for others. I’m looking forward to see how this show develops and so far it’s a gorgeous modern drama with bright scenes, like likeable characters, and an easy going script to back it up. Yoo Yeon Seok is such an amazing actor. Honestly saying that is an understatement. Even in the first episode he’s already got me feeling just as anxious and down bad as he is

None of the main characters are bad people actually which is refreshing. But they fumble the bag with the resolution between the characters. It’s just. It engaging.

A sore spot of this drama is that the conflicts revolve around relationships. Which is something I don’t usually like and it tends to drag a bit. But with the addition of new characters coming in it keeps things interesting and keeps you wondering. The longer time you have with the characters.. it just makes you not like them as much. There are decisions made that don’t have to. I understand that it doesn’t exactly make it bad writing.. but as for engaging me it wasn’t doing it.

Finishing up the drama I must say it really dragged. Like I had to skip a majority of the last two episodes because it was just going over old things. What needed to happen took so long. I honestly grew to not care and it’s too bad because aesthetically I was really enjoying this drama at the beginning. The last three episodes just lost its touch. It was just boring.. and I usually like the dumb and stupid dramas- but this one just wasn’t fun to me anymore. It’s too bad.

I did really like the osts and I wouldn’t go as far as to say don’t watch it. I wouldn’t tell someone to watch it either honestly.

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Headliner of 2022

Alchemy of Souls was one of those show that I at first was hesitant to watch. At first it looked confusing and something that I wouldn’t be too invested in, that it would just use its budget to entertain and not put much more effort into itself. But I was wrong and I’m so glad I was.

I’ve been looking for a new show to watch and just feel that I’d never be able to find anything like it. Alchemy of Souls is that show and it couldn’t have came at a more perfect time.

The story is easy to follow and I pick up on all the names of the characters because they are all interesting. So far I’m really liking the dynamics and relationships between the characters. There’s not a single one that I find written poorly and they all have a lot of potential.

As for the main characters it’s amazing how they are the best part of the show for me (as a lot of the times I watch more for a side character or the antagonist ) Jang Uk is so likable and a bit naive at times, but he is determined for very compelling reasons. He’s realistic and not over the top with his decisions, I find them charming because of his motivations and overall he’s my favorite characters. As for Lee Jae Wook who plays him, I’ve never a have saw a drama with him but now I really like the actor and an definetely going to keep up to date with his projects. None of the rolls seem out of place and the designs for the characters are stunning.

Mu Deok and Jang Uk are so good together in terms of the master-servant relationship and the the student-pupil. Mu Deok could’ve been one sided and flat, just wanting her powers alone. Instead she grows to care about others and realizes her actions have concequences. She’s not all evil but she’s not all good, I love anti-hero’s and to see a strong female lead come out of that trope is amazing.

I’m looking forward to each weekend for new episodes and for each one I just wish they only lasted longer. This drama isn’t perfect as none are, but it’s so good. It’s really really good. The idea of getting powerful and strong and being an underdog is always so entertaining. I can see how amazing this drama could be in the end and am positive about where it will go.

The slow burn is really amazing. To the last episode from the start it just gets better and better. And the finale episode was SO good. It was traumatizing and heartbreaking and tragic, I’m so excited for the second part !

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Exeeding Expectations... except the ending

Is this drama overhyped? Not at all.

The thing about this drama is the feeling it gives while watching. It's a one of a kind feeling, and one of the reasons I watch dramas in the first place. I honestly enjoy watching this drama so much, it does everything right and has so many different storylines all pulled together through Na Hee Do.

The main character played by Kim Tae Ri is Na Hee Do, and she is the most enjoyable lead I have ever seen in a drama. An girl with so many hopes, she's entertaining because she's honestly hilarious. This girl goes about life in her own way without being overly relatable, she's just Na Hee Do. Kim Tae Ri pulls off this youthful character so well, and for an actress over 30 she not it's not just about looking like a 19 year old. Kim Tae Ri portrays this character so well that the drama feels completely real, there's no doubt to her character. The other leads are not what I expected, seeing Yu Rim at first I never expected her to be either really mean or really nice. Again with this character she's someone you can root for or be against. There's not a villain in this drama, instead I'd call it a coming of age over calling it a romantic comedy.

This drama has sports, it has amazing comedic timing that even Jungkook had to put a moment on his story because it was just too perfect. The pacing isn't boring, but it's not too quick paced. This drama is one I've looked forward to every week and one I know I would binge watch if I could.

Now a controversies (if any) could come from the age gap between Baek Yi Jin and Na Hee Do. I don't see anything wrong with any of their story so far. Yi Jin looks after Hee Do but he isn't overbearing, he's protective but trusts her. The trust and communication they have in each other is touching, and again there's many moment with comedic timing between the two that is all too enjoyable to watch. The dynamic between the two is not only adorable, it's a word I can't find a name for so I'll call it scissors (if you watched you know :))

To sum this up, Twenty Five Twenty One is so good. I swear I see dramas and I can feel something change, I want to find other dramas like it but I know there won't ever be, and then more amazing dramas come out. Twenty Five Twenty One is an experience that I won't take for granted.

Now coming back after watching the whole show I am dissapointed with the ending. As it was open ended, ultimately they didn't need Present Day Na Hee Do to exist in the story at all, the show would've served much better taking place in the flashbacks the whole time without any present day story at all. That's because there was no closure at all, and there wasn't a resolution between Na Hee Do and Baek Yi Jin. In the end they loved each other a lot, and to me I don't understand why it was needed for them to stay apart forever. Sadness doesn't equal to a good ending, that's where the drama severely disappoints me. Nonetheless it was a fun watch.

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a ‘bud’ of a movie

Mayve the fact that I expected a lot of this movie made me so disappointed. The scores and reviews are all good, it’s a Netflix Production, and it’s got a very good cast.. so what could possibly go wrong?

With all those good things I guess the script and writing is what fumbles. It’s a shame because a lot of lower production does things a lot better but don’t get the recognition they deserve. I won’t talk about that anymore here.. I’ll just share my thoughts about the movie

What I liked were the main character trio. I liked them, but unfortunately they weren’t developed at all. The time jump seriously is too harsh and the division is very big between being a high school to an adult. The college scene was thrown in there to make up for it but it failed, it just showed that Bo Ra against gotten over Woon Ho, and it was done with a blind date which I find pretty lazy. There are so many ways to present a character missing someone but trying to deny it, and she straight up said it out loud.

There is a lot of visually stunning moments, the aesthetic is very good with this movie. I just wished they would’ve been more creative other than just beautiful scenes. They couldn’t done much more symbolically.

Woon Ho and Bo Ra had a short romance, but it didn’t get to be fully developed either. It seemed nothing fully bloomed. So I don’t understand why Woon Ho was just pronounced dead- it really threw me off? The time skip didn’t need to happen- honestly I can’t tell what kind of ending to a movie this was other than to cheaply try to get people to cry. Emotional stories can be done better than that, it’s kind of insulting to kill someone off and just say it rather than show or allude slowly or hint it. He was just dead and she never knew.. it felt cheap to me to get me to feel bad. If this movie really wanted a cry and to make a character die at least tell me why he died, instead I’m left feeling like this movie didn’t end, it was very loose and had no resolution. Her friend wasn’t brought up on the future, her parents, her own brother… what happened to those characters that were introduced.

I also understand I’m being harsh. But within a realistic setting and time that I’ve lived through I’m just baffled at this loose approach. It’s hard to have things be so all over the place and unexplained if it’s in a modern setting where answers can be found easily.

So this movie is just a watch- interesting, it was so easy to just do and not make a fuss but it tried too hard and failed for me.

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Big Mouth = Big Mouse

One of the dramas that I have been waiting for is actually airing and I couldn’t be happier.

My favorite type of dramas are the kinds that make me feel something.. as someone who gets bored easily and is a pessimist about things.. but I always knew that this drama was going to be really good. Now will it be amazing?

The last drama that I watched like this was Flower of Evil, both have my favorite actors and both are thrilling and unpredictably. I’m betting Big Mouth will be just as refreshing of a drama. And so far everything is looking to be good, I don’t see how this drama could be screwed up, everything is all there for me.

You’ve got the pacing- which moves along smartly and doesn’t drag. The drama isn’t shying away from blood and is getting pretty heavy off the bat- and then you have the acting and chemistry between the actors.

Lee Jong Suk is a heartthrob, I know he can swoon and be charming. I also know he can be scary as hell when he needs to be. Here you’ve got everything coming from him. I love that he is doing a drama that is able to show his full range- from being a flirtatious husband to a money hungry man.. he honestly is questionable with his morals but is still so likeable. There aren’t many episodes yet, but this is such a promising role for Lee Jong Suk- and so far you can really tell how well and immersed he is in this role. I was waiting for his first project back from the military and this doesn’t disappoint. Im Yoon Ha plays his wife and is also likeable. So far they have an interesting and playful dynamic as a young married couple, and I’m interested to see how devoted they are to each other as the plot develops further.

Episode two is where things went in a completely different direction than expected. Changso is put in prison wrongly and his wife is insisting he is innocent. It’s the premise of the show in the description so I expected that.. but the execution was done so well that I was blinded really. The way he ended up there was shocking, and it’s not just for shock factor either. I really like the whole underdog aspect of being in jail, and by the end of episode two I like how strong we see Changso really could be.. he could honestly become some sort of leading figure in the prison if he wanted. He could be the bad guy if he needs to and I would still like him. Lee Jong Suk brilliantly plays him, especially in the scenes when he is questioned if he is Big Mouse. The writing is done well enough where it’s noticed that he never gives an exact answer.. so it makes me wonder if he really is the major criminal? All signs point to him and even in his personal moments he is never confirmed not to be Big Mouse- but we do know he’s a big mouth. (Honestly the guy likes to provoke others)

I am enjoying the whole persona that Changho is forced take on, and from the warning he gives about becoming a bad guy- you start to see things that could show him possibly truly becoming that. In the end big mouse may not be him (still wondering who..) but he has taken on that role and may be going to far to turn back. The acting of specific scenes floor me and more than that the whole plot twists and overall story are so entertaining that you don’t want to miss a second.

In short, Big Mouth is worth the wait. It’s impressive with its visuals and is something I can tell that I’ll feel bad if people look past and not watch. Watch it, it’s very good- be a part of the airing process and feel thrilled each week. This show is a serious contender to be a drama of the year, and for me personally it’s definitely becoming a favorite.

The ending might be controversial, but to me it was clean cut. This drama stayed thrilling and faced paced. To the end it really was that good. I loved it and have nothing to complain about outside of one glaring issue that I won’t spoil.

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I watched this without watching the original movie first. With that being said I came into this without knowing anything. I was expecting a BL, and what I got was so much more. With themes of exploring sexuality they do it so well, with Nagisa really stealing the show for me. Some people have commented how they don’t like his behavior, with him coming across that he doesn’t care about how his actions affect people. He clearly does, he is so restrained and holds his feelings back in fear he doesn’t hurt others. He is trying to change for others, and it was heartwarming to see the two finally embrace each other. The acting for Nagisa is really good, I am surprised I haven’t seen more of him.

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Sweet Spot for this drama

I’m always going to be disappointed by how short Japanese dramas can be. But that also has very good reasons, this drama doesn’t waste time and each minute is spent well.

Developing characters I care about than even 16 hours of any other drama is pretty impressive. Rather than staying safe and doing what’s commonly done by overplaying the BL aspect of this show, Old Fashioned Cupcake doesn’t. This show really takes its time developing the main relationship of the show, and while others might find it dragging- I think it’s realistic and a respectful story.

The relationship of Togawa and Nozue starts from respect. The main base holding it together is that they respect eachother a lot. What I’m saying here is that this relationship is healthy and I’m so happy to see it. It could’ve taken the route of obsession and possessive attitudes, trying to seduce your boss out of lust alone. That’s not the case here. Instead Togawa has a genuine respect for Nozue and had never became that way out of intimidation. It’s never blatantly said until episode 4 that Togawa likes Nozue, but the acting really is spot on here in showing that he clearly does. For both actors, I’m so glad that they have chemistry and I’m so immersed by their acting that I feel like I really am watching something real.

The stand out part of this drama is the tender moments between the two. It’s a slice of life, where Nozue is getting to his 40’s and lives day by day, he has his relationships and friends and is adored by his staff but he isn’t living as happily as he could. The potential happiness that could be fully reached when finding your person is amazing and so beautiful to think about. This drama tells that sort of story so well. Nozue and Togawa are happy together and they acknowledge and tell eachother that they bring out the best for eachother. Nozue does compare with Togawa in terms of his age but it’s not in a toxic way, they share their vulnerabilities with eachother and gradually that’s how they become closer and that’s how as a viewer you really care about their relationship.

This drama is subtle, but puts in the intense moments in the right parts that isn’t over stressed. Specifically episode four, after four episodes of watching their relationship become more tension, Togawa can’t sugarcoat his feelings by brushing them off, he admits he likes Nozue. He doesn’t want to burden Nozue with his feelings and is careful and respectful with his words, I really like how he never had forced anything on him. And in moments he felt he had he apologizes. It’s heartbreaking how they see the flaws in their relationships from their age, gender, and status as co-workers. But it’s realistic. Neither of them are homophobic, and instead Togawa believes that his kind of love is out of the normal for most, but normal for him. He’s not ashamed of his feelings, he’s only careful about them. Togawa cares about Nozue so much that he thinks about his feelings even when irrationally sharing his true feelings.

The music in this drama amplifies any feelings of worry, love, sadness, etc. Nothing in the drama overstays it’s welcome and I’m bitter about it only being 5 episodes, but as for what it is- this drama is amazing.

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Pure Entertainment

To sum it up, this movie is pure entertainment. There are moments of comedy, there are tender moments, action, thriller, tense. This movie really does have it all. For a movie viewing I’d almost say it’s close to perfect to sit down and watch but the catch is you can’t be someone with a feint heart.

Hwayi has a pretty easy to follow synopsis as well as simple on the outside character motivations that have much more depth and layers to pick apart if you want. As someone who likes a lot of depth I found this really nice, and considering it’s a movie I liked how it was easy to follow and you don’t have to really pick apart the characters as you’re only with them for a few hours.

There’s a lot of important themes the movie has, the main takeaway I found was the importance of family structure. It’s fine that they are all fathers, what isn’t fine is what they teach their ‘son’.

Kidnapping a boy and nurturing him under their gang activities and eventually encouraging him to kill others for their benefit isn’t a plus. But their are a few moments of payoff, where you can tell that they really care for him despite. They don’t want Hwayi dead and it’s interesting to see their dynamic as this family play out. I really like how coming into the movie after the time skip you believe they’ve all lived together for the years and it’s natural but definitely not typical or healthy either.

Now I’m not going to go into depth for this movie because I don’t find the need to. It’s entertaining. It’s really entertaining. The acting is beyond impressive considering Yeo Jin-Goo was 16 years old when filming. He’s the best of the best and I don’t doubt this movie when I watch. There are never moments where I sit and think “oh these people are just acting”. It’s a fully immersive experience. The amount of gore is a lot more than expected, the kill count is also more than expected. It could be arguable that some of the kills and gore are just for fluff, but I see this as a movie and movies I watch to entertain myself so I don’t see that as a bad thing.

This movie really made my night and I recommend it. It’s really good and I wish I could say more, but all I can do is emphasize it’s strength. The acting is superior, the action is very impressive, the story is easy to follow. This movie is very very good.

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So much potential, still was a good watch

The watch was really fun, waiting for new episodes is exciting and overall the watch was.

The story itself did the best it could with the time constraints. The potential lies with all the constraints that BL’s have in Korea. The time is so little so they did the best they could, same goes for budget etc.

Come into this show not expecting perfection. The chemistry was really well and there was so many elements that would’ve worked so much better in a longer drama. As for the show as a whole it was a emotional watch and was worth it. The fact that it was heartbreaking and pulled emotions from me in a short amount of time is impressive.

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“In the future we stay forever to the end”

Immortal Samsara is a very beautiful drama, the budget in this project must be a lot and it shows. The costumes are all beautiful and the designs with the colors particularly play off the next very well. When two characters are with each other the costumes never overpower the person next to them, so I would say the character design is also done very well.

Whats worth watching for Immortal Samsara is the stunning effects. This drama is so crisp to look at, especially with a 57 inch tv.. This drama is so beautiful, and that alone was the reason that I was intrigued. But is that all compensating for the story and acting? Is the drama overlooking cinematography because it has flashy effects? I would say it doesn't.

What I look for when I review things is if the drama is succeeding at what it's trying to do. Immortal Samsara is a romantic costume drama, and it is definitely above average. I wasn't expecting the story to be as easy to follow as it has been so far. Barely into the mortal realm as of episode 12, I'm excited to see where the story continues. I love the dynamics between the characters and they aren't written badly. In fact, each episode I get through I understand them better and am pretty impressed with how they are developing. Specifically the main pair: YanDan played by Yang Zi, and YingYuan played by Cheng Yi.

Yan Dan is the main character, and from a first glance I thought she was just typical.. the annoying and childlike type that is innocent. But Yandan isn't she has her motivations and her pride, and what really rounds her out is her counterpart sister who is pretty much a foil character to her, ZhiXi played by Meng Zi Yi. Both sisters come from a lotus flower, and one of them is the weak one while the other is the strong one. Zhixi so far is growing to be one of my favorite characters, knowing she is weaker as she was hurt before but she really holds her own. I understand why she is jealous of Yandan but doesn't really put it out there, instead she holds her pride and rejects her sister when she tries to help her succeed. Yandan isn't annoying or boastful when trying to help her sister, she is a bit more carefree and wants her sister to have the opportunities she deserves. Opposed to a character that gets in the way where there naive nature is used for comedy, Yandan grows from that pretty quickly.

From the first shot you see her falling from a cliff in what's assumed to be a self sacrifice. That sets up for the viewer to know that she can make impactful decisions and isn't playful and clumsy all the time. She is a deep thinker, and feigns that for her wish to live carefree most of the time. The drama moves quickly with her character and it is very satisfying.

What's even more satisfying is the development between YanDan and YingYuan, which is very natural. I've seen a lot of other costume dramas just have the female lead be naive with the male lead to be the grounded one for me to wonder why they would even like each other. Yandan and Yingyuan have there moments together that make me understand. Yingyuan is an emperor with a lot of responsibilities, and Yandan shows him how to be happier through her natural attitude. There aren't any coincidences pulled to keep them together, instead the characters themselves just want to be with each other.

Finally, this show wouldn't deliver if the acting wasn't there. Yang Zi is such a good actress, she is amazing. I've never seen a drama with Cheng Yi, but he is also very very good. They both play off each other naturally and unnaturally also when they need to be. The emotional scenes are where they both do there best at, and I'm looking forward to watching more so I can see their full depth of acting range.

The criticisms I have right away is that sometimes the effects are a little too ambitious. With the first long battle, the overlays were obvious and kind of an eyesore. The whole dragon fight was almost hard to watch, I much rather would have hand to hand combat over green screen effects. But I think when the characters get to the mortal realm that there will be more of that. So other than that I just have my concerns. Will the drama hold up? Will it bite off more than it can chew with it's very vast story and world? Will the story run out its time and become boring and cliche? I hope not. As for other peoples complaints, the one I’ve seen a lot is comparing it to Ashes of Love. Immortal Samsara is similar with its opening act, the immortal words and mortal realms. There aren’t two male leads with the same dynamic as in Ashes of Love and Yang Zi’s character although isn’t completely different- her character is much different in terms of writing, Yandan comes to terms with her surroundings a lot quicker and isn’t as aloof. She’s more grounded here.

So far this drama is really good, a solid 8.5-9/10. It is very much so above average in terms of acting, styling, effects, etc. I recommend this as it isn't bland. Give this drama a chance if you like romance with emotions, impressive fight scenes, and flawless visuals.

Finishing up this part I rate this even higher now. This drama truly is beautiful in every way. The story never fell flat and there were always interesting storylines to follow. Even into the mortal realm the dynamic between YanDan and Tengzhou was done very well. The whole tragedy between them is something I’m a sucker for, I love tragic and dramatic things. Yumo is my favorite character. He is selfless and I admire him for all the things he does for Yandan without expecting her love.

There is a lot going on in this drama but it is all interesting, beautiful, epic, and fun to watch. Overall very good and this drama is underrated so I recommend

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