My comfort characters

This is one of those cdramas I really wish were longer because from start to finish it was just so solid and I really wanted the side characters to have bigger subplots.

Overall, there's not that much about the characters dreams or career ambitions — it didn't bother me, but it surprised me because that's often a topic that youth cdramas really double down on. Instead, I really loved the emphasis on family and friendship throughout the show — this is slice-of-life as its best; the topics it covers are really relatable and moving, it's heart-wrenching sometimes but stays very realistic.

I also just really loved the relationship between the two leads; they had a few ups and downs but Tan Song and Cheng Zi really embody why my favorite trope is friends-to-lovers. The support they had for each other throughout everything, the way they understood each other's little quirks, the way they talked through little conflicts, and the teasing and joking around...it was just a really healthy and fun relationship and this is one of those couples that didn't at all at more boring after they got together.

There's not really much of a plot but I didn't need one. This is one of those coming-of-age dramas where you just grow to love spending time with the characters, no matter what they're doing.

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Fun and inspiring, a little bittersweet

This was actually so great.

I really loved the relationship between the leads. The backstory added a lot and wasn't overdone, and even though they butted heads it was playful and they never crossed that line. I really loved the little will they-won't they dynamic (of course knew they would) but it's this little period of carefulness and tension before a couple gets together that I always love the most and this drama showcased that really well.

Overall, the romance was just so mature. Despite their silliness, when it really came down to it, they communicated and supported each other through tough times, and I just absolutely love a drama without any unnecessary misunderstandings or breakups. The relationship was just so healthy. With gaming dramas like Go Go Squid where the FL isn't a gamer, one of my key complaints was that the drama always sidelines the story of the FL's professional growth. I definitely felt like the female lead's role in this wasn't as important as the male leads, but the way they handled her arc and gave her character agency to be someone outside of the gaming world and outside of the team was actually a pleasant surprise and probably one that I hadn't really seen in a drama like this before.

The second lead couple was less serious but I still also really liked watching them. Individually they were great characters and together they were entertaining.

Another great part of gaming dramas is probably the friendships and that absolutely shined in this show. I really loved seeing how all the side characters had their own roles in the story and grew as characters, even the ones I expected would just be comic relief. It was just so fun to see the team come together and become friends and see how the underdog story came together, without swerving too extremely into subplots, but still giving side characters their time to shine.

The friendships in the backstory was wonderful too; it really showed the e-sports industry as a whole and helped with the depth of characters' histories in flashbacks.

I always really love the theme of following your dreams, of taking risks vs. playing it safe, of humility and learning, etc. in these sports dramas and this was no different. At its core this feels like an underdog story — the male lead is trying to make his comeback in a rookie team that no one believes in — and I was worried it would be too cheesy if they won everything. But the drama showed this really well too, and I loved seeing different issues that the team had to overcome, and how even then it wasn't all sunshine and roses at the end but they had each other. There's some bittersweetness in there, but overall I just found this to be a really fun and yet inspiring and comforting drama. Would highly recommend, especially to those who liked Falling Into Your Smile.

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Cute but unbalanced

This is probably one of the better written plots in a modern cdrama that I've seen — I truly felt like the story about HSY's was really cohesive as we met different side characters and figured out how each of their roles played into it. The part about chasing your dreams, about regrets, about life's priorities, and about memories and holding grudges — all of that was really powerful. I liked the second ship's plot too and how the main plot tied into them. Some different K&K characters had their little subplots as well (it wasn't very much but we got a really clear sense of their personalities).

The main couple is SO cute when they're together; it's funny because it's usually the opposite for me (I care more about a couple before they get together and then they get boring) but in Go Go Squid, I absolutely loved seeing her bubbliness and how the ML gradually became softer as well. The K&K Team and their teasing added such a fun dynamic to their relationship as well.

But while the main ship was cute when they were together, it was kind of unfortunate how uncute they were when they weren't. From the start, I felt like the "love at first sight" part was really cringey and awkward, and the female lead was crazy and obsessive with how she followed around the ML and tried to bypass rules when he clearly showed that he wasn't interested.

After that, the "disapproving parent" trope was really annoying in this one because of how the ML ended up being super rude to the FL while she still continued to chase after him. In certain situations, I appreciate the unfiltered character who is not afraid to still love despite being hurt but I really think that at some point you should have some pride and self-respect. This part dragged on for a lot longer than I wished and the way it was "resolved" felt a little unsatisfying.

Individually, I also felt like the ML's backstory and characters were so fleshed out, the female lead kind of got the short end of the stick. Yes, we knew she was a smart computer science major and an internet singer, but none of her subplots were cohesive like the ML's; instead, they just seemed to appear or disappear randomly, unexplained, and her future felt like a throwaway sidenote as it was told to us offhandedly. I really wish her character got a little more depth.

The gaming part was okay to me but I honestly found it difficult to understand what was going on in competitions (compared to Falling Into Your Smile, where I felt all the anticipation and stress of every match) and for that reason, I didn't really feel the high stakes that the drama was trying to show.

Even aside from that, I thought the leads were SUPER adorable when they were together, and this was a pretty fun watch.

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Short and sweet

Short and sweet, I feel like this drama packed in just the right amount of information for the time it was given — but I can't help wondering what might have been and how much more we could have gotten if only the drama was a little longer.

At its core, the drama is perfectly formulaic longtime friends-to-lovers, and I absolutely love the trope of one person yearning for the other in silence for so many years. And it came across extremely well, especially in the earlier episodes.

The vibe was slow and comforting; this drama just feels like a cozy winter watch if you want to feel your heart flutter.

It wasn't really until the last episode did I really start feeling like I wished this drama was longer. They did a great job subtly weaving in the characters' careers but I wanted to see even more of it. I felt as though time spent on another love interest (who we knew had no shot) was kind of unnecessary. And there are some school flashbacks that absolutely stole my heart that I wanted to see more of, some late night heart-to-hearts over rice wine that I wanted more time with, and overall just more exploration of why becoming lovers felt like such high stakes for them.

Still, this is a really good watch — unproblematic, safe, cozy, comforting, warm — it's just everything that makes for a great all-in-one binge.

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Healthy rom-com

I was really worried that I wouldn't enjoy this because it's vastly different from what I usually watch — more slow-burn romances.

But this was actually such a good rom-com. It tackled a lot of issues but did it with amazing subtlety, all while keeping the humorous tone really consistent. I thought this movie did an amazing job with showing what a healthy relationship looked like, and of portraying BDSM relationships. The characters were open and honest with each other, and they were just so refreshing to watch.

There are little tidbits of social commentary like about sexism in the workplace and insecurity/self-esteem that I thought were incorporated really nicely as well.

Overall, I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel second-hand embarrassment at some scenes, but I'm happy to say that this was a movie that did its job really well and embraced the rom-com formula.

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Scarily real and dystopic

I love this type of dystopia — seeing how humanity responds to unexplained disaster and following our few main leads trying not only to survive but also to change the world.

With that being said, I think this drama hits the first part almost perfectly and the second part not as much so.

The premise of this drama alone is so interesting and enough to get a 7 from me. I know there's been a lot of complaints about plotholes and the rules of the universe changing but I've been pretty lenient on those, since the drama addresses them directly by discussing how this was intentional. I feel as though this is going to be one of those shows where the world-building requires some sort of suspension of disbelief first, and once you get over that it'll probably make the viewing experience a lot more enjoyable.

The second, part, the characters, was unfortunately the part I had more trouble with. The characters that we followed were not necessarily likable and I kept questioning their decision-making. It didn't help that it seemed as though the subplot of each character ended right when it felt like it should've started there. We skipped over the most interesting arcs of our characters and revisited them after they were over. I appreciate the lack of plot armor and generosity of the body count, but it piles up like a huge mountain of lost potential.

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Thoughtful and heart-breaking

Wow. This drama is pretty much flawless, from the acting, the plot developments, the pacing...everything just felt so real, whether it was showing grief, anger, relief, determination, fear, etc. Every scene of this drama was just so filled with emotion, whether it was a fight scene or just a conversation between two friends.

I'm usually not a huge fan of ensemble dramas because characters are covered unequally but that wasn't the situation with this drama at all. Every character was super fleshed out, both in terms of how they were linked to the shooting and who they were generally as people. I still had my favorite subplots — Li Da-Chih and Sung Chiao-An were undoubtedly the two most intriguing characters with the most unique relationship dynamic, and seeing their character development happen so realistically, so subtly, so painfully, was amazing.

If you're the type of viewer who wants answers (this drama introduces some questions about the shooter's motives) then this might not be satisfying for you — but if you let this drama to do what it's meant to, which is focus on the aftermath and the grief and the emotions, then this is an amazing watch.

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A comedic heart-warmer

So "comedic heart-warmer/tearjerker" might sound like an oxymoron but that's exactly what this was — there were really funny and silly moments, but they were followed by just heart-warming and adorable scenes between the father and daughter. Those were undoubtedly the best out of the entire movie, and I also loved how the side characters were also given personality. They all felt like one big happy family.

This drama reminded me a lot of Prison Playbook (not the parent dynamic but the cellmates dynamic) and it just made me feel really cozy and at home.

The only thing that I didn't love was the "future" scenes — it was a little predictable and though I've got nothing against Park Shin Hye, I felt like she just didn't feel right; I didn't buy into her character.

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Great vibes and story, but needs more

I felt like the allegory here was really captivating and I actually loved the entire vibe of the movie — I know there have been complaints about the CGI and VFX but I had no issue with it; it actually fit in with the vibe of the movie really well.

I really liked the theme of betrayal as well, but for some reason, I felt like it didn't really have the same impact that it tried to have. I kind of have mixed feelings about the dual timeline style — I did like how things were revealed later on, but the way it also played out also seemed to dull some of the power of the reveals.

I don't love the plot itself and how social/political decisions were partly romance-driven; it always seems to cheapen plot developments to me.

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Wholesome but confusing

I had heard about this drama being really wholesome and healthy beforehand and that was indeed what I got. I really liked the eccentricity of the main leads — their dynamic was awkward but comfortable and it was really different from all the other dramas I'd seen. I especially really liked the main male lead and the way he handled family situations and conflict was just really unique.

If you're looking for a plot-driven drama though, this isn't it. It was very character-driven. I don't have a problem with that, but there were also a lot of side characters I just didn't really care about, including the second ship.

Overall, I just felt like aside I started clicking less and less with the characters; I do chalk this up to the writing style, as something about the way every character talked just was very confusing and obscure. They discussed things in metaphors and it all just kind of went way over my head. I wasn't sure what they were talking about and it made the drama kind of meh to me.

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Perfectly heartwarming, fluffy, adorable, funny

If you want a wholesome modern romance, this is pretty much the best it gets.

Starting with my favorite part — the main ship. I just love the bickering couple dynamic, where the FL and ML always teased and fought with each other, but you could always tell they could handle each other and it was in good fun. They were always there for each other when things got serious. As always, they each had their own backstories and obstacles, and they're smart, strong and independent people — sometimes to a fault — but at the end of the day, they were so realistic and I loved how they grew on each other and grew together. Of course, the jealous scenes are there in abundance on both sides, and they're both funny and satisfying to watch.

In terms of them as individual characters, I also just loved how their individual stories weaved into how they cared for each other. The ML was independent and hard-headed as a team leader should be, but also dealt with the burden of it. The FL was strong and stubborn and a badass when it came to gaming but she also never lost her femininity and the parts about sexism in the gaming industry were actually really well explained.

The friendships were also undoubtedly my second favorite part. It really felt like all the teams had their own identity and their own friendships within the team. The repertoire between teammates was so fun to watch, especially in ZGDX where each supporting character had their own personalities, hobbies, speaking styles, and backstories. I really appreciated seeing different family situations and everyday conflicts that different characters had to deal with, and even though time-wise it might have not been long, I really felt like it helped me get to know them and care about them.

The themes of how celebrities are human too, how professional gamers have their own lives too, was really well shown in a multitude of ways, both through our main leads but also through the secondary ship, which was just as endearing and lovable in their own right. They did a really good job in comparing relationships between gamers (main leads) and with relationships with people outside of gaming and how people in the latter can still love and support each other, that they still are people outside of their work.

To be honest, there are some plot points and conflicts that aren't too well explained, but it still really just feels like everyday conflicts that come up and if anything it makes the characters more real. I just wish more time was spent on developing these plot points.

Another part I really liked is that there's no evil villain character that stays throughout the entire drama and messes everything up. Don't get me wrong, there are people who get in between others or people who try to pursue things the wrong way, but it doesn't mean they're bad people. And the few actually bad people come and go, just like they do in real life.

The acting was pretty good to me (I know some people have taken issue with the FL's acting and called her expressionless, but I'm a pretty expressionless person too so I thought it was realistic and relatable lol). The only thing that was kind of difficult to get through was the dubbing, especially when there was Korean being spoken and it sounded so obviously like a voice actor, but at the end of the day this is just a small thing and I'm not going to drop a rating just for it.

The cinematography is great; the video and audio editing really makes the funny scenes work, and I felt the intensity of all the competition scenes. I'm not a gamer but whew, I was definitely stressed for the characters.

Overall, this was such a gem and it honestly breaks my heart that the rating is so low in China. I'd definitely recommend this to everyone. The ships are adorable, the friendships are fun, and the story is just so inspiring and heart-warming from start to finish. I'm not one to rewatch things from start to finish, but this one definitely feels like one I would.

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Beautiful, but the backstory is what got me

Yes, just to get it out of the way. The cinematography of this drama is just gorgeous, IU rocks every single outfit, and the OST is also pretty great.

In this entire drama, however, I have to say that plotwise I was just so much more invested in MW's backstory and in the enemies-to-lovers ship. I completely fell in love with the flashbacks and the high-stakes dynamics between the characters, even while knowing that everything was going to end in tragedy.

While I still enjoyed the modern story and the unusual dynamic between the main leads, I didn't love them as much as I loved the backstory couple, and I almost didn't feel any romance at all. I think part of this is just the time taken to the modern plot.

I wasn't a huge fan of this kind of episodic writing in Master's Sun and I felt the same for this one. Other than the subplots that connected us directly to the main or supporting cast, I didn't care much for the individual ghosts and their stories and pretty much just waited with bated breath to find out about MW's story.

She was undoubtedly the most interesting and layered character out of everyone, and I wish we had dedicated just as much time to the male lead as we did to her or even to any of the supporting cast (the hotel workers). Even with his backstory, his character and plot seemed a little shallow.

Ultimately, it was the backstory of MW that stole the show, my attention, and my heart.

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A mixed bag

There were some parts of this that I was absolutely in love with — the main ship, the thrill of the mystery, the backstory reveal...

And then there were some characters that just went into a downward spiral and made me want to tear my hair out. I'm not talking about a villain or evil character; I'm talking about characters who are just downright annoying and hypocritical, or side characters who have no business being there inserting their opinions into the plot.

I knew the vibe of the ending before going into it, and though I was still emotionally satisfied with the way things turned out, I felt like logically, the actual unfolding of the last episode was disappointing and nonsensical.

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