A Beautiful & Tragic Gem

as someone who watched wuliang first, this made my heart ache. this short film revolving around Xiao Wei, Pei Rong and Wang Sheng makes you question, 'where does love come from?' 'how does love come to be?' or 'who loves who?'

with a stunning production and amazing cast, this short film definitely HITS you in the right spots. you will feel the pain the characters felt, the love they felt and the confusion xiao wei felt. i haven't watched the original but this remake really nailed it. there was something absolutely ethereal and haunting about the story.

xiao wei was a very interesting character because he is morally grey. he couldn't understand what he was truly feeling so for him to have 'emotional' connection to the husband and wife took a wild turn for all the characters.

overall, this was yet another amazing short film. i can find myself watching this again because there was so much that happened in just 31 minutes that i need time to process. my one advice would be to watch this before you watch wuliang to avoid feeling an empty void in your heart.

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"That summer was ours to keep"

firstly, what a drama this was... i have so many emotions that i went through in these 16 episodes in a span of 3 ish months. throughout this drama, i felt sadness, grief, giddy, soft, frustration, single and most of all, i found all the characters relatable. it was like watching so many versions of myself in a drama. that's when you know a drama is done well. you feel so much to the point that you want to reach to the screen and say, "i feel you buddy"

it's crazy but the friend group almost felt like real people to me. the struggles that these characters had and the funny plus wholesome interactions they had; it all makes me feel nostalgic. twenty five twenty one takes you back to your good days and bad days but manages to take it up a notch to deliver a story in which anyone can resonate with it. i grew attached to the characters, the story and the atmosphere to the point that i kept this drama in my list for more than a month. i couldn't let go of it.

the struggle of adulting, the beauty of friendships, how backward the thinking was to excuse abuse of students, the bitter circumstances of others and how love doesn't always work out. everything is in this drama yet the pacing is not weird at all. if i were to complain about anything, the ending definitely felt quite rushed though i still understood where the characters were coming from.

here's me rambling about other stuff i loved in this drama:
-can we please talk about yu rim and hee do? they're legit so precious and it was a joy to see how their relationship evolved. i think besides the whole friend group and the cutesy romance, these two definitely made this worth a watch. the chemistry was so good that you could almost fool me that these two were into each other.

-i really enjoyed seungwan's character and her strength to go through what she did. she was like a mom in the group.

-ji woong was also fun to watch and he was really cute with yu rim. everything about these two were fluffy.

-hee do!!! my sunshine! i love everything about this girl! she's the literal definition of the meme "never back down never what" she improved so much as a character but she always had that fighter spirit in her. i'm proud of her.

overall, i really enjoyed this. this drama is something i wouldn't mind rewatching in the future but i'd definitely need some emotional support. it is a one-of-a-kind drama that you won't get to see much of. the great pacing, wholesome friendships, beautiful romance and meaningful lessons are all what makes this drama such a good watch.

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"A promise is a promise"

wow. this film is short but very fruitful. there were so many layers of angst and beauty in this 37 minute piece. i don't think i've ever seen a short film done this well.

po xiao and feng ren had a relationship so precious that it can't be put into words. the cute but almost silent bantering, the worry of losing the other and the absolute willingness to risk it all for the sake of the other. the fact that i got attached to these characters so fast was unbelievably real.

i have so much appreciation to everyone involved in this production because damn, the visuals and aesthetics were STUNNING. the cast truly killed it in the best way and the chemistry was off the roof. i can find myself writing fanfics about the characters because of how good the acting was. the music was really good and fitting whether it be a suspenseful or emotional scene. ALSO ohmy, the fighting scenes.

one thing i like about this movie was how the story was not overly complex. there were no side plots. the focus was centered around po xiao and feng ren which made the writing for their characters feel more natural. the conversations between the leads were all important to tell their story.

overall, a very well done short film that gets you riled up with so much emotions. prepare to cry. the tears are worth it. i promise.

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Nothing is what it seems.

surprisingly, 'flower of evil' managed to combine thriller, romance, mystery, crime, a bit of comedy and melodrama in one drama. it's one of those rare few wherein all of these elements didn't feel that out of place. on top of everything else, it has a very good pacing which without a doubt led to the drama doing a very good job at executing its purpose.

what got me very hooked in this was the very beginning because it showed you how unsettling it was to be living with someone that has a whole different breed of skeletons in their closet. the transition of scenes from cute and loving father to downright disturbing; the eery feeling was what drew me in. the twists and turns that happened in this drama was truly addictive that i couldn't help but binge 6 episodes until 3 am.

the mystery aspect was done really well. the writers definitely clowns the heck out of us viewers because we truly have no idea what happens next. i believe that's what makes this drama good as a thriller because you are kept at your toes and you're trapped with so many thoughts of 'what if?'

personally, the fl didn't stand out to me that much but as the episodes went on, she grew on me. the revelation of her husband's past and trying to maintain her work plus being a mom was hella difficult and i felt for her. ji won's relationship with hyeon su was so heartwarming to see. the way they protected and cared for each other and the sacrifices they were willing to make defines how true their love was. even through the roughest paths, they loved each other. also, whew, the intimate scenes made me blush.

the way hyeon su was treated by others because they misunderstood him was truly heartbreaking. hyeon su and hae su deserved better. the trauma that these two endured is unthinkable. it was nice to see the beautiful bond of the siblings. i must say that the performances of the characters as teens was amazingly done. the drama also makes you think about how we see things on the surface and how judgemental we, humans, can be.

personally, i couldn't stand the detectives at times. it's your typical kdrama style detective crew. having one dude watch a criminal and not having any backup anywhere else in the hospital was hilarious. to be fair, there were some comical moments here and there but i didn't really find anything else worth noting.

frankly, i found the villain both surprising and also not surprising. from the very first scene we got of this guy, we were sort of vaguely made aware that he's up to no good with that phone conversation. it was short but very telling. however, i still think that the drama did really well revealing his character and it was very chilling to see what really went down that rainy evening.

one thing i sort of didn't like from this drama was maybe how melodramatic it turned out in the end. everything else fit perfectly and i wouldn't mind melodrama if it was not overboard. we didn't even get to see what happened to the only survivor. perhaps i missed out on a small detail but it was odd that she was never mentioned in the final episode knowing what a big part she played in the serial killer case. despite me not liking how melodramatic the ending was, i also didn't hate it because it looked like a new beginning for the characters. hyeon su and hae su deserved their fresh start, to be able to live freely and no longer have worries. that's why, in a way, i found the ending beautiful.

'flower of evil' succeeded in making itself as one of the top thriller dramas without milking anything. it is well-paced. story is intriguing as hell. the romance was endearing. while this drama did take more of a melodramatic turn halfway through, it still didn't lose its charm for its thrilling and suspenseful side. it is an addictive ride that you can't help but buckle up yourself until you reach the very peak.

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A love that is true but keeps tumbling over.

[I'm aware that the ending is one of the heated topics right now but I'm going to try to keep this review as spoiler-free as possible.]

Whew.... this drama was BRUTAL.

It is so rare nowadays to find a drama that you get so into it and y'know what makes it better? 'My Dearest' was not entirely a predictable story even though we were all made aware that it wasn't going to be a jolly one.

A story of two imperfect people who are in love but due to their circumstances and unresolved misunderstandings, their love keeps tumbling over. Yoo Gil Chae and Lee Jang Hyun have such a gosh darn sickeningly, amazing and addictive oozing chemistry that whatever awful thing hit the fan, I found myself rooting for them. Truly great performances from Ahn Eun Jin and Namkoong Min.

I was in for a treat when I realised just what I got myself into: pure but beautiful angst. At first, Gil Chae was that character that I found entertaining, might be a bit immature and full of herself. Yes, she has the milkshake that brings all the boys to the yard. And damn right, it's better than yours. However, she totally bloomed into a strong and reliable character that I grew to love. Even then, she has always been a woman that was capable. Is she perfect? No. She has her issues but they're also understandable. For Gil Chae's case, she couldn't accept that the man in her dreams could be someone else other than Yeon Jun. While I know many might disagree with me, I personally like that the drama highlights that feelings for someone don't shift that fast. If this turned out to be like any other romance drama out there, it would no longer have a unique perception of a romance story. Maybe I'm just a masochist but it's nice to see something different for once.

The drama has some really nice screenshot-worthy moments (most of the time). I really like the camera angles and editing on this one. It adds details to the scene and makes me want to tear up even more. The music was not bad too. The cast was amazing. Not one person here missed. If I were to nitpick, I think the timeline was a bit weird on the last episode. Overall, the production quality for this one was pretty good imo.

By the way, can we appreciate that the women here are not fighting against each other but instead are standing up for each other? We don't get to see that in dramas very often and I genuinely appreciated that the writers didn't create unnecessary drama between my girls, Eun Ae and Gil Chae. They had the most precious bond in this drama despite Gil Chae's feelings for Yeon Jun.

This drama doesn't shy away as it is quite realistic in terms of how the war affected people. The women who had to go through so much hell, the grief people had for their loved ones, how prisoners were tortured and the bitter truth that the poor suffered harder than the rich. In addition, the annoying ones who take credit when they haven't done a single thing for the country.
The great contrast of past scenes to the current one makes up for a good way to show the viewers a clear picture of the situation that the characters in.

I'll try to be as discrete as possible but I believe the ending had a lot of weight more on Gil Chae than Jang Hyun. Are we not going to talk about how difficult Gil Chae's situation was? She has so much that she'll be leaving behind while Jang Hyun has the freedom to go as he pleases. Personally, I also found the guilt tripping and Jang Hyun being inconsiderate of her situation quite frustrating. I'm not ignoring the hurt that Jang Hyun feels but it felt like he was being selfish for not thinking about her case. Both Gil Chae and Jang Hyun were not aware of what went down from their last meeting which caused a lot of misunderstandings. This is also what I like about the ending because usually, in dramas, these misunderstandings might get fixed in a flash but here, it was much more complex and interesting.

I will not mention the person but we all know who to blame. I couldn't accept it at first because I got attached to this character. It is obvious that it was out of jealousy but it was not right. I'm highkey scared of what they'll do next.

In conclusion, I will forever not be over this drama. I was super invested every Friday and Saturday so I'll miss the fun (pain) I had. I'm sure there will be more heartbreak for Part 2 so better brace yourselves. I stand with my rating of 10. After the number of times I suffered, swooned and was treated like a punching bag, it's safe to say that this drama still became one of my top dramas this year.

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i survived.

this drama was such a rocky road for me.

let's start with the positives:
-beautiful visuals
so many scenes in this drama were worth a screenshot. i loved the costume designs and how the production team made amazing efforts in setting the mood for either an emotional scene or a romantic one.

-good chemistry
esther yu and dylan wang did so well with their characters and i can't picture anyone else playing as the ear-piercing fairy and the hot emo lord. all jokes aside, the emotions were delivered nicely and i have no complaints.

-addictive ost
listen. the intro, the outro or whatever is in the soundtrack... they're all so dang stunning!!! i can imagine myself coming back to them now and then.

what's my issue with this drama?
i have two main issues that affected my enjoyment of this drama:
-the female lead
besides the high pitched voice and how childish her character was, orchid's backstory didn't hit me that hard. i had to wait for 20 or 30 episodes to wait for her to sort of grow as a character and whew, why did i have to wait so long? i didn’t even feel the character development because of how much the story was stalling.

-the mortal realm
yoooooo this part was so dragged. idk how long i stayed here to the point that it almost felt like a fever dream. i just wanted the writer to cut to the chase and get it over with.

do i hate this drama?
no but i'm sad. i wanted to love this so bad because there was potential for this to be really good. it sucks that only the ml's backstory was interesting enough to get me hooked but it all fell flat in the end.

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rain, rain, go away. come again another day.

if you're giving this a go with a thought that this drama will tell you well-written stories about love and all that fancy stuff, you might want to think again. 'love in the air' attempts to depict two couples with interesting themes but fails to feel like a solid drama.

now, let's jump right into the couples
phayu x rain:
one thing i'll have to say is that there is no logical progression whatsoever in their relationship. besides the questionable actions of phayu wherein consent gets glossed over, as the episodes went on, their relationship felt like a compilation of sweet and intimate scenes but there was no proper story. the timeline itself was iffy.

what made their story a mess was the editing. it was nonsensical to the point that there is no telling what scene the viewer will see next. while that might work for something else, the way it's done here makes it seem as though the drama was jumping from one scene to another with little to no explanation what happened in the previous scene. one example is a cute scene when phayu asks rain to wait for him so they can have dinner together. it then abruptly cuts to a whole different scene and sets a completely different tone leaving the viewer with no time to adjust.

despite the negatives, this couple actually deserves better. the relationship dynamic was pretty good and phayu grew on me as the episodes went on. the actors did super well to make their chemistry work on screen. the intimate scenes had me pausing every second because whew it was a lot to process. make sure to have your earphones on.

prapai x sky:
another one bites the dust. in the beginning, the consistency of prapai not understanding how important the word 'no' is really frustrated me. just because they had a one night stand (which btw sky was pressured into it) doesn't mean prapai has the right to get into sky's life. clearly, there's a fine line between 'love' and 'harassment' and i think pai sort of falls under the latter.

what sky really needed was a proper support system and lots of therapy. on the topic of support system, he has his parents and his friends who could lend him an ear or two when he needs it. however, the bl formula is to skip the therapy and rely on a handsome hunk is the best way to go. in other words, he can 'fix' him. in the end, sky still has to live with his traumas and having no control over them.

despite prapai frustrating me with his actions, i can't deny that those sweet moments the two had in the last episode made me almost erase everything else. i feel like prapai in the last episode was the best prapai out of all the episodes. however, the message that love can somehow eliminate your traumas is absolutely bullshit.

even though i didn't enjoy this couple as much, the pacing and progression of their relationship was much more developed and smooth. there were still some problems with transition of scenes but it was not as bad. at least prapai x sky story was easy to follow through and there were less jumping of scenes.

so... what bothered me the most?

both couples have different feel to them. their stories have interesting themes that can branch out into a very engaging drama. however, what i was served is half of 'what could've been'.

one thing that everyone must've noticed was the constant raining that made some scenes 100x hilarious. the use of the main couples' names were evident throughout the drama and in some way, i feel like it was overdone. there were at times that the sound of wind added to the scene minimised how impactful that scene was. thankfully, peat did well to portray his character's traumas. though i wasn't a fan of fort's acting, he nailed the emotional scenes.

honestly, i have no clue what goes on with the production quality in this one. the background music was at times distracting and not fitting to the scenes. for some scenes, the music would go on longer than it should and it almost overpowered the dialogue of the characters. the voiceovers were poorly done. for real, i hate to say it but the editing team did a lackluster job. while the pacing was odd for payu x rain, the production quality got worse for prapai x sky.

this is one of those dramas where i can't help but complain over the quality of the drama because there were so many factors that bothered me that usually doesn't bother me in other dramas.

overall, there was so much potential with this drama. if more time was given to the production team and tweaked the parts that lacked coherence, 'love in the air' would've made me like it a tad bit more.

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"The law is just the law. It's only the gate to justice but the law itself isn't justice"

for a person who avoids political dramas like the plague, this one was different. from the aesthetics, the ost and to any scene in every single episode, it was a brilliantly artistic take in showing a well-balanced story involving romance and politics.

so, what did i love?

-the amazing cast
there are many familiar faces in this but one thing's for sure, everyone's performances in this drama didn't fall short. not even an inch.

gun really didn't pull back from giving his all in both his roles as black and white. it was as though i was watching two people play their parts and i had to blink hard as black and white truly had distinct personalities. again, i'm not surprised by gun's talent as he never failed in showing his talent on screen.

i used to be skeptical of off's acting but in here, he was able to depict a broken character seeking revenge against unjustice. those expressions of anger mixed with helplessness and those cute scenes with white, off nailed it as sean.

first didn't fail me in this drama. he was lowkey smug but at the same time, this boy knows how to break my heart into pieces. paired with fluke, they both served emotions that hit you right at your chest. fluke did well as a police officer that wants to fight against the corrupt, a person that wanted to change.

the whole gang had me in shambles for how much they cared for each other. with how good the chemistry is between all of them, it was inevitable that the friend group was shippable. despite being a serious drama, there were funny moments as well. gumpa as the father of five (including black ofc) was portrayed wonderfully by papang. even though his acting was a bit iffy at times, he definitely gave off the fatherly vibe as he trained and helped the boys out whenever trouble came their way.

i was so used to seeing sing as a silly or playful character in other dramas so seeing him play a new type of role was a surprise. he managed to blow me away whenever he showed up and his scenes with black are worthy to be applauded.

-the couples !!!!
sean x white:
as one of the well-known bl couples, the offgun duo strikes again. the angst between these two was steaming hot. before sean and white got together, the tension they had was enough to make me scream internally. once they broke the ice and started to cuddle up to each other, i saw sunshine, rainbows and thunder. white who used to not understand sean's pain slowly became sean's comfort. their love to fight and protect each other will forever be something i'm envious of.

dan x yok:
the conflict that comes along with falling for someone you laid your trust on is heavier than one can imagine. maybe, i'm masochistic but the relationship between dan and yok had so much to it that i can't help but root for them. those sentimental scenes in which they started to open up to each other and weren't afraid to show their vulnerable side.... it was purely beautiful. besides the angsty scenes, they have their cute moments that i cherish A LOT.

-the women
we don't see petty arguments or grudges. what this drama offered is women that stand their ground. namo, eugene and nuch are all clear on their views and have such an impactful character to them that doesn't make it overwhelming or underwhelming. this is one of those dramas that i appreciate for not writing female characters as stereotypes.

-the cinematography
if i wanted to screenshot every single second of this drama, i would. the camera angles and close up shots of small details in the emotional and intimate scenes were my absolutely favorites. i love how this drama was filmed and how the colorisation fitted the scenes perfectly.
also, i really appreciate that the actors looked naturally beautiful in this one. there was less makeup and it gives off this no filter feel to it.

-the important topics covered
this drama is not just a bl drama. it shows many issues that goes on in the real world as well. to name a few, it highlights:
1) privilege
2) lgbtq+ rights (marriage equality)
3) disability rights
4) political corruption

things i didn't like:
-the way the ending got wrapped up felt rushed
-gram and eugene as a couple
-the whole twin connection wasn't explored more (but then i understand it would stray far away from the drama's focal points)
-some questions left unanswered
eg. was dan let go just like that? what is todd's story? what will tawi do?

regardless of the imperfections, 'not me' is easily on my top bl dramas that i keep close to my heart.

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a movie ahead of its time

i tried to watch this movie a few years back but got piled up with uni work. picking this back up was a good thing. besides the hilarious moments, there were hard-hitting scenes that fully grips your emotions.

a part of me is happy that an lgbtq+ movie like this remarkably shows the deeply rooted feelings and struggles of internal homophobia. even though the real world is slowly becoming progressive, we can't deny there's still a long way to go. the wounds from words and abuse that lgbtq+ community face is very much present to this day.

min soo and hyo jin both deserve their lives free from discrimination. what i loved from this movie is seeing them standing up against the world and telling them, "if you can love, why can't we?" i liked kim dong yoon's performance during those powerfully emotional scenes. he truly knows how to deliver. hyo jin's scenes with min soo were fun to watch and the serious parts were done well.

what i was a bit bitter about was that i wanted to see more of hyo jin and seo yung. it's already a rarity to see a lesbian couple so i was bummed to not get much of an insight into their relationship. i mean, c'mon they're also main characters so why didn't we see enough of them? however, i do appreciate the actresses for playing their roles well though they didn't get enough screentime. despite it all, the ending does make up for it

one more aspect of this that i side-eyed was that there were gay characters that seemed to be stereotypes. even then, despite the acting being a bit over the top at times, g voice had a lot of comedic moments.

overall, this was a movie that aims to not only make you laugh but also open your eyes. with a great balance of comedy and seriousness, i'm not ashamed to recommend it.

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can't sleep? watch this

this was disappointing...
i came here to have my heart shattered but i almost fell asleep instead

the idea is interesting and the story of eun hae and jae shik could've been brought to life if the writer was sure where they were going with for this movie. for over an hour long, i was told nothing much about the characters and the progression of the story was random. certain scenes felt unnecessary and did not make any difference to the story.

the only redeeming factor was eun hae. those interactions she had with jae shik were heartwarming and i couldn't help but be glued to the screen during those moments. the child that played eun hae will surely have a bright future as she knows how to deliever a powerful performance.

other than a few "awww"s, there wasn't really much to this movie that kept me engaged.

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winning a medal is not everything

tw// sexual assault, rape

what this drama gave me was more than i asked for. i'm not in any way saying that this drama is simply a warm hug or full of happy pills but it's like a comforting way of saying, "it's okay. you're having it rough right now. it's okay to accept that feeling" similar to the dilemma of 'push or pull' situation, this drama teaches you to 'feel' and not suppress your emotions.

it's clear that ga eul has been mistreated and abused. that's why she locked her feelings and emotions inside a cage. the moments where someone is nice to her, she views it as a form of manipulation. the complex thoughts of "can i trust this person?" was wonderfully portrayed through this character.

in a competitive sports industry, it doesn't help that coach oh is an annoying virus that uses his power to his advantage. while i would've loved it if he got destroyed earlier on, it shows the reality that there are monsters like this in the real world that are favored by big hands. there are those harrowing stories that are not documented but they are very much happening at this minute.

now, let us look at some of my fave parts of this drama:

-a galore of inspiring quotes
there are so many lines spoken that are worthy to be engraved in gold for how much it resonates to the audience. my favorite aspect of this drama is how it emphasizes that weakness is not something to be ashamed of. instead, it can be a sign of growth. to open yourself up to people and be a bit more carefree, you are allowed to embrace yourself more in many ways other than weighing everything on your shoulders. if i were to include my fave quotes, it would take up my whole review.
here's one: "If the world won’t change, I must change. Only then can I survive" -Jegal Gil

-beautiful use of symbolism
i specifically liked the use of crustacean and camel as a metaphor for ga eul. while these are the only examples of symbolism, they both swayed my heart to the fullest and wrecked my heart because of its meanings.

-good combo of comedy, action and melo
there were sad moments. there were also hilarious and badass ones. no medal team was perfectly fitting to the picture. this group involves people who have gone through a lot yet they stand tall and fight against injustice. it's quite a shame they were only used as plot armor when more could've been explored.

-no cardboard characters
everyone in this drama has shit going on. yet, we get to see characters develop wonderfully as the episodes progress. ga eul, lee mookyeol, the whole skating team. heck, even park seung ha started to grow on me (even a lil bit) in the end.

-a lovely twist
as the drama was halfway reaching its final episode, there was a point where i was slowly losing interest. thankfully, the unexpected trio happened. as though an elephant was in the room, this sudden twist somehow converted my worries to laughter and full on wholesomeness. who knew 'he' could work with the very same person he's been trying to crack down this whole time? i just love it.

-important topics were carefully addressed
i'm tired of sexual assault and rape being brushed off like it's nothing. in here, we see how much it affects a person and how hard it is to bury such a horrifying memory.

"Did I bring it upon myself?"

this. it's so sad that even though she's the victim, there is a part of her that makes her feel like it's her fault. in addition, there is an inhumane side to society that shame victims into thinking it's their fault or that they were 'asking for it'.

-the sismance
“Alone, I will not be able to achieve anything. And you’re the one I want to race with” -Cha Ga Eul
although we didn't get to see much of oh sun ah and ga eul, they were the ultimate tsundere duo. they didn't express it through their face but their actions showed they cared for each other.

while i loved this drama, i can't say it's perfect. midway or somewhere the last few episodes, i was having mixed emotions with how the drama sort of shifted from this healing drama to something else. personally, i feel like this drama would've done better with sticking to the way it was. the romance was just so out of the blue for me.

despite the frustration i felt from the final episode, i can't take away my love for this drama. at first, this was an astounding 9 for me but we can't have everything our way. in my heart, this drama did more good than bad so i'm going to let the it slide.

to anyone searching for healing dramas, you're on the right track.
do you have to know about sports to enjoy this drama? no.
'mental coach jegal' isn't just about sports. it's about healing, hope, self-acceptance and anything else that helps you get back on your feet.

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what happened?

how do you ruin a good romcom movie? by attempting to crush viewers' hearts with an unexplained twist.

the start was strong and had a good buildup to the chemistry between bora and woonho. with a decent cast, on point aesthetics and amazing sismance, i was ultimately hooked at first. the romantic scenes had me yelling to the void at how i wish i could revoke my 'i'm single' card. even though the camera was a bit shaky in some scenes, i was able to push through and say, "this is definitely a 9. without a doubt"

but..... the ending....

the thing is i have no problem if they made this a hundred times more angsty and make a main character's death more tragic than my whole life is right now. i'm into that shit. the PROBLEM is how the movie felt like a half-baked lasagna. it didn't even feel like an open ending. we just know "oh, they're dead" that's it.

cause of death: unknown? does hyunjin know? what happened?

instead of me crying over this character i once loved, i'm clouded with curiosity. the ending took away my attachment to how sad the death of this character is. in my opinion, there could've been a better way to end this movie without leaving the viewers with a question mark on their head.

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"Why not design your death?"

jumping into this without expectations, i was pleasantly surprised. 'yonder' does not shy away from exploring a person's grief. however, in this drama, it wasn't an overboard melancholic take but instead, we're taken into a world of mystery and uncaniness.

a futuristic world in which people can create an almost replica of their dead loved ones is quite scary to think about. besides this thought being scary, it is sad. imagine if people are not able to move on with their lives and stuck in this sort of delusional reality. as long as they feed on their delusions and the desperate need to hold on to their loved ones, there might be cases where some will think it is 'real'. once they believe in their 'reality', it leads to unfortunate circumstances. with how our own world is ever-growing and innovating, we're not far off from this to happen. that's what makes this drama uncanny and terrifying.

"The reason beautiful moments are precious is because that moment can never return" - Kim Jae Hyun

some scenes speak to you; whether it be emotional or not. it takes you to an indescribable time wherein you're longing for something. there were no long inner monologues to reveal something or too much 'show' than 'tell'. yet, i was absolutely captivated. with a stellar cast, 'yonder' truly made its mark on being nearly perfect.

this was a drama in which each episode was 30 minutes. i was worried about the pacing at first because the themes are a bit complex. was the pacing bad? not at all! in fact, the drama did well in creating suspense and keeping its viewers hooked to the story.

although this drama is almost perfect for me, the second half was not as good as the first. i feel as though it sort of fell flat when jae hyun out of no where took an unexpected decision. despite the second half almost lacking, it managed to pick up its pace but underwhelmed me when it was over.

in the first half, it didn't rely much on music making it even more eerily atmospheric. when there is music in some scenes, the scene becomes even more breathtakingly beautiful or hauntingly real. however, i feel like the second half didn't need that much music in it.

to conclude, this is definitely how you utilise sci-fi and futuristic themes without making it seem super flashy. instead of trying so hard, focus on the details and importance of a story.

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don't think. just laugh.

despite watching this a few years back, this was still fairly entertaining. however, as this is my nth time watching it, my views on it has changed.

with no doubt, 'the dude in me' utilises its body swap theme in the most amusing way. in addition, it is action packed with satisfyingly kickass fight scenes. all in all, this combo of comedy and action sold itself well to the viewers.

when we talk about the plot, i preferred to not focus on it at all. the story was more heavily focused on jang pan soo yet it felt like it was used as a comical device rather than an important part of the movie. there were some 'emotional' scenes but it got played down by how hilarious the context is.

while i found it entertaining, some scenes leave me with a question mark. you'll have to truly turn off your brain to digest certain parts of the movie. as it is a body swap and one is a high school student, it takes some time to adjust. even then, jung jin young did well to portray his roles and i have no complaints for the rest of the cast.

overall, it was a no-brainer comedy that i don't mind rewatching again.

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give me more!!!

for a low budget drama with short episodes and nonsensical plot, in a span of an hour, i was pleasantly surprised by how much i enjoyed it.

sure, maybe at some point, the weird transitions, editing and sudden odd choice of music did irk me. however, the acting of mu yun, hongyan and xuanyu were impactful enough to keep me watching.

the whole time travel deal could've been interesting and explored more. it also would've been helpful to delve deeper about hongyan and the fans. what a shame that the duration of the episodes wasn't enough to produce more depth.

overall, this somehow gives me hope that in the future, there'll be full length gl wuxia dramas or whatever kind of genre. i hope it'll be soon.

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