Reviews

A sad & highly topical social issue, dealt with in a palpable, exciting, sensitive, touching way

"Revenge of Others" is set in the world of South Korean high school students. No teenage squabble, but a story with substance and depth. With flexibly intertwined subplots, it offers a sad and highly topical social issue, dealing with it in a palpable, exciting, sensitive and touching way. Should you watch? Yes!

"Revenge of Others" (like "Weak Hero Class 1" in 2022) deals with the topic of mobbing /bullying. In Korean, the slang term 'wang-ta' is quite common, and for me helped for a better understanding of the special and increasingly dramatic situation surrounding bullying at South Korean schools, which can even lead to suicide. (See side note below.)

This KDrama spotlights a Seoul high school where there appears to have happened a suicide. Everyone is shocked. Some know more. But if the sister of the victim, who has been living separated from her brother for many years, would not try to get to the bottom of it, then this would be a sad case of suicide without a murmur. It probably happens all too often in one way or another that fundamental questions in an apparently obvious case are left unanswered. However, this KDrama bravely wants to get to the bottom of the matter and its circumstances - here in the person of Ok Chang-mi.

As so often in the context of bullying, the adults don't look too good and don´t offer anything promising for making a difference regarding those fatal peer group dynamics. They are left outside. The high school students have to find a way for themselves to get along with their classmates - if possible highly adjusted underneath the social wang-ta radar (or at least with a solid network).

"Revenge of Others" is a production for the international streaming market. Things rarely get too brutal at Disney, though. The amount of violence is therefore limited (compared to e.g. "Weak Hero Class 1") and instead there is more room for relationship dynamics in side plots, causal connections and shades of gray.

By the way, in connection with "Revenge of Others" there is also a whole series of promising actors to admire!



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SIDE NOTE: --- Wang-ta in South Korea ----

With Wang-ta, the focus is not so much on the 'act' - bullying or harassment - but rather on the entire context of active and violent marginalizatin of an outsider. For example, it can be used as a swear word for the excluded person or as a description of the bullying activity. In a collectivist society like South Korea, group affiliation and group interest is paramount. This applies not only to the family, but also to the school class and also to the peer groups within the class or school. Unfortunately, this value system results in a fatal situation when it comes to actual bullying: bringing shame on the group, the outsiders are at the bottom of the social hierarchy. Whether it's because of school performance, family background, origin, belonging to an undesirable minority, looks, dress, a handicap, an unusual belief or an abnormal inclination: Wang-ta is a label that no one wants to personally be confronted with. Everyone agrees on that. At the same time, Wang-ta becomes a free pass for more or less cruel mobbing/bullying. Worryingly, perpetrators, victims, and witnesses alike accept the premise: all forms of bullying, almost anything related to Wang-ta, is permissible. The perpetrators take advantage of this, the victims immediately feel even more inferior in terms of their shortcomings (of whatever kind), and the bystanders silently nod the action as justified - or even actively join in. There is no moral barrier against this specifically cultural, collectivist background. It can even get out of hand. There are cases where the entire school has ended up participating in one person's wang-ta. From a Western, individualistic point of view, this is perhaps difficult to understand, because apart from group norms there are other socially recognized ethical principles that could be introduced as a serious confrontation of wang-ta behavior. Unfortunately, this hardly is the case at South Korean schools with a collectivistic social culture.



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SIDE NOTE: In connection with this KDRama also an additional side note on
--- Punishment vs. Suffering of Victims ---

The psychological trauma for the bullying victims are with long-lasting effect. Unfortunately, the punishment of perpetrators is not proportionate to this day. Punishment is rather harmless - it may be annoying to the perpetrators, but not really a deterrent. Far too much must have happened before expulsion actually occurs. A corresponding entry in the files is actually completely deleted two years after graduation. In fact, nothing is left behind on the perpetrators' side. On the other hand, from the memory of the victims the experience cannot be so easily erased ...

The documented cases of wang-ta in South Korean schools (yet many are not officially reported) have steadily increased over the past three decades. According to a study by the Ministry of Education, between 2013 and 2017 the cases have more than doubled from 11.749 to 31.130. There are also increasing numbers of victims who saw suicide as their only way out. It has now been empirically documented that South Korean pupils with a personal Wang-ta experience are more suicidal than those without. Suicide is by far the most common cause of death among 10 to 24 year olds. Almost 1.000 young people took their own lives in 2020 alone.

In respect of the lack of serious consequences for the perpetrators in Wang-ta cases and their comparatively unsatisfactory punishment, a kind of vigilante justice has been established among the families of the victims concerned. "Revenge of Others" picks up on this (similar to "Angry Mom" ​​a few years earlier) as a theme in variation.
In fact, facing a lack of serious alternative punitive measures it seems not uncommon for relatives of victims to pay someone of the same school age to take care of an appropriate 'punishment' - i.e. 'undercover'. Clearing up violence with violence is of course a dubious solution. Sadly, this seems to be the only way to show real consequences to the perpetrators and give the victims at least minimum size satisfaction. ...Although it should be probably considered more of a satisfaction for the relatives of the victims, because the victims themselves still have to deal with their psychological wounds and scars for a long time. Revenge does not undo the painful experience of mentally and physically harassing exclusion...

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A cliché done right.

My Unicorn Girl proves how clichés can be entertaining if they are done properly. I started watching the drama with slightly low expectations, I expected it to be another silly and overly cheesy rom-com and guess what, that's exactly what it is. And that's exactly why I loved it so much.

Honestly, the drama is full of clichés - we have prosopagnosia, cross-dressing, fated love, a questionable amount of accidental kisses etc etc. But they somehow made all these clichés work. The drama never pretends to be something brilliant, it is as simple as possible. What saved the show with its mediocre at best plot, was definitely the chemistry and the acting of the two main leads. I didn't know I was into such cheesy romance stories but now I watched this and I started doubting myself. The drama somehow makes you root for the leads, you want them to be together, you wait for each scene of them with excitement, you smile like an idiot whenever they do something cute and you can't help but feel happy when they tease each other. They make your heart flutter with their innocent, playful love interactions. They are your daily dose of happiness.

The main leads, as individual characters, were also very entertaining to watch. Wen Bing is absolutely one of my favourite male leads ever. He is michevious, extra playful, pretends to be cold-hearted but is actually a small ball of fluff inside... he was just too adorable. God bless Darren Chen for accepting this role, it suits him perfectly and I must admit, I kind of fell in love and I don't know how to recover. Sang Tian was a cutie and she actually looked like a boy, but they should have probably made a different decision about her lipstick, it was a bit too obvious, lol.

Overall, My Unicorn Girl is an amazing show especially if you're looking for something more light-hearted. I mean, it's not perfect, it's a bit far from perfect, but it's good enough. The plot not always makes sense, but the chemistry between the leads is worth seeing. I'm not a fan of Chinese rom-coms, but I did enjoy this one a lot and was always excited to watch more episodes. I'm a bit sad that it's over actually.

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A power-struggle between morals.

I started watching 'Extracurricular' on a whim, I didn't think much of it and just wanted to see something that was on Netflix. The simple action of watching one episode turned into a 10 h binge, and I have to tell you it was one hell of a ride. This drama didn't hook me on the first episode, I felt a bit hesitant: Will this be another unrealistic shitty teen thug type of story? But nonetheless I continued.

After the second episode I knew, this is something else. The premise seems simple enough, a normal setup for a Korean thriller/action movie but this took it deeper. During the 10 episodes the viewer get to know its main character Oh Jisoo and his contrasting behaviors as well as his partner Bae Gyu Ri. The character work on these two was phenomenal, I loved seeing their facades crack little by little to show what these young humans held within themselves all along. Although they commit actions that goes by the law of morals you cannot help but route for this unfortunate pair. I personally related to the characters, especially to Bae Gyu Ri and her struggles to keep her image in front of her parents, the school and Jisoo. Although the circumstances that these characters goes through is unrealistic you can draw similarities to their struggles of fitting in, money, grades and love.

The acting was simply amazing! Nothing more is needed to say, all cast members seemed to act well in their parts and the production was done so smoothly that I almost forgot that it was all an act.

Well all I can say is that this blew me away, I was chocked at the amount of enjoyment I felt watching this short but thrilling drama. Everyone that enjoys to feel nervous and wants to see something a bit fucked up and dark: 'Extracurricular' is something for you!

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So bad it's good? No. Just plain awful.

Well, that happened.

You know how a lot of BLs have eight episodes-worth of story stretched out to 12 and have 4 totally unnecessary characters that just chew up time? Well, this series has 4 epsiodes of story stretching into 18 with 40 totally unnecessary characters that just chew up time.

So again we have Fluke Natouch paired with a talking mannequin that makes him cry a lot. That's OK, though, because we have the sublimely handsome Peterpan Thasapon and Noh Phouluang, who I had thought was dull because he was in Nitiman, but he's actually really sexy and appealing, and together they make one of the better BL couples I've seen in a while.

So naturally, they're separated for literally half the series and their story is resolved offscreen. This is so frustrating that it's hard to express how much, especially as I had to wade though 9 episodes of utterly static story hoping to get more Rain and Payoo - but nope. They did manage to introduce an entirely new couple in episode 17, but no Rain & Payoo. There are 5 secondary couples. Only one of them gets together.

Nothing in this makes sense. All the characters' lives are perpetually in danger, accentuated with truly OTT music cues, and since you know nothing bad can ever happen to anyone, even if they jump out of an exploding helicopter from 50 meters in the air (this happens), there are no stakes. Ohm's character's brain is bleeding for 9 episodes, and instead of hospitalizing him and having bodyguards protect him, he's dumped in the middle of nowhere for three months to engage in archery and equestrian sports. Is it a good idea to race horses when your brain is bleeding? I don't know - I'm not an expert, but intuitively it feels like a bad idea. Fluke will die unless he eats apples. You know this because whenever he goes without one for too long, he melodramatically clutches his heart and keels over. Or at least that's what I think causes it. He's an uke, so it could be sunlight, or walking, or maybe he didn't dry his hair thoroughly enough.

Speaking of which, we reach a new low this series when an uke manages to cut himself with a butter knife. I'm waiting for one of them to accidentally garotte himself while trying to floss.

Whoever wrote this series doesn't know anything about music, despite it being about musicians. They couldn't even be bothered to get a real cellist - it's all synthesized, and sounds like a casio keyboard from the 1980s.

I think we've gotten to the point in Thai BL where we need some self-examination. Are we really so desperate that we're willing to be exploited like this by productions that aren't even trying anymore? This story is infantile. I'm not exaggerating, it feels like it was written by a 12-year old (no offense to 12-year olds - I realize most of you could have written a better story than this). It's so boring, repetitive, poorly thought-out, overstuffed with characters and endless melodrama that it's just tiring.

Story: 1 - There is one, sort of.
Acting: 5 - This is generous. Peterpan and Noh have a certain presence in the first half. Fluke cries a lot, and Ohm is there. Everyone else is passable and the villainess (the villain of the story is hidden. It's a big mystery. Who could it be?) would be twirling her mustache if she could. She almost literally shouted "And I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for those pesky kids!!!"
Music: 1 - it's awful. Oppressively schmalzy, with overblown dramatic cues, MY brain was bleeding by the end listening to that synthesized cello.
Rewatch value: 3 - There are a lot of hot guys in this, so there are individual scraps I'd watch again.
Overall: 3 - probaby generous, but the first half did have a "so bad it's good" vibe. Then it just got bad.

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This drama was bindblowing, literally! I was 100% concentrated while I was watching it and it made me guess things all the time. I can guarantee this is must-watch for every crime drama fan!

So, Bo Jin Yan is criminal psychologist who solves difficult cases with help of his newly hired assistant, Jian Yao. At first like almost in every drama they concentrate on seperate cases. And like in most of crime dramas, there was something bigger in the background but I still say this is one of the most unique crime dramas ever.

Very professional, high-quality writing. Just as you have decided you have conclusion how a scene is going to end writers make a turn and will make you go like 'whaaaaaaat?!' I enjoyed the emotional rollercoaster of being surprised and not knowing what happens next. I'm sucker for good mystery/crime drama and this is the best I have watched for a long time! Ending episode threw me off the course and I was staring my computer screen mouth open :D

Leads had great chemistry and I enjoyed every awkward moment they had because of Jin Yan's serious character. I'm always drooling for handsome lone wolfs and it was adorable that IQ genius was struggling with romance.
Side roles were important and well written into plotline but I wish they would have had more depth into Zi Yu's character. He was the only side role I was excitedly waiting for to appear in every scene.

I liked how this drama didn't totally evolve to concentrate on romance element because most of dramas make that mistake. Instead they concentrated on Jin Yan's character and especially how he sees things inside his mind analysing criminal's mind.

Music was actually pretty good! I'm not a fan of chinese music, especially ballads but I fell in love with ending song~

So if you enjoy crime dramas with mysterious and exciting cases, adorable characters and little bit of romance, this is totally made for you!

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I have not been this obsessed over a drama in a while, and I rarely give any drama perfect 10s, but I believe this drama is the perfect melodrama. The plot is a mix of suspense, ill-fated romance, psychological thriller, and tragedy. Every single episode is engaging from the very beginning to the last moment. I love interesting characters and here Seo In Guk shines as the enigmatic Kim Moo Young, who's every expression captivated me in a way that few Kdrama leads have. I had no idea what this drama would be like when I started it (having never heard of the original Japanese version), but from Moo Young's first judgmental side eye and confident and slightly dangerous smirk, I knew I was hooked.

This definitely isn't my first time liking either of the leads in a drama, but I feel like this is both of them at their absolute best. Seo In Guk and Jung So Min also have legendary chemistry here, ranging from entertaining banter, to intimate and genuine, to emotional rollercoaster. They both really get to showcase their range in these roles and create truly memorable characters who I couldn't help but care about and root for, even if their relationship was extremely complicated and messy. That's what I loved most about this drama and its characters, nothing is all good or bad, and nothing is as predictable as it may initially seem. These characters make frustrating decisions and take scream at the screen inducing actions, and instead of that making me mad it just made them all feel more human.

It also helps that the entire cast is impressive. Park Sung Woong big brother role and Jang Young Nam also have amazing chemistry and give really great performances. I loved Moo Young rivalries with various characters. I especially loved the moments when Jin Kang and Jin Gook hid darkness and depth behind their smiles and teasing. The whole cast really played well off of each other. Some roles end up being more significant than others but there's not a single weak link in the cast, which helped to make some of the more melodramatic moments feel more realistic and made me more invested in everything that was going on, even during moments when I was confused. Eventually, all the elements of the story do come together, so any confusion I had was always temporary, and just kept me more interested in what was going to happen next.

Would I watch this drama again? Without hesitation. Although the suspense of not knowing what's going on would be gone, just watching how all the pieces fit is entertaining to me. I also feel like this is the kind of drama where I might pick up on something during a second viewing that I missed the first time. I really wasn't ready for this drama to be over, even though it ended in a way that seemed inevitable and was well done. I still miss the characters enough to want to see them again, especially the sensitive yet slightly sexy and sociopathy Moo Young. I crushed so hard on Seo In Guk watching this it was almost shameful. That's another automatic reason to want to watch this again. I will probably watch the original version too, but I can't imagine me liking this version any less after viewing it... it's too good.

I should also mention the music which to me fit the show perfectly. There was even a moment when I was holding back tears but as soon as "Star" played, Seo In Guk and Jung So Min's duet, the floodgates opened and I couldn't hold the tears back any longer. The harmonies got me right in the feels and now it's among my KDrama OST favorites. I had no idea it was even them singing the song at first so that's just another reason to love them together.

Overall this is easily one of my new favorite dramas ever, so of course, I would recommend it to anyone and everyone. The story is a pretty dark one, but it's not without light moments and scenes that made me smile and swoon. This isn't exactly a sweet romance, but there are plenty of moments to satisfy romance fans. There may not be much action for crime thriller fans, but I think the suspense around characters and the story makes up for that. If you are the type of person who prefers stories about happy people living happily ever after, then you may want to skip this one, but I think you're missing out.

Now that there are no more episodes left, I feel the smile leaving my eyes : ( but since it is Thanksgiving I will just be thankful that I got to watch what I'd easily call the best drama of the year!

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I don't want China to stop making BLs

The amount of butterflies I got in my stomach while watching this drama was insane. The main attractiveness of this drama is The POWER BOTTOM ? Ohhh yeah the characters are so handsome that sometimes I forgot to breathe . What a beautiful storyline ! What a beautiful acting ! Woah . The slow burn is S L O W B U R N I N G . And one the most beautiful part is the cinematography. It's really awesome.

I love it when two polar opposite people start to like each other. And the 1980s theme made it more special.

What made ' Sammy's Children's Day ' more likable ?

A. Excellent story plotline. Something new , Something unique. ( Not some typical soft romance )

B. The strong MAIN CHARACTER ..... ( Said goodbye to stereotypes )

C. Beautiful background music .

D. Talented actors who made those side characters interesting too.


If the starting of 2026 is like this then I can wait for it every year . Go and try it , you will definitely like this drama a lot . 10/10 recommended.

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To the Marriage of True Minds....and the Comedy of Wits

The tone of Perfect Match is a mix of comedy with heartwarming moments. Its use of exaggerated humor is typical of satire that aims to make a statement about social problems. From the first day of its release, the labels of "misogynistic" male leads and words such as "sociopath" as in one review were tagged on Perfect Match. The negative comments were to the extreme that either these viewers misunderstood the satirical tone of the drama or were too quick to judge without watching more than a few episodes. Be aware that there are negative reviews that were posted after only 4 episodes were released and deceptively marked as 36 episodes watched. Allow me to clear up some incorrect information in the reviews:

None of the ML cheated on their wives
None of the ML deliberately did anything to hurt his wife or any of the sisters.

Perfect Match tells the story of a widow, Madam Li, who desires perfect matches for her five daughters. The overall tone of the drama makes it interesting so even if one couple might not be as great for you, the drama will still hold your interest. Each couple has its time as the main couple in the drama. The drama has great pacing as it moves its focus from one daugther to the next.

The drama begins with the sisters and Madam Li moving into Bianjing. The second sister, Fuhui is already married at the start of the drama. Her match appears as an immature character, Fan Lianghan, who she describes as too soft-hearted to the point he gives away his money to women who cry to him about their woes. At first, he appears to be ridiculously immature, but his character gains some maturity in a manner he retains his role as comic relief while showing some maturity and wisdom...in rare times :) After the first few episodes, I came to find him adorable, to be honest. I like him!

The focus of the first 10 episodes is on the third sister Kang Ning and her perfect match Chai An. This match is my favorite! Both Chai An and Kang Ning are brilliant strategists and it was entertaining to see them outsmart each other. I was disappointed when I saw less of them after ep 10 when the other stories became the focus. However, I was happy to see them in each sister's story.

Others prefer the next couple. The eldest daughter, Shouhua, is matched with a top-ranking scholar, Du Yang Xi. I didn't enjoy the eldest sister's CP much because the chemistry was bland. However, some have stated it was their favorite, so it is a matter of preference. Du Yang Xi's backstory was interesting, and the introduction of Shen Huishao as magistrate in the court scenes made for a nice transition into the fourth sister's CP.

By the 20th episode, the drama switches its focus to the fourth sister, Haode, and her perfect match, Shen Huishao. Her character growth is interesting as she becomes educated in the laws to help her husband solve cases. But what makes it even more interesting, is the way Haode melts the barriers Shen Huishao set up against falling in love and taking a wife.


The drama's next focus is the youngest and 5th daughter, Leshan, around ep 28. Her "perfect match" is Yang Xian. I have mixed feelings about her story. With her personality, it was not surprising to see Leshan fight back against the bullies in the Yang family. I admire her spirit and courage but her aggressive behavior toward Yang Xian made me uncomfortable in the early part of their story. I knew it was temporary as this drama tends to exaggerate for humor. But it was too much and I didn't find it funny after a while. I found myself feeling bad for Yang Xian. I appreciated her intelligence in standing up to the Yang family for both herself and her husband. It was for this reason, Yang Xian fell in love with her more every day. But even more lovely, was watching Madam Li give Yang Xian the motherly love he lacked in his own home.

Perfect Match is entertaining. I enjoyed the lively family dynamics of Madam Li and her daughters. Their devotion and love for each other is heartwarming. Each of the sisters has unique strengths and characteristics. Madam Li as the mother is depicted as an ambitious mother exaggeratedly at times but at other times there is no doubt that her deepest desire is not for the wealth and status she wants for her daughters but rather for their happiness. The perfect match for her daughters would be a man who would cherish them.

But Perfect Match is not only about the marriages of Madam Li's five daughters. There is an underlying theme of gender and societal expectations. It portrays the treatment of women in the Song Dynasty. Madame Li as a widow lost property and status when her husband died. The court cases address some of the prejudices against women at the time. Each daughter's story depicts the challenges of defying predestined futures. The romance endures misunderstandings and conflicting circumstances. The use of humor and the battle of wits makes this drama a warm bundle of charm.

Perfect Match has a happy ending. However, the final episode would have been better if they had not added more problems to Leshan and Yang Xian's reunion that dragged into episode 36. I hoped they would have given us more of the couples' married life. I especially wanted to see more of Chai An and Kang Ning. I wanted much more than just flashbacks of each couple. But even with my disappointments, I will rewatch Perfect Match. It is still a 10 for me because I came to love the characters and found myself rewatching episodes while I waited for more to air. The plot was interesting and the family dynamic and tone of the drama is unique. The overall feel to Perfect Match will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy. I will miss watching these characters daily.

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An aesthetically pleasing, original fantasy drama

When I saw that IU would be cast in this drama, I felt that I had to give it a shot, and I'm glad to say that for the most part, it did not disappoint. Without a doubt, Hotel Del Luna is my favourite kdrama of 2019. There is plenty to love about this drama, ranging from its stunning cinematography, decent storyline, excellent cast, oh and how could I forget: the most beautiful OST in kdramaland.

Plot/Storyline:
I thought that the writing was pretty solid throughout the drama. It is refreshing to watch a drama that ventures into foreign territory and breaks free of the traditional kdrama tropes and cliches to explore the less commonly visited genres of horror (though I wouldn't really consider this drama to be scary at all) and fantasy + romance. The plot is layered and has some depth, with plenty of twists and turns to keep you on the edge. The main character Man Weol's story captivates you right from the get-go, as the show uses flashbacks very well to reveal small snippets of her past at a time, causing you to be curious about her past, and eager to find out more. The generous use of humour also helps to balance out some of the heavier, more emotional scenes, while also allowing the drama to be easy and fun to watch throughout its lengthy episodes. Personally, the ending did not play out exactly how I had hoped it would, but it was fitting to the themes of this drama and very beautiful to watch, as well as very emotional. The drama explores the themes/ideas of 'letting go', 'resentment', 'unselfish love' and 'forgiveness', which are all very meaningful, thought-provoking ideas, not just in the context of this drama, but these themes also have a place in our lives as well.

Elaboration on themes for those that are curious:
For example, the drama shows that it takes a greater act of love to let go than to hang on, which the same can be said about many situations in life. Suppose this: a severely ill person is given a few months to live. His family can choose to convince him to receive the surgery that would extend his lifespan by a significant amount, but which would also drastically reduce his quality of life (place him in a vegetative state), or let him die naturally of his illness. One may argue here that the greater act of love is to let go and allow the man to live out the rest of his days to the fullest, eventually dying a dignified death, rather than trying to desperately hang on and cause the dying man even more pain. Don't quote me on this sketchy analogy, but this is my best effort at trying to explain the themes that the writers explore in this drama.

Cinematography:
the cinematography of this drama is frankly top-notch, and can be compared to the likes of dramas such as Goblin. It is that good. The elements of fantasy were conveyed by great camerawork, skillful use of special effects, and excellent editing. The drama truly bought the supernatural fantasy world of ghosts to life, creating a vivid and charismatic viewing experience. It is difficult to describe in words, but once you see it for yourself I'm sure you'd agree that it is spectacular. The production team also did a phenomenal job of picking out Man Weol's outfits. IU looked absolutely incredible in pretty much all of her scenes, and I've lost count of the number of unique, beautiful outfits that she wore throughout the drama.

Acting:
the cast for this drama is a highlight for me. After watching IU's brilliant performance in 'My Mister', she was one of the main reasons I came across this drama in the first place. The drama is largely centred around her character Man Weol, and she absolutely nails her performance. She plays her character like it is second nature to her, effortlessly conveying emotions through her facial expressions, while also managing to bring out the complexity of her character. Her character is the focus of the drama, and IU does an excellent job in portraying her character's growth arc in the drama, all while making it seem very believable and authentic. And as a bonus, she looks absolutely gorgeous flaunting her giant wardrobe of high-end clothing. Furthermore, this drama exposed me to Yeo Jin Goo, who also delivers a very commendable effort and holds his own against IU. He appears to be much more mature than his age (considering he is only 22 years old), and the scenes of him breaking down emotionally feel raw and sincere. The chemistry between IU and Jin Goo both on and off the screen is also evident, and the relationship they develop seems to be very natural and genuine. The supporting cast also complements our two leads well, providing some comedic relief and some interesting side-story.

Soundtrack:
Although the soundtrack is supposed to complement a drama, Hotel Del Luna's soundtrack is far from ordinary and deserves a shoutout. Not only does the OST include big-name artists including the likes of Taeyeon, Punch and Heize, the tracks also have excellent synergy with the drama. The OST helps to effortlessly set the mood of multiple scenes and makes the emotional scenes even more powerful. There are many excellent tracks in the OST, but the standout for me is the special, unreleased OST by IU that is used at the end of one of the episodes. This track only plays once throughout the drama, but it merges into the emotional scene perfectly and elevates it to another level. (end of ep 12, )

Overall, this drama performs strongly across the board and ticks many of the right boxes for me, other than a few imperfections here and there. Although I wouldn't call this drama perfect, it comes pretty damn close in my books. I think I'm already experiencing withdrawal symptoms having finished the final episode an hour ago. It has been one heck of a ride, and now that it's over I feel like there is an empty void within me that's not going to be easy to fill. But giving credit where credit is due, hats off to the Hotel Del Luna team, as they have created something quite special and unique. Worth a watch, especially if you're an IU fan, as this drama is all about her.

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A light entertainment meant to be enjoyed without heavy emotional demands

By the time Duang With You reaches its finale, what initially presents itself as a simple, chaotic university romcom reveals a surprising emotional core beneath its bright and playful surface. The early episodes establish a tone that feels intentionally exaggerated, full of awkward encounters, comedic timing, and almost cartoonish reactions, but as the story unfolds, that lightness becomes the foundation for something more grounded. The series never abandons its cheerful identity, but it gradually allows quieter, more vulnerable moments to take space, creating a balance between humor and emotional sincerity that feels earned rather than forced.

Much of the show’s charm comes from Duang, a protagonist whose expansive personality drives much of the story. Optimistic, impulsive, and completely transparent about his feelings, he turns his pursuit of Qin into a constant stream of awkward yet surprisingly endearing moments. Qin, in contrast, serves as the perfect counterbalance. More reserved and seemingly cold at first, he occasionally lets small reactions slip through, hinting that there is far more going on beneath his composed exterior. The contrast between them creates a romantic dynamic that is simple but effective, keeping the story engaging even when it follows familiar paths.

A large part of why Duang works so well lies in TeeTee’s performance. Characters this energetic can easily become exhausting, but he gives Duang a charm that keeps the character consistently endearing. His bursts of excitement, exaggerated reactions, and playful high-pitched tones feel natural rather than forced. What stands out most, however, is how smoothly he shifts between moods. When scenes turn serious, his voice lowers and his energy changes, revealing a more grounded side of the character. In emotional moments, that shift becomes even more noticeable, with Duang’s usual brightness giving way to a heavier, more vulnerable presence.

What truly elevates the series, however, is Qin’s development. If the beginning frames him as distant and emotionally guarded, the later episodes carefully peel back those layers, revealing a character shaped by past pain and unresolved trauma. His journey is not rushed; instead, it unfolds through small, meaningful changes, including lingering glances, hesitant honesty, moments of jealousy, and eventually open affection. By the final episodes, Qin is no longer simply reacting to Duang’s presence; he actively chooses him, and that shift carries significant emotional weight. His growth transforms the title itself into something more meaningful, as “with you” becomes less about proximity and more about emotional safety, trust, and the ability to love without fear.

Their relationship benefits greatly from this progression. What starts as one-sided persistence evolves into a partnership where both characters support and heal each other. Duang’s role as a steady, almost unwavering emotional anchor becomes especially important during the series’ more dramatic conflicts. Episodes that introduce misunderstandings or external interference, particularly the arc that places strain on their relationship, push both characters into uncomfortable emotional territory. Duang, usually so bright and confident, is allowed to feel insecure and lost, while Qin is forced to confront his fears of vulnerability and abandonment. These moments, while at times frustrating, ultimately strengthen the narrative by giving the romance real stakes.

The series also deserves credit for how it handles intimacy. Rather than feeling like a superficial addition, the romantic and physical moments between Duang and Qin are carefully built and emotionally grounded. When they finally come together, those scenes carry a mix of tenderness, longing, and vulnerability that reflects how far both characters have come. It is not just about attraction, but about trust and emotional openness, which makes their connection feel believable and rewarding.

Beyond the main couple, the supporting cast continues to play an important role throughout the series. The friends remain active participants in the story, adding humor, warmth, and occasional chaos, while also reinforcing the sense of community within the university setting. Their presence helps maintain the lighter tone even during heavier narrative arcs, preventing the series from becoming overly dramatic.

From a production standpoint, Duang With You remains consistent in its strengths. The soft visual palette, steady direction, and cohesive soundtrack create a comfortable atmosphere that complements both the comedic and emotional beats. While the music may not be particularly experimental, it supports the tone effectively and reinforces the series’ identity. The direction, in particular, deserves recognition for maintaining a clear vision: even when the plot follows familiar tropes, the execution keeps it engaging.

That said, the series is not without flaws. Some comedic elements, especially the exaggerated sound effects, can feel overused, particularly in the earlier episodes. Certain side storylines, such as the exploration of Qin’s family, could have benefited from more depth and nuance. Additionally, one of the mid-series conflicts leans heavily on miscommunication, which may feel frustrating to some viewers. However, these issues rarely overshadow the overall experience, especially as the emotional core of the story becomes more prominent.

By the end, Duang With You proves that it never needed a complex or groundbreaking plot to leave a lasting impression. Its strength lies in execution: in the chemistry between its leads, in the gradual and believable emotional growth, and in the way it balances lighthearted charm with genuine feeling. What begins as a fun, slightly chaotic romcom ultimately becomes a story about healing, emotional courage, and the quiet but powerful act of choosing someone, and being chosen in return.

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Ok let me get started with one of he best dramas that HAS NO ROMANCE (I know shocked right especially for being a romance buff)! To all you people who love romance in everything and don't really know whether to watch this or not let me put your heart at ease.....:watch the dang thing or regret it! Lol not to be too harsh..... It is an amazing drama!
The acting was phenomenal, the characters were so well oriented with each other and the actors all seemed to be living the life of the character as they were on screen! I cried for all the right reasons watching this drama and I might even watch it again so that I can get that feeling! The bromance was so well developed that it maybe sometimes gave me this big goofy smile that I usually wear when I see the main couple interacting it's each other in other dramas! Haha! Nam Soon and heung soo are seriously he best ones in this drama! Also the teacher student relationships are really unique and also described perfectly!
The story it elf is a deal brake because all these school dramas that we love to watch no matter how much we dream they aren't really realistic, even though they dramafy everything in this drama this stuff happens at school everyday and we all know it! This school drama Is perfect and I know the some of you who don't want to go through a school drama are missing out on every thing you have ever wanted to watch.
All In all this drama is with every second and very tissue that you use! Even for those of us who like romance don't miss out on this show amazing actIng and an amazing storyline! I believe you people will savor evey second of it!!!!!

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One thing before I rave about this drama. I don't know why they called it Secret Love Affair when it wasn't a "secret". Maybe the LOVE was a secret, because the other characters were shocked at what Oh Hye Won did at the end.

This drama is excellent. Love unexpectedly blossoms through music. I can so relate to Oh Hye Won. Sometimes a person feels like they are just moving from one necessity to the next (even if she was a little greedy) with out really thinking about how you are living your life. Then some one walks into your life and changes everything. The way the director portrays every emotion through music is so wonderfully done. I love that the writer actually assumed we would know what the character was thinking. The music is amazing. I even cried. Crying while watching a drama is rare for me.

Yoo Ah In is combustible. His emotional portrayal of Lee Sun Jae was perfection. I don't know any actress that could have played the roll of Oh Hye Won better than Kim Hee Ae. I really don't know how she gave off a feel of innocence. I felt like she was reliving her youth. Good for her. I was totally invested in the main characters. The rest of the people were good too, but I could have cared less about their characters. I think that is what the writer wanted. There is no second male lead. No one for you to care about except the two lead actors.

The music is phenomenal.

I say watch it. Maybe younger people wouldn't really be in to it. It isn't action packed or anything. It is a real romance.

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some things said or done can never be undone...

Overall: I'm pretty torn on how to rate this series. I thought it had a strong start but the writing/pacing ruined the series for me. This was adapted from a webtoon which I didn't read (it's on Lezhin Comics) and I reviewed the series on its own merits. 8 episodes about 30 minutes each. Airing on GagaOOLala & iQIYI country dependent. Ep 1 GagaOOLala link (vpn to Taiwan works) https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4176/jazz-for-two-2024-e01 Episode 1 iQIYI link https://www.iq.com/play/jazz-for-two-episode-1-xiat5zva94?lang=en_us

Content Warnings: past death (see comment for another one), manhandling/injury, mental health struggles, bullying, non con touching, sexual assault, non con kiss, grief, beaten up/violence, parental abuse, homophobia, manipulation

What I Liked
- explored more serious topics such as internalized homophobia
- some mystery of what happened in the past
- A Shoulder To Cry On cameo for 2 characters
- the blue haired guy's friendship with the two leads
- that Se Heon wasn't a total pushover
- the jazz music
- the bike riding in episode 6 was funny
- sweet moments mostly in episode 6
- showing taking medication and going to therapy for mental health struggles
- the revelation at the end of episode 7 was interesting but not enough time to fully explore it
- the final kiss in episode 8 was well done
- production value

Room For Improvement
- failed redemption arcs for multiple characters, they needed to tone stuff down if they wanted me to root for their romantic relationships, one "I'm sorry" was not even close to what was needed for what those characters did, they also needed to shorten the length of bullying because a character was a jerk for five episodes and then again for part of episode 7 (and the writers leaving out a character repeatedly kicking/beating up another character many times in episode 7 flashback did not escape my notice though it seems like they wanted viewers to forget that part)
- pacing, there was way too much time searching for an apartment but then the ending episodes were extremely rushed complete with a 3 year time jump and no sign of a few characters, they had too many relationships and it meant not enough time on any of them
- cliche poor communication/noble idiot trope (thankfully it didn't last long)
- multiple dead fish lip presses/blocked kisses
- started with a confusing flash back/forward (later realized it was a flash forward)
- exposition dump/voice over in episode 1
- cliche female character pursued a disinterested guy (she did eventually stop/apologize indirectly)
- nonsense stuff including a bar only having milk or water as non alcoholic options, they'd have juices/sodas to mix with the alcohol to make drinks, (let me know if it's common to have only beer/wine at a bar in South Korea and I'll remove this)

Thoughts on Bully Characters/Their Romantic Relationships
Sometimes these characters and their dynamic work for me and other times they don't. Here are the factors that I'm thinking about. The first response is the lead couple and the second are the second couple.
1. does the reason why the character bullies the other character make me empathize with them, note that there is never a good reason to bully another person but whether or not I can empathize with them is important (kind of and no)
2. how severe was the bullying (verbal/mild physical/sexual and severe physical)
3. how long did the bullying last (we don't really know times but first 5 episodes and then some more for 1 and seems to have been an ongoing long term thing for the other)
4. is there some kind of apology/amend making (just 1 verbal apology and just 1 verbal apology)
5. is there character growth (maybe a bit for both but not really shown)
6. do I believe that the characters will stay together in a happy romantic relationship (maybe and no)

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Wasn't sure how it would be, as I couldn't find much information. But I waited patiently for the release, and watched it all in one day.

The story is one that fits my ideal show. I love when it's not your average normal romance, there has to be something different. The difference was having one actor playing two characters. One a hologram, one a human. The story was cute. It has only 12 episodes unlike the usual 16 or 32 but it did not feel short or rushed, it was well paced and you don't really feel bored waiting for the next moment.

The two leads were cute together. The chemistry between them I felt was believable. I enjoyed seeing how someone who has facial blindness interacted with A.I. It was interesting how A.I could really help someone who has these sorts of disabilities. Technology is a main part of this, and we saw how it can be used for good or evil.

The story itself was unique, others may say it would be unbelievable and cliche, especially with the facial blindness trope we always see, but it felt different. The story had good mystery to it and it was hard to predict how it would end.

One bonus is, there really isn't any usual second lead syndrome in this one. Usually k-dramas always have to have another guy, but since the main actor is the two male characters, you can actually feel content with the ending and not feel like a guy has just been thrown off to the side.

All in all, I think it could be worth a try if you enjoy plot lines that aren't the usual lives we live day to day. It isn't a show that everyone will love, but it definitely one I recommend and definitely will watch again when I need a good sci-fi romance fix.

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