Reviews

MUST WATCH DRAMA

I have watched and i have loved so many cdramas, but this one particularly has a special place in my heart.Every single episode its so unique,and the drama portrays the meaning of the family and friendship in such a good way. There were many episodes that i couldn't hold my tears as I could identify with the characters feelings. This one is definitely on the good acting skills. The cast may be young in age but their acting skills were on point. FL and ML had such a good chemistry that you could feel from the very first moment the strong friendship between them, the same goes for the other characters too. Also, it was very intersting to watch the parents of each child and how they were managing their families differently.
I could keep writing about this drama forever, but i will stop and suggest you to watch it right away so you can understand how I feel haha .

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A Fever Dream

Affinity (2026) is the batshit crazy gateway drug to short dramas i didn't know i needed!

Watching this drama felt like trying to explain a fever dream to a therapist who eventually just gives up and starts asking for spoilers; or to put it another way - it’s like describing a fever dream to someone who just nods, grabs popcorn, and joins in. One sip of its liquid chaos, and you're hooked asking for the full bottle .

If you have told me a week ago that I’d be binging a Chinese short drama, I would have laughed in your face. I thought they were too much and not my cup of tea. I thought i was too sophisticated for 19-minute bursts of adrenaline and questionable CGI.
But I was wrong. Affinity isn't just a cup of tea; it’s a double shot of espresso mixed with pure, unadulterated chaos .


➤ THE "SO BAD IT'S ACTUALLY GOOD" VIBE ⋆✴︎˚｡⋆
Let’s be real: the dialogues are cheesy enough to clog your arteries. The script sounds like it was written by a sentient AI that was fed nothing but romance novels and Resident Evil lore. The plot moves at a speed that ignores the laws of physics and logic but the leads have a "genetic compatibility" so high it should come with a radiation warning. One second you’re watching a genetic mystery, the next there’s a standoff that feels like a fever dream, and suddenly we’re hitting the "Esper-guide trope" (manhwa readers know this trope very well) where the leads literally can’t breathe without each other.
It is ridiculously crazy. It’s the kind of show where you find yourself yelling at the screen, "What the hell? What's with the plot? Don't do that? STAWP that's embarrassing!" while immediately clicking 'Next Episode' because the chemistry is somehow against all odds, absolutely electric .

I have reached a point of no return. I’m sitting here, watching a man stare intensely at a woman because their "genetic compatibility" is off the charts, and I’m nodding like, "Yes, this makes perfect sense, he should definitely kidnap her for her own safety." My brain cells are actively packing their bags and leaving, but my heart is doing backflips every time the Male Lead looks like he’s about to either commit a felony or give a hug .
Its actually embarrassing but you will devour it . You will feel like a raccoon in a dumpster; You know this is trash, yet you would feel it’s the most delicious, five-star Michelin trash you’ve tasted in a while.


➤ OVERALL ─ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─
If you’ve never tried a short drama because you thought they were "too much" like me, let Affinity prove you right and then let it ruin your sleep schedule anyway. It’s ridiculous, it’s over-the-top, and It’s the kind of high-quality madness that makes you question your own standards while you’re busy hitting "Next Episode" with a manic grin on your face .
- DO NOT ask me if the plot makes sense - It doesn’t. I’ve stopped looking for logic and started living for the chaos.
- DO NOT ask me to stop - I can’t. I've become a total short-drama binge watcher overnight lol .

There are plenty of "forced kisses" and high-tension skinship, so if that’s a deal-breaker for you, consider this your warning to stay away. But for those who stay? My god. The chemistry is absolutely feral and kiss scenes are so WILD that I’m genuinely questioning how Chinese censorship let this pass without cutting it to shreds?? I don't know who was in charge of the censorship board the day they reviewed this, but I want to buy that person a drink for looking the other way🍸👀.

Spoiler Alert (EPISODE 7): What's with that train kiss scene?! When she’s slowly crawling away and he’s just hovering over her, following her move for move... and the background music?? You will absolutely scream and be like WHAT IN THE WORLD??? It is so crazy and visually insane that you will definitely rewatch that specific scene more than once—I just know it hahahha! And the way he picks her up with just one hand all the time as if she weighs nothing? It’s dark-romance-coded perfection that makes you question your own standards .
and in (EPISODE - 10 ) again he literally threw her on bed with just one hand . That was kinda umm😭 it felt as if he slammed her onto the bed to wrestle with her or he had some grudges😭. But ok i'll stop here, i won't spoil more scenes just yet .

Last but not the least, Is it cheesy? Yes. Is it unbelievable? Yes. Am I watching it again? HELL YESSSS . Bcuz at the end of the day, I’m here for the entertainment, and Affinity is delivering exactly the kind of wild, addictive fun I didn't know I was missing.

So, would I recommend it? ABSOLUTELY. Just a fair warning: you’ll need to throw away the logic and switch off your brain to fully appreciate the chaos of this wild ride .
All in all it’s an 8.5/10 ( unbiased - 8 ; +0.5 bcuz its my first short drama and i enjoyed it ) that feels like a 10/10 when the leads are on screen together.

Thanks for reading! ♥︎♥︎♥︎

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Sincerity and Hilarity

I just . . . <3 ❤❤❤

Such wholesome and supportive MLs! Ida and Aoki were everything good in this world.

The first episode did an amazing job setting up not just the characters and comedic style of the drama (which I adored) but also showing who Ida and Aoki are as people.

Ida is the kind of guy who thinks about things very seriously and carefully and despite not being exposed to/experiencing what many others already have is open to something unfamiliar to him. He also cares deeply about the feelings of others and always takes them into consideration, though he appears quite stoic and awkward at times. Lol.

Aoki is the kind of guy who doesn't let jealousy guide him in acting in ways that would benefit him personally while hurting others. He is willing to make sacrifices for the people he cares about even if it is to his detriment. And, he is very outwardly emotional and expressive, but also quite shy at times. Lol.

That was an impressive thing to accomplish in just the first episode alone.

This is the kind of drama that will not only make you cry from laughing so hard at Ida's dry humor, Aoki's meme-worthy and iconic reactions/facial expressions, Hashimoto's violent/impulsive nature, and Aida's blissful ignorance, but also from how much consideration and kindness oozes from the MLs.

Ida's sincerity was seriously too much for my poor heart to take! And Aoki made my cheeks ache from how many times I couldn't contain my giggles and abrupt bursts of laughter! Needless to say, I along with many of you now have to figure out a way to share custody of the absolute mood that is Aoki Sota.

Something a bit underrated and beautiful I didn't fully notice about this drama until it had a few episodes left was Aoki and Ida saying statements Directly expressing their emotions about things related to their relationship, and also the other paying attention and taking them seriously. Such as, "That made me upset," "That made me happy," etc. Saying This thing you did made me feel This. Basically, "I" statements.

I can't think of very many dramas that do this/have done this.

I've actually read that couples counselors will advise their clients to communicate in this way to directly address their feelings and not be accusatory when/if they're upset with their partner. Yet another reason for me to adore Kieta Hatsukoi and the precious couple in it.

This drama was not only a great showcasing of healthy and communicative relationships, it was also highly addictive. I rewatched each episode (until it was completed) about a dozen times before the next one aired.

Regarding representation, I could not be more happy! Aoki was a wonderful and respectful representation of Bisexuality. It was also delightfully easy to show. He was in love with Hashimoto and then he fell in love with Ida. Simple. He didn't declare that he "doesn't like boys and just likes him" (I hate that trope so much) nor was there any line indicating he never truly loved Hashimoto and was just "confused." He didn't deny his past love and also accepted his present love. I could cry!

I think this was as perfect Bi representation as you could get without actually saying the word Bisexual.

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Fighting for Stupidity

When I read the synopsis I was excited with the premise of a strong female character who excels in war strategies and becomes a female general. The FL is intelligent, devious at times and cross dresses as a man, there's a lot of male brotherhood camaraderie she develops with other male characters which is nice because sometimes its not all just about romantic love. While she is talented, the parts where she goes from commoner to elite fighting soldier with top notch archery and horsemanship skills was unrealistic.

The love story really falls flat in my opinion. The ML is good looking but he's a bumbling idiot supposed playboy. His character is really flat and not bright. Its hard to believe he can last as a general for even a minute. I can't really feel drawn to his character. The love story between them doesn't have any emotional pull, its a bit robotic and forced in the acting. Maybe its me but it might be more interesting to see two robots fall in love than the FL and ML.

The SML and the FL seems to have more chemistry as they are on opposing sides and the SML is smart and bold. I watched it because I wanted to see how their story unfolds even though its pretty clear the FL will not end up with the SML. They should have really developed their story more because it was more compelling and a bit more complex than the FL's love story arc with the ML.

Overall it could have been executed better, the last dozen or so episodes was a bit of fast forwarding. I completed it because I was curious how it works out between the FL and SML and how she breaks through to become a general.

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I'm a little surprised that I watched this entire show, because I was thoroughly disappointed by it early on. Too much of this drama just didn't make sense. First off - let's start with the title. While Yoon Se Na was an honest and well behaved girl, she was not lovely or playful, as many translations of the title says. I don't quite see why all the men wanted to spend time with her, because she really sucked the life out of each encounter she had with other humans. For this I mostly blame the script, and some wooden delivery of it. The show did not make me believe that Se Na actually wanted to be a songwriter, she just seemed coaxed into it by Hyun Wook. It also did not help that almost every secondary plot point was either underplayed or completely disappeared.

My Rating: 6.0

In Short: This love story between a boring young girl and a completely unprofessional CEO was truly dull at times and slightly enjoyable at others. The only plot point I enjoyed was lonely idol Shi Woo, though they could have done way more with that as well. SIGH

Pros: The setting is one that I usually enjoy, though it did not feel organic in this show. However, the lighting and filming is really enjoyable, and the dog is cute. The music was also quite good.

Cons: It really bugs me when most of the characters on the show are senior management for some company, and absolutely none of them know how to do their job. Everyone at ANA was unprofessional, and let their personal feelings decide at every turn. Also, the main lead kept his secrets (and lies) for about 8 episodes too long. And the last episode of the show was one of the worst episodes I have ever seen. Somehow, our leading lady was suddenly a complete a-hole for no specific reason.

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Why Mask Girl was great and why some couldn't understand the meaning behind it!

Some are free to dislike or even hate this Kdrama, but it is important to recognize that not every female lead in a Kdrama has to fit the mold of a "strong good girl." We need more complex, enigmatic, and twisted female characters. Personally, I look forward to the day when I can witness a compelling kdrama centered around a female serial killer. Because why not?

Among the many memorable scenes in this K-drama that I loved, two that stood out to me were when Mi Mo murdered Oh Nam and when she and Chun Ae joined forces, gripping the rope from opposite sides, killing Chun Ae's abusive boyfriend. These scenes beautifully conveyed the feeling of saying, (I'm done!) even if they weren't executed most kindly.

This kdrama delved into the lives of women from different eras and age groups who harbored dreams and aspirations but were compelled to conceal their true selves, wear a mask, and conform to societal expectations and the whims of men. Some succumbed to defeat and strayed down the wrong path, while others, like teenager Mi Mo, representing the new generation, came to understand the essence of their experiences. This realization was poignantly depicted in the scene where Mi Mo watches a videotape of her mother's performance when she was an innocent child at the end of the show. And even she said that since then, the nightmares that haunted her about her mother have stopped.

To some, it may appear as if there are too many stories interwoven within this story. However, upon closer look, each character embodies a distinct facet of the female experience:

- Kyung Ja represents the older generation of women who were unable to even realize their dreams, thereby dedicating their entire lives to their children and utilizing them as instruments to accomplish their own aspirations and desires that they couldn't do themselves. Hence the obsessiveness in her mind & her crazy way of holding on to God's beliefs as the women in her generation were told.
You can see some of this in Mo Mi's mother as well, as she hates how her daughter wasn't good enough for her expectations.

- Mo Mi embodies the generation of women who were told to be beautiful and finding a tall, handsome, and charismatic man was the ultimate dream and the sole path to love, even if said the man turned out to be the ultimate idiot.
And if she happened to feel good about herself or her body in some way, some creep will see her as a thing to claim!
Nonetheless, women like Mi Mo fail to comprehend that loving oneself is the key to happiness and earning the affection of others. Thus, in her pursuit of conforming to society's superficial beauty standards, believing that it would enable her to start fresh, be beautiful, and be loved, she inadvertently destroyed herself. Consequently, she was labeled a monster despite her "new attractive appearance".

- And finally, Mi Mo symbolizes the younger generation, a girl who is angry at people "the society views on her", dreading the possibility of ending up like her mom, "the previous generation of women," and has a hatred towards her grandma's way of thinking, "the older generation of women.
But in the end, she gradually grasps the reality that the world is not simply divided into black and white, decides to accept herself as she is, forgives her grandmother (Mo Mi's Mother), and contemplates how her mother's fate might have been different had the world been more understanding.


Overall, the show was crazy and dark indeed, but so are the lives of these 3 women.

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This film was apparently a thesis project for the director from film school, and all I have to say, is that I am quite impressed.

Bleak Night can be uncomfortable at times because it addresses issues like bullying, friendship (in a high school setting), the power (both good and bad) of words, and all the angst and insecurities that come along with being a teenager.

The story is told through a series of flashbacks, which takes some getting used to. The camera work is interesting, as a lot of the shots seem to be hand-held and the color palette of the film is quite gray and drab.

I was completely mesmerized by Lee Je Hoon in this film. Every time he came on screen, my eyes were glued to him. He was definitely the highlight of this film in terms of acting, even if his character isn't necessarily the most likable. Overall, the acting of the cast in this drama is on the better end of the spectrum. All the characters are well portrayed.

My only two gripes with the film: One, there is no explanation of the main character's relationship with his parents and there is a lack of a clear cut ending that satisfied me.

Still, a highly recommended film that shows the darker side of teenage friendships and one of the best South Korean films of the year 2010.

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First of all, I want to make one thing clear: "He was cool" should be treated differently from other movies. Why?
Well, first of all, you have to consider the time when it was released and the intention.
Because of my many reasons this movie will remain as my favorite one. Let me explain why:
1.The topics
Even though this movie's main target group might be young people, it also deals with very "mature"/serious topics.
The first time I watched this movie ( as a teenager) I didn't realize that this movie was kind of revolutionary or daring comparing to other Korean movies.
On the one hand, serious topics like AIDS and prejudices were shown. And on the other hand, it is also about a teenager's problems and everyday/love life.
For me, it was interesting to see how those "serious" and "ordinary topics" ( I can't think of a more appropriate word) were connected.
Apart from that, this movie was some kind of a roller-coaster ride: It was funny, sometimes sad and then it was funny again.

2. The characters
Apart from the great mix of the topics, the main characters were really...well, it is hard to describe each of them with one word.
The male lead did a great job as an actor considering the fact that it was one of his earliest work. Moreover, his character wasn't presented in a superficial way. As a viewer you could see and feel all his feelings and the changes he went through during the movie:
For instance the shyness when it comes to showing affection or even accepting it.
Actually, the movie helps one to understand his personality that seems to be a bit weird in the beginning: Sometimes he is nice to the female lead and sometimes he isn't nice. In many ways he is a immature young male and but in some ways he is more mature than his friends.

Even though the relationship between the main leads was one the weirdest one I've seen, I could feel/see the romance. You might wonder, why it was weird: The whole relationship between them was rather forced than planned at the beginning. But you could tell that it changed after some time.
For me it was kind of amusing to watch those two arguing,making up and once again arguing. It somehow reminded me of the young boys in the kindergarten who prefer to annoy the girls they like instead being nice to them.
The female lead: She acted pretty well. Even though she played the role of a rather immature student, she was able to show various emotions. I think, I will never forget certain scenes she played with all her heart like jumping up and down with weird clothes on in front of the school jard. Just the thought of it makes me laugh.

3. The plot
Movies aren't dramas with 16 eps or more. So, I guess, as a viewer I will always have the feeling that everything was a bit too rushed and ended too quickly.
Nevertheless, I liked the way everything progressed. It wasn't dragging or something like that.
Even now, I am able to divide the movie in different chapters.


To sum it up:
This movie is great! It might be a bit weird at first but you will like it the more you watch! Apart from that, a movie's intention should count as well. And this movies proves that you can make use of serious topics in a way that you don't even realize that you are learning something new.

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WOW, what a phenomenal drama! Please watch this if you have the time to! It is simply AMAZING!
The story is super intriguing. Just imagine being able to go back in time over and over again to change your life to the
"perfect" life that you want to live. I wish this was reality sometimes! Our main characters, Saiko and Otaro, have such
great character development throughout this drama. We see them grow as individuals, and we see them improve on
themselves by the end of the drama.

Each character has flaws in this drama, and we get to see how their flaws affect their endings and the flow of the story.
I can't really be specific because I don't want to post spoilers, but this drama is SIMPLY AMAZING! The characters are
all intriguing, and I love everyone of them, even the "evil" ones!

For anyone who is skeptical on watching because of what they might have heard about the ending, do not worry! It's not
bad at all in my opinion. Just watch and you will see! And make sure to watch episode 10 of Todome no Parallel for a complete
ending as well!

All in all, a very interesting story that keeps you at the edge of your feet with really good characters that you will fall in love
with by the end of it. And bonus, this drama has AMAZING music! PLEASE WATCH! Easily one of my favorite dramas of all time!

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Addicting and adorable, but ultimately disappointing

I was absolutely sucked into the drama in the first half, but found that I gradually lost interest in the second half because of where the plot was going.

I also had problems with the FL, who just seemed immature and annoying. She was also always described as someone who was so strong she could smash rocks, but she seemed weak in real fights? It was quite confusing. Honestly, I kept watching for the second couple, who I rooted for way more than the lead couple. I felt that they had more chemistry overall, and more development to their relationship.

The cast and acting were ok, as was the music, but I generally can't see myself rewatching any part of this.

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This show could have been more interesting. The best part was the cinematography. While not anything spectacular, it felt calm and cool, like a nice movie. Someone said so in the comments, but this would have better served as a movie than a show. It didn't need 10 episodes, however short they might be.
Story spoilers ahead, read on at your own risk...
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So the major plot point is that the two of them can't do something which is a major part of most married couples lives: have sex. And with that, have children.
This is a real issue that affects many men and women, and in this case, it appears that Kumiko has vaginism. However, this was never stated outright within the drama. In fact, she and he never went to the doctor to do the obvious: find out what the issue was and see how they could overcome it.

Instead, we're given a very strange story arc that involves their continuous cheating on each other. First, Kenichi with a number of prostitutes every Saturday for years on end. Second, Kumiko with an online site that is a hookup spot. Kenichi is constantly asserting that sex is not love and that he doesn't need sex, yet it's never clearly spoken about that he constantly goes to a brothel. Kumiko mentions it briefly once, though she takes most of the blame for never revealing the fact that she was not in fact a virgin.

The show ends in a very lackluster note. Nothing is solved. The entire plot seems to be saying, "it's okay the way we are", but then why make this show? Why show this particular couple? What is the point? I love an open ended plot, but this show just seemed to be meandering this way and that, with no particular direction. It was stretched out to 10 episodes to say, "it's okay to be the way you are and love each other this way," but we don't need 5 hours of screen time to do that. Even if this was a movie, the current plot is too lackluster to remember. Very forgettable and no lasting impact.

This show wants to convince the viewer that Kenichi and Kumiko have overcome a problem together, but all I see is two people fumbling without properly addressing a problem or trying to solve it, then saying "let's move on." The resolution is not convincing.

This show could have been much more, but too much time was wasted on repeating the same actions, intermingled with Kumiko's obtuse thinking and communication issues, and Kenichi's lack of commitment to the issue. I'm not even sure who Kenichi is, by episode 10, as he was fairly flat the entire time. He was enigmatic from the beginning, and I wasn't convinced Kumiko actually liked him when they began their relationship. In fact, he was quite weird, just sort of embedding himself into her life without much explanation. And she just sort of quietly accepts it all without any questioning. She seemed like she was just going along with the flow as things happened to her. She wasn't really a part of anything, she just let things happen. Kenichi only did actions, and Kumiko only received them. That was their relationship for 10 episodes.

Even Kumiko's interactions with her students, particularly Miyuki, seemed to have been out of place. She quits suddenly, and that portion of the plot is simply wiped clean off the board. Then, oddly, she visits the home of her former student, but I'm not convinced she even knows why, or even the writer. Nothing was completed or fulfilled by her visit. Simply the satisfaction of entering the house and learning a little more about her. I feel this was underdeveloped and rendered useless..

Wouldn't rewatch. Can't really recommend. This was just a lackluster show. The filming was pretty, though. The acting, was somewhat mediocre. Maybe slightly above for Kumiko's part.

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Could Use A Few More Chickens

This was an overall well done drama that was unfortunately too short to realize its full potential. The material was great, but eight episodes wasn't long enough to fully develop some of the issues presented or to fully develop the relationships and characters. Even so, I did enjoy this drama for the most part, it has some great messages and it does tackle some tough issues with tact.

I liked the concept for the story, how a one night stand could turn into something more. The way Wen helped Jim in so many ways, not just with working at the diner, but also with helping him find closure with his past relationship and heal and move on, was well done. I admired Wen's perseverance and that while he continued to pursue Jim even when Jim had indicated he was not looking for a relationship, he did so relatively tactfully, never pushing too hard, but still making it clear that he was interested and that he thought they could work things out. However, things turned complicated, which was exactly what Jim feared, when Wen's ex-boyfriend who he was still living with, Alan, showed up and threw a wrench in things. Despite their break up, he is still possessive of Wen and hopes that they can patch things up and get back together. Wen, however, is ready to move on, and he is faced with having to do just that and more firmly sever his ties with Alan as he tries to establish a relationship with Jim. And Alan, for his part, is left trying to move on as well and come to terms with the fact that his and Wen's relationship is truly over. Meanwhile, Jim's nephew who he has raised, is a senior in high school and is still trying to figure himself out amidst the limitations of not being the scholarly type and being poor. Jim can be overbearing with him and Li Ming feels trapped and isolated until he meets Heart, a deaf young man his own age and they slowly become friends which then turns romantic. The relationship is a healing one for both as Li Ming finds someone who understands and cares for him exactly as he is and Heart finds someone who treats him as a normal person and actually puts out the effort to communicate with him. They serve as each other's escape in many ways and I loved their relationship in all its facets.

With so many BLs these days sticking to high school or college settings, it was refreshing that this one stepped outside those bounds. I think that opened up a lot more doors for it to tackle issues that it couldn't otherwise. However, because it was confined to only eight episodes and it did try to tackle multiple issues, it wasn't necessarily able to dive into them as deeply as one might have liked. The economy and cost of living were both subjects that were brought up multiple times. Leng, one of Jim's friends and employees, and his girlfriend Praew find themselves unexpectedly expecting, so unplanned pregnancy, the cost of raising a child, and even abortion are touched on, if only briefly. By creating a deaf character, the deaf community was given representation and it was done well. The various ways of parenting is also touched on, how there's not one right way to parent and parents are always learning, even from their children. Relationships serve as a major focus, examining how some relationships simply peter out after a while, unrequited love, and, particularly, moving on from past relationships and how, while it may be painful, we can hope that there's something and someone better out there for us in the future. I enjoyed every part of it, again the only detractor is that I wanted more time to explore those topics.

Probably the biggest downfall of this drama, and I know I've seen others commenting on this, is the miscasting of Earth. Earth is a damn good actor, there is no denying that, but in no way does he, as a 29 year old young man, look anywhere close to 40. I know he's a couple years older than Mix, Khaotung and First but he really doesn't look it, and in the drama, there's presumed to be something like at least a ten year age difference between their characters. Earth is one of those people who looks younger than they really are, but this seemed outside the range of probability to me. Papang, in contrast, who played Jim's former lover, Beam, is only a year older than Earth, but he looks older. I could more easily believe he was in his mid-30's. There's also looking at him next to Lookwa who plays his sister. She's a beautiful woman, don't misunderstand me, and looks fantastic at 42, but they don't look like they are close in age at all. I understand that Earth and Mix are a popular pairing, but if they wanted them paired together, it would have made more sense to change Jim's age to something closer to Earth's actual age. As it was, Jim's age was hammered home so often you couldn't forget it, and there were some scenes that were supposed to be more emotional that just didn't work as well as they might have with a more age appropriate actor.

Jim and Wen's relationship was another issue. The first episode is great. The chemistry and tension between the two is electric and then suddenly, it's just gone and while there are still flickers of it throughout the rest of the drama, it's not quite as strong as that first impression. Wen's feelings for Jim remain clear throughout the drama while Jim's feelings are much harder to decipher. There are moments where it's evident he does feel the same way, but it wasn't always consistent and their relationship felt stagnant at times. Even when things were supposed to be changing between them, I didn't always feel it.

I really enjoyed all the side characters, particularly Alan and Gaipa. Khaotung is such a good actor, I wanted more of Gaipa just so he could showcase his skills more, but also he was so sweet, I just liked his character and I wanted to get to know him a bit more. And Alan, aside from the fact that First is also a fantastic actor, was such an interesting character, I wanted to know more about him and his history with Wen. I felt like there was a lot more to unpack there.

But the highlight couple for me was Li Ming and Heart. Having just seen My School President, I enjoyed seeing them in such different roles. Li Ming is a somewhat similar character to Gun, but much heavier on the teenage angst. But it's not in a bad way. You can feel the frustration Li Ming has with his life and circumstances, and it's justified. Fourth did such a good job with bringing Li Ming to life and bringing such nuance to the character. Heart, being deaf, was a much different character for Gemini to portray. I was so impressed with his ability to emote without speaking a single word and he was utterly believable in the role. He and Fourth have such great chemistry. The build up of Li Ming's and Heart's relationship is so well done and feels very natural.

In general, the romance is not why I enjoyed this drama. Jim and Wen's romance lacked some consistency and while Li Ming and Heart were the highlight couple for me out of those present, what I actually loved about this drama was the chicken rice family that they created. The way the characters all came together for each other to take care of each other and build each other up was so heartwarming. They may not have been related by blood, but that didn't matter, they did what needed to be done even if that cost them personally. And I liked seeing how Wen was welcomed into their family, really without much question, he was just accepted. So if you take it from that angle, rather than a romantic one, it is a very wholesome story. And for me, personally, that is better than any romance.

The production was overall pretty strong. I really liked the sets, particularly the chicken rice shop was just so aesthetically pleasing to me. It made me wish I could go there and visit that place. The lighting was an issue at times. There were a number of late night conversations and sometimes the lighting was too dim and it made it harder to make out faces and expressions. However, one scene that I absolutely loved was the one of Jim and Wen at the beach at twilight. The way it was shot with their silhouettes was beautiful. I do wish they'd translated the sign language as a fair amount of it got missed. There were times when Li Ming would essentially repeat what Heart had said, but a lot of the time I was just left guessing.

This is a drama worth watching at least once. It's short so what do you have to lose? I don't as it's one that I'll come back to which is a bit disappointing because I think it could have been absolutely phenomenal with some tweaking of the story and the cast. And I think this drama really does highlight how important casting truly is. I don't think the miscasting of Earth broke the drama, but it did affect it and its ability to pack an emotional punch. I hope in the future they focus more on delivering a solid story with an appropriate cast than keeping particular pairings together.

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Sherlock Holmes, Criminal Minds, Forensic Files - All in One

What an interesting drama this is. All the main leads are new to me, so I watched it not for them. After the first episode, I realized it's a love triangle. Normally in other dramas, love triangles usually give weaker or less liked 3rd characters. In this case, it's hard not to like either of the main male characters. In fact I was pretty torn in the beginning because I found both male characters desirable and attractive in their own ways.

This drama is a combination of Sherlock Holmes with Criminal Minds and Forensic Files. As a forensic expert, Ran Yan (played by Zhou Jie Qiong) is a daring, unpretentious girl who is always determined to find the truth. Unlike most girls of her time, she has no qualm touching dead bodies and slicing them up. Even the men around her are sickened by the sights and many cannot even stay on. I love this character so much. Though she has flaws, she is courageous, kind and upstanding, without the annoying noisiness and self-righteousness of many main female characters in other dramas.

When Ran Yan first meets the man who has saved her and falls in love with him, I fell in love with the man she loves too. Su Fu (played by Tim Pei) is cold and mysterious. How his cold heart is eventually melted by Ran Yan's warmth and kindness, and in the end falling madly in love with her is really a fun journey to watch.

Of course the main story revolves around the two main characters, Ran Yan and Xiao Song (played by Toby Lee). I absolutely love the dynamics between them, how they toy with each other and hang each other out to dry. The constant bickering and bargaining are really fun to watch. Each gives the other nickname that becomes part of the character; Xiao Song calls Ran Yan, "Fox", whereas Ran Yan calls him, "Human Fish". The addressing seems to stick for each other till the end of the show. I love watching the look on Xiao Song's face when he's seething with jealousy over Su Fu. Seeing how a powerful figure of his stature fighting for the love of a woman and getting jealous over her is very amusing, and Toby Lee has performed this role perfectly with his piercing eyes. Together with Ran Yan, they work as one, melting two minds together. They reconstruct crime scenes, figure out motives of killings, put the jigsaw puzzles together; their chemistry is simply enviable. Though there were some misunderstandings between the two, it's quickly dispelled without making the pair losing their love and care for each other.

Overall, this drama improves significantly after the first half. I didn't find major plot holes and significant flaws apart from some of the poor acting by peripheral characters like over exaggerated death scenes, obvious fake props (supposedly solid stone door that shifts when forced against), etc. Editing could be rough for some episodes. As for most Chinese dramas, the attention to details is still lacking. I wish the production team treats viewers with more intelligence. All this poor editing leaves tons of errors for all to see. Some logic is really bad and makes one rolls one's eyes.

Having said that, the acting of the three main leads is very good, despite this is the first major drama for Zhou Jie Qiong. Her performance is marvelous. The details of scenes that required further explanations are cleverly done in black/white flashbacks without breaking the flow of the story. It makes the story very easy to understand and follow. The twists and turns make the whole thing interesting and compel me to follow it faithfully for weeks.

Yes, a great drama to watch. Don't miss this one!

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When I think of this drama, the thing I remember most fondly is the music. Mary Stayed Out All Night has a KILLER soundtrack! This is truly the first drama I watched where:

A) I even noticed the music in a positive way, i.e., not thinking to myself, “I'm sick of hearing this song.”

B) Halfway through, went desperately searching for the entire O.S.T.

C) Found it and played it on repeat in my iPod for months.

The sweet and thoughtful “I Will Promise You” was the first song to grab hold of me. Jang Geun Suk’s gentle crooning over the playful, melodic acoustic guitar chords reminds me of waking up on a rainy Saturday morning. You know, the kind of morning where you get up slowly, make yourself a yummy breakfast and snuggle up in your favorite, most comfy pajamas for most of the day? Yeah, it totally took me there. And the upbeat and flirty “Hello Hello” is the song you play as you leave home on a bright and sunny morning, ready to seize the day and give it your best!

I found that all of the songs on the soundtrack took me to someplace, and they painted a vivid and wonderful background for the drama. Which is good, since the plotline for Mary tasks the characters with creating an O.S.T. for a fictional drama within the drama.

Now that I’ve waxed poetic about the music, I’ll move on the actual drama details. :)

This drama is like junk food. It’s the kind of drama you watch when you’re in the mood for something cute, but not necessarily ground-breaking or deep. It’s good when you want to watch some eye candy with brains and emotions; when you want to watch a youthful, fun drama with a decent plotline and fairly witty writing. You can’t walk into a drama like Mary with high expectations about character development, moral issues (but it is successful with regard to some of that), and dynamic plot twists and turns. You really just have to take it for what it is. Quirky and kind of cute.

The actors are very likeable in their roles and do a good job portraying their characters. Moon Geun Young is ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE in the character of Mary. It’s all I could do to resist putting her in my pocket. She and Jang Geun Suk have wonderful chemistry, despite the fact that they dress like homeless people. I chalked it up as being a part of their eccentric charm.

Geun Suk is a moody, stoic, slightly arrogant and detached rocker--a role he’s played before, I think--but he’s also pretty funny with good one-liners and shows growth as the drama progresses. Kim Jae Wook is the misunderstood and terribly awkward business man that also grows through the series. As I am someone who is commonly (and tragically) a lover of the secondary male lead over the primary, my heart went out to him.

The only warning and major dislike I have is that the parents in this drama drove me BANANAS. Their rationale for their actions was just absurd and outdated, frustrating me greatly. The thought of the parents alone have stopped me from re-watching this drama, unfortunately. If they weren’t so irrational, I’d rate this much higher for re-watch value.

The “re-watch” value for the music, however, is a 10, hands down!

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Brilliant. Timeless epic quality of emotionally processing the life of 2 historic heroines

This KDrama tells historical heroine stories for a change. (Yes: female AND plural.) On top of that, enriched along the way with some highly topical insights and a vivid examination of management systems - what does the common people need? How does it want or have to be lead? In this respect, the 2009 series has not lost any of its topicality. But above all, "Queen Seondeok" brings the viewers closer to the earlier (not so well represented in KDrama and KMovie) Korean history of the Three Kingdoms.

Here, history is presented in 62 episodes in a moving manner and in dazzling characters, while offering valuable historical input. 62 episodes should not frighten you. This is perhaps more like 5 or 6 seasons western style. You don't have to go through all the episodes in one go, (but you can of course). To be honest, the number of episodes and the rather stiff-looking poster with a heavy crown kept me from watching the series for a long time. But that was a big mistake. This series is wonderful in view of the wealth of impressions, personal processes of the protagonists, and the profound examination of the attitude and philosophy of rulers. Also funny in places. In any case, an impressive piece of Korean history that is told in a round, rich and colorful way. The KDrama leaves nothing out when it comes to being human and being a hero - it presents all of this in various dramaturgical entanglements and depths, with twists & turns and deep feeling. (Swords, bows and battles are also included.)

This is about real historical personalities from Korean history, who made remarkable achievements in their time. First and foremost Queen Seondeok. She was the first Queen of Silla and the first of the few female heads of state in Korean history. If one considers her progressive achievements for her people, she must have been a charismatic personality in order to be able to place herself in the first, officially leading position in this feudal male world. Her life, but also that of other contemporary significant, history-shaping people in her environment are prepared dramaturgically lively and unforgettable. Admittedly enriched with a bit of poetic freedom in the service of a compelling and exciting story. However, in the historical drama orbit, it seems to me quite acceptable to bend the facts here and there in order to create a vivid impression of the character of the historical figures and their work instead. This is much more memorable (in passing) than exact chronologies. In addition, the actual valid sources that can be evaluated are limited. Even historiography has to do a bit of guessing every now and then to understand where, for example, a woman at that time got the vision, the strength and the courage to put men in the second row - and at the same time intelligent, visionary and with respect for the people, to rule in an almost idiosyncratic way.... In my opinion, the fictional plot does not damage the essential impression that one gets about life and challenges in the Silla Reich, about the charisma of the historical personality of Queen Seondeok and the historical figures around her plus her achievements for her people. The KDrama draws a memorable, unforgettable character portrait of the Silla Empire in the 7th century. In doing so, it brings the bones of the queen lying under one of the burial mounds in Gyeongju to life again.

Good to know: The Silla Empire was not yet under the influence of Confucianism, which clearly defines the man as the head of the family/tribe. Among the noble Silla families there were also those in which descent on the mother's side was decisive, or women were considered the heads of the family. At that time, matrilineal and patrilineal tribal structures still existed in parallel. Therefore, the respect for women and their functions in society was comparatively higher overall - but still not a matter of course.

For me, what is valuable about this story (and at the same time the timeless quality of the KDrama) lies in the juxtaposition of two very different, each impressive, intelligent female figures of their time: Princess Deokman (Queen Seondeok) and the noble concubine Misil, who hardly had an influential king or leader of the Hwarang left out during her time in order to directly influence political events. In fact, the two women did not live at the same time, but poetic freedom overrides this and juxtaposes the two as equal antagonists. (Extremely successful!)

The KDrama "Queen Seondeok" is characterized by a timeless epic quality in the emotional processing of the historical events. Brilliantly done in places, quite funny at times, with colorful vividness and everything that life usually entails: plenty of drama that stirs the spirits and also touches the heart. An exciting script (which in the second half has to work through a little more historical facts), and a colorful dance of highly inspired mimes, reviving those distant 50 years in the past 7th century. Not only the later queen and the concubine Misil get a memorable profile, also the men around Queen Seongeok - Bidam and Kim Yushin - are noticeably filled with life. Love story included - it's more of an encore than the main thing when it comes to the entire story, but it refreshes the second half as a balance to the historical ride through time.

By the way, the ratings literally went through the roof at 43.6 percent when the series was broadcast on television in 2009.

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