Reviews

Just watch it.

You know a drama is good when it has the comment section discussing the characters temper, personality and relationships as if they’re actually real people.

Where do I begin. This drama is: gorgeous, precious and will probably leave a hole in your heart when it ends. Not because it sad but because you’ll be immersed and involved in their daily lives.

I’ve watched a lot of dramas in the last 13 years and very few were this pleasurable. The characters are written so well, they’re layered, real and lovable. The pacing is delectable, not too action heavy, sometimes purposely mundane but always keeping your attention. The direction, cinematography, set design, clothes are tasteful, this is truly what they call the female gaze. YangYang just proved everyone that women just do it better and has set the bar to a new high.

The romance. THE ROMANCE. Mature, trusting, kind, understanding, realistic. This is the kind of drama where you can see the leads falling for each other just by the way they look at each other. The tension is unbearable at times, it made me scream with envy in my pillow.

This drama is VERY rich in human relationships. Father x son, sisterhood, womanhood, brotherhood, teen x mentor figure, teenage puppy love, motherhood and more. There’s something for everyone.

To me, this is without a doubt THE best historical romance drama I have watched. Not because this is the best most complex impeccable story ever written but because this drama will bring excitement back and get rid of you loneliness. The focal point of this drama is not the intrigue it’s the people and their personal hardships. I can’t wait to forget it so I can watch it again.

So just watch it, give it a go, at least 3 episodes. If you don’t like it, it’s probably just not your cup of tea, because objectively, quality wise this checks all the boxes. Great work.

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office romance, age gap, employee/boss, food is the love language, coming of age late in life

This show had me from the moment they broke the egg yolk with the chopsticks in the opening credits for episode one. It’s about a younger man with a long cherished crush on his boss (ten years older and going through a mid life crisis) who decides to save and seduce said man with pancakes. It’s wholesome, comforting, sexy, and a very necessary narrative about still having hope, interests, and openness to affection at any age. It’s coming of age/queerness packaged in a subtle critique of expectations around masculinity and love and loneliness... and it’s beautiful.

It utilizes hand-held and super close camerawork, long shots, dirty framing, and marvelous acting (stagecraft) from everyone. The directing style it subtle but very precise and tailored dirty framing (AKA lots of objects and other people’s bodies interrupting shots.) Notice the frame is only direct and uncluttered when they are eating or being extremely intimate with each other?

This show manages to make things that shouldn't be sexy so very sexy (like Togawa’s hamster cheeks - boy just wants to gorge himself, and not on food). It's truly art.

But there is so much more going on here.

Japan has a long tradition of using food, both the preparation and consumption, as an allegory for intimacy... ALL KINDS of intimacy (give Tampopo a shot, it’s a remarkable movie). And in this show the discovery of desserts, and the enjoyment of the experience of indulging, is explicitly both sexual seduction and emotional tethering. This is not just an exploration of youth for Nozue it is an exploration of desire and identity.

On the other hand, the want drips off of Togawa at all times, like true starvation. It’s epic levels of pining we are looking at and not just love but pure lust. It’s actually quite remarkable to see this done with Japan’s signature reserve, because the through line of the filming style and food allegory dictates they will simply have to show physical intimacy at soem point. But not of the explicit kind we get in the darker BLs from Japan (although they could easily go there), but of a truly sexualized romantic passionate kind that we don’t normally get from Japan in their softer BLs.

You see, there comes a point, when the food allegory has gone as far as it can, and Nozue recognizes that in episode 3, even as he doesn’t recognize Togawa’s desire. Because for him the desire has been made manifest though the medium of desserts... and now that sensation has been satisfied, he feels like that’s good enough.

But when Nozue shuts down the eating intimacy, Togawa was always destined to break open into into sexual need, just the way the egg yolk is broken open in the credits.
What is truly genius about this show is that when this finally happens at the end of episode 4, the camera switches to one long hand held shot. This kind of stage-craft reliant shooting is the ultimate form of filming intimacy - it is the camera’s form of trust:

The directer is trusting the cameraperson not to waiver,
the camera is trusting the actors to pull through for the entirety of the shot (no forgetting your lines on a long take, no missing your marks, no slipping out of character),
the actors are trusting the crew to capture it in that one moment when they give it their all.
This is the kind of theatrically-based close work is as near to sexual intimacy as actors and crew can get.

Thus the shooting style is, itself, a reflection of Togawa’s needs, of Nozue’s shock and realization and crumbling, of the levels of trust between them that are fracturing and reforming. It’s absolutely brilliant.

All that said I did find the final episode bit of a let down. Narratively it reverted back to pretty standard light Japanese live action yaoi, of the style I talk about here. I did expect a little bit more intimacy from this specific narrative even with Japan at the helm, at least showing the two of them cuddling in bed together or something very domestic if not kissing. I’m not surprised or upset that they returned to status quo, and this is still an amazing comforting unexpected gem of a show, but it’s not the 10/10 I thought it was going to be at the end of 4.

Still, solid and watchable and

DEFINITELY RECOMMENDED

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-Please keep in mind that this is all based on personal opinion.-


“Don’t judge a book by its cover.” We’ve probably all heard that line at some point. Likewise, you should NEVER judge a drama by its synopsis.

When I first read the synopsis, I didn’t think the drama seemed worth my time. I mean, okay, so there’s two completely different cops, milkshake-drinking killers who are twins and an abnormal President and local triad. So what?
However, once I actually starting watching (due to a phase of boredom), this drama absolutely blew my mind!

The cast was great; everyone played their role well and I thought that Vic (as Chen Zai Tian) and Mark (as Wu Ying Xiong) were very strong foils of each other. Indeed, they were “different as day and night.”
All the characters had their own reasons and their own stories which caused them to be who they were and act the way they did.

The music was very fitting, especially the opening and ending themes. They were very “powerful” and I thought that suited the mood of the whole drama.

In general, this drama can only be described by “there’s more to it than meets the eye.” It’s not just about two very different police officers or anything as ‘simple and plain’ as that. As the English title says, it’s (about) “Black & White.”
For me, everything seemed to happen so subtly that by the time I realized it, it had already hit me in the face. The minute I thought I had everything more or less figured out, I was shown pretty quickly that I was wrong. Dead wrong.

I wasn’t expecting anything when I started watching it but by the time I finished watching it, I didn’t know what to expect anymore. That’s probably why I liked it so much – it’s just so different. It’s also not much of a romance-drama possibly because focusing too much on the romance would’ve reduced the impact of their REAL message, but that in a way kept the whole series at a ‘practical’ level because it didn’t have to take time out to build and establish romantic-fantasies on the side. I absolutely loved the themes, ideas, concepts that this drama presented to me. To say any more would just give everything away.
(After watching, I thought “maybe that’s why the synopsis was so bad. To say any more would have suggested something about the true intentions of this drama.”)

So in the end, all I can say is this:
This drama isn’t just about that little handful of characters mentioned in the synopsis. Rather, I felt that it was about much, much more.
The most important part of it for me were definitely the underlying themes that came out of it all, but that’s really just something you have to see and figure out on your own. It had a huge impact on the way I think, but it may or may not do the same for you.
It’s about “Black & White.” But what do you think this “Black & White” is about?


-Please keep in mind that this is all based on personal opinion.-

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I just love, love everything about this drama. It makes me giddy and invested – the kind of feelings you know you only have when you find a crack drama. It’s romcom that’s heavy on both the rom and the com. The romance here is oh so convincing, both from the writing perspective and from the chemistry between two leads. They had TWO meet-cutes, they bicker, they try to kill each other (no, for real), they negotiate & tolerate each other, then come to an understanding, then go through many trials and tribulations together, and fall in love. The progression of their relationship is not just logical, it’s THRILLING and SO.DAMN.CUTE. Both the leads are smart people on their own, their only blind spot is each other (of course!). Their own stupidity when it comes to their relationship could have been frustrating with another execution, but here all it does is give us fuzzy heart-fluttering moments and howling laugh. I will never get tired of Han Shuo (ML) thinking Qianqian (FL) was madly in love with him only to be ignored the very next second. And I will always squeal whenever he tells her off-handedly that he loves her, only for her to be like, “what now?” LOL

The comedy here is also golden. I tried to find a gif or a screenshot to show you all, but it’s so hard because the comedy is so *situational*. What that means is the jokes build on the knowledge you have from watching a previous scene, episode, etc. That’s smart comedy. There’s also cheap comedy – tongue in cheek poking fun at romcom tropes (that they also fully uitlize), quips, puns, slapstick, etc. I’m pretty sure I had laughed every single episode for 12 eps so far – and as a big loyal fan of comedy TV (of all kinds, from Western to Asian styles), I know how hard it is to sustain laugh even as plots develop and get more complex, with some dose of drama thrown in.

Speaking of plot, there is one, and it’s good! Often with “silly idol romcom”, the plot is on life support, which is usually the rom part. Here, there is an actual plot, and there are a few key high stakes that we are invested in, because we already care about our lovely characters. All of them are working towards their goals (most of them life and death!), in multiple steps, and the steps are met as we move through episodes. Nothing is stretched out for too long, no misunderstanding dragged on for dramatic purposes. Things that make sense to get resolved, do. Will I watch a drama with no plot just to see the romance? Yes (e.g. Her Private Life…) But when there is a plot, it makes it that much more exciting! How will our smart characters get out of their predicaments? How will get attain their goals, while still being together (some of their goals conflict, and also with their romance), since they gotta be together!

In any case, as you can see, I love romcoms, and I love them even more when they are smart, well executed, and have that magical “it” factor created by a synergy of actors, directing, and script. Though, let’s be clear, this is on the lower budget side, and it is an idol drama. It doesn’t try to be any grand historical drama, nor does it slack off and forget that a story, no matter how cheap, needs sense (we all been there, haven’t we?) I just love it when a drama makes clear promises, and delivers on them, with fireworks. I have a lot of chip on my shoulders on how romcoms, and just comedies in general, tend to be looked down upon because it’s “simple” or “silly”. “Simple” is not “simplistic”, and “silly” is not stupid. A well-done story is a well-done story, and that’s that.

And that is what Romance of Tiger and Rose is – a well-done story

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He’s Her, but Not Really

The early episodes have a nice touch of magical realism that keeps viewers curious. It makes you want to keep watching just to understand why Kim Ji Eun turns into Kim Ji Hoon. Is there a specific pattern, a cycle, or maybe something related to their ancestors' background? And what about the matching tattoos between Kim Ji Eun and Kim Hye Ra? Are they supposed to mean something or affect the story in a bigger way?

Personally, I really dislike Park Yoon Jae’s inability to stand by Kim Ji Eun when she’s at her lowest point. It’s like, “Hey, she’s your girl, so why are you still looking at Kang Min Joo?” We can’t blame Kang Min Joo too much since she’s a key part of the conflict alongside Yoon Jae’s parents, but Yoon Jae gets so caught up in being a guy who sees another woman that he almost completely ignores Kim Ji Eun’s struggles and her attempts to escape her misery.

I don’t really mind the awkward bromance scenes. They mostly show up when the show tries to be funny. But they feel very different from the romantic moments between Park Yoon Jae and Kim Ji Eun, which are sweet and more emotionally grounded. I get that the drama tries to limit physical contact to avoid making Yoon Jae’s relationships with Ji Eun and Ji Hoon feel too far apart.

Still, what frustrated me the most was how Kim Ji Eun and Kim Ji Hoon never actually felt like the same person. The show kept pushing that idea and sure, I tried to buy it, but come on, nothing about Kim Ji Hoon screams Kim Ji Eun. Not their emotions, not their vibe, not even the tiniest habit, It's like he just pose and act in feminine gesture, that's all. And seriously, if Kim Ji Eun magically turns into a guy, am I really supposed to believe she’d suddenly be into women? Yeah, right. They could have at least thrown in some shared quirks like how they laugh or how they cry just something to remind us that, hey, it’s still the same person underneath all that confusion.

In the end, the show just pats us on the back with a happy ending, pretending all the confusing questions never existed. Brilliant storytelling, right?

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A Dark Painful Story Told in a Comedic Way

“Back From the Brink” is a dark painful story but told in a playful, comedic way. A spirit dragon, Tian Yao (Hou Minghao aka Neo Hou), was conned into a marriage where he was dismembered. Since then, he became an ordinary man, wandering the world trying to find his body parts. In his painful journey, he meets a girl, Yan Hui (Zhou Ye) who falls deeply in love with him and promises to help him in his search to return to his former form again.

The tone of the drama is playful with modern vibes. Yet at the same time, dead serious when the antagonists appear. This series has perhaps produced two of the most egregious antagonists in the cultivator sisters. Their obsessions and atrocities make the viewers clenched their teeth and seethed, wishing them die a horrible death.

Tian Yao the spirit dragon, is a pure man void of evil thoughts. He is kind and upstanding with a mission to protect the world. His journey and determination to find his body parts are painful and touching. As he eventually returns to his dragon form, he becomes the strongest creature there is. I love Hou Minghao’s portrayal of the Tian Yao character here, though the CGI of the dragon is rather poorly done. Hou Minghao is very good looking and cute with an innocent youthful look. Some viewers commented that his acting skills are still somewhat lacking, I find him to have improved greatly since “A Girl Like Me” when I fell in love with this young actor. Here, his portrayal is believable, and his character is very lovable. As Tian Yao, his lack of words hits the viewers hard as he endures his pains silently.

Yan Hui, a disciple of the cultivator sect, is a happy-go-lucky girl who never holds any grudges. Her good nature wins her many friends and helps her become very strong in the end despite having a weak heart at birth. Zhou Ye is beautiful and has great acting skills. Her crying scenes are heart felt and convincing. Most important of all, she has amazing chemistry with Hou Minghao as they make a great matching pair.

Many viewers curse Bai Xiaosheng (Wang Yilun aka Riley Wang), a shadow demon, because he comes in between Tian Yao and Yan Hui in a love triangle. I love the Bai Xiaosheng character and Wang Yilun has given a great performance. The two side couples are entertaining and sweet, forming a great alliance for Yan Hui and Tian Yao. The OSTs are beautiful and soothing. Do listen to them for music lovers.

My Verdict

This is a lovely story with love and hate, happiness and sadness, kindness and atrocities, light and darkness. When one harbors negativities, one is consumed by darkness, as with Fu Yin (Pema Jyad), the Master of dark air. This is a very enjoyable drama for the whole family.

Recommended. Great watch. Don’t miss it.

BRAVO!

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Sweet and Funny

First: There's a lot of pearl-clutching in the discussion section about the age gap, and particularly that Toki is a minor when the story starts. If you're uninterested in this topic, skip down to ANYWAY.

I really don't see how this is objectionable. So Toki has a crush on a handsome and charming teacher - haven't we all been there? My junior high PE teacher was so hot I spent all day in the restroom "imagining" things he could do to me, and I was 13 and he was 20-something.

The point is that Sahara makes it plain that nothing is going to happen, although he does say he'll wait for Toki to grow up, and there is a time skip at the end to when he's 18. It's hard to tell how old Sahara is because the same actor, who is 26, plays him in flashbacks. I would guess he's 6-7 years older. Big deal. My first positive experience was with a 26-year old when I was 18 - it was wonderful to have someone experienced and kind to ease me in, as opposed to boys my age, who just wanted what 18-year old boys are wont to want.

17-year olds do - almost invariably and universally - develop crushes on people of varying ages, and let's be honest, there is nothing you can do about it if you're an adult who has a crush on a minor. If he's 10, there might be something really wrong with you, but if he's 17 with an adult body, it can happen. You just don't act on it. There is a huge difference between having feelings for someone and acting on it. One you can't help, the other you can.

There is an accidental kiss, but it's not sexualized in the least - in fact they're both mildly injured by it and Toki reflects sardonically that his first kiss tasted like blood.

ANYWAY.

Toki is a fascinating character, immature in behavior, but unusually mature in moral fibre and inner strength - it's no wonder what Sahara sees in him, not to mention his looks. The actor does a wonderful job, making Toki both vulnerable and strong, affecting and really funny. Sahara is a less interesting character, but he's not without complexity either.

There is a lot of comedy in the series - most of it is pretty funny, and some of it is too obviously adapted from manga - where running screaming offpage works better than it does in live action.

This is a sweet story with a lot of charm and one of the best BL characters I've seen in a while with Toki - I'd fall in love with him too.

On the negative side, way, way too much time is chewed up by Sahara's former love interest, who brings the narrative to a screeching halt for a character that isn't introducted until two thirds through the series and who it's nearly impossible to care about. I found myself internally screaming "I DON'T CARE GO AWAY" You will want, no, NEED, to take clippers to his ridiculous bangs. I think his stylist must be the ghost from The Ring. There's a flashback to a confession in the rain that we're shown so many times that I nearly bought a plane ticket to Tokyo to go slap someone. Nekoto is dull, depressive, irrelevant, and takes forever to say anything - he should have been limited to one scene, not stretched out over 2 episodes.

Anyway, the payoff at the end is worth it, but I do wish that time had been spent on Toki & Sahara or on the secondary couple, who I hope get their own series.

I highly recommend this - unless you're one of the abovementioned pearl-clutchers, in which case you should probably just go to church instead.

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A revenge drama through and through, Doctor Prisoner delivers in many aspects.

It was fast paced, and the plot was basically characters outsmarting one another for their selfish wants. If revenge best served cold is your type of thing, this is the place for you. Taking the stay of execution, the writer made a revenge drama into a thriller worth watching. it was creative to see the prison as a setting, and see the ML take it from there. The strength of this drama also include the hate-trio, that is, Lee Jae Jun, Director Seon, and Dr Na.
Now, to point out the flaws:
While the plot went along smoothly for the most part, the flashbacks hindered the viewing experience. The comedy was out of place - I laughed more at the characters laughing in tense scenarios than in the "light-hearted" moments. With this, had they stayed loyal to the dark tones and kept the mystery (that is, no flashbacks, or minimum) it would have been a favourite. Another let down was not dealing with certain characters the way they should have, and allowing only one to be punished; and there was the under-use of the FL. Lastly, certain scenarios' conclusions got predictable.

The acting was top-notch. Choi Won Young was easily the star of the show. He has control over his expressions and body language like a true actor. He has played a similar role before, but he still manages to make the characters feel different. Nam Goong Min was good, but I feel he should have turned off his charm (his signature expressions, although delightful, still left me wanting something new); however, since that's personal preference, I won't deduct any points from this. And we have Kim Byung Chul - I will forever remember his crazy smile. Overall, great casting choices.

The beep, beep, beep was a personal favourite when it accompanied turning points. The BGM could be a little loud, but I still liked it.

If I have to rewatch anything, it would be the scenes featuring Choi Won Young.

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Story- 10/10

I hate that this was just 6 episodes and I have to wait for the next season. The ending as always is a cliffhanger which I love because it just really makes me intrigued. From the 1st season I think my number 1 question was "What is the resurrection plant?" Thanfully we discovered more about it in this season. Though they didn;t fully give details which will hopefully be revealed during the next season. This season had a lot of bad deaths and good deaths. Overall it was really good but I didn't like how the royal family's bloodline was damaged. Though I understand why Prince Chang did what he had to do. It was really good and I recommend it!!

My favorite moment was when they showed Prince Chang and Moo Young's (The Royal Guard) experiences together. Like how their bond started which was really nice. (I'm trying not to spoil all the good details)

Acting/Cast- 10/10

THE ACTING WAS SPOT ON. IT WAS SO GOOD. I would like to say how well Kim Hye Joon (The Queen) acted. She made me hate her so much yet also really like her. The way she portrayed her character was just spot on. Jun Suk Ho made me laugh at how clumsy he was but his portrayal was really good. You can see how his character developed from a clumsy coward to a clumsy hero. Everyone else did really good but these were the ones that stood out to me.

Music- 8/10

The music was pretty good. It really paired well with the drama. It just increased my anticipation every single moment where something big was gonna happen. Which is really good. I guess there isn't much to be say about the Music other than it's good. I just wish there was more variety to it that would pair well with the drama.

Rewatch Value- 8/10

I would definitely rewatch this because just so damn good. While I'm waiting for the next season which always a long time I think I'll definitely watch this again.

Overall- 9/10

I would really recommend this Drama for those who are just starting K-dramas or those who don't want to watch drama's that are romance based. This is really good so watch it!

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First, let me stress that I'm not an Exo lover, but Kai is more attractive than a magnet, so don't judge me.

Story:
I found the story concise, I don't remember fillers that motivate me to give headbutts to the screen. I don't know how but it has everything that a long drama has, in a very basic format: a good but clumsy girl, a brilliant guy with problems, funny supporting characters (whose ends are not to be alone, happily), and a mother with high expectations . Besides the child actors who are adorable and look great on screen.

Acting:
The plot doesn't demand great histrionic abilities except in Chapter 5 where you can really see the acting potential of kai, he lived up to expectations.

What I don't like:
Perhaps slightly feminist, but here Choco apparently can't succeed without the presence of any of the two male leads, and that frustrates me a little.

Finally, if you are able to spend 90 minutes of your time on something, you could watch this short drama without regrets. The story is adorable and relatively inspiring; plus you'll have the chance to see the handsome Kai on screen for more than an hour. However, if you gain a few pounds because of an endless desire to eat chocolate, don't blame me.

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fantastic chemistry (need a spin off)

Overall: stellar chemistry, but too much plot for a short run time. This is based on the web novel "Ball Boy Tactics" by Ji Seung Hyeon which I have partially read but I tried to review the series based on its own merits. 8 episodes about 27 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala (not available in U.S, Canada, Mexico, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, U.K., Spain, Portugal, Japan, Korea) https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/5418/ball-boy-tactics-2025-e01 ; iQIYI (assuming for the other countries) https://www.iq.com/play/o48rhx5yhw and Heavenly (South Korea).

Content Warning: slap, past abuse

What I Liked
- opposite personalities (I'm normally not a fan of timid characters but I think his personality made sense based on his past and there were a few changes)
- chemistry/tension
- that a character recognized his feelings fairly quickly and was forthright about it (also stated his sexual orientation to his friends)
- the friends (supportive, funny)
- ongoing intimacy (might get a number of hugs award), episode 8 was very well done
- visuals
- production value

Room For Improvement
- not generally a fan of voice overs although it didn't bother me as much as it normally does
- the plot zoomed by too fast, many things took place off screen, felt choppy in places, 2 weeks supposedly passed but it felt like a couple of days
- seemed to be not drunk then the morning after said he didn't remember the night before (which he would have needed to be extremely drunk) and a character said he didn't take advantage but there was heavy kissing...
- a potential side couple had an open ending, would love to see a spin off with them
- (neutral) didn't really have time for episode 7 stuff and I generally hate this trope but it was much more realistic (better reasons for it) as well as the time frame felt like it could happen in the real world vs 10 years later nonsense

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Ok, first off I would like to confess that I'm one of the rare bunch who hasn't seem the original Death Note anime/manga, neither have I seen the previous movie, though maybe I have but I don't really have any memory of it. However of course I do know the basic storyline, after all it is very famous. So basically this was a new experience for me and it was definitely worth it.

The story was basically followed the original storyline judging from what I saw in the comments, and so I guess they did a really good job of condensing a 30+ anime into 11 eps. Solid effort. Basically it followed the storyline of a normal uni student who was living life like it would have been for him, but when he accidentally picked up the 'Death' Notebook, his life took a drastic turn from there. Of course life doesn't always go smoothly, thus someone will appear to try and stop all his acts of 'justice' which is where the 2nd main lead comes in, and they begin their battle of wit to see who ultimately wins and becomes the last one standing. The story was very compact, exciting and nerve wrecking as I was always extremely tensed to know what might happen next. I watched the whole drama in the span of 3 days, even when I wasn't watching it, my mind would unconsciously think about it as well. That could explain how into it I was.

Acting/Cast
Like everyone has said I think Kubota definitely did a splendid job acting as Yagami Light. Especially as the story progressed and as the character of Light became more and more 'crazy', I could see the change expressed perfectly through the character. During the second half, during his monologues when he was 'Kira' it totally made me believe that he was 'possessed' with that voice and his facial expressions. Thoroughly impressed.
To be honest I started this drama because of L's actor Kento, so during the process of watching this drama I was very emotionally attached to L. I know that they 'changed' this character drastically from the original however I guess I really liked the change of being a 'clean freak' etc. Obviously I loved his acting as L, and even though I knew he was going to die, when it actually happened it still brought tears to my eyes.
Other than the mains I already really enjoyed the side characters such as Watari, Light's dad and the police crew. They all brought extra enjoyment and feelings to the story.

Maybe I was too into the story to notice any good music or soundtracks in general as I don't remember any music. However just judging from the background music during the drama, it fitted the atmosphere and was generally well put. Maybe I need to go back and watch again to find out more.

Overall this was definitely an intense ride of emotions. For someone who usually doesn't watch the thriller, psychological genre I thoroughly enjoyed Death Note and now that I've seen the drama I will definitely go check out the anime and maybe the movie. I reckon the story was well thought out, while it also makes people really notice about what 'power' would do someone on the deep side of things.

This is something that I would definitely rewatch many times, since it's honestly really awesome. I definitely recommend this to those who's watched the anime or movie. Even if they did change things if you watch it with an open mind, it's definitely an awesome drama, plus it's quite short being 11 eps.
Of course I also recommend it to people who like thriller, mystery and the psychological genre in general. This will definitely blow your mind.

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In all my time watching dramas, this was the first time I hated giving a show a relatively lower rating. Witch's Court seemed, on the outside, like a dream come true for me. A law and crime drama, paired with a kickass heroine and a dash of romance? What could possibly go wrong?

It was one of my highest anticipated dramas of 2017 and I was expecting that first episode in and I'd be ready to give it a solid 10. However, as I watched the series, one by one all my hopes came crashing down.

The drama's worst flaw was its lack of an original plot. The fact that it was extremely badly written with a truck load of plot-holes and stroppy pacing, didn't help the case. From the first episode to the last, I guessed everything that was going to happen. It was such cliché, same old bs that at one point, I was even correctly predicting the character's dialogues before they spoke them. I saw plot-twists coming from miles ahead. I knew exactly what the main leads were going to do and how they were going to do it. Trust me, it ain't a nice feeling when you're ten steps ahead of your main leads.

Some people say that a show is only as good as its antagonists and that is one another point where Witch Court loses out on. From the daily episodic rapists to the main antagonist, all the villains were less than mediocre and slight variations of one another. It's like they were trying way too hard to be evil but unfortunately, ended up being cheesy instead.

You know how when kids do something bad, like steal a cookie and you ask them about it and they're all innocent smiles to your face but the moment you turn your back, they start smirking mischievously, triumphant that they managed to ''fool'' you? That's exactly how the bad guys were in this show.

The cringey smiles and 'evil laughs' they gave behind our main lead's back just added to their extra personalities and not in a good way. I mean how many times before have we seen a story about a corrupt Mayor in power being the villain, acting all nice and kind infront of the camera? Too many times to count. Bring me something new, please.

All the side characters were poorly constructed, barely making any contribution to the plot.

At first, I was very intrigued by our male lead. He seemed like a breath of fresh air, unlike the typical macho alpha assholes. He was supposed to be this smart, gentlemanly guy who actually gave our heroine the upperhand. How amazing, right? Not really.

Even though he is made out to be different from all the other drama male leads, the show still shoves him into the 'cool tall neighborhood oppa' stereotype. I'm always amazed when everyday prosecutors adopt ninja fighting skills out of nowhere. But those things were the least of his problems, because as the show progressed he became increasingly annoying. I love my upright handsome guys who're adamant to uphold the law but, Prosecutor Yeo was just all talk and no show. He had the classic 'dumb but heroic' vibe throughout. Way too self-righteous and equipped with dramatic declarations, he didn't do any of the actual work and soon became a pain in the ass I could really do without.

Even though the show is tagged 'romance' there was nothing of that sort here. The main couple had no chemistry and they just seemed like regular colleagues on good terms.

Surprisingly, the show did its flashbacks fairly well but like I mentioned before, the pacing was shit. Things that needed to be drawn out and be dramatic were so anti-climactic and things that needed to be rushed on were dragged out.
Some things that happened were so questionable because they were far out of the sphere of logic. Most of the times, our prosecutors won the cases because of convenient plot devices instead of actual smarts.

So seeing all these flaws, it's quite just that I rate it low right? But why then, does it pain me so much to do so? Well the answer is: Ma Yi Deum.

The heroine of this show was undeniably the saving grace. She was the only thing unique about the otherwise run-of-the-mill drama. Watching her antics was absolute bliss. Jung Ryeo Won brought forth a character that was extremely real and relatable. Often, I felt like she was my soul sister considering how many similarities I had with her. This is also why she was so easy to connect with.

I loved the fact that she went through life staying true to herself and not giving a fuck about what people thought. Even though, at times, she acted like she was all over the place, in reality she was a very composed and strong woman. Her face remained impassive in the worst of situations and she always had some clever tricks up her sleeve. Her bright smile, dark red lipstick and bad hair cases gave me so much life.

She was the one making the show, for every second she went off-screen the show turned utterly boring. Ma Yi Deum was so lovable and a character that I'll always remember. This is the reason why, even though I have a lot of problems with this show I still reccomend it so that other people can witness Prosecutor Ma's quirky weirdness and like me, be thoroughly entertained by it too.

The fact that the show revolved around rape cases is something I found to be commendable. Rape is a taboo topic and people often hesitate talking about it so openly and this show (while not perfectly) still managed to bring some fairly brutal cases on the forefront and that effort needs to be acknowledged.

The OST doesn't really stand out but the instrumental that plays at Ma Yi Deum's badass moments was really good.

I hope who ever reads this considers this review a good thing, instead of being let down because this will lower your expectations and then when you do end up watching the show you'll be pleasantly surprised.

While this is not a drama you can go in with the thought that your high hopes will be met, it is definitely a good time-pass.

Enjoy!

Leggi di Più

One of the best enemies to lovers drama of all time!✨️

I have been eagerly anticipating this masterpiece for a long time. It captivates, fascinates, engages and enchants the audiences with its extraordinary and unique top notch plot. Even though I have read the novel, it has been impossible to tell what would happen next as the story is very cleverly adapted to include core events and the main story of the novel yet many things are seemlessly changed and integrated perfectly to improve the experience which keeps the novel readers at the edge of their seats at all times. 💯

First of all, I have to give my highest commendation for the actor/actresses choices for this drama, from the main characters to their companion beast characters to the supporting characters to the villians, they all have served incredibly well. This drama is studded with exteremely handsome actors and beautiful actresses. HMH is my most favourite actor who with his phenominal talent, hard work and commitment, always delivers his awe-inspiringly complex and supremely versatile roles spectularly, immaculately and impeccably well. He always leaves the audience charmed and enchanted with unforgettable performances. It's my first time watching LYX, I'm thoroughly impressed with her extremely remarkable, stunning, dazzling, astonishing and impressive acting, she has gone straight to my top 5 actresses list. Both main leads nailed the complexity of the characters they have portrayed to the finest details 👌. All the others actors also entranced me with their brilliant, dynamic and captivating acting. They have displayed their deep emotions, passion, feelings flawlessly and their stories unfolded magnificently and seamlessly well with good pacing. Their dynamic and smooth chemistry with each other and the main characters brought this masterpiece to life.

💫HMH has portrayed the complex character of JBZ incredibly well. JBZ is very powerful and majestic warrior who has grand ambitions and hidden goals. He is a mysterious character who clawed his way out of horrible and brutal prison to the heights of honorable and respectable warrior in his realm. JBZ is incredibly smart, cunning, calculating, cautious, decisive, manupilative, and talented person in general. Although he is good, kind, caring and righteous person at heart, he carries the weight of deep emotional scars he was left with due to being abandoned by his parents, enduring unbearable painful suffering in the prison and betrayal of people he reluctantly trusted . At times these scars resurface and cloud his decisions, judgments and actions but thankfully and luckily he meets people who show him sincerity, love and care. So he becomes open to change, learns to overcome his fears, dares to love wholeheartedly, care and trust and be sincere and forgiving. I love his calm, witty, elegant, graceful, funny, determined and loving side yet I am also blown away by his incredibly powerful and skillful warrior side too.

💫LYX also nailed her intricate and sophisticated character as MY/MX. MX is undefeated God of war for 7 consecutive years. This warrior is also crown prince of his realm. Although this warrior's life looks glamorous, glorious and worthy of envy, MY is pitiful person who can't even declare her real gender to the world. Her parents drilled it into her that loosing is not an option. Yet after giving her all to win everytime for the sake her parents and people of her kingdom, she has never got genuine love, respect or rewards. When she lost for the first time due to being poisoned, no one hesitated to point fingers at her, throwing accusations at her or prosecuting her. Hiding her identity and lying to protect it has become second nature to her since childhood. With luck she does meet some sincere, caring and protective people too. Like JBZ she retains her kind, sincere and righteous nature underneath the cloak of false identity she has had to maintain for life. However, her traumatic struggles didn't leave her untainted either she yearns for unconditional love, care, happy and carefree life yet she has been trained to think and act for the kingdom/others, so she seldom puts herself first. She always readily puts her health, dreams, happiness and even her life on the line when she decides someone is important to her.


💫The chemistry between the main leads is off the charts❤️‍🔥!! Whether they are playing humorous cat and mouse games pretenting to fall for each other, or dangerous games of deception to use each other or sincere attempt to help/protect the other or when actually genuinely fallen in love trying to confirm/hide their feelings, they never fail to captivate the audience with their electrifying, exotic, charming, heart-warming and alluring chemistry. Being with each other both show sides to each other which they never have shown to anyone. They are funny, bubbly, adorable, flirtious, playful and love to tease each other. They are always ready to protect each other at the cost of their lives. They learn to see, feel and understand each other's heartwrentching painful pasts, other's prespective and current struggles, and try their best to heal each other physically and emotionally. Through ardouse journey together both learn to love and trust each other wholeheartedly while facing their fears, childhood traumas, ambitions, identity, goals and status differences head on. Due to their past pain both had to put extra effort into being more transparent with each other and use effective communication to fix many misunderstandings and uncover hidden truths between them.

This couple gives us everything whether there is extreme tension of them being nemesis warriors, or intellectuals who solve cases together for the good of people or fight villians trusting relying on each other putting their lives on the line, or make us ride the turbulent waves of push and pull between them, or whether one is decisively pushing other away and other is possessively chasing. The development of love between them is very brilliantly executed, viewers can feel from their actions and emotions displayed that how their fake love turned into genuine deep love over the course of time. They are so brilliantly campatible with each that it feels they were made for each other. 💕

💫The love and hate story between YX and Princess is extremely entertaining and captivating as well. I am very impressed by Princess's strength, wisdom and fighting spirit to protect her kingdom's people in the face of male dominating realms. Seeing MY always being confident, brave, resourceful and courageous and also seeing that being female she can fight really well, I love that the princess gets inspired and opens up paths for women to be allowed to be warriors. One of the main themes of the novel was women winning their rights and respectable places amongst the powerful male led six realms, I'm glad that the drama retained this theme. Other characters that have my heart are MY's and JBZ's companion beasts. Like their masters they are extremely cute, kind, smart, caring and fun. It really hurts to see them hurt. They love their masters dearly and always ready to give their lives to protect them or carry out any order from them. The interactions between the pets and their friendship is very endearing and precious as well.

💫The CGI, FX and cenimatrography of this drama is fire🔥!
The attention to detail, photorealism, seamless integrations, lighting and texturing makes the six realms of story enchanting and magical. The CGI in this drama not only gave us compelling visual experience in the action scenes but it effectively communicated the stories and emotions of the characters too. It successfully engages the viewers and leaving an everlasting impression. The gorgeous costumes, stunning hairstyles and mesmerising make up for the casts is breathtaking making the drama very enticing and inviting visual feast. But it's not just the visuals that stand out, all the OSTs especially the opening OST 'love in the clouds', 'If your World had no sunshine' and 'pretending it's nothing' are extremely beautiful. They have emotional resonance, clear production, and originality. All OSTs give emotional and atmosphereic depth to the scenes and events. They complement the on-screen action and match the tone of the production. Everytime they are played I was captivated, immersed and impacted pleasently by the beautiful melodies, rhythms and very moving and meaningful lyrics.


I absolutely fell in love with this enchanting and stunning couple, I don't think I will ever be able to move on from this drop-dead gorgeous, very dramatic, unashamedly flirtious and unapologetically very intimate couple. Together they have created top most heart warming, touching, emotional, magical, romantic and unforgettable Xuanhuan ever for me.

💫Ending:

I absolutely loved the most satisfying ending ever. Its really frustrating when either ml or fl have to sacrifice themselves to save the people/world from vilians, I really loved the fact that both main leads learned to face such choices together by coming up with ulternatives that would help both of them survive and solve the ultimate desparate and imminent dilemma they face. The ending was very sweet happily ever after with all the beloved characters safe and sound and no unnecessary slaughter of supporting characters, so mostly villains died. ZT and princess Tianji got their most dreamy ending too. I'm extremely impressed by bestest end for our perfect and majestic main couple that they absolutely deserve!!! 😍 ✨️ 💖ദ്ദി(｡•̀ ,<)~✩‧₊


💫I really need them in a new modern drama. I just can't get enough of them. Everyday I waited with excitement for next episode and I hoped that this drama would never ever end and I was not ready to say good bye to such eathereal, talented and dreamy cast. I have thoroughly enjoyed every second of this drama and I very highly recommend it to anyone who loves romance, fantasy, suspense, and wuxia. It's 10/10 for me in every aspect. (ﾉ´ヮ´)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

Leggi di Più