Reviews

Quite unique but seemed incomplete

I am damn sure that i watched all 16 episodes but it seems like i missed out on few episodes, they jump from one scene to the another during the end of each episode and give us a fuller version of it in the next episode but somehow for me , it was confusing , that probably led to this 7.5 . Had they maintained the same quality as the first half this would have been a 9 without a doubt.

What i loved about this?
This is not one of those dramas that focuses on only the main couple, i loved how each charactee had their own importance and behind story. I was looking forward to knowing more about each of them and absolutely enjoyed every minute of it.
I loved how they were aware of their situation and dealt with it with dignity, in the end they embraced their insecurities and learnt how to be happy

I fell for Chang Hee, though he is often seen being frustrated and keeps venting out his anger but whatever he spoke , he stated Facts . I loved how he dint hold back when ever he was angry and upset and blurted eveything out loudly and very fast. I bet it would have still been difficult for me to understand his dialogues had i known korean. He became one of my favorite kdrama characters and i also am satisfied with how things ended with him.

The three sibling bond is well written, though we see them fighting and glaring at each other often, i could see through each of them , how they cared for each other and how strong their bond was.

They say it is "liberation notes" definetly i see liberation here but only 40%. Would have been great had they ended Mr Gu's character with more certainity . For me he was a mystery in the beggining and remained a mystery even in the end

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Beware of Diabetes

If you are looking for a light-hearted. sweet drama with cute couples, To Fly With You is the one for you!!

To Fly With You main premise revolves around ice sports (figure skating, short track speed skating) and romance. But, it is indeed more to the romance and growing with each other. So, it is not a must for you to understand the ice sports industry, because while watching it, the drama itself also touch on it a little bit.

Produced by Linmon Pictures, I expect every production aspect of this drama to be amazing because Linmon Pictures had produced dramas with amazing production aspects, especially cinematography, such as Ancient Love Poetry, Nothing but Thirty, and more. But to my surprise, the whole production of To Fly With You from the cinematography, colour grading, sound effects differs from their usual style, and I am torn between of liking it or disliking it.

To Fly With You has the same exact cinematography as any other rom-com drama. But what probably makes To Fly With You stand out from other rom-com dramas is its comedic shots. The drama has some shots purposely intended for comedic elements, for instance, the shot where Shao Beisheng shoe was torn. In addition, the drama also adds other comedic elements such as witty lines and particularly sound effects. The sound effect used in the drama is.. difficult to comprehend. The sound effect does indeed go well with the whole drama and its comedic element but the sound effect alone is making me feel like I am watching a sitcom, particularly there's this one sound effect that sounds like a SpongeBob sound effect (not that I hate it).

Wang Anyu acted as Shao Beisheng, a talented and genius ice figure skater. Meanwhile, Song Zuer acted as Shen Zhengyi, a newbie to the world of professional short track speed skating. Both leads have an affable charm, cute and natural chemistry. If there's an award for the couple with the best chemistry this year, it would definitely go to Wang Anyu and Song Zuer. Their chemistry on and off-screen is just impeccable. You can just see the sparks they have in their eyes while looking at each other (please be together and get married).

What I especially love about the drama is that their chemistry and how their relationship progress, it is very realistic. The scriptwriter doesn't make Zhengyi fall in love with Beisheng right away just because he is a handsome guy. But there is a process in between them falling in love - both of them listens to each other, understand each other and gradually fall in love. In addition, the characters in the drama are also very realistic. Unlike other drama male lead, Shao Beisheng is a rather more realistic character to me. For instance, you can see how happy he is when he received his shoes and how sad he is when his shoes was torn.

Overall, To Fly With You may not be groundbreaking, but the drama will totally make you blush and gush and want for more.

P.s. do watch the drama's behind the scene, there are a lot more sugar on it!!

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This is the first time I have ever fast forwarded through a drama. It took them forever to walk somewhere and to think. There were so many scenes of 2-3 minutes of just showing the character staring at another character. I have never been so frustrated in my life while watching a drama. If you cut all the staring, walking and thinking scenes, then this drama is probably only 6 episodes long. If that is the style of Thai Lankorns, then I won't be watching them.

On to the story. I gave this drama a higher score, because I like the premise. Genius teenage girl saves Mafia boss that falls in love with her. Besides the huge age difference of a grown man falling in love with a teenager, I thought that was cool. Even the main female lead character was annoying, because she was down on her looks and herself too much at times. The story has some great plot twists. The problem of the story line is that Stockholm syndrome is in abundance on this show. Another problem is that you have to get around the low budget scenes and the weak action scenes.

The acting is just...I don't know...over the top at times or stiff as a board. There is no natural ability that pulled me into a character. I felt like I was watching a drama rather than getting sucked in to the point that I forget it is a drama. The only person to write about is Mint Chalida as Ruthainark. She is really cute and her acting is good. I'm not even going to go into the other actors. None of them were good in this.

The music is fine.

I won't ever rewatch this.

I don't recommend this drama to anyone. I would have given the drama a 1, but I liked the story line and the girl.

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The series is a continuation or a companion for a story that began in En of Love Tossara. Here we get to know more about Mark and Vee in what began as a twisted revenge/teach-a-lesson tale that soon became a complicated love story.

Im usually a fan of short series and to others, four episodes (er, actually more like three and a half) can be more than enough to tell a full narrative arc. However, this is clearly the show's weakness. There wasnt enough time for real character development and by the end of the series I wasnt really sure if the two leads are actually really inlove. Instead of getting to the point, the show is filled with too many useless fillers. After only 3 episodes they even have the audacity to show us that shi**y recap montage perfect with those rotating blue stars. Wait did i say shI**y? I meant shiny.

This is exactly how i felt when watching the director's "Make it Right" Series. He has a tendency of adding too many scenes and secondary characters that actually do nothing but waste our time.

Its such a shame because for the most part, they got a gem with their two lead cast - War and Yin are almost good and both are very HOT and charming.

Pacing could have been snappier but instead we got a collage of scenes that jump from one to another without letting us digest them. It felt like important details were left out. If only they used their time wiser, we couldve figured things out better. I think the makers forgot that not all viewers are readers of the book.

They intentionally diluted a strong sadistic affair and made it a forgettable tiny puppy love. I have to give them props for twisting and romanticizing an unsolicited sex predatorship and turning it to sunny yet full of rainbows love story. And for adding a girl character just to make her the villain, because yes, this is a BL and all girls are enemies. Yes, im being sarcastic.

Is it a good watch? Yes, if only for the eye candies. Dont put this in your priority though, just watch it when your flight is delayed for two and a half hours and youre stuck in the airport. They missed the opportunity of making this a meaningful watch.

Edit: A full blown series is coming our way soon, and i cant deny Im excited. They may finally be able to give justice to the story.

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Verdict: Emotion Sustained, Logic Dismissed

Phantom Lawyer opens with a premise that sounds like it came straight out of a quirky 판타지 meets 법정 mashup. Shin Yi Rang is introduced as a kindhearted, almost too pure-for-this-world lawyer who keeps failing job interviews because of his father’s stained reputation as a corrupt prosecutor. With nowhere else to go, he opens his own law office, and this is where the drama quietly tells you to suspend logic. I could not help but side-eye his decision to rent a place that practically screams “haunted real estate discount.” One incense stick later, and Yi Rang gains the ability to see ghosts tied to talismans left behind by their loved ones. These spirits carry regrets, resentment, and unfinished stories, and Yi Rang becomes their unexpected counsel, helping them resolve what they could not in life.

From there, the story settles into a case-of-the-week format. Each ghost client brings a new emotional thread, and Yi Rang handles them with unwavering kindness. The emotional angle is clearly the drama’s priority, often choosing heart over legal complexity. Cases tend to resolve a little too neatly, sometimes relying on convenient turns rather than solid groundwork. Early on, many of Yi Rang’s cases overlap with Han Na Hyeon, an elite lawyer with a flawless winning streak. While their rivalry is meant to create tension, the constant overlap feels more like coincidence doing overtime than organic storytelling. Some cases wrap up so quickly that they barely leave room for legal depth. Evidence appears just in time, confessions come easily, and loopholes that would normally spark debate are brushed aside for pacing. It feels less like a courtroom battle and more like a moral fable dressed in legal robes.

The structure does not do much to support a larger narrative either. Most cases exist in their own bubble, rarely tying back to a central conflict. Yi Rang’s father’s scandal is positioned as the emotional backbone of the story, shaping Yi Rang’s struggles and reputation. Yet, this supposed main conflict only truly takes center stage in the final stretch, and even then, it resolves within roughly one and a half episodes. The investigation feels rushed, the evidence conveniently detailed, and the resolution lands more on the comical side than the impactful one might expect. For a storyline that had been quietly looming since the beginning, it lacks the weight needed to deliver a satisfying payoff. The drama stays consistently light from start to finish, which is not inherently a flaw, but it does limit its potential for a memorable climax.

The final family dinner scene tries to pull everything together emotionally. The concept is touching, almost designed to be a tearjerker, but the execution does not fully land. Choi Won Young, as Shin Gi Jun, delivers a standout performance that adds genuine emotional depth. His presence elevates the scene, making you feel the weight that the script struggles to carry. Unfortunately, the rest of the ensemble does not quite match that intensity. Kim Mi Kyung plays the mother with a restrained expression that borders on flat, while Son Yeo Eun, playing the sister, shines in brighter moments but falters when the tone turns heavy. There is even a moment involving Yi Rang’s coma that feels unintentionally awkward due to the uneven emotional delivery. One small but nagging detail is Yi Rang’s niece, who never questions the bizarre situation unfolding around her, which feels like a missed opportunity for a more grounded touch.

Character writing is where the drama struggles the most. Yi Rang’s defining trait is his endless kindness, but it is written in a way that feels exaggerated, almost like a morality lesson aimed at children. Yoo Yeon Seok has proven in other works that he can portray warm and selfless characters with nuance, but here, he is boxed in by a script that leans too heavily into idealism. Han Na Hyeon undergoes a similarly jarring shift. Esom initially brings a sharp, charismatic edge to Na Hyeon as a win-at-all-costs lawyer, but after her sister’s arc, the character pivots into a softer, justice-driven persona who suddenly becomes shy and romantically inclined. The transition feels abrupt, like a switch flipped without enough buildup.

Yang Do Gyeong is perhaps the most confusing character of the bunch. His personality swings between intimidating, obsessive, comedic, and eventually sympathetic. At times he seems unstable, at others almost childlike, and by the end, he reveals a more grounded motivation tied to his desire for his father’s approval. There is an interesting idea buried there about pressure, resentment, and morality, but it never fully settles into a clear or consistent portrayal.

Then there is the question no one in the drama seems eager to answer. Does Yi Rang actually make money? Representing ghost clients is noble and all, but unless there is a living client willing to pay, the business model remains a mystery. It becomes one of those lingering thoughts you cannot quite shake, like a plot hole in a courtroom drama that refuses to be objected to.

To give credit where it is due, the drama does sprinkle in some enjoyable elements. There are playful references to Dr. Romantic and Hospital Playlist that feel like little winks to fans of Yoo Yeon Seok. The humor leans heavily into slapstick, but it does land more often than not, adding to the overall light tone.

In the end, Phantom Lawyer is best described as an easy watch that blends ghosts and law without digging too deeply into either. It prioritizes emotion over logic, warmth over realism. If you go in expecting a legal drama packed with intricate cases and sharp courtroom battles, this will feel like res ipsa loquitur gone wrong. But if you are in the mood for something light, occasionally funny, and gently emotional, it serves its purpose. It is not bad, but it does not quite leave a lasting impression either, like a case that is closed without ever truly being argued.

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An Exquisite Xianxia That You Shouldn't Miss!

When I initially came upon Ancient Love Poetry, it was being slammed from all sides, but I still decided to watch it for some reason.
Now, 49 episodes later, it has blown my expectations and is perhaps one of the best dramas out there in my list. The unique storyline, outstanding performances by the entire cast, numerous lovable characters, villains that make your blood boil, suspenses that leave you worried along with numerous tales of sincerity and undying love completely bewitched me. I'm so glad that I didn't pay heed to all the negative reviews and kept going. Bear with me, my review will be long and I have tried covering a few points that might put off many viewers and the things I loved about this drama. I hope that it convinces you to give it a chance:

1. Don't be fooled by the bland beginning. Ancient Love Poetry has one of the most unique storylines I've seen. And they did not kid around with the title "Ancient God". The story takes place waaay before the existence of humans. In the God Realm - where our lazy female lead, Shangu, is forcefully pushed to master the Power of Chaos in a race against time to stop the Tribulation of Chaos and also protect the Three Realms as the power that protects it begin to dissipate, something which only she had the ability to permanently solve. Her master happens to be Bai Jue, one of the True Gods, who is rather cold and strict towards her, but slowly warms upto her rather humble nature, eventually falling deeply for her. Her hardwork pays off, but the tribulation turns out to be her ultimate test which no one is able to stop. But, destiny has more in store for her....
The story is also the most strongest point of Ancient Love Poetry. It delves away from the Heavenly Realm, focussing on the life of the Ancient Gods, the most powerful beings across all Realms, which was a first for me. The events and mysteries unravel in a rather ominous and nerve wracking manner. I paused an episode and decided to spoil myself as I couldn't handle anymore surprises that were often accompanied by painful experiences. The plot purposefully takes a drastic turn after a certain point, but it did not feel disconnected and maintained the right flow. The chronological way of narration is done right in Ancient Love Poetry - it might have been shot that way to avoid unnecessary flashbacks to the past and helps us connect with their present selves better.
[The author of the novel, Xing Ling herself was involved as a screen writer. While the story does deviate from the original work at times, it stays true to the novel for several major plot points. And the script is well plotted despite having some issues at the beginning, but that was necessary for the plot.]

2. The timeline - is a MAJOR factor that no one probably notices. A single episode may consist of several days or even months, hence the romance is pretty fast paced. Right from EP1, it's implied that several days/weeks had passed. Three months and 1000 years, all pass within two episodes. Shangu's training might have taken months or years, but we see glimpses of it. This might be off putting for many, but I personally was not bothered by it. The actors played the roles really well and nothing felt rushes.

3. The characters, particularly the leads and even the supporting ones are the pillars of the whole story. Get ready for an emotional rollercoaster.
The Female lead is very unlike the ones we usually see - she is not stunningly pretty or the typical Goddess type. While she might not be everyone's cup of tea, I think she is beautiful and was the smartest choice out of the cast to be chosen to portray the young, innocent Shangu who grew up to become someone who was wise enough to hold the title of the "Chief God". I had begun watching ALP for the lead - Zhou Dong Yu is well known for her acting skills in movies, but I can tell that she brought justice to her character here just like she did for her other roles. She managed to portray the duality of Hou Chi and Shangu beautifully. I missed her smile as Shangu and I don't think anyone could have played that role and still managed to maintain a smooth balance between emotions.
I loved Xu Kai's role as Bai Jue. I think most people have seen him before in his previous works where he played lighter characters, but its good to see him in something new. As for stereotypes and how comfortable we are with the actors, its upto you, reader.
The supporting characters, I have to mention, left a deep impression on me. Particularly in EP15. Even the ones that had only a few minutes of screentime managed to convey the emotions perfectly. Characters like Gu Jun (a flood dragon who ascends to the God Realm), Tian Qi (a noteworthy, naughty True God of Demons and the one who brought Shangu up), Yuemi (Tian Qi's closest friend who spoils Shangu with him) , Zihan, Hongri... all manage to steal our attention. They were very well portrayed and I'm sure that I'll never forget any of them anytime soon and will definitely be looking forward to their future works.

4. The romance... has a more "natural" feeling, particularly for Shangu and Bai Jue. Their relationship is not forced, even if it seems rushed. Ancient Love Poetry is not heavy on physical display of affections, but their sincerity towards each other is completely driven by their actions. There are no declarations of love or confessions, but their actions are strong and silent enough to convey the depth of their devotion to each other. When the second arc begins, we see a whole new side of the "fire and ice" relation of the Gods. This change is particularly delightful as we get to see the "Ice Cube" be warm and talkative while the "Bubbly and strong" Shangu becomes the meek and powerless Hou Chi. Their story in the second arc is particularly well written with plot twists, villains and schemes that puts them against the Immortal Realm.
The romance is not just for the leads. Two supporting characters in particular, had, good solid relationships that managed to make me root for their happiness. They might have not had enough screentime, but were beautifully portrayed with such intensity that many of us wished for their happiness. The plus side was that no one imposed themselves on the one they care about, but accepted their choices and supported them, never once becoming an ill wisher. (In short, no serious love triangles.)
There are several other memorable relationships, may it be between the Gods and their Divine Beasts or just plain loyalty and friendship between each other. The God Realm arc might be a bit unsatisfying to many, but I yearned for those precious moments and missed the characters from the first arc terribly during the second one. The bromance between the Four True Gods, Yuemi and Shangu are noteworthy. While the second arc might be serious, we have several supporting characters such and Fengran, Chang Que , Jingjian and Jia Ye who lighten up the mood for Hou Chi and Qingmu as well as for us. Their banter and loyalty to their friends was constant throughout the drama. It's worth watching even if its just for them.

5. The Antagonist: That's one major question. From my perspective, it has two. An intangible entity that can not be stopped and an actual vile villain.
What sets this drama apart for me is that the 'villain' is not introduced as such. Rather, the seeds of what lies ahead are already planted in the earlier episodes and we see the gradual transition to the current state. Driven by covetous intentions, the disgusting actions and motives sets them aside from the ones I've seen. And the absolutely stunning portrayal by the actor alleviated the character to such a level that we are beyond disgusted whenever the person appears on screen. Not to mention, the character was an actual crook, who was cunning and clever. Never have I wished for a character to stop breathing as much as I did for this one. Whenever the abode of the 'evil one' appeared, I wished that the episode would move faster and go back to the locations where I feel calm enough to watch.
As for the former antagonist I mentioned... watching the drama might give you a better idea about why I mentioned it.

6. The CGI is hands down the best one I've seen to date in a major xianxia drama. It doesn't lack in intense action scenes too. One thing I noted was that most of the Gods and Immortals used a mixture of both magic and weapons in a combat, which is the first time I saw such excessive use of CGI. I was impressed with the God Realm in particular. As I mentioned in my earlier review: The make up and costumes compliment the scenery so well that each shot seems to have been spun from dreams.
While the costumes may lack in colour (something minor, but that may put off a lot of viewers), the production team went so far as to visit historical sites and attempt to weave the details into them.

7. The OST: I suck at evaluating music, but the song "Perseverance" is heartbreaking, even without the scene. I get goosebumps whenever I listen to it. Many of the BGMs were my favorite. The lighter fun music during the initial arc were really memorable, but turned to nostalgia inducing everytime I heard it in the second arc.

8. The Finale: As a hint, the drama ends exactly like the novel. I loved how the writers managed to provide closure to two storylines in 49 episodes. I, for one, am left with a bittersweet feeling of parting with my favorite characters. I grew to care for many of them, both major and minor ones. (Special mention to Sen Yu, Chang Qin, Chang Que and Jia Ye, Hongri, the Gods of God Realm, Puhua.)

All in all, I'm glad I picked up this drama while it was being avalanched by negative reviews. (There were some with valid criticism, but 80% of the CNets slammed it just for the actress's looks and the ratings and general reviews almost made it seem like an unwatchable atrocity.) I have to warn though, it might not be your cup of tea. In the end, it depends on preference. I usually drop dramas within the first five episodes, but this one being a Xianxia, I had to give it a go for some more.
Does it deserve a 10? Maybe not. (I knocked off a .5 from the Rewatch value cause the pain is real. But, this is the second CDrama that I did not drop this year and one of the best in terms of cast and story as a whole. And based on it's quality and storyline, it deserves a better rating albeit its faults. Watching it was a truly delightful experience. It made me go through a roller coaster of emotions. We see multiple hardships and sacrifices being made by people for the ones they care about. Almost every character was memorable in their own ways, even the bad guys.
And I certainly will not be forgetting the Legend of ShangGu and Bai Jue anytime soon.
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I left my first impression/review below as a memory. :)
June 20, 2021: The major drawback of Chinese Dramaland is the predictability of storylines and the numerous over used tropes that pop up as a result of it, particularly for Xianxia and Wuxia genres. Which is why it is hard to find something that captures my attention.

One of 2021's highly anticipated xianxia dramas, Ancient Love Poetry follows the progress and growth of our Goddess of Chaos - Shangu. I have to admit, I needed three episodes for the drama to finally pique my interest. The rather slow and uninteresting first episode, coupled with the carefree attitude of the female lead who is still unaware of what lies ahead is jarring for viewers looking for a fast paced drama. I have to note, the MDL synopsis seems to spoil the furure of the plot, but gives enough hint to know what trials the happy-go-lucky Shangu is yet to face. I have not seen anything yet and I'm on EP6 at the time of writing this review.
Zhou Dongyu nails her role... if the character Shangu is whom I perceive her to be - she is not dumb or stupid, but had been pampered for too long and shielded from evil by Zhiyang and Tianqu (two amusing Gods) until they are left with no choice but to ask their fellow God Bai Jue, who had retired to the lower real, to return to train Shangu as she would soon have to bear the task of protecting the dangerously thinning barrier between the Nether world and the other realms.
Xu Kai fits his role as Bai Jue, the cold God of War and his performance is convincing enough to know the power and grace he wields.
The slow moving tale (as of EP6) has scattered several hints of what lay ahead and I am curious to know how the legend of Shangu and Bai Jue come to conclusion.
The romance is... 'natural'. I have no other words to describe it. It's not mushy or cringeworthy, but there's something real about their interactions which are the highlights of the first few episodes.
Another strong point: usually the VFX of CDramas make me frown. This drama exceeds expectations. Taking place completely in the God Realm, the CGI is top notch and can be on par with many Hollywood productions. The make up and costumes compliment the scenery so well that each shot seems to have been spun from dreams.
Rather light colored without being flamboyant, the costumes are surprisingly stunning. The make up doesn't look too bright, but just good enough without being overbearing. Most of the "supernatural aura" is carried by the actors' performance. None of them disappointed me as of now.
I will rate this an 8/10 as of now. I recommend that you check it out for atleast three episodes before deciding to drop this. Long Chinese dramas often have a slow start. So far, this is one of the better hyped up fantasy dramas Tencent rolled out this year for me. Now, I'll wait to see if this one can leave a remarkable impression in Xianxia land to stand the test of time...

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Glorious Disaster

You might notice that I have the story a 3 and the acting a 4, yet an overall score of 7. I have a true story to relate to help explain. In high school, my chemistry teacher was a PE teacher who I'm guessing was filling in for someone who died or something. One day the subject was potassium. He was trying to get a small piece of it to react with water, but dropped a big chunk of it, caught it with his bare hand, realized what he had done, and thew it into the sink, where it exploded, blew a hole in the ceiling, and set off all the fire spinklers, which of course caused a huge amount of damage and forced the evacuation of the entire school.

So that's a "1" in "story", a "1" in "acting", but a 10 in ultimate result. This is similar. It's a total catastrophe, but I haven't cackled with laughter like that in a while.

If you're worried about a lot of graphic BDSM, you can stop worrying about that right now. The BDSM is what you would expect a junior high school girl to imagine - a very, very sheltered junior high school girl.

The story is about Kim, a young man who ends up having a one-nighter with a gangster who immediately falls in love with him. The casting is disastrous, with the young and baby-faced Yoon playing the most unconvincing crime lord since... well, ever. In the finale he says he's 36 years old, which made me spit up the food I was eating. He has the most ridiculous tatoo I've ever seen. I think it might have been CGI, or maybe somone spray-painted his back over a stencil of a tiger or something.

Kamol is domineering and horrendously overprotective, locking Kim up in his house and not allowing him to do anything unsupervised. Except play with his pet tiger. You are not misreading that. He's not allowed to pee unaccompanied, but frolic with a tiger, no problem. Not that the tiger is in any state to frolic. The thing is stoned out of its mind - in its head it may be flying through pink clouds with castles atop them inhabited by penguins in Ayutthaya attire, but its body on earth won't be doing much of anything. It does't even react to, or appear to have any awareness of, its head being stroked.

If you are sensitive about water being wasted, you might want to avoid this series, or take a beta blocker first. People take baths wrong. Most people, I think, would fill the tub and then turn the water off - but here, the water is left running throughout the entire bath. I'm not sure where all the water is going - I guess the drain is open. People also turn on the sink for no apparent reason and then have long conversations while the water is running. I'm from California, and I can't sleep if I can hear water intermittently dripping somewhere, so my entire attention was focused on the water and controlling an incipient panic attack during scenes like that. Also, and this seems particularly odd in an Asian drama, people are fine with climbing across beds with shoes on. Not slipper shoes, sandals, even Birkenstocks, but dress shoes they've been walking around in all day.

Managing a criminal empire apparently entails sitting at an implausibly and unncessarily large desk and holding out your hand (without looking) to accept folders from subordinates coming in and out and then glancing at things before signing them. I have a job that entails a lot of paperwork, and I haven't seen an actual physical document in a decade. I don't even have my computer hooked up to a printer. I guess crimelords have never heard of Adobe or Docusign.

The plot is so ridiculous and random that it's better to just go on the ride and stop trying to understand why anyone does anything, because trying to make sense of it will only make you feel sad inside.

People have bodyguards. They should really save their money, because the bodyguard labor pool seems not to have attracted the best and brightest. I don't think there's even one single incidence of successful bodyguarding in the entire series. Besides letting your charge enter a tiger cage alone, guards who have been ordered to defend people with their lives are very easy for villains to convince to go get something out the car, allowing kidnappings right out of your walled mansion.

Speaking of bodyguards, there is a scene I really, really appreciated that gave us some insight at what bodyguards do while off-duty. If you see a scene where guards are discussing who should go shower first, prepare yourself.

The music is awful in the best way. Whenever someone grabs someone's wrist, there's an instrumental flourish more appropriate to someone impaling an opponent with a lightsaber than a gentle wrist grab, and any very slighly elevated moment of drama or activity inevitably leads to the ridiculously overwrought piano theme being fired up.

The leads have no chemistry, and Kim is so withholding that a crimelord Dom is reduced to meekly asking permission to administer a peck on the cheek and is usually admonished for being some sort of demented pervert for even asking. Kamol is the worst dom ever. Strangely, the chief bodyguard, who you will probably not notice at first but by the end will be panting over (especially after his sleeveless striped shirt at the resort) has really intense chemistry with the maid's underage son. Pretty much everyone in the audience was only suffering through this travesty of a series for them, even though we all knew nothing would happen between a 30-something and a high school kid.

I'm not sure I can recommend this - if you're looking for something serious, or are excited at the prospect of actual BDSM in a BL, this will not make you happy. If you appreciate it when something is so bad that it's unintenionally hillarious, this is worth your time.

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So... I just finished this drama and I have a LOT to say.

Note: there will be some minor spoilers in here! And, many typos! Because I was very passionate about how I felt about this drama! I have a lot to say! Bear with me!

Before diving into this review, I want to make clear that I'm so happy so many people enjoy this drama! Chinese wuxia dramas go highly unappreciated and are rarely praised to the extent of this drama. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. If you love this drama, that's great!

With that being said... I've pulled my hair out trying to figure out what all the fuss has been about for this drama.

First things first, the story of this drama feels incredibly odd. There really is no major "conflict" throughout the entire drama, instead many small ones that sporadically occur and get resolved quickly and get all muddled together. And any conflicts that DO occur happen not because they should. What I mean by this is how the plot fails to connect together, the resulting effect of one scenario loosely ties in to the next. For instance, the beginning involves Mo Yuan... and then he just isn't in the drama for 30 episodes. This causes the drama to feel laggy and have zero suspense, because the audience is just constantly expecting what's inevitably going to occur. Further, when something does happen, or a character triggers something to occur, their motivations should align; that's how a story can make sense. I was expecting a big twist or revelation or SOMETHING for everything to all of a sudden make sense, but that never happened.

Now let's talk about characters. As there's no clear conflict that drives the story, you'd expect the characters to be a major reason you'd want to keep watching... but NOPE.

Let's start with Si Yin/Su Su/Bai Qian. I didn't really have a problem with Si Yin other than the fact that she was pretty boring. Honestly, the entire first "world" the drama takes place in is pretty dull, so it's pretty hard for her to make me care. Then, we move on to Su Su. I probably like her the most out of the three, as she's the only one I really felt emotion for. I truly felt pity for her because of the treatment she got as a mortal. As for Bai Qian, she's probably the biggest disappointment of all. She's promised to be an older, wise, witty, strong goddess who kicks ass and drinks all the time. Unfortunately, we get an immature and feeble character who isn't strong to anyone unless she's bullying other women. Legitimately, she only turns "hard" and "strong" when it comes time to use her power against other women (not that some of them don't deserve it, but we'll talk about the "villains" in a bit). She acts rude to what feels like 3/4 of the female cast. If you don't believe me, look at the fact that she immediately becomes timid, soft, and loses all her characteristics when she's around Mo Yuan, Ye Hua, any of her disciple brothers, the king, her brothers, Li Jing, etc.

What's worse than Bai Qian's character, is the relationship between her and Ye Hua. This is probably my biggest problem with this drama, and I've bumped the rating low to a 6 because of this. I haven't seen any reviews really addressing this, so I'm scratching my head wondering if I watched the same drama. Ye Hua borderline sexually harasses her in nearly the ENTIRE third "world" portion of the drama (in the episodes from when Bai Qian reawakens to near the damn end). Ye Hua will jump on top of her, hug her, kiss her, and flirt while she's literally PUSHING him away, exhibiting uncomfortable body language, or telling him to STOP. Is this some kind of unfulfilled fantasy for some people? Is this just a young demographic? Am I in a simulation? Anyways... it's not until near the last ten episodes this changes, and Bai Qian begins to reciprocate affection. Even though her feelings changes that doesn't excuse Ye Hua's behavior prior, and the type of message this sends makes me disgusted. This easily could've been changed by toning own Ye Hua's actions to stop when Bai Qian says no, or just directing Bai Qian's character completely differently. This may seem like an exaggeration, but with such a large audience, dramas need to be aware of the kind of behavior characters act in, even if this medium is only fiction.

Ye Hua doesn't really have a personality, his sole purpose is really to be in love with Bai Qian/Su Su. He used to have somewhat a personality before he meets Su Su, but this pretty much dissolves. Instead of character progression, this character only reverses backwards.

As for Feng Jiu and Dong Hua, they're... fine? They didn't do much harm, but I don't think they added much to the drama either. It's just a stone-faced Dong Hua being chase by a whiny Feng Jiu.

Now we have the villains. I'll be damned if I ever find a drama where the villains aren't some petty jealous women who are jealous of the main lead because they're not as pretty or they don't have the main lead's man or god knows what other stupid reason. Nonetheless, these villains are dumb as hell, they have a stupid motivation, and they are not menacing at all. A villain should be providing a threat, a conflict, an obstacle that stops the hero. Instead, these villains just fill up screen time and provide a major eye roll.

Despite being nearly 60 episodes long, none of the side characters get very fleshed out. Instead, they remain very one-dimensional and forgettable. They're there for the purpose of providing "plot" to the main characters. Albeit, there are MANY, MANY, MANY side characters, so it's kind of hard to make all of them memorable anyways.

Now, on to acting. I've seen Yang Mi in countless dramas, and her acting isn't really anything spectacular or worth major praise, and here's no exception. I think her performance here is adequate, she pulls off the three different characters and cries when she needs to. Mark Chao was pretty decent as well. He can pull off a large variety of expressions convincingly and you can clearly see him acting two different characters. Honestly, I wasn't really blown away by Yang Mi and Mark Chao's chemistry. I don't think it's bad, but I feel pretty underwhelmed after hearing endless comments over how amazing their chemistry was.

However, one thing that bugged me throughout the drama is how awkward the dialogue was delivered. Particularly with the side characters, they literally feel like they are just flat out reading the script in front of you. This isn't really to the fault of the drama, as these character's voices are dubbed so there's no avoiding of this problem.

For cinematography, this drama looks pretty good some scenes but then looks like completely crap in others. The costumes can be overdramatic and look incredibly silly. The CGI is god awful, I'll just put it out there, but when has CGI in Chinese dramas really ever looked good?

But yes, this concludes my rant review of Eternal Love that probably nobody's reading!

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The Hunger Games Without Substance...like eating a cake shaped piece of cardboard.

I struggle to rate this drama highly. On one hand, it was well done with beautiful cinematography....on the other hand it is a pretty overdone genre across all countries. Sick, demented, rich people playing a game with less fortunate people's lives. I didn't really see anything new or innovative in this tale, it's the same old story dredged up again with blood spouts sprinkled in for effect. It's one of the single most overdone themes in horror. And, while the backstories and human character development made it tolerable, I still struggle to understand why this sort of show still draws viewers.

Recently, I watched Alice in Borderland, which is a similarly themed violent games survival drama. Alice in Borderland was much more effectively done, however, and added in the mystery element of who was controlling the game much more effectively along multiple other story arcs. Squid Game, on the other hand, focused more on trying to force parallels between the players' poverty lifestyles and the lifestyles of the game creators/betters. Simultaneously trying to convince you that all people are vile while also fighting to convince you of the opposite through various redemption arcs. The main theme that a select few characters seem to be fighting against is that all human beings are morally depraved monsters when their life/money is on the line.

In the end, I think the drama tried to be deeper than it was. It spent too much time forcing the viewer's opinions of people/situations into trite knotholes and ended up limiting itself with its inane rhetoric, especially at the end. Usually, I'm a fan of dramas with dark themes and ambiguous, unhappy endings...but this one I didn't like much. It's just another regurgitation of depraved humanity with nothing new or insightful to add to the existing backlog of dialog from exactly the same story.

That said, the lead actor was great in this drama. He did an incredible job realistically depicting a wide variety of emotional states. His reactions were on point in almost every case. Unfortunately, he was pretty much the only one who produced that range of emotions, so the viewer is forced to interpret situations based almost entirely on his reactions.

One of the best elements of a good Kdrama is how intensely they develop even minor characters. This drama had only 5 or so developed characters out of hundreds, the rest were just fodder for the blood cannon. Even characters that seemed initially well developed, actually end up being just cheap tools to reiterate the drama's main theme. Like the police officer looking for his brother, you eventually realize his only purpose in the drama is to get a peek at behind the scenes horror. His story didn't matter, all that mattered was that the audience had another set of disposable eyes to look through. The North Korean defector's story ended up being the same, pointless and just tossed in to provide a single tear jerk moment and a generic plot device for the lead to rebound off of. The characters, apart from the lead, had zero depth, the entire thing was intensely superficial.

Overall, I wouldn't watch this show again. A season 2 where the lead (minus that horrible red hair) fights against the game creators would be interesting, but a season 2 with the same exact show and a different cast I wouldn't go near. It was vile, but vile without the usual Kdrama depth of philosophy/morality exploration. I can't see myself ever recommending it. Out of every Kdrama I've ever watched I can only think of a small handful that I gained nothing from watching, this is down there in the heap with those few. Challenge my ideas, make me think about the world in a different way, or at the very least entertain me...if you can't do any of that, gtfo.

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Honestly, the show isn't as bad as it is made out to be. Just forget NJH's RL drama and watch it with an open mind. The story is a bit messy and confusing right till the end but if you love romance as much as I do, then you won't mind as much.

The exceptional beauty of most of the cast members were at times distracting. But for the most part, I think everyone did a good job. There was good chemistry between the main characters as well Moo Ra and Bi Ryum. Also a special mention for Im Joo Hwan who is always such a consistent performer. The rest of the supporting actors didn't have much to do because of the weak script.

Music was one of the best parts of the show. This soundtrack will stay on my playlist for a long while.

So to sum it up, you'll enjoy the show if you go in with little expectations. Give it a try, the romance and awesome music might just win you over.

Edit:

2 years and dozens of dramas later, I stand by my initial review. I think rewatching it helped me understand it better. Forget about the comparisons with the manhwa. On its own, it was great and doesn’t deserve nearly as much criticism it gets. The story was well planned and tied together in the end. The fact that all the answers came in the final episode made it feel a bit too artificial but other than that I have no major complaints. My only gripe is that they sort of abandoned Shin Hoo Ye’s storyline. I would have loved it if they’d have elaborated on his ending, perhaps showing some hope of gaining acceptance from the other gods that he so desired. All in all I’ll say that it was a great watch the second time around. So everyone please give it a chance and decide on your own rather than relying on the reviews.

Edit #2:

I’m coming back here 8 years later in 2025. After watching nearly 350 k-dramas since this one first released, I can confidently say that this drama is still in my overall top 5. By no means is it perfect. They could have easily done away with all of the human side characters and limited the series to 12 episodes like what we see today. That aside, I now retract statement in my first review. This isn’t a messy drama. It was actually very well thought out. When you rewatch it, you’ll see there were many things that were foreshadowed and the building blocks were there right from the beginning. The Bride of Habaek is like a well worn novel. You keep being drawn to it and upon each rewatch you discover things you hadn’t noticed before and you fall in love with it all over again. To sum it up, if you’re here for a fantasy/mystery story you might be disappointed. If you’re here for a tale of star-crossed lovers, the love story of Habaek and So Ah will stay in your memory for a very long time. It has everything I could want in a drama: beautiful romance, well thought out story, and outstanding music 10/10.

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my beloved time... wasted.

FULL REVIEW, SOME SPOILERS

i have never been as disappointed in a drama as i was with this one. because truly, i wanted to love it. it started off well, with beautiful cinematography and osts, with a fun plot and good actors, but thats where it all ends. after the first few episodes it all felt monotonous and repetitive. i expected fun bickering, lovey dovey moments, thought out characters, an unexpected twist with the documentary, DEPTH. the initial trailers seemed fun, fresh, nuanced and promised all of this, which the first few episodes somewhat delivered. afterwards, everything was a dull filler. let me explain.

my biggest issue was this: despite all the love professions and cute moments, i didnt care for the couple very much. after showing us how yeonsu constantly broke up with him whenever she wanted, the immature miscommunications, the imbalances in the relationship, i just didnt want to see them together. your first love is not often the person you stay with forever, and thats okay. this wouldve been a great healing drama, where the leads heal individually and learn to love themselves without the other. instead i felt the opposite, like they were codependent: ung could only sleep with yeonsu by his side, yeonsu felt empty without him.

therefore I think the drama should’ve gone in a different direction- a story of forgiveness, growing up and growing apart, getting closure. i wanted them to meet again, learn more about each other now that they were broken up, heal separately and stay separated. that would sent a better message, and it also wouldve worked better given the set up. if they were to end up together, there shouldve been a different backstory. all we saw initially was them bickering, which was cute in highschool, but we never really saw them grow to like each other. more specifically WHY they liked each other.

they were complete opposites and the drama never went deeper with their relationship past superficial conversations and longing gazes. this lack of depth made it hard to imagine how this was a love strong enough to last YEARS. they had so many problems, i mean, yeonsu’s “if i leave you just come back to me” what? how is this in any way cute or goals?
speaking of, i felt that the characters werent created equally. yeonsu was given so many flaws while ung… wasnt (especially in the beginning) and it made yeonsu look like the bad guy. i wish he had been more stubborn, or complacent in the misunderstandings so i wouldnt have to “pick a side”. especially when ung was defending yeonsu to us, saying he saw a different side of her: her ripping notes just to give it to ung, her refusing to see the flowers then bringing ung petals, etc. this whole “mean to everyone but me” trope is outdated. if the ending had to be them together, then the backstory should’ve been more “right person wrong time” and less “pointless couple break up for dramatic effect”.
and yes, they matured in the present day relationship, and there were cute moments. but yeonsu and ung were kinda boring , both in and out of the relationship. i didnt ever feel that they had that strong of a connection, and i never even got why they kept breaking up and getting back together in the first place. overall their relationship just didn’t work for me. and yes they were cute during the end, but it doesnt make up for everything else.

everything outside of their relationship was also undercooked. yeonsu went to work every few episodes (to not do work), ung barely drew. and these were their main traits. rather than being fully developed it felt like they got a traumatic little backstory which led to them having ONE issue: yeonsus pride and ungs attachment. what happened to the first few episodes, to the driven yeonsu? why didnt they explore more of how she burnt herself out from working too hard? or what jobs she had before landing the one we barely see her go to now? why not delve more into ungs wishes to live a peaceful relaxed life? how he even got famous considering it’s the complete opposite of his life goals? these questions are all unanswered because all the drama cares about depicting was their relationship.

lack of depth affected the other characters as well, with them being mere stepping stones for the main relationship. producer ji for example, giving him mommy issues and a never ending crush doesnt make up for the lack of personality. and am i supposed to believe he hung onto his crush with the girl he barely talked to… for YEARS? why not go more in depth to his relationship with ung and ungs parents instead, or even his won parents? in the present day he didnt seem like a very good friend, so depth is much needed. his documentary thing wasnt developed at all, even though the documentary aspect was initially what made this drama so unique. it felt like filler instead of its own character, and didnt connect with jiungs arc at all.
yeonsus best friend- aka the only character with some pizazz- was not on screen nearly enough. all we know about her is that she had a lot of boyfriends and has a strict family. ungs manager just fangirls over nj, i found him unbearable. couldnt he have been given ONE personality trait? nj pops in and out when we need some drama when she couldve been such a GREAT character. we had her tiny subplot with online bullies, and that was it. why not showcase the pressures of being an idol, or maybe even ONE scene of her singing or dancing or modeling or acting or SOMETHING?? mr jang, who i assumed would be the SML, never showed up after the first few episodes after he said he liked yeonsu?? what even was that ?? yeonsus coworkers are only there to gossip about her love life and their boss- i dont even know why hes there. i just wish the other characters were more delved into, like in hometown cha cha cha. its been proven that this CAN be done and still leave enough time for the main couple. and they certainly couldve spared some screen time. i know this is a romance drama, but there is such a thing as too much romance.

overall,
this drama felt undercooked. it could’ve been fantastic, really. highschool romances, bickering couples, cold leads, this has all been done well before. look at fight for my way, hometown cha cha cha, its okay thats love, etc etc etc. this drama shouldve taken notes from those that did it well. instead, they created a perfectly average drama that relied on cute moments and filler to make up for poor writing and direction. no slice of life, just romance. a poorly written, average romance.

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Payback Delivers Everything I Love: Dark, Intense, Emotional, and Absolutely Addictive

This is probably one of the longest reviews I have ever written, but some stories leave such a powerful impression that they deserve more than just a few simple words. Payback is one of those rare series that stayed with me long after the final episode, not only because of its intense storyline, unforgettable chemistry, and incredible performances, but also because of the emotions, pain, healing, and deeper messages hidden beneath the surface.

I do not usually write reviews this detailed, but this drama impacted me in a way that very few BL series have.

Thank you to anyone who takes the time to read my thoughts. This review is divided into the following sections:
1. Introduction about loving revenge/mafia stories
2. Min as Sun
3. Story structure and timelines
4. Sun's backstory and revenge journey
5. Toptap as Jay
6. NC scenes and chemistry
7. Episode 8 love scene and emotional climax
8. Episode count discussion (12 episodes vs 10 episodes)
9. Entertainment industry commentary
10. Adaptation paragraph (novel/manhwa comparison)
11. Overall acting, story, music
12. Final verdict

What a fantastic series. This is exactly my kind of drama. I love stories centered around violence, revenge, and the mafia world because they create such an intense and thrilling atmosphere, and Payback delivered that from the very first minute.

This is my first time watching Min as Sun, and I am genuinely impressed. His performance is incredible. From his facial expressions to the changes in his hairstyle and hair color, he makes every version of Sun feel distinct and believable. I especially love how the series uses Sun's changing hair color to clearly show which timeline we are in. The constant transitions between the past and present are handled so well. The flashbacks never feel confusing or unnecessary. Instead, they gradually answer questions while introducing new mysteries, allowing the audience to piece everything together naturally. It is such a smart storytelling choice and one of my favorite aspects of the episode.

Sun's story immediately pulled me in. After years of carrying guilt over the deaths of his mother and younger brother, he continues to blame himself for a tragedy that was never truly his fault. The real betrayal came from someone he once trusted, and that pain fuels the revenge at the heart of the story. The title Payback feels fitting because every emotion, every wound, and every act of betrayal is building toward something powerful.

It is also my first time watching Toptap, and he made a strong impression as Jay. He was only 21 when he filmed this series. He once said that if he didn't get the role in Payback, he would have worked an ordinary job instead, but if he did get the role, he would give it everything he had. He definitely lived up to that promise. For someone so young, he delivered an incredible performance and showed remarkable talent. This was his first leading role, and I truly hope he gets many more lead roles in future series because he absolutely deserves them.

It's so hard to find a series that delivers both a strong, engaging plot and genuinely great NC scenes, but this series absolutely delivers on both, making it one of the most complete BLs I've ever watched. The kissing scene at the end of Episode 3 was intense and unforgettable. If you watch closely, you can even see the saliva dripping, which made it feel even more real, and I'm so glad it was an actual kiss rather than a fake one. The chemistry between them was intense, thrilling, and completely captivating. The riding scenes at the beginning of Episodes 4 and 6 were just as incredible and easily some of the hottest scenes I've seen.

And after watching more than 500+ BL series, I can honestly say Episode 8 delivered the most beautiful, intimate, and realistic love scene I have ever seen in the genre, and I am still SPEECHLESS. It never felt like I was watching two actors, it felt like I was witnessing two souls who truly belonged to each other. When Jay stand there holding the umbrella and Sun ran into his arms, holding him so tightly and begging him to cry, to finally let go of every wound, every grief, and every silent burden he had been carrying, my heart completely broke. It was heartbreaking and breathtaking at the same time. Every touch carried years of longing, every glance spoke louder than words, and every embrace burned with a quiet passion that felt impossibly real. The chemistry was undeniable, the emotions were overwhelming, and the cinematography captured every fragile heartbeat with such tenderness that the line between fiction and reality simply disappeared. It was not just a hot love scene, it was love finding its way through pain, sorrow, and healing, leaving behind a moment so raw, vulnerable, and unforgettable that it will stay with me for a very long time.

I also saw many people saying the series should have had 12 episodes instead of 10, but I think it is worth looking at the actual runtime rather than just the episode count. The later episodes were much longer than a typical drama, with Episode 7 around 75 minutes, Episode 8 at 87 minutes, Episode 9 at 68 minutes, and Episode 10 at 72 minutes. A standard series episode is usually around 50 minutes, so 12 episodes would be roughly 600 minutes in total. After adding up Payback’s actual runtime, the series already exceeds the length of many typical 12 episode dramas. For me, the issue is not about having more episodes, but how the story chose to use its time. I think the emotional journey and character development matter more than simply adding extra episodes.

One thing I want to mention is that I haven't read the novel or the manhwa, so I went into this series with no expectations and judged it purely as a drama rather than as an adaptation. I have seen many comments saying that the revenge was not as satisfying as it was in the original story, or that the drama did not fully capture the impact and depth of the novel or manhwa.
I understand why some people felt that revenge was not enough, but I personally see it in a different way. Sometimes revenge is not always about an eye for an eye or making someone pay in the same way. Sometimes the greatest revenge is simply finding peace and taking back control of your own life. For Sun, his true revenge was being able to heal, let go of the guilt and pain he had carried for so long, and finally allow himself to be happy. Seeing him stop living for revenge and start living for himself made his redemption arc even more meaningful and emotional.
I can see why people are comparing this series to the original novel and manhwa, and why some people may feel disappointed or unsatisfied. When you already have a strong emotional connection to a story, it is only natural to hope that the adaptation can capture the same feelings, impact, and satisfaction that made the original so meaningful. Howeve, I also believe that an adaptation should be judged based on what it achieves as its own medium. A novel or manhwa has more space to explore a character's thoughts, motivations, and inner struggles, while a drama has to rely on acting, cinematography, pacing, music, and visual storytelling to create the same impact. Changes are sometimes necessary, and the fact that something is different from the original does not automatically mean it is worse. Since I experienced Payback for the first time through the drama, I was able to appreciate the story, the characters, and the emotions without constantly comparing it to another version. For me, the revenge journey, the character development, and the emotional payoff were still powerful and engaging. In fact, this series has made me want to read the novel and manhwa afterwards because I am genuinely curious to see how they tell the story differently.

I also love how this series explores the dark truth behind the entertainment industry. It shows how older, more powerful people take advantage of young artists, manipulating and grooming them, not only through words but through sexual abuse, while convincing them that if they refuse, their dreams will never come true.
Imagine being a young actor with an entire life full of hope ahead of you, only to have it stolen by people you were taught to trust. It is heartbreaking to watch, yet it feels painfully real. I cannot help but believe that stories like this have happened in real life. This drama does not simply tell us about that reality. It makes us feel it, carrying us through the fear, the silence, and the pain that so many young people may have endured behind the spotlight.

Overall the acting is excellent, the story is engaging, the dark and intense tone is exactly what I was looking for, and the fight scenes were well executed. I also loved the music, which elevated many of the emotional and action-packed moments.

Payback has everything I want in a drama: compelling characters, emotional depth, revenge, chemistry, action, and a dark atmosphere that keeps you invested. It’s so rare to find a series that delivers a strong plot, excellent acting, and some of the best NC scenes all at the same time. This series has absolutely nailed every single box for me.

Payback has officially reached an incredible 8.9 on MDL, making it the highest rated BL ever! 🔥

For me, PAYBACK is shaping up to be the best Thai BL of 2026. ❤️

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This is a good drama made worse by inserting too many cliche kdrama tropes.

big problems in story progression (characters, especially evil/expendable characters keep making insane choices to escalate things and keep the story going), and standard characterization flaws (villains keep doing unreasonable things, side characters are one dimensional; only used as a lever progress the story and then forgotten/kept in limbo the rest of the time.

I think Yoon Se Jun and Do Hye Ji (eldest son and wife) were among the more interesting characters in this drama. They had their own goals, and pursued them seemingly relentlessly but without being "too evil". They were a unit, always supporting each other, and I was interested to see more of them but in the end they are left alone just be used as comic relief and not much else. This my be one of my biggest disappointment with this drama.

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