Reviews

This drama literally kept me up all night! It took me a few episodes to get into it but once the story got moving I found it really enjoyable. The whole younger man, older woman is something new to me with Asian dramas so it was refreshing. I really liked the whole story. I loved all of the characters in this drama. Especially Ishida (and not bc he's played by Kamenashi Kazuya). His character is so fun loving and positive. Willing to work hard even when he's put down by others. You just can't help but love him. And Kame did an excellent job! This is the 4th drama I've seen of his and his acting is simply outstanding. When Ishida is playful and cheerful, you find yourself smiling. When he's hurt or embarrassed you feel empathy for him. When he's trying his best to succeed, you're rooting for him the whole way. He's just a big ball of positive energy so you can't help but fall in love with his character. Fujii is a really great character too. She's very career driven and when everyone else doesn't take the time to get to know the little guy, she goes out of her way to be encouraging and his number one supporter (even if he messes up and she's left to clean up the mess). They both had great chemistry with each other. The rest of the cast was really fun to watch and I never got bored with any part of the story. Overall, I thought this drama was very well done and I plan on watching it again in the near future.

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Not your typical republican-era drama -- in a good way.

This is a stylish and well-produced binge watch, with a fabulous ML, and an FL that compliments him well. Unlike most republican era short length dramas, this one actually has quite a few funny and cute moments woven into it. Although its technically a revenge story, the focus is really more on the main characters' friends and family in a way that makes the journey of the ML and FL rather satisfying to watch.

The spice is not quite what you'd expect from a republican-era short, but it's still brings plenty of heat, and the kiss scenes are very very decent.

Overall I found this a well balanced show, with elements of humor, danger, action, intrigue, and sweetness. It was a little bit fluffy, and a little bit fiery. One thing it was not, was heavy. So you won't want to go into this with a super serious mindset, it's meant to be something of a light watch.

The only issue I had with it was the way the last few episodes kind of get a little bit weird. But it's not that bad, the ending is still good basically.

I enjoyed it greatly, and I'd recc it to anyone looking for a good binge as a break between longer, heavier dramas.

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The story of this drama is incredibly unique, at least compared to all the dramas i've seen. The Cast and Acting was terrific and as a result of both the Story and the Acting, I truly felt an emotionally attachment to the characters, and how they changed. The music also furthered my emotional attachment to the drama. While I don't like rewatching drama, Ninkyo Helper is actually a drama I believe I could rewatch, since the element of surprise enhances the story, but in general, it's not essential to making the drama interesting.

Overall, i'm giving this drama a 10, and I fell like every Jdrama fan who enjoys the Crime/Yakuza and Family genres, should watch this.

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really cute BL with amazing chemistry

There's not one Korean BL drama out there that I haven't watched, and let me say, out of all the ones that were released recently, To My Star is the best drama in terms of kissing. Hands down. I sound like such a pervert omg... deja vu to another review just like this rip... But for real though, that last kiss in TMS was superb!

STORY
Is it just me? When you talk about Korean production in the film/drama industry, don't you kind of get this feeling of not getting disappointed? Like, in a way, you know that no matter what happens, you're just really going to enjoy whatever's made? Pretty sure it's not just me. Thus, I have a special place in my heart for Korean BLs, and I know none of them will completely disappoint me. Exactly what happened with TMS. There's this interesting plot of a cook and an actor somehow finding themselves living together in the same house. One's closed-off and throws out cold-city-man vibes while the other's more outgoing and cheery. Introvert vs. extrovert, basically. There's not much story that can be told within nine 14-16 mins episodes, and there were some secrets and hidden tales that weren't talked about, but given what we have, it was pretty well done. I was just really, really glad we got a happy ending :")

CAST/ACTORS
The first thing I look at when watching romance dramas is the chemistry between the characters. Not gonna lie, first time watching it, I couldn't feel it. I didn't see the chemistry at all. But boy, oh boy, you know what they say, don't judge a book by it's cover because, for a series, the first few eps are basically a cover to a book. You've gotta give it time for it to develop properly, even if it's a short series. Slow and steady wins the race, for real. So come episode 3, you can already sense their chemistry. It's so natural, the way they act with each, I'm beginning to think maybe they're close friends in real life. Did you guys know? Both these actors acted together in 'Tale of the Nine-Tailed' It was such a good Kdrama ;-; Maybe cause they've acted together before in a way, you can somehow feel their closeness on TMS, too. When they smile at each other, the fluff and cuteness simply overwhelms me omg. AND THEY HAVE SUCH BEAUTIFUL SMILES!

SONG
You know how sometimes when you're so focused on watching something, you forget about the song that's playing in the background? Yeah, me. So, I'm not sure if any of them were playing in the drama itself, but I looked it up, and I could only find one. And I think you guys should really listen to it.

NewKidd - 《Left Hand》

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I don't think I'll ever grow tired of watching Korean BLs, and I'm so glad TMS became a part of the growing list of really good BL dramas out there. With a happy-ending, too! Can you believe that? I don't know why, but maybe because I've been watching BLs for a very long time and the ones in the past would break me with their sad endings, so in a way, I always expect sad endings? But I think nowadays, BLs have started to "grow up", leaning towards giving us those well-deserved, happy endings, and I've got nothing but praises for that!

Thank you 'To My Star' for gifting us with an endearing and lovely series, and an EXCELLENT last-episode kiss!

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Forget everything you know about "toxic romance."

Don't worry, there's a way to save the series: JUST MAKE FLINT THE VILLAIN, AND HAVE SUN END UP WITH SOMEONE ELSE OR BE ALONE.
Why does Flint keep clinging to Sun all the time? I know that kind of scene is meant to create tension and give us butterflies, but when it happens 5 times in the first few episodes, and it's implied that the protagonists didn't have a history of flirting before, it feels strange. They know each other from the past, when Sun was still in high school and Flint still saw her as a little girl, so it doesn't make sense for her to just start attacking the girl every time she has the chance. It even seems like Flint made some kind of bet or something, because she goes after Sun every time she has a chance, even though there's NO atmosphere for it. And why does Sun always seem to be on the verge of tears? Does she have some past trauma or something? If so, fine, but if it's just to show how fragile the character is around Flint, I didn't like it. In 2 episodes she almost cries about 4 times. Enough already!

Another point I didn't like was Sun explaining herself by saying, "Do you really think I'm that kind of girl?", referring to the fake news that she was seen entering a hotel with a guy. What would be the problem? Couldn't she be dating a guy and go out with him on a date? Please! It's ridiculous for her to say that to Flint as if it were "absurd" for her to go out with a guy. Flint's justification is "You can't tarnish the company's image," so Sun can't be seen going out with a guy, but it's okay if she's seen going home with Flint? It doesn't make sense.

And when Flint keeps interfering in Sun's work? What was that? Please, there's no way to ruin an artist's career more than always having someone behind them, demanding scene changes, script alterations, etc. And the worst part is that Flint believes everyone except Sun. It doesn't matter if the girl says 20 times that she's not dating a guy, Flint always believes others, discredits Sun, and even demands behavior from her that Flint herself doesn't have... Flint is like: "Don't flirt with guys, don't date anyone, don't act in on-screen kisses, don't even let your photographer touch you... but I can do all that with you, even though we're nothing to each other"... But Flint, she already said she's not having a romance with that actor! - "But the actor said he is, and I believe him more than Sun." But Flint, even if she were dating the actor, that's none of your business; it would even be good for boosting ratings for their show! "It doesn't matter! I act as if I'm dating Sun, as if she were mine, so she must obey me, submit to my interference and not talk back... and anyone's word is more important than hers."

And the worst part is that she makes up that she slept with the girl because she was annoyed with Nope! SERIOUSLY? Who's more awful, Nope or Flint? I'm honestly starting to think Nope is a "better" option. How can the show criticize Nope for inventing a romance when the protagonist herself does the same thing?

The only good thing about this show, and what saves it, is the secondary couple!
I wasn't going to say anything, but since it's a sensitive subject, I decided to elaborate: Regarding the "problematic scene," all I have to say is:

* She was crying;
* Pushing the person away with all her might;
* Afraid;
* Asking to stop several times;
* And she says "Yes" at the end because she saw that if she gave in, it would end faster, because there was no way to escape, because Flint wouldn't "hurt her as much," and because she would come out looking "right" in the end.

This is not consent, it's instinct for self-preservation: When we give in to something we know we don't want and that will be painful, but we know that if we don't give in, it will be worse. It doesn't matter if she has feelings for Flint or not, and whoever uses that as an excuse is normalizing marital rape, be careful! Loving doesn't mean having a duty to give in even if you don't want to. If this scene were between a man and a woman, we wouldn't even be discussing it.

And before you say "but that's how it is in real life," "but that's a problematic relationship that will get better later": 1) In what life is this "normal"? In the life of a victim! Because in a RELATIONSHIP this is not normal, and if it is for you, I advise you to see a psychologist urgently. Yes, in real life this happens, and when it does, we call the police, report it, and separate the victim from the abuser. We don't leave the abuser with the victim and say, "calm down, he will improve in the future! Your relationship can still work out." 2) This is not a problematic relationship. A problematic relationship doesn't include a victim and a criminal; it includes two people who have PROBLEMS that can be solved with conversation, therapy, etc. Problems, not crimes. Understand?

It's crazy that in "Call Me By No Name" exactly what's happening now is happening. A woman abuses another woman, but when she reports it to the police, nothing happens because people claim that "this doesn't happen" between women, people don't see it as a "crime" because it's illogical to think that a woman could abuse another out of "malice." It must just be a misunderstanding... So you who are defending this scene are exactly the same as the people who didn't defend the protagonist of "Call Me By No Name"... I never thought I'd see this happening.

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the power of friendship

Overall: some of us are lucky enough to have at least one friend who supports us, tells us like it is, who loves us and who we learn and grow with on our life's journey. This movie tackles several heavy issues that plague our world and yet it isn't depressing, because there is joy in the friendship between Jang Heung Su and Koo Jae Hui. Aired on Viki www.viki.com/movies/40843c-love-in-the-big-city Make sure to watch to the very end.

Content Warnings: suicidal thoughts, unwanted outing, homophobia, sexism, cyberbullying, bullying, vomiting, voyeurism, beaten up, hate crime, drugging, rape off screen, past attempted suicide off screen, abortion off screen, blood, intimate partner violence

What I Liked
- acting (I cried several times which rarely happens)
- their friendship/bond thru the highs and lows
- tackled real world issues in a realistic way without feeling preachy
- production value

Room For Improvement
- the flash forward to start
- voice over towards the end
- wished there was more time to delve deeper into the issues brought up

Differences between the movie and the series (besides different actors)
- the movie has them as equal protagonists with shared screen time whereas Jang Heung Su is the protagonist in the series and it's about his life journey
- the movie centers on their friendship whereas it plays a role in the series, but is not the core of the series

Is it BL?
- there is m/m romance in it but Jang Heung Su is not in a relationship at the end, it does end on a hopeful note though

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Leaves you waiting for more

This short serves as an introduction to Pornographer: Playback is located between this and Pornographer the series, it has been a few years since Kijima and Kuzumi saw for the last time and they have only been communicating through letters, now once again they meet and the sparks are still there, however we see that as before, Kijima, has doubts about their relationship, at the same time that he is irremediably attracted to Kuzumi, something that will be explored more in the next installment of the franchise.

What this short leaves us with is that the sexual-emotional attraction that Kuzumi and Kijima had is still as strong as before and I would dare to say even more despite not seeing each other for a long time.

Kijima, although reluctant, seems increasingly willing to let Kuzimi into his life to the point that it leads him to meet his family, which for our old acquaintance Kijima would have been impossible before, in addition to admitting that he is looking forward to the letters that Kuzimi sends out periodically.

As an introduction it works quite well, since in a couple of minutes it raises you the new situation in which the characters live, the problems they will face and some of their fears, such as their ambitions, as well as that even at a distance these people have I've been developing feelings for each other for a long time and it's a situation that can spiral out of control at any moment.

The acting is very good and natural, even better than in Pornographer and the change of style with more "light" greatly favored the aesthetics, the chemistry is a bomb.

The Japanese never cease to amaze me, these people are either so pure that they do not even touch each other with their eyes or flat out suck each other down to the soul, what a barbarity.

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for someone (like me) who did part time while attending college, this gave me all the feels. the series is so close to reality #struggleisreal

my only issue with this series is too MANY characters. and each character has its own thing going own so sometimes its hard too keep up with their lives lol. when you are already invested/attached to a certain character then another episode will be spent for another story line, which is sometime frustrating since you cant follow the characters that you just wanted to see.

for the acting, i haven't seen a lot of thai dramas like this but to compare this to lovesick and make it right, the actors here are way way better.

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Realistic yet comforting. Beautifully told.

Initially watching the trailer, I thought this series is going to be all hell, drama, angst, and pain. But I couldn't be more wrong.
The whole series was just 8-ep short. If anything I wish it were longer, at least give us 12 eps :( And yet within those 8ep, Moonlight Chicken told complete, satisfying, and beautiful stories about its cast.
However, my favorite thing about the series is how well its conflicts were paced. Yes, this series touched on many difficult situations and the reality of life, many problems and dramas, and yet it did well in pacing the aftermath and resolution to comfort these problems. I've watched way too many shows where a small moment of jealousy or misunderstanding got dragged through countless eps and dramatized to become the main conflict of the series. It is not the case in MLC.
Moreover, each character in the series was made with a nice amount of depth and dimensions. They have their stories, flaws, and personality. All well fleshed-out in my opinion.
So to sum up, I think MLC is like a comforting spot amidst your busy life. You watch them struggle and you watch them heal. It is a very beautiful and meaningful show, please watch it!

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I've been wanting to watch something with Lee Min Ki ever since his cameo in Shut Up Flower Boy Band won me over. After watching Spellbound and now Dal Ja's Spring - I can honestly call myself a fan wanting to see more with him :D

To be honest, other than knowing I'd love Min Ki in this drama, I really had no expectations. I didn't really even pay attention to what the storyline was about before I started watching it. I just heard it was good and decided I must watch it. I haven't been this hooked on a drama in a long time - I watched it all in 4 days! I put everything else on hold and watched nothing but Dal Ja's Spring. I found the story that captivating.

By the end of the first episode I knew I'd love it. There was just something about it.... it's more than just your typical love story, it's more than a standard rom-com, it's more than a bunch of cliche's tossed together. And yes this drama definitely did follow the standard Kdrama cliches - but it added something original to it. The story was also more on the mature level, Dal Ja's narrations about life and people were the type that made me sit back and think.

The acting was really great! This was my first drama with Chae Rim but I thought she did an excellent job as Dal Ja. And Lee Min Ki was wonderful as well. I loved the chemistry they both had with each other - yet another reason to watch this drama (:

Also - the side characters were great as well. In the first episode you find yourself not liking Sae Do and Seon Joo, but as the episodes progress it's hard not to! I loved the relationships they all had, the friendships!

I found myself really loving a few songs off of the soundtrack - while others fit with the drama but didn't really catch on to me. My favorite is definitely the "Sha la la la la" song ("Take My Hand and Hold It")

I can definitely see myself rewatching this drama. I just finished it and I'm already missing it. This is one of those drama series that became a favorite very fast and one I'd love to own on DVD.

Overall? I think this is an underrated drama - if I hadn't of heard of Lee Min Ki and if I hadn't of seen a few people talking about it, then I might never of gotten the chance to watch this great drama! Yes, the drama is 5 years old. But don't let that turn you off from watching it. It's a refreshing type of drama - and different from your typical Kdrama. I highly recommend watching it. Even if it doesn't become one of your favorites, I'm sure there's a high possibility of at least liking it and enjoying it (:

There's a lot of sweet moments, funny moments, just overall great moments. Also, I found it hilarious how they used random music in scenes.

Don't think - just watch (:

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This story was super cute. With puppies and kitties and sweet innocent love. Most of the cast seems to be pretty new to acting but as the story went on they did a better job. The music was fun and catchy.

There is no synopsis listed so:

Basically the main boy is in danger of having his school club shut down so he and his best friend try to recruit the main girl and her best friend to be members since her uncle is the Dean of the school. The catch--she loves cats but is afraid of dogs. Will this be the end of his Dog and Cat club or the start of a new adventure for both boys?

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Excellent screenplay and top class acting

Large scale of real historical events told with an excellent screenplay that is great in details and heavy in suspense. It is more towards story focused instead of action focused, and the storyline is actually quite complicated to present but it was done really precisely, somehow they've made the plot easy to follow and characters' motivation very clear to understand. Huge plus from the acting performances, all the actors are absolutely top class and the movie works so great mainly due to those intense face-offs, so much stakes on screen but so meticulously arranged, simply unbelievable.

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I mean...I've really never watched anything like this. It was something ENTIRELY new, so that kept me on my toes. Of course, I personally wish this was longer, not only because I liked how unpredictable and fascinating the drama was, but also because I after episode 9, I really wondered how they were going to wrap up the whole thing in a single episode (what with there being so many knots and tangles yet to be unraveled), and I was right, one episode was not nearly enough, but good enough, I suppose.


And errr, probably another selfish reason why I wanted the show to go on is because the lead actor is quite possibly one of the most talented and handsome actors out there. And his CHEMISTRY, jesus. He and Aoi literally SMOLDER while together, the pure sexual tension between them primarily springing from how insanely sensual and sexually charged his eyes and body language are. Good lord, you need a fan to cool yourself down.

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I don’t want to run away anymore

A movie that tells a story about a teenage boy who ends up in prison, meets a boxer champion and grow as a person.

This movie is actually based on a Webtoon which I’m a fan of, which is why I felt that the movie fell short in comparison to it.

One reason was how they edited the story setup. Without much spoilers, I felt that the character of cha woo sol in the movie is slightly different than the Webtoon in terms of how he got himself into jail. But if you didn’t read the Webtoon, you would be fine! Though, there are other changes which I like, which is giving my man wi ha joon more screentime, loved his backstory!! Overall, apart from mc setup, the rest of the plot stayed true to the Webtoon. And all the actors did an awesome job portraying their characters and most of them look like the characters in the Webtoon. It really felt like the characters came to life which is 👍🏻👍🏻!

However, I felt that the scenes in the movie were way too short, and I couldn’t feel myself immerse in it. Like once I got in, it was time to move on to the next cut/ scene, takes me out of the story. Maybe because it’s a movie, they packed a lot of scenes so to make it less boring. But I would appreciate if the scenes were longer so I can invest my emotions to the characters.

The actions scenes were great! I liked how it was shot, the sound effects made me wince in pain (with the characters) and I loved the background music while they fight. Though it can be more gruesome given the tone of the movie and plot. And there are a few actions scenes that were cut awkwardly and didn’t really connect leaving me confused. But overall a decent movie with good action scenes!!

This movie illustrates the first arc in the Webtoon, I wondered how they would end it in the movie. And I’m satisfied they ended it in this way!

Although the movie fell short in comparison to the Webtoon, the movie delivers a tightly woven story with good acting, action scenes, a little humor and heartwarming in a place like prison. Probably won’t rewatch it in the future, but if they ever have a 2nd movie, I would be the first to watch 😉! Thank you for reading until the end, hope you enjoy the movie!!

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A Hypnotic Subversion of State-Enforced Conformity

ABO Desire is a fascinating, bizarre, and ultimately hypnotic mystery-horror-stalker mashup. While it utilizes the "Omegaverse" (Alpha/Beta/Omega) framework, it serves as a scathing satire of elite obsession, labor exploitation, and the rigid social engineering associated with contemporary Chinese power structures.

The series is anchored by an outstanding, intense performance by Huang Xing. He is a master of microexpressions, allowing a myriad of thoughts and feelings to flicker across his face to communicate volumes without a word. His hypnotic presence makes the "Enigma" reveal feel like a profound philosophical shift rather than a mere plot twist.

His Enigma represents a radical "Third Way" outside the traditional Alpha/Omega binary. By portraying the Enigma as someone who holds the most power yet has zero interest in titles or status, the show mocks the elite’s social obsession with rank. It suggests that true agency is only possible by subverting the patriarchal, hypermasculine power dynamics promoted by both the genre and contemporary Chinese state-aligned “gender policies.”

A particularly poignant metaphor exists in the secondary romance. The lower-rank character’s desperate attempts to "pass" as a higher rank serve as a universal reference for marginalized people—whether they are LGBTQ+ individuals in repressive societies or people of color in racist systems. It highlights the psychological and physical toll of a system that demands conformity for social survival.

This struggle is literalized through the brief, yet telling, inclusion of "ABO toilets." For an American viewer, they are a surreal and disturbing reminder of our own country’s current obsession with public restrooms. The policing of these spaces in the show mirrors the real-world attacks on transgender citizens, who, like the characters in the series, embody a direct threat to and an undermining of traditional hegemonic masculinity.

Written and directed by a female-led team, the series acts as a visceral condemnation of labor exploitation and the rigid social engineering that defines the fragility of "Alpha" status. The "domestic stability" found at the end is only achieved by completely dismantling traditional power dynamics. The two dominant male characters are forced to "grow up" and broaden their acceptance of others, proving that true dominance comes from intelligence and strategy, not CCP-mandated artificial masculinity.

ABO Desire is far from perfect—it is dense, messy, and requires a rewatch to truly grasp—but it is brave and essential. It proves that even a "fantasy" genre can be used as a razor-sharp tool to attack the foundations of patriarchy and social hierarchy.

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