Reviews

Wow, I watched this just now and I am still speachless. I started watching it without knowing how long it was going to be. Maybe that would have shocked me off if I had known - I am glad I didn't.

As for the story, of course it is totally extreme, vulgar and shocking, but it was acted out incredibly good, without making fun of any of the really serious subjects and without being laughable.

The characters were thoroughly thought about and there were no stereotypes. There were no "good" and "bad" characters, either.
Of course the acting was great. You must be a great actor to pull off extreme scenes like there were so many in this movie. It must have been really, really hard.

I would recommend everyone who's old enough (well as said before, it IS kind of extreme) to watch this. It is definitely worth it and a masterpiece.

Leggi di Più

enjoyable romcom

Overall: it was a fun watch and I hope we get a sequel/see these actors in more series. 8 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on iQIYI and YouTube (not in the U.S.) here is the first episode link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s27LxcQeg_0

Content Warnings: kidnapping/held against will, manipulation, coercion

What I Liked
- the supporting characters
- I did laugh several times, the comedy sound effects weren't excessive (I loved that security guard just watching them go at it like that wasn't part of his job lol), though the comedy did give way to angst at some points
- sweet and supportive moments (though Yang should have apologized verbally in episode 3)
- Tammy wasn't a cliche female character
- ep 6 NSFW scene was very well done

Room For Improvement
- plot holes/continuity errors/nonsense stuff (i.e. pretty sure that isn't how you find investors/partners, why didn't he just ask his wealthy parents???)
- Phojai's plan/timeline made no sense and that was a weak apology
- they lived in the same building, but this was not shown/explained and then sometimes Phumjai was at a different bedroom/house (his parents?)
- cliche plot point in ep 5 and other cliches (sick after being in the rain, accidental fall/catch, etc)
- ending was rushed, too much of the debt stuff (could have cut that whole plot out)
- several interrupted kisses in the final episode
- I didn't deduct points for the blatant product placement because it funded the series

Note: I am blown away that Offroad's character here is so different from Saint in Our Days, I have to keep looking to make sure it's the same actor

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A Love that was Meant to Be

What a drama! From the first few moments you will find yourself smiling. I did. It is so refreshing and nicely done. From the first episode, you are just captivated by the leading couple. They are both so well suited for each other, that you will find yourself just falling in love with them.

FL (Jiang Zhi Nan aka Xu Mu) is a planner for an Shangxin Advertising Company. She loves her job. The one thing missing in her life is a partner. This is due to certain expectation she has of meeting that certain someone that she feels is right and she wants to marry. Even though after six blind dates, and at the urging of her parents to change her viewpoint, she is not willing to do so. But surprises do come when you least expect them, and it did so with the arrival of ML (Zhang Jiong Min aka Xie Shi/Jiang Zhou) at a client meeting Xu Mu attended. Xie Shi unbeknownst to Xu Mu was the same boy who was her high school desk mate. Talk about surprises! Her life from that moment on changed dramatically. She was now about to find not only her partner who has always been in front of her but the true meaning of love.

Xu Mu when meeting Xie Shi finds him to be aloof and cold. She doesn’t recall much about him from their days at high school. But in a drunken state she finds out the next morning, that she has announced to everyone that Xie Shi is her boyfriend. This was great news for Xie Shi because he had loved Xu Mu since high school. He never knew how to express his feelings to her, so taking advantage of the situation, and seeing how everyone from her family and friends were congratulating her, Xie Shi suggested they become a contractual couple and live together. Xu Mu at first was hesitant but saw this could relieve them both of the pressure of endless blind dates and accepted the offer with a stipulation, if either has a crush on the other the contract would be null and void.

We also had Xu Mu bestie SFL (Yan Zhi Chao aka Song Nian Nian) and Xie Shi’s bestie (Wang Chuan aka Shen Yi). This was another adorable couple.

You will find that Xie Shi is a man of few words, but his expressions show more than what Xu Mu cares to either recognize or consider. He does always the slightest things to please her because he loves her. Cooking, driving her to work, helping make sure that she has everything that she could possibly need to feel secure in this “contractual relationship” which, he would hope would lead to more. But as they say the best laid plans.

Enter a rival for Xie Shi, Zhang Yao (Sheng Yi Chen) who was an artist that Xu Mu had over the years been texting as a friend. He is a famous painter that no one has ever met or had do an exhibit. Zhang Yao leaving a restaurant the same day as Xu Mu didn't have an umbrella. She kindly gives her his. As she smiles and goes, he overhears her colleague call her name, "Xu Mu." He then realized who Xu Mu was and texted her back to say he would do the exhibit. Zhang Yao immediately wanted to be with Xu Mu but found out that she was with Xie Shi. Ironically, he heard Xu Mu and Xie Shi both talking about their video chat with her mother and how well they performed which he then knew they weren’t a couple. Of course, he confronts Xie Shi about this and tells him that he will pursue her at this point. In the end, Xu Mu makes it clear that she only sees him as a friend. Heartbroken, Zhang Yao leaves.

Xu Mu thinks that Xie Shu likes Qiao Nan (Zhang Hao Yue) because of various misunderstandings one in particular was when there was an earthquake, and she saw Xie Shu helping her to a taxi for medical attention. Not realizing that he came there to check on her only to have someone say that she was in the room with Zhang Yao.

Misunderstandings abound and so Xu Mu tells Xie Shi that their contractual relationship is over.

Of course, Xie Shi doesn’t know what to say but he agrees to what she wants. But again, fate intervenes for this couple who is fated to be together. Xu Mu’s mother tells her she has a blind date set up for her which turns out to be Xie Shi. He explains to her about Qian Nan, and she tells him they were a fake couple so there was no need to explain. The matchmaker told her that who she was meeting today was looking to get married. She asks him is he looking for another girl for a fake marriage. If he still wanting the fake thing, she won’t have enough time or energy. She had this blind date just to get a husband. To which she tells her that he is not acting. Tomorrow they can go and get married. Does she dare? She does! This beautiful couple gets married!

Xu Mu finally does understand that Xie Shi did love her for such a long time when she finds his high school book. He goes to explain so much to her which he confesses his love for her. That is what she was waiting from him to hear that he loved her. She then opens up and confessed her love for him.

Xie Shi did have a rough upbringing which Xu Mu found out when his father came asking for money and threaten him with getting rid of his mother’s bracelet. The only item that his father still had of hers. He gives him the money and his father gave him the bracelet. Xu Mu calls her aunt who explains how Xie Shi’s father beat his mother, but Xie Shi would intercede and ended up with learning to use his left hand because his father broke his wrist in one of those beatings, and it didn’t heal properly. This also happened at the same time his mother died.

The surprising part is that Xu Mu did meet Xie Shi's mother. On his birthday, his aunt and mother went to get him a cake. All of the stores were closed. Xu Mu happened to run into his aunt and mother when they ask where she bought the cake. Knowing that they would not make it, Xu Mu gave them the cake and told them to wish her son a happy birthday from her. Hearing this story and seeing her in the background of the photo her aunt took of his mother that day made Xie Shi happy to know that she had met his mother.

We get to see each couple happy six years later. Song Nian Nian and Shen Yi have a son, who takes after Xie Shi in math. Xie Shi and Xu Mu do not have any children but after having an in-depth conversation, they decide to have one -- Manman. So smart and so like Xu Mu. He loves how his parents are so loving, and he goes through their photo album showing us their meant to be love story. It was cute.

I really enjoyed this drama. I feel you will too. There are misunderstandings that don't last long. Both couples are nicely matched. This is one of these dramas that you can just sit and binge. You may even find yourself smiling and thinking about your high school love and how that sweet and carefree years of being young can transcend to being with that same enduring love as an adult.

Get yourself all ready. Cuddle up and enjoy this sweetly done drama.

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The Beatles' once wrote a song called "There's A Place" that says, "There's a place, / Where I can go / When I feel low, / When I feel blue...". There are always those places we go when we are sad, places where we can look for a new life, try new things, and meet new people. That is what Somewhere Only We Know is about. It's about finding a place to become new, to build new meaning to one's life and to one's love.

The story is simple, but surprisingly compelling. We see Jin Tian's (Wang Likun) journey to a place, to Prague. At first, it is just a beautiful city meant to help her heal; it's a city that her only family member once lived. Later, though, and interwoven with her own love story, Prague becomes that place of being and becoming a new person. What I enjoyed most is how interwoven Jin Tian and Ze Yang's story was with Lan Xin and Dr. Novak's. The links and flashbacks gave a beautiful, yet sorrowful meaning to the idea of having a place and of being in love.

Despite a group of young, fairly inexperienced actors, Somewhere Only We Know featured bright moments. The chemistry between Wang Likun (Jin Tian) and Wu Yi Fan (Ze Yang) was sweet; their interactions with Sophia (Ni Ni) were definite highlights of the film. Moreover, they showed an awkwardness that fit well with two young people in love. Plus, the movie showcased Wu Yi Fan's ability to be a "cold guy," a nice guy, a sweet guy, and best of all, a silly guy. Xu Jinglei took a major risk, and I believe it paid off. Last but not least, Xu Jinglei was awesome herself as the young Lan Xin. She gave off a grace and beauty that brought me to tears at its sincerity.

I loved the music in the film! From traditional Czech music to Frankie Valli's "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" to Wu Yi Fan's "There Is A Place," the music captured that sweetness of new love, of old love, of lost love, and of found love.

Probably my only complaint with the movie lies in it's use of English instead of Czech when there are longer conversations with non-Chinese characters (Dr. Novak, especially). I don't hate the choice necessarily, but I would have liked there to be more Czech involved in the film.

Of course I'm going to rewatch this again and again. It's sweet, funny, yet also insightful. On a fangirl note, why wouldn't I watch it again?

Overall, I give Somewhere Only We Know a 10 because I enjoyed the film so much. I laughed and cried (I dabbed tears at several points during the film), and I thoroughly felt the love between the characters. I also enjoyed seeing the beauty of Prague; I really, really want to visit it now. It gave a wonderful environment and air to encase the beautiful stories within the film. The film made me want to find my own place as well.

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Story
A long time ago i watched the first episode but ended dropping it bc i thought it was boring but when ii watched it for the second time i was addicted. I liked the men switching in a woman body bc he started to understand the womens life. There wasn't only romance but also comedy there are really funny scenes. There are 3 endings I personally didn't think the drama was ended yet bc there are things that aren't explained yet.

Acting
Zhang peng peng did a great job i really liked her acting when she had to act as a man she was doing really wel. Qi peng was really handsome but his face was always the same i know he played the icy cold character but his face was a bit stiff this was his first drama so he still has to learn a lot. The rest of the cast was good. There was only one person i wanted to punch in the face jian ying yue really annoyed me but that was her character.

Music
I really liked all of the ost chinese music are always beautiful also there lyrics are special.

Rewatch
I will rewatch this bc every episode is only 20 min which is not much and there are only 35 episodes!

Overal
I really liked this drama i recommend you to watch this the leads are great and it is also funny

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Where do I begin?
I started watching this drama because it was the holiday season and I desired a good romance comedy, and I followed a friends recommendation and started watching this. I can't say that I instantly fell in love with this drama, but I did like this drama from the beginning.

Story:
Overall, I enjoyed the story immensely. So why did I give it a 9 instead of a 10? It's because you know who ends up with who. It's not going to shock you in anyway if you've watched any korean romance comedies. Other than that though.

Cast/Acting:
Perfection. It couldn't have been better. The only thing that was somewhat "different" was Dok Go Jin's voice. His voice is "different". In the end it becomes the most soothing voice though.

Music:
The music did its job very well.

Rewatch Value:
I'm not much of a rewatcher, but I probably will not rewatch this like most other dramas and movies.

Overall:
Overall, I enjoyed this drama so so so much. It's a great drama that'll have you laughing and crying in no time. It's one of the best Romance Comedies out there. Oh and the ending was just A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.
So go and watch it! You'll enjoy it!

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Loving It

The Well Blended adventure plot and Romance subplot captivated me.

Xu Kai and Yu Shuxin have chemistry no doubt. It is that I wonder if Luo ZhaoYan and Yue Qi if this is in an GL line. The chemistry of the two characters is captivating although they have different love line which is also makes me feel giddy, hahaha. The characterization is perfect.
Cutie girl with Strong Fighting Skills x Dignified Master who pretend as a guy.
I'm fond of the two actress.

Back to the review, The show is comedic and you will not get bored. The 1st episode for me is captivating that you want more episodes.

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Made for Mindless Binging

Double Love is a good pick if you're looking for hearty laughter, fluffy romance, and fun engaging characters.

Adapted from the novel "Master, your wife is AFK again" by author Da Ju Mao, the story centered around Lu Wanwan, a female actress who is trying to make her mark in the acting industry without counting on backdoor connections, and Han Jingmo, a star, and expert game player.

The plot itself was the usual idol drama - a bumbling yet bright and warm rookie actress meeting a cold but admirable popular male artist and how they fall in love online and offline. There were cliches like past encounters leaving a deep impression on one of the leads and the usual show business shenanigans like scheming actresses trying to sabotage the FL's career and get between the two leads.

The storyline may not be new, but the show was fun to watch. The main CP's love story was endearing, and I love watching their journey to success in their careers and personal lives. The humor and wit were on-point, and the interactions between the characters were so heartwarming that they pulled me into the drama. Plus, issues and misunderstandings were resolved quickly, making it an easy watch.

Unfortunately, the show suffered from some terrible editing, and key scenes were cut, leading to viewers' frustration and confusion. I strongly recommend looking through the comments for links to the cut scenes for a better understanding.

The CGI for the game was pretty good, and I enjoyed watching the matches and the characters. There were some hilarious setups in the virtual world, especially when juxtaposed against the characters in real life.

The chemistry between the main couple as well as among all the characters was organic and engaging. I was rooting not only for the main CP but also for the low-key relationship with BL undertones between another pair. I adored the dynamics of the Lu family and the sibling relationship between Wanwan and her brother Lu Guang Han. They were hilarious, teasing and bullying each other but also so supportive and protective of each other.

Zhang Sue Ying was the highlight, honestly. Her character was full of energy and spunk and brought so much life to the show. ZSY's acting was so natural and realistic, like she became one with her character, Wanwan.

As for Bi Wenjun, he was somewhat stiff in the beginning, but he got much better in the later episodes. I was not wild about how they styled him as the top star Han Jingmo, and I preferred his look in the game. However, he was still eye candy, and together with ZSY, they made a great-looking couple, especially during their scenes on the red carpet. Han Jingmo was the perfect ML - faithful and consistent, always looking out for Wanwan...although he can be childish at times.

In general, the cast was great, and there was a fun rapport among them. I did find the side couple's story unnecessary and uninteresting. I would much rather them show more sweet moments between our main CP.

The OST was awesome. I never skipped the ending credits because of the song, 'I Wanna Be Your Love' sung by Bi Wenjun. It is a sweet song played during the main CP's romantic scenes. The opening song, Tiptoe, by Xu Mengjie, was catchy too. For posterity, I listed the song list at the end of this review.

Overall, do give this show a try! It would be a shame to miss out on the comedy, fun and satisfying ending. Whether you need to cure bad-day blues or just a distraction, watching this show might just do the trick!

OST List:
* Bi Wenjun (毕雯珺) - I Wanna Be Your Love
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztJE7NwDhOg

* Xu Mengjie (徐梦洁) - Tiptoe (踮脚尖)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLq-5sam6O0

* 打扰一下乐团 - Fearless (无畏)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uFefnf9A9o

* Jin Wenqi - No Trace (无迹可寻)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umsk7wFO8Bo

Album on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/album/52w5EV0C36g1EsEmGX4nDK?si=mX8-ZjeRQBiiMuPIBNS-cA

Leggi di Più

Wow, what a drama. Started strong, finished strong. The middle was also semi-strong but a few episodes fell beneath the "strong" category for me. They were just "good", and not breathtaking, which is why I gave it a nine.

Storywise, this was a great drama. Lots of twists and turns. It also broke a lot of stereotypes.

The actors and actresses did a terrific job on this drama.

The music was pretty good. I probably won't listen to it too much now that i've finished the drama, but the songs fit each scene perfectly.

As for rewatch value, i don't rewatch dramas generally, but this is one I could see myself rewatching in a couple of years.

Overall, this drama was a solid drama that had me on the edge of my seat, and severely lacking sleep these past few days. I can fully say I understand why this drama is currently ranked #1 on MDL.

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The Servant is a retelling of popular South Korean folk tale The Story of Chunhyang, and can either be viewed as a prequel or a sequel to the 2000 film, Chunhyang.

Where the original Story of Chunhyang (and earlier film adaptations of the folk tale) tells the story of the beautiful courtesan's daughter and the handsome nobleman who falls for her, in this retelling this classic love story takes on a new dimension.

Bang-ja has worked in servitude to Mongryong for many years. He's satisfied with his existence until one day he encounters a woman who changes his life forever. Both master and servant fall for the beautiful Chunhyang at first sight. However, due to his lack of status, Bang-ja is convinced he doesn't stand a chance against the aristocrat, Mongryong.

I have to say this retelling of the original folk tale was quite moving to watch.

Where Chunhyang (2000) is an upbeat, pure love story with likable characters all around, The Servant is a poignant story of long-suffering and sacrifice. It puts a more mature spin on the original story, and solicits a deeper emotional investment from the viewer.

Both films are great for different reasons. In Chunhyang I loved the feel good story of young lovers discovering each other for the first time as well as the skillful direction of the film by Im Kwon-Taek. In The Servant the hero's strait journey to be with the love of his life is what touched my heart.

He was a very sympathetic, worthy, if tragic, hero, portrayed superbly by actor Kim Ju Hyuk. Though powerless & trapped by his low class Bang-ja revealed himself to be the true noble, a man of honour, wisdom & sound character who, for the sake of love, suffered through much humiliation and hardship. A number of the supporting cast put in notable performances as well, in particular Oh Dal Su's In No, Bang-ja's compatriot & mentor. The Servant was also surprisingly modern in tone and mood. It took on a somewhat tongue-in-cheek approach towards its handling of sexuality. It may seem a bit contradictory to the period in which the film is set, but it worked somehow with the overall arc of the story.

In closing, I'd say both films are well worth a watch, though it's not mandatory to see one in order to understand the other. I'm giving The Servant a 10 (as I did Chunhyang) for its story & Kim Ju Hyuk's performance. The ending was beautiful and bittersweet. Just an overall enjoyable watch that I'd recommend to everyone.

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Honestly felt more like a kpop fangirls wet dream rather than an historical coming of age drama. Which is a pity, because the actors did really well, but the writing was horrible.

I honestly don't know what the writers were thinking because the characters were interesting, but not developed enough to be interesting or matter and the acting wasn't that bad, Go-Ara is a brilliant actress but her character was written so badly she couldn't show her skills. Park Seo-Joon did a brilliant job with what he was given, although he wasn't as badly written.

The worst character was by far Han-sung. His character was so interesting - A fun-loving young man who loved his peasant brother dearly, opposed his families views, and had the burden of being the sole heir. THE POTENTIAL FOR DEVELOPMENT WAS IMMENSE. But he got no development and was shown perhaps once every other episode. He was a big part of the shift in direction towards the end but his dynamic with various characters wasn't explored so it was more of a fact stated than actors showing this - again, writers fault, not the actors.

Some characters had interesting histories but weren't explored at all - mainly the Hwarang who didn't know who his father was.

The romance was just thrown in their for the sake of showing some kissing. Park Seo-Joon and Go-Ara did well enough to show that their characters cared for each other, but story wise, the romance wasn't needed. I cared much more for the dynamic between Hyung-Sik and Seo-Joon.

The plot had potential, but showrunners focused more on Go-Ara walking around depressed than moving the plot forward.

Overall, the acting wasn't bad at all but the showrunners left no room for the actors to, well, act. The characters were so 2D that it was like asking an actor to act as a lifeless corpse.

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