Reviews

Horrendous, nauseating, and yet still boring as f.

That was awful. I'll start with the positives:

- Mos is supernaturally attractive. Every bit of him is stunning - hot body, porcelain skin, handsome face, those eyes, sexy voice, all of him.

End of positives.

This feels like it was written by a very sheltered 13-year old girl who inserted herself into the story as Bank's character. I'm not sure how else to describe his total lack of agency and relentlessly female wardrobe. You might think he has agency, but think about it - he's just a plot device, not a person. Even the one ability he has, designing jewelry (and the necklace is hideous), only exists when it's needed to move the "plot" "forward", and it's usually inspired by the supernatural elements of the story that are totally pointless and have no effect on anything.

I feel zero chemistry between Mos and Bank except insofar as Mos is so hot that he has some with anything that's in the same room with him. Partly because Bank's character is so vacuous and unrealized that there's nothing to be attracted to. Think about it. Describe his character: he... uh,... well,... he dresses like a girl. And wears so much makeup that if he actually were a girl, he'd look like a sex worker. That's really it. Oh wait, he faints a lot. A LOT.

This was the worst example of the worst kind of uke, who is incapable of surviving an average day without a seme to save him from drowning in 1 inch of water (this actually happens). Lin wants to use lovey-dovey nickhames, so he decides to call Sun "Dad". Not "daddy", which is at least an accepted slang term for an older (and generally wealthy) man, but "dad", which is only ever used in reference to your biological father (or occassionally a father-in-law) - is it possible for something to be more cringe? It's the ultimate infantilization.

The vaunted NC-17 scenes are so bad it's unintentionally funny. You get to see Mos's ass in the paint scene, so there is that, but that they didn't take off their high-fashion clothing first took me right out of the story. You could feed an entire village in Bangladesh for a year with what those outfits cost (in story). There's a BJ scene with slurping sound so loud that it would disturb Japanese people at a ramen bar. I guess Sun must have a micropenis, because otherwise there shouldn't be enough room in Lin's mouth to slurp anything.

One of the secondary couples has bird sex in a toilet stall while one of their fathers is watching while bent over backwards in a disturbing pose.

The only couple that's vaguely engaging also goes full uke-seme, the absence of which dynamic was what actually made them appealing - Yo behaved like a man, until he had a boyfriend, when he reverted to acting like a very sheltered 13-year old girl.

The production seems to think that loud = funny. All you need to do is have your characters scream their lines, and it's all very ha. (Or I guess it's "all very 5" for our Thai viewers.)

But worst of all, this was just dull. It wasn't fun to hate-watch, like Unforgotten Night - it just made me cringe almost continuously - and thank God for the +10 seconds button on iQiyi.

I can't recommend this - the only thing in it with appeal is Mos, and you can get anything you want of him and more on his instagram.

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I will try my best to mention everything without any spoilers, so I apologize that this is a tad bit long, but an excellent drama deserves a long review!

To start: I love this drama. How the story unfolds perfectly with each episode, to how the characters carry the story with their actions, this drama is perfect. For me, enjoyment is the main factor to determine if I like a drama or not. If there are a few inconsistencies but I ended up enjoying watching despite them, I will still like a drama. For Penthouse, there were a few things here and there that I think could have been done differently, but I didn't dislike the drama less because of it like I usually would for others. There were barely any inconsistencies that ended up enjoying every moment I watched enjoyable.

Story:
As long as a makjang drama is done right and makes sense, I don't mind how dramatic it comes off as. For Penthouse, it had the right blend of insanity with the plot and characters which made it work well (for me). What I love about this drama is how it's not predictable. Sometimes it comes off like you know what's going to happen, but then it throws you off-board by going down a path least respected. The overall flow of the drama was something I also really liked, as it never felt slow but at the same time it didn't feel like things were happening so fast. It had the perfect pacing, which helped keep me on board and made me enjoy the drama more. Another thing I really liked was how each prominent character gets focused on for a few sets of episodes instead of the story of each character getting told in the same episode. Because of this, each episode doesn't feel jam-packed and is able to properly tell the character's story without rushing anything. Overall, the plot was extremely enjoyable and constantly fascinated me which made me enjoy it more than I thought I would

Characters:
One of the bests things about this drama is no doubt its characters. Not just the three leading ladies (Soo Ryeon, Seo Jin, and Yoon Hee), but the leading men and the supporting characters are what make this drama spectacular. The acting is well done that sometimes I forget to separate the characters from the actors since the portrayal of each character felt so real. I also applaud the younger casts for how well they did with the intense script they were given. Penthouse gives you characters to like, characters to hate, and characters where you can choose whether you want to support or not. This balance makes the character ensemble interesting and enjoyable to watch, as you never know what will happen or what each will do.

Others:
Despite only getting to 3 OST's, both of them, especially Crown, was really good and fit the drama well. I also like the usage of classical music, which fits the overall drama extremely well. I also really like the design of Hera Palace, and even forgot a few times that It was completely made of for this drama.

One thing for sure is that this drama is not for everyone. If you're one that gets easily enraged or is sensitive then this drama might not be for you because of how intense and "dramatic" it is. However, I don't think because of that this drama should be labeled as "bad," since that is a preference.

Final Thoughts:
Penthouse will go down as not only one of the most intense dramas I've ever watched but also as one of my favorites of all time. The intense, unpredictable but fascinating plot captivated me and made me excited each week for new episodes. Penthouse was a drama that I didn't anticipate as much as others, but I ended up loving it more than the ones I anticipated.

I can't wait to see what happens next in season 2!

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I am definitely for dramas with character development, and this one does it pretty well for the main male character. Yihan transitioned from being a spoiled obnoxious celebrity to someone who actually cares for people around him and matured towards the end of the drama. Pei Youyou, the female lead, is an independent woman, who basically stays the same throughout the drama. In the beginning, Pei Youyou believes that she has a "lower status" compared to him, which prevents them from actually loving each other. This is further cemented when Yihan constantly does everything for her without consulting her. Pei Youyou has lived all her life as an independent, so she does not need a rich husband providing everything for her. But in the end, she learns that husband and wife should try to face everything together and that she should only be mad at him for a short time, which I think is the sweetest moment in the drama.

The writers also did a very good job with the side characters and their stories, especially Lin Tian Nu and Kandi, since both characters are very passionate about their work, yet they find love for each other.

I started this drama with skepticism and thought it was just another short romantic comedy drama. However, it turned out to be pretty unique with a great cast and good writing with the last few episodes being the best.

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With money, power and connections, what more will one need to become a formidable opponent? It is fun as our lead proves that no matter how strong this combination is, justice can still be served.

Story: True to its title, it has a continuous money-maneuverings blending with intrigue, humor, suspense; add a sprinkle of makjang elements, touching moments and lastly, a smartly-written revenge plot that will keep you hooked from beginning to end. The way the story handled prosecution battles and conspiracy within characters themselves will keep you engaged. It is funny, cute at times in the romantic side and can be felt more on the 2nd half of the drama. For me it was never boring throughout because there is a variation of tone the writers know how to execute in the story: if it’s funny, you’ll laugh and when it gets serious, you’ll like it best as it’s more solidly- awesome. The farther you get, the more gripping it gets. The ending gave me a huge smile on my face. All in all, Mission accomplished, plus more!

Acting/ Cast: Different in the sense that there is a minimal number of “real” good people here. At least 2-3 people and our lead is not even included. In this drama, the characters seemed realistic though. In terms of acting, I can say that all the characters are very well-portrayed by the casts and I felt connections on their characters from the start. Apart from Kang Ji Hwan who did great in his role – his expressions are loveable here; I also the loved the mom a lot played by Park Soon Chun, she simply shined in this! Though likeable from the start, Hwang Geung Eums’ character warmed to me also on the 2nd half, mainly because her character is stronger there. The supporting casts did a great job also, I loved the sidekicks! You'll love to hate the villains here, very well-thought characters written as well! Their battle of wits is one of the best things on this drama!

Music: It’s fitting. The instrumentals on the cliffhangers can really deliver the suspense!

Rewatch Value: Again, unlikely for me, simply because I rarely rewatch.

Overall: IoM marks my very first great and satisfying drama from the ones that started airing on 2013. If revenge is in your liking, don’t miss this!

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Although many say this drama is like Love O2O, I would like to disagree. The only similarity is the gaming concept. Other than that, the pace and chemistry between the characters are completely different. The main character guy slowly reveals himself and they slowly fall in love while in Love O2O, it's meet up and bam, true love. In my opinion, though this drama's [character] visuals are much lower than Love O2O and the plot isn't about these 2 popular kids, the way this drama is played out creates a much more natural scenario which I'm not mad about.

Zeng Lei is so underrated in this drama but I guess everyone just loves a cute and innocent girl T_T

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A Fresh Plot and Solid Actors

As to be expected, Kim So Hyun has picked another great script and delivered another great performance. “My Lovely Liar” stands out in a year of, in my opinion, slim pickings for dramas.

Pros:
• Our leads were just plain excellent. I am a huge KSH fan; the girl just always knocks it out of the park. But this was a new style of character for her. Loved it. Min Hyun, on the other hand, nailed it too. I loved him in “Alchemy of Souls”, and I adored seeing him as a lead. The characters were excellently written and excellently acted.
• A fresh plot that is paced well to keep you wanting more. The mystery kept you guessing till the end, and the romance was dynamic and real. Loved it.
• The romance is adorable. They have the cutest chemistry ever. They look like they just plain love being together. They were unbelievably cute. Not to mention: NO RIDICULOUS BREAKUP. That is always a win.
• Super satisfying ending!!

Cons:
• Overall, except for some exceptions, I felt the supporting cast was pretty weak character wise.
• The first three episodes, in my opinion, are pretty slow and kind of hard to wade through. But I’m glad I did.
• They were together for the last six episodes but we only got two real kisses out of all of those episodes. Would have liked to see their chemistry, which was great, better explored.

Overall, it’s a great watch, one you don’t want to miss. It has romance, mystery, comedy, and more all packed into one show.

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Drama Queens: A Cosplay

I asked two friends of mine, both old-school drag queens, and both with excellent make-up skills, to watch Cosmetic Playlover. Here is an excerpt of their conversation, edited for clarity.

MANI: Is this for real? This show?
PEDI: What do you mean?
MANI: Did we really just watch a Japanese BL about two gays behind a Sephora counter?
PEDI: Who knew? Who knew they had such dramatic lives?
MANI: What dramatic life? Apart from whatever’s going on with Natsume’s hair?

PEDI: That *is* a disaster, isn’t it? He stares at a mirror all day long... Did it not occur to him, at least once, to think, "hang on, my wig looks like it was sheared by a British dentist"?
MANI (laughing): The tall one, Toma, is it? His ain’t much better. But he’s so gorgeous that he can get away with it. He can get away with anything.
PEDI: He does.
MANI: By the way, in what world does a former supermodel work behind a makeup counter? Can you imagine Naomi Campbell working for Chanel at Macy's or Harrod's?

PEDI: Or Romy Féerique... Fun fact. Féerique is French for fairy. 

MANI: Now why would you know that?
PEDI: Because I’m a fairy, Mary.
MANI: Well, I'll tell you one thing, I'm not sure these two fairies deserve their own show. They are not funny, they are not sassy, they don't gossip... I'm sorry, but these are not interesting people. Beautiful, but not interesting. They take themselves way too seriously. And the show takes itself way too seriously.
PEDI: I mean, could the stakes be any lower? Let's face it. They're not neurosurgeons. Do you think the Gucci girl behind the counter has the time to take clinical notes on each woman who comes to her for free make-up? Also, silent callers? Hate mail? What is this, 2006? All because Ms Dimple Cheeks “poached” a “make-up client”. Who is this client? Sultan of Brunei?
MANI: If he did poach him, he’d be doing us all a favour. By the way, I don’t remember us taking an exam to become a “make-up expert”. Do you?
PEDI: Ummm, yes we did. Remember when we first went out in drag 20 years ago, and no one punched us in the face? That was the exam.
MANI (laughing): Do people in Japan really take make-up this seriously?
PEDI: The straight women who wrote this thing do. I’m absolutely certain... certain... that whoever wrote the manga wrote the first draft by imagining herself as the female lead, and then replaced herself with Natsume.
MANI: Which, I think, is how most BLs are written.
PEDI: I don’t think we, as drag queens, are in any position to judge that.
MANI (laughing): No, I will say though, I was surprised by the heat levels in this show. The kisses were quite hot.
PEDI: Yes. But the villains were not.
MANI: Except for the one skinny guy who now makes a regular appearance in JBLs. He’s in Smells Like Green Spirit, and that teacher-student BL. Whatchamacallit?
PEDI: I know who you mean. He’s good. He served some real camp goodness. He's very good. And hot.
MANI: Toma’s brother?
PEDI: Not.
MANI: Remind me again, why does he come between the leads?
PEDI: I... don’t know. I don’t remember. Something about their parents being in New York, and wanting him to run the family business... Listen, mama, there’s more drama between my fake eyelashes than there is in the entirety of this show. Here’s the thing. If I was a hot Japanese ex-supermodel, and my family lived in New York, I’m taking Ms Dimple Cheeks with me, getting gay married at the Plaza, and buying an apartment in Chelsea.
MANI: Are you kidding? You’ll be catnip for the polyamorous gays. Sniffies will crash.
PEDI (laughing): Exactly. These two though, they wanna play husband and wife in Tokyo. The vibe is very old-school JBL...
MANI: Ah, the monologues, the monologues... Because, you know, characters in JBL don’t believe in talking to each other, but they’ll happily talk to us, invisible people.
PEDI: Yes! And then with the pushing against the locker, the cartoon villains, and the "oh, but I'm a shy maiden" bullshit...
MANI: Again, because if there’s one thing we know about same-sex sex in BL world, it is that bottoms don’t want tops to top them…
PEDI: See, I don’t get that. I can't think of a single bottom in my life who won't jump on a hot top when he sees one. Hell, even a mediocre top! I don’t get that whole patriarchal “you belong to me” crap either.
MANI: I thought that went out with All About Eve.
PEDI: This is All About Steve.
MANI (laughing): I don’t mind the old-school vibe though. It’s fun. Loved that kiss against the background of fireworks... Ham-fisted symbolism? So sexy. Also, I kept imagining myself as Sponge Bob Hair Cut, and wanting to be pulled and hugged by the hot one and have my lips smashed. If that tall slice of meat were to come up to me and say, “you belong to me”, I’ll throw myself at him.
PEDI: Except you’ll cause an accident with those fake boobs of yours...
MANI: What if it turns him on? 

PEDI: That means you've died and gone to heaven.
MANI (laughing): This show is absolutely ridiculous.
PEDI: And hot.
MANI: And ridiculous.
PEDI: And stupid.
MANI: And ridiculous.
PEDI: And surprisingly watchable.
MANI: Do you think Netflix will pay us to watch BLs like they do Trixie and Katya?

PEDI: Only if it’s a podcast.

Reader's Digest:
DO SAY: Maybe she's born with it.
DON'T SAY: Maybe it's Maybelline.

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This is a review for seasons 1 and 2 together because they really are just one story, very very little gets wrapped up at the end of season 1.

The best thing by far about this drama is the characters. Nearly every single one will make you fall in love with them (and also probably make you cry at some point), which is no small feat because there are quite a few important characters in this considering how short the drama actually is. I was so in love with so many of the characters by the end of the drama that I felt a tiny bit robbed to not know how every single one of their stories played out.

Be READY to fall in love with Luo Fei Fei, Bei Tang Tang, Xie Yan Ran, Chu Shang Nan, and Bai Wu Chen (and probably quite a few others).

One of the things I loved most about the characters was that you get to see so many different and fun relationships develop between all the characters, it's not just the leads that you watch grow and fall in love. There are multiple love stories, wonderful friendships (the friendship between the leading lady and the second lead lady is AMAZING), and great family and imperial relationships.

The story itself was really interesting, not a concept I have ever encountered before and it develops in a really interesting way. Though time travel is a common concept in dramas, the zodiac element made this one different. There is a ton of romance and comedy, I laughed (and giggled) a lot, but there is so much else as well, the fantasy plays an important role in the drama which I haven't always seen in every drama so that was great.

The beginning of the drama was a little rough (there were some very awkward or cringe-y bits) and some of the actors took a few episodes to stop being stiff and start being likable (which, given that it's an idol drama, wasn't shocking) but the leading lady is so adorable, funny, and cute that you pull through and it's worth it for the way the drama develops as you really get into the meat of the story.

The things that stop this drama from being just fantastically fun and fluffy, aside from the rough beginning, are the ending, which left me wanting and left a pretty big question mark, and the incredibly annoying minute or two of EVERY SINGLE EPISODE where they were literally just advertising face masks and it was just shoehorned in SO badly. But skip through those and it's bearable.

Even though the ending left me more unsatisfied the more I dwell on it and the beginning was a little rough, the interesting story and the fantastic characters made me really enjoy this fun little drama. It's fluffy and fun and cute and it will make you smile (and probably cry sometimes too).

My overall rating is higher than my rating breakdown because it kept me so interested and so many of the characters stole my heart. It's not perfect, the ending especially, but overall this drama made me smile so much.

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So.. I was wavering whether I should write a review or not as I'm really bad at expressing my opinion.. also it seems that most of the reviewers had positive opinions about this drama... but.. I'll try..

To begin with, this drama had a lot of potential when it started airing. At first I didn't think that the cast for this drama was chosen wisely, but I was soooo wrong. All the actors were just amazing, and they suited their characters very well. The story was so captivating that it'd could have been used for a block buster movie! Cameramen did a great job too and the music added the thrill to each scene

BUT

it all changed. From a possibly block buster it went down to the amateur level after ~10/12 episodes (I'm talking about the writer's choices and the plot only). It became boring, lame and ridiculous. I hope this is not a spoiler but... come on!... A psycho serial killer going out from and back in to the jail like it was a hotel or something... A detective with a mentality of a 5th grader, getting himself into troubles wherever he goes... and many more....

I have to admit that after 15th episode I watched this drama just to finish it, just to see the ending. I'm not even counting how many dialogues or crying scenes I've skipped... And the ending... it was a huge disappointment...
They could have made and awesome drama with 16th episodes, but they were greedy and stretched it out to 20th. That was a mistake in my opinion. A mistake which ruined everything..

Anyway, if you want to see how bad can writers fail when they're greedy for the spotlight.. you can watch this drama.. otherwise... it's a waste of time :/

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Outstanding adaptation! Worth the watch!

Although I started watching this drama for my favourite guest and support actors, surprisingly I was entranced by many brilliant and talented actors/actresses especially the ML ZYL and the FL LSS. Even though I knew the major plot and the ending for this drama,  it didn't deter me from finishing this wonderfully executed and very captivating drama.

All the characters were portrayed impeccably well by the actors. Theirs elaborate appearances added fine details to their characters. Deep emotions, passion, feelings were displayed immaculatelly and their stories unfolded magnificently well, leading the events and results to the point where everything is set perfectly for the season 3.

I adored the beautiful and elegant clothes and make up of the actors and actresses. The backgrounds and settings were very suitable to scenes and events. Unique architectures magnified the effectiveness of making each setting different and enjoyable experience.

I loved different kinds of couples and their interactions. All the couples have different stories to show and their own undeniable and captivating charm.  Each couple had great chemistry. The types of romances shown were very beautiful and engaging: like HZ and HYs romance of push and pull due to their identity and responsibility, different ways of doing things, Spider king BMY's protectivness and selfless acts of care for DNJ and his people, YY and MXW's story of Romeo and Juliet where family interfered and made things difficult for them, the confusing love between MM and the leech demon CML's with two personalities, YYT and WZ being childhood sweethearts, the dark unconditional love with no boundaries between JH and JL, the kind/forgiving love between DCR and JJX knowing the motive they got together, the QMY's unwavering persueing of love and relationship with ZZ and finally, LQZ's cute and hesitant unrequited love for DQL. Although they were all different kind of romances they have one thing in common they loved the other deeply selflessly enough to be ready to sacrifice anything even their lives to protect and save their significant others. Being able to do this is a testament to the real and true love.

Aside from love stories, I was also impressed by heart warming and sweet sibling and parent/children relationships.

This drama taught many lessons. Love and life is not bed of roses. Most people face ups and downs with their loved ones. More so if their world is plagued with societal injustice and chaos. Furthermore, life is even more difficult for people with conscience and power who take their responsibilities and duties more seriously putting their personal lives at the bottom of priority list. Mostly prosperity and peace in different places around the world is achieved by sacrifices of their great heroes/heroines.

Their are always people who commit evil deeds and justify them due to their greed, obssestions, love for fame, power and/or glory and have to be fought to stop them. Without love, kindness, loyalty, trust, sacrifice, strong positive familial bonds and establishment of justice and order world would be very dark place.  Those who are left behind  of course have to learn to deal with grief and regrets but important thing is never to give up and respect their sacrifices and work for the better future and even if there is uncertainty there will be good change when righteous path is persued.


The CGI and cenimatrography of this drama was mind-blowing. The attention to detail, photorealism, seamless integrations, lighting and texturing not only gave a compelling visual experience, it also effectively communicated the sub stories and emotions. Thus, successfully engaging the viewers and leaving an everlasting impression.

I loved the beautiful and exquisite OST's which are very heartwarming, thought provoking and emotion stirring.

Overall it is very excellent fantasy drama adopted from manhwa. I highly recommend it to romance/fantasy lovers. 💕 Definetly looking forward to the season 3 'Sword and Beloved'💖

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It took me over 6 months after this show was completed for me to finish watching it, and no that is not because it was 50 episodes, its because it became so monotonous.
So many of the things that I really enjoyed about the drama came to an end around episode 15 with still 35 more episodes of almost nothing really important.
There were so many scenes where the main character just stared "meaningfully" at the camera, or into space, or at each other.
The main character Princess started off as a strong willful and fun character, but then just fell into this "ugh" phase where all she did was act like every other woman in Joseon. I was so disappointed by her. Over all the acting was sub par and the story just got dragged out more and more. Then the "special armory" people who didn't even have a real role would just show up in a scene sitting and talking to each other like they had so much free time, it was so unrealistic. I really like King Gwanghye and the actor in that role but he is not in it long enough, it would have been really interesting if they had made it more about him than her, and King Injo.
It ends with them trying to pull at some heart strings but it just doesn't work, mostly because by that point I was just irritated with all of the characters I didn't see a reason to care. Over all I would not suggest this drama to anyone.

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Finally i have completed YI SAN!!!! People this is the LONGEST DRAMA EVER I`V WATCHED. Don`t get me wrong i loved it, the length was not really called for thu. I think they could have cap it around 50 episodes the most. The Music was very good but i gave it an average score due to the limited variety, it was the same song over and over. The rewatch score cut due to the length and not the quality.
Its a beautiful story of a hard working king, whom loved his people with his very life. He is truly one of Korea`s greatest ruler. Yi san tells the story of King Jeongjo, or Yi San, the 22nd ruler of the Joseon Dynasty, revered in Korean history for his championing of democratic rights for the Korean people, and for his bureaucratic reform, Be advice the ending is very sad:'(

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This dramas is so much better than others in all its qualities… An epic Romance w/ political intrigue, in a captivating, tight and fast-moving plot… A story beautifully told and well executed by:
Amazing acting…Great directing/editing/writing…Beautiful cinematography…Superb production…Mesmerizing OST…even the clothes were noticeably beautifully designed.
Seamless interweaving of Romance, Politics, History, Action and drama, yet all very easy to understand!
Filled w/ many memorable well-developed characters... including the courageously steadfast Se-Ryung, one of the best characters in Dramaland, and certainly the most amazing female character!...wonderfully portrayed by MCW!
Awesome performance by Park Si-Hoo I can understand all his thoughts & emotions through his eyes- from the charming, easy-going teacher to the tortured soul caught between Love and Revenge!!!
Surprisingly, one of the best romances I have ever seen… I have seen it several times and will, no doubt, watch it again in the future.

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