Reviews

Main Ingredient? LOVE!

What can you do when your mom sends you far away from the city as a punishment? Live with it. Or you could run away, but that probably wouldn't be the best idea.

Moo, who has that problem, was sent away for not being a good student and skipping classes due to trying to reach his dream of becoming an idol. When his mom finally gets tired of it, she sends him away from Bangkok. Now, in a secluded area where the nearest convenience store is a 20 minute walk, he must learn to live here where he has a crappy room and bad internet.

Kang, a guy who helps his mom run a restaurant. Nothing much to it besides the fact he's a good artist.

When their paths meet, what could happen? Will there be love brewing? We'll have to wait and see over the weeks that this comes out.

This drama had reminded me so much of msp. Not necessarily the plot but the way that this makes me feel takes me back to when I was first watching My School President. I love Sea and Keen as a pairing so much!! Kang and Moo matched each other so much, and their visuals together are just amazing overall. This series may just be my top 5, maybe even 3, bl series of 2024

Who would I be if I forgot about the side couple? Payos and Potae are such cuties and seeing them together was great, I hope to see more of them together in future series.

As the first half of 2024 is coming to an end, the last day of June being my birthday and being the last day of the first half of 2024, Only Boo is beginning to wrap up with only one week until the final episode. It's sad to say and I will for sure miss these two, but I'm so glad that I joined this journey and watch these two characters grow as they realize their love for each other.

This series was a roller coaster of emotions from tears of joy to tears of sadness. If I had a chance to watch this all over again for the first time, I would. My cuties!!!!

(For those who don't know: The Trainee with OffGun will be overtaking the Sunday spot, June 30th, my birthday😋)

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Meh-drama: Lackluster Plots, One-Dimensional Characters, and a Blatant Maturity Gap

This entire drama was such a meh, and I definitely have lots of complaints about it. First of all, literally nothing happens for the whole duration of the drama, yeah it has fluff (cringe fluff) but its kinda boring seeing the same thing happen three times. The main CP have a very large maturity gap, it gives 19 and 30 yr old, for the most part its just blush blush tee hee I've never been in a relationship before but it's very noticeable and I kinda really got sick of it really quickly. The characters are also very 1D and lack depth, MQC's only personality traits are doctor, chef and voice dubber and it's all based of their careers. MQC is a very unrealistic character who is magically good at everything and there are no challenged whatsoever in the relationship. The 2nd and 3rd Couple were also very forgettable and it kind got to the point where I really just did not care about them. I watched this whole drama on 1.5x speed, and I only finished it because I am a big fan of TJC. I do not recommend this to even people that like romance and fluffy, overall I rate it a 5/10.

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An OK Drama

Bulgasal literally means 'impossible to kill'. This drama is based on a Korean folklore. Bulgasal is mythical immortal creature or monster that feeds on human blood. This folklore dates back to the late Goryeo period.

Bulgasal: Immortal souls is directer by Jang Young Woo and screenwritten by a husband-wife team Kwon So Ra and Seo Jae Won.

Dan Hwal played by Lee Jin Wook was a human who was born with Bulgasal's curse. He bacame a Bulgasal himself after a series of incidents 600 years ago which led to him losing his family. He is now in search of a woman, who he believes to have killed his family and turned him into a Bulgasal in her past life. She has now reincarnated as Min Sang Un played by Kwon Na Ra. Hwal needs her soul to break free of his curse of immorality and leave the world.

The first episode is set in the late Goreyeo period, when monsters were alive. It shows the original story of Dan Hwal from birth to how he became a Bulgasal. Honestly, though a lot happened in the first episode, I didn't really feel anything. It felt really uninteresting and slow. There was a war inside my mind whether I should continue this show or put it back in my PTW list (I don't drop dramas) after I finished the first episode. Then, I decided to give the second episode a try. Most of this episode was set in the modern times and in this, unexpectedly the whole look and pace of the drama changed. It became more and more interesting and intriguing in the next episodes. It's really unpredictable what will happen next and arouse our curiosity. Each and every episode arises new new questions which keeps the story compelling.

After starting this drama during the airing time, I realised that it was not a good decision because we will be at our wit's end wating for the next episode. The whole drama was fairly fast paced with no lagging.

Both Lee Jin Wook and Kwon Na Ra are veteran actors. As I usually watch C-dramas and only recently ventured into the lands of K-drama world, I have never seen them in any drama except Lee Jin Wook in Sweet Home (which I never completed). I liked his acting in Sweet Home and I think I know why he is cast for this role. Dan Hwal's character needs a commanding as well as terrorising (sometimes calm and caring too) look which Lee Jin Wook had.

I'm not really a fan of Kwon Na Ra but I canno't deny that her acting was nice in this drama. Eventhough the she was a bit annoying at first, she fairly pulled off her emotional scenes. But she dosen't make up to the list of my favourite actresses.

The actor that I liked the most in this drama is the villian's. I won't say who it is (probably you know whom I'm refering to) but, his acting is just superb. He nailed his character and this is what I really want from an villian character. His look, gestures and everything is really apt for his character.

Also the supporting character play a major role in the story of this drama, especially Min Shi Ho (Min Sang Un's current life sister) played by Gong Seung Yeon, Detective Kwon played by Jung Jin Young, Nam Do Yoon (an orphan who is often abused) played by Kim Woo Seok and Lee Hye Suk. Without them, the drama would feel incomplete. I really liked their bond between eachother. I won't elobrate their relations to eachother in their past lives as I don't want to spoil the fun for the future watchers.

The cinemaorgyaphy is awsomely done. It correctly captures the feelings of a scene. Also the background music is really eerie which well fit the atmosphere of the drama and makes our hair stand on end.

Some other OSTs from this drama:
"Leave" ( 하루) by 4Men
"Tunnel (with Kardi)" (터널 ) by Kim Ye Ji
"Can't Forget You" (잊을 수 없다면) by Min Seo
"Beyond The Time" by Jannet Suhh
All the OSTs are nice. But, Leave and Beyond the Time are among my personal favourites.

The main story arc sometimes feel difficult to understand and is confusing. It is like pieces of puzzles which we, audience, have to join and understand. Although there are only a few main and supporting characters, I was confused of their relations with eachother in their current and past lives at first.

Another problem lies in the romance part. There was absolutely no need of romance. Sometimes it works but sometimes not. If we understand the underlying logic in the romace part, it can sometimes be heart fluttering. But, this is not a drama for romance lovers. There are not kiss or intimate scenes. Just some piggy back rides and hugs.

However, I have to give a warning to everyone who is thinking of watching this drama. This is really bloody. This drama gives you pain and shocks. There are many scenes of self-inflicted wounds, deaths, monsters and many more scenes which give you goosebumps.

This drama is an ok drama for me. It had really great potential which is ruined by substandard direction and writing. It could have been a lot better. However, this is a recommended drama for mystry and supernatural genre lovers.

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Love it and enjoyed it, amazing acting

Watched it in the cinema with friends on the first release day in Hong Kong and it was a pleasant experience. I love how good the actor's acting are when it comes to expressing all the detailed emotion. Especially when i had enough of BL drama full of sexual scenes, this movie certainly gave me a refreshing break. If you are hoping for some crazy hot and spicy love story, sorry but this is not one of those. But you are looking for beautiful scenery, music, people and subtle emotions, this is certainly a must watch. The lyrics in the theme song pretty much stated out the whole story line.

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Not Every drama is worth the rating

As someone who hasn’t read the webtoon, I actually found the drama fresh and interesting. I’m not arguing whether the FL is a psychopath or sociopath because there's no rule that every main character needs to be empathetic. The actress truly delivered an amazing performance. What disappointed me the most was how the director altered the story. Since the drama is meant for a general audience, the FL shouldn’t get a “free pass” just because she’s the main character. The ending felt overly biased and honestly quite weak.

The webtoon’s conclusion seems far more logical, and the drama was rushed to the point where the FL’s character lost its depth. That’s why I ended up giving it a 6.

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I cannot believe how they ruined such a good cast and potential plot. The first ten episodes were exciting and really made me think "wow this could be one of my favorite dramas of the year", but no. It goes downhill to the point you have no idea what they are trying to prove or show. Unless you enjoy a psychotic guy falling in love with a girl with no values or even common sense, then do not torture yourself mentally by watching this. At the beginning of the drama I was one of those people who defended the female lead despite her playing two guys because I thought she was gonna grow and change. How could you make a vow to your fiancé that you will always love and be with him even in another lifetime and go love the person that stabbed him to death?? Not only that she made him look like a fool for saving her and loving her unconditionally; she acts like a block of ice and runs to the psychotic guy hugging him and talking to him like he's some type of angel. What is the point of this drama? To show that eternal love doesn't exist? To show that stalking someone and murdering is okay? To show that the "bad guy" can get the girl? WTH like I don't even know how someone approved this drama to be filmed after reading the script. I also don't know why the actors especially Lee Soo Hyuk would want to participate in such chaos and nonsense. I finally understand why this drama received very low ratings in Korea and now even on MDL. For your own good and sanity do not watch this drama.

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Best opening scene in the Bl history, Tanrak finally opened up right, But he burnt his own heart.

Let's dive into A Beautiful & Devastating Masterpiece starring Geminifourth .
Opening scene of TICKET TO HEAVEN might be one of the best openings in the Bl history
S queer story beginning with marriage equality isn't just romance; it's a triumph of love and justice. . Tell me huh what's better ??

Main Highlight : The Boundaries of Faith and Love
The story between a deeply devout student preparing for priesthood. He clings tightly to his faith as a promise that he will eventually reunite with his deceased parents in heaven. And a charming but emotionally fragile new transfer student burdened by a broken family and a painful past.

~~~~ ***DETAILED REVIEW*** ~~~~
( inner thoughts and emotions shared , philosophies shared )
sorry if it's too long but it's worth reading, I guarantee 😆


I got emotionally attached to itt, it felt so reall to me . Almighty God pls bless themm ..
It's the pillar of the whole series, the emotional build up between the characters and Both are enduring pain .
I know they will salve each other's wounds.

There is a hidden, beautiful logic to how the main characters are named and the meaning behind the names adds a beautiful layer to the story 🤌🏻
•Tanrak is a combination of two affectionate thai words : Tan ( แทน ) means ‘to substitute’ or ‘to represent’ and Rak ( ร็ก ) means ‘love’ when combined means “the representative of love” or “symbol of love”
•Barth is the shortened version of Bartholomew, a saint , one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus.
And philosophy says :
The name serves as a powerful thematic metaphor within the show. Much like his namesake, Barth is a tortured, fragile soul who has suffered greatly in life (having lost his mother to the justice system and facing rejection). Throughout the series, he and Tanrak become martyrs of love, caught between the rigid moral dictates of their 1990s Catholic seminary school and their deep, forbidden feelings for one another.

The painting TICKET TO HEAVEN itself has thousand meanings it's not just a painting but it's emotion , it's not just a man taking the stairs to heaven, but sufferings and sacrifices behind itt.

I felt the weight of that statement, experienced a stinging sensation . “ I realised that God never helped me at all. ”
This phrase illustrates the unbearable anguish that broke Barth's trust in a divine power. That hurts .

We finally got this after a long wait. The trailer alone is amazing; I can’t imagine how good the actual drama will be. God I'm in heaven it's already airing , This whole year-long wait was absolutely worth it.
A Stunning CINEMATOGRAPHY .
The atmosphere is top-notch, with a setting in a Catholic seminary makes it unique .

You're gonna find me here every Saturday I'm never giving up on this drama or I'll get cursed , I don't dare to leave this onee at all ♡
Heyyy pls don't mind, but I'm more interested cuz it's Geminifourth, their chemistry is as electric as anticipated, and the acting skills ofcourse..
I’m already obsessed with Barth’s facial expressions and his incredible aura. Despite being just the premiere episode, brewing chemistry between the leads is already undeniable.
I can tell it'll leave an indelible mark on everyone's heart even if it's going to be sorrowful.

I’m incredibly excited for the new episodes, but I’m almost afraid to watch them because I don't want it to end! Why are there only six episodes? I have no idea how I’m going to cope when it’s finally over.

I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the entire team for their exceptional work on this project, they've have created something truly remarkable.

It's strongly recommended from my side , Guys you gotta watch thiss .

Suddenly the opening scene clicked in my mind and now it's making scene, What was I thinking, what wrong with me??
Is there a satisfying, closed ending, or are they leaving it open?
Now I know, the most problematic part is the first scene of first episode
That’s a terrifying 30-year jump from 1996 to 2026 .

I am absolutely terrified that Ticket to Heaven is going to be just like Your Name Engraved Herein. I really cannot handle another heartbreaking ending like that!
After waiting a year, I refuse to be traumatized by a sad ending.
I’m really hoping for a definitive ending, not a cliffhanger.
That first scene makes it clear we are in for an emotional rollercoaster. I really hope the plot doesn't separate them for years, bring Barth back just for Tanrak's ordination, and then leave us hanging with an unresolved ending!
Noo man I can't even think of ittt .

After watching episode 2, I was right—this confirms my theory about Tanrak's name. Literally how beautiful.
I never expected such an unexpected twist in the second episode—Taarak's intense obsession and desperate craving for Barth was truly shocking.
Despite his best efforts to flee from temptation, he cannot stop his heart from loving. If love is a God-given emotion, why is it branded a sin to love whom we choose?


Every time Barth teases Tanrak or secretly looks at him, it is obvious he is developing feelings. Watching their chemistry makes me blush every single time. The way he stares hits different.

Not just Barth,
It is completely obvious that Tanrak feels an intense sexual tension toward Barth. The way he constantly stares at Barth's lips, obsessively replays their physical encounters in his mind, he got hard and later masturbates clearly shows his deep desire. I can't breathe . I'm screaming !!!
But the expression on Tanrak’s face the moment he realizes he loves Barth is devastating. He looks consumed by guilt, perfectly capturing the agony of realizing you've fallen into a love that is a sin—the kind of sin that locks you out of heaven.

Will he escape the snare of his desires, or allow them to take over?
Tanrak is torn between his spiritual path and his feelings for Barth.
This spectacular episode beautifully highlighted the deepening, heartfelt connection between the characters and perfectly captured the characters growing attachment to one another.
Fourth is a phenomenal actor—he communicated the entire depth of the scene without uttering a single word. Huge round of applause for him!

“Does every kind of love leads us closer to HIM ? ”
I just know from where should I start after watching 3rd episode, the things I felt during the whole time is so different, The emotional journey felt so intense, culminating in a beautiful, long-awaited kiss where Tanrak finally took a leap toward Barth. Strangely, I found myself crying uncontrollably through the entire sequence
I couldn't stop my heart from racing since the bathing scene and they stared into each other's eyes, exchanging unspoken messages in a deep, private dialogue.
Even without words, the heavy lingering glances between them communicated everything they were holding back what I could feel.
The tension peaks during a silent, highly charged bathing scene and culminates in a passionate, extended kiss between Tanrak and Barth. I cried I don't know whyy, I felt completely overwhelmed, I couldn't stop myself from crying, it's like I was holding on to something and I released it all through my tears .
Still now I remember the whole thing clearly from them bathing till the kiss.
Tanrak finally decided to be himself and opened the door of love and desire.
The emotion that he kept hidden he decided to let it come out, all the jealousy that was burning his soul from inside he decided to cool it downn.
Throughout the whole episode we can see Tanrak burning himself into the flame of jealously, bearing the emotions that kills him from inside, except the last part which brought absolute joy to himm.
Tanrak suppresses his identity, fearful that his desires conflict with his duty to be "God’s favourite son."
Barth’s honest confession acts as a catalyst. It allows Tanrak to step through the door of self-acceptance, proving that his love is a source of strength rather than a sin.
Tanrak already took a long step towards Barth, throughout this ordeal, he must not falter, but carve a path toward Barth.
A big hand to Geminifourth I can observe they improved a lot.

Without a doubt it's the best kiss scene I have ever watched. The transition was incredibly smooth, and the sheer passion between them was unmatched. The way they locked lips and just kept going made it such a beautifully long, breathtaking moment. It officially takes the number one spot on my all-time best onscreen kisses list.

I gave this drama a 9.5 before but after this episode I just can't stuck on 9.5, I'm surely moving forward along with Tanrak.

“Will God still wait for us to come home if we got lost?”

Tanrak said he would always God over anything...
What does that mean, why can't we choose God and love both. Whatt does he mean by saying he's still wavering, how can he call a love that gives him peace and happiness makes him feel like wavering.
Now I know why Barth says that God is cruel to him.
I feel so sorry for him, he completely loosed his faith in God, but it's not his fault, the situation worsened his faith..

Did we expect thatt ?
The sudden emotional changes the fear of being caught dating, I tiredness of hiding their relationship, are the main cuz of decline, they loved eachother so much everything was well untill and unless His friend found out, the fear of being seen together in the empty room, I could the the fear in Tanrak's eyes that he started telling his rosary, that fear startled him that he started giving up and stop following his heart, he decided to end the happy time they spent together, Tanrak stopped looking and smiling at Barth completely ignoring him because when it's Barth he cannot control himself anymore..
I know Tanrak is deeply in love with Barth, and he's trying to fight that feeling, I can see the guilt on his face, the hesitation and the heartbreaking pain he's bearing.
He burnt all the memories they created together laughing and smiling, he burnt the paper saying “ You're my favourite Note ”, he fired all those moments he enjoyed in the burning flame, he burnt his own heart and happiness by doing thatt..

I don't really like tim continue thrid wheeling and nitpicking again and again. I wanted him to be supportive as a friend instead of saying that Tanrak's faith is declining and he's getting confused and forgetting his goal to go to heaven to meet with his parents.

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Pretty People Trying to Fight and Fall in Love, I guess?

Due to the change in the original reincarnation story, they utterly made this non-sensical plot.

What exactly was He Yan proving y'all? She was already a General. She didn't have anything to learn, just to get revenge against her idiot family. But y'all, here me out? Like......why not...and i know this sounds crazy....but why not, just go take out that snotty nose GeGe. What her dad going to do y'all? He is gonna be forced to keep her. Also, you could just kill that dude as well. Why not? She is strategic GENERAL, why can't she take what she wants from her useless family?!?! Don't give me the blah blah morals of her character blah blah. I don't want to hear it, this guy tried to assassinated her (was so close) and caused the death of 30,000 soldiers. I think she can take him out easy.

Instead, she "pretends" to be a new solider but legit gets caught within 1 minute of entering the doors. And get this, the guy who runs the show is also her classmate?!

Listen, that man is FINE. Respectfully. BUT HE DID NOT KNOW THIS CHICK WAS HIS CLASSMATES AND SOME HOW BOUGHT THAT THE OTHER GUY (her gege) who is what 6 ft? Wide shoulders? Deep Voice? Lacking moral character? is his classmates?!? Nah, that means he is dumb and shouldn't be running an army.

A freaking dancer who met her ONCE, spotted that she was a chick. AND homey had MONTHS studying with her? Get out of here. Then the kicker, he feels her bound chest against his back and was like, "A woman?!" (insert that clip from Mulan where she is dragged once she is found out).

Now on to the other stuff, the villains were so subpar. The emperor was dumb. And those last couples episodes, why? like why? For who? What a silly mindset? Here me out. EVEN IF, either of them gives up their army authority, did the emperor really think the army is still not going to follow their command?! All you did was piss them off. And that throwaway 2ML, like boy. I was hoping you turn around have some common sense but no, you went stupider and lost the 1 chick who stayed loyal to you. Such nonsense.

And all this, I could forgive a bit (not all, ain't a saint) if the chemistry was FIRE. But no, it was meh. Sorry, it just wasn't fully there for me. But anyway, everyone was pretty to look at.

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The biggest disappointment in BL history....

While this show was not only overhyped and we all expected greatness, the script of this show was worse than I could ever have imagined. As usual this series started strong in the first two episodes to declined at a steady pace *till episode 12, where the jumped of the cliff and landed on the belly.

Everyone reading the novel can agree, that the novel did not need to be spiced up with the SM part for example. If the book is already good, you should not change it into something it never was. The pacing is all over the place and the side couples are mostly just extras where their stories are wasted and not explored in depth. But we see scene after scene of the ML which did nothing for the story.

Episode 12 culminates in the trash script this was, with one cliché after the next. Nobody can fault the actors who all did a very good job with what there were given. And of course costumes, most of the staging and cinematography was impeccable, The music with an real orchestra was great - if they had used it everywhere and not used some music from a library which again was completely unnecessary. The few minutes in every episode could have been handled by the composer as well. Of course I could nitpick about the "english" natives and the "London underground station" and so on. And don't forget all the ads slapped directly into our faces. And don't forget the miraculous healing power of Chakri, who was serving again after being shot (which was not a stray shot in the arm or so).

All in all, this was overhyped and did not deliver. Aof said, he did the best he could. If that's the best, I don't see a future for Domundi. But of course the fangirls will overrate this show again, will not understand how weak that story was and that the drama was forced. And they will write glowing reviews (hello CRPH & thanks for blocking) not having a shroud of integrity to write about the flaws this show has. Normally this show would rate even lower, but I can't deny the acting performance (oh daddy Ramil you were the perfect asshole through out the series), the cinematography, costums and most of the staging and most of the music. But the script was trash. As I have written all of that - the conclusion is: This show is a waste of your time.

Oh, I forgot: The cut version should not exist, because they even cut STORY elements. Which makes no sense at all, especially in the first episode.

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Chasing Love The Korean Way

The drama starts with the FL taking money from the ML's mother to break up with the ML.. Honestly.. If you love someone truly.. No matter the reasons.. You wouldnt normally do that.. And her reasons were ridiculous.. Then begins her struggle to breakup with him and get over him..

She broke up with him because he is rich?? Feeling she wouldn’t fit in with him or his family.. Most of the drama, she kept judging the ML because he is rich.. She had the audacity to ask him ' Did u ever skipped lunch because u couldn't afford it? ' That was her reason to breakup?? He was rich?? He loved her wiht everything he had.. Apart from the fact that he hid how rich he is.. Did he make any other mistake?? Most people don't know how to cherish true love.. The ML deserved someone better..

She acted like the most mature and smart character in the drama.. But I felt it was the ML who despite seeming childish at times.. Showed the real maturity in their relationship..

" You were afraid you would get hurt and let go of my hand right away.. "
" I know I am pathetic for not being able to get over you after breaking up.. But even in this moment I am only worried how to keep you from getting hurt.. So how could you do this to me?? "

ML was really pathetic.. But he wanted to fight for his love.. Unlike the FL who was waiting for a reason to runaway.. I don't know who was more pathetic..

I understand she went through her own hardships.. But that doesn’t give her the right to judge someone else’s life.. He showered her with love in every way possible.. While all she did was hurt him when he was trying to protect what they had.. Even when she got back with him.. She chose to have dinner with someone else instead of the ML.. Her situation was understandable.. But she could have shown some decency and spared her boyfriend the embarrassment instead of indulging some random guy’s interference in their relationship..

The second couple literally stole the show.. I found myself wanting to see more of them than the main couple.. They deserved more screen time.. And their relationship really called for deeper exploration.. Their chemistry was captivating.. And the moments they shared felt more genuine.. It would have been great to see their story developed further..

Overall.. The drama falls short of expectations..The FL's choices undermined the genuine affection of the ML.. In contrast, the second couple shines with authentic chemistry..

P.S.. Moon Sang Min needs to find a new agency or start picking good scripts for himself if he doesn't want to waste his career doing dramas that doesn't treat his career well.. This drama was an average one.. But He could do better..

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I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR THIS

From beginning to end, this film was a true masterpiece. If you want to experience a beautiful story filled with authentic feelings of affection and true love then watch this. It evokes nostalgia for items like DVDs and payphones, and the overall melodramatic, nostalgic, dreamy mood only adds to the plot.

Watch it if you want to be left feeling like a complete and utter wreck. Also don't watch it for those same reasons. I just feel the same as I did after completing 2521. It's literally so similar to that with the youthful, coming of age storyline filled with miscommunications and missed opportunities except there's a very big plot twist at the end.

Be warned, there is no happy ending to this story. I'm still not over it. Bo Ra and Woon Ho deserved sooooooo much better.

It's a solid 9/10 for me but I am so mad / confused I want to give it less but it was a really good movie, I think the actors did a really good job portraying these characters and sharing their love story. I was literally up at 3am watching this sobbing for 15 minutes after it ended. This film truly made me feel so many emotions.

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Did you ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?

Did you ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight? What was it like? Did you leap into the abyss with wild abandon? Lose your heart, body and soul? Was it worth indulging in every lucious, forbidden moment? Find out all about it in Till the End of the Moon, a heart-stopping account of Li Susu and devil incarnate Tantai Jin's scorching entanglement of love, hate and misunderstanding that spans 500 years and multiple realms.

In a desperate attempt to stave off the resurrection of the the devil god, a bunch of grey haired cultivators send an intrepid young cultivator Li Susu back 500 years in time to stop Tantai Jin from turning into the devil god. Yeah, you really have to hand it to these crusty old cultivators - when all else fails, they sacrifice a virgin and hope for the best! Susu assumes the identity of Ye Xiwu and is tasked to kill Tantai Jin after tempting him out of his... uhm... evil bone! I almost choked with laughter at the sheer audacity of such a naughty plot setup!

This angsty xianxia's unique premise is that the main protagonist Tantai Jin is a fiendishly compelling and tragically misunderstood character; literally a prince of darkness. Luo Yunxi is mesmerising in this role - his diabolical crooked smirk, the maleficent glare, the taunting cock of an eyebrow, the elegant devil-may-care gestures and the imperious snap of a finger. But it is his shatteringly wounded expression and how with a moment of stillness he screams silently with pain oozing from every pore that makes me root for the devil and to hell with the realms. My favorite part of this drama is how kindness and love gradually changes the dark, lonely and twisted Tantai Jin into a best yet still flawed version of himself. Bai Lu on the other hand could have delivered a more nuanced performance as Li Susu. Her Susu is so unwavering in her duty to the realms that I could not tell when she fell in love with Tantai Jin or if she ever really did. That said, there is an exceptional spark between the leads that results in both hilarious and smoking hot moments. I could see sparks fly in every direction during Ye Xiwu's seductive dance that tempts the devil in his liar. This drama's greatest hook is Luo Yunxi's portrayal that dimensions his character beyond the screenplay and his searing onscreen chemistry with Bai Lu.

There are four distinct arcs in this drama, the first of which is the strongest and most enthralling mortal arc. I loved everything about this arc and if this drama had held that level, I could have easily rated this over 9.0. By design, the second visually stunning dream arc also shines in many aspects but sags as a result of lazy writing and overuse of tired xianxia tropes. The third and fourth arcs recover somewhat but never quite hit the addictiveness of the first arc. Part of the problem is the second couple is poorly written, has no chemistry and is not empathetic. Their insipid story is overshadowed by that of foxy Pian Ran and unswerving Ye Qingyu's passionate and addictive love story, which ends way too soon. While all of the arcs have good moments, the plot is moved along almost solely by misunderstandings. This is the hallmark of indifferent screenwriting and it undermines the intelligence and agency of the main characters. With a little bit of effort, they could have gotten to the same place without undermining the characters and disengaging the audience.

In terms of production values, this is a big budget drama and it shows but not in the best ways. The make up was often over the top and not flattering. I am visually scarred by the excessive blood spitting that took it to the next level in terms of bloody teeth and the excessively bright contact lenses absolutely ruined many emotional moments for me. I did not at all enjoy the pantasmagorical CGI orgy game world that hijacked all of the clashes between good or evil including the beginning and ending scenes. The over-lit glare distracted from the emotion and the intensity of Tantai Jin and Li Susu's most pivotal scenes.

The way this drama ends is both fitting and inevitable in that both Tantai Jin and Li Susu fulfill their destiny. My problem is with how they get there. It could have been a lot more palatable if it were better written. But my biggest gripe with it is that the drama never convinces me that humanity or the realms are worth saving. Or that there is cosmic justice. After all, Tantai Jin was just jinxed from birth but he was hardly the worst, most evil character. What I resent most is that the hypocrisy of the moral sects is never exposed and that the truly evil characters get outcomes they don't deserve. The original works this drama was based on may have been very good but the adaptation is not. The screenwriters should all hide in shame and do all they can to try to erase their names from this adaptation. Nonetheless I rate this 8.5 because anything less would be an injustice to Luo Yunxi's devilish, simply irresistible and unforgettable portrayal of Tantai Jin.

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Heart warming, touching, admirable.

Amidst a Snowstorm of Love ❄️❤️
I finished watching all 30 episodes, last watched ep 30 at 3:15 am and since that moment I've been feeling blank.

This drama made me feel a lot, and taught me quite some interesting points of life too. Their first giddy yet awkward love story may happen to anyone else too. The feelings of falling in love for the first time, the struggle to keep a conversation running, the unsaid thoughts, the sensational skin ship. Everything's relatable.

Not to mention how they portrayed the background stories of each characters and their growth. How they may be immature and hard headed at first but then learnt better of how to get a hold of themselves and think about others. Particular conservative Chinese identity that some character showcased, the importance of respecting others especially elderly, they showed great effort thru all of those. They also portrayed the sport amazingly well even tho there are some flaws still in the real sport terms. The dedication for the sport they love, their brotherhood and the bond they created while striving for a sport that they are proud of are so admirable. From coaches to the team and fans, they legit put on a great sportsmanship.

The actors and actresses blended well in their characters as if the directors hand picked them out from the novel. From main to side characters, they each have their ray of lights. The panoramic views from different location they shooted this, the soothing melodious music background and original song tracks they produced for the show were so brilliant and fit the concept exceptionally well.

Relationship, either with your family, friends or lover, relationship exists everywhere. There might be times where things won't go the way we wanted but surely, patience and tolerance will save us. There's more to relationship than just hugs, kisses, or compliments. Sometimes they can be words of comfort, acts of service, and even the presence alone, of both parties in well condition is enough to link up a relationship.

This drama is truly a relaxing healing drama. Worth the wait, worth the hype, worth the time watching. Surely gonna repeat watching this all over again anytime soon.

Kuddos to the author for writing such masterpiece and to the director, crews, actors and actresses for making such a beautiful series.

Amidst a Snowstorm of Love, after every snowstorm, there'll sunlight again, and then, you may feel the warmness again.

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A Screenwriting and Directing Masterpiece

It seems people want to criticize this series for being too honest. To me, it’s a depiction of the current social environment around us. Not the most appealing, but never the less, it’s there, and we’ve all seen it. Infidelity is a dirty word to one person and a taste of freedom to another. I think this series tells us that we all view relationships differently. Our thoughts, needs, and values are different. We even view love differently. The story I watched for sixteen episodes was a bitter look into the world of betrayal. It shows us how people justify their actions when faced with diversity in a relationship. It also shows us how fragile marriage can be when you don’t nurture it. It shows us how hateful and desperate people can be. It also shows us the ugly head of temptation. I think this series took a lot of thought and work to put together. It was a raw look at the emotional struggles of human beings trying to survive in a world that pulls them apart.

I thought the acting was perfect. There were two standouts for me. Lee Ga Ryong’s portrayal of Hye Ryung was just fantastic. Playing this type of character and making it seem real is not easy. Another one of my favorite parts was in episode 7 when Hyang Gi (Jeon Hye Won) told her dad what she thought about him divorcing her mom in no uncertain terms. She said everything her mom wanted to say, and it was priceless. Hye Won shined in this supporting role, and it left me with a favorable impression of her acting skills.

The music pulled everything together, and the subscripts were great. I enjoyed this because it was different. Is it worth watching? Cudos to Im Sung Han for her screenwriting and to Yoo Jung Joon for directing a masterpiece.

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No Tale to Tell Indeed

This drama turned out to be a huge disappointment. I was initially excited to start this drama. Fantasy romance is my absolute favorite drama genre. I thought the first 4 episodes were the strongest. They set the story up nicely and I thought we were going to get a descent story. Unfortunately, after the 4th episode, this drama just faded into a nothing burger. Nothing interesting really happened. There wasn't much growth in the characters. The shaman plot was so ridiculous and unnecessary. The other villain was annoying at best. I honestly should've dropped this around episode 7 or 8 but I felt if I made it that far, I might as well finish the last few episodes. Save your time on this one, there are much better dramas to watch.

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