Reviews

This was certainly a emotional drama which really takes your eyes for adventure. It really great news to hear that the main leads were an official couple when they still filming this show. Long dramas really are quite rare these days. But most of the episode were entertaining and wasn't boring. One thing I have to say is the ending was confusing but from some sources I heard that there is going to be a season 2 which may help answer this conclusion.

Story:
I am not going spoil it for whomever is going to watch the drama. Sooooo..... I am going to shortly-summarish- explain this. There was a time period before the current time period in the story. The people in the before time period wants to revive their period by making their prince the emperor. But of course the time right now already has a king and that king is doing a fair job. This is actually the main problem of the whole story but there are many tiny other issues that occur in the drama too. Love plays a big part and there is a lot of heartbreak too. (Multiple heartbreaks)

Acting/Cast:
I can't really describe how the acting was but I just know that I really disliked the antagonists. Which probably means that those actors did a great job on making me hate them. The good people were likable and the audiences' feelings was controlled by the story. So I have to say the acting was amusing. The cast was amazing too each of actors represenyed the character and the feeling matched correctly.

Music:
I can't recall the music but I just know that something occurred during the tragic scenes which made me cry. So I guess it decent?

Rewatch:
I would most definitely rewatch this. It is one of the most complex long historical drama in 2017 that became popular and known. Before I die I would no doubt watch it again!

Remember if you watch this, bring a carton of tissues.????

Leggi di Più

UNREASONABLE!

My headline says it all! What a disappointment.

Finally having a chance to be with your long time crush and not grabbing it just because of a cliche reason of his father hindering you? Then solving that issue towards the end yet you still don't want to be him?

Ben knew what happened to Jim while he was gone. He was disowned by his father and lived a miserable life after finding out that he is also in love with Jim. As if he was not moved a little to think that he was the one who displayed his feelings first. His eyes always looked like he's about to cry but his actions contradicts it. As if he leads us on wanting to get back with Jim but Jim ends up listening to Ben and Roy exchanging I love you's.

My heart breaks for Val. Unlike some comments here, he did not take advantage of Jim. His intentions were pure. He even told Jim not to rush things between them. Then he just let go of him like that when he knew he can't replace Ben in his heart.

The ending was the most unreasonable part. It sums up how the story was messed up and non sense. Ben and Jim finally had a chance to talk and catch up with all the things they went through. Ben even said he loves Jim and will always carry him in his heart and mind. But takes it back saying they can't be together that time. IDK what does he mean by not meant to be together at that moment even if they still love each other and all issues were solved. What makes it more fucked up is that after that heart to heart talk, Jim goes back to the party, holds hands with Roy, act intimately with each other and smile like no one is hurting. I CANNOT! I REALLY CANNOT!

My only consolation is the side actors and their stories. I personally think Olan and Yana, Dante and Flo and The "Orgy" couple were cute and adorable. EJ Jallorina has always been a good actor, but I found the acting of his partner Miko off in this series. (He made a better job in his previous BL tho.)

My verdict goes with majority of the commentaries here. A BIG NO. MESSED UP. UNJUSTIFIABLE. UNREASONABLE. NON SENSE.

Leggi di Più

Thame & Po were the draw for me (watch suggestions)

Overall: because the title had the two lead characters' names in it, I had assumed that the focus would be on them. Unfortunately, a lot of time was spent on love rival/business drama. For example, in the finale, Thame & Po had about 16 minutes of screentime together (some of which was in a group setting) out of 50 minutes. 13 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on GMMTV's YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLszepnkojZI6eWPdbwhJyylqwlR63KrTz&si=cyrNicpZBAKiWPWl as well as Netflix

Content Warning: punch, manipulation, cyberbullying

Watch Suggestions (to focus on Thame and Po)
- watch episodes 1-3
- episode 4 part 2 watch 4:30-6, and watch part 4
- episode 5 part 1 watch to 10:30 (or can watch all), part 4 skip 4:30-10 unless you enjoy group singing and more group time
- episode 6 part 1 watch beginning to 6, part 2 watch 5-end, part 4 watch 7:30-end
- episode 7 watch all of part 1, part 3 watch 3:20-5:20 and 8-10, part 4 watch 8-end
- episode 8 watch part 1 beginning to 3:45 and part 4 5:40-end
- watch episode 9
- episode 10 watch part 1 beginning-5:40 and 13:30-end, part 2 watch 5:10-7:35, part 4 watch 11:40-end
- episode 11 watch part 1 2:30-10:15, part 2 2-6:30 (and then skip the rest unless you enjoy angst)
- episode 12 part 4 watch 8:25-end (unless you enjoy angst/making plans)
- episode 13 watch part 2 0-1:10 (unless you enjoy making plans/performances), part 3 6:20-end and all of part 4

What I Liked
- the set up was woven in well (with the interview and information about the band) instead of a blatant exposition dump
- Po's supportive friend
- how both Po's and Thame's past experiences shaped their current views of the situation
- liked getting to know one another in episode 4 over the phone
- how Nano put the tent together really easily and his facial expressions/reactions
- caring moments
- intimacy
- showing the stresses of being a celebrity
- some of the kisses were not dead fish lip presses
- production value/music (the lack of "comedy" sound effects is nice)

Room For Improvement
- the love rival had way too much screentime which could have gone to sweet Thame & Po moments
- too much with the other bandmates, wanted more interaction with Thame & Po
- the "I can explain" but doesn't explain/other person doesn't wait for an explanation
- gulp sound effect
- the interruption and then felt a bit sudden when they entered Po's apartment
- that Po didn't get rid of that stuff until he was forced to
- nonsense stuff i.e. phone battery lasting 10+ hours, not being on the down low in public (not wearing a mask and holding hands in public), a character was an antagonist and then in the finale had a sudden change of heart
- two dead fish lip presses and the angles/drawn out time made it worse
- the ex was wasted screentime, overall this could have been tight 8 episodes focused on Thame and Po

Leggi di Più

strong start, but disappointing end

This drama had such a good start! I was immediately hooked within the first few minutes. The intrigue of the what exactly was going on at the welfare center, who all the kids were, and what had happened to them had me thinking about this drama for days. I looked forward to the weekend so that I could watch the new episodes and then discuss possible killers with my sister. It was so much fun and I was excited to see how the story played out.
However. About midway through the drama, when things started to be revealed, I started to get frustrated with the writing. What I mean is that the writers seemed to treat the audience like we're dumb and continuously tried to trick us. They would HEAVILY imply that certain characters were the killer and then in the next few episodes be like, just kidding! It's actually this other person (who would proceed to act incredibly suspicious). I can't stand when shows do that. It feels like lazy writing. Instead of doing proper foreshadowing they spend all their time writing twists into the plot just to confuse/trick the audience.
I really did like the first part of the drama and I enjoyed watching all the actors, but overall I was just disappointed by how the story played out.

Leggi di Più

Sweet and comfortable teenage drama that brings you back to high school days!

This drama really improve the impression I had of teenage/youth dramas as the characters and plot are interesting, well paced and not too dragging. The drama do not have unnecessary misunderstandings that other teenage/youth dramas have as well and the friendships are genuine even among competitors. The main female character is quite mature and understanding as compared to most of the female character in teenage/youth dramas, although she does get jealous at times. The main male character is really sweet and protective, I love how they bring in a character with physical disability and family issues, it really allows people to understand more on the difficulties that people face in their daily lives and be more accepting. This is recommended for those who want to watch a light-hearted yet sweet and comfortable teenage drama without romantic scenes and yet able to evoke your emotions. Would love to see a season 2 with the development of the relationship between the supporting characters and also, the main characters' life as they enter into this next stage together.

Leggi di Più

I adore AlmondProgress

I have adored AlmondProgress since Love Sick and I am glad to see them back on my screen. I didn’t know how they would transition over to GMM TV. I figured it would be a good transition because it seems like that company would suit them and I’m glad that it has.

I have to say that I love the color grading in this series. I know that it is based in the 90s and it definitely gives that vibe. this was also probably one of my favorite first episodes to a series in a long time. there was something about the true chemistry that these leads have, but then also their lines didn’t feel like they were just delivering lines it felt more authentic to me. The whole vibe felt more authentic to me.

I really enjoyed the books and they’re available officially translated into English off Meb and I highly recommend them.

this is a great coming-of-age story and I’m really looking forward to what else they adapt from the books to the series.

Leggi di Più

Keeps you guessing...forever

This is an ensemble drama that had to balance so many pieces of a puzzle and characters to make a complete piece. The cinematography is gorgeous and the costume and sets are beautiful as well. This director really knows how to shoot actors, the lighting in the dark Gong residences was excellent. Instead of looking dull the actors looked ethereal and darkly beautiful. Gong Shangjue is often shot like a viper who sits in the dark on first watch, but on a second watch he looks like a lonely man who holds a lot of pain and responsibility. Ryan Cheng was a stand out for me in this show. He had to bear two weeks plus of everyone hating his character, poor him. I never doubted that he was always rooting for his gallivanting brother to get responsible and protect their family.

Esther Yu especially impressed me in this show, in LBFAD I liked her character towards the end but in this one she handles a meatier role in stride. Her crying scenes are actually heartbreaking and not grating, you get the sense that she put a little of herself in order to bring out the grief, not the persona she wears for the character. I'll definitely follow her projects after this. I must commend Lu Yu Xiao as well, in another drama she appeared in this year I found her annoying but in this one she is electric. You never really know what she wants even in the end. She kept the audience guessing, if c dramas were not so reliant on flashbacks I would have never known what she really desired or cared about. An excellent spy in that sense.

Now, the writing in this show was a little wanting. I liked that all the characters were taken care of, instead of using the supporting characters as tools to prop the male lead, each of them holds weight that creates an emotional heart of the story. This always gets a plus from me, no matter how messy the main plot is. The writer/director was able to make us care about the supporting characters so that a big loss is felt if we lose any of them, even the ones we hated. The humor was not my style at all and I skipped many Gong Zishang's scenes. Sorry but she was overdoing it. The main problem I had is that not enough time is given to the part of the plot that moves the gears forward. Ziyu's actions move the plot forward, the three trials he must take are how we get to the next bit of the story, yet this part was the slowest moving part of the plot. This is why I found the third trial and Master Hua's arc wanting. Often important developments were paused after making the audience think there should have been an immediate consequence. As much as I hate to admit it, Yun Weishan was often conveniently covered by plot armour. In C drama writer fashion, the villain is revealed in a cartoon like fashion who describes their plan and declares "if it wasn't for you meddling kids!" And so much exposition. But I hardly think c drama writers will ever change this style of writing. The final act needed either tighter writing or the drama should have done the full 40 episodes. It is as if the writer was rushing to solve the mystery by writing twists in for convenience (some of which were predicted by the audience, but still). However, probably this could be justified if that ending means there is going to be a season 2. How that will work in the C-ent industry would be nothing short of a miracle. Unless all the actors signed up knowing it might end this way. If there is no season 2 then I'm afraid that ending was clumsily done.

It is absolutely worth watching even twice, the first to work out what is going on in the plot because the drama was good at leaving clues for the audience to figure out, the second time to decipher the truth from the lies. The ending will not be satisfying for all, but I thought there were great enough elements in this to deserve a 9. This is one of the high quality outputs from c drama in 2023.

Leggi di Più

Warning: unpopular opinion up ahead.

Also , for the record, it's been a while since I've seen this drama.

Anyway.

I was prepared to like this drama. I really, honestly was. But for me it missed the mark - by several miles .

First off, Yang Xue Wu is the biggest Mary Sue I’ve seen in drama (any drama) so far. She has absolutely zero flaws and needs constant rescuing from Lan Ling Wang. For all her skill with fireworks and healing she can’t even save herself ? Sorry if I find that to be a little unbelievable. No, scratch that. It’s totally unbelievable .

The costume design was amazing , but that's unfortunately the only redeeming thing for me. Special effects were rarely well-executed, instead looking obviously out of place in this historical fantasy setting.

Pretty much every other female character was either eeeeeeeevil or disappeared quickly, save for Yuwen Yong's niece who I didn't really see a whole lot. The other female characters only served to enhance Xue Wu's already ridiculous Mary Sue - ness.

I hope by now you know I absolutely hate Mary Sue type characters.I know it's never the fault of the actresses playing them, but just lazy writing. Really, what is so difficult about writing a complex main character who actually has to work for what they want?

The ending theme was repeated way too much throughout pretty much every episode . Sometimes it's just fine to let a dramatic moment speak for itself but no, every single one of them is "emphasised" by repeating the theme over and over again.

What I hated the most was that everything seemed to revolve around the idea of 'Xue Wu gets in trouble , Lan Ling Wang rescues her' . The rest of the plot is secondary to that .

Lastly, what's up with that ending ? After 46 episodes you just want to have a happily ever after for the main characters , but clearly the writer(s) had other ideas.

Leggi di Più

Music, Friendship, and Second Chances

Rearrange has been such a pleasant surprise. The band can actually sing, and the best part is there are no over-the-top comedy or cringe moments. Although it’s set in high school, the writing carries a maturity that makes it stand out. I especially love how the story shifts between the younger Win and Nut, and then jumps 27 years later to show the older Win, who regrets never confessing his love earlier. It’s another time travel story, but one that I’m genuinely enjoying every minute of.
The series also makes you think: what would you do if you had the chance to go back 27 years to when you were 17? The cast, acting, and plot are excellent so far, and the attention to detail in the “back in time” scenes is remarkable, from the old cars to the heritage houses.

By episode 8, we finally got the long-awaited first kiss, and it was worth the wait. Win climbing the ladder into Nut’s room mirrored an earlier scene, but this time it carried new weight because Nut already had feelings for him. Their kiss was sweet, natural, and full of charm, easily the highlight of the series so far.

That said, I do have two complaints. First, the build-up to their romance felt rushed. For most of the series, there were just small hints, then suddenly Nut liked Win. With Nut also spending time with Lin, it almost felt like I missed an episode. A bit more focus on their one-on-one moments would have made the progression smoother.

My second complaint is with Win himself. If I had the chance for my 44-year-old self to go back and meet my 17-year-old self, there are so many things I’d want to change. That could make for such a powerful plot. But in this series, Win doesn’t do much with his second chance. History simply repeats itself. He briefly admitted his feelings to Nut, but then brushed them aside as if they meant nothing. For twenty years he regretted not confessing, yet when fate gave him a chance to change everything, he still didn’t take it. It makes you wonder, what’s the point?

Overall I really enjoyed this series. It’s super cute and I liked it even more than High School Musical. Everyone got the happy ending they deserved, and it left me smiling.

I love both Nut and Win and wish the story gave them more time together to build their chemistry. The show has everything: school life, music, friendship, and family conflicts. I just wish Win made bolder choices, especially given the title Rearrange. Still, it’s a beautifully made series.
Rating: 9/10

Leggi di Più

Not Perfect But It'll Have A Special Place in Your Heart!

I genuinely enjoyed this show. It's not perfect and it may not be the best drama you'll ever watch but it'll have a special place in your heart. Cinematography was well done. Filming locations were beautiful. There are some things that are different from the other versions of Meteor Garden and that makes it really exciting because it keeps you guessing what was changed in this version. The story is still the good old Meteor Garden tale that we all loved. As someone who grew up watching Asian dramas, this particular story (Meteor Garden, Boys Over Flowers, Hana Yori Dango) is a classic and timeless tale. It's always fun to watch the modern remakes of this story and I'm glad this one didn't disappoint me. Everything cliche in an Asian drama is in this drama lol but I mean, it IS Meteor Garden, so it's expected. This story is basically the foundation of all Asian drama cliches lmao. But it's always so refreshing to go back to this story again in a different setting & with a different cast. If you truly want to enjoy this show, I highly recommend NOT to compare it with the other versions and nitpick on the inexplainable and ridiculous things that happen in this show. Just take it lightheartedly and you'll be able to truly enjoy it. It has 50 episodes (49 on Netflix idk why lol) but it never felt like it was a task for me to finish it because it was so much fun to watch (besides the side story that dragged on for too long *cough cough*). Just don't have extremely high expectations or else... that'll ruin it for you. Other than that, it's really enjoyable to watch. There is a lot of comedy, romance, and it shows the value of friendship and family.

ACTING
Acting was just okay, nothing too spectacular. Most of the cast members are new to acting so I wasn't surprised that they were somewhat lacking. It didn't bother or annoy me, though, because the characters were still very likable and cute. It's so fascinating how much Dylan Wang suits playing as Dao Ming Si. I'm so glad he was chosen to play as DMS because I honestly can't imagine anyone else playing it. Dao Ming Si is such a difficult character to pull off, so I give props to Dylan for doing a great job, despite this being his first drama ever. Out of the 5 main characters (F4 & Shan Cai), only Shen Yue and Darren Chen had some experience acting in dramas prior to Meteor Garden. Shen Yue is an excellent actress (became a fan of her during her previous drama!) but for some reason, her acting here felt a bit unnatural sometimes? But she is amazing in dramatic scenes. Her tears fall down so quickly and she makes me wanna cry too ;___; I liked all the F4 members but my fav was Darren Chen/Kuan Hong. I fell in love with him while watching this show. His smile and dimple is to die for!

MUSIC
I LOOOOOOVEEEE THE OST OF THIS DRAMA. I love how they included old songs from the original Meteor Garden. It brought back a lot of memories of my childhood so I was really pleased to hear them again. They included old songs like Qing Fei De Yi by Harlem Yu, Liu Xing Yu by the original F4, and the new version of Ni Yao De Ai, which was still sung by Penny Tai. The songs that the 2018 F4 sang were lowkey cheesy lol but they're really catchy and I found myself listening to them a lot! Honestly, most of F4 can't really sing besides Caesar Wu (Ximen) lol but they're super cute so it's okay hahahaha. There are two English songs that was played throughout the show: Say Something by A Great Big World, which really set the mood, and Anyone of Us (Stupid Mistake), which really ruined MY mood bc it's such a terrible song lol.

OVERALL, this wasn't such a bad show at all. I would wait for the new episodes every week and had so much fun watching it. It kind of became my stress reliever since I enjoyed it so much. A lot of my friends enjoyed it as much as I did too.

So now... the final verdict: SHOULD YOU WATCH IT? YES. Absolutely. Go for it. It's funny. It's cute. It's romantic. It's dramatic. F4 members are eye candies. What else could you ask for in a drama? I highly recommend it. Like I said before, it may not be the best drama you'll ever watch, but it'll have a special place in your heart. PLUS, it's on Netflix so it should be easy to watch for a lot of people!


(don't read past this if you don't wanna get spoiled lol but I just wanted to share my personal thoughts)


SPOILERS/MY THOUGHTS
- Shancai and Dao Ming Si's relationship is bipolar and cyclic af lol the same shit kept happening over and over again, just with some minor changes lol BUT THAT DIDN'T KEEP ME FROM LOVING THEM. THEY ARE WAY TOO CUTE.
- JING AND LEI'S STORY OMG idk why but it had so much impact on me in this version. Darren and Sun Yi Han are so shippable! Til the end of the show, I still kept waiting for Jing to come back to Lei so that he wouldn't be alone... at least in this version... ;____;
- Xiao You and Ximen deserved so much more screen time ;___; I'm literally craving for more of them ;___; they're so adorable
- Cai Na and Terrence, a.k.a, the most irrelevant characters and have contributed NOTHING to the show, had so much screen time, I almost went insane. SAVE YOUR SOUL AND SKIP THEIR SCENES.
- the last ep was a big wtf lol but it's weirdly NOT disappointing?? lmao

Leggi di Più

they had potential

they just lost it somewhere in the start, the writing was chaotic and it felt all over the place and the editing wasn't good either, the music was a bit weird I’m ngl because why are yall singing about a boy huh, anyways it's worth a watch overall !
like there was too much to work with and instead of solving current issues they just present new ones and forget about the latter lmao.
I think the actors did their best for what they were given, and I enjoyed watching it every week, the chemistry between naow and gyo was wonderful, and I love them sm, the side characters weren’t that bad either, especially my girl luktarn.
I might be a little biased in my opinion because it is gl series and I ate it up just because of that bUT and it was good for a light cheesy romance, a good watch when you’re bored :) .

Leggi di Più

Rollercoaster that started off strong and finished meh

This series shouldn't be tagged as romance as the majority of the story lacks any sort of romance, it should be tagged with "slight romance". Instead the genre should be mystery and drama. The first 19 episodes is quite good, keeps you at the edge of your seat but then 2 to 3 filler episodes show up which feel forced and sudden just to let the FL make some allies and pull some strings. This could have been implemented earlier. After that the script suffered quite a bit with so many coincidences and things just magically getting fixed jut at the right moment. After episode 19 you suddenly feel like you're watching a makjang things become over dramatic, FL's personality wavers, etc. But at least it had a happy ending (though I'd say the ending was a bit weird because some ppl that weren't supposed to be there were there, I understand its a sentimental/artistic choice but still felt weird)

What I loved about this:
-Hanyan's mother's acting. *standing ovation* it was superb! You really hate her in the beginning but she slowly grows on you and for a lot of ppl you might end up loving her
-The leads were actually rivals/enemies of sorts and they didn't back down and trust each other for a while. I like slow burns like that because their union feels stronger than anything else.
-Both leads were somewhat morally grey, leaning towards white. I feel like ML wasn't even that grey, he just kept secrets. But FL did some scheming and was ruthless at times which I quite liked
-all bad guys got what was coming to them.
-Happy ending yeyyyy!
-cute babyyyyyy

What I disliked:
-Hanyan's father's acting. omg! just see it and you'll know
-This series is all about girl power actually and I love that but! the forced fed feminism in some scenes... I'm a feminist and they really put me off and ruined my immersion, the message was great its just the way that it was handled I think was terrible and not at all something that fits in a Historical fiction. Yes, its fiction, but if you set a rule for your fictional world you should stand by it and not break it only for a few characters/when its convenient.
-the rollercoaster of a script it had. like it was great one second and super cheap and cheesy the next (especially in the last couple of episodes)
-the FL's personality is this: Kind but willing to do anything for her loved ones (who are very few) and to survive herself. At least that what it was set as from the very beginning throughout most of the series. BUT... around the 3rd quarter her personality shifts back and forth and it feels like a different character each time. I understand ppl have complex emotions and they don't act the same way all the time but for fictional characters they need to have a very very plausible reason for a sudden change and her reasons didn't convince me enough.

Overall, I do recommend you watching this, but don't be expecting way too much. Its great when you underestimate it and don't try to think too much about how X happened when Y.

Leggi di Più

more than spoilt milk....

OMG was that bad.
Hunter Entertainment should strike the entertainment part from their name because this was painful to watch and no wonder that some of my friends dropped this show. Because I can endure I watched it to it's bitter end.

It started bad with the first episode and there was no chance of redemption. The Milk Boy was dull beyond my imagination and his partner had the worst fake beard ever seen in BL history. The side couple is a tad better, but too cliché as well. And of course the story is just boring, the acting is bad, the music is bad, the cinematography is ok but that's the best part of this show.

There is not much more to say, because it's a waste of time. Why this still has a rating of 6.5 is beyond me. It's a very bad show barely watchable. Even if you have time, avoid it like the pest and watch something else!

Leggi di Più

Yet another masterpiece from Hirokazu Koreeda

For those who are already familiar with Hirokazu Koreeda will know what they are getting themselves into before watching this film.

If you go in to the cinemas expecting this to be fast pace action or suspense blockbuster film, than you will be disappointed. This is an art house film that is very much driven by the characters.

Each of the casts deliver outstanding performances. Song Kang-ho rightly deserve winning the Best Actor award for his starring turn in Broker at 75th Cannes Film Festival 2022. Lee Ji-eun (aka IU) is the heart and soul of this film as we watch her character change as she journey with the brokers.

Just go to the cinemas with the right expectation and this film will not disappoint while enjoy the empathetic road trip odyssey reflecting on the family we choose.

Leggi di Più