Reviews

Admittedly, I only stated watching this drama because of Yoon Eun Hye's main role. For those who are her fan, this drama displays a "fresh" new role for her as a princess-type-brat; worthy of seeing as she plays it very well. As for the chemistry between the main couple- I'll confess it was lacking, however, the storyline made up for it as it was a surprisingly easy drama to get through. The comedy in the drama left no room for any dry bits and the overall story came across as very touching. Ironically summarized, the drama is about growing up and gaining independence through unexpected love. What I really enjoyed about this drama was the selfless love it seemed to portray from many angles, I recommend you give it a shot.

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1-The reason i watched this : yes, I watched it because of Matsumoto Jun, I wouldn't even gave it a try if it was another lead male.

2-Storyline/Cast : The main story here was about the love relationship between a single old mother and a second generation young actor; there were age problems, his failing career, family, friends.
I would've liked it better if they focused more on his acting career as much as they focused on family problems.
In general, the story was acceptable (considering the fact that I dislike old woman-young man relationships).

3-Acting/Cast : Like I said earlier it's Matsumoto Jun is the main reason that made this drama watchable. On the other hand, I really respect Takeuchi Yuko as an actress (I believe she's one of the greatest Japanese actors) but here there wasn't much chemistry between her and Jun here although I liked her character portrayal.
The believable acting is a strength point that counts for this drama.

4-Music : I still remember it and sing it sometimes. I rarely remember any drama's music but "Please Stay whith me" was extremly great.

5-Rewatch value : No it's not rewatchable. If you liked it from the first time you will ruin the story for yourself if you rewatch it.

6-The ending : It was an acceptable ending but it wasn't any special.

7-Overall : Anything Matsumoto Jun touches turns to gold that's what i've been thinking while watching this drama nothing more.

P.S : if you are not Matsumoto Jun's fan then I would really advice you to stay away from this drama.

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It was great, but it's not without faults

👻What I Enjoyed/Liked👻
1. A1 cinematography & production - So incredibly well done that I can confidently say that it's among the best that I've seen this year. Also, the village setting was so well done.

2. The inclusion of Thai culture, outfits, shamanic practices, etc. They were all so grand and beautiful. I haven't seen another Thai show that includes this (granted, all I watch from Thailand is BLs), so this was super interesting to see

3. The overall story - This doesn't get a 10/10, but for the most part, the story was well done. Throughout the 12 episodes, they gave us a lot of background info on the characters and how they all connected to each other, making everything feel cohesive. By the end of the story, there aren't many loose ends

4. The acting - I think the cast, the main 4, are largely rookies, and they did a really good job. I have seen cringeworthy acting in the BL scene. These four, they deserve their flowers. I hope to see them get even better in the future

5. The NC scenes in eps 7 & 8 - Aside from the fact that they were so very hot, I feel like they suited the couples perfectly. Chan & Jet are more playful, and so was their scene. Peem & Khem are more angsty and slowburn, and their scene reflected that beautifully.
Edit: After rewatching the show (now that it's on Netflix), I have an appreciation for the NC scene in ep 12. It didn't hit for me when I 1st watched the show. I found it a little boring. But now... yeah. I was wrong. Kudos to the actors and the director. It's such a beautiful and well-made scene

👻What I Didn't Like/Areas That Could've Been Worked On👻
1. Ramphueng should've received an apology. From her backstory, we see that they wronged her 1st. Her revenge - crazy as it was-, was justified. What that family did to her was horrible. In episode 12, they make her apologize, but why didn't they apologize to her, too? For over 200 years, no one ever said 'sorry' for playing a part in the unjust death of her and her son. Khem and his mother should've apologized to her for the parts that their past selves played in that

2. Does anyone know if Ramphueng went after all the people in that family (including the 1st wife and polygamous husband), or was it just Khem and his mother? I mean, Khem's testament (as Krongkhwan) was what put the nail in the proverbial coffin of her death, but... what happened to the other people throughout the years? Did she go after everyone? Coz if so, miss ma'am was one hell of a busy ghostly bee

3. Khem/Namping's crying scenes - When he has to sit and cry silently, it works. It's great. But when more emotions are needed, like he needs to be on the floor sobbing, it doesn't work. IDK if this makes sense, but during these intense crying/emotional scenes, as a viewer, I can tell that he's acting (and that it's not going well)

3. Khem & Peem don't have much in the way of facial expressions - Peem is stoic, and Khem is either sad, faking a smile or on the verge of crying. I don't want to judge too harshly since perhaps this worked because that is who the characters were. However, in the future, I'd love to see Keng and Namping use their facial muscles more in whatever show they'll be on. As per the latter half of the last episode, we see that they are clearly capable of it, so let them use them.

4. Khem was always the damsel in distress, and surprisingly, doesn't have much vigor to stay alive - This might be the thing that pissed me off the most. We started the show with Khem wanting to find a way to survive past the age of 21, then his friends suggested that Peem might like him, and suddenly, all he could care about was whether Peem liked him back?! Sir?!?!?!?! WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PLOT??? Listen, I understand that this is a BL. That they are meant to fall in love but... Priorities man. Vengeful ghosts 1st, romance later. Also, him up and leaving after Grandma Si died.... Come on now

5. The timeline - I might be horrendously bad at math, but I believe that the mid-1700s were at most 275 years ago. Where did the 400 years that they kept talking about come from?

6. Peem should have had a longer chasing arc - He was so mean for so long. He should've had to struggle and prove himself for longer to win Khem's affection and trust

👻Random Thoughts👻
a. Those villagers were so cool with all the ghosts. If it were me, I'd have left and never gone back😂

b. We largely saw Khem interact with ghosts that wanted him ☠️. I wish we saw his interactions with nice or at least neutral ghosts. Like the ghost mama in ep 1, who simply wanted to save her son

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Rowoon and Jo Bo Ah bring out the best in each other

I'll start out with what I didn't like:

1. Hong Jo deserved better friends. There were plenty of strong female characters, but I am disappointed none of them were HJ's age.

2. Shin Yu's mom deserved a better partner. It bothered me that she didn't go through with the divorce. SY's dad being nice for 10 minutes doesn't make up for him calling her stupid. She was such a sweetheart and I think that makes it even worse.

3. There was way too much time spent on HJ'S senior coworkers relationship. Those are the only scenes I skipped during rewatch. It wasn't poorly written and they are decent characters, but I would have liked that time spent elsewhere.

4. They should have made it explicitly clear whether or not the spells worked. I feel like the director left it up to the audience and basically asked us...do YOU believe in magic lol

What I liked:

There is so much that I liked, that I'll have to be broad and brief or I could go on forever:

1. The flashback scenes paired perfectly with the modern day story. None of these scenes felt like filler and the tragedy of Aeng Cho and Mujin was heartbreaking. Sometimes Joseon flashbacks can feel like an extension of the modern day filming...idk if that makes any sense lol But the Joseon scenes had a magical quality and seemed to be from a completely different show. I loved that they were shot on location and that there was minimal green screen used. The snowy scenes were especially beautiful.

2. The chemistry between Rowoon and Jo Bo Ah really made their characters come alive. Do yourself a favor and watch the bts on YT. HJ and SY almost seem like an extension of Rowoon and Bo Ah. Literally everything about their scenes together made me smile. Even in the beginning when SY annoyed the sh-- out of HJ lol That's why this drama is a 10 for me. I want a rom-com that makes me smile.

3. Believe it or not I liked the "love triangle" between HJ/SY/Kwon Jae Kyung. I think it's because HJ and KJK played it off without any true toxicity. The scene where they are both racing to HJ's apartment is one of the funniest I've seen. Rowoon and Ha Joon played really well off each other. It's not obnoxious and you get the sense that these two men actually like and respect each other. It also helps that KJK isn't a sore loser.

4. An OST can make or break a series and the Destined with You OST was perfect. Delicate and gentle are two words I would use to describe it.

At its heart, DWY is pure romance with sub plots of supernatural and comedy. The point of the show is HJ and SY were destined to be with each other. The storytelling never wavered from this trajectory. The only way I see this plot falling flat is if they didn't end up with each other or if someone died. The spells, the curse, etc. were all minor plot devices made to push HJ and SY towards their destiny.

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Not as bad as Squid Game but still... unnecessary

It was good, the cast, the acting, the games. But did we need this 3rd season? Absolutely not.

Everything just felt so forced. I think Usagi just needed therapy, I don't really get why she thought that going back to the games would let her meet her father, like girl, he's long dead, what were you expecting to see there? My dad is dead too but I wouldn't go back to those games just to see him or whatever, like it doesn't make sense. Girl suddenly trusted this random ahh man that she met once and suddenly they're fighting life and death together like what lmao. I really did not understand her reason for going back to play the games, even ended up risking her own life, her baby's life, and her husband's life. It felt so forced, like please, you need therapy and more communication with your husband. I lost it when she reunited with Arisu and she was like "I wanted to see you!" and I'm like girl you wouldn't be in this situation in the first place if you didn't go back here.

It's also forced that this citizen wants Arisu as a citizen in Borderland too, like bro was literally just a couch potato before he got to Borderland, it's not like he's the only one who survived the games. I don't really get the point of Borderland Jesus either, like ok he explained that this place exists between life and death but it's not like we didn't know that already? It's just so confusing.

The other players were good characters, but I didn't feel as much emotional attachment as the ones in S1 and S2. The acting and CGI was amazing as always, I guess that's the only good thing in this season. I would've been happy if they just inserted a small scene in the last ep. of S2 with their new lives, like literally the last part of S3 with Arisu and Usagi happily married and with Arisu talking to everyone at the end.

Anyway, I don't even wanna talk about that America bit in the last ep., main character syndrome country fr when will Netflix learn that not everything needs an American spinoff.

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Breathtaking!! Truly amazing.. each episode leaves you speechless!
When you think you've figured out how it works, the cards are mixed again, the allies stab you from behind and in the true sense of the word!

The drama has an intricate plot with equally complex characters, each one of them divided between good and evil..
It's full of action, corruption, betrayal and suspense but this is not all.. even in an environment where you can't trust anyone, there's someone who is still willing to risk or even sacrifice his life for another person..

The romance isn't the focal point, but it was of great importance to complete the plot.. Shi Hyun and Soo Min had an incredible chemistry.. they had an impossible but really passionate and breathtaking relationship!!

About the cast.. Jung Kyung Ho has shone with an intense and utterly believable acting.. he has made a complete change from the past projects.. after light characters which were closer to his personality, I would have not expected this dense and intense acting with excellent action scenes!! Thanks to him, Jung Shi Hyun's character has been totally captivating!

I loved the OST, especially "Hurt" by Kim Yong Jin

Ps: Gun wounds that heal over night? it's possible if you use Pororo's plasters!! XD

Pps: sorry for my English

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It's been a while

SPOILER FREE
Everyone can appreciate some aspects of this drama, like the acting or the OST, but plot-wise this is not a drama for everyone. Beyond Evil is a character-driven drama, that some may find slow paced. Anyone who likes multilayered and morally gray characters will appreciate it. The acting (especially from the two main leads) is probably one of the best I have seen.

SPOILERS
It's been a while since I saw such an intriguing series. Was it perfect without even a single flaw? No. However the flaws were minor, so I didn't really care about them.

Beyond Evil is a gripping drama from the beginning. There are not enough words to express how much I loved watching this series. The plot is very well written and the characters are so interesting and complex. The acting is outstanding. Shin Ha Kyun delivered one of the best performances I have ever seen. He is an amazing actor, and Yeo Jin Goo was such a great choice to play Han Joo Won. I don't know who thought of putting Shin Ha Kyun and Yeo Jin Goo together in a series, but whoever did, thank you very much! This series would definitely not be the same without this great cast and the phenomenal chemistry of the two main leads.

Generally, I don't pay too much attention to the directing, since most of the times it is good or at least decent. Nonetheless, it was impossible not to notice the great directing of this series. I loved how it was like seeing the POV of another character and it led the viewers to certain assumptions to distract them from the truth. The color tones were all so dark yet not too dark, which made the series even more appealing and disturbing (especially in the first episodes). The OST fits the series in an unimaginably good way.

Did this get draggy, tiring or just not as good comparing to the first half? Kind of, but it was inevitable. This isn't a series that reveals everything on the last episode, so of course every single clue added a piece to the puzzle and when things started getting clearer it was natural for the series to not be as mysterious as it was in the first episodes.

What I really loved, is the fact that everything was revealed slowly but surely and we didn't wait till the last episode to find out who the killer is.

I loved how Beyond Evil tackled many issues like the stigma that follows a falsely accused person or the pain that people who are left behind are going through.

Am I being objective giving this series a prefect 10? Probably not, but reviews are not objective anyways and this is a series that I will remember for quite a long time, so why not?

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Romance I didn't know I was looking for but cupid's arrow hits the mark! Love finally scouted!

Love Scout offered a refreshing take on the typical and traditional office romance tropes by flipping the power dynamics. In a clever role reversal, the FL Kang Ji Yun is a strong and authoritative CEO while the ML takes the role of a compassionate and attentive secretary who can almost do everything, efficiently and in the best-organised manner.
This power shift brought a fresh vibe, letting both the characters grow and be seen uniquely.

Kang JiYun plays the role of CEO of Career Way who has a tough exterior but she isn't mannerless or an airhead. She is a confident and assertive woman, who always backs her decisions with logic. While she approaches most situations with a rational mindset, she knows when to incorporate emotions, using them thoughtfully when the moment calls for it.

Yoo Eun Ho in my eyes was the definition of a perfect male lead - organised, reliable and just an absolute green flag.
His organization skills honestly blew me away like, I need to take notes from him in real life.

Beyond his impressive work ethic, Eun Ho was also an incredibly supportive and loving father. His relationship with his daughter, Byeol was nothing short of heartwarming and adorable, making their moments together so touching to watch. He is also that guy who is always there for everyone, literally in the right place at the right time, ready to help whenever, a true people's man indeed.

They were the kind of couple that got each other, with a level of maturity that made handling disagreements look easy. They knew how to communicate and work through things without drama and navigated conflicts with effortless grace.
But when it came to their love story, they were completely unguarded, like teenagers discovering it for the first time. They’d send each other cute texts and pull all-nighters on the phone talking to each other, sneak quiet smiles across the hall and laugh over the smallest things that only they found funny. Their relationship looked effortless and natural, comfortable yet full of that youthful energy, where even the simplest moment felt special.

I really appreciated how they handled the family dynamics, highlighting how family comes first. It was nice to see ML taking into account his daughter's health showing his care and support. However, I do wish we had more of the father-daughter bonding moments. While I understand this was a rom-com with romance being the main focus and we needed the plot to move forward, a little more screen time for their relationship could have added extra depth to his almost perfect ML character and to the overall story.
The drama also subtly touches on the topic of work-life balance. While it doesn't really dive deep into this aspect, I was glad it was at least brought up in a career-driven narrative. Also, I don't think we needed a childhood connection because the drama had such a strong plot! But at least it wasn't overdone.

The second couple were kind and good-hearted individuals, but their connection appeared more like a friendship built on shared experiences rather than a romantic relationship. Their screen time was limited, which made their bond less convincing.
Also, I felt antagonists were pretty weak but the romance was enough for me to excuse the flaws.

Since the final episode aired today, here are a few romantic ideas for Valentine's Day (For those who need it! Approved by Oppa with a 100% success rate) :
✨ Help them organize their desk or home office, so they can finally find some peace and you can get some peace too. Remember organizing is basically the ultimate life hack, it heals souls plus makes you look like a total hero. Also, who wouldn’t be impressed by someone who can fold a shirt, put labels on folders AND get their life together?
✨ Take a drive around the city if you catch the other person peacefully sleeping because we wouldn't dare interrupt their beauty sleep!
✨ Go to your local convenience store and grab some ready-to-eat spicy noodles while it’s raining outside.
Cozy, spicy, and a little dramatic - perfect combo !!
✨ Plan a basketball date if the other is feeling down but don't forget to go easy for the rest of the games you play together ever!
Remember the goal is not to win but to eat ice cream together at the end, laughing!
✨ On Friday night (or accidental date night) Chef it up in your kitchen and whip up a gourmet feast for your special someone. And just to flex your generosity and love, let them have the last bite!
✨ If they fall asleep and start having nightmares, don’t freak out—just hold their hand like the ultimate sleep protector and let them dream it out. (Lmao buy yourself a back massager because you will need it the next day xD)
✨ If they can’t remember which car is theirs, be the hero and suggest adding some fun stickers to help them spot it easily. Get bonus points for being a problem solver!

The OSTs were beautiful and I would definitely listen and revisit them later. "Test Me" by Paul Blanco was my favourite!

Overall, it was such a breezy romance, with the leads showing a certain level of maturity. Their chemistry was subtle yet genuine and the lack of unnecessary drama made it a very enjoyable watch. I would definitely recommend it if you are looking for a heartwarming, uncomplicated love story.

Thank you for reading my review! And very happy valenties's day! ♡

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I must admit that I may not be part of the target audience for this drama, but I'll explain why I gave "Love Alarm" this rating.

I freaking love Kim So Hyun (Jojo), so a new drama staring her as the main role again = I was super hyped. The only reason the "Acting/Cast section of the rating is not a 10 is because I really did not like the main Guy ( Song Kang ).
I dont know for real, how he approached Kim Jojo was really creepy in my opinion and not romantic what so ever.
The moral values are very superficial. The app can detect how in love people are, but every time they explain why the alarm rings, the reason is always the same, It's either "she/he is so pretty" or "idk man I cant control it whatever bruh it wont change"
The first episode is a bit silly, and it's okay but the only thing that motivated me to watch episode 2 is my completionnist instinct. The concept could've been even more interesting. I had hopes when the main couple broke up and Hye young was like "I want to try to do things the old fashion way" when him an Jojo were talking at the Library.
Sike ! One episode later he downloads the app again and they all depend on it . ( even if the momment when he turns arround her on his bike to ring the alarm over and over again was cute, I admit.)

The music is okay, not wow, but if you wacth 8 episodes of a drama and dont know the songs by hearth at the end, for me, it's a good thing.

But the main reason I did not like it that much is because it was presented as a "love triangle story", but it was really disapointing. Jojo and Hwang Sun Oh love each other pretty much for the whole time (except for the shield incident at the end) and Lee Hye Young, as much as I like him, did not have a big impact. Nothing happens in this "triangle" except for the end when they hang out as friends. So if you like dramas where the main couple live happily then break up out of the blue for plot purpose, good news.

To end on a good note it's still cool seing Kim So Hyun acting and here are some personnal suggestions, enjoy :

- A nice "love triangle" drama: Dream High
- A nice "cute couple" drama: Fight for my way

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I was absolutely blown away by the script, the cast and the chemistry. The writers did an amazing job with this script. Whoever did the lighting during the filming was able to capture not only the night scenes clearly but also distinctively. The series was so good, I actually rewatched episodes and clips while it was still on the air. The acting, the plot, the chemistry, the intelligence and the humor. You get it all as well as tons of action and anticipation. You’ll shed a tear or two. You’ll be mad, happy, want blood and smile so hard. Just wonderful.

The overall story is about two people who encountered hardship in their youth uniting to establish their own sense of love, justice and peace. I am so thrilled that the leads were both charming and smart. There were no senseless games or fights just pure witty and authentic commitment, love and determination.

I would put this series up there with ten miles of peach blossoms and the lengend of fuyao. No cliffhangers, just clean and clear and amazing ending.
Hats off to the young female actress who played “Rong’er” she has some skills. I’ll definitely look for her in future films.

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Entertaining c-drama with plenty of light-hearted moments

I bumped into this fantasy/wuxia c-drama by accident. Not a fan of Xiao Zhan and hence, have not been anticipating this drama despite all the publicities and hoopla. But the first 2 episodes got me hooked on, and I have been following the series daily. What is so great about this drama that I spent slightly over an hour every day watching 2 newly released episodes? If you go by Douban’s rating score of 6.2 from 700K viewers, then this series is nothing but an average fantasy costume drama production. However, there is a significance of over 700 reviews. It means that this is a popular series with a serious and loyal fanbase from the novel, manga, computer game and anime. Considering Xiao Zhan’s ever growing hardcore fans, you have plenty of interests that kept this c-drama on top of the chart throughout its airing during Chinese Lunar New Year.

The first thing that I checked on any costume c-drama is the storyline. Most of the time, the storyline is so crappy that you would think the screenwriters are some of the stupidest people within the television industry. The storyline here is your typical fantasy wuxia where the main protagonist started as a lame duck and transformed himself into an expert fighter/soul master through cultivation/levelling up throughout his adventure. The positive news here is that there is no overemphasis or overdependence on Xiao Zhan and Wu Xuanyi, as the other 5 members of the Shrek Team and the 2/3 teachers get their share of airtime too. This is a plus point because what makes some storylines unbearable is when you see the ML and FL dominates the scenes. Another great news is that romance is not given much emphasis in this series. You don’t have storyline where ML and FL would fall in love, got into some disagreement and separated, fall in love again, separated again, etc.

Another good thing is that there is not much fake studio setting. Where possible, the production team finds real bushes or secondary forests especially for scenes involving hunting of soul beasts. Okay, there were occasionally fake studio setting like in Ep 23 and 24 when the Seven Devils were fighting Fiend battle team in Xi Si City. I can’t understand the need for those mushroom-like structures in the fighting scenes, but they were not particularly hideous.

Tang San/Xiao Zhan is adorable but his character is very much Mary-Sue like. Brave, charming, handsome, righteous, honest, etc with tragic past and revenge mission. The female lead however tries too hard to be cute. Wu Xuanyi/Xiao Wu introduction in Ep 2 as she entered Nuoding Acadamy was so bad, it reeks of overacting. Granted her performances improves as the series progresses but she tries too hard to be cute in some of the scenes. When she acts normally, it looks more natural. Her acting will improve as gets into more drama, and she could be as popular as her “Rocket Girls 101” co-member, Yang Chaoyue, who is now ranked as a Forbes Top-100 Celebrity in China given the right dramas and movies. I don’t like Ou Si Ke’s character – too talkative and his penchant for writing during inopportune time like when they are about to fight left me baffled and confused.

There were numerous light-hearted moments that make this series enjoyable. I love watching Xiao Wu trying repeatedly to kiss Tang San but failed to do so; or DuGu Yan playfulness in claiming Tang San as her husband; or DuGu Bo eccentric humor and quirky common-sense; or Xiao Wu lack of understanding of male/female relationship, or Ms Liu obsession with Tang San’s sifu, etc. Too many instances to list them out but they make this series worth re-watching, albeit on selected episodes. The chemistry between Tang San and Xiao Wu is evident for all to see, because I believe, Xiao Wu’s happy go-lucky character fits Wu Xianyi natural disposition. This couple reeks of cuteness overload. The other couples don’t give me the same excitement as Tang San/Xiao Wu. And how did Calvin Chen as Tang San’s master be that good looking at 40!!

This is a CGI and VFX heavy production. Every time a character uses his/her inner power, CGI and/or VFX is required. I thought the CGI and visual effect were beautifully done and nothing was particularly amiss or looking out of place. The soul beasts are all computer generated too, and their incorporation into the fighting scenes are not bad either. Of course, there are times when the characters’ flying or qingqong seem to challenge the law of physics, but that is to be expected in this heavy-laden CGI/VFX that must have kept the CGI/VFX working overtime during the post production processes. On a related note, Visual Impact Digital Production, the company engaged to provide the CGI/VFX for the series admitted of plagiarism in the drama’s opening title sequene through the use of His Dark Materials and the character Jhin in League of Legends. Luckily this controversy was nip in the bud, and the c-drama was not affected by it.

Now the ending – typical expected ending with a prelude to Season 2 clearly in the minds of the Directors/Producers. There is a cliff-hanger that is designed to whet the viewers appetite for Season 2. Just hope that “Douluo Continent 2” will not suffer the same fate as “Evernight 2” – the sequel could not match the series original success; or “Princess Agents” where the sequel never takes off.

My overall verdict of this series is 8.0/10. A must watch for Xiao Zhan’s fans and those who like video-game type of levelling up. Plenty of funny and enjoyable moments.

Story - 9.0/10
Acting - 7.5/10
Music - 7.5/10
Rewatch value - 8.0/10
Overall - 8.0/10

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