Reviews

The story started off well and it had a very good potential to be one of the best dramas this year, but the slow pace is what upsets me. I can't call it is ruined, but I was anticipating more.
It is not a slow burner. Normally, I am ok with this kind of pacing. But here is the pace is really slow of the kind that the actors take five minuets looking at each other without a word and the antagonist takes scenes and scenes before he could strike, not to mention some plot holes and some stupid acts by the police. In the last episodes, the pace lift up and the episodes became more intense, which made the rating process kinda perplexing for me.
Acting-wise, the child actors did a better job than the adult ones. Nam Da Reum and Ryu Han Bi really impressed me. Heo Joon Ho (father) managed to make me cringe every time he is on screen. For the protagonists, Jang Ki Yong (Na Moo) was really good in the dramatic and when-he-is-angry scenes, but failed -unfortunatley- is the romantic moments, which was a big let down as I had seen him in Go Back Couple and made me develop second lead syndrome. ?His looks to Nak Won felt mannered and artificial, trying hard to look endearing and fluffy. Other than that he did a good job especially in the aforementioned scenes.
For Jin Ki Joo (Nak Won), I hope there was another actress instead. I won't lie, I skipped a lot of her (romantic) scenes.
Seo Jung Yeon (mother) overacted while acting angry but she was ok on the overall level. Kim Seo Hyung's (reporter) character was very annoying and was depicted evil for a reporter.
Music was soothing and lovable.
Overall, it wasn't a bad journey, but it could be much more better if it was shorter. I don't regret my time, but I don't think I'll be able to watch it again.

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I started this drama for obvious reasons - Lee Seung Gi and Suzy. But this drama instantly gripped me with the parents' story. Before I knew it, I was gushing over Wol Ryung's cuteness and crying over his sad 'demise'. For me, Wol Ryung and Seo Hwa had a truly classic and epic love story. Coming to the other cast, Kang Chi is like my role model now. He's just so pure and righteous, without ever acting superior. And Yeo Wool was just the kind k-drama lead that I love. She never annoyed me and I just loved her kickass-ness. It was weird seeing Sung Joon in a supportive role after his amazing performance in Shut up! Flower Boy Band. But I loved him as Gon too :)

I think this drama had the right balance of suspense, comedy, fantasy and romance.

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It's been such a long time since I last watched a drama or wrote a review, I'll be either shot on the spot or given merciful hugs - you know, the return of the lost lamb and all that.
I hope for the last, but given what it’s to come, I can’t be too optimistic. This show has one quality in my book: it prompted me to finally watch an Asian drama to completion, after months of going over all my repertoire of already known by heart dramas. And what better way to come out of a slump, than jump happily into Melo at its highest... or lowest?

Relax, I'm not going to bore you with long explanations as to why I find this drama ranges from interesting to mediocre - suffice to say that it has all your average paraphernalia attached to a melodrama: cancer, stabbing, abandoned children, scheming side characters, the mob, the corporation with its shareholders and a complete absence of logic.
This said, if one enters Meloland with a clear head, one is also prepared for all the above and more.

However, I'd lie if I said I enjoyed the descending curve of both plot and acting, which started well and ended horrible. Beautiful Song Hye Kyo suffered a pitiful case of DAS (Degenerative Act Stiffening), to the point in the end I couldn't help but wonder if there was a real person under that perfect skin of hers. Her behavior was at times so random I had to check whether I was watching the same drama or had been catapulted into another while I blinked.
Jo In Sung is like a shot of hormones through the veins, hence making every other consideration a little hard, at least until my female mind has fully cleared from the fantasy of his km long legs and other amenities. But while I think he’s great in portraying his desperation, I do believe there was just a tad too much desperation as a whole. Why not simply make him play poker, fight and interact with yummy Kim Bum? The ending of the drama would have made just as little sense anyway.
Therefore, the acting as a whole was good, at times incredibly intense, but at others over the top or repetitive. Not the best I’ve ever seen. And as superficial as the issue may be, I found the kisses, all of them, highly disappointing, almost a relapse into K-drama wall-kisses after a series of dramas that made us all hope for a change.

I loved the piano pieces, not so the songs.

On the positive side, there’s a plot that keeps you curious as to what will happen, a wonderful cinematography – I do believe this feature should be given a mark of its own, That Winter would get a full 10 – a pair of lovely side characters, well portrayed by Kim Bum and Jung Eun Ji, and Moo Cheol, one of the most complex and appealing villain I remember . It’s definitely worth a try, granted you like makjang and don’t really care for plausibility in a work of fiction.

Oh, and please someone give me the name of Oh Soo’s coats’ designer, because they are all absolutely gorgeous and I want them (yes, before you ask, I know the coats will not come with Jo In Sung inside them…)

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Baek Ajin is an irredeemable monster.

I was going to wait for the entire thing to air, but I couldn't contain my excitement, so much so that I am barely 7 minutes into the first episode and I am already in love, the intro is perfect just as the webtoon.

This and Delusion are my most anticipated webtoon adaptations and I expect the highest level of quality out both, needless to say that my review will be biased, I don't think I can separate the adaptation from the source material even if I try.

I truly cannot care less about what changes are done to the story in order to make a coherent live adaptation, changes are required and expected otherwise what's the point, right? but what I will not stand for is any changes made to Baek Ajin's personality , she's a monster nothing more nothing less and that's what makes the story so good.

I know my current rating is ridiculous having watched 7 minutes of one episode, but it is what I feel for now. I will come back and adjust accordingly after I finish the 4 episodes that are available.

I said I'd come back and adjust rating when I had finished the first 4 episodes, now I'm 3 episodes in and have to take a break, but I'm standing by my 10/10, the series so far is excellent, the casting is impeccable, the acting superb, the minor tweaks done to the story are glorious and the pacing is perfect.

I had to add more after watching episode 4, it's the one with the most changes to the storyline so far, and it's for the better which I thought was impossible to do, it has made the plot more realistic and reassured just how awful Ajin is. I hope and pray that the upcoming 8 episodes keep up this level and if so I dare say this is the best K drama of the year.There's still plenty of time to screw it up though so I'm not going that far yet.

Edit for episodes 5-6.

I cannot put into words how amazingly well this adaptation is going! It's a story that I've read so many times that I know every beat, every character,every single plot point, twist and turn; Yet the way it's being told feels new, I am at the edge of my seat bitting my nails and wondering what is going to happen next.

Rena has been given a brain, has been made more vicious and a far better rival for Ajin, I love what they have done to her so much.

Of all the men in Ajin's life she doesn't deserve, Jaeo will always be my favorite, but Ingang is the one she deserves the least and hurts the most. Drama Ingang is also smarter, stronger, and might not be as easily fooled by her (Hwang Inyoup looks so good in this role!) I am excited and scared of how their relationship will develop and loving this drama more and more with each episode.

Edit for episodes 7-8

So far this review has been part praise for how well the adaptation is going and part a comparison between the source material and the adaptation.

This is where the comparison stops as for episode 7 entierly new plot threads have been added , to a story I foolishly thought was perfect to elevate it to levels I never thought possible, this while still keeping the core events intact and making an already montreous main character even more inhuman, she's not just irredeemably evil, no, she's the Devil.

Edit for episodes 9-10

I Know I said I'd stop my rambling and just wrap up when the series ended but, I'm a little miffed just a tinsy tiny little bit, I'm not going to go into detail what has disappointed me so far because I'm still hopeful that the ending will make up for it and because I got my wish.

I cannot explain how much I love adored that the Fiance character has been expanded, he's barely present in the webtoon but that one glimpse of him shows that he is Ajin's true match, so I've always wanted more of him and more of him we've got.

Major changes have been made to fit the live action's narrative and most of it for the better so I'm still hopeful I'm still satisfied but, it's no longer a 10/10 still pretty damn good. We'll see what happens next week, Will it keep up the good quality?or Will it crash and burn?

My conclusion.

Up until now I hve been mostly positive in my review, despite stating that I'd be biased and I am 100%, however, I adore the cast so much that I also let that bias my review, I have let tweaks that change Ajin's personality slide, even though I also stated that that was thr one thing I wouldn't allow. That being said, What in the world were those last 2 episodes??!! I get taking creative liberties or whatever, I wasn't expecting the ending to be exactly like the webtoon, but no, this is too much, no. It makes sense I guess, and it is fine but I much prefer the original ending.

I'm not going to go into detail because I don't want to spoil anything. I'm not going to drag this drama and say it's garbage because it isn't, it's good and up until that one scene in episode 8 I loved it! I'm sure that for the unbiased this is probably a great drama.

The acting was superb and the soundtrack is fire, the story was practically flawless episodes 1-8 except the last scene and then it went too far, the ending changed too much and it disappointed me a lot.

I do recommend to read the webtoon. It's free on the webtoon app, just 62 chapters a quick abd very entertaining read and it's different enough that it won't seem repetitive, Also if you haven't, read Delusion and join me in the wait for the upcoming drama.

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As a fan of the webtoon "Girls of the Wilds" I have always wished for a live action dram to be made from it. I was excited when I came across "Sweet Combat" shortly after it had started airing. However, this can only be described as a loose adaptation of the webtoon. Even though it's not an exact production of the original story, I do think that the main plot is there and the personalities of the all the main characters are also close to the original. It's obvious that around episode 15 the writers decided to veer away from the original story and just sprinkle things in here and there. But they did stay true to the main plot and the feelings of the main characters. The only thing that I'm really disappointed in is the fight scenes and the lack thereof compared to the original story. The intense fight scenes of the original story was one of the biggest draws I think. But, this is a Chinese idol drama and has to fit that mould as well as a budget that probably couldn't afford a Jackie Chan stunt team. All in all I think it is a decent drama to watch. And if you haven't read the original webtoon I would suggest checking it out, but maybe wait until after watching the drama.

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It's a keeper for me

I decided to write a review after a particular scene in episode 8 sparked a cherished memory. It reminded me of the classic film ‘Heaven Can Wait’ (1978, starring Warren Beatty), where a glance into his eyes reveals his true identity to her, despite being in another body. That moment always gives me tingles. Having watched the film countless times growing up, I find this drama evokes similar emotions. It’s a story that celebrates inner beauty and true love, transcending mere physical appearances. The series is not just about laughs—though it certainly has its funny moments—but also mystery, intrigue, and a compelling narrative. I was captivated from the first episode and eagerly anticipate each new one.

Liu Xue Yi is fantastic as always. He's a real star.

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2nd Underrated Gem of 2025

I put this on my watchlist because I wanted to see SWL in a modern drama and he did very well as did pretty much everyone else sans one villain. This was a series which had all the goodies of creepiness; contortionists, resurrection, evil relics, so on and so forth. This really was the second underrated gem of a drama that I've watched this year.

Pros: The Phoenix entire squad. Even Chubby, though he didn't contribute much other than talking nonstop, was an integral part of this team. I'm glad we finally got a chance to meet the supernatural chicken and it was fun to have. I really loved every single arc until the second to last one. I will speak about that in the cons. Every single thing was connected, obviously laid by a plan, created by the ultimate antagonist. But no matter what happened once the squad was formed they always had each other's backs and if they were in separate locations, they would always be in contact. Misunderstandings would get resolved very quickly. I love how the show kept us guessing with the multiple personalities of MD or the FL we didn't know for a while that she even had two personalities, but it was interesting to see the difference between her and the other one and a half I guess you could say I nicknamed the other personalities as Faith, which was dark MD and Robo Barbie, which was stoned MD. Even though this series didn't have any promotion, I think a lot of things were pretty well done especially CGI and the storytelling in general.

Other than our squad and the supernatural chicken, other favorite characters were MD's family, ML's family as well as his last surviving friend and actually the people from every single case good or bad they delivered on their performances. Also, the fight scenes were awesome. I mean gravity defying stunts and all of that I love very much. I also have to give props to the real antagonist of this show. He turned up in episode 1 and we sporadically saw him until his final arc in episode 31.

The OSTs, production, more or less in general, sets, even though a lot was CGI, but thankfully, it didn't look like they used anything fake like the desert or the village or the mountains. Comedy also hit as it was supposed to. Thankfully, no slapstick humor here.

Cons: This show got a whole point taken off for several reasons; for starters the incredibly choppy editing I have to say that that probably had something to do with cutting the amount of episodes down so production either didn't want to or didn't have time to edit scenes properly because you jump from one scenario to the next and you have no idea how you got there in a lot of the episodes. Also, a lot of times there were cliffhangers that seemed to just not be shown the following episode or they would just be explained in the way that wouldn't make sense. Also, there were a lot of loose ends, not tied. Like the relics are now in their bodies. What happens next? Are they sealed for good? What happens when the characters grow old and die; do the relics come back to life? There's a lot that was not explained in regarding to the relics. I think they should've done a deeper dive as novel readers pointed out. Also, what happened to Mr. creepy antagonist? Is he dead for good or until another 280 years passes and he resurrects like the creature from Jeepers Creepers?

The ending was rushed because the main antagonist was only given two episodes if that to put everything together and do his whole evil shtick. Meanwhile, the crazy creepy cackle Halloween store witch leopard lady was given something like six episodes but she killed that entire arc. Every single time she opened her mouth. I wanted to hit her with a bat. I hated her character not because she was bad but because she was so annoying. They completely miscast the actress or they should have dubbed her over with a Fluently Mandarin speaking actress. But even her acting was over the top; she twirled, and she pointed her fingers with fake nails and acted like a plum fool. You would never think of her as being this ruthless, horrible person that we saw in ML's flashbacks. Honestly, she was basically the equivalent of what a leather wearing, valley girl would be the best way to describe her and she knew neither English nor Mandarin fluently. When she spoke on top of it, her lips did not match the sound that was coming from her voice so obviously she dubbed herself and it was really poorly done and no one corrected anything. I legitimately got through all of her main scenes by fast forwarding her I couldn't even watch her.

Would I recommend it? I totally would, despite the choppy editing and one crappy antagonist. The show was great and sadly not promoted, but it deserves a watch, especially if you are into creepy type shows with a supernatural aspect.

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Have a drink... or two

After first couple episodes (which were very slow) I thought this is going to be drama revolving around struggles (over)sensitive people have living in such loud world. And, since it was male lead who was sensitive, not typically FL, I was more interested to see how drama will explore his world and how he will "adapt" once he falls for FL. Unfortunately, they shifted focus on FL, her struggles and it became just one more drama with "ML is there for FL" and "wow, he is such a sweet guy".
Do I regret watching it? No, I don't. Would I watch it if I knew half way writers will forget about his sensitivity and turn it into simple plot device? No, I wouldn't.
It is sweet drama about family and friendship and people should try it, with or without FF button.

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Ashes of annoyance(if you ask me)

This story is your epic example of greed and revenge. Its a story entirely based on the actions of a self serving emperor and an evil calculating woman who was not loved by her husband.
Up until now i am still wondeing why most people kept on referring and comparing this story to ten miles of peach blossoms. The plots are completely unrelated and so different. The only minute similarity is both stories are fantasy stories and have a handful of realms only.
Now if you are looking for something thought provoking, refreshing and a bit different from the usual stories and typical drama logic then you might enjoy this.
I am however compelled to mention one downside to this drama. THE FEMALE LEAD was super annoying. Yes her character was pathetic throughout the drama but it does not end with the character alone. The female lead's acting leaves a lot to be desired. Her character was poorly written and developed through out the whole drama. Yes in the beginning i thought that is how it was meant to be but after major transformation i expectected her character to change and have a bit more depth but it remained shallow and underdeveloped. So if you can move past this hurdle then you might enjoy this drama indeed. To me she was a constant bother till i decided to focus entirely on the two brothers.

It is everything about her that made me give this drama a low rating. No matter how good the plot is or the acting of the rest of the cast is if one of the leads is a doofus be it character wise or the acting itself then it will bring the entire project down. This is how it was for me. If you can move past her then good for you you will enjoy the drama more.

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Story: Watching the movie without reading the description in the summary is like going on a trip to the jungle without a road map, and even then, the potential to get lost is great. Which is what happened to me when watching this movie.
Only in the end did I realize that there was actually a love triangle between Lin, Josh and Sean, but it was really hard to tell among the constant revolving door of almost naked men in their cheap-looking underwear that look like they've been worn since they were teenagers.

Honestly, I did not realize that there's actually a story in this mess. My take-away from this movie is that gays do drugs, bad disco and sleep around with whomever and whatever is available. But I know this is not the case. There is even a line in the movie, that for gay men, what is important is not the clothes you wear, but the body underneath it. Basically, if you're fat, you're fucked. Or rather, not fucked. Unless you are some guy with connections or money, you're pretty much hopeless.

But to give you a quick brief, so to spare you from wasting almost two hours of your life. This is basically what happened, if I understood it correctly.

Spoilers ahead:

Main Line:

Josh has been in love with Lin , who is still hung up about the death of his boyfriend.
Josh sleeps around with everyone except Lin.
Lin has AIDS and Lin dies by suicide similar to what his boyfriend did.
Sean did something about a video, probably driving LIn to his death not sure.
Sean did the above to get Josh.
Sean also has AIDS.
The description says that Josh and Lin are boyfriends but it doesn't look like it in the movie, they may like each other but nothing that shows they were together, except that Josh frequents Lin's flower shop a lot.

Side Lines:

Miss Rose is the manager of the Red House.
Lang is Miss Rose BF who sells/supplies drugs in his apartment. Another hang-out.
Lang also sleeps around. No surprise there, as almost everyone is.
Miss Rose also provides sexual services to keep her business afloat.
The Red House burns to the ground mysteriously during or after or before a police raid.

Acting: They are all convincingly gay.

Music: The only good part about the movie.

Re-watch value: Watching one time is more than enough.

There are so many loopholes, gaps, questions about this movie that is so choppy at best, and laziness at worst.
The only reason I am giving this a 3 star even though it is a bad movie, is because I have seen worse if you can believe it. I'm looking at you, Graupel Poetry, Innate Differences, Alternative Love, In Between Seasons, A Touch of Fever, and the list goes on and on.

Unless you are a masochist, be forewarned. No matter how you like Sky Li or Aric Chen, they will not save this movie. Nobody can.

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Be Your Own Prince Charming & Follow Your Joy!

Cinderella tropes are nothing new but what sets this drama apart is the depiction of the known characters in a different light.

Our FL Cinderella from the start is proclaiming herself as a sort of gold-digger, the Prince Charming ML is distrustful for those who proclaim love to him assuming they are in for his money - and this drama is a journey on how they both realize that what they are looking for is something within themselves and each other. Supporting them strongly are roles of the step-mother & sisters, who are not mean like in the fairytale but have their own way of supporting their Cinderella sister. The villains are funny more than evil. the SML momentarily seems mysterious only to become a catalyst in Cinderella's journey to find her calling.

Best Parts:
> The acting of the ML is worth investing time in this drama. He can be childish, rich spoiled brat but when need be he can be the most manly charming male lead that can make men/women around him swoon. And boy can fight!
> The entire retelling: seeing the age old story in a new light was a fresh perspective; the good have some flaws and the evil are not truly evil. Something that sets well in modern times, and the message of the drama is strong and apt: "Follow Your Joy" and be your own Prince Charming i.e. you yourself are the ones who can make/break your happily ever after.
> The illustrations in the start, background narration, comedic effects and cross over from Taxi Driver was a cherry on top that sweetened the deal.
> Short, well paced drama of 10 episodes

Weakness:
> Personal Opinion: The latter half of the drama did not arrest or hold my attention. I even watched some parts by fast forwarding. I was invested to finish the drama and know what happens in the end, but these parts could have been done better.
> The villains were there just for comedic effect - their actions in order to break the main couple as needed in a kdrama, was lacking. Again two ways to see it: it did not frustrate me but then it made me question what was their role? It felt half-baked to some extent

Overall:
Watch it cause of its short, well paced retelling of the Cinderella trope and for ML, Lee Jun Young's acting.

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The series is good although sometimes it gets boring

I saw a lot of comments from people, half of them are people who only have a few dramas saved or are new to this new realm of fantasy, I like something new, the actors have done extremely well. work, although some people don't like it, if they read all the comments they realize that they are people who haven't seen a hundred dramas but they think they are perfect scriptwriters or writers, the series has everything I've only seen 4 episodes and I liked it. The kisses are good and the acting is good. If you like new things and have been watching dramas for a while, I recommend it.Many expectations of Korean or Asian series, I do not recommend it since I do not think you will like it since they are demanding and think they are superior, but well, I love the acting of Suzy and Wo Bin They have chemistry in the series although not much but it looks good so far

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