Reviews

The Princess Bride.

Lost You Forever is a dark, beautiful, suspenseful and, poignant tale of intrigue, treachery and longing. This drama is immersive with its air of mystery, the shiver of danger, a whisper of regret and a sense of profound loss and longing that saturates every scene. It is a story about love but it is not a love story. It is a far more complex and expansive exposition of the many kinds of love and how it can be restraining and boundless at the same time.

Set in Dahuang, a magical, treacherous and unpredictable world where humans, demons and deities co-exist, two forsaken royal orphans vow to always cherish and protect one another. Shattered by a broken promise, Xiao Yao loses herself, misplaced during a time of great turmoil. She assumes the appearance of a man and lives among the humans and demons of Qingshui Town as the village fertility doctor. This is the most exciting arc because everyone has secrets and danger lurks around every corner. When cornered, Xiao Yao is most adept at grovellng, lying or poisoning her way out of trouble. Yet she is carefree, uninhibited and almost contented in Qingshui Town with her found family. Alas, destiny catches up with her as Cang Xuan, Tushan Jing and Xiang Liu all converge upon Qingshui Town, shattering her refuge.

The latter arcs take on a political tone as Cang Xuan emerges as a contender for the Xiyan throne with Xiao Yao clearing the path for him. They must establish Cang Xuan's support base among the restless and resentful Central Plains; where the noble clans and families have complicated blood ties to remnants of the defeated Chenrong state. Xiao Yao is the princess bride, a chess piece that Cang Xuan dangles temptingly in front of the scions of the powerful aristocratic families he seeks to win over. Marriage to him is simply a means to seal alliances. He supresses his heart's deepest, secret longing by sheer willpower. Zhang Wanyi adroitly portrays Cang Xuan as a consummate politician, a very dangerous, smiling tiger / xiàomiànhǔ 笑面虎 who has his enemies in a death lock before they even know it. Love is not of paramount importance for Cang Xuan and Xiao Yao, whose destinies are interlocking as a result of their childhood oath. They work towards a greater purpose with one heart and one mind. Anyone and everyone else is always subordinated to this purpose. They are both unattainable characters who have already carved out so much of themselves for each other that there is not much left for anyone else. This is why what Xiao Yao seeks is an unequal relationship with essentially, a doormat. The princess in her however prefers that it is a doormat made of fox fur rather than a rather foolish, entitled product of too much in-breeding.

Xiao Yao is by far the darkest, most complicated, and most independent female protagonist I have come across in Chinese dramas. This is an awesome and challenging role that Yang Zi delivers magnificently. As someone who had a huge allergic reaction to her earlier works, I am speechless at her portrayal. Her Wei Xiaoliu has decisively unseated Ni Ni's Fang Weizhi as the most convincingly acted female disguised as a male character. But it is her heart-wrenching homecoming scene that can squeeze tears from a rock that truly captures the depth of Xiao Yao's sense of abandonment and despair over the person she lost forever. I can't think of another actor that has so visibly taken their acting to a high a new level the way Yang Zi has. That said, no power on this earth will make me revisit her past roles though I enthusiastically look forward to her future ones.

Tushan Jing is the weakest link in this drama both in terms of how the character is written and portrayed. Despite his stunning physical appeal, this is not a role that a promising but inexperienced actor like Deng Wei is ready for. He pulls off a charismatic and endearing Ye Shiqi that melted Wei Xiaoliu's stone-cold and lonely heart. But he lacks depth and range and visibly struggles to get into character as Tushan Jing. His perpetual stricken, deer-in-the headlight expression threw me out of some of the drama's best, most intense moments. When the Haoling King assures his daughter that the shrewd and canny Tushan Jing must have already guessed her identity, the camera pans to a dumbfounded looking Tushan Jing! I burst out laughing even though I am absolutely sure I was not supposed to. It does not help that the character's weak and indecisive waffling does not match Tushan Jing's reputation as one of the most brilliant and cunning minds of Dahuang. There is clearly also a writing issue but it does not excuse the actor's inability to make the character seem deeply conflicted rather than just weak and lacking basic smarts and survival instincts. This is a glaring weakness that weighs on both my viewing experience and my rating.

Xiang Liu is Xiao Yao's greatest nightmare, a demon that she is bonded to by a spell no one fully grasps. He is her soul mate; they are both lonely, realistic characters trapped by a cause that is bigger than themselves and thus have no free will. Tan Jianci's masterful, subtly tragic rendering of this vicious, resentful and enigmatic nine-headed demon with a shockingly passionate heart has catapulted this fantastic actor to a new level recognition. His styling is spectacular but what takes my breath away is how with the angle of the head or a flicker of an eye, his expression can change from unholy amusement to vicious cruelty; from tortured to pure, unbridled joy and affection. I don't know how Xiang Liu's story ends but the fact that he is committed to a lost cause that pits him against the person Xiao Yao protects at all costs fills me with dread. I cannot see any scenario in which this ship does not somehow sink but my heart won't listen to my head that urges me to get on the lifeboat to safety before it is too late.

Season 1 sets up the backstory of a world torn apart by war and introduces many well-written and multi-faceted characters that were collateral damage in the conflict. Intricate relationships and debts that will at some point come due accumulate between the various stakeholders. After some draggy politicking, Season 1 ends triumphantly with an unexpected twist and sets the stage very nicely for Season 2. I expect Season 2 to reveal even more secrets from the past that will force Xiao Yao to make some impossible choices. How unbreakable is her bond with Cang Xuan? Will the tragic story of Chi Chen and the Xiling witch repeat itself? Will Deng Wei finally get his act together and give us the real Tushan Jing? Will Xiao Yao shock us with her marksmanship by shooting her rival in her black heart? I hope we will not have to wait too long to find out. At the same time, I am grateful that this breaks in a good place for a time out. I have come to care too much for these characters and something tells me that this is the kind of story where even those who get what they want may not truly want what they get.

So far, Lost You Forever is the most addictive and immersive drama I have watched in 2023. I rate this a 9.0 for now because there are some notable flaws but if Season 2 comes together well, there is scope for me to revise it up.

Leia Mais

I wasnt expecting much because it was tagged as a thriller (which I dont watch many) and it wasn't labeled as supernatural or vampire (which I LOVE). But after the first 20 minutes, I was SO happy! The story is original and I didn't see that plot twist coming in the end. The story isn't really confusing but it is weird and at times makes you feel awkward because of the light sex scenes and strange behaviors.

The acting... OMG!! The cast was amazing but the acting was more than I expected of a movie like this. Night is like my new bias. I also love the subtle hints of vampirism that they used with Night like the Dracula haircut and the red eyes which signifies eye dryness (they are not human) or exposure to too much sunlight. Wine was so creepy and psycho it was scary how good he was.

The music was amazing. I really want the soundtrack. One minute there was beautiful, opera-like music and then 5 minutes later, it was eerie, dark and creepy music that made the atmosphere which is what music in movies is supposed to do.

I recommend this SO MUCH if you like vampires, revenge, psychotic behavior, and amnesia in the story (it has it all!). I certainly will watch it in the future when I remember it as being an mind-blowing movie.

Leia Mais

If you're looking for an action-filled drama of hide-and-seek with a murderer, then this is not the drama for you.

But if you're looking for a thought provoking drama where you can spend half the time guessing whom the murderer is, and the rest of the time studying the abilities of the human mind; then this is the one for you.

This drama is based on the question "Are monsters born or made?" and focuses on the psychologic part the story. Now before you back away (I know I usually back farfar away from movies that have a psychologic theme) this one is really worth the watch!

There were frustrating parts and questions that weren't fully answered. I also wish that there had been more shown about each characters background. I rated the rewatch value low only because of the fact that once you have watched it, you will already know how it will end and who the murderer is.

Over all, a very interesting and thought provoking story that pulls you in and allows you to ponder about one of life's greatest questions; "Are monsters born or made?"

Leia Mais

Couldn’t stop watching till I finished all episodes.

Couldn’t stop watching till I finished all episodes.”Cheer up” one of the best Korean dramas of this year in my opinion. The acting, storyline and of course music and performances was so great! I swear I will definitely rewatch this show again and again. I know that some people were disappointed with love triangle but I really like both male leads equally despite annoying love of the second male lead. Despite that he has interesting plot about his family and their relationship. Also, I’m in love with FL 😍 she portrayed her heroine so well, and I like how she could be dead serious and so funny and playful too. I was really impressed by her acting. Really recommend everyone to watch this show if you like good story and also amazing music and shows.

Leia Mais

This is a Rant...BUT

I went into this with zero expectations. I tried watching the first 2 episodes because AvenueX mentioned that the cgi was beautiful. I thought it would be just another 'xianxia' trope, and truly wasn't expecting to like it. But then, right from the very beginning, the visuals were so f****ing beautiful. Qin Lie's fight with the beast was okay, what I stayed for...was the visuals of Yushi. Her trekking through the heavy snow in the dark,... It was like a scene straight out of some high-quality hollywood production (Think Snow white and the Huntsman or Witcher) . And the intermittent shots of Du Shao Yang being asked to marry a woman, who we know from the way it's shot...is Yushi. And that was it,...the rest as they say is history. I couldn't stop myself from immediately bingeing through all the released episodes. Though I have to admit, that I basically fast forwarded all scenes of Qin Lie and Song Ting Yu. The visuals were truly the best part of the show. The different realms, particularly Ling Burrough, the Frost land, Purple Mist Sea, and the Netherlands. And of course the ost. The song that plays every time Qin Lie is in a fight with the odds stacked against him, and yet he manages to come out just fine, and grows even stronger in fact....I loved that song. Trying to figure out Qin Lie's feelings for Yushi, and the Gao Yu -Yushi- Qin Lie triangle was also pretty interesting. I was even considering to let Yushi and Gao Yu get married, before the scriptwriters forcibly blackened him. I honestly couldn't understand why Yushi was so set on QL, that she completely ignored the other man who basically worshipped her- Gao Yu.
The story was okay, but they could have done so much more with it, there were so many possibilities....I'd been soo looking forward to Wu Chun and Gong Mu Lie's story and yet they turned it into this completely meaningless nonsense, They basically stalked each other for a long time, and thus automatically fell in love...like seriously? Did the scriptwriter suddenly lose his brain? And I hate the ending. It was like going back to square one after 36 episodes. It felt so meaningless. The least they could have done, was provide an epilogue at the very least. The acting was okay I suppose, but yes Cheng Xiao could have done so much better. I know that the character of Yushi is supposed to be cool and calm at all times, but she just seemed wooden to me. And I know Cheng Xiao could have done better, because Wu Chun seemed so much more alive and real.
I suppose this is turning into a rant now, but I'm seriously disappointed at what they did with the script...I had soooo much expectations...Even so, I'll definitely watch this again, because the visuals are truly breathtaking, and you should watch this drama, if for nothing else but that.
There are so many negatives points about this drama, and logically speaking it's merely an average one. And yet as I'm writing this review, I realize that despite its many flaws, I still love the show.

Leia Mais

sweet seaside romance

Overall: a refreshing seaside romance series. 5 episodes about 20 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala.

Content Warnings: maybe something at the beginning with a side character but it didn't bother me at all, past death

What I Liked
- the characters felt realistic instead of caricatures, how both of them were confident in some ways but guarded in other ways
- flashback that hinted about why Amane was jaded about love and then the reason was shown in episode 2
- caring/sweet moments
- how Ryuji sought communication
- that Amane took risks to stay true to himself/what he wanted
- production value

Room For Improvement
- don't think physics would agree with what happened around 10 minutes in episode 1 lol
- it was only 5 episodes we definitely could have used more

Leia Mais

Strong start, lackluster finish

* Editing this because I focused SO much on the negative so I would just like to add that I love Lu Shiyi. He is a very passionate and loyal person. He was dedicated to sports but that didn't stop him from improving his studies and he never lost sight of his dream of becoming a doctor. He went out of his way to comfort, love, and protect his friends and family. He wasn't afraid to apologize when he hurt someone and he never stopped giving his all. I just wish the writers didn't throw the Lu Shiyi we loved out the window in the last few episodes and replace him with an overly jealous and obsessive jerk*

The show started off pretty strong. With interesting characters and funny moments that led to beautiful friendships forming it was building up to be one of the best school love/friendship stories I have watched. The only qualms I had in the beginning were that they rushed the high-school portion and sending BaoBao off was way too random + I almost thought they were going to make it the cliche "cold, rude boy bullies the girl and she falls for it" but they didn’t. Shiyi teased Xiaoju and they bickered a lot after getting off in the wrong foot BUT Shiyi quickly changed his ways and they became great friends. They both stuck their necks out for each other and grew close. Once they became friends and before Shiyi even realized his feelings he still went above and beyond for Xiaoju.

Everything seemed great and despite the looming love triangle and every day struggles the group's friendship was the one strong standing thing. However for some reason the writers decided to scrap that and ruin practically every character.

The thing I liked the most about Shiyi was that even after he found out how he felt about Xiaoju, he didn’t want to force his feelings on her or lose her and decided that he would be happy if she was happy and wished she wouldn't get hurt in her own one-sided love. He was always there for her and did whatever he could to make her happy. Even after he found out that Xiaoju liked Cheng Lang, he was upset but he didn’t take it out on her and instead helped keep her secret and do his best to comfort her and protect her heart. He tried to muster up the courage to confess quite a few times but Xiaoju was always wrapped up in her feelings for Cheng Lang so he pushed it off to comfort her instead. Unfortunately the writers through all of this out the window by introducing Chang Le or whatever the class monitor's name was. They made Shiyi turn super jealous and obsessive. Then after he confessed his feelings he kept practically harassing her, tricking her, and using tricks to make her pretend to date him (the entire fake dating thing was ridiculous, if they were gonna use that extremely overused trope they at least could have done it right). Suddenly all he cared about was chasing her around. On top of that out of nowhere he returned to his high school self and started insulting Xiaoju nealry everu time he interacted with her because of his jealousy.

As for Xiaoju, she was a good headstrong character. She worked hard in her studies and was a loyal friend. However the writers ruined her character after Shiyi's confession. Suddenly the Xiaoju we knew who was kind and got upset at Shiyi for always being mean turned downright nasty to Shiyi. She called him crazy for confessing and just kept hurting his feelings despite explicitly saying that she was turning him down so he wouldn't get hurt. I get being confused about her feelings but she would fully disregard his feelings in general. At first she said it was because she didn't like him like that but then she switched up and just insisted that it isnt right and that they should ONLY be friends. She kept switching up one moment she would be rude to Shiyi but then realize she was too mean and would apologize and give in and basically confess her feelings but then when he would say she likes him and they are together she would shove him away and run off. She did this a MILLION times until one day she decides she is confused and MIGHT like him. Literally everyone in the world could tell she actually liked him now EXCEPT HER. It takes her bag being stolen and Cheng Lang pointing out to her (for the 100th time) that she likes Shiyi and then she FINALLY admits it and confesses her love for Shiyi...TO CHENG LANG

Cheng Lang who was kind and very down to earth just grew boring and I felt almost zero chemistry between him and Lin You. He became a side character and I couldn't care less about his love story with Lin You until they had such a ridiculous ending. Personally Lin You had the personality of a piece of paper and they ruined her character even more by her breaking Cheng Lang's heart not once but THREE TIMES. Cheng Lang was clearly very interested in her and they stayed up late together and he did lots of chivalrous things for her but not once did she mention she had a boyfriend until he confessed. Then her bf dumps her and Cheng Lang helps her heal and before he can confess SHE makes the first step towards him. She then becomes the jokingly clingy gf telling him not to flirt with other girls. They date and are in love for almost 3 yrs then the writers decide to bring her bf back and have him beg to get back together. Then they reveal that oops! It was a misunderstanding and he got in an accident and lost everything and thats why he dumped her. But still she cries and says she loves Cheng Lang. But then its revealed that her mom forced him to lie and break up with her for no reason and then that leads to a whole mess of her defending her ex in front of Cheng Lang and then eventually choosing him and going to study abroad. The writers then decide its a great choice to make Cheng Lang become successful but still make him heartbroken and long for Lin You and then end it with him seeing her back in China and excited to talk to her only to see her with her boyfriend that ISN'T the man she left him for. Thus rubbing it in his face that not only did she leave you and run back into her ex's arms, she dumped that guy too and STILL didn't come back to you.

As for TaoTao and Huang Jun the writers ruined their cute relationship. They randomly through in Menglu who purposely tried to break them up. Huang Jun faltered and lied to Tao Tao even after she gave him another chance. Then when she fully breaks it off he goes on to date Menglu only to still fawn over TaoTao and complain about Menglu not understanding (which serves her right because how is she gonna break them up and then complain because he still cares about her and act like he wouldn't cheat on her). 2 years pass since their breakup and only then after seeing TaoTao happy Huang Jun decides to become possessive & pathetic and never leaves Tao Tao alone despite now being with Menglu. He even begins ignoring her calls without breaking up her. He harasses TaoTao until the end until finally he sings a last song for her and she agrees that one day they can be friends and that she doesnt want to be enemies even though she still hates what he did. He cries, and holds onto her hand and she takes it away and he wishes her happiness. I'm glad Tao Tao got a happy ending and I'm glad Huang Jun suffered and BaoBao came back but everything was too random and thrown together. Why did Tao Tao keep their relationship a secret from Xiaoju for YEARS. We were led to believe she was just chatting with a stranger and thats why she was so secretive. Then years later she announces her marriage. I started suspecting it was BaoBao but it seemed so far fetched and laughable. BaoBao appears and apparently Shiyi knew this entire time. Nothing is explained on what he has been doing or how he and TaoTao got together. A random party is thrown and they get married.

The entire last 2 episodes were ridiculously rushed and made no sense. It was clear that Shiyi's "girlfriend" was going to be Xiaoju and that he was just playing a dumb trick on her. When she finally does realized she goes to the beach to wait for him and we are led to believe he is going to do the confession he planned for his "girlfriend" but nope he gets a work emergency and Xiaoju doesn't believe him. She then ignores him at the party and they both act childish to each other all the way up until the ceremony (but not before a drunk kiss initiated by wasted Xiaoju followed by a hinted possible hookup). Then once the ceremony ends and Xiaoju catches the bouquet, Shiyi confesses (IN THE MIDDLE OF TAOTAO AND BAO BAO'S WEDDING) and Xiaoju ask about his gf and he says she is the only one 🙄 then he PROPOSES and they kiss and boom The End.

Yep thats it. We get a random time skip and zero explanation of why Shiyi never contacted her but suddenly everything is okay and they are ready to marry each other. We also get zero explanation on TaoTao and BaoBao's relationship and Cheng Lang and Lin You's relationship is resolved with Cheng Lang never stopping loving her and having to see her on the street with ANOTHER guy.

36 episodes ended randomly and rushed as if the writers just threw darts at a wheel and went with it. 36 episodes and we never get to see Shiyi and Xiaoju as an actual couple and the only kisses we get are all within the span of the last 10 mins of the show. So many things built only to be thrown away completely. I wished the show would have stayed focus on the groups friendship but by the end the bond didnt feel as strong.

I would say give it a watch if you are bored but 36 episodes is A LOT and no amount of skipping would make it more bearable. Super bummed it turned out this way.

Leia Mais

It’s very difficult to talk about Night Light. A very unique and uncommon drama than what we’re used to in kdramaland, it almost feels completely foreign in a land of romance melodramas and romantic comedies.

Story
Welcome to the ugly side of the business and enterprise world. The drama talks strictly about the ways CEOs and company presidents try to multiply their revenue, manipulating each other, using and abusing their power and money in order to achieve their goals.

In its core the drama wants to express how in such power games there are no friends, presidents are ready to form alliances to destroy their opponents and then turn their back on their “friends” to become the winners. It is a constant, never-ending battle for power filled with dirty scheming and despicable plotting. Therefore the drama ends up being quite unfulfilling and frustrating as it makes us feel like it goes nowhere.

Night Light focuses on a female ceo who wants to become the richest woman in Korea destroying her opponents, having no friends, using and throwing away people in order to accomplish her ambitious goal.

The drama does not offer any comic relief, no side stories, no romance at all, no sad backstory, nothing. It is firm and brutal staying in the same strict line of corporations.

Best thing I could mention about the drama was the constant turning of tables, the winner never stays the winner for more than 1-2 episodes while the alliances between the power people changed all the time depending on their interests.

My favourite thing however was easily the amazing underlying chemistry of Lee Yo Won and Uee in their roles. Usually in kdramas the female leads are enemies or frenemies at best. Here on the other hand, the chemistry was off the charts and the relationship was a lot more fluid which made the drama very interesting and kept me going. Moreover, i feel inclined to mention the incredible clothes fashion by the main cast that was a pleasure to watch as well as the spotless background music instrumentals that made most of the drama pretty atmospheric.

At this point i feel inclined to talk about the girl power in the drama. The drama is all about female empowerment. We get a female lead who is vicious and strong beyond imagination. Saying something sophisticated and memorable whenever she opened her mouth, slaying men, scheming and plotting, destroying them in their own game. If this isn't stimulating and exhilarating in a sea of weak female characters in kdramaland, i don't know what is!

The first half of the drama was more interesting for me as there was some background story and the relationship between the main characters was quite intriguing as well as the drama talked about relatable stuff like the importance of money. That being said, the second half of the drama focused almost completely in the subtle battles between the companies and that in combination with the characters being completely difficult to empathize with and the situations being thoroughly unrelatable made the drama very difficult to keep up with and rather boring.

Acting
I read quite some viewers had issues with the acting, but I beg to differ.

I could easily say that acting is the best part of the drama mainly because of Lee Yo Won. Her naturally cold aura fitted perfectly with her strong, cold-blooded and ruthless character. I was utterly impressed by her performance from start to finish. Best and most vicious character I’ve seen in a kdrama and best portrayal of such character!

Uee has a lot of haters but I think her acting was equally as good in a very sweet but determined character. She stood well next to Lee Yo Won and in a very weird but beautiful way they complemented each other. It was a blast seeing them on screen together hope they can work together again.

Jin Goo’s character was rather weak and a pushover. I think he didn’t suit the character well at all, it was almost annoying seeing him act but I can’t say his acting was bad per-se, he just wasn’t a good choice I think.

Recommend/Rewatch
The drama is difficult and not for everyone. If you want romance, melodrama, comedy or anything usually found in kdramaland, this is not for you. This is strictly a business drama only for lovers of the backstabbing and the fluidity of such situations which is the beauty of them. I will never rewatch this.

Leia Mais

I want the main leads together in another show!!!

This is was great show. I wish it would've been longer than 12-13 minutes. The ML is an asshole but it's been so long since i have seen such characters in dramas.. it's my guilty pleasure😝

The Acting was GREAT. The cast is top notch. The chemistry between the main leads is the main thing that keeps you watching this drama till the end.

i LOVE the OST.

The ending scene of two years later didn't even make sense so i will pretend it did not happen. But i wish FL would've known the truth about the actual culprit of her family's death and the true villian is zhou zichen. BUT THEN AGAIN, she would've been guilty of killing the ML and kill herself out of guilt rather than loving ML too much to stay alive. So i guess it made sense for her to die first.

And this way... FL actually is the one that kills ML... and i so wanted this to happen. ML deserved to die from FL's hands!!!!

I hope we get to see both main leads together in another show, probably a modern day office romance drama! Their chemistry is reallyyyyy good and they'll look even better together in Modern day dramas!!!

Leia Mais

STORY
================
Episode 1 shows that one can not judge a person not unless you have walked in his/her shoes. And this specific episode, took it in the literal sense which made them both appreciate the sacrifices they had to make just for the other.

Episode 2 shows that you should not wait for a potential rival to profess your love to someone. If you feel it, say it, show it and be true to what you feel.

Episode 3 shows that it is not good to test your partner specially if you are not ready to accept the result or you might regret it.

Episode 4 shows that being "in" a relationship is not always enough. You need to spend time together, experience things together and do not take your partner for granted.

Episode 5 solidifies the concept of if it is meant to be, it will happen and will end up together. To stop worrying and be with the person you hold close to your heart every waking moment because who knows, you might wake up without your partner by your side.

It is nice for GMMTV's approach about this special. They made it in a way that it is can stand alone with little reference to the series where their respective relationship started for Episode 1-4. And I am not really surprise that they did an extensive flashback on Episode 5. After all, among the 5 series here, it is SOTUS that is most successful, beloved and widely recognize.

However, for episodes 1-4, one can appreciate the story even more if they have watched what each couple went through. What they went through and it feels that their pairing will end in this. For episode 5, it was a clever move so viewers who like to rewatch SOTUS, or watch it for the first time. I know it moved me to watch it again. GMMTV made it in a way to tease the viewer.

I have this sense of accomplishment, a closure if I may say so, as far as their respective relationships is concern and it is hard to see if it is going to anything else other than how each episode ended. What I am trying to say, it is the end of the road for their relationships as it ended happily. Except of course for Pete and Kao as they will renew their respective roles in Dark Blue Kiss.

ACTING
================
Episode 1:
Off - I have always seen him as the goofy not serious, the clown of the gang. So when he played the role as Rome, it was nothing short of my expectations. He transitioned quite seamlessly.

Gun - I must admit, Gun have his work cut out for him. Knowing in the series I have seen him, Puppy Honey and The Gifted, I see him as the serious type guy and taking on a role as Pick will be hard for him as it demands to be more relaxed, not up-tight, joyful and full of confidence. In his episode, I felt that there was some instances that he needs to loosen up a bit but did not quite fulfill my expectations.

Episode 2:
Chimon - Seen how he improved his acting from My Dear Loser to The Gifted, which is the opposite ends of the spectrum. As Sun, he is the reserved, shy, ever polite kid, weak and vulnerable. And as Wave, he is the determined, confident and projects an antagonist aura quite well. And his role as the young Pana in Happy Birthday, which I see him as the loyal friend where you could actually seem him happy. I knew then that he is a versatile actor that can take any role that is given to him. He played Sun in this special with confidence, stares at In is believeable, retains his sweet and vulnerability and his happy smile is quite genuine too.

Pluem - Started as In in My Dear Loser, one can easily see that he can be bossy and the next, a defender of the weak. Playing as Tonmai in Happy Birthday, I saw him cries quite well too as it shows that he can be vulnerable. As he reprise his role in this special, the character needs to be with a degree of assertiveness and at the same time scared. Nothing to say other than praises for his acting here.

Episode 3:
Frank - The biggest improvement among the 10 main characters here as he was able to show that he is more relaxed, can respond appropriately, receptive of Frank's sweetness. Unlike in My Tee/Cause Your My Boy, you can clearly see him thinking what to say or act next; not to mention when Frank kisses him, it was a stiff reaction for me.

Drake - I have always seen this guy as the bold/daring one. A big transition from his role in Slam Dance to My Tee/Cause Your My Boy. In this special he is more affectionate towards Frank and more natural and not forced.

I could see these two to be in a Romantic-Comedy theme series. And they can definitely pull it off.

Episode 4:
New - In all the series I watched with him in it (SOTUS, Water Boyy the series and Kiss Me Again), you can tell that he is good being as the underdog, can be easily boss around, unsure of himself. Meanwhile, as he renew his role as Kao, you can see him as the puppet master, pulling the strings, bossing Pete around is nothing but extraordinary. Beyond that innocent and sweet face, he was able to project that role quite amazingly.

Tay - who said a boss can't be a follower? Tay showed his vulnerability side in the episode. Like a dog following his master, or should I say, the love of his life. And was able to showcase more of his playful side and not just the up-tight guy.

Episode 5:
This is the episode where I expect for Singto and Krist to be consistent with their acting. And they are! Plus, I see Krist being more comfortable with Singto and his affection towards Singto is much more natural. And did I say he cried better?

SONG
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Two songs... First Kiss from Episode 3 and the flashback in Episode 5. Brings back memories! Unfortunately for Ep 1, 2 and 4, there is no song that stood out for me.

REWATCH VALUE
================
If you miss the sweetness of one of the couples, you would actually re-watch this. But I have this lingering feeling that only Tee and Mork would have a future series, after all, My Tee/Cause Your My Boy was excellent at the beginning but somehow loses it direction in the middle.

Leia Mais

fun premise but… why are the ex’s family STILL here??

This show had so much potential but the biggest problem is 100% the ex’s family hanging around way past the first act. Like… why are they still in every conflict? Why do they get THIS much screentime?? People keep saying the leads lack chemistry but honestly they don’t; the show just wastes all their moments by stuffing in secondary characters who don’t matter to the actual romance. Every time the leads start building momentum, boom: unnecessary side drama. It could’ve been a tight, cute romcom, but the pacing drags because we’re stuck watching plotlines that should’ve ended 10 episodes earlier.

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This series is everything I ever wanted to see and so much more..

Bad buddy as the title goes it's about two individuals not exactly buddies but well they were kind of buddies in high school just that they didn't actually put a label on it. So anyway two buddies separated for three damn years, due to the rivalry between their parents, cross each others path yet again in university and that's where everything begins. It might seem like those dramas of typical high school setting at first but honestly it isn't. It is much more than that and better in every way.

"From two people who shouldn't be friends to two people who cannot be just friends anymore." trope done right. It's a basic plot done so right that it's too mesmerising.

And let me tell you this series is breaking stereotypes and I love it so much more for that. Especially the wife thing. They are clearly both husbands. Why use wife? This series voicing this out feels great. And them saying I don't mind the gender instead of I only like him. Now that's how it should be voiced out. Being gay, lesbian, bi, pan, trans isn't wrong. Some series overusing the sentence 'I only like him' low-key tells how they disgust the idea of loving men being men. But well bad buddy broke that stereotype too.

In the begining of the series many complained that the fights were not realistic but no, it's realistic. As someone who has been a witness to such petty gang fights, I know it happens. The whole university might not be aware of it but those who are aware pretty much know how those fights are and sometimes even how childish the reasons for the fights are especially in such an age group. So it's not exaggerating.

The series is everything I ever wanted to see and so much more. It just keeps getting better and better and the actors make it so much more better. Pat and Pran have the best chemistry out there.

This series makes my heart leap up with joy and then again it does not fail to inflict my heart with stinging pain. Definitely recommending this series.

Leia Mais

This drama was such a contradiction.

The first half was so poignantly and beautifully written while the second half was just plain bad writing. The music was phenomenal with stunning instrumental and heartwarming lyrics, yet the drama used those songs so repetitively that I got sick of them a little bit by the end. The acting was unbelievably amazing and yet, there was a lot of over done theatrics.
I cried, laughed, cared so much, and yet there were times where I was bored out of my mind.

It appeared quite sunny and cheerful on the surface but it had a lot of deep, dark psychological elements to it. The main character Ha Rip (Jung Kyung Ho) is goofy, sexy, mean like a feral kitten and oh so adorable and yet his actions were greedy, desperate, selfish and downright awful. It's painfully slow at times and yet it moves so fast in others. It's horribly predictable in one episode and then there's mind fuckery waiting for you the next.

It's both so good and so bad. Depending on which you choose to focus on, the drama will become that for you.

Despite all the bad, I personally enjoyed my time with it. I forged a connection with all the characters and felt so sentimental in almost every episode. I wish it was better written and all the unnecessary draggy parts to stretch the episodes weren't added but I felt like the cast did their best with it and it showed.

P.S Jung Kyung Ho. Enough said.

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I like this drama.I laughed a lot and cried.I don't like long dramas,but now I would welcome even more episodes.
Nuan Nuan and Han Che was completely in tune.I like their emotional scenes.
Even the songs would be absolutely great.Even the music itself gave the scenes an atmosphere.

The second couple also had chemistry between them. Well-crafted drama.There weren't annoying scenes for which you were set up and you want to skip them to the part that interests you.The story shows when you want something. Go for it!As you hesitate, you don't have to get another chance.
I will definitely look at the drama again?

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Brilliant potential, if only … but still worth watching overall. Great minister characters.

To give a general sense of this drama, I would describe it as something that falls between Six Flying Dragons and Empress Ki in terms of tone, themes, characters, and storylines. It had a strong start, and I absolutely loved the politics in the early episodes, but as it went on, there were aspects that began to lessen my enjoyment considerably. I do think there were elements that were great throughout, but this drama didn’t fully live up to the potential it had.

Perhaps the best thing about this drama is the way it re-explores the themes that dominate sageuk politics. There are a couple normative principles that generally underlie the hero-villain dichotomy of the vast majority of sageuks. 1) Strengthening royal authority is good. 2) Revenge is a justifiable motive. (The former is more deeply enshrined than the latter.) This drama throws both into question. So while the initial set-up might seem like a standard plot in which a weak monarch fights back against a minister whose power eclipses that of the throne, this is not necessarily the stereotypical storyline you’ve seen many times before. Despite some major shortcomings in the plot of the second half (more on that later), I’d still say it’s one of the better political historical dramas I’ve seen for the parts it did well and for the way it casts a familiar subject in a different light. I also enjoyed the fact that, while it is not recounting any true historical events, it is more authentic to the period than many historical dramas.

Another major positive point is that all the characters, including the supporting characters, have their own unique motivations. This drama isn’t populated by cardboard cutouts who are scheming just because. So there’s really a good cast of varied and interesting characters in this drama. Some of the characters are virtuous and dutiful idealists. Some are ruthless pragmatists. Some would sacrifice anything for their principles. Some want power for the sake of power. Some see power as a means to an end. Some want to do the right thing, but are concerned with their family first and foremost. Some don’t care much about politics at all and are entirely motivated by their personal relationships. Some seem righteous, then ultimately flinch, while others manage to stay the course. There are individuals possessed of unfailing loyalty, as well as those that switch sides multiple times. Characters who are in over their heads. Characters who maintain their calm in every situation. People who are abide by custom rigidly. People who will bend custom, but not break it. And people who are willing to throw custom right out the window. I could probably go on … Shout out to the Minister of War, Park Gye Won’s wife, and Park Gye Won’s son — my favorites among the supporting characters.

As for the leads … I found Lee Tae quite compelling in the early episodes, but by the halfway point, I was starting to feel that his characterization was rather all-over-the-place. I wasn’t sure if he was suddenly acting out-of-character, underwent sudden character development, or what, but whatever it was, I lost most of my investment in the character. I was able to predict where the character’s arc was headed, so it’s not as if what the drama was doing with the character was completely incoherent, and I actually think it was a great idea; the execution just needed to be improved significantly (see points 1 and 2 of my second to last paragraph). I think Jang Hyuk stole the show. Compelling character. Compelling actor. I won’t say too much, because I think uncovering the layers of the character was one of the enjoyable aspects of the drama. I liked the female lead overall, and although Kang Han Na’s portrayal did not make as strong an impression as Jang Hyuk’s on me, I thought she was good. I will say that although the female lead had a number of qualities I admired (she’s committed to her principles and devoted to those she cares for), I didn’t necessarily find myself rooting for her. I think this is partly because, unlike the two male leads, she doesn’t have clear political ambitions to get behind and partly because the drama sometimes failed to portray her internal thoughts and emotions sufficiently clearly or give her relationships enough weight (I place the blame on the drama’s storytelling more than the actress).

I wouldn’t really recommend this if you’re looking for a romance. It’s primarily focused on the politics. I do think the romance in the drama is interesting in the sense that it isn’t predetermined that the characters will make their relationship their top priority, as is the case with most dramas, but I can’t say I was ever deeply invested in the relationship. This isn’t a drama where you get to watch the characters fall in love, and though I could still understand the connection, I began having issues with how the drama portrayed Lee Tae, and it’s hard for me to get behind a couple, if I don’t care much about one half of the pairing.

Although there was drum instrumental that I sometimes found to be a bit over-the-top as well as some blatantly anachronistic Beethoven compositions, I enjoyed the soundtrack, especially the instrumental music. It’s more on the minimalist side, in accordance with current trends. I definitely think it added to the atmosphere and gravitas of certain scenes. Every visual element of this drama (cinematography, scenery, costumes, props, etc.) was gorgeous. On the whole, it’s a well-made drama with well-directed scenes, convincing performances, and great production.

I think there were really four primary issues with this drama, which unfortunately detracted from its quality significantly. 1) The drama favors dramatic reveals over allowing the viewer to follow the characters as they make important decisions and execute their plans. This was one of my initial little complaints early on, but it became particularly egregious in the second half. The writer seemed to think this made for exciting twists, but really it just robbed the viewer of the ability to relate to, understand, or get behind the characters while the action was happening; instead we got to hear about it after-the-fact. Plus, the reveals felt rather cheap; it would have been more exciting to be held in suspense, knowing what the plan was and wondering whether it would play out or be foiled by the characters’ opponents, or perhaps even questioning who we want to root for. 2) A couple major characters (Lee Tae and the Queen Dowager) have very bizarre character development. I think if the drama had been longer, they perhaps could have made this feel more natural with some proper build-up, but with what we got … some of it felt very out of left field. And in one case, it seemed like they were developing Lee Tae in one direction (very suddenly and not very convincingly, but still) only to totally drop that as if it never happened. 3) There is one plot arc in the second half that is just poorly written. Some of the issues are related to the former two points, but it’s also just a real drop in the quality of the politics, where suddenly everything (including the way certain characters are behaving) is very “convenient,” and if you stop to think, it doesn’t make much sense. It was quite a disappointment, since I initially loved the drama’s politics, and suddenly I just couldn’t take it seriously. 4) This drama probably should have been longer. I think certain developments in the storyline and characters could have been done more believably or given more weight if they happened less rapidly. I also think it could have helped to increase my degree of investment in characters or relationships, assuming they used the extra runtime well.

This drama had so many great things going for it, which almost makes me more upset about the aspects that were done poorly. Still, although it’s really too bad this drama didn’t live up the great potential it had, I would generally recommend it, since it was a largely enjoyable watching experience for me, and because it’s worth watching for the way it deviates from the standard idealistic Joseon prince/king storylines. In any case, I don’t think I’ve seen a drama with such good minister characters since Six Flying Dragons.

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