Reviews

I gave this a 9 because the story and the characters are very close to my heart.

This is the love story of a virgin book editor Tsukishiro who has never been in love. She is assigned to an author (Kagaya) who can't write love stories. How they fall for each other and how they handle the situation is portrayed in this drama. Tsukishiro's colleague Mochizuki has a secret crush on Tsukishiro but have never had the courage to profess his love. He sees Kagaya as his potential competetor. Mochizuki is your sweet gentle second lead who takes care of the girl when she needs someone the most. Here the main lead Kagaya isn't that much of a jerk he seems to be, so you kind of ship Tsukishiro with both of them. My inclinination was more towards the main lead, but I do not mind if Tsukishiro ends up with Mochizuki either. Characters like Nanase isn't fully developed in the drama and I wish Nanase had more screen time.

This is one of the few dramas which I wish had more episodes than just 8 . I have neither watched the anime nor read the manga(I am planning to read the manga today.). So I cannot compare how true the live action is to the manga.

I liked the subtle way the love story developed in this drama. I need more of Tsukishiro and Kagaya. Completed all 8 episodes in just one go. That's not enough for me, going to read the manga and watch the anime now. That's what this drama does to you. It leaves you wanting for more.

Give this a try, it is a short sweet love story. There's definitely scope for a season 2.

Leia Mais

Beautiful Funny Drama! Watch It!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Belated Joy Worth Every Minute
You Are My Fateful Love is the kind of drama that reminds you why you fell in love with the genre in the first place. This sweet, charming romance follows Ruan Yu and Xu Huaisong — two people who secretly carried a crush on each other through high school, only to reunite a decade later under the most unexpected circumstances. The result is pure magic.
What immediately stands out is the production quality. The cinematography is absolutely stunning — feels intentional and beautiful. The costumes are equally impressive, adding an elegance that perfectly complements the tone of the story.
The casting is spot-on. Miles Wei and Zheng Hehuizi have effortless chemistry, and the supporting cast holds their own with memorable performances that keep the story fresh. The writing strikes a wonderful balance — funny and light-hearted in the right moments, yet genuinely moving when it counts. The humor lands naturally without ever feeling forced.
What keeps the story engaging is its stream of unexpected twists and layered characters. Just when you think you know where things are headed, the drama finds another clever way to surprise you, all while maintaining a pace that never drags. This is not a show that overstays its welcome.
Whether you’re a long-time C-drama fan or just dipping your toes in, You Are My Fateful Love is a delightful, feel-good watch that delivers on every front. A beautiful story, beautifully told.

Leia Mais

The age gap may deter you from watching this series, but I believe that this drama was much more than just a love story.
First of all, the point of this drama is far from just condoning or justifying sexual relationships between a minor and an adult. The point of this drama was to masterfully exhibit the complex relationships between these characters and their growth through intentional storytelling. The way the story was put together and told made it so worthwhile.

All of the characters were so dynamic, especially the main characters (Wako, Fuuta, and Yumeaki). I found myself getting tired of watching so many dramas where the characters were never faced with any real conflict that would cause them to make crucial decisions that would shape their character. This drama was different. Wako, Fuuta, and Yumeaki were faced with real and applicable internal conflict that forced them to make decisions. I was able to understand who these characters were through action, rather than blatant dialogue telling me who these characters were. This is a perfect way for a director/writer to present a character's beliefs, morals, and personality; it made watching the show more interesting and worthwhile since sometimes, these characters do irrational things. But that is the point.
Wako irrationally fell in love with Yumeaki because human emotions are more complex than just believing in certain things. Even though Wako promised herself she would never cheat, she ended up cheating because humans are irrational beings that can sometimes be driven by emotion rather than their brain. Whenever Wako was faced with the opportunity for stability, she never took it, no matter how much it seemed to be the best decision for her. It's easy to be frustrated with Wako because she may not be making the "right" decisions, but I think that's what made her character so profound and refreshing from cliches.
Additionally, all of the main characters were flawed, flawed in a way where you possibly can't sympathize with them. Wako is easily swayed by men, Yumeaki is overly possessive, and Fuuta doesn't care about Wako's feelings in terms of her career. But we all have flaws in real life, it's just that we actually know these characters' flaws. If we in the real world knew everyone's flaws, we would probably hate everyone, too. Aspects like these from the drama made this show realistic, reflective of the real world, and purposefully accurate.

The fact that Yumeaki is 15 proves more that the stars just don't perfectly align when we want it to. Love is not always convenient nor paved in a way so that is was meant to be or an easy decision. That is why he HAD to be 15 for the sake of the story- it was utilized to make the impact of the story more obvious. Yes, the sexual relationship made me uncomfortable, too. But I just ended up skipping those scenes since I was in it for the storytelling! Also, I do believe the sexual relationship wasn't necessarily being justified or condoned. Nor is cheating. I believe the writers are using these as flaws to the characters, making the man-vs-self-conflict more apparent. The writers are not necessarily saying that it's good or that it's evil. They just want to stir thought and have you form your own opinion.

The production & cinematography was also extremely pleasant to watch, despite the harsh story. There's symbolism within everyday objects that were shot during this drama, like the capsule toy machine, a cup being overfilled with water, the ocean, and the socks that Fuuta leaves out at home. I appreciate how natural these objects were intertwined with the story while also enhancing the storytelling. It's not every day when these little details are added into dramas just for the sake of storytelling. Additionally, there were many beautiful shots, especially within the made-up film within the drama when the moon fell into the ocean. The music fit very well, as it perfectly hit the feeling of desire, nostalgia, and curiosity.

It's no surprised there are mixed reviews about this drama, this drama was MEANT to be controversial. It was written so that the audience can really think about the decisions of these characters and take away the fact that human relationships are complex and not as easy as sugar-coated stories make them seem. The writing wants you to reflect on what your moral beliefs are, what you would do, and what your social standing is. The drama is not forcing you to accept sexual relationships between minors and adults, it wants you to truly question it. To stir conversation.

Note: I've never written a review before, but I had to after watching this because it had moved me to realize humans are complex and we may never really understand ourselves. I'm sorry this is so long, I obviously got carried away, but I really wanted to try to provide a new perspective on Love and Fortune. If you read all of this, which I highly doubt lol, thank you and I'm sorry!!

Leia Mais

This was a pretty enjoyable drama to watch overall, although it is very flawed and therefore I really can't give it a very high rating. I adore both main characters, but the production quality is poor and the writing is often sloppy. The acting varies; sometimes it's quite good, sometimes it theatrical to the point of being slightly ridiculous. Since the actors do prove their skill in some scenes, I'm guessing that in other scenes it is the direction they were given that I didn't care for.

I'd probably only recommend this because of the two main characters – Zhao Yun Lan and Shen Wei – and their relationship... which is kind of ironic, since it is overtly romantic in the source material, but comparatively subtle in this drama. It looks identical to queerbaiting in western television, but in this case it seems that they probably tried to retain as much of the essence of the relationship as they could given the restrictions placed upon it by Chinese censorship.

Perhaps it is because they are so different that they are so drawn to each other. Shen Wei is a distinguished but modest, mild-mannered professor. Zhao Yun Lan is unrefined, messy, and brazen. In the process of working on cases together, they seem to naturally counterbalance one another and quickly become an integral part of each other's lives. They're referred to as friends and they're characterized as a "bromance" in the synopsis, but that is misleading in my opinion. Yun Lan shows zero romantic interest in any other character, and it's indicated that he doesn't really have an interest in relationships generally; he's been single his entire life. He doesn't flirt with other characters – but he is frequently flirtatious with Shen Wei. He is quick to deny having feelings for another character, but when insinuating comments are made about his relationship with or feelings for Shen Wei, he never denies it. Moreover, despite only knowing Shen Wei a few months, there is a clear distinction between how he regards him and how he regards his other close allies he's known for years. It is even more quickly apparent that Zhao Yun Lan is the most important person to Shen Wei. There is an intensity to their dynamic that just doesn't seem platonic to me. It's a censored romance, not a bromance. (Nothing against close platonic friendships, I just don't see this as one.)

There's a secondary "bromance" in another odd couple, Chu Shu Zhi and Guo Chang Cheng. The dynamic between most of the Special Investigation Department co-workers are quite sibling-like in that they enjoy teasing each other and there's clearly some affection there, but they don't seem especially close. Therefore, the time spent on developing the intimate relationship between these two characters makes them stand out. Chang Cheng reminds Shu Zhi of the brother he lost and that surely accounts for a lot of his affection towards him; he wants someone to fill the void that his brother's death left him. But by the end of the story, it doesn't seem to me that Chang Cheng is just a placeholder for his deceased brother. Rather, Shu Zhi comes to genuinely admire him for his own strengths – and Chang Cheng, for his part, is unwavering in his adoration of Shu Zhi, even when Shu Zhi tries to scare him off for his own safety. The lines of this relationship are more blurred to me than the one between Zhao Yun Lan and Shen Wei. The intimacy and implied commitment seems decidedly less brotherly and more romantic, but there is still an element of brotherhood there. I guess it doesn't matter much whether it is one or the other or both; they're a cute duo regardless.

The other characters who work at the Special Investigation Department are enjoyable enough, but a little more forgettable for me. (Especially Wang Zheng and Sang Zan, who seem the most under utilized.) Zhu Hong is probably my favorite of them overall, although watching her struggle with her one-sided crush on a co-worker was a bit painful to watch. Da Qing and Lin Jing both sort of have romances with minor characters, but they matter so little that I wasn't able to feel particularly invested in them. The minor characters who fall into the "monster of the week" category were also pretty forgettable overall. Many of them make reappearances, but I found myself struggling to recall which one was which – a problem I don't typically have even with large casts of characters.

As far as acting goes, Zhu Yi Long stands out the most to me given that his roles are the most diverse. In addition to portraying the various sides of Shen Wei – the awkward professor, the Batman-esque masked hero, and the naïf he was 10,000 years before the present – he also portrays his villainous twin brother with dramatic flair. He is really able to showcase his versatility in this drama. Bai Yu also does an excellent job at conveying the multifaceted nature of Zhao Yun Lan. Aside from the two main actors, Jiang Ming Yang has some standout moments as Chu Shu Zhi. Although the character is generally very gruff, the actor really went all out during a humorous "personality changing" episode, and his more serious moments were some of the most emotional parts of the drama for me.

The OST is quite lovely overall. The opening theme is catchy and I'm afraid I'm going to have it stuck in my head for a while. I don't typically bother watching the opening or ending credits of dramas, but I often watched the opening of this one. The soundtrack really drives home the bittersweet sentimentality of the story.

Which brings me to the weakest part of the drama. The premise of the story is reasonably good, but it is not executed well. The plot is messy and the pacing is uneven. Even taking into account that I'm mostly reliant on English subtitles, the dialogue is very awkward at times (mainly between secondary/minor characters). Fortunately, the main relationships and characters are able to carry the show (at least, for me); had it not been for that, I would have dropped it because calling the rest of it mediocre would probably be generous. The CGI isn't particularly good, but I honestly don't expect a whole lot from Chinese dramas in that regard, so that doesn't really factor into my evaluation of it. Probably the most perplexing flaw is that there were many occasions where the audio switched between the actual voice of various supporting characters and the voiceover. It's a relatively minor detail, but it makes the drama seem unprofessional.

In spite of its flaws, I do consider Guardian worth watching because I think many viewers are like me - if you make me fall in love with your characters and their relationships, I'll be wiling to overlook a lot. Indeed, I did become quite attached, so I will definitely be giving the novel a shot.

tl;dr:

- the two main characters are multifaceted and portrayed well
- the main relationship is the highlight of the show, despite being played down due to censorship
- some of the supporting characters are good, many are forgettable
- the plot isn't particularly great, the dialogue is sometimes awkward
- production quality is poor

Leia Mais

Hands down…Best CH7 Lakorn of 2020

-I'm gonna be in a drama slump after watching this :(

It has everything: angsty romance, emotional father son scenes, plot twists, and best of all some good revenge.

Where do I start? Story, story, and more story. The story is literally everything for this lakorn, forget all the cliches there’s something about this lakorn that keep you on the edge of your seat!

Story: Plot revolves around Paul getting revenge (and rightfully so) on his real father that kept Paul’s mother’s assets and abandoned both of them for his mistress and adopted daughter(Nai). Paul comes back years later to take back what rightfully belonged to his mother and should now belong to him. This is a revenge lakorn gone right, nothing he did was unreasonable IMO. Smart and planned out revenge with no unnecessary BS and no forced kisses or anything, good development for the romance aspect as well.


Acting: EVERY SINGLE SCENE with Paul and his real dad is acting gold on Donut’s part because you can really feel all the emotions, the hurt, the secret hope for his father to be proud of him, and Paul just yearning for his love. Paul and Nai’s chemistry was intense! I mentioned this before but 14 episodes with no kiss and that literally wasn’t a problem, you could feel the love and longing they had for each other, just goes to show that romance isn’t all about physical stuff.
Nai’s acting/ character could’ve had some more development but Prapye did the best she could. I will say Donut’s acting just shone through the whole show he kept the audience really captivated, this dude is going places I tell ya.

Music: Music was pretty good!! I listened to some of the songs audio only because they were pretty catchy (especially the one by “Big Ass”- I still can’t get over their stage name XD)

Because the story is so important, rewatch value is a little less, however its very rewatchable due to the amazing acting by pretty much all of the cast and the angsty romance between the MLs.

only reason i took off 0.5 was because the cousin and niece scenes were a little filler and unnecessary, and also Nai being a little stupid sometimes.

Leia Mais

This is an accomplishment for Korean « Gangster » genre that will be remembered in the next decades.

Usually, Korean gangster movies are either a hit or a miss for me depending on how well the execution and the storytelling are done. Nameless Gangster managed to get the good points out of the general theme.

This movie is set in the 90’s Pusan when Korean government announced war on organized crime. The gangster world got shaken in a way that threatened its existence but that’s not the main focus of this movie. It takes us back in time to tell the story of two gangsters and the struggles they encountered to reach the top. This is a story about a wannabe gangster and a hot shot gang leader that deals with loyalty, betrayal, gangsters’ codes of honor and clashes in the underworld where those two individuals tried to co-exist like a united soul: One is the muscles and the other is the brain. However, creating harmony in the gangster life is almost impossible.

While the story of the movie isn’t exactly exceptional or flawless by any mean; the acting was. I am sure that I would’ve not liked this the same if there was a different set of cast. Choi Min Sik is the lord of Korean cinema when it comes to versatility and flawless roles’ portrayal and his “gangster-like” character was quite hateful in a loveable way. Ha Jung Woo on the other hand is climbing way too fast on the top of my favorite young Korean movies’ stars. He’s creating a shiny name for himself whether by the roles he accepts or the way he makes them feel so attractive. At this rate, I am sure he will become another lord of Korean cinema soon. In this movie, Jung Woo was so fitting for the “gangster aura”; he did so well with the process of his character’s development.
The other set of cast were also well-chosen even if some characters felt a little unbalanced for the setting.

I’ve got to give some credit for the cinematography since it was well fitting for the gangster mood. The music was also quite good.

Watch this if:
-You like gangster movies.
-You’re in the mood for something different and dark.
-You like Choi Min Sik, Ha Jung Woo or both because they were great in this.

Do not watch if:
-You’re not into crime/gangster movies.
-You’re not a fan of the main cast.

Nameless Gangster is a movie about survival, friendship and loyalty in the underground gangster world from the viewpoint of a wannabe gangster and a proclaimed gang leader portrayed by two of the best actors in Korean cinema.

Leia Mais

Well-deserved 8.2 rating on Douban- give this a try!

How do I even begin to describe how unexpectedly good this drama turned out to be?

I went into it completely blind, barely reading the synopsis, knowing just that it was a crime drama focused on one murder case in this apartment building. With just 16 episodes, the length is perfect, giving enough screen time to focus thoroughly on each "suspect" and to add in on the back story of our victim, Mei Bao. Everything tied up beautifully and logically together by the very end with fast pacing and plot development. The pieces of this mystery fit together at the end intertwining flashbacks as the detectives investigate the crime in present time.

Plot: Focused on a murder case in this "tower" apartment building. Two detectives work on this case and investigate a bunch of "suspects" as the drama goes on. Through flashbacks, you'll find out Mei Bao's life and how things led to the way it turned out. I won't say any more than that to keep you in suspense (so go on and watch it!) Also, this drama also raises some current issues women face in our society today, which I did not expect either but I liked it.

Characters: Mei Bao and Detective Yang Rui Sen were the stars of this drama. As the investigation goes on, you'll learn more about Mei Bao's painful story and in that process, you also get to know our young detective and her passion to get justice for the victim. Mei Bao's family and friends as well as the other people living in the Horizon Tower will share their stories as well and it's really clever to designate 2 eps per character's story. I want to say more but that would ruin the fun of this drama as you try to find out who the killer is. I just have to say the emotions of each character were so understandable that I could see why a specific character ended up deciding to do this certain thing.

Acting: I have to first say Angelababy did an awesome job. I don't usually watch her dramas because her acting is not that great, but she has improved! I love how she did her role as Mei Bao, conveying the pain in her emotions. Moving onto the rest of the cast, everyone did great too. Quite a few of them are experienced actors and others are new faces but they all did very well. For the young actors especially, I can see their potential. The young actress who plays young Mei Bao played Pu Pu from The Bad Kids!

Music: Beautiful music. There's just one, which is the ending song, and it's so good. It's in English and with the sadness of the melody, it matches perfectly to the tone of this drama. Not only that, the BGM was excellent in setting the mood of each scene, especially the sad and suspenseful parts. They definitely kept me on my toes!

Leia Mais

OK, so hear me out...

... but I kind of liked it. It's certainly not going on my Top Ten BL list, but it was a pleasant watch, and it probably didn't hurt that it was the only BL on Mondays.

The "plot" is rather thin. Ai has a big crush on his straight friend, who is less straight than he thought, but is also a high-maintenance nightmare.

They "get busy" at a party, and in the aftermath, Nhai doesn't believe it's possible for anyone to put up with him in a relationship (which appears to be an excellent assumption), so he agrees to a one-month trial relationship so that Ai can prove he can tolerate him as he is (useless and whiny). It's a good thing he's cute.

Anyway, they have a few scrapes with jealousy, because Nhai is insecure about his suitability as a partner, and because Ai is very possessive, and have many other minor conflicts and arguments.

This is a spin-off of Tonhon Chonlatee, and it's much better, although that's saying almost nothing, and it retcons a lot of the offensive elements of that series.

I'll start with the negatives:

- There's no plot outside of the above. They just spend the whole series doing normal things - shopping, camping, eating at home, talking, going to school, getting sick, etc. It would have been nice to see a theme or something to overcome - maybe Ai is NOT sure he can put up with Nhai, and maybe Nhai is acting up because he's pre-supposing Ai will leave him, and gradually they develop the confidence in each other to make it work. As it is, they seem compatible almost immediately, which is a bit dull.
- The dialog is dull and delivered with too many pauses, although that's a pan-Thai-drama problem.
- The acting is a bit wooden in the main pair. If Nhai is supposed to be difficult, it would have been nice to see some energy put into it. He's basically just lazy. But it's not bad acting.

Positives:

- They are respectful to each other and it's pleasant to watch them interact.
- It's cool that Ai has two gay dads.
- Meen (Ai) is hot. To be honest, that's a big factor in why I stuck with this. In their first love scene, I'm fairly sure you won't be ready for what's under Ai's loose university shirt. All his normal clothes are form-fitting and very flattering to all his assets.
- Speaking of their first love scene, it's early, and aggressively initiated by the uke (Nhai), who is the "straight" one, which is unusual. Afterwards, he feels overwhelmed and cries, but tells Ai he's not made at him but wants to be alone to process everything, which was also unusual and quite nice. And even better, it isn't drawn out. He finds really bad advice on the internet, wonders if he's trans, then sensibly goes to talk to a gay friend about it.
- It's unusual for a pair to enter a relationship in the second episode, and it's nice to see them interact as a couple.

I can recommend this if you like fluff. If you don't like fluff, it probably won't work for you. I found it pleasant to watch, sometimes dull, but sometimes you want some brainless eye candy.

Leia Mais

Being the highest rated amongst the five stories doesn’t surprise me a bit. After all, this was the better executed part thus far.

Khun Chai Rachanon is the fourth part of the Suparburoot Juthatep’s series. It had a different approach than the other three parts. Chai Lek and Chai Pee are my two favourite brothers so I was certainly looking forward to the last two stories but that’s not all. Beside the fact that Chai Lek was player and a fun character to follow; the written plot for his part was without doubt better than his three elder brothers.

Chai Lek isn’t a heavy player like Chai Pee; he’s also not sneaky as the youngest brother but he can be very sarcastic and warm in need. The fourth part stirred an interesting turn of events; another kingdom, crown prince-search and a contract marriage within. Although the last idea may seem too repetitive since it was used in Chai Pat’s story but this one was entirely different. There weren’t too much love story going on here since the plot concentrated on the Viangphukham kingdom problems and some birth secrets (that were plain obvious) here and there.
Chai Lek’s character couldn’t shine as much as his brothers’ characters in their stories; maybe that’s due to the packed characters and events. Of course, he stopped being a player and started falling in love but that part wasn’t well-illustrated. There should’ve been more characters’ developments than that.

The acting was okay, Bomb wasn’t that great of an actor to be honest but it was acceptable as your average Thai lakorns’ acting. Taew was better though, she had this way of making her character believable and enjoyable to follow. The chemistry was cool but slow-sailing, it took me some time to connect to their couple. As I mentioned above, this part was packed with many characters and thus we had a nice side love story and some good characters here and there. However, none of them is that memorable.

The bromance in this part was present with strength, the five brothers cared for each other and they were united to fight for a common cause. Although the action was lame as your standard Thai lakorns but the five lions of Juthatep can be quite badasses when the duty calls.

Watch if:
-You liked the previous three stories.
-You like adventurous lakorns.

Do not watch if:
-You’re looking for an excellent lakorn.
-You’re looking for a gripping love story.

Khun Chai Rachanon is the better executed part thus far but it doesn’t mean it was excellent by any chance. Now, I am certainly looking forward to the last brother and my favourite player of the bunch; Khun Chai Ronnapee.

Leia Mais

What made me watch this drama was when a fan made a fanvideo of the the second lead couple in the drama (you should try watching fanvids of dramas on YouTube you might find yourself watching the dramas you resist), and the video was made in a way that you'd die of curiosity as to how both actors will become. Also, they got the physical chemistry going on.

I'd have to admit though that it gets quite tiring to have to put up with the complications and the problems that arise before & even after getting married but maybe that's what this drama is about. It makes you want to question marriage, if truly love is enough to keep a marriage, how certain factors affect marriage, how differently people react, the effects, and so on, and how some people do not get to walk the altar.

Leia Mais

Must preface this review with the following: If you are expecting romance; don't watch. If you are squeamish about violence; don't watch. If sexual innuendo gives you the creeps: don't watch. And most of all, if you think this is Sailor Moon, you better damn sure make sure you don't let your kids watch!

Man, I watched this having no idea what it was about. Imagine my shock after the first episode. You doubt me? Watch the first episode and report back to me. I guarantee, your mouth will drop like mine did. But getting past the violence, sometime choppy story line, I had a great time watching it. The action was sensational. I found afterwards that most of the actresses are part of singing groups but then blame it on my ignorance of Asian pop music that I didn't know that. Overall, I was duly impressed with the acting and the action was KICK_A$$!

Leia Mais

Don't let the previews fool you this isn't BL

I promise you and not gonna lie... I saw the trailer for this and thought it was a BL drama..

Unfortunately no.... It is just Bromance...with them trolling us with a few instances of BL intimacy thrown in.... *Sigh* The famous BL cut from Ep 4 that fooled us all actually turned out to be imagined by one of the supporting casts [a couple scenes in the drama did make me question if this was indeed a BL drama or not]...

The story itself is okay and I could see many liking it, but it was not what I was expecting to watch when i had stumbled upon it in one of the BL forums. This drama falls into those with a bit of BL hints but no real BL. It's about one guy named Ding Ding who is confused but in love with his childhood best friend Zhang Liang. Zhang Liang, however is in love with his roommate who is the female lead. He also had no idea how Ding Ding felt about him until the very last episode.

I was here for Ding Ding and Zhang Liang... but my ship is sinking in an ocean of my tears :'( I cried for Ding Ding. I hope he gets his forever after in the future

Leia Mais

Hanzawa Naoki marks my somewhat introduction into Japanese dramas. To be honest, I rarely ever watch Japanese dramas. As I mentioned to a dramalist friend, even though they are better written than K-dramas and feature genres that I like, I still can't quite watch J-dramas consistently. The retro pacing makes it hard to instantly fall in love with a J-drama and if I'm not in the mood to invest myself in a plot, it means I gloss over master pieces like olive oil.

Now, Hanzawa Naoki though is the best written thing (closely tied with Legal High) that I have watched in a while. I think it's my irritation with K-dramas that led me slap bang into this masterpiece and boy was this a thrilling journey.

This is the tale of Hanzawa. A banker embroiled in banking politics (really). The story is told in two parts with Hanzawa constantly in difficult situations. He must outsmart, outplay and outlast. Indeed, I do hate to steal the survivor logo but that is what his life entails.

It is a well written tale full of engaging characters and it's been a long time since I have liked both the protagonist and antagonist (Normally, I like the antagonist). I really liked the antagonist (Owada) in the second part. He happens to be smart, flawed yet quite charming. Kagawa Teruyuki who played his role also did a phenomenal job. The climax of this story gave me chills. CHILLS I tell you. It was powerful, raw, well acted brilliantness that actually stunned me to silence.

However, despite the well written moments, there are feel good moments that are not for the cynic. I happen to be one of those cynics and the feel good moments induced some mega cringing. The declarations of friendship and super hero-esque moments weren't for me. Although, for the most part, the drama manages to create an anti-hero vibe especially in regards to Hanzawa's character. He is merciless in exacting revenge which is exactly my cup of tea. I like them devilish and certain.

I'm all over the place with this review but I get tongue tied sometimes trying to describe stories like this. There's so much to tell yet it's difficult to focus on one thing. Overall, a strong recommendation with minimal flaws.

Leia Mais

A bit chaotic (Spoiler alert!)

I am a foreigner who lives in Thailand for some time and I went to the movie theater to watch this movie. Thai media have been talking about it for a while and I was curious to see what Naruebet Kuno (the same director of I Told Sunset About You - ITSAY) was going to do here.
I can say I have mixed feelings about the overall result. Kuno is still very good in cinematography. The photography in this movie is so pretty and eye catching as in ITSAY, but we have here the same problem we had in ITSAY also: it is a bit overdramatic in some points. Don't get me wrong, I really like ITSAY, but I have the feeling that episode 4, for example, was a bit too much in terms of emotions. The same thing happens in Paradise of Thorns. The first 2/3 parts of the movie are more balanced, but the last 1/3 looks like somehow a stereotyped Latin American Soap Opera.
It is important to say that the story doesn't talk much about the inequality brought by the lack of recognition of gay rights by the State. This is not an LGBTQIA+ agenda movie (which is not necessarily bad). This topic is just a starting point for the main issue: The fight between the characters for possession of the lands where the Durians are planted. Basically, all the characters are pretty f*cked up and they see the Durians as their gold ticket. The cast is pretty convincing, specially the four main actors and actresses: Jeff Satur, Engfa Waraha, Harit Buayoi and Seeda Puapimon.
Thongkham (Jeff Satur) and Mo (Engfa Waraha) are the main rivals, as they dispute the preference of Saeng, the new owner of the land after her son's death. Saeng is a greedy and arrogant old woman who likes to see Thongkham and Mo humiliate themselves to please her, while Jingna (Harit) is the handsome Mo's brother who comes to work in the farm and falls in love with Thongkham. Jingna and Thongkham's relationship is sweet and charming, but not that well developed. This is probably one of the problems in the movie, although it didn't bother me that much. Some people also might think that the "greedy topic" is not so developed also. I would agree. What is this movie about? Love? Greedy? Selfishness? Rivalry? A love triangle? Maybe a bit of all of this? Well, when you try to put so many things together, maybe you might fail to develop so many topics at the same time. This might have happened here.
The rivalry between Mo and Thongkham grows to the point where they commit atrocities. Mo kills Saeng and makes the old woman sign a declaration before she dies, transferring the land to her name. Mo tries to expel Thongkham from her new possession, but he reacts and tries to r4pe her. The scene is full of screams and violence. Like a real Mexican soap opera! When the two are about to resolve their problems, Mo's new husband appears and tries to kill Thongkham, who is saved by his boyfriend, Jingna. In the middle of this confusing fight scene, Jingna ends up being killed too. With that, Thongkham loses the second love of his life. Tragic as a Greek tragedy!

My biggest disappointment with the film was not that it ended with the death of a beloved character (Jingna was perhaps the only character with any integrity in this whole story), but the fact that it was a very cliché ending. Before the husband showed up and tried to kill Thongkham, the first thing I thought was: "I hope they don't end the film with the husband showing up and killing someone." Well, that's exactly what happened. I thought it was an uncreative ending. More of the same.
Paradoxically, I still enjoyed watching the film. I should have hated it, but I didn't. The thing is: this movie makes you get the feeling that you're watching something with flaws here and there, but when you put it all together, the end result still pleases you in a strange way. At least that's what I'm feeling now, two days after seeing the film. My advice is that you watch it and draw your own conclusions.

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