Reviews

Strangers from hell is bold. The themes it delves into and its unorthodox out of norm storytelling establishes it as perhaps one of the most experimental korean dramas ever.

Its a must watch for any psychological enthusiasts. Its littered with subliminal messages and symbolises throughout.

Story: First of, the story is absolutely flawless. Watching the main character slowly descend into the depths of madness as his deranged compulsions are motivated by the main villian. The writing here is insanely well done.
The show isnt over indulgent nor is it pretentious. All the set pieces are handled perfectly.

The ending aswell, without any spoilers, leaves much upto viewer interpretation. Many conclusions are feasible with this open ended plot.

Soundtrack: The soundtrack, nothing short of perfect. Its immersive, with theme sending shivers down my spine days after finishing the show. It fits perfectly with the eerie paranomical style of the movie.

Acting: The actors absolutely killed it. Lee Dong Wook nailed his role as the psychopathic serial killer, and i would expect nothing else from the highly acclaimed actor. But the one who shines the most here is the mc, Im Shi Wan. His potrayal of a man at the brink of insanity, while being reserved and submissive is oscar worthy.

The whole cast overall did an extremely good job here. All played their roles really well, and I dont think anyone else but them could've executed it better.

Directing/Visuals: Another aspect where Strangers From Hell shows excellence. All the scenes, be it the outdoors or inside the residence where shot with alot of care no doubt. Especially with the frequent use of tracking shots and well placed cuts, the momentum is never lost.

Overall, Stranger From Hell is masterclass in storytelling. With a solid soundtrack and a wonderful cast, it is nothing short of a masterpiece.

Leia Mais

After finishing King Gwanggaeto the Great I have the feeling that I watched a action movie that lasted over 92 hours. Even if the first quarter was a bit too loud for my ears, after I become "immune" to the excessive screaming of all the male characters (I also lowered the volume) I focused just to follow Damdeok in his path to become King Gwanggaeto.
I liked also that the plot was not concentrated just of Damdeok and Goguryeo, but the fight over power was well presented and for the main enemies of Goguryeo, Houyan and Baekje.
The strategies used in battle were amazing and gave me the impression that things could happen in this way.
From all historical dramas that I seen, Lee Tae Gon was the actor that fit the best in the role of a powerful king.
All the actors did a great job, especially that the act was centered on the gestures and facial expression.
The fact that the story is about a great man and a great ruler that really existed is another reason for watching!
A masterpiece of Korean history!

Leia Mais

I really enjoyed this drama. The story is very fun and cute, if you want a quick lighthearted drama fix than this is for you! Its about a high school where there are 7 witches who can cast spells by kissing, and Yamada, a boy who can copy a witches power. Each episode (or there about) we find out about a new witch and her power.

The acting is typical Asian comedy acting, over the top but not bad. Yamamoto Yusuke is his same crazy self we know and love! I hadn't seen Nishiuchi Mariya in much else other than GTO, but she is quickly becoming one of my favorites.

I could defiantly watch this again. Who doesn't love a drama thats funny, over the top, cute and silly, yet still makes you feel alot of emotions!

Leia Mais

A rare romantic drama that is comfortable to watch..

It's a rare romantic drama that is comfortable to watch. The main leads are "normal people" with positive values. They communicate in time when encountered with problems without internal friction. ML supports the FL emotionally and shares the pressure (without violating her principles to succeed independently without using his influence and resources!) when she faces difficulties at work place and the FL shows she can feel his efforts with her love and gratitude. This is pure mature love! Love is not just sweet romance but requires joint efforts, mutual understanding and support of both partners to go hand in hand on the road of life.

The second couple are everyone's favourites! They add more colours and storylines to the plot. There is a third couple as well. These characters show that everyone has issues/ obstacles/challenges they have to go through themselves. There will be mistakes and growing pains!

All characters and performances complemented each other. The family dynamics between the parents and in laws is a treat to watch!

Another highlight is the women in the workplace who are mutually supportive of each other and love their work (leave Tang girl). Their growth is entirely obtained through their own efforts and not by convenience or influence of a man.

Yes the drama may have certain shortcomings and some logical bugs but the flaws do not outweigh the merits! It's a profound theme exploration with insights on love/marriage, work and life in general for young couples. It's more realistic compared with other similar dramas broadcast recently and is definitely worth a watch.

Leia Mais

Outstanding characterization

What an amazing journey. The fact that ULS is an adapted screenplay, it really retained the soul of the manga. They also did a great job of picturing the script.

The way the relationships between the characters are developed is great. And with strong direction, the characters were also expertly and carefully written. With this cast, they did fantastic job with their roles and their relationship has such great chemistry.

One could contend that this series lacks strength, which I could see on some parts, but most of all it was thoughtfully planned and well-written, addition of the excellent work from the cast with of course those wonderful ost/s.

A must watch for this show really exhibits that romantic feelings existed even before we realized it and how crucial trust is for a healthy love, be it love of intimacy or love of friendships.

P.S.
I guess they have the most sweet-comfortable-hug I'd ever seen in a kbl.

Leia Mais

Crazy Love is an engrossing romantic comedy with a mix of some dark humor, melodrama, mystery, plenty of wounded souls, and great slow burned character development. For the leading couple, it is an enemy to lover’s trope that leads to a strong and supporting relationship. The actors did a great job bringing their characters and their realistic emotional and romantic entanglements to life. The leading couple has an extraordinary chemistry and it is impressive to see them together, not only when they have their beautiful and suave romantic interactions but their best is seeing in episode 2 where the female lead (Krystal Jung as Lee Shin A) reaches her “I’m going all out crazy” stage; it’s great! And, of course, Kim Jae Wook (as Noh Go Jin) was exceptional as well! A truly entertaining drama, enjoy it!

Leia Mais

Forever in My Heart

Just like Zhu Yun will forever have Li Xun in her heart and Li Xun will forever have Zhu Yun in his heart, Lighter & Princess will always have a special place in my heart. This is my 4th watch and I don't know why it has taken me so long to write a review. Every time I watch L&P, I am stunned by the sizzling chemistry and the depth of love the leads have for each other. If you have not watched this drama, do not believe the criticisms against the ML and the FL's character. They could not be any further from the truth. Watch for yourself.

The ML's character is one that if you come to understand him the way Zhu Yun did, you will love him. He is not the usual sensitive ML but rather rough on the edges due to his rough life experiences. The way Zhu Yun softened Li Xun made their romance even more compelling and believable. Li Xun’s dream was the basis of the company he founded called L&P. His dream was to build a system to provide medical service to the public in order to reduce the cancer death rate. But due to circumstances, Li Xun ends up losing it all. After a break up and time skip, the couple works together to regain all that was lost and it is through this collaboration that we see how the couple's romance develops in their love for each. I watched every minute of Lighter and Princess with no desire to fast forward except through Gao and his wife's marital problems. And as Li Xun's back story is revealed, I loved him even more and it was entirely convincing that Zhu Yun would love him because she understood him. She was the light in his life, the "princess" who is someone innocent yet also someone willing to take risks.

The chemistry between the leads sizzles...and sizzles...and sizzles. The match between Chen Fei Yu and Zhang Jing Yi is amazing. The person who selected this cast deserves an award. They are comfortable with each other. I am a big fan of Zhang Jing Yi since Lighter and Princess. She makes it all believable because she is a natural actress who looks comfortable in intimate roles. The way she hugs and cuddles with her ML made me believe she loved him. You can feel the connection. Chen Fei Yu's gazes as he looked straight into his Jing Yi's eyes conveyed deep emotions of love. There is this yearning that is a mix of love and regret but one that said he loved this woman with all his heart and soul. His eyes deserve a special award for L&P! It is this chemistry that left me with the feeling that I never wanted it to end and now over a year since I watched L&P, I cannot move on. I feel it calling to me all the time because I miss this couple when I am not watching L&P.

Lighter & Princess is a masterpiece. You can watch it on the surface or look deep into significant details. Lighter & Princess. Two words you might wonder how they go together. The lighter Li Xun carried with him was his father's. It was broken at one time but Zhu Yun had it mended. But perhaps he no longer needed it as she became his light drawing out of his painful past and bringing him into her innocent fairy tale existence of a "princess." I loved the way he called her "Princess." And yet he didn't treat her as if she was nothing but a princess. He allowed her to grow and learn on her own by guiding her and giving her hints on how to achieve her goals. And she understood him.

Leia Mais

I think this is a really great drama! Unlike most of the other lakorns I've watched, this one did not have a crazy ex-girlfriend. The progression of how the main actor likes the main actress is very well-placed, and you can see how he gradually likes her more and more. Even though it was more of a contract marriage, the contractual part did not last long, and it is refreshing to see that the main actor already liked the girl before the contract marriage. It's also helpful that the scenes are filmed beautifully and the main actors/actresses are good looking. Overall, I thought the drama was well-paced, the characters were likable, and the storyline (even though it does have some flaws) was still fairly believable for a drama.

Leia Mais

This is so cute. I can't wait for the next episode.

I don't know how I stumbled upon this, but it showed up on my YT recommendations (my history is turned off, so I don't know how). It is such a cute story.

Shun - so shy, so cute, so quiet. But his face says it all. I don't know if everyone else has been feeling the same.

Nagisa - this one is harder to read at first, but there's this softness to him when he's with Shun alone.

Chika - This girl. OMG. Obsession much? She literally stalked Shun when Nagisa asked him to meet up. And then invited herself after Nagisa broke things off with his ex. I get her. But at the same time, you can't force someone to like you. I feel bad for her because Nagisa totally used her, and that was so not cool of him. -- ETA -- I totally take this back. She is so cool. Ep 5 makes her totally bad ass.

Ayo - This girl is so cute. I feel so bad for her, but at the same time I feel like she is the most relatable character in this show. The one who wants to be better - the one who finds herself too plain and too boring. I love this girl. And I love how Shun is with her in 2-4. From telling her she is far from plain and has character, to telling her that she is better than him because she is taking action to be more like the person she wants to be. I love how he builds up her confidence. And I totally get why she falls for him. -- ETA -- I just watched Ep 5. And this episode just cemented the fact that I love her. I absolutely love this girl. She is me. Like 3000%. This is totally what I would have done, because I have in the past. When I love someone I just want them to be happy even if it means the person they are happy with is not me. Why are there not more characters like her.

Chika's Parents - How cute are they - from how in love with each other they are. To how open they are about sex and sex education. I totally dig them and their vibe. SO COOL.

Shun's dad - no comment. I guess if he hadn't left none of this would have happened.

If you know that this is the prequel to the movie, you know that between the mini series and the movie there isn't a happy ending even if they both might individually have happy endings. I haven't seen the movie so I cannot say - but it seems like it's a heart-wrencher. I really hope someone subs and uploads it some day - It looks soooo good. And the guy who plays Shun in that is so good looking.

Leia Mais

I can't believe that I watched a bread baking drama, that was 30 episodes long, without being bored! It took a lot of persuasion from a friend to get me to watch this. The high ratings didn't even have me fully convinced, but from beginning to end this drama lived up to all the hype.

The entire cast was great. The first episodes are set in the past, and I thought the cast of younger actors were exceptional. I also thought the younger actors matched their older counterparts very well. Younger Kim Tak Goo hooked me into the story, and older Kim Tak Goo kept me hooked from the first time he smiled. I loved that the cast of "villains" had depth, and some characters walked the fine line between good and bad. I liked that Eugene strayed from the romantic lead path into her own interesting character. I thought Joo Won was really good at being very sympathetic, and equally distasteful, though I lol-ed at the look on his face as if something constantly stunk. Even the supporting characters really added to the story, so I had to give the cast a 10.

Though the show is about baking, the story centers around family betrayal, revenge, rivalry, and painful relationships between children and their parents. There are some over the top fight scenes, dramatic rescues, and heartbreaking confrontations, so don't expect to just watch a bunch of scenes about how to bake bread. There's also a good balance of sweet, and humorous moments, and the pacing is good as well. I loved that the romance in this was a bit unconventional, and was touching without being cheesy, or the central focus of the story. This drama also has something I find rare in most dramas, a great ending. They manage to give each character proper closure, and the ending felt just right.

Overall the story isn't necessarily original, but It wasn't predictable either. I laughed and cried many times while watching. There aren't many specific rewatchable scenes, and since suspense is mainly what kept me up nights watching, I'm not sure If I will watch this again. Yoon Si Yoon is so charming, that he may be enough of a reason to give this one a second look.

I definitely recommend this. The 30 episodes will fly by...

Leia Mais

It's Either The Three Of Us, Or None Of Us

This show was such a fun and sweet experience. I genuinely looked forward to it every week, I liked these three weirdos and their chaotic softness.

The premise is kind of wild in the best way, it starts off with a child narrator talking about Takuzo, a lonely guy who’s starting to think about marriage. Then there’s Mia, his ex, now dating a younger dancer named Shinpei. Things get interesting when the two attend a lesbian wedding, and Shinpei just casually suggests, “Hey, what if the three of us got married?”

At first, Mia’s thrown off (understandably), and instead of confronting it directly, she takes her boyfriend to her ex’s place, hoping it’ll stir some jealousy and kill the idea. But surprise, Shinpei and Takuzo actually hit it off. Not even a hint of rivalry. They get along so well it catches Mia off guard.

The sweet twist early on is that the child narrator turns out to be Pakhun, the pet rabbit Mia and Takuzo raised when they were dating. He’s been watching over them from rabbit heaven this whole time. That reveal mid-ep 1 was such a funny, touching moment and instantly made me love the tone the show was going for.

Throughout the episodes, we slowly unpack each character, we got some focus on Takuzo, his past, his insecurities, and his lingering feelings for Mia. We meet Sayo, a co-worker who shares his random hobby of building Lego cities. She believes in platonic friendship between men and women, but the show teases her as a love rival. Honestly, I wish they’d kept her strictly as a friend. The trio dynamic was strong enough, and her romance subplot felt unnecessary.

One of the highlights for me was how the show portrayed the trio relationship. It had its ups and downs, but it wasn’t over-dramatized. The three of them actually talk, support each other, and even argue in a realistic way. When Takuzo gets sick and Mia and Shinpei come over to take care of him, I was like okay, these three are already kind of living like a family. You can really feel how their connection grows, slowly and believably.

The final episodes bring everything together. There are a few emotional stumbles, some pushback from people around them, but nothing overly cruel or unrealistic. Even the mothers’ reactions were done well, shocked but not villainized. They take time to process, then try to support. It felt grounded.

And the ending was So cute. The trio basically says: it’s either the three of us or none of us. And they actually go through with the marriage. The show doesn’t treat it as a joke or phase, it gives them a real, soft, happy ending.

My only real critique is that while the show depicts a poly relationship, it doesn’t feel like it was written by someone who’s poly or queer. There’s a slight outsider lens, like it’s more of a thought experiment than something personal. It’s respectful, yes, but not quite as layered or lived-in as it could’ve been.

Still, overall, Sannin Fufu was a warm, charming, and refreshingly odd little gem. It didn’t always hit super deep, but it knew what it was doing: telling a story about people figuring out how to love each other in a way that works for them. And that’s honestly enough.

Leia Mais

Love knows no gender

Love knows no gender, literally. Im serious, thats what the series is all about - Love losing her real gender to find her true love, and by the end, her gender doesnt matter at all cause she did find the one she was promised. And yes, this is a BL fans clickbait show, cause this is just a show disguising itself as a BL series.

First of all, i have got to say that the cinematography in this series is amazing. They obviously added an instagram-like filter of sheen/decoloration that gave it a unique quality that perfectly fits the fantasy theme.

Another good thing is the exceptional cast. I cant say much about girl Love cause she wasnt really present much but boy Love is amazing in his small eccentricities and subtle movements and expressions - he is after all a girl trapped in a boy's body. Vier is ok, but Tangmo is such a discovery - his character development from a guy on the sideline to the guy to root for is done quite well. Im sure everyone watching fell in love with him in the end. Great job for the writers for making us believe that Vier is the guy to watchout for.

And oh my Sean, right from the start you know there was something feminine in his actions (and of course i love watching Captain, the first reason i came watching this in the first place). Menn is cute, Nuclear is so so, and Good is just adorable.

The main concept of love knowing no gender identity is a good idea in paper, but for a girl to willingly change herself to stalk a guy is just plain creepy. And, to top that, 2 girls pretending to be boys to stalk this awesomely superduper hunk of a greatest guy is not just creepy but psychward worthy crazy batshit. Is this series telling me that what you are is not enough and that you have to disguise yourself to get that true love?

The subplots (im talking to you ghost Som, and yes that harrypotter talking book, and what is that challenge foe the 7 finalist, how do you judge which are the best 3 based on that) are just ridiculous that i constantly have to remind myself that this is a fantasy show. However if you look beyond the cheap and corny bits, you get a show that is entertaining and quite binge worthy. I also love that there's only 8 episodes. And did I mention about the exceptional cast?

Leia Mais

Shrimpie, you can now rest in peace

I started tgis expecting a fun Republican era mystery with some Lost Tomb lore and somehow ended up emotionally destroyed by Zhang Haixia😭

Watching him go from this smart, sarcastic accountant constantly bickering with haiyan to someone willing to give up everything just so his partner in crime could live was painful enough, but the show somehow made it worse.

He doesn't get a heroic ending,he doesn't get peace,he comes back broken, traumatized, stripped of his own will, turned into a weapon while Haiyan desperately tries to save him as everything crashes down around them, it was just tragedy after tragedy.


And Ding Yuxi absolutely wrecked me throughout the serie especially larest episodes, the emptiness in his eyes, the way you could feel Haixia disappearing piece by piece... I genuinely wasn't prepared for that Shrimpie deserved happiness and instead got endless suffering. I'm sick, devastated, and probably not recovering from this anytime soon 😭💔

Haiyan trying his best to save him and save tgeir mentor was heartbreaking, he was grieving his only family while they were dying infront of him slowly, his guilt run deep, he killed his shrimpie and left living with this reality.

When it come to overall storytelling, they cut a lot and added some side stories that i didnt care about, we deserved the scenes that were deleted, anyway this was a ride, recommended

Leia Mais

Enjoyed this drama to the max

I have been watching this drama as soon as its airing because its just so captivating. The pace is perfect, not draggy or too fast. Every scene is to the point. Its definitely worth watching. Female lead is extremely good with her acting skills. Doesn't look her age but can act as a 16yo and 25yo very well. She is a naturalist as an actress!

Story is really well described. How the characters becoming a family. Words and scenes are just so appropriate! And the funny scenes that Jian Jian acted it out. It has really made me roared with laughter.

Having completed this drama as soon as it ends. I rewatched it from the beginning again. Many scenes tag my heart string. My heart ached with ZQ as he said why is he always the one being abandoned. And also once more with LS asking his dad if his passed on sister has forgiven him.

Its really worth watching. Highly recommended.

Leia Mais

"귀신보다 더 무서운 건 사람이에요."

What could be better than Kim Tae Ri fighting demons? Kim Tae Ri, Oh Jeong Se and Hong Gyeong fighting demons. A truly stellar invincible cast.

🔸I feel the beginning could be much more exciting. The story could play with the viewer's expectations regarding the existence of supernatural powers. You could throw in evidence for both humans' and spirits' involvement in a felony, and let the detectives battle with professor Yeom. The middle part is also pretty monotonous and doesn't bear much significance. There is no cat-and-mouse play, no riddles either.

🔸Yet I still appreciate the emotionally and visually beautiful ending. A sneak into the ancient Korean rituals and beliefs made me understand better why many elders believe in spirits and what traditions do they follow.

If you are about to watch Revenant, you might've picked it because of the cast, but be prepared for the thick layer of folklore and many grafic suicides as well.

Leia Mais