Reviews

an idol's relationships with faen, friends, and fans

It was very cute. The relationship between Thame and Po was very sweet. I also really liked the bonds built between the the members of Mars. This was a good introduction and starting point for me into LYKN and their music. There was also some thought-provoking commentary on the dynamic between idols and their fan, as well as other insights and messages throughout the series to think about. It was a fun and cute watch.

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● SHORT REVIEW
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[ --LIKES-- ]

✔ While I don't think it's a deep dive into the world of being an idol group, it does touch upon quite a few topic regarding the struggles and politics of an idol group. It may not be representative of all groups and their companies, but the series offers a glimpse into some.

✔ In general, there is also depth to the story with an important lesson about our value as individuals, no matter who we are.

✔ I like the chemistry of William and Est. It is sort, sweet ,and subtle. I enjoyed the progression of Thame and Po's relationship a lot. It was cute.

✔ There are a lot of cute moments that makes the heart feel kilig and a few moments that shatter your heart.

✔ The series show problems are resolved through sincere communication and discussion and through working together.

✔ I really liked the episode where Thame got jealous of Earn. In a lot of series, this would have turned into a bigger argument with Thame angrily storming off, but they didn't go that route.

✔ Leads are likable. Very selfless, considerate, understanding, caring, and patient with one another.


[ --DISLIKES-- ]

✖ I wasn't fully convinced by Oner's CEO's change of heart at the end. Pemika spent most of the series with a plan for Mars (mostly Thame), so her suddenly deciding to let them off the hook fells abrupt to me. I understand she might have either thought it was too much hassle to keep fighting them and/or she was moved by Mars' sincerity to stay together, but they could've have shown more of that process and her character development to get to that point.

✖ I also don't really think it was really necessary to bring Earn back at all towards the end. It didn't really add much, if anything at all. He was just a past relationship that we could probably draw lessons from but we could've just left it at that.

✖ One thing I really wish the story didn't do was have Pepper and Gam break up and then have Thame and Po also break up. Instead, I wish the story went the route of having them stay together and face the problem together, as originally planned by the characters. I think that could've been a great lesson. Breaking up isn't always necessary to solve issues. I understand this is how the story is, though. This is mostly just me wishing that we didn't need to have a breakup in order to learn a lesson, achieve a goal, or facilitate the plot.


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● IN-DEPTH REVIEW
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[ --STORY/PLOT-- ]

There are two major themes in the series that I'll use to talk about the plot in regards to. The first theme is selflessness and sacrifice. They're two ideas but they're related. It is used to set up the beginning and ending arcs of the series. In the beginning, we have Thame who appears to be very standoffish and distant from the other members of the group Mars. However, Po intervenes and unmasks Thame's true nature. We learn that Thame actually cares a lot about his group, but he was willing to sacrifice his hope and dream for the group to stay together to instead do what he thought was best for his group members. Thame isn't the only one being selfless and trying to sacrifice himself for the other members though. Jun, his best friend in Mars, is also doing the same thing. Jun thinks the group is holding Thame back, so Jun is willing to act like he doesn't care so that his friend can go to South Korea. Fortunately, Po enters the story and helps Thame fight for what he truly wants and reunite Mars. Ironically, this same person who help Thame realized that it's okay to want to be selfish sometimes is also someone who later makes a selfless sacrifice unnecessarily. However, it does help the story come full circle in the end with the group banding together to reach out to Thame in the same way Thame reached out to them at the start.

The other major theme explored is an individual's worth and value. This is something we is touched upon throughout the entire series via different relationships. The biggest example of this is how Oner's CEO viewed the members of Mars. Mars is merely an asset and product to the company. Their value is evaluated based on metrics such as ranking on top charts, awards received, the money they brings in, and other numbers. The CEO also values Thame more than the other members. A lot of the characters also reflect on their own self-worth. This is seen in the beginning when Thame and Po are trying to bring Mars back together. Pepper, for example, thought that as a jack of all trade, he was not that important as there is always another member that can do what he can. He didn't think his role was important. Nano is another great example. He contemplates his future and fears that he is not good at anything other than dancing, so he ends up trying different things so he doesn't have to be dependent on the the group's success.

We see a lot of different perspective on a person's value. We see Mars' value through the lens of the company. We see how some of the fans value Mars. We see how underground artists/rappers view Mars. We have characters reflect on their own values. We see the value of a person through the relationships of those closest to them. We see how Pepper and Gam value each other. We see how Thame and Po value each other. We see how Jun and Po value each other. We see how each member of Mars' value one another. In a letter to Po, Thame expresses his thoughts on this topic and I think there is a lot of draw from it.


[ --ACTING/CAST-- ]

Even disregarding that this is LYKN's full series debut, I think they did a great job. Whether it was the bonding moments or the ones where they bicker, they felt like a real group. I guess it helps that Mars is played by a real group so they are able to draw upon their own feelings and experiences to play their characters. And even for the parts outside of the idol experience and camaraderie, they delivered well on the humor, romance, and heartfelt scenes. Est also did a great job. This is also really my first time seeing Est's acting. I saw him a bit in "High School Frenemy", there wasn't much there for him to showcase, so I'm glad to see him now in a bigger role. The chemistry between William and Est was good. There wasn't anything intense or crazy, but it was subtle and sweet. The chemistry is portrayed in the small gestures and actions like smiles and glances. And their cute scenes definitely delivered the kilig.

[ --MUSIC/OST-- ]

Since Mars is played by a real music group and the plot revolved around the music industry, I started watching with the expectation I would find at least one or two songs to add to my Thai playlist. I liked a lot of the songs, so there was no disappointment there. It was definitely a good starting point for me to get into LYKN and its members' music.

[ --REWATCH VALUE-- ]

The series isn't that long, and the episodes were also engaging enough with some depth to them. Plus, the relationship of Thame and Po was very cute, so I think it's something I could re-watch again just for the cuteness alone. I don't know if I will by myself as I don't feel super strongly about it, but the potential is there. I'll more likely rewatch it if I'm watching it with someone else.

[ --FINAL THOUGHTS-- ]

While I admit there were some things in the series that felt unrealistic, inaccurate, or exaggerated, it didn't really detract from the overall story, lessons, and cuteness of this series. A lot of the good feelings I got came from the soft, subtle moments between Thame and Po. And there were a lot of those. Their romance was just very innocent for the most part. The members of Mars were also all interesting and fun to watch. I enjoyed their camaraderie. Ultimately, the series was very cute and left a good impression.

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● NOTE
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I'll always conclude my review by saying that ratings and reviews is not really a indicator of whether you may enjoy something. We all have different criteria and standards. Don't let a bad rating, review, or comment discourage you from watching something. My advice will always be to give something a chance if the premise interests you, and only use the ratings/reviews to determine priority if you have a list, or if you're deciding if you want to continue it due to time limitations.

♥ Thanks for reading my review! Feel free to comment or hit me up if you want to discuss anything ♥

Leia Mais

WORST ENDING EVER!!

Let me start with the reasons I loved this show, I'll save the spoilers until the end.
Go Ah Ra as Ra Ra. I saw her Miss Hammurabi and loved her. She has a fresh appeal about her. Though Ra Ra's life went south pretty suddenly, she was always optimistic. Though I often felt she was taking advantage of Joon, I couldn't be mad at her - she was always open and up-front about what she was doing. Ra Ra changed everyone that she came into contact with for the better. Her effervescent personality in the face of adversity was a joy to watch.
Lee Jae Wook as Sun Woo Joon - this is really his first leading-man role, and I must say he was made for it. His personality was the opposite of Ra Ra's, but there was a magnetic pull between them. His acting is understated and believable, and when he cried, oh my!
Ye Ji Won as Jin Sook Kyung - as the owner of the beauty salon, she was quirky and a little strange, but so fun to watch.
I felt that the entire cast was excellent.
OST - Oh wow!! How they wove "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" through the entire series was brilliant. Playful one minute, soulful the next, heartbreaking in the next minute.
STORY - here's where things get difficult. Up through about episode 11, I would have rated this as a strong 10. The writing was excellent for each of the characters. Their actions and their conversations were so fun and heart-felt. The salon ladies were a hoot. Though Dr. Cha was a little creepy to me, his character made sense the more you got to see him. The friendships/crushes of the teenagers were fun and not too terribly irritating. I loved watching everyone change through Ra Ra's influence, and the fact that she was acting in a completely natural manner without any artifice was lovely. The budding relationship between Joon and Ra Ra was so special - she'd ask him to do something for her, he'd say "no" but then do it. All the things he did for her - I really felt that he loved her. The beginning scenes of each episode and the epilogues provide some additional clues as to what was going on. I love a storyline where the main characters have met in different scenarios over the years.
After about episode 11, I was wondering if a different writer took over. This went from being a light, fluffy love story (with quite a few laugh out loud moments) to melodrama pretty quickly. Here is one of my issues, if I know it's going to be a melodrama going in, I can prepare myself for angst and stress. I was going along, really enjoying this show when BAM! His nightmare mom, his even more nightmarish dad, breakups for no reason, lots of time spent apart, everyone is miserable, clingy ex-girlfriend shows up, and toss in an illness that he doesn't tell anyone about and it's a big old mess. I do have to give the writer credit for the scenes making fun of the "water in the face, paying off the girlfriend to leave her son alone" trope. This couple was apart more than they were together.
SPOILERS - SPOILERS - SPOILERS - SPOILERS - SPOILERS - SPOILERS - SPOILERS - SPOILERS - SPOILERS!!!!
This is what is unforgivable for me - Joon goes to the US to "study", though he's really being treated for leukemia. Joon and Ra Ra still talk to one another on the phone. A few months go by and his mother shows up at Ra Ra's piano studio and tells her that Joon has died, and he left her a letter. So, we hear Joon's words to Ra Ra and go through her grief with her. FIVE YEAR TIME JUMP (I hate the time jumps in the best of times, but this was the worst!) Ra Ra is playing the song that she used to play to welcome him home and looks up, and there stands JOON. He says he didn't want to come back until he was well. She's a little bit mad but then forgives him pretty quickly. I had problems with this on many levels. First, what kind of mother would lie about her son being dead?!? And the fact that he left Ra Ra completely out of the loop, that's not love. All I could think of was, if I was Ra Ra, I'd be wishing that I'd been able to spend whatever time she had with him. When I got to the end of this show, I really felt like I'd been cheated, and I am NOT amused! So, strictly for this reason I had to lower my rating to a 7. I really wanted to go lower, I'm so mad, but the show was so good up to when it wasn't anymore.

Leia Mais

This movie. /THIS/ movie. If you've watched the first Gantz, then you know the general story line and you pretty much know what it's about. Usually sequels ruin my love for the first movie, but in this case, the second movie made the first movie completely irrelevant. (I was religiously in love with the first movie.) This one has a lot more depth to it and the stakes are so much higher in this movie, since they all aren't oblivious to what they're facing anymore. There's a lot of emotions thrown around in this movie, but it just makes it that much more memorable to me. This movie is easily my number one favorite movie.

Leia Mais

Unexpectedly I loved it so much that I will surely Rewatch it again with tears and tissues

A little background here so you can skip this paragraph, if you wish… [I thought I would regret watching this drama but I think I needed this to get over my drama slump. I had 2-3 dramas in my CW and I made my 1st drop this month. I was almost in a drama slump as I passed on 4 days without watching any episode until I started this drama.]

This Drama and Tissues both are a must. As quoted by others, yes this is a little Melodrama but I usually don't mind it if it's portrayed in the right manner. The cute and innocent Shi Yi played by Bai Lu and actor Allen who nailed this role was the best choice the director made. Another best choice was the setting, the whole winter theme in beginning is like cherry on the top. What was unexpected for me was the supporting roles. It's rare for me to find so many hateable Characters in a drama. Yes it's not a writing mistake. Its Hate-able, characters whose actions irritated me till the end.

The first half is more about the background setting for upcoming twists and plot. While the middle half is where I got to experience all those Sad emotions in one go. I remember that particular scenario from Episode 15 and 16 where I was crying continuously and I felt like "No at this pace I can't continue this Drama anymore". I felt strange all over as I watched a few more episodes. No, it was not the drama's fault. It was me who cannot tolerate the sudden emotional rollercoaster at all. The one-by-one coming situations were breaking me. Ahh why am I remembering so much again. I hated that parts and I loved that parts equally. Tbh, I was confused like I knew the characters had no other choices and it's going in the destined direction but I just can't accept it. I still wish, thing went my way but yeah it won't. The drama has already finished and why would the screenwriter listen to Me lol. Hopefully, I went through that phase and just went on. I am happy that I didn't dropped this drama with the fear that this would be a sad ending drama. If I dropped it, I will definitely miss a beautiful story.


Zhousheng Chen — he's like the light who ruled this drama. I don't believe he died, cause I would rather say he is eternal. A character that I would remember and admire for years.
Shiyi — noblest character. I wonder how did she tolerate all of this till there… like she saw her father going as a child, she was forced to marry Zixing, she was trapped in that palace all alone and then her Master died, she was helpless but couldn't do anything. She sacrificed herself at the end.


One and only is not only about Shiyi and Zhousheng Chen alone, it's about all those people who were a part. Other characters whose individual story touched me ≈•≈
✓ Liu Hui (His Majesty) — he was given too many responsibilities at the age of 6 then he was killed by his own mother at 19. All his life, he was just controlled by others. Poor him.
✓ General Hong Xiaoyu — I had a strange fear from the starting of episode 22 that something will get wrong in her story and that fear came true. She died. Oh… she was so good T~T
✓ Monk — he suffered a lot but he kept calm in precious situations. Him being in the Nanchen Royal Army was the best choice made by him but he also had to leave for his own country.


Characters that destroyed their own life and entered my Hate diary =××××—
×•× Empress Dowager — Do I need to name a reason? She can even kill her own son. She's a psycho. So glad that she died.
×•× Zixing/Prince of Guanling — The self obsessed man. He is just too selfish. He acted as if he liked Shiyi but in reality he's too crazy to like anyone.
×•× Qin Yan — he watched by every bad deed but instead of opposing it he supported all of that. I pitied him for a while but once Mentor Xie died, I sensed that he won't be any better.
×•× Jin Rong — One word for him. EVIL! He had no boundaries to crime. He did everything a devil can do. I feel like I can curse him for hours HE WAS SO BAD!

"Zhousheng Chen, I am here to marry you. If we meet again in the next life, hope you can come to marry me. Will you? I will take your silence as a Yes." — Shiyi.

Oof this line. It's going to haunt me so I have to start Forever and Ever soon…

Leia Mais

While skimming Netflix for something to pass the time, I noticed this war piece starred both Shin Ha Kyun and Go Soo. This pushed me, along with an interest in the subject, to give Gojijeon a try. I'm glad I did, because I spent the next two hours entertained despite some minor issues.

Probably the strongest point of the movie is the cinematography. Battle scenes are tasteful but tremendous; the scenes done on the infamous hill were especially eye-catching and must have been difficult to film. Some of the scenery ended up being quite beautiful as well, which is sad considering so much fighting went on in those areas.

Go Soo and Shin Ha Kyun definitely carried the performance aspect of Gojijeon between them. Shin is always a pleasure to watch and brings any character to life with ease, but Go Soo was shockingly compelling. He played Soo Hyuk with intense complexity, often making me question how I felt about his character: was he right or wrong? Also, the interaction between the two felt natural...which is great since a good chunk of the story rides on their characters and their involvement with one another. I have to say the rest of the cast was somewhat forgettable just because their characters weren't as necessary or developed. There were several familiar faces if you often watch Korean drama, though.

My only real gripe with this film is that occasionally it would feel preachy. This is definitely an anti-war film, and you can really feel the atmosphere of futility the conflict had. Usually the subject was handled with grace, but on the instances it was not, I felt as though I'd been pulled out of the story briefly. Other than that, though it's been done before in other films, it's always nice to see a non-American focus on the Korean war during this time period.

Leia Mais

Missing it already

I had high expectations for this and I’ve been waiting for forever it felt like since the first trailer was released. I’m glad that it exceeded my expectations, I laughed, cried, boy did I cry and smiled so much with this series. Mix and Earth portrayed their characters amazingly well; So well that they had me feeling super single at times. Their chemistry was phenomenal to the point that I didn't need super intimate scenes to feel their love. From episode 1 I was hooked onto Tian's life story in the city to his life in the Village with not just Phupha but with the kids and all of the villagers. To see how far it went within the 10 episodes, it's a journey that I would love to experience all over again for the first time.

The cinematography was beautifully done, every shot left me in awe...especially with the mountain scenes. Nothing more to say there except great job to the crew for their hard work just as much to all the actors.

The Ost remains my head for days until the next episode so that should tell you something.

Overall I give this masterpiece a 10/10, definitely recommend and would rewatch again. Missing it already as I type this.

Leia Mais

A stunning representation of what it is like to be aroace

The only time I've ever gotten aroace representation in the past is from books and generally the stories I've read involve teenagers discovering they are aroace, struggling with it and finally accepting it. Generally, the book ends on a nice, hopeful note about the future. I love those stories, I love that they exist and I believe they are colossally important. But Koisenu Futari gave me something those books didn't - it showed me what a future could look like for an aroace person like me. The show is the story of being an adult and navigating the world AFTER identifying as aroace, and that is something I have never seen before in any medium ever.

As someone who only really accepted my aroace identity in my 20's, to see a character around the same age as me going through the emotions and conflicts I have been through myself was just... incredible. I've been burned a lot in the past, and I cannot deny that throughout the show a part of me was panicking, worried to death that they would shoe-horn a romance in there. But now that the show is over I can safely say that this is one of the most beautiful, incredibly important shows I've ever seen. It handled aromanticism and asexuality in such a realistic, sensitive and wonderful way and made me cry about five times with the way it touched on various issues. Every thing from the ups and the downs were so real and so raw, and as someone who has experienced so much of what they have experienced, this show touched me in a way that's hard to explain.

I honestly never thought I'd see a show any time soon with an aroace protagonist, let alone TWO such different ones. I could go on and on about the show, but for the sake of keeping this review short, I just want to say that this is a fantastic show, an important show and a thoroughly well researched show and I'm so grateful that it was made ❤

Leia Mais

The thing I appreciate the most about Japanese shows in general, is that they can tell a good story without much of an eventful plot to build it upon. They play with narrative style and they excel in delicacy.

I'm not implying Saikou no Jinsei has got no plot, but it's not the kind one would run to watch and sit through with bathed breath. This is the story of a family, of their little and big trials. But most of all it tells of what it means to shoulder responsibility for the people we care for.
I may just as well confess that I started this because I wanted to stare at Yamapi. He's a pleasure for the eye in general, but there's a tangible improvement in his acting skill too. I grew very fond of him and all the main characters. I like it when details and hints are rationed slowly, because that's what happens in real life too: we are presented with a family picture, and bit by bit we are offered glimpses of who they are and where they are going.

The whole cast did a brilliant job, and I found myself with moisture in my eyes more than once. I was impressed by Yamashita's ability to convey his feelings here, and I was entertained by his relationship with both his family and Yuki-chan. It also amazes me that I managed to laugh a lot more often than what is expected by the general atmosphere.

I didn't like the music at all. Not only it isn't my cup of tea, I also thought it was very unfitting now and then. Luckily though, it does not overpower the dialogues or the scenes, and it can therefore be overlooked.

Rewatch value is not too high, but if you like family dramas and touching plots, you may give this one a try.

Leia Mais

Put your analytic mind to rest, relax and enjoy the show.

Good watch. Funny and lighthearted drama. Went in without any expectations and had a great time binging it, laughing all the way.

I know some find the FL annoying, but I like her very much. She and her best friend are such a refreshing change from other drama. Yes, she is loud and animated, not all females are soft spoken and docile. The best friend although dresses and act like a man, everyone else acknowledge that she is a female. No illogic masquerading or hiding her identity that she is a tomboy.
The ML is such a eye candy. The flowy hairstyle and costume suits him well. He did a good job carrying the character too. From the cool (cold) aloof at the beginning to warm and gentle at the end. Such a cute pair and the 2nd couple are a hoot too. All the bickering (laugh) and eye gazing (swooning) are just what you need on a stressful day.

Apart from the 2 couples (plus the grandma - which is my favourite) the rest is just there for support, ignorable.

One more thing I like about this drama is there are many meaningful quotes in the drama and some are down right hilarious. Some of my favourite are " Living your life too clearly will make you unhappy, sometimes ignorance is bliss" and "Every family have a strict father, a gentle mother, siblings who cover your back and a grandmother who dotes the young".

Leia Mais

unique story, great acting, best thai show 2024 (so far)

First I was intrigued to get a different story every episode or so I assumed. But after two stories, the stories get expanded. And when you watch ep 6 you know there is something different going on. That's a novel concept to watch many BLs in one BL :)

Both MLs are very good at their jobs conveying different characters with different mindsets and with many emotions.
Both are standing out from most other thai BL actors playing the same character over and over again. So this show stands out in creativity and execution. While not perfect it's exceptional in the year 2024, where we got so much trash. Without a doubt, it's the best thai BL series in 2024 so far. Update: Spare me Your Mercy was a notch better in my book, but still this was great.

I don't want to spoil the fun for you, but you should watch this. Yes you will cry, but you will also feel happy.

Leia Mais

Need a second season

The story is nothing extraordinary, but well executed. The actors have done a very good job. The male leads have really good chemistry that is shot through the roof in the last episodes.
The female leads/ supports have actual contribution in the story and not annoying characters who only bates their eyes and create nothing but trouble. They are kind of badasses too. There are hints of romance but nothing that derails the feel and flow of the story.
As the series progresses, it goes on becoming more interesting. There are scenes in a few episodes that I fast forwarded and missed nothing, but overall, it is engaging. Even with a cliche mystery, it actually have a good ending.
And the series actually gives hint of a following season at the end of the last episode and I hope they make it soon.

Leia Mais

A fantastic, really done well, hilarious drama.

Story: It's a story about office workers, their office as well as personal life. The story is presented in a very hilarious way that will make your stomach ace because of laughter.

Characters:
SS: The ML, he is very innocent, hardworking, really clumsy and will definately screw up any task given to him. But overall he is really nice guy who is loyal and likes to help others.
NR: The FL, she is the senior of the ML, she is strict to him and is really hilarious. She always gets in fight with SS because he screw ups. She is a hardworking, straightforward (most of the time), funny and beautiful woman.
MT: He is a son of chairman of rival company, he went to the current company to learn and make something of himself. He tries to learn and adapt to the "normal" way of living.
KM:A normal office worker who is really strong and can't hold her liquor. She and MT are a duo where she teaches him about what normal is for an average person in really hilarious ways.
Other office workers: They all are really hilarious and very likable people. Everything they do is funny, even a "serious moment" would turn into a funny one because of them.
Aziz: He is a South Asian guy who is SS's roommate and like to refer himself in third person. Is a really funny guy with really funny catch phrases.

Acting:
Every single actor here has done an amazing job, their timing of comedy is on point. They will make you laugh with their dialogues as well as with their physical acting. There are some serious moments too which are acted really well by these people.

Likes:
The bromance between SS and MT is really hilarious to watch.
SS and NR's enemies to lovers is really funny and beautiful. They are really good together and give viewers a lot of funny as well as romantic stuffs.
MT and KM, initially they are creditor and debtor who later became student and teacher. They are really funny, especially MT being a rich boy who always misinterprete what "normal is.
MT and KSN, KSN looking out for MT thinking that MT is a poor and delusional guy is really funny
WHB, a gamer who does funny things in his office four walls.
CWW,SHM and KMH, all three are funny where CWW and KMH express themselves too much and SHM rarely shows any expressions.
There are also many hilarious parody scenes or dialogues of many popular dramas and movies. They exaggerated so many things and is a really funny manner.

Dislikes: There are zero things to dislike.

Overall: If you want to laugh, then this is definately a drama for you.

Rating as a casual viewer: 10
Rating as Critique: 10

Note: First two episodes have some references which a person from South Korea can understand. But later and other things in those two episodes are understandable by anyone.

Leia Mais