Reviews

Better than Season 1

Yes I liked this better than Season 1. Probably because I like Jinyoung (who plays Yu Ba Bi) ;)

S2 introduced some new cells which added to the humour and storyline. I especially liked the tongue cells having tea together LOL!

Yu Ba Bi was great!!! Until he wasn’t ... :( he was the perfect guy and bf. Until he too started lying and hiding things from Yumi, with the ruse of not wanting her to worry, or overreact. Is it a guy thing to think like that? Whereas all the women want is for their man to be honest and open. Yumi was right to be upset and hurt, but I felt it didn’t warrant such a quick break up without even talking it through and giving some time to think and breathe. I also understand why BaBi was upset that she could break up so easily, as if her love wasn’t deep enough to hold on. And couldn’t she trust him? Couldn’t he hv been more honest?

After the break up, the character of BaBi didn’t make sense any more. It seemed the writers just needed a reason for the 2nd break up. Him hiding the accident, thinking of regrets and then proposing marriage?? What the... and they didn’t even discuss their issues after getting back together. Such poor and unhealthy communication. No relationship can last like this.

However I did like the professional development of Yumi becoming a writer. But Wung becoming a CEO in just two years?? That’s a bit far-fetched. I really loved the scene where he and Babi met at the hospital and they had a who’s-better-for-Yumi tiff off. Hahaha

Don’t expect too much with the storyline. It’s not a happy ending per say, but a good realistic one. :)

Leia Mais

A MUST WATCH DRAMA

I seldom write long reviews but Dear Missy deserve it. So I started this drama as it is an adult life drama and the filming seemed good from the trailer. It was better than expected. The series revolves around two friends and the people around them. Friendship and relationships are the main theme. Each character was well developed, actually you can find a little bit of yourself in every character, this is what i felt at least.
Every relationship and every person had its ups and downs and the way characters dealt with their problems was completely realistic. Nothing was exaggerated and that is what I liked the most. Everything seemed like a daily life encounter, nothing was unreal.

At first, I couldn't understand why a second lead couple had so much screen time, but later I realized that if they hadn't i would not have gain so much from the series. This couple is actually all young adults. At the end this drama, made me see things from another perspective, and I am so grateful,this is something that rarely happens and I believe writers and director is to thank.
As for the main leads Li Yitong and Gina Jin I have no words, their acting skills, their chemistry everything was amazing. It was like seeing two real best friends. Gina thought (OMG QUEEEN) in this role is amazing, such a dynamic woman, something that we rarely see in Chinese dramas.
I would like also to comment on the direction. It must be one of the best directing in Chinese series. Each episode was like watching a movie. After that I will definitely watch the works of the same director.
To conclude, if you are into adult life dramas or a young adult I definitely recommend this drama. Don't be discourage from the comments here (this is what happened in my case and at the end the drama was a masterpiece for me) I feel that my review cannot express well how good was it so please give it a try

Leia Mais

The second lead stole the show.

I'm a little sad because the actress playing the female lead is the only reason I picked up this drama but her character(s) didn't have much dept, and surprisingly I ended up liking the scenes where the male lead interacts with the second leads more than the ones with the female lead.

The male lead doesn't have much of a life or motivation aside from maybe one day being with the protagonist, but he made me giggle a couple of times so I'll give him that.

The second female lead is a bit weird, but it didn't bother me as much since she's supposed to be a dumb bird (literally).

The character I liked the most was by far the second male lead, 10/10 comic relief but also did pretty well on the more serious scenes, he was a surprisingly positive character and pretty much the only reason the other three didn't die by the halfway point of the drama, between the female lead who never knows what's happening, the male lead who's a bit too eager to saceifice his life at every opportunity and the second female lead who's dumb as a rock, I guess the writers needed someone to keep the ship going.

The villain could've done better, they only started showing him as a suspicious person almost at the end so it was a bit of a shift with the character, I think there could've been a better way of showing that he was suspicious from the start and to reveal his plan at the end without making it so cartoonish.

Didn't like the ending, it was what dropped the grade for me, I was willing to forgive all the flaws from this drama but a unsatisfying ending I can't forgive, in my opinion it was poorly executed and rushed, they could've cut all those flashbacks and given more time for the fourth life and closed things more neatly.

Leia Mais

Jinx is the story of two shy students trying to live their life, and a meddling korean girl being a bit too involved and nosing around in someone elses business.

Or is it?

Yamaguchi Kaede is shy, and when approached by other people, a bit dismissive and rough. She likes to eat alone and being by herself while sneaking glances on her crush, her similarly shy classmate Nomura Yusuke. Feeling ignored and shunned by him, she quickly lets go of any hope of being with him and tries to forget him.

Enter Ji-Ho.

Ji-Ho is a seemingly simple girl, and the complete opposite of Yamaguchi. She's overly friendly, and puts her emotions on display. She makes it her mission to help Yamaguchi find happiness, but is very secretive about her own past.

This movie is, without looking any deeper, a cute lovestory that is kind of predictable. But if you look a little deeper, you'll see there's a lot more to it. It's all about character development, and how to help someone else in need whilst helping yourself. This movie shows changing oneself doesn't have to be a bad thing, and that some memories just aren't meant to be forgotten.

If you're looking for a lighthearted and silly lovestory, I'd steer away from this. However, if you're looking for something a liiiiittle bit deeper, this would be a fine match.

Leia Mais

Thumps up for OCN’s crime/investigation dramas. After the thrilling end of the first season, I finally watched the long waited second season.

This season, just like the first one, had witty writing and strong characterization (something that’s lacking from many Korean dramas) which made it very appealing. The thrilling events never disappeared and the captivating action was always there.

This season’s cases were more complicated and very difficult to predict. Although that was very good on the mysterious/suspense level; it felt a bit slow at the thriller/action level, don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean that the cases were boring because that’s not true but there were some slow cases and sometimes over dramatic ones.

In this season, I also disliked the near absence of outside-cases interaction between the main characters unlike the first season that held many side conversations between them. Except the two firsts and the two last episodes; we only got 30 seconds to one minute at the end of each episode which wasn’t enough to deliver a proper conversation and made me want more.

This is still an amazing detective drama; one of the best dramas produced in Korea even if it doesn’t get the appropriate attention. So basically, if you liked the first season, this one is a must watch.

One thing to add: The first season’s ending was way better than the second but it’s still exciting. I will be impatiently waiting for the third season.

Leia Mais

Having watched my fair share of Chinese Drama, I always find some will be either predictable, boring in the middle or story plot declining towards the end. It has been awhile when I found so many excitement in a drama until Lost in 1949. I watched this drama when I was binge-ing Chen Kun after his comeback in TROP. As stated in mydramalist, The Lost in 1949 is about the Communist spy in Republican era, but I think it's so much more. For me, it's more about family, slice of life, with a bit of spy for spiciness.

Story wise, Lost in 1949 is about a woman who was going to visit her Communist husband but later found out that her husband was dead and afterwards she got involved with a street smart funny guy. There weren't a lot of "twisted" plots like any spy drama, as for me it's more of how two people met by chance then became the best friend that everyone wishes they would have in their life. It's not a refreshing plot, but the dialogue and script would make us sit tight and had great laughs.

However, I must admit, what really carries the show is Chen Kun's acting. He played polar opposite twins and he acted so well you will think that they are two diff persons. For Regina, I have never watched her drama before, I didn't know if she always carries that sad face or her character in this drama demands sad face all the time. But she is decent.
Well, if you are coming from TROP, you will also recognize several faces in this drama.
Notes: Bad guy will still play bad guy (duh!)

Music in a drama has never been something I focused on, because a lot of time I find that I love the drama first then I will learn to enjoy the music later. One thing I can comment on Lost in 1949's music is it carries a lively catchy tune that will make you hummed along.

Overall, Lost in 1949 is a hidden gem for me. It is an underrated drama, since I have never heard anyone mention about this drama before. I am thankful that someone subbed it on youtube and I urge everyone to check it out. Lost in 1949 will make you laugh a lot and tear a bit while it is all worth it.

Leia Mais

Below Average, Avoid unless have a urge to finish S2

This season felt like a major disappointment. The show loses the emotional depth, memorable action, and menacing villains that made Season 1 so effective. There are too many characters, but few receive enough depth to make us care. The villains are written like caricatures instead of serious threats. Their exaggerated performances and cheesy dialogue often become unintentionally funny. Furthermore, the portrayal of the Japanese characters feels stereotypical and borderline mocking.

Despite these heavy narrative flaws, the acting was commendable. The cast delivered committed performances that salvaged some of the weaker material.

Even so, the actors were weighed down by a persistently depressive tone. For instance, Pasin is gradually reduced to a pathetic and weak figure. His betrayal feels forced rather than earned, and his death lacks the impact it deserved. Q is another major frustration because they never question Jin's obvious lies. Coupled with the relentless gloom of the main lead, the character dynamics become exhausting.

The plotting and technical elements also falter. Most of the twists are predictable, and several interesting plot developments go nowhere. The action sequences lack excitement, while inconsistent abilities muddy the stakes. Additionally, the subpar CGI and visual choices occasionally make the show feel like a parody rather than a gritty thriller.

Overall, the season is below average. Unless you have a strong desire to complete the overarching story, Season 2 is hardly essential viewing.

Leia Mais

This drama started out with the full potential of humor, casting and storyline. It really hooked me after the first few episodes. I thought the secondary characters played by Paul Hsu and Tia Li kept this drama more interesting and lively than if it depended on the main leads and I dare say they were the best part of this drama. As for the storyline and writing, it seemed repetitious and emotionally unrealistic after the first 12-15 or so episodes, and it was a struggle to complete this series because of that. Also, there was just way too much talking and explaining from supporting characters the last 3 or so episodes.

Usually I enjoy Roy Chiu in dramas, but felt some of the scenes required ranges of emotions that didn't quite fit with either the characters or the main plot. Also, it didn't feel like they allowed his character's persona to continue the positive development he started out with in the first 10 eps., such as his breaking free from conventions imposed on him by others, etc. which would have made his character and imo the whole drama that much more interesting to watch and his emotions that much more believable. (I think writers/directors were trying to put too much into it to make up for lack of storyline) If this drama had ended at 18 episodes, I would have probably given it a solid 7-8 rating, but unfortunately it didn't!

Finally, I will say there was definitely more chemistry and warmth from the 2nd lead couple than the first, which made the viewer feel like it must be a very tough acting job for Roy and Megan. This is my first time seeing Megan Lai in a drama, and I felt she did a great job in her character and the emotions she had to portray. If you have a lot of free time on your hands, go for it, otherwise The Office, which is a similar storyline and characters would be a bit more entertaining.

Leia Mais

4 Minutes — The BL That Redefined Everything I Knew About The Genre

THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
I went into this series expecting a typical Thai BL — sweet romance, some angst, happy ending. What I got instead was a masterpiece that completely shattered my expectations and left me staring at my screen in silence for a long time after the final episode ended.
The Storyline
The concept alone sets this series apart from everything else in the BL genre. The title "4 Minutes" refers to the 4 minutes of oxygen a dying brain receives before shutting down completely — and the entire series is built around this one devastating idea. The story follows two parallel couples — Great and Tyme, and Korn and Tonkla — whose lives are deeply intertwined through family secrets, corruption, illegal gambling rings, murder, revenge, and love.
Great is the son of a powerful and deeply corrupt family — the Sriwats — who have destroyed countless innocent lives through their illegal operations. Tyme is a doctor whose entire family was ruined because of the Sriwats — and he enters Great's life with a revenge agenda, planning to seduce him and use him to destroy his family from the inside. What nobody planned for was them actually falling in love.
Korn and Tonkla's story runs alongside this as the tragic parallel — two men who loved each other deeply in college but whose relationship was slowly crushed under the weight of Korn's cowardice, family pressure, and obsession with money and status. While Great and Tyme represent hope and change, Korn and Tonkla represent what happens when love is never quite enough to make someone brave.
The supernatural element — Great's ability to rewind time by 4 minutes — draws you in completely. You spend five episodes watching him save lives, make better choices, and fall in love, thinking you are watching reality. And then the show pulls the most gut wrenching twist — none of it was real. Great was shot in an elevator and was simply dying. Everything was happening inside his oxygen starved brain. He never saved Manee. He never saved Dome. The entire beautiful love story of episodes 1 through 5 was just a dying man's desperate wish to have been a better person.
That reveal changes everything. You rewatch scenes differently. You understand the title differently. You understand the whole series differently.
The Characters
Tonkla is the emotional core of this entire series. He is passionate, loyal, and deeply wounded — a man who uses physical intimacy as a way to cope with pain he cannot process. His relationship with Korn was real and consuming but also suffocating because Korn could never fully choose him. When Tonkla lost his brother Dome — murdered by Great's accomplice Title — and discovered that the brother of the man he loved was involved, his grief turned into something darker. His ending — jumping in front of a bullet to protect Korn — is one of the most heartbreaking moments I have ever watched in any drama. He died protecting someone who never fully protected him.
Korn is a character you will love and hate in equal measure. He genuinely loved Tonkla — his 4 minutes prove that because he did not go back to money or family, he went back to Tonkla. But his love was never strong enough to fight for. He stayed closeted, pursued a woman for financial gain, ignored Tonkla's calls, and shouted at him on the day his brother died. He represents every person who loves someone deeply but loves their comfort zone just a little more. His suicide after Tonkla's death is devastating not because it is surprising but because you always knew it was going to end this way for them.
Win — the inspector — is perhaps the most underrated tragedy in this story. He fell in love with Tonkla at his most broken and vulnerable moment. He showed up, made promises, offered justice and comfort. But he always knew Tonkla's heart belonged to Korn. His love was real but it curdled into possessiveness and jealousy — and in the end he became part of the very tragedy he was trying to prevent.
Great's journey is the most complete character arc in the series. He starts as a passive, selfish, cowardly rich boy who watches murders happen and helps cover them up. His 4 minutes transform him — not by changing reality — but by changing himself. He wakes up from his dying vision a completely different person. He confesses to crimes, stands up against his corrupt family, and chooses Tyme over everything. His growth is earned and genuine.
Tyme is complex and layered in a way that sneaks up on you. He came in with cold calculated revenge in his heart and left completely disarmed by love. The moment he realizes he has genuinely fallen for the person he was using is written and performed beautifully. He is proof that people can change not because they planned to but because the right person made them want to.
Manee is a small but important character whose story represents the human cost of the Sriwat family's crimes. Her son died because of their illegal gambling operations and she jumped in front of Great's car — not by accident but intentionally — out of pure grief. Her story is a quiet reminder that corruption does not just destroy enemies, it destroys ordinary innocent families.
The Cinematography and OST
Visually this series is stunning. Every single frame feels intentional and carefully crafted. The color grading shifts subtly between the imagination timeline and reality — once you know what to look for you cannot unsee it. The lighting, the composition, the way certain scenes mirror each other across timelines — it is all deliberate and deeply satisfying for anyone paying close attention.
The OST is haunting and beautiful. It stays with you long after the series ends. Certain songs will randomly play in your head at 2am and you will find yourself emotional without even knowing why.
The Ending
The ending is bittersweet in the most honest way possible. Great and Tyme survive — they find each other for real, not in a dying imagination but in actual reality. They pray together for Tyme's grandmother, for Korn, for Tonkla. They carry all that grief together and choose to move forward anyway. It is not a perfectly happy ending. It is a real one — and that makes it so much more meaningful.
Two couples. Same world. Completely opposite endings. Great and Tyme chose the sun — warmth, growth, a future. Korn and Tonkla chose the moon — beautiful, cold, and ultimately unreachable.
Final Thoughts
4 Minutes is not just a BL series. It is a story about regret, cowardice, grief, revenge, and what real love actually demands from you. It asks — if you had 4 minutes to relive your worst moments, what would you change? And then it quietly answers — you cannot change the past. You can only change yourself.
This series broke me, rebuilt me, and broke me again. The writing is bold, the performances are extraordinary, and the concept is unlike anything the BL genre has ever attempted. It is not a comfortable watch. It is not supposed to be. But it is absolutely worth every single painful moment.
Watch it with your whole heart. It deserves nothing less.

Leia Mais

I Big FAN of Both Phuwin and Dunk...but not of this series...so far

I disagree with all people that insist Phuwin and Dunk can't act. In fact they are both fantastic but I think Dunk is overshadowing Phuwin here.
Lune reminds me of Pi in Fish Upon The Sky and though I loved Pi I don't love Lune. I do think Phuwin is doing okay playing Lune I just hate the character almost entirely.
For the first time Phuwin isn't the draw for me here. And the girl who plays Star is adorable but don't like Star either.
Here's hoping White and Ivy get together yet it seems she's into Star unless I'm getting that wrong.
At any rate loving Dunk as White.

Leia Mais

Starts with so much potential, then goes downhill with so many unnecessary and dramatic fillers

I was enjoying the first 12 episodes or so. The pace was nice, the story was good with some seriousness blended with just a nice amount of humor. Then it goes downhill from there. The writers seem to lost their direction and the plot just gets down right stupid from then on. Using a bird as a mean to keep the story moving then once against, using the bird to clear up all that random misunderstandings that made up half of the show, like, wtf? This show could've been a lot shorter without all that unnecessary plot twists, and it would deserve at least an 8/10 to me. But nope, we were forced to sit on an arduous rollercoaster ride with a bunch of silly pranks mixed with sudden life-and-death situations in a span of one episode, then more scheming and more random life-and-death catastrophe and bam, super happy ending for everyone 🙃 and I don't think FL actually ever gets to know ML's true identity and the actual reason behind his scheming. Oh well...

Leia Mais

A fun retelling

I clicked on this movie for two reasons: 1) The Netflix algorithm knows me pretty well and 2) I was bored and didn't have the energy to start a whole new show so I thought a movie was perfect.

And boy, was it. This isn't just a re-imagining of Red Riding Hood and Cinderella's stories, it's basically fanfiction just using the characters and giving them entirely different stories (but still using key plot points in a clever way). And I mean that in a good way. As the other reviewer said, Hashimoto Kanna played Red Riding Hood really well. I loved that they turned her into a detective that has flashes of inspiration - though I'm going to be honest that even now I'm not sure if they're visions or her mind just connecting dots. But even not knowing that, it was really cool to watch.

Everything about this re-imagining - from having two witches instead of a fairy godmother to the murder Red Riding Hood solves - made these classic stories feel fresh and new. And our prejudices of what we expect to happen in this story is clearly expected by the writers since they play on that in a fun way.

But it's not all solving murder and fairy-tale magic - there's love and humor and wit, too. I wouldn't call this movie a masterpiece, but it was really good in a lot of ways, and one I'd enjoy rewatching for sure.

Leia Mais

About conscience & courage in a society that appears democratic, but is ruled by authoritarian force

He only wanted to do taxes. Draft contracts. Earn money. Song Woo-seok is a pragmatic lawyer — smart, efficient, unsentimental. But when the son of a woman who once trusted him in hard times is taken by the police, the man who once only saw paragraphs begins to see people. The Attorney tells the story of a man who thought he knew his place in the world — and only begins to truly live when he takes a stand.

Based on true events — the 1981 Burim case — the film follows the early journey of future president Roh Moo-hyun, without ever naming him. We witness a successful attorney becoming the defender of students branded as “communists,” tortured, and tried — simply for reading the wrong books at the wrong time. What unfolds is a courtroom drama that reverberates far beyond the trial itself: a story about conscience. About courage. And about the painful awakening in a society that appears democratic — but is ruled with authoritarian force.

Song Kang-ho, in one of his most compelling performances, carries the film with an intensity that makes anger, shame, and resolve palpable in every gesture. His transformation is moving precisely because it isn’t heroic — it’s hesitant, searching, deeply human. And it’s in this quiet where the power lies: when he rises and says, “I’m his attorney,” it isn’t a flourish — it’s a vow.



------------------------------ A historical side note: The long shadow of dictatorship ------------------------------------

In South Korea, the memory of Chun Doo-hwan’s authoritarian rule remains an open wound. The Burim case stands as a stark symbol of a time when civil rights existed only on paper — and disappeared into basements. The state’s orchestration of paranoia, the systematic torture of alleged dissidents, and the suspicion cast on intellectual life: The Attorney captures all of this with devastating simplicity.

And it shows: not all complicity comes from conviction. Some from fear. Others from habit. The film asks what it takes to break out of that cycle — and offers an answer that’s not political, but personal: empathy.

A major box office hit with over 11 million viewers, “The Attorney” is a landmark of Korea’s cinematic reckoning with its past. It reminds us that justice is more than a system — and that sometimes, justice begins with a single line: “I’ll take the case.”

Leia Mais