Reviews

This is available, free and legally - and finally fully subbed - on Thai PBS via their VIPA app and vipa.me streaming service. If you are interested in it, please show your support for queer programming by watching legally. It is in your interest to do so.

The characters are a close-knit circle, friends since high school, their partners, families and work colleagues. Every significant character gets an episode, the core characters more than one. Noom Surawut’s Ohn is at the centre of it all, comforting and grounding with his calm, gentle demeanour.

The series aims to foster greater understanding through depicting a wide range of difficulties faced by those who are gender diverse. Adult relationships, aging, illness, death, and childhood are all touched on.

In the early episodes it can get a bit didactic with explanations but those pass quickly enough. Something it doesn’t spell out which may be helpful for MDLers to know is that Thai frameworks for orientation and gender identity don’t match up with western conceptions and can be more fluid.

As a simple example, when they use language like “gender diverse”, this includes gay and lesbian as well as trans and non-binary. Kathoey is a third gender, sometimes camp, tending towards effeminate. The characters will tell you about themselves, or one will explain to another.

“Romance” is perhaps a misleading genre, depending on how you define it - the relationships are long term and well established, seven years for one, much longer for the other. It’s not even like What Did You Eat Yesterday, with its focus on two men falling more and more in love with each other. The gay is gay, not BL gay.

Each episode is structured around a problem which keeps a character awake - the “hard nights” of the English title - and ends with enough resolution they’re able to sleep.

Many episodes are slice of life vignettes, while a few are more like short stories with a fair bit of flashback and personal history. The characters are likeable and engaging, but there isn’t a compelling story line driving everything. It’s just characters to spend time with, learn about and root for as they navigate the difficulties of being middle aged and gender diverse in Thailand.

Leia Mais

I love this drama so much I don't even know where to start!

I guess with the leads first. After watching them in The Legends I put them both on my watchlist because their chemistry is through the roof! Xu Kai expresses so much emotions through his eyes alone that I felt what he feels in scenes even when he's not saying anything.

Kudos to Bai Lu also for carrying her weight in this drama. It didn't feel like a woman pretending to be a man as it happens in most gender bender dramas. She really moved and acted like a man, with swagger and all that.

I loved the supporting cast as well, from the classmates to the faculty, and their friends outside the academy. Even the side stories and their missions were interesting!

The weakest link for me was the female antagonist. I felt her character portrayal a bit canned and 2 dimensional, no depth or layers to her personality. I didn't buy into her motivations for being the way she is.

Special mention to the styling - I loved the dresses, and especially loved the trench coats of both the males and females. Xu Kai's trench coats are to die for!

Lastly I would like to give a special mention to the opening OST. Most of the time when I watch dramas I skip the opening song and get straight to the drama, but here I find myself letting the song finish because I loved the beat so much.

A really enjoyable, well thought out production! Much recommended!

Leia Mais

*I can't leave my sons hardly any money, but I do want to tell them to make people their asset.*

This was one of the dramas I wasn't planning on watching, then started out of boredom but turned out to be a pleasant watch. Watching it made me forget all my problems and the things I stress about, and gave me a warm feeling. I enjoyed every second of it. I can't say they it has anything that stand out, but more of a number of things coming together in harmony and giving us this heartwarming fun dorama.

The drama is really about bringing people together. The title is about the ever changing form a family takes as time goes on and how we find ways to adapt at every upcoming change. I love that our hero Daisuke, played by Katori Shingo (my first time watching him - he did pretty well) is a typical introverted who treasures his time alone, only to have to deal with his extraverted father Yozo, played by Nishida Toshiyuki, who has no consideration for such issues. Another highlight is the growing relationship between Daisuke and his new ototo, and mostly the hearwarming relationship between Yozo-san and Kota. Then there's Ueno Juri playing lonely Hanako, with her lazy demeanor that takes out her boredom by complaining about anything, getting nicknamed *Complainer Hanako*. I enjoyed her bickering relationship with Daisuke, her mother, played by the lovely Fubuki Jun. Actually my favourite part of the drama was the relationship of Yozo and Ricchan and how they affected everyone around them with their warmth. Arakawa Yoshiyoshi as Daisuke's colleague doubled the fun, and the addition of Tanaka Kei was a great welcome. That guy needs to get a leading role next!

There were more. It's a huge cast and the drama gave the spotlight to most of them, and we saw both main and supporting characters grow throughout the drama.

Nishida Toshiyuki was at the center of it all. He brought lightheartedness to the drama, but can be a firm father figure when needed to, and when he gets emotional you can't help but get carried away by it. There were many instance I understood Daisuke's frustrations, and it would've drove me crazy if I was in his place, but the moment Yozo-san makes amend or explains himself, I just can't help feel for him and want him to be forgiven.

Anyways fun drama worth checking out ;)

Leia Mais

I just finished watching Woman of Dignity, and I must say that I was positively surprised. The drama is fast-paced and pretty interesting provided that you don't try to take it too seriously. I read it as a grotesque portrayal of the life of the rich and their dysfunctional families. The weirdest part of this show are its characters. Some of them are so ridiculous that you might find yourself wondering if anyone can really be that dumb; however, the two main characters are pretty multi-dimensional and interesting. I thought the plot was the best part of the story. It keeps moving even though almost every episode seems like the story has reached it's climax. There is a bit of a change of the focus in the story, but it's still cohesive. I had no idea who committed the crime till the very end. The acting of the two female leads is fantastic (I'm talking about Kim Hee-Seon and Kim Sun-A), and the development of their relationship is somewhat refreshing to see in a Kdrama. I thought that Seo Jung-Yeon also did a job good, and her character (Joo-Mi) was pretty well written.

I was a bit surprised reading the reviews of the show here on MDL, but it might be because I interpreted it differently than some other viewers.

Leia Mais

Where do I begin? Let me get this out of the way: Queen of Mystery 1 vs. Queen of Mystery 2 have two different feels to them. I know because I marathoned season 1 before marathoning season 2, so I immediately recognized a difference in tone. The first season felt sincere, the comedy came more from the situations Seol Ok found herself in so it was completely relatable and the mini cases not only blended into the main mystery of the series, but also served as a strong foundation for Seol Ok and Detective Ha to build their relationship on.

Unlike the first season QOM 2 really leaned into the over-the-top comedy and all of the cases felt very disjointed. It was weird. Almost like from season 1 to season 2 there were different directors and production teams. There wasn't though, I checked. That seamless blend just wasn't there. Instead it felt more like the series was trying to tell everyone's story in a way that highlighted the individuals away from the rest of the cast rather than having a true feel of an ensemble cast which I loved from season 1. I mean, it's a mystery/police drama: it's all about the ensemble!

Not to mention the sudden appearance of Detective Ha's brother who was never mentioned in season 1, Profiler Woo seemed to become even more robotic in season 2, where he was actually a relatable character by the end of season 1 with a budding bromance between him and Detective Ha, and the most anticipated plot revolving around Hyun Soo was confusing and never really explained in any way to make her story relevant.

I know this might all sound critical but there were some positives: the comedy was good and the individual performances were stellar. If nothing else, anytime the medical examiner, Hwang Jae Min was in a scene I was laughing my head off.


The ending felt very much like they are expecting a season 3, which I'm against if season 2 is any indication. There were so many open ended questions left but I honestly don't care. I'll admit that I only finished the drama because I was hoping against hope that it would all come together in the end, but it never did. So all of the big reveals and whatever closure there was just didn't feel as gratifing as the 1st season. Too bad. for all intents and purposes everything was there, but it was put together in the wrong way.

Leia Mais

Cute, But Not Much Else

As far as GL miniseries go, this one was cute and fun to watch (with plenty of kisses to make my heart happy). The characters were sweet and there was very little conflict, which can be nice to see. I'm not always a fan of miniseries, but this one did a good job in my opinion.

But honestly, there was no real substance here. The characters were all one-note, and I found it hard to care about the relationship when it a.) moved so fast, and b.) there was nothing else in the show at all. Nothing in the characters' lives outside their relationship, and an almost comical amount of people just appearing onscreen because there was no world outside whatever was on screen at a time.

I'm glad we got this show, and I would recommend it for anyone looking for a quick, cute show to watch-- but I'm hoping that one day we will have plenty of GLs that are better than this.

Leia Mais

I can't believe the season is already over! Losing two episodes due to Yoon Doo Joon's unexpected enlistment was definitely a major blow, and I do wish we'd gotten to experience the payoff of the story a bit more, but to be honest I'm still happy with the season overall.

I loved the framework of having the parallel storylines telling Ji Woo and Dae Yeong's college and present day experiences. Given the way their relationship unfolded, it was clever and appropriate to put equal weight on both, and they managed to paint both pictures enjoyably at the same time. The supporting characters were great too, especially the hilarious group of friends from their college days.

The plot did seem to lose its way a little bit in the middle, and I imagine if the creative team knew that they'd be losing two episodes at the end, they may have tightened things up a bit. I wish they had, because as much as I enjoyed the characters, there were too many loose ends and unanswered questions at the end of it all.

That said, the actors did a good job of salvaging the characters despite the issues and surprises happening with the plot. I saw a lot of criticism online of Baek Jin Hee as the female lead, but I really don't understand why. She was adorable, and if I compare the three seasons of this show altogether, to me she was the most relatable so far. And Yoon Doo Joon was perfect as Goo Dae Yeong, as usual. The role seems basically designed for him. (Was it? Probably? I don't know.)

My favorite performance, though, was Lee Joo Woo as Ji Woo's sister, Seo Yeon. At first I was kind of turned off by how similar the character felt to her role in Waikiki previously, but she quickly grew on me as the writing revealed more nuances of the character. She seems well suited to both dramatic and comedic elements. I'm looking forward to what she'll do next.

Anyway, for fans of the Let's Eat series and for anyone who wants to watch a lighthearted drama with a sweet storyline and mouthwatering food scenes, I do recommend this one.

Leia Mais

A Surprise

There has been a slew of dramas which started out promisingly and only to end with great disappointment!BUT Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty does no such thing, its captivating, intriguing and exciting from the first episode! The character development of the character is great, especially LLF, the ML, from a hard and arrogant man to a mature and developed gentleman is quite pleasant. Though there are female interests in the drama, they never became a handicap to the drama's main storyline, which I am very grateful for, as the genre doesn't warrant romance in it. This drama is definitely about two men, the Male Leads and the strange cases they encounter. I am so looking forward to the Second Season! Meanwhile, I shall rewatch the drama this weekend.....

Leia Mais

I've been putting As One off for a while, because I knew I was going to cry rivers. True life stories are always touching to me, a producer really needs to come up with a funny true life story or something.

I gave the story a 10, because it's a true life story, everything shown were real events and happenings......there would be additions or subtractions somewhere. During the whole time I was watching, I was glued to my screen, when they started chanting ''fighting'', I was chanting along. Even though I knew it wasn't a live match, but I couldn't just help it.

The cast are simply awesome, one of the main reasons I watched this, is because of Ha Ji Won. She's an awesome actress. I also love the dialect and the way they were speaking. The various casts portrayed their roles well!!!!

This movie is WORTH it!!!! After watching As One, I really wish NK and SK find a way to unify permanently. A lot of people got and are still getting hurt through this separation.

Leia Mais

This drama has been a privilege to watch. From beginning to the end, you truly felt that you were involved with the lives of the Kameyama family. This drama is amazing because it covers almost 50 years of this family; a multiculteral family during a period when marrying outside your race and culture just didn't happen. You got to witness the bravery of Elle going to a foreign country with a passable understanding of the language and morphing herself into a full-fledge Japanese woman. Catherine Kate Fox did a FANTASTIC job! I can already imagine how well she has been accepted in the entertainment community because she did such a wonderful job in portraying Elle. Tamayama Tetsuji was also sensational as a man driven to achieve his dreams of making Japanese Whiskey. The story itself makes you curious about the real people that this was based on. Even the times through World War II were realistic and definitely made you wonder how this woman AND her family maintained their strength through that turbulent time. So, the question is do I recommend it? Yes. If you are a lover of history, a great story and a beautiful romance between two people who beat the odds and stayed together until death do them part. My first Japanese TV Serial and it will not be my last! It was a labor of love to make and also a labor of time (and love) to watch!

Leia Mais

I was very excited for this drama because the plot sounded interesting and intriguing. Three sisters getting into political grounds, attaining power, how great does that sound?

The drama did not really live up to my expectations; however, i believe that it was worth watching. The legend of Dugu is about three sisters. Out of the three, two of them (Dugu Ban Rou and Dugu Man Tuo) both treasure power and entitlements, while the young sister (Dugu Jia Lou) desires peace and happiness. From my point of view, this drama did not have much to do with politics. It’s more based on the sister’s romantic relationships and how all three of them become successful in their own way (only Dugu Ban Ruo and Dugu Jialou became actual queens).

The casting could have been better, Ady An was the only person who left a great impression on me. Her acting is phenomenal and perfect. Her chemistry with Jeremy Tsui and Zhou Ting Wei was so much more heart warming than Hu Bing Qing and Zhang Andy’s. Honestly, Hu Bing Qing and Zhang Andy had no chemistry at all! Their relationship was not delivering to the point where i shipped her with Ying Jun. This lead me to skipped through all of their ‘romantic’ parts. Another big problem with this drama was Dugu Man Tuo. She is extremely annoying and irritating. Dugu Man Tuo is always trying to strive herself into power, no matter what it takes, including sacrificing her dignity. She neglects people’s encouragements, telling her to stop being evil and even tries to steal both her sister’s significant other. However, she provides the story with a climax, no matter how provoking her character is. I believe it’s both the script and actress which made the character, Dugu Man Tuo, flawed. Also, Yang Jian (Zhang Andy) was so stupid and annoying in thw first half of the drama, he believes EVERYTHING Dugu Man Tuo says his actions were ao idiotic. However, in the later half, he becomes a more decent human being and learns to love Jialou. Another problem with this drama was the amount of people who died! LIKE WTH!!! To prevent myself from spilling spoilers, i won’t mention those who passed away in this drama, but some deaths may include your favourite characters (isnt that great)! So, out of all actors and actresses, my favourites were Ady An, Jeremy Tsui (his love for Ban Ruo was unconditional, even i could feel it), thats about it.

The soundtracks in this drama were fantastic and i was not really irritated by any sort of music displacement (which we all know happens a lot in cdramas). HOWEVER, whenever there is a ceremony or celebration in the palace, it is inevitable for some sort of dancing crew. I am perfectly fine with that, BUT the same instrumental song is ALWAYS being played, IT GETS SO IRRITATING WHICH MAKES ME ROLL MY EYES EVERYTIME.

Overall, as a person who never completes dramas myself, i am actually surprised that i managed to finish this drama (i did a skip through some repetitive and uninteresting parts though). I can almost say that this drama is my cup of tea. Its not anything special and never seen before, but it does have its own magic. I truly do love this drama and it left a very great impression on me. I would highly recommend people to watch it (i am aware that there are no English subtitles, but definitely give it a try when there are).

Leia Mais

One of the funniest dramas I’ve ever watched!

So many people give this drama low ratings because it focuses too much on comedy and romance and not enough on story depth or action. Well let me tell you something guys, that’s what a true romantic comedy is supposed to do. Romcoms are supposed to be focused on romance and comedy. The backstory, underlying meaning of things, character growth, and plot always takes second place to the romance and comedy in a romcom. That’s not to say the drama doesn’t have any depth or good plot lines, it does. It’s just that it’s not the main focus of the drama.

I like that this romcom stays a romcom throughout and never gets too melodramatic or angsty as most dramas do. Yes there are sad parts where I cried, and there was some angst towards the end. But you need a little of that to pull you in and get you invested in the drama. But it never gets too angsty and the comedy is sprinkled throughout the drama to lighten the mood.

One thing about the comedy is that it’s very physical with lots of bathroom humor. It’s not a subtle type of comedy but rather a very silly slapstick style comedy which is not everyone’s cup of tea. You either love it or hate it. I personally found it to be one of the funniest dramas I’ve ever seen. And I’ve watched hundreds of dramas.

I also loved the female leads relationship with her brothers. Her protective big brothers touched my heart and how they all looked out for each other and put each other first was heart warming. But be warned the female lead stands up for herself and is very physical with the people that mess with her. I personally loved her sassiness which she pulled off brilliantly. But some people may not like her strong physical personality.

The male lead is aggressive and tough one minute then a silly little puppy the next minute. Not many actors can play such a diverse character but this guy does it flawlessly.

There is a gay storyline and it’s done very tastefully. I like that neither of the men were portrayed as the typical silly effeminate gay character you see in most dramas. They were very normal everyday guys that were trying to cope with their circumstances. None of the scenes made me feel uncomfortable or awkward. Other dramas could learn a lesson from them. I loved the gay storyline. It was original, sweet, very normal and believable.

If you’re looking for a good romantic comedy then look no further. This is one of the best out there. If you’re usually very focused on depth of plot, action, and want lots of twists and turns then this is not the drama for you.

Leia Mais

Calming and mundane. Wrapped in a thin layer of sadness that gets thicker as you watch.

"People can die of longing. Still, we were diligently making memories that we would be longing for every day."

Even with the heartbreaking theme, the show had this peaceful aura about it. While not much was happening (with half of the episodes being cooking scenes with Han Seok Kyu’s narration over it) it just felt right. This show gives you pause to breathe and enjoy the moment while also slowly taking the breath away when you know what’s coming at the end.

It has gracefully balanced between the warm and happy moments and the harsh truth of the reality the family had to face. Recipe for Farewell does not show you the whole journey. It gives you bits and pieces, the moments, but it’s enough to understand the whole process and relate to the characters.

It’s a small story, happening in a small area with a small number of characters, yet it has a big heart and many amazing messages. It’s going to make you smile, laugh, cry. You are going to feel grateful for what you have, appreciating all the small things we usually ignore and take for granted in life. It talks about loss, grief, accepting the inevitable, maturing and putting aside our egocentric nature, reconnecting with people in your life.

All of that was possible thanks to the great writing and directing, but also phenomena acting from the whole cast. I cannot even describe how amazing of the job everyone did in this project.

Is this show for everyone? No. And I don’t mean it in a rude way, as if only “intellectuals” can enjoy it. It’s just truly character driven, truly mundane and truly not focused on the entertainment aspect. As much as I enjoyed it, I can easily see someone else finding it boring.

Overall, it’s a true gem. It’s not a show you watch for entertainment. It’s not something you put as a background while cleaning. It’s something you should enjoy at your own pace, free from external distractions.

Side note at the end, but Yang Su Won is one of the most amazing characters from all 2022 drama. On the other hand, closer to the end I started to strongly dislike Yeo Jin…

Leia Mais