Reviews

Maybe the most underrated gem of the year

Writing this review after having posted many comments on this as i binged on this for 2 days. I kept off this as it aired for 2 reasons -1 )Didnt want to wait as it aired and 2) It was getting terrible comments as it progressed
The rating has reached 7.6 as of writing this review and it may dip further as this show seems a target of MDL commenters lately for negative comments.

Coming back, I found this incredibly entertaining,fast paced,emotional and topical hopeful drama.It deals with costs that come with time travel and is hence quite different than many fantasy dramas that promote this concept. Every episode starts with a quote on time and its importance for lives..

Am a fan of Joo Won esp in intense roles and his turn as Lieutenant Park was like a superb fit..As the show progresses you feel for him a lot..One of the most memorable Kdrama ML characters now for me.
Kim Hee sun ,esp the mom aced this one.I dont remember any other Kdrama showing a mother son bond so beautifully.She basically sacrificed her entire life for her son,had an utterly tough existence and the end she kept getting repeatedly was so unfair.. As Tae Yi,she was a diff character but her fondness for the Lieutenant was beautifully shown..Many people are disgusted with this Otp (Both Mom and Tae Yi have identical faces) but they are fine as per me..She is NOT his mom,period.
Kwak Si Yang as Min Hyeok was another tragic character and while he didnt get the end i felt he should have ,he was superb throughout
All other supporting characters were awesome..
Melodious OSTs,BGM, beautiful cinematography,production are all pluses for this drama.
The PD and writer really made a beautiful show..The ending has plotholes ,but is very serviceable..I was just happy to see Joo Won living a good life and with a hopeful romance to follow..
Maybe the MDL raters would rate this better if it ended with a sad ending ..I love happy endings though.

Leia Mais

Chicago Typewriter has a really promising and interesting story premise but unfortunately it was not executed very well.

The beginning is really good and you get hooked because you want to know what happened in the past. It is really lighthearted with a few good comedy scenes and the small dramatic scenes that are dropped in between prevent it from being boring.

But the series drops in quality after the exposition. It seems as if the creators had a really good idea but didn't expand it enough. After you have seen the idea the series has nothing more to offer. The whole middle of the series feels really stretched and filled with useless scenes that don't advance the story nor the characters very much. I have the feeling that the romance aspect of the show was supposed to be subtle and in the background but because the actual story wasn't really fleshed out they had to fill in the blanks with romance. This is not bad per se, but the relationship between the couple doesn't go anywhere. Their relationship doesn't get deeper and most of the time don't even feel like a couple.

The characters are not bad, but their characterisation is not very stable. When the creators of the show didn't know what to do, they just let characters act dumb and against their initial character traits just to advance the story and make it more dramatic. However this has the opposite effect and keeps you from being immersed in the story and empathizing with the characters.

For example, it is established that the characters in the present have the same traits as their past life counterparts. So Han Se Joo should be very clever because in his past life he was the head of the resistence, made perfect plans and was always cautious of the enemy. But when Baek Tae Min calls him and wants to trick him, he plays dumb goes to the place and then acts as if he knew that he was tricked all along. Then why go there in the first place and not call the police or something? That is just one example of accute dumbness.

Then it seems the writers just threw in things that don't make sense at all. When Se Joo falls down the roof the ghost Yoo Jin Oh possesses him, which isn't the problem, but why can he make Se Joo float and cushion his fall? Yoo Jin Oh can't even float by himself, so why can he float when inside another body? I hope you see what I mean.

And sometimes there are flashbacks, which are repeated throughout the series to waste time. All in all what I want to say is that the pacing of the series is really bad and you can clearly see where the writers put in extra stuff to stretch the runtime of the show. They should have made a mini series or fleshed out the story more, but in this state it feels like an unfinished prototype of a good show.

I really liked the part where they are sent back in the past by the ghost and explore the past. They should have told more of the past in this way or let the characters remember parts of their past after experiencing something emotional that triggers their memory. Instead almost all of the past story is told in episode 14 or 15 in one piece.

I really can't understand why it has such a high score here. I was really interested in this show after reading the summary and seeing that so many people liked it but unfortunately it really isn't all that great.

Leia Mais

A General Without Her Legend

This series had the potential to be a masterpiece, but it struggles with focus and execution. At times, the dialogue and scenes feel truly epic, yet they are quickly undercut by fluffy, love-bubble moments that seem more suited for early teens. With episodes running only 30–45 minutes, the show often downplays serious issues just to insert romance, and these lighter scenes end up taking even more screen time than the plot deserves.

What I had hoped to see was a story centered on He Yan—her legendary reputation as a general, her brilliance as a battlefield tactician, and her skill as a martial artist. Instead, the narrative leans heavily on a childish romance with the male lead, sprinkling in only a few fighting scenes in an unconvincing attempt to showcase her strength.

Despite this imbalance, I still watched through to the end, hoping for redemption. The core story is genuinely strong, but the forced romance, misplaced focus, and glossing over of critical issues hold it back. The true highlight remains He Yan’s fighting scenes, which revealed the kind of depth and power the series could have delivered if it had trusted its own potential.

Leia Mais

This is bigger than us

Who always expects a typical BL will probably be disappointed because this series is so much more. Instead of just giving us a series with a good plot, Not Me manages to combine sophistication and entertainment to create unique art.
This series breaks conventions on so many levels, be it visual, auditory (one of the best soundtracks!), or narrative, and ultimately sweeps you away with a storm of emotion.
It has a lot of epic scenes to offer when the sun shines through the palm of a hand and the words "Freedom is the oxygen of life" can be heard, it touches you just as much when a deaf-mute mother tells of her unemployment or when main character Gun dances under a rainbow flag and shouts loudly for equality and justice.
But Not Me is not a clean, beautiful series. It is a bloody and dirty ballad, told with rage, but also a vulnerability, as only the affected themselves can do.
To sum it up, Not Me is an exceptional show that breaks up multiple genres and takes you on a trip, that leaves you breathless and exhausted. But it’s also an important series, who dares to say true things in a world that is getting more and more out of joint.

Leia Mais

JUSTICE WILL NEVER LOSE ITS GLORY IN DARKNESS

Maybe the best quote for us, Mo Du fans that represent the cruel path happened to Justice in the dark, which was abruptly stopped from airing at 2023 and started again at 2025. Because of the best production team and best cast members, best script, best loyal fans, and so many other bests which I can’t mention one by one, Justice in the dark stay strong and finally finished all 30 episodes. Please ignore all haters and negative comments and keep watching it from the start to the end. I am sure you will love it. You will love the actors, the acting, the cast, the music, and everything else. I give it a perfect 10 of 10. And in the near future I will watch it again and again.

Leia Mais

A Breathtaking Start to an Epic BL Fantasy which Started as a Masterpiece but Collapsed by the End

Rated a 10 out of 10 at the start but now an 8 out of 10.

The Cursed Love started as an absolutely epic series. The opening was everything I hoped for and more. From the very first scene, it pulls you in with its powerful atmosphere, striking visuals, and a sense of mystery that lingers long after. The forest and mountain scenery are breathtaking. Lush, cinematic, and completely immersive. Every shot feels intentional, from the vibrant greens of nature to the magical aura layered throughout the landscape.

The action scenes in the early episodes are sharp and intense, blending fantasy elements with emotional weight. The production quality is genuinely impressive. The costumes, the lighting, the music. Everything comes together to create a believable and hauntingly magical world. The flashbacks add depth and tease a rich backstory that felt exciting to explore.
This was my first time seeing Au and Ongsa on screen and they were incredible. Their chemistry is so natural. The way they look at each other and that quiet overnight moment were soft, intimate, and genuinely moving. Their connection felt fated and promised something deeper than a typical romance. The entire vibe even reminded me of The Sign with its blend of mystery, fantasy, and aching emotion.

But as the series continued, the issues started piling up. The plot became messy and confusing with too many threads and not enough clarity. The romance between the main leads almost disappeared, leaving very little emotional progression. The villains kept shooting nonstop and it felt like characters were dying just for the sake of it. The GL couple and the second couple had no real development and their kiss at the end felt forced. The fighting scenes and stunt work became weaker over time and the product placement advertisements were distracting. Worst of all was the ending. It was rushed, incomplete, and filled with missing pieces, leaving the story feeling unfinished.

Overall, the scenery is stunning and the wind, fire, and water magic is a highlight, but the messy plot and wasted potential of such a strong cast turned what began as a perfect ten into a disappointing eight.

Leia Mais

Overall 5
Rewatch Value 1
But  I would re-watch this drama 100 times  only for  Jo Jin Woon  as detective Lee Jae Han.  He brought this character to life.


What ruined it for me (and I cannot tolerated it anymore)  is the fact that when they have proof that someone is a criminal (videos, photos, testimony etc)  it's all deemed as circumstantial evidence and on the "he said/she said" basis.  The criminals walk away happy. When they want to arrest the heroes  than they use the most idiotic formula ever, frustrating the audience to no end because that's what they do.  Then the "I said/he said" works in sfavour for the heroes. "becuase someone saw you so you are the criminal". Case close. Other the rules work the same for everyone  and the screenwriters stop writing as if the audience is stupid, or they don't work at all.  I remember "I hear your voice" had the same nonsense thrown into the drama at one point. It's not entertaining anymore when you question your intelligence at watching something that has become ridiculous.  Other things that are annoying. For example: a girl is raped by more than 10 boys, but the semen found is discarded as evidence.  A detective asks a cleaning lady when the rubbish bins have been emptied, but she looks at him very concerned and asks why. He then goes on explaining that he is a detective and he is looking for something...see my budge. The same detective is now looking erratically  for this item in  a rubbish plant.  Someone that works there tries to stop him because frankly the detective is making a mess within the mess. But the detective doesn't show  him his budge nor does he tells him  he is a detective looking for something  important. Like a child he keeps saying "one more minute one more minute." whilst trying to get away from the attendant.
The profiler is arrested. You would think a profiler would come up with something smart and witty to say about "I'm not the killer, why would I want to someone" etc. But no! Like a poor beaten peasant he keeps saying"I didn't do it. I didn't do it" over and over again. And the way he gets arrested is like witch-hunting material.
You know who the villains  are from the very beginning. And the main villain has not a real background story. Why did he decide from the very beginning that he had to act like a loyal dog for the people with power  it's never explained.
All police officers a part from the 3 main characters and their 2 sidekicks are either corrupted, stupid or immoral. Can that even be possible???? Everyone is shouting. Your boss will ask you to solve a case and then he will get angry at your for solving it.  They are all angry and unprofessional.

Please someone explain the end to me. The end is a mess. But you all got it???

Leia Mais

Normalizing toxic relationships 101

This show is the worst thing I've watched in a while...
Why is it normalized that Diao and Kuea are literally SCARED of the people that should love them?
How are Kuea and Lian supposed to be close
childhood friends even though they can't have a conversation about anything else than their relationship? Don't they have any common interests?

The characters of this show are puppets, flatly written to somehow drive the barely existent "plot" to some fan service, (there are so many unnecessary kiss scenes!) and then slip into the next recycled filler material about how they betray and gaslight eachother. These relationships are so unhealthy!
I was also just disgusted by the way that Hia Yi and Hia Lian treat Kuea and Diao like they are their dogs, it was infuriating! Two of the few things they did right in the show were letting Kon Diao stand up for himself and having Kuea be determined to call off the engagement (Only at first unfortunately). The glaring problems in their relationships were rather ignored instead of actually solved.

Despite the weird premise of the show I was genuinely hoping that the main couples were going to develop a meaningful connection over time, but there was barely any development. In fact for example, instead of showing his rebellious side more as the show went on, it felt like Kuea adopted a part of the "Annabelle " mindset more and more as his real personality. Just saying yes, smiling, shallow sweet talk and ditching the last bit of depth his Character had, until his breakdown when Lian proposed to him (The only emotional moment, I could actually get invested in). But afterwards he quickly paddeled back into mindlessly
obeying Lian.

Onto the next problem: Yi and Lian seem always keen on making Diao and Kuea as dependent on them as possible, taking their autonomy and controlling them, which is being portrayed as cute and caring, but it is plain toxic.

The "friendship" between Yi and Lian was also very lackluster, when they were meeting up they always just seemed annoyed and were missing, like pretty much any relationship in the show, any real common interests apart from being business partners.
Fortunately at least Kon Diao and Kuea's friendship was overall supportive and one of the few positive parts in the series.

Side note: I do appreciate the effort the actors put into portraying the characters well, but even good actors can't save a badly written show.

The only romantic relationship that wasn't absurdly unhealthy was the one of Syn and Nuer, they seemed to actually be on one wave length and even though their relationship was also lacking depth, it was still very cute and worth watching.

I truly believe that this show was made for a kind of thirsty viewers who don't really care about the plot as long as there are plenty kissing scenes between two hot actors (even if the kisses don't really feel romantic), as this is the only way I can explain why this show isn't as widely called out for what it is:

(also tldr) A substance lacking excuse for kissing scenes with a plotline almost exclusively consisting of normalizing unhealthy relationships, a few good songs and 10 minutes of preachy dialogue in the beginning and end, that can't be taken seriously, because nothing said is actually reflected in the show.
They should have called this series "normalizing toxic relationships 101"

I'm very disappointed, what a waste of time!

Leia Mais

A strong first half that dwindled into the biggest disappointment of this year

For something to 'disappoint' you, you must have had high expectations of it to begin with. And with the way this show started off, many would not have been unreasonable to see its vast potential and expect the show to live up to that potential throughout its duration.

By episode 4, the writer had a rich plot and a set of decently shaded, fascinating characters that were just begging to have their stories told. What started off as a tale of a prickly girl learning to live again with the help of a happy-go-lucky boy-angel dissolved into a hapless mess about two star-crossed lovers being forced apart by a wholly unsympathetic diety whose intentions nobody in this drama understood (not even the writer it seems).

It’s just...GOOD GOD...it had so much going for it you know?!? One of the biggest mistakes this drama made was when it shifted the focus off the female lead’s journey, i.e. her return to ballet, her scheming relatives, her emotional growth, and instead onto the ill-constructed love story between her and the male lead.

Being a romance, a love connection between the two was imminent. But I just wished it had been executed and drawn out better. Not only did it seem to come completely out of left-field, but also Dan and Yeon Seo's relationship was never explored to the extent where it would be believable that they were truly as crazy about each other as depicted in the drama. When does companionship equal passionate love? All I saw was a budding friendship that suddenly turned into a love-or-die kind of affair, which was jarring at best.

Secondary characters had extremely promising trajectories, which were abandoned halfway through the drama in favour of blander plot elements. Ji Kang Woo, a director at Yeon Seo's ballet company was being set up as a noteworthy second lead, and had a fascinating backstory that could've been used to elevate the fantasy aspect to so much more. Furthermore, he had such an intriguing relationship with the second female lead, Geum Nina, that to not expand on it was a disservice to this entire production. Instead, whatever Nina and Ji Kang Woo had soon dissipated into screeching one-sided love declarations from the former, while the latter coldly brushed her off in favour of the forever-pristine main female lead.

All in all, the writer set up some grand goals for herself and failed to follow them through. The lacklustre ending more or less demonstrated this perfectly, as the main couple are reunited in the last five minutes with no explanation given whatsoever. It's almost disrespectful to the characters and the battle they fought to be with each other in the second half of the drama. What writer is shameless enough to build the entire drama around a singular conflict, only to resolve it with one of the most half-assed endings of all time? Other than the writer of About Time, THIS one.

Leia Mais

If you read the webtoon, you already know the next 16 episodes are gonna be full of emotions...

Well, as somebody who read the webtoon, l was already rooting for this to be turned to a Kdrama and they did.... I just watched the first episode and already, l was crying and fuming with anger at the same time, l wonder how it's gonna be for the next 15episodes to come
Marry my husband basically has almost and l just said almost the same plot as Perfect marriage revenge, the difference is if she changes something, something will happen to another person.... A twist right??? I recommend this soooo much... Its a good way to start 2024.....tho Minyoung needs to gain weight later😭😭😭

Leia Mais

Before going straight for the "Not Helpful" button", give me a chance.

Today I read a comment on Facebook that said "Life is too short to say you don't like Taylor Swift" and although I don't particularly care for Taylor Swift, that post directly inspired me to write this review. Because life is too short to say you don't like The Heirs (especially when you love it).

When this drama was announced, to say that we were merely excited would be the understatement of the year. We were anxious, ecstatic, overjoyed. The perfect cast. The perfect writer. The perfect synopsis. Everybody would constantly post things on the page, coming up with various scenarios and plot developments (there was one where Woo Bin ends up with Lee Min Ho, my favorite, haha). It even became the highest rated show on MDL BEFORE EVEN AIRING. With each passing day expectations grew bigger and bigger. And then when it finally aired, they crashed. For most people anyways.

I was getting tired waiting for this "epitome of perfection" show and along the way my expectations dropped and I didn't care much for it anymore because of all the hype. But of course I picked it up (Lee Min Ho and the writer of Secret Garden. The most perfect combination). And I LOVED IT.

The story was a bit cliche but the way it is presented is wonderful. On the surface, it's a story of a rich boy falling for a poor girl. To make things more cliche, the girl is the maid's daughter. And then the maid is mute. Throw in high school bullies, ex-best-friend after the girl (also rich), a best friend of the girl who protects her (but is 'poor', so he is not a suitor). CLICHES CLICHES CLICHES. But the way the story is presented is a breath of fresh air. The kind of humor that is used is just awesome. There are so many instances I want to add here but they would spoil. The humor used here is something you have seen in Secret Garden and A Gentleman's Dignity. The writer has written a formulated story but she is true to her style and that made this drama extremely special. It's like she is saying "Let me twist these cliches around and present them with a new point of view". And it worked (for me anyways).

Coming to characters. This is the difficult part. I must confess I have a huge crush on Lee Min Ho (and admit it, you've had it too at some point of your drama-watching career). Kim Tan is someone you would either love or hate. There is seriously no in-between. You would expect him to be someone like Gu Jun Pyo but Kim Tan is a mature version of Jun Pyo. Somebody who has bullied others in the past but now wants to live a more meaningful life. But the similarity is the kind of devotion to his girlfriend that he brings to life again, that would definitely remind you of BOF. Aside from his atrocious wardrobe I loved his character. Park Shin Hye's finest role would always be Pinocchio. But here, she is not half-bad. I mean, sure, she has been given a typical role of a damsel in distress, working hard, being chased by rich guys. But she is good in her role. It is much better than Flower Boy Next Door. Choi Young Do stole the thunder. I loved Woo Bin in School 2013 but I fell in love with him here. I have lost count of the number of times I wanted him to get the girl or have the happiest ending of them all. He was the rough diamond of the show. The biggest surprise. Had all of us gushing and swooning.

The rest of the characters were also awesome. The adults. The relationship between Kim Tan and Eun Sang's moms was endearing and a high note of this show. But I seriously feel the Kim Tan's "on-paper" mom was wasted here. She was unforgettable in Secret Garden. Lee Bo Na was another amazing character (no wonder Krystal landed a main role right after this drama, she was seriously too good here). I loved Secretary Yoon and his son. I had a hard time seeing Min Hyuk as the smartest guy after watching him in heartstrings but he did a great job. Kim Tan's brother was great, I loved their relationship journey. Kim Ji Won held her own. Kang Ha Neul and Im Ju Eun seemed a little wasted on this show. But overall everyone was great.

The music was something that stayed with me for a long time after the show ended. Usually I download a couple of songs from a drama I love but here I downloaded all of them because I was obsessed with the OST. My personal favorite was "Crying Again" by Moon Myung Jin. And of course it was fun to guess whether "Love is the moment" is going to start playing or "love is feeling" in the background. lol.

I have rewatched this show twice already so the rewatch value is a solid ten for me.

In conclusion, I would like to say that this drama tries to give a lighter and realistic feel to the cliches and shows us non-cliche consequences of the cliches. Like the way Eun Sang's mom uses her notebook is hilarious. A typical drama would portray her as a pitiful character but she is funny and strong in her own way and holds her own despite her poverty. This drama is really great if you let go of your expectations. I honestly feel it deserves a higher average rating than it has, but then again it's just my opinion and everyone is entitled to their own. I can only express how this show made me feel and the feeling is really great.

Leia Mais

I was excited to watch this drama at first based on all the reviews and the high rating, but as I got into it I realized how boring it was and I skipped through most of it. I got to about episode 32 and was thinking to drop it, but didn't because others reviewers said it would pick up around episode 46. I still thought it was boring and kept skipping. 63 episodes was not needed. A lot of the episodes, especially the first 46 episodes could have been concised into 10 episodes. I don't have a problem watching dramas with a lot of episodes, I sat through Princess Wei Young just fine, but when there are so many episodes that aren't moving the story along then I have a problem.

What I liked:
-Most of the women (Liu Ying, Su Hei, Great Floral Fairy, Heavenly Empress, Wind Immortal, Su Li) in the drama were able to hold their own. Now they had their faults and could be annoying at times, but they weren't weak. I loved their fight scenes.
-Run Yu- he had the most interesting story line and the show would have been more interesting if it was centered around him.
-The clothes and landscapes- I started watching this because I wanted to watch something pretty (corny, I know).

What I didn't like:
-It was predictable.
-Jin Mi always needed saving. Whether it was by Xu Feng, Run Yu or Pu Chi or anyone for that matter. She rarely was able to defend herself. The other women in the drama needed saving at times too (Mu Ci saving Liu Ying or Xu Feng saving his mother), but they didn't need it as much as Jin Mi. And Jin Mi was such an annoying and boring character. Her not being able to fall in love story line was held out for too long. Also, she was supposed to be a logical character, but used no type of logic during the wedding scene (of course viewers found out why later), but that scene really annoyed me.
-The kissing scenes- they were comical
-Run Yu- while I felt he was an interesting character, he was also a very self serving character. He cared about Jin Mi, but did not care about her happiness, her feelings, or how his choices would affect her. He was obsessed with her and always wanted her around in spite of the fact that that wasn't where she wanted to be. He knew she didn't love him in that way, but none of that mattered to him. I say he cared because he did not want her to get hurt and would do anything to save her, but he didn't love her because he never, not even once, put her interests or desires above his own.
-I still don't get why Xu Feng and Run Yu would start a war over Jin Mi. To bring in innocent people into your love triangle is the most stupidest thing ever.

I don't recommend this drama if you can't let go of all logic and common sense like me; you will be greatly annoyed.

Leia Mais