Reviews

I really loved this drama. Recently I've been branching out of the BL Thai dramas into the 'straight' dramas and I think Thai dramas have a lot of potential, I can see that they work hard on them and I love them a lot more than K-dramas shockingly! Before I was more a fan of J-dramas but Thai dramas took the cake and this one was a main factor. I'm glad that I watched this, I mainly watched for Captain, Chonlathorn, but I loved the leading actress, actually, I loved everyone. I couldn't stop watching it, I actually forgot about my other dramas because of this. It was hard to find translated episodes, which made me take longer to finish but the 90s Thai music was a plus, I love Thai music and this really made me love it more. The suspense was great because every episode had you guessing and the ending didn't disappoint, well it did a little mainly because of my personal preference, in the guys. I loved the emotions and I actually felt like I was a member of room 305. I don't watch dramas more than once but if I recommend it to a friend and she/he was watching it, I'd watch it with them, yes it was just that great! I always love Thai drama's opening and ending songs like they always know what to choose and it's just so fitting! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS FOR ROMANTIC FANATICS! Even if you aren't this is filled with a lot of friendship and bonding plus it's comedic.

Leia Mais

Just watch Young Blood 2 instead.

Imperial Coroner 2 is a sequel that should not have been made. It is missing the charm and narrative focus of Season 1, which was a cool, largely plot-driven "how-did-it" kind of ancient crime-solving story. Season 2 attempts to better flesh out the beloved investigative team but fails to do so in a way that resonates. This character-driven digression comes at the cost of the cases, which lack tension and suspense and skimp on Season 1's stylish, visually impactful illustrations of forensic clues. The sloppy and juvenile writing is a rude shock after Season 1's narrative consistency and meticulous attention to detail.

This season picks up three years later, with Chu Chu now married to Xiao Jinyu—an unconventional commandery princess in name and a hardworking imperial coroner in fact. While I appreciate the attempt to flesh out and age the titular character, it is not done well. Chu Chu's mature styling is nice, but her lips turn down in a discontented expression that suggests she did not find marital bliss. She whines bafflingly about her unfulfilled aspirations to be a coroner—when that is actually what she does, with the full understanding and support of her husband. Her petty grievances ("oh poor me, I have to be a commandery princess when all I want to do is prod corpses and bask in the odor of rotting flesh all day") and pity party are not just boring; they are tone-deaf and at odds with the genuine suffering of the truly powerless women of low societal status featured in the early female-themed cases.

After three years of marriage, the romance is still stuck in the tiresome courtship and repeated misunderstanding phase. Just divorce already, please! As for Jing Yi and Leng Yue, if their henpecked husband/abusive wife routine is supposed to be funny, the misguided attempt at humor comes off as banal, and borderline offensive. While the full cast from Season 1 reunites, their dynamic and rapport are just not the same.

As for the cases, there is one overarching plot that ties together all the subplots. Of these, the only case that really stuck with me was the young monk's story. That child actor, Shi Hengyi, moved me to tears. The main Nanzhou arc is the biggest disappointment—it is much more spy vs spy than ancient CSI. There is no real mystery, as the identity of the allegedly hidden master spy is not hidden. And anyone who watched Young Blood 2 would immediately recognize this as a dumbed-down knockoff of that drama's main plot—down to the styling, culture and internal and external political conflict of the enemy kingdom. Minus the exciting action scenes, humorous dialogue, and top-notch ensemble rapport, of course. The finale is anti-climatic and unsatisfying.

So do yourself a favor and just watch Young Blood 2 instead. You can thank me for watching this so that you don't have to.

I rate this 6/10 for daring to so blatantly knock off something pretty good only to make it a lot worse.

Leia Mais

By Far The Most Beautiful Yet Underrated Drama Of All Time

This drama had so much depth and rawness to it that you can’t help wishing it would never end.
The two female leads who started on the wrong foot turned out to be each other’s comfort and strength - what a beautiful friendship they had with so much love and respect for each other.

I applaud how Lee Sang Yeob and Park Ha Sun used their eyes and facial expressions more than dialogues to convey a wide spectrum of emotions - undeniably they are artists in the truest meaning of the word. Bravo to them and to the director and scriptwriters who brought out the best in them.

Leia Mais

Promising series cut short due to tragedy

My First Thoughts:
Being Miura Haruma's final work before his sudden and tragic passing, it was hard to watch without thinking that we have lost such a kind soul and great talent... but at the same time, I wanted to honor him by watching this through the end. And I think those in charge of the drama may have similar sentiment when deciding to air the series, albeit a shortened run and necessary changes/editing needed in light of the circumstances.

Thoughts on the drama itself:
Watching the drama for what is, I thought this was totally the type of drama I usually enjoy. Fairly light-hearted, great cast, an uplifting soundtrack and theme song, and the development/interactions among the characters. What stood out to me was how the drama addressed our relationship with money. While the main leads have different philosophies in how to spend money, we also see that other characters' relationship with money ranges from hatred of money, pressure due to money, sacrifices made for money, etc. It was an interesting theme that I was looking forward to the drama to explore, along with character relationships that had seeds of development.

The full potential of this drama will be lost due to the circumstances, but at least I got to know of it. And the loss of this drama pales in comparison to the loss of Miura... rest in peace, and thank you.

Leia Mais

Easily the emotional warming series of this decade to date ?

When episode 10 ended, it felt like saying goodbye to dear friends. The Hot Spot grabs you in a very subtle fashion and before you realise, you are completely enveloped in a warm, funny, quirky, friendly hug. If you love slice of life, ordinary characters, unusual plot lines and ... and a regular view of Fuji-San, then you're gonna LOVE this! So many laughs, and towards the end, it will totally hit you in the feels. Bakarhythm has written a superb script and every actor plays their role so well. Kudos to the director and entire cast and crew for creating this very special gem. ENJOY 😃🙏

Leia Mais

When I first found out about this drama I was pretty excited because Park Bo Young is one of my favourite actresses. I loved her in Strong Woman Do Bong Soon and Oh My Ghostess. I started watching this drama as soon as it was released on Netflix but after a few episodes, I couldn't watch anymore. I recently picked up the drama again as I do not like to leave shows unfinished (unless they are absolutely terrible). I hate to give a drama a bad review but here is why I gave it such a low score.

The plot itself is intriguing but I feel like it wasn't laid out as well as it could have been. It felt like there were so many things going on at once and so sometimes it felt like the focus wasn't on the main couple. Although there was always a lot happening in each episode, it still felt like the drama had a really slow pace. It didn't feel like there was enough romance between the main couple. Usually, I will watch a drama and be rooting for the main couple to be together. In this drama, although I did like the actors and their characters, I wasn't dying for them to be together. Some characters that I didn't like were redeemed in the storyline but it felt too forced. I think this is rather unfair since there was a really good cast and plot idea.

I am a big fan of drama OSTs. I will listen to the soundtracks of dramas and even add them to my playlists. Something about the music of Abyss felt off. There wasn't a special song linked to particular moments that stood out to me. When I think of certain dramas, I automatically remember certain songs that made me feel for a character. I didn't feel this with the music of Abyss. Usually, you can find me crying alongside the characters at their most pivotal moments and the music has a big part to play in that most of the time. I knew that Abyss had made that much of an impact on me when I didn't cry once for the characters.

I think overall this drama just didn't reach its full potential, which is a shame considering the cast involved. I am pretty disappointed that I have to give this drama a low score and negative review, but I just don't think this drama is worth the hype. As a big fan of Park Bo Young, I feel so bad that I am saying this but I look forward to her next work. I don't think I would rewatch this drama. I think the trailer and the plot summary were a bit misleading. There isn't much emphasis on romance in Abyss (even though there are many romance scenes, it felt forced). This is more of a thriller/mystery drama so if that is your thing, then maybe you should check it out.

Leia Mais

As entitled, "What's Your Blood Type" portrays the different blood types as characters and the traits that are stereo-typically assumed for each blood type. While the show is a web-drama, it's episode length is on the shorter end of the spectrum with an episode being less than one minute long. You can complete the series in about 5 minutes if you have the time to spare. Even though the show is short in both episode and time length, it's slightly re-watchable as it's very comedic with it's depiction of the different blood types. Ultimately, this is the perfect show to watch if you are wanting to pass the time away.

Leia Mais

Not really a season 2 but definitely worth watching

If you liked season 1, you should watch season 2. It's not a continuation but another version of the same story.
It has the same lead actress and same locations of the first season. The lead actor is different but he plays the character really well. And they changed so much the hair and wardrobe of the female lead that I almost didn't recognize her.
The plot is light, funny and sweet. I have to say I liked the second season more than the first. I think this second version of the story is more cohesive than the first one.
Because it's such a short drama, you will probably want to watch it all in only one day like I did.

Leia Mais

Average at best

Disclaimer - No hate for this drama! I swear! :)

I’m getting a little tired of the “we don’t know how to communicate” plotlines. And while I do love a good classic BL, I’m also increasingly fed up with the constant financial imbalance and the tired victim–savior dynamic. We all know I have a soft spot for red flags and a sprinkle of toxicity, but that’s a conversation for another day.

This did nothing for me and I want to know why! I felt like it was a bit dull, a bit cute (I HONESTLY THINK SO), a bit boring, and mostly uninspiring. Personally uninspiring. And sometimes my focus was all over the place.

I read the reviews and I am glad many people loved it, but I do not get it why I did not. This review isn’t meant to bash the drama, just sharing and maybe if you’re easily annoyed and don’t enjoy spending time on something that feels like you’ve already watched it three times before, you can safely skip this one.

That said, I will religiously watch season two. I did have my favorites in season one, and at the end of the day, this is just one story, so I’m willing to see where it goes.

Leia Mais

What a cracker!

I wasn't expecting much from this shorter C-Drama. I went into it expecting light entertainment and not much else. But what I got? Holy crap! It was a masterpiece.

I don't think I have ever actually been so invested in a milk money theft plot. I have seen them in so many dramas, but the way Yin Rui played it, her acting was phenomenal. I actually cried with her, I felt her pain, her anguish, through all of the drama. She is an amazing actress. I hope she gets more roles where she can showcase this.

The plot was confusing at times near the beginning. I couldn't understand why he wasn't able to find out what happened to her. Like, surely there were news articles, etc. But I soon forgot about that and got completely swept into the mystery.

I feel like this show will get underrated because of it being a little bit different from the norms of these types of dramas. But if people give it a chance, it's a real gem of a show. The only reason I didn't vote it 10/10 (I voted 9.5) was because I would have liked at least one more episode to spend time with the leads at the end. But, apart from that, I love everything about it.

Leia Mais

I am a fan of Makjang and revenge dramas, but this one has something lacking. I can't put my finger on it exactly. I wasn't emotionally invested in any of the characters except the little girl and Kang Il Ran and the drama wasn't about them. The main characters were just too boring. After a while I didn't care that much about anything except Kang Il Joo getting what she deserves. I can't post spoilers, but the ending left a lot to be desired. The characters were complex and there was pretty good development. The plot wasn't too convoluted considering the genre, but it felt like it went round and round over the same thing. I finished it because there is also something intriguing about it. I don't know if this review will be helpful because even I feel wishy washy about it. LOL

The acting is fine. Nothing to get excited over though. I'm learning to hate Cha Ye Ryeon as this is not the first crazy woman she has played as Il Joo. She is really good at it. :-)

The music is appropriate and doesn't suck.

I will never rewatch this.

There are some better Makjang/Revenge dramas out there, but this one is an okay watch.

Leia Mais

This is a once in a lifetime drama.

I never write reviews so bear with me but I am struggling to put into words just how beautiful this show is. Before this show I never got when people would say 'my lifes drama' but I think I get it now. When I started I was scared because 100 episodes is quite a lot and figured I would drop it halfway or I would find it boring the way I did with father is strange and makjangs ive tried. I was completely wrong. this drama was perfect in every sense of the word; casting, pacing, dialogue its hard for me to find things to hate about this drama after completing it its genuinely perfect.

STORY
While the story looks really simple and boring the way its written is so incredibly well done, there's a great blend of romance, comedy and drama that get you to become emotionally attached to every character down to the two episode cameos. The main plot focuses on the song family which includes the mother and father and their four children who each have trouble within their love lives. This is a really simplistic breakdown but the writing is extraordinary, its very deft in the way that it helps you empathize with characters, even when they're in the wrong you want to root for them and for their happiness. The truly annoying 'makjang' bits never go on very long and are always resolved amazingly. The characters see genuine growth which is very rare.. by the end of the show each and every character feels like a real person you can relate to and love. Characters in Once Again all seem human, they focus in on each and every person you see and give them real motivations and traits, the writer is extremely talented and im so thankful to her for this show. It tackles a lot of issues that you wouldn't expect at first glance and it teaches you to never be stuck in your assumptions on people (or even on the characters in the show) because everyone is capable of change for the better. At times I found myself jumping around like an 8 yr old and in others I was crying out of genuine heartache for these characters. Yang HeeSeung took a simple premise and made a masterpiece out of it.

ACTING
Stellar. literally perfect casting to the point its almost funny like I genuinely cannot imagine anyone else having played these roles. Lee Minjung and Lee Sangyeob absolutely nailed their roles and nahee has become my favourite kdrama character of all time. Lee Chohee and Lee Sangyi won everyones hearts in this show. Oh Yoonah showed amazing skill as a divorced single mother taking care of her kid while trying to find a way back onto her own feet. Oh Daehwan played his role beautifully and nailed the big brother vibe to a T... I could go on and on because everyones performances here was truly astounding it felt like watching real people and how they live their lives. Some of the older actors overacted (because this IS a weekend drama after all) but it just added to the charm because it was almost a physical generation gap and only highlighted everything beautiful about the show. the side characters were all acted PERFECTLY my personal favourites being hyosin and seoyoung~

MUSIC & REWATCH VALUE
These two aren't as important imo but nevertheless the music was so cute and all the osts make your heart feel like its about to burst with sunshine plus I just finished this show a few days ago and im already rewatching. It makes u happy seeing this family (that while I watched almost felt like my family) grow and become their best selves.

CONCLUSION
This is a really special show, Ive forced like 10 people to watch it and every single person has loved it to no end. It makes you happy and it comforts you, its the ray of sun on a cloudy day. if you're wondering if you should watch I say go right for it!! its a must watch in my books and probably one of my favorites, if not my number one kdrama of all time. The 100 episodes will fly past and by the end you'll be wondering where on earth you'll find another show as great as this one.

Leia Mais

Ghosts playing matchmakers

It was a fun ride for sure. I think the cinematography is beautiful, I really liked the filming locations. The OST was very catchy as well. And I think the plot was well written, things connected right and made sense. The reoccurring characters had some sense of purpose, which pushed the story forward in one way or the other. The comedic aspects are nicely incorporated and fit in well with the plot.

To be honest, at some point the ghosts appeared to be good wingpeople. Whenever they annoyed or scared poor Bu Xia enough, he would run to Jiang Chi. And while I do agree that the idea that he only wants him close to keep the voices out of his head is problematic, they do address this problem and I think that’s important. Communication makes things easier (too bad it’s not Bu Xia’s strong point).

Jiang Chi & Bu Xia: The two are adorable together! They seem to be quite different from one another, but they still make a great pairing. Bu Xia might not be the best academically and can be quite awkward at times, but he is still a cutie. He is afraid of ghosts. Or at least afraid of ghosts trying to get them do their bidding. Jiang Chi is both smart and athletic, but he is also confident and goes after what he wants. And that’s Bu Xia. They start as enemies, but things quickly make a turn for the better. The two face plenty of troubles, but I do think they balance each other nicely. The two actors did amazingly and had great chemistry as well.

I really liked Bu Xia’s sister too. She was a fun character, and I absolutely loved her relationship with her brother. They teased each other but were also the person the other could count on. Always and for everything. That’s life with siblings!

The ending is kind of open, so it makes me think they might be planning for S2. At least I hope they are. I considered such an ending a possibility, but I wasn’t sure what route they will take. It might be considered finished, I guess, but to me it still feels like there is more of the story to follow. So fingers crossed for another season.  

Leia Mais