Reviews

So I literally binged watch this drama, and I'm so ever grateful to Neko Meow Meow for subbing this. Anyways, I picked up this drama because I literally had nothing to watch and I was waiting for my other dramas to be subbed & I'm glad I did that. Even though it is your typical "revenge; going to get back what belongs to me" type of drama it still has its own cool to it. If you are up for some really cheeky, fluffy stuff then this is for you, the cute stuff isn't overly cringe so you can still watch it.

Story:
Basically the pra'ek comes back from america to take back what he owns and meets nang ek and fall in love. What I love about it is that the nang ek isn't those weak female leads and she fights back and doesn't let the guy bully her. She stands up for herself and she later on stands up for the guy knowing that he is actually nice and not mean. The only thing I will say is that I felt like the ending was a bit rush but with already 14 episodes, it is a normal episodes ending for a thai drama, so no biggie like everything was already falling into places. Oh, and like the guy ends up having a brain tumor but after that one episode they never talk about it again so I feel like they should had cleared that up or unless they did but I wasn't paying attention. lmao.

Acting/Casting:
It was my first time watching the guy in a drama and I am happy with how he acted. Like I'm always scared to watch new actors/actress just in case they don't live up to the other actors but I mean you can't just judge them , like they are trying to build up their career. I've seen the girl act in other dramas so I have nothing to say. Their chemistry was good. Their playfulness and cheekiness complimented each other really well through out the drama.

Music:
To be honest I wasn't really paying attention to the songs, but there was a song that like stuck to my mind.

Rewatch Value:
Maybe yes if I have nothing to watch, but I tend not too.

Overall:
Just watch it. haha

Where to Watch:
Make sure to always thank these subber's hard work to provide for us :)
Neko Meow Meow
https://nekomeowmeow.com/panrak/

Leia Mais

A underrated gem! Best kdrama of 2020!

UNDERRATED AND A GEM!! Okay I am gonna be honest, this was my favorite kdrama that came out in the crazy year of 2020. The story was original, beautiful and ahhhhh swoon worthy. I am a sucker for destiny and fate-like stories, and this one is one of my very top favorite kdramas. Kim Go Eun and Lee Min Ho are both two of my favorite actors! The characters Jeong Tae Eul and Lee Gon had amazing chemistry and growth as a couple. The two different worlds of Korea was so interesting and captivating, of course the queen kdrama writer Kim Eun Sook wrote this one so I knew it was going to be fantastic. Woo Do Hwan did a incredible job with his two characters, he is a wonderful actor and hilarious, his duality was amazing. I loved how this drama showcased a love story that had no confusing breakups or unnecessary drama. It always was right up to the main point of the story and the fight for Tae Eul and Lee Gon to be together. I laughed and cried and fell in love every episode in this drama! Visuals were stunning, OST was perfect, acting amazing, plot incredible! And of course I love happy endings SO please do yourself a favor and watch this amazing drama!

Leia Mais

So I randomly selected sweet tai chi to watch because it was tagged as an idol drama which are fun and not too heavy. The main problem was that until recently the eng subtitles were not available for it except the first episode. But I watched it anyway to like get a sense of it (coz I have dropped quite a few dramas after just watching the 1st episode) and I was immediately hooked. (resulting in me watching the whole drama without subs
This dramas has got some very strong points to make you like it.
First and foremost the places selected for the filming are amazing. The locations were very well selected including the campus resulting in beautiful shots.
Second major point is the female lead. I have never seen her before in any drama but she is effortlessly adorable. I have seen many actors try to portray a cute character and fail miserably while the FL's acting feels like she is just being herself. Her antics are fun to watch. She is badass in a good way and unlike other dramas the leads meet with the FL saving the ML from a gang.
Third is the Ost. The songs are beautiful and perfectly suited to the scenes and even though I don't know the language after watching a couple of episode I simply started humming along.
Lastly I agree that the story takes off slowly at first but the selling point atleast for me were the action scenes. All the scenes with Tai chi were perfectly shot and edited. Best scenes of this drama is just Piao Piao fighting all different kinds of people. The romance is also a big part of it but it's very PG-13 enough to give you closure but not to make you internally scream. I just wish that the ML's character was better developed. Like I understand that he was supposed to portray a very cool, calm, perfect at everything and emotionally detached from most things kinda person but after all his interactions with the FL I kinda wanted him to show some more emotions and be less stony and I mean that literally. Apart from the ocassional smile or his signature annoyed look it's like looking at a pretty stone wall.
All in all this drama is good enough for binge watching. (especially now since everyone's quarantined due to covid-19).

Leia Mais

got better as it went on

There are some solid reviews on the movie so I'll just add a few thoughts.

Overall: this got better and better as it went on with an ending that was extremely well done. In the beginning, I really struggled with the homophobic, self centered, jerk protagonist. But he actually has character growth which was great. I need a sequel to this movie. Somehow he gets reincarnated as an adult and they solve another mystery together (and also showing explicit romantic feelings would be a bonus)

BL? Bromance? I think they definitely loved each other, whether that was platonically or romantically is not clearly defined, I think it can be a bit up to the viewer's interpretation.

Content Warnings: death, grief, manipulation, violence, held against will

Leia Mais

Though the romance is not has intimate and spontanious as the usuall mike he, it is a very touching and a cute story. At times you want to just jump in and punch the characters in the face beacuse of lack of comuniction. I mean they are seriously stupid at times and it just pises you the fuck off. But in the end you are laughing at thier mistake and evey things good cuz they finally relized it. The plot is pretty straight forward not many twists but the acting is great you really fall inlove with the characters and it is so inpiering. BUT... im still pretty pissed at the lack of spontanious makeout scenes like in the devil beside you and love keeps going. At the end i was like dude WTF with a big smile on my face.haha but seriously, this is a very good drama and you should watch it you wont regret it.

Leia Mais

Exceptional cuisine that is worth a special journey

C’est magnifique! Le Grande Maison Tokyo IMHO is indeed grand and fully deserving of 3 Michelin stars for the wonderful French cuisine featured and also a 10/10 rating for the entire production served.

Obana Natsuki is a French cuisine master chef who had always been obsessed with attaining the holy grail of his craft - the 3 stars awarded by the prestigious Michelin Guide. Unfortunately his quest for the ultimate crowning glory is bitterly cut short due to a disastrous diplomatic incident that not only upends his promising career as a celebrated chef de cuisine but also reduces him to a vilified persona non grata of both France and Japan. Fast forward 3 years later, he crosses paths with the vibrant Hayami Rinko, a talented French cuisine chef herself, who rekindles his passion for cooking and reignites his hopes of achieving the ultimate Michelin guide rating once more.

Grand Maison Tokyo is a TBS production that is directed by established directors Ayuko Tsukahara (Saiai, MIU 404), Daisuke Yamamuro (Tenno no Ryoriban, Ouroboros, Jin 1 & 2), and Takahiro Aoyama (Tengoku to Jigoku: Psychona Futari). Based on the original screenplay by one of my favourite Japanese screenwriters, Tsutomu Kuroiwa (Tokyo MER: Hashiru Kinkyuukyuumeishitsu, Unsung Cinderella: Byoin Yakuzaishi no Shohosen) with music score composed by Hideakira Kimura and the theme song RECIPE performed by Tatsuro Yamashita.

A collaboration with the international fashion magazine, Marie Claire, in which the fictional “Marie Claire dining” segment is mentioned throughout. Principal photography took place primarily in Tokyo and Paris. The 3-star restaurant L'ambroisie in Paris and the Japanese French cuisine restaurant, Quintessence (depicted as Gaku in the drama) are featured extensively. Incidentally the Japanese restaurant was awarded the prestigious 3-star rating upon completion of the drama’s airing in 2020. The dishes served by Grand Maison Tokyo were prepared by the 2-star INUA restaurant based in Tokyo, while the supervision for dessert preparation is provided by Hotel Intercontinental Tokyo Bay, which was also used as a filming location for the buffet restaurant in the drama.

The drama won 5 awards at the 103rd Television Drama Academy Awards, namely for Best Picture, Best Actor (Takuya Kimura), Best Supporting Actor (Yuta Tamamori), Best Drama Song (Tatsuro Yamashita, RECIPE), and Best Director.

What I Loved

Everything, really. I was hooked from beginning till the end. This drama has the perfect blend of all the right ingredients to produce an outstanding production with more than sufficient action, thrills, suspense and poignant moments which I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of.

The premise of the drama is straightforward but the storytelling navigates an intriguing trajectory teeming with layers of sub-plots as well as twists and turns that seemingly never runs out of steam or ideas on how to move the story forward. And moving forward it does at nearly the speed of light with so much agency and urgency during the 11 episodes of its run. The viewing experience itself feels very much like a full course fine dining adventure. A compelling narrative that continuously grabs hold of the viewers’ attention while introducing a concept mostly unfamiliar to the uninitiated - the Michelin guide to the world of French cuisine - amidst the multitude of vividly intriguing character designs that permeate this production. One of the things I love about the characterization in this drama is that none of the so-called antagonists is an outright villain - they are simply morally grey characters with their own motivations and beliefs system operating in the highly competitive and unforgiving hospitality industry.

The technical proficiency of this drama shines through, as evidenced by the high production values and top quality execution. This is particularly true for aspects concerning production and set designs, food videography element of the cinematography, the realism of the content depiction pertaining to kitchen administration, food preparation, cooking techniques and restaurant management. Even linguistics hold prominence here with French being convincingly spoken in the drama by various characters. Likewise the music of this production induces the required atmospherics of the storytelling with an infusion of tasteful classical elements that matches perfectly the cuisine that is presented.

The main selling point of Grand Maison Tokyo, undoubtedly for me, is Kimura Takuya. The character-driven narrative suits this man’s profound ability beautifully and so it proves with his award-winning performance here. Kimutaku isn’t just portraying Obana Natsuki - He IS Obana Natsuki! The depth of the characterization complements the extensive range of the actor producing a masterclass in acting, of which I’ve had the privilege to witness…no, to experience, in this drama.

In Suzuki Kyoka, viewers have the pleasure of seeing a veteran actress that matches the excellence of Kimutaku to enhance the flavours of this drama even further. Having seen her in Okaeri Mone, she exudes similar vibes but there is a wider scope to her portrayal of the co-lead Hayami Rinko here. Her characters have a way of building an emotional connection with viewers and I find myself developing this connection from the very first minute of her appearance. What an inspiring and moving performance from this lady indeed.

Tamamori Yuta’s take on Hirako Shohei catches the eye due to the complexity of the characterization where he is allocated quite a significant portion of screen time. It’s worth mentioning that he is the central character in the spin-off drama, Gura Gura Maison Tokyo. I’m also intrigued by the performance of Onoe Kikunosuke V who plays Tango Manabu, the chef of the rival Gaku restaurant. Tominaga Ai as the editor-in-chief of Marie Claire dining, Linda Machiko Richard, dazzles the screen every time she appears.

Final Thoughts

The highest rating awarded by the Michelin guide is 3 stars, which means exceptional cuisine that is worth a special journey. All things considered, watching Grand Maison Tokyo has been an extremely worthwhile experience personally and represents a special journey in and of itself. For that reason, I’m giving it the highest MDL rating that I believe it deserves. This drama is absolutely “Subarashii”!

Leia Mais

Bad-Ass Bloody, Beautifully, Bloody, Blood, Blood... with a side of cuteness and a lot of REVENGE

Prepare yourself for a lot of blood splatter as you get up close and personal with some of the underworlds most gorgeous and interesting people...

This drama surly has it all from hot steamy bloodbaths to hot and steamy other stuff... twists, suspense and gorgeous visuals. Making it hard to know who to root for and seemingly blurring the line between the usual good-guy bad-guy type of deal. I found myself hoping some pretty bad criminals would get away and actually think oh no how how are they going to make up for that loss of pretty dangerous drugs that are really bad for you...

I also found myself thinking oh he is so cute... accompanied by aww that must hurt... and oooh they are so cute... and awch, awww, how the ***** did they survive that... and D*** she is so cool... still human but oh she is so cool... and WTF happened here...

in only 8 too short episodes, my nails have been bitten, my heart has fluttered, I have laughed, yelled and almost cried and looked a way a lot...

The characters are well casted, well written and have 0 annoying tendency's. I would not say this is easy to watch because of all the raw fight scenes but it is highly bingable (even though I watched it with my husband in the evenings after my kid had gone to bed)...

I defiantly recommend this to any action lover who does not mind some blood splatter...

Leia Mais

Steamy with a perfect cast in a fun setting!

(I rate vertical dramason their own sliding scale.)
Even though I've seen this plotline a bunch of times, I didn't fast-forward. The focus remained on the leads, and it was a bit refreshing to see this plot set in the Republican era for once; the melodramatic plot shenanigans tied in very well in this setting. And totally worth it for Chen Si in uniforms, and that long cape!

Great acting, especially by the two main leads. They also had great chemistry and seemed perfectly comfortable woth each other. So steamy! And the FL kisses back too. Lots of sexual tension moments and kisses throughout the show (and very realistic, passionate kisses). And the longer makeout scene in bed is memorable. While the FL chooses to give herself to the ML and gives consent multiple times, there are many moments with a strong forced-seduction feel to them as the FL wants to keep their physical relationship a secret and the ML wants to claim her even in risky situations. Very satisfying and, I would say, guilt-free for those who enjoy that trope. It's also clear to the audience pretty quickly, though it takes a long while for the FL to understand it, that the ML wants more than just her body and has loved her for years.

In this version the ML is more ruthless and domineering (also works well for the era it's set in). There are a couple of slightly softer moments with the FL, but the ML retains his edge.

In this version the ML and SML (FL's god-brother) say they are "friends" but it sure doesn't come across that way, lol. More like they tolerate each other. And when the ML starts pursuing the FL, he starts subtly provoking/taunting the SML (because he's jealous and wants to lay claim) and it grows less subtle over time. Chen Si's face is so fun to watch with all of this.

I really liked the SFL's (ML's cousin) reaction to her engagement being called off. She wants real love for herself anyway and won't hang onto someone for less. Her attitude towards the FL afterwards was great and refreshing.

Watched 8/10/25 with very good English subtitles on licensed channel 浪漫短劇社Romantic Drama:
https://youtu.be/LIfcfX7wyMg?si=xmyxn2uOTh-8UF6b

Leia Mais

Masterpiece

My most favorite and comfort drama ❣
The iconic K-drama Full House!
This drama holds a very special place in my heart. No matter how many dramas I watch, I always come back to this one when I need comfort, laughter, and warmth.

Kyo and Rain’s chemistry is truly magical—they made Han Ji Eun and Lee Young Jae unforgettable. Their love-hate relationship, the endless bickering, the cute little moments, and the slow, emotional journey into love… it’s all just perfect.

Unlike many dramas where the main leads become boring once they fall in love, Full House stays consistently fun, chaotic, and sweet all the way through.

And the OST? Still stuck in my head after all these years!
Thank you, universe, for bringing Song Hye Kyo and Rain together in this timeless classic. They truly brought these characters to life in the best way possible. ❣

No matter how old it gets, Full House will always be my comfort drama🪄💌

Leia Mais

Mildly frustrating but not a bad watch

This is such a unique concept and could have been great with better writing and directing. Some characters' words/actions felt awkward or were frustrating at times, particularly Prakan and Metha, and I feel like this is no fault of the actors.
Their characters are simply portrayed as somewhat immature which I don't think is fitting for two respected doctors running for the director position. As two highly intelligent individuals they seemed to lack common sense or reasoning half of the time.

But on to the good things:
- The pacing was good with Prakan's slow realisation of his feelings for Tuaphee, though I do wish they made the passing of time more obvious in some places.
- Since the actors have worked together before their chemistry is pretty good. The couple scenes were cute and enjoyable and without any of that weird shyness depite dating for a while that a lot of BLs have.
- A realistic, bittersweet ending. I feel like the impact would have been lost had this had the perfect fairytale ending.
- Boy Sompob doing the most with the OST.

Overall a good watch despite a few minor frustrations. Definitely recommended if you like supernatural things or want something a bit heavier/more mature than highschool romance.

Leia Mais

The drama started off great when they are at school...the initial comedic relief was great and I found myself laughing and enjoying myself...then they started to fast forward the characters' life 10 years and everything was still fine

the problem starts when they introduced new characters that you haven't been introduced yet and and left you confused on whether or not you've known that character during the short brief intro in their highschool lives.

But it was still fine when they decided to sprinkle the backstory of some of the new characters as the episodes progress...the only issue with this sort of approach is to have us the audience to keep up with the story with no connection to start with so either you get confused and disinterested on these characters or you decide to filter them out because they aren't relevant..

Some of these characters were used once and never again and for me, it's kinda a waste of time to introduce them as a prominent character (old friends/long lost mother/etc) but having no impact on the story whatsoever...If you change these said characters having no correlations with the main couples, you wouldn't even notice the difference. .

Honestly, the side couples had better story to tell than the main couple...their conflict could've stupidly be avoided if they told the truth from the start instead of hiding it for no reasons, but at least their objectives in their love life is relatable (one wants small happiness, the other aim for bigger long term happiness)

Regarding the main couple, I thought their confession to like each other could've done better than how it ended up...for me, there's quite a few times before that they could've confessed to each other which could've been better and more appropriate in terms of emotional impact but it didn't, so kinda rather disappointing

The villain here is a bit petty and kinda thuggish and not worth mentioning..they could've make him a bit better but they decided to make him weak and simple minded...so it doesn't make me wanna root for the main guy, but it made me wanna things to get done as soon as possible so i don't need to see how it ended up because it's already been decided by how weak the villain is

OST isn't anything unique, it was something you heard hundredth of times already

Leia Mais

review of bl episodes

overall:
this is a sweet mini-series and my only complaint is that i want to see more of the couples.

stepbrother's secret kiss:
this concept is... odd. if we were to ignore that, the boys are very cute and their story is sweet and simple.

secret idol kiss:
a couple bits felt a little unrealistic but i think that's to be expected with the premise. overall very good chemistry. this couple had the best kiss(es) in my opinion.

last kiss:
the title definitely hints at the mood for this episode. i found myself quite sad and unemotional in all honesty. this couple had the best plot in my opinion.

Leia Mais

I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from Jejoongwon going in. Despite its lack of popularity, I have to say it was an outstanding drama that did not disappoint.

Story: 8/10

One of the things that I loved most about this drama is how much I learned from it--all of the historical events were incorporated very well into the story. I'm sure the show took liberties with some details, but the majority of the characters and events were real (based on my research while watching it). It gave a wonderful insight into the introduction of Western medicine, Joseon era social classes, and the international relations of Korea at the time.

The story's progression felt very natural throughout and moved at a good pace. All of the main characters had intriguing stories that converged in their efforts to become doctors. Hwang Jung struggled with hiding that he was born into the "untouchable" class of butchers, Yoo Seok Ran struggled with sexism and the limitations of being a woman in 19th century Korea, and Baek Do Yang struggled mostly with himself.

Near the end of the drama the focus started to turn more and more to events with Japan, and less on medicine. This is the main thing I didn't like so much about the drama--I wish they had kept the politics a secondary theme through to the end. Because of this I became a little disenchanted with the final episodes and while I wouldn't say the last episode ended with a whimper, it certainly didn't end with a bang either. The most climactic events in my opinion came some episodes earlier.


Acting + Characters: 10/10

Quality acting all around in my opinion, Park Yong-woo in particular. In the beginning episodes I wasn't a huge fan of how Baek's character was done (so much sneering!), but that quickly changed and he ended up being my favorite character.

One thing I have to say I really appreciated was that they found white people who could act well, since that seems to be a rarity in Korean dramas. Dr. Allen in particular was a very memorable character. While I found it a bit odd that a man born in Ohio in the 1850s looked clearly half Asian, I still find that preferable to white actors with little acting ability.

While Hwang and Yoo were interesting for their stories, the characters themselves were more straightforward: they were both good-hearted, strong-willed, and progressively minded. Baek, on the other hand, I found to be a much more complex and interesting character, not to mention the one that undergoes the most development on a personal level.

At times I hated him, and at other times I loved him. Baek was a character that took a long time to figure out, and once you think you understand him, he does something to turn that upside down. He's driven by jealousy and rivalry, but at the same time he's driven by a desire to save people through medicine and to modernize his country. He struggles with his feelings of inadequacy and jealousy when he's constantly sidelined as "second best". His ruling class status more than once proves to be an obstacle during his medical training, which causes him to be conflicted between maintaining his superior position in society and fulfilling his ultimate goal of becoming the best doctor in Korea. He is enigmatic and unpredictable, and in my opinion it's his character that doesn't make Jejoongwon simply a good drama, but rather an outstanding drama.

Jejoongwon has its faults, but the rest of it is so well done that I can happily ignore the imperfections. It's a superb drama that deserves far more recognition than it ever got.

Leia Mais

I shake my head and roll my eyes throughout the drama - Messy and Too much going on

If this were a full-length drama, I would have given this a less than 5 rating. I am going to be a little more forgiving as this is a low budget drama. But this drama still cannot be compared to another web drama, “Provoke”. “Provoke” is so much better.

The plot here is ridiculous and full of plot holes and unrealistic ‘twists’. They try to jam too many things into this short drama. I think a fake/contract marriage + enemies-to-lovers + revenge should be more than enough. But no, they added politics. The acting is decent, and the leads are a good-looking pair. The chemistry is pretty good in the beginning but the leads got together way too early and then the chemistry is gone. We do have a couple (not enough) shirtless hot abs scenes, but not passionate or good kisses (FL needs to work harder). The cinematography and production value aren’t that great, more on par with “Maid’s Revenge”. I am blinded by the super bright/white backlighting and camera flashes.

I can’t help but shake my head and roll my eyes when watching this. The good-looking male lead and the pretty female lead are not enough for me to recommend this drama. I have to force myself to finish watching. I enjoy watching this LESS than “Maid’s Revenge”, even though it’s about the same quality. So, I feel I need to rate “My Everlasting Bride” a 6.5 and not a 7.0.


Completed: 9/19/2023 - Review #356

Leia Mais