Completed
The Bequeathed
52 people found this review helpful
Jan 19, 2024
6 of 6 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 7.5
This review may contain spoilers

Slow paced. Gloomy. Solid crime thriller, set in a perhaps somewhat peculiar milieu

“The Bequeathed” is a dark and gloomy crime thriller that is set on the fringes of madness, obsession and shamanistic practices, taking place in a remote backcountry, where ordinary people have for generations been burying their dead under green burial mounds. It's not a horror story, but rather a solid, yet slow paced crime thriller, set in a perhaps somewhat peculiar milieu.

There are only 6 episodes. Nevertheless, with only a little for the short time, comparatively much is revealed about a wildly mixed bouquet of different characters. A hodgepodge of astonishingly vividly drawn figures cross paths, take their space quite naturally and leave their traces with the audience. Against the background of the ongoing investigation into a series of murders, they all get the chance to clear up what they have (emotionally) left behind ... and move on.

I would not have expected this. Therefore I was positively surprised.
Authentic performance. Amazingly complex with haunting cinematic implementation. Dense. Suspenseful.
Nonetheless consistently gloomy. (It does get a little brighter towards the end though...)

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Completed
Snowy Night Timeless Love
52 people found this review helpful
Oct 25, 2024
32 of 32 episodes seen
Completed 15
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers

Life is short, cherish the moment.

Unhampered swordsman, Huo Zhan Bai seeks treatment for his sworn brother's child. His sworn brother's child needs to be treated by the most skilled doctor to have a glimmer of hope of survival. So for his sworn brother's child to receive the treatment he needs, he set out on a journey to the Apothecary Valley. His journey leads him to encounter the most skilled doctor, also know as a Divine doctor, the master of the Apothecary Valley, Xue Zi Ye. Their encounter isn't exactly all that great, but as time flies, they grew closer, developed mutual understanding and trust. And eventually, love blossomed between a free-spirited swordsman and a divine doctor who's always refrained from involving herself in the struggles of the Martial Arts World. However, due to the heavy responsibilities on their shoulders, a love that could have lasted for a lifetime couldn't be expressed fully.


I loved the premise of Snowy Night Timeless Love mainly because right from the first four episodes, I got to see the chemistry of Li Qin and Joseph Zeng. Plus, the stunning cinematography mustn't go unmentioned.


I've always known this one would have a sad ending cause the synopsis itself is a big spoiler, but I wasn't swayed from watching, I picked it up still. Why? Mainly because not all love lasts forever. And not all love gets a happy ending, or the forever after thing. There are love that you want to protect but couldn't. A love full of heartbreaks and sufferings. Not every love is all rosy. Love is accompanied with sadness, tears, heartbreaks, and separation. A love with regrets. There's that one person you wish to save but couldn't. That one person you'd sacrifice your life for in a heartbeat if sacrificing could bring the person back. That beloved you never want to get separated from. A beloved who bacame a memory. There's always that love. That beloved you can't help but miss as the day passes. That's the reality of life. Life is short. If there's one lesson I learnt from this drama, that'll be, "cherish the moment while it's last. More importantly, cherish the person you love while they're still around." Spend time with them, cuz you never know what will happen in the future. Don't leave regrets. Live your life spending time with the people you love. There's no eternity in this, life is but for a short while, so don't waste it. How long you live is not what matters, it's how well you live your life, spending time with your beloved, loved ones, and doing what you like that does. Regrets can be a very tormenting, so live your life without regrets.

The problem with Huo Zhan Bai is he puts others needs before his own happiness. He couldn't express his feelings, nor was he able to make too many happy memories with Xue Zi Ye. But then again, the time they spent together was fulfilling, they'll turn to memories to cherish forever. This is a sad romance that refects reality. I can't help but be reminded of "Someone You Loved" by Lewis Capaldi.

That said, Li Qin did her role as the cold Chief of the Apothecary Valley justice. The way she portrays emotions sometimes leaves me speechless. I've always known she's a great and versatile actress, still I can't help but be impressed by her acting skills everytime I watch her drama. Her acting moved me to tears in this one. Her facial expressions is spot on. She portrayed her role as the cold, aloof, yet kindhearted Xue Zi Ye wonderfully. Indeed, Li Qin doesn't disappoint.

And without excluding our selfless ML, Joseph Zeng. I enjoyed his performance in this one thoroughly. When he's pain, he acts it so well. I've seen him in a lot of dramas and have always been impressed by him. Snowy Night Timeless Love made me love him more. The way he acts when he's in pain left an impression on me. He also didn't disappoint me.

Not to mention the chemistry. There are no kisses like the other dramas I've watched, but the chemistry was there. The gazes, hugs, and their time together was enough to keep me going. If there's any complaints I have about this one, it's that Huo Zhan Bai never put his happiness first. It's looking for Mo's medicine today, and bringing justice to the Martial art world tomorrow. I didn't like this about him.

After much thought, I decided to give this a solid 9.5 for the lessons, the acting, and the chemistry of the leads.

Xue Zi Ye and Huo Zhan Bai's love will live on in my heart for a very, long, long time. I learnt a lot from their love. I can't help but love this drama because of how it reflects reality.💞


There are many controversies and mixed feelings on the ending, mainly because the ended was a sad one. And because Xue Zi Ye died in the end. But I loved it still, even though it's a sad ending, I learnt a lot. Snowy Night Timeless Love is beautifully written and executed. 💞 It's painful but I was still glad to see Xue Zi Ye die thinking of the one she loves.

Snowy Night Timeless Love is a drama that'll move you to tears. A drama about separation. A drama that moved me, even though it has its flaws. Don't miss it. However, make sure you have your tissues close by if you an empathetic person cuz this drama is emotional!

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Completed
Misaeng: Incomplete Life
52 people found this review helpful
Dec 23, 2014
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 5.0
Incomplete Life is nothing special except it is special. There is no epic romance, no suspense, no action, no melodrama, but there is life. I normally hate dramas like this. Nothing is more boring than watching a drama about real life when I watch dramas to escape it. However, there was something uniquely captivating in watching these characters navigate life. I started this because I love Kang Sora, but I fell for these characters in a big way. This drama isn't about the story line as much as it is about the characters. They have great chemistry and development. We all look at life in different ways. What is success to one person may be nothing to another and there is society's view of success. My view of success is to be the best person that I can be with all my flaws included. It isn't about money, prestige, or power. It is about being happy in the life that I live with the people that I love. What is your view of success??? Are you living an incomplete life???

It isn't necessary for me to name all of the actors, because it is already done. Just know that they all were excellent. I felt connected to each of them in different ways.

The music is appropriate.

It is rewatchable, but I probably won't.

This drama isn't for every one. I can see why some people would get bored with it. However, I highly recommend it.

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Completed
My Absolute Boyfriend
52 people found this review helpful
by Richel Flower Award1
Jul 12, 2019
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 3
Overall 6.0
Story 4.5
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
It was a chore and a half finishing this drama, but I can now say with hesitant satisfaction that it’s over.

In a society that has been enraptured by the potential of AI and robotics, it’s unsurprising that there’s been a recent influx in dramas that deal with such topics. Despite being based off an older manga, My Absolute Boyfriend is yet another title to add to that list. It addresses the issue of robots assimilating into the human world, a problem that is bound to become increasingly relevant over time.

It all sounds interesting, but I wouldn’t recommend this show to anyone who is in need of a captivating storyline. As is the case with most Korean dramas, the first couple of episodes are all fun and games. The further it gets, though, the faster it tumbles downhill. You’d think that this show should be about the struggles of a robot in human society, and it is…but only in theory. Instead, My Absolute Boyfriend overflows with unexciting conflicts and equally unappealing supporting characters. It’s a romcom that pretends to be intricate and emotional, but lacks any of the proper delivery to make it a worthwhile watch.

Ma Wang Joon is one of the least likable second leads I’ve ever had the bad luck of experiencing, yet he rears his ugly head so many times that it makes for a rather toxic drinking game: take a shot every single time you want to punch him smack in the jaw. His constant, unnecessary interventions in the main couple’s relationship stunt its development so much that it’s hardly satisfying when they’re together. It’s like its own subgenre of jump-scare horror—every time Da Da and Young Goo are having a moment, I’m not enjoying it; I’m nervous, waiting for Wang Joon to poke his head around the corner and interrupt. Diana isn’t much better. Despite her intriguing introduction, she ends up as an incredibly boring villain and contributes nothing but shallow inconveniences to the story. All of the conflicts are uninteresting and oftentimes feel unresolved.

Frankly, the number of episodes does far more harm than good and put the writers in over their heads. The amount of sloppy writing in this show is too much to bear and makes the main relationship a tad unbelievable. Had the drama been shortened to 16 or even 12 hour-long episodes, the story would have been so much tighter and left no room for such plot filler.

What’s truly odd about My Absolute Boyfriend is that the acting is good. While the overall performance of the actors and actresses is nothing to rave about, they’re all pretty impressive, especially for a drama that’s ridden with flaws. I can only sadly imagine what could have been if it were written better. For example, Yeo Jin Goo does an excellent job of portraying a puppy-like boyfriend robot and is exemplary when it comes to showing raw emotion. Yet, his talent mostly goes to waste because the writers have no clue as to what the hell to do with their own main character and just push him off to the side for a disproportionate amount of time. Similarly, Min Ah, Jong Hyun, and Seo Young all have the capacity to act well, but their characters are too flat for their acting to feel completely natural. This becomes increasingly obvious over time, when the writers are so busy trying (and failing) to make the story itself interesting that the characters lose the traits that make them compelling.

Altogether, I would have to recommend a pass on this show. Even if you’re a diehard fan of one of the actors, this can be a tough one to get through (I’ll voluntarily admit that I persisted in watching because of Yeo Jin Goo, and even then, it was a struggle). In an industry that pumps out romcom after romcom, My Absolute Boyfriend isn’t particularly special whatsoever.

--

(For in-depth review/analysis with spoilers: https://dramavixen.tumblr.com/post/186224304109)

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Completed
Mask Girl
52 people found this review helpful
Aug 19, 2023
7 of 7 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.0

Display of Social Abnormalities shown by exceptional Actresses

Warning ahead: This is no show for softies. And those who have no tolerance for a drama full of amoral siraegis, black characters. And somehow i'm questioning if i'm allowed to like this show, because it left me with a feeling of watching a pileup. Mass collision episode after episode - that i watched with open mouth in the beginning not believing what i'm actually seeing and during the end with fascination and aww for the incredible good actors and the artistic expression of abnormality and social deviances. So don't make the mistake to assume it's like Celebrity because of the title, trailer and beautiful intro and the poster, it cannot be more far away.

Mask Girl was shocking, and actually disgusting to certain scenes but on the other hand this was incredible original, creative and well executed in production - because despite the very explicit scenes it had a very captivating plot. Every actor leaves a brilliant mark - especially unrecognizable because of the the obviously incredible work of the make-up artists in a thrilling story, with 7 sub-plots in every episode that web together. If i have to describe what this fast-paced, binge-worthy drama is without spoiling much i would say it gives a vibe like a mix of Oldboy and Somebody: It is bloody with violence, abuse and sexual content. So viewer discretion advised this is +18 for multiple(!) reasons.

And still some funny scenes were just brilliant. Black comedy par excellence.
Be careful not to judge hasty finishing episode 1. The ride begins with episode 2. If you make it to episode 3 congratulations. From now on it gets easier and the true story begins.

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Completed
You Raise Me Up
52 people found this review helpful
Oct 3, 2021
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 5
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

Top 5 dramas of the year so far

A amazing lovely,heartwarming,funny drama.do not let the ratings put you off this drama!

The story revolves around do yong shik a guy who has a hard time since leaving school and is not progressing well in his life,he has no job,low self esteem,very anxious in pressure situations he bumps into his first love by chance after not seeing eachother since school she is now a doctor and treats Ed And do yong shik has ED(You know where this is going) - I’ll get to this because I think this is why it’s got a low rating which is bizarre.

What I love about this show is it so different from other k-dramas it sort of reverses roles where the male lead is the one with vunrablility and in need of help and emotional security,- it’s nice and refreshing to see because not every guy in a kdrama has to be a ceo of a major company or a smart successful confident guy,sometimes people get beaten down by the burdens of life this is just a reality and the male lead does a amazing job of portraying this and everyone of the actors are amazing!

The relationship between do shik and ru da is one of best in kdrama for me,ru da is still in love the do shik that she knew at school but she understands he has changed and is not confident with himself. Throughout the show as ru da spends more time with do shik he slowly start to gain confidence and come out of his shell abit more and it’s just really nice to watch.

Last thing i want to say is they make a comparison from the start of the show to end of the show and I loved it
Do yong shik gets invited to a dinner to eat for a reunion with his school friends,one guy keeps going on about how sunccesful he is in his job and how much he his making,do yong shik feels inferior and feels like a failure because he doesn’t have what everyone else has

Fast forward to the last part of the show he now has a job although it is only with a small company do shik is happy and satisfied with his life,he is content with what he has,the same guy tries to belittle him because he doesn’t have a big salary but he doesn’t care because that isn’t what bring do shik happiness. - my point is having success it’s not everything in life,money is not everything in life,you don’t have to strive to have so much money to be happy,it’s about finding things In your life that genuinely make you happy and no one else

Ps if your rating this low because it has references of sex and talk about more adult topics,think you need to grow up

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Completed
Peninsula
52 people found this review helpful
by jq28
Aug 26, 2020
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

Do not watch the movie with the expectations of it being like the prequel

I am not sure why everyone gave the movie low ratings because I definitely did enjoyed the movie. It is definitely not the Train to Busan but it's a great movie overall if u watch the movie without expectations of it being like the prequel. It is action-packed and has a pretty good story. It has a fair share of emotional moments and the acting was also pretty decent as well. The downside is that there's too much CGI where most of the car battles are CGI.

On a last note, it is nowhere near its predecessor but it definitely holds its own.
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Completed
Late Autumn
52 people found this review helpful
Apr 12, 2012
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
Why, of why did I read Violet's review? I had somehow fallen into a sort of quiet limbo regarding my favourite actor and almost forgotten about this movie accordingly, when I read her review, ran to watch the movie myself - talk about patience - and was instantly thrown into my most familiar obsession: Hyun Bin.

My bad. To top it all, I agree with her: this movie is beautiful. I know this is a remake of an older Korean movie with the same title which I haven't seen, but from the start it reminded me a lot of the american/french film "Before Sunrise", with the two leads carving out for themselves a tiny bubble in space and time, far from their present lives and the world outside.
The difference - a notable one for me - is that while in Before Sunrise the two protagonists talk a lot, too much for my taste, here silences are a lot more poignant and meaningful. I am actually glad I watched it raw, to the point I think everybody should do so. To elaborate: most dialogues take place in English, but there are moments when Anna speaks in Chinese and Hoon in Korean. English is their communication tool, but the reason why they understand each other is not a language. Apart from the dance scene mentioned by Violet, I fell in love with another, in which she tells him her story in Chinese and he only comments "bad" or "good", depending on what he feels is her mood. Watching it raw, made me live the entire surreal dialogue as if I were him, not grasping one word, but trying to understand what she conveyed with her posture and eyes.

I also agree about the direction, and I have come up with a sort of theory of my own as to why the colours are so subdued. What we are offered is the world outside the prison as Anna sees it. Since colours only depend on our perception, there isn't much reason for her to paint her life. No wonder she wears make up and happier clothes only for a brief moment: they look fake, in contrast with her mood. The only colourful moments are those in which she imagines.
I guess the choice of Seattle wasn't accidental either: as I recall, it is known as the rainiest city in the States.

The acting is spectacular. Hyun Bin is a gorgeous man, but that's definitely not the point of this movie, where he doesn't have to be good-looking: he has to look vain. And I'm glad it is so, for dwelling on his looks would be an offence to his acting skills.
Wei Tang's performance is outstanding. As I said, she expresses a world via silences.

Beautiful music. I wouldn't have minded a little more of it.

I recommend this movie, but only if you are prepared for its pensive pace and all the untold. Not a fluffy watch by all means, and not for anyone looking for comedy.

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Completed
The Penthouse Season 2: War in Life
52 people found this review helpful
by Duray
Apr 2, 2021
13 of 13 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Two Is Better Than One

I'll be honest; I always get nervous with dramas that have multiple seasons. One of the reasons I ditched Western dramas was due to the multiple seasons that always made the overall show draggy and boring after a certain amount of seasons. Despite me being obsessed with Penthouse, I was still nervous for season 2 because of the slight chance it might come off as "unnecessary." Let me say that is nowhere near the case. I have loved many sequels more than the original, and Penthouse is one of them. Is it because it was half the length of season 1 or because we dived right into chaos? I might never know for sure, but I can tell you what I loved about this second season.

Story:
Everything that has happened throughout the episodes has led to some fantastic plot, and I enjoyed every moment of it. I won't spoil anything just in case, but all the twists and turns were done fantastically, and I don't think I could have imagined something different, which has usually been the case with other dramas I have watched. One thing I love is how unpredictable the plot has become. You think one thing is set in stone but then it's revealed you were the main act in a circus show, and what you thought wasn't at all what was written in stone.

Characters:
For my season one review, I mentioned how each character, good or bad, was portrayed excellently and written extremely well. The same can be said with season two. One of the things I liked about season one was how, for multiple characters, they were written so you can choose whether to dislike or like them, and that continues in season two. Of course, characters still made my blood boil, as well as the fact I shed tears throughout these fantastic episodes because of them, but I love feeling those emotions with characters. Some characters took me by surprise, good or bad. I found myself at one point hating on a character I thought I liked and liking a character I thought I hated. This season also strengthens my belief that no other actors could portray these incredible characters, or at least I cannot imagine another actor as any character.

Others:
Despite the few OST's we got, all of them were fantastic, especially Repeatedly and The Morass. I wish the season was longer, but I'm glad it at least got extended by 1 episode. It was also great that one of the best episodes, episode 12, happened to air on my birthday, so it was a fantastic birthday gift if I shall say.

Final Thoughts:
Since this is season two, those who watch it or are planning to watch it have watched season one. That being said, I'm already used to the hectic drama that comes with it, so if that's the same for you, then the drama that comes from this season won't be a surprise to you. Although I would say season one technically seems more hectic and "insane," mainly due to having more episodes," season two doesn't shy away from the hectic plot at all.

I cannot wait for season three and how hectic and great it will be. The only thing I'm sad about is one episode a week, which feels like pure torture. But overall, this season is fantastic, and if you watched and liked season one, you should most definitely watch season two.

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Completed
His Man
58 people found this review helpful
Aug 26, 2022
11 of 11 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.5

Moving Forward

To think that it was only in 2020 when (arguably) the first Korean BL Drama was released to now in 2022 when we have Korea's first Gay reality dating show is truly surreal.

They managed to make this show comforting but also not shy away from hardships. While watching I was wondering to myself if they were ever going to discuss coming out or the posible consequences of being on the show at all, only to see them dedicate one episode specifically to having everyone share their experiences and feelings on the matter. I felt like the creators of this show genuinely cared about Queer people and sharing their stories.

In Korea, we've gone from merely having some side LGBT+ characters to some dramas centered specifically around them and their romances to actually portraying real Queer people on the screen.

His Man and Merry Queer are important stepping stones, for sure. Let's not just stop here though. Let's keep going!

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Completed
Warm on a Cold Night
58 people found this review helpful
Mar 13, 2023
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 22
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.0

Lukewarm.

Warm on a Cold Night is a fantasy historical investigative drama set in a fictional Qian kingdom. Qian is a rich kingdom that attracts immigration from the neighboring Qi kingdom. The Qian are more cerebral and capable administrators with strong legal frameworks and institutions. The Qi subsist in the cold and harsh Northern climate and are ridden with internal strife. They are more primitive shapeshifters with formidable and fantastical physical powers. A longstanding treaty enables Qi immigrants to better their lives in Qian defending the border and engaging in more physically demanding professions.

A young Qian constable Su Jiuér questions a hot-blooded Qi suspect Han Zheng in connection with a serial murder case. She discovers that he has a strange ability to alleviate the incurable cold disease that afflicts her and latches on to him like a lifeline. They work together grudgingly after it turns out that Han Zheng is also after her suspect Mu Yan. They get off to a bickering start but predictably fall for each other as they investigate a series of mysterious cases that stoke tensions between the Qian and the Qi in the Qian capital. They are aided by friends in high places including Jiuér's admirer and budding playwright Prince Wen Jun, his brother Crown Prince Wen Ying, and the gorgeously spectacular Qi general Chi Lan.

The main romance is carried by Li Yitong's and Bi Wenjun's chemistry; their stunning visuals and incredible charisma. These compelling actors are short-changed by two-dimensional and inconsistent character designs and a frustrating script that is lacking in both character and relationship growth. Jiu'er is a smart and logical character, a keenly astute investigator of consequential crimes in Jiuxiao City. Except when she regresses into childhood, talks to herself in a whiny and high-pitched tone, and behaves like a complete nincompoop. I was dumbfounded at this exaggerated and shallow character interpretation. Still, Li Yitong is so innately likable that she successfully pulls off such a difficult character to connect with and invest in. Although Bi Wenjun delivers a more nuanced portrayal, Han Zheng as a character is equally exasperating. All this grumpy 60-year-old Qi shapeshifter seems to do is scowl, get jealous, lose his temper, and become reckless; rinse and repeat. This is a role with the potential to be interesting and multi-faceted but that is never realized. Initially, I was too busy marveling at how he makes a fanny pack and flowery kimono print robes look so hot. As I soak up his bold, expressive eyes, the high-tanned cheekbones, haughty nose, down to... dry, chapped full lips... wait... did they run out of money for lip balm? Ouch - hope they didn't need to do too many retakes of those kiss scenes. Fabulous visuals don't cut it for long - I was quickly left wanting more from these stagnant roles locked in a juvenile romance that moves at a snooze pace.

In sharp contrast are Chi Lan and Wen Ying's much more complex and interesting stories. Both personas were clearly written by a much more sophisticated and mature writer and they anchor the show. Chi Lan is an awesome female role; measured, analytical, poised, and as cool as a cucumber with a barely perceptible air of danger about her. This lady knows when her head is being turned but if it pleases her, she permits it anyway. And you don't want to mess with her because she makes for a deadly adversary on any battlefield. Her interactions with Wen Ying are laced with tension and have real depth and complexity. Wen Ying is her true equal, another fascinating and layered personality who is at the surface cultured and sincere yet incredibly difficult to get to really know. Theirs is the romance I cared about and they are the main reason I did not drop this drama. I would love to see their story continue down the road. He Ruixian proved to be the true star of this show with her incisive portrayal of a remarkable character.

In terms of world-building, this is a wildly imaginative one that is original and different but errs on the side of being overly far-fetched. The world's "rules" are not firmly established and seem to be made up along the way. This is especially true in terms of the many functions and effects of the cyborg like the Qi vitality stone stuck to the chests of these shapeshifters that are wolves until they become apes. The writer also unnecessarily creates insurmountable biological obstacles between the Qi and Qian races just to impress upon us the depth and endurance of the main love story. It smacks of the work of an immature and lazy writer who couldn't be bothered to show us that their love is epic instead of forcing it upon us. What I like best about the world is the Qi's superpowers and how they engage in combat. The fight scene choreography is amazing; energetic, hard-hitting, lethal, and thrilling. I especially enjoyed watching Chi Lan's badass and deadly grace in combat.

As for the mysteries, they run too long and while they are quite interesting, the only memorable one is the painting case. Their strength is not in the plot but in the wonderful job the production does humanizing the victims as people who lived, laughed, loved, and will be missed. They also tie in nicely with the main conspiracy which is well-conceived. While some of the villains are too obvious, the mastermind hides in plain sight and surfaces with a nice twist. Although I suspected them quite early on, the acting was so masterful I doubted myself until the reveal. As for the ending, it was a mixed bag - an epic showdown, a great escape, some noble idiocy, a bizarre reversal, a ruler is anointed and loose ends aplenty. All things considered, this drama is true to its hot and cold theme in leaving me lukewarm. I rate this 8.0/10.0 simply because of the mastermind twist, without which it was a solid 7.5 all the way for me.

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Completed
180 Degree Longitude Passes Through Us
58 people found this review helpful
by LiN
Sep 19, 2022
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 7
Overall 8.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 7.5

180 Degree - Right In The Feelings

This LGBTQIA+ series is all I ever visually dreamed of, not in a "how handsome the actors are" or in a "the romance is so explicit" but rather the entire CINEMATOGRAPHY was ON POINT. So good, that I´d even forget my doubts about some part of the story. It´s a heavenly gift for everyone who not only watches the series for the plot but also for the techniques of filming and editing. It’s BREATHTAKING!
(TW: age gap, loss)

Story >> 8.0 >> 9.0
As I said before, I still have a few doubts about the plot. Nothing extremely bothersome tho. All in all, I loved the portrayal of this kind of “unspoken” story and all the time they took to emphasize on the characters conflicts and true, growing emotions.

Acting/ Cast >> 9.5
The relatability was archived by extremely good acting and an incredible production team. I hope I can expect more of this top-notch acting in the future because it felt unreal. Especially Nike´s performance was drawing my attention.

Music >> 8.5
I really hope that other thai LGBQTIA+ series could make use of soundtracks and background music like this series does. Not that there was any specific soundtrack that I liked, but they just all fit the mood well and did not bother me in the slightest, which is rare.

Rewatch Value >> 8.0 >> 7.5
It is so beautiful to watch, not even question if I´d rewatch this. I definitely will sooner or later!

100% RECOMMENDED if you are okay with the main characters' significant age gap.

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Completed
City of Romance
58 people found this review helpful
Feb 16, 2025
22 of 22 episodes seen
Completed 3
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

SO SO SO UNDERRATED!!!!!! EXCELLENT ACTING

DON'T TRUST THE RATINGS!!!
After so long I've come across such a nice drama, really ♥️ It's so fresh and peaceful and sweet and funny at the same time.

The leads are amazing, the second leads are amazing and the whole group is amazing.
The drama so much reminds me of When I Fly Towards You and Our Secret ♥️♥️

I initially started watching it because of Yu Cheng En as I previously watched him as Demo in Go Go Squid, I was so excited to see him in a lead role!!!! And surprisingly I fell in love with the female lead too ♥️ Even the other lead is amazing ♥️♥️
IT'S A MUST WATCH!!!!! IT LITERALLY DESERVES MUCH MORE RECOGNITION 😭

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Completed
The Legendary Life of Queen Lau
58 people found this review helpful
Jul 7, 2022
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

So cute and funny

This drama is a comedy, I don't understand how there are so many people that can't get this and keep complaining about no historical accuracy or that the characters behave in a absurd and unbelievable way for royal standarts. You see, this is a comedy, absurdity is a great part of this genre as well as overacting and misunderstandings. And I loved how the humour was in the whole show, it's very common for cdramas start very humorous and suddenly change its climate and becomes very dramatic. In The Legendary Life of Queen Lau we don't have this, even in dramatic moments there is much comedy, the drama is light and fun from start to end.Even the controversy about the costumes I think are not valid at all because the story takes place in a fictional kingdom, with a lot of anachronical customs and technology, the mix of styles is something that I don't think it cause weirdness.
The romance part could have been better, but I don't feel that this would discredit the drama. I'm very used to japanese dramas that have very little to none kisses and skinship, so I didn't found so strange the couple's lack of intimacy. Actually, I found they were very intimate, always hugging, holding hands and showing affection even without kisses. Differently from some I didn't feel that the Emperor was suddenly in love, it was very gradual and we can see his interest in her growing, the dreams and daydreams he have about her are so sweet and funny.
I loved all characters but the Queen is the indeed the owner of the drama! She can be considered ugly but her self esteem and confidence are beyond amazing. I became a Jackie Li fan and already want to see new projects of her.

There are a lot of editing problems and messy plots but this is sooo common in cdramas so I'm already used to it XD

My conclusion:
It is a amazing drama, very light and funny that made feel very happy and smile almost all the time. If you start it having in mind that this is a comedy first, a romance later and palace drama never, if you stop keep searching for logic and understand that the lack of logic is part of the fun, I think you will enjoy as much as I did.

PS: I really hope there will have another season with more antics, craziness and love between the queen and her husband! And who knows, even a child. I would love this so much XD

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Completed
Live
64 people found this review helpful
by Gyeoul
May 11, 2018
18 of 18 episodes seen
Completed 3
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers
I've seen lots of dramas and yet this is my first review. The reason I chose to write it for this drama is because of how great it is. I always anticipated the release of a new episode, and would download it on Netflix to watch offline any chance I got. During long commutes to school or work, even for study "breaks".

It's plot and characters are so well developed, that you fall in love with every character, whether they were an officer, citizen, victim, or suspect (trying to keep this review spoiler free). It shows the realities of officers and the daily struggles of both becoming a part of the force and staying in it. It removes the romanticized notion of the job of a cop, as it shows the frustrating and devastating moments as well as the miracles of life. It truly gives you a new perspective of life hence the name of the drama.

This is the only drama I found myself crying right at the beginning of the episodes, and crying nonstop right until the end of every single episode. This drama humbles you in ways you never imagined, and helps the viewer to appreciate the meaning of life. While I gave everything else a score of 10 (5 stars) I gave rematch value a 9.0 because I normally don't rewatch dramas anyways (unless it's little clips of them) but this one I feel I would want to rewatch in the future, but only once I've recovered from seeing it the first time. That being said, I've also never laughed as hard and out loud while watching a drama before.

I want to thank everyone who played a part in the creation of this masterpiece, for I genuinely enjoyed every second of the drama 'Live'.

P.S. While I often find myself watching an action or mystery drama, my preference usually is a good rom com. There is just the right amount of romance in this drama as well to make your heart flutter and your stomach feel butterflies. Of course I had to download the soundtrack because of my babes EXO, but all the songs are really amazing. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

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