Reviews

a sweet slice of life

Overall: this was a really enjoyable high school setting BL, but the writers needed to narrow the plot/remove some characters. Watched on Gagaoolala.

Content Warnings: grief, hit, parental abuse/slap

What I Liked
- beginning grabbed my attention, and the umbrella with About Youth written on it was an excellent prop
- nice intro/OST and music
- sweet/caring moments
- cameo in episode 2 from MODC actor, Wilson Liu
- balance of lighter moments with heavier moments, felt like a realistic high school romance
- production value

Room For Improvement
- there was just too much plot and characters for the short run time which led to dropped plot threads (like the election), characters who vanished (uncle, that bully) and led to choppiness where a scene would suddenly jump to another scene at an unknown time later
- too many repetitive scenes, 5 accidental fall and catches, 3 teach him scenes, time could have been better spent elsewhere
- there were quite a few characters introduced and I was confused who the two friends were wondering who they should tell when they saw the boyfriend in episode 1
- end of ep 1, I was confused about where that water came from, apparently some people do throw water onto the street (per the comment on this review)

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how am i supposed to live, laugh, love in these conditions?

I went into this show knowing of the intense controversy surrounding it, but my rule of thumb is that the more controversial a show is, the more I want to watch it. All press is good press, as they say. It is not for me to say whether the show should have used the ’87 elections as a backdrop to the show, so instead I will speak on everything else in the show, what I liked, what I hated, what I loved and what I rolled my eyes at.

Overviewing opinion of the show:

I LOVE good star-crossed enemies to lovers and this show certainly delivered and they did not water it down. Love borne from ignorance and innocence that becomes corrupted by beliefs and ideology but eventually overcomes these difficulties, the show really tugged at my heartstrings with how beautiful and poignant it is.

There were points that lagged and lacked, points I rolled my eyes and skipped forward (looking at you, three wives of those three idiots) and the show did suffer from bad pacing when you spend like, what? 5/6 whole episodes trapped in the one place with the same thing happening time and time again? But even then, it’s a ticking time bomb – this pace is like a frog in water that is being brought to a boil. You don’t even notice what’s happening until it’s too late and everything has come down around you and the show explodes into action. Everything is falling into place and you can’t even breathe as you feel the helplessness and frustration of the people trapped inside of the University – who to trust? Who to turn to? Who is an ally and who is an enemy? These frustrations peak and the deteriorating situation literally leaves you having to watch the next episode after the last left you with bated breath because you don’t know what’s going to happen, who’s going to turn and who is going to betray.

The love story of the show is its backbone, its main star and attraction.

Yeong-ro is young and innocent and you watch her fall in love, just as helpless as the viewer. And then when the truth explodes, you can feel her anger and hurt and how betrayed she feels: betrayal for being lied to, betrayed by her own feelings that make it impossible to truly hate Soo-ho. She pulls back as Soo-ho reaches for her because she’s not some hapless teen in love: she’s smart, intuitive, she’s allowed to feel all those feelings of hurt and anger towards him before they lull and teeter off into forgiveness. You can even feel her being partly disgusted for having had those feelings, and partly disgusted for still having them.

Soo-ho, on the other hand, is less than innocent and he looks at Yeong-ro like she’s the only source of warmth in the cold light of his life that has been cast since he was a child. He knows he cannot love her, he knows he should not love her but he DOES. Even when he tries not to, it’s so painfully obvious he does and he’s caught between the rock and hard place of his love for her and his loyalty to his sister and country. He’s pulled in every single direction and spread too thin because no matter what he does, he knows someone is going to get hurt. Perhaps it was fate, perhaps it was destiny, perhaps it was life’s cruel joke to have him find a love and to be loved but cannot be, but he does and while the world is deadset on killing him and Yeong-ro, the two fall into this peaceful inbetween of taking the little time that they have together and seizing it with their hands.

ACTORS AND THEIR CHARACTERS:

I had no idea that it was BLACKPINK’s Jisoo as the main female lead as I’m not a BLACKPINK fan but I remember scratching my head for the first episode because I KNEW I had seen her somewhere and imagine my surprise! I’ve seen a lot of hate towards Jisoo’s acting, and I think a LOT of it is unfounded. For a first major lead as a rookie actress, Jisoo really holds her own against more seasoned actors and puts so much heart and emotion into Yeong-ro. Yeong-ro is young, she’s innocent without being naïve, unknowing without being ignorant – she’s truly a kind soul and a young woman on the cusp of being an adult in the real world and she still has this innocence about her that makes you want to protect her. And you can tell there’s something wanting in her – with a dead mother, a brother on the front lines and an apathetic, absent father, there’s a void inside of her that seems like it can never be filled in. Jisoo’s acting, my God, the girl can ACT and I know for a fact she can get even better with time. I loved seeing her onscreen and she really held her own against Jung Hae-in, especially when the truth comes out and you can feel how she is reeling with betrayal, hurt and how she wants to hate him but CAN’T. I did feel like the chemistry did dissipate slightly towards the end of the series before it was reignited again, but I suppose that is partially due to the fact that Soo-ho really becomes the main character from episode 10 onwards and the storyline shifts almost entirely away from the romance before dragging it back to the love story. Her characterisation flipflops a bit and there are times she does feel like only a plot device for Soo-ho's own character growth because Yeong-ro does not change as a person; suffering through tragedy and trauma is not character growth, not when she's left in the ruins alone after the fact. I liked Jisoo's acting and I know she has great potential for the future and I very much look forward to any future projects Jisoo has in store!

Hae-in, oh boy, lord hath mercy – the man is a powerhouse of talent. I haven’t seen anything that he has been in before, though I do know the titles and have seen clips but this is the first show that I have sat down and watched all the way through and I need to remedy my earlier mistake of not seeing anything he’s been in. Hae-in creates a Soo-ho that is the epitome of a victim of his circumstances. He could not choose where he was born, he could not choose his parents, he could not choose his life, he could not choose his path, his job, his future. He’s like a leaf atop of a streaming river, carried by its current until the end. And prior to Yeong-ro, he lets himself be carried without fighting against the tide, then she manages to take a hold of his soul and heart and pull him back from drowning. You can feel the conflict alongside Soo-ho, the conflict of what he wants and what he needs to do, duty and love tearing him apart. He tries so desperately to reclaim the person he was but it’s too late – the love that he has for Yeong-ro has fundamentally changed him as a human being. You can see him trying to disconnect from his feelings for her during the hostage situation but he’s tied to his emotions and to her whether he likes it or not. He’s desperate and lost because this is the first time he’s ever made a choice for himself and Hae-in is amazing at portraying this, at Soo-ho’s constant internal battle. Just like Yeong-ro, there’s a void inside of him that is shaped like her and only together do they really make each other whole.

The rest of the cast are sublime, Jang Seung-jo as Kang-moo is amazing. He’s desperate and calculating, passionate, pragmatic, and vengeful. You look at him and you know he’s a ticking time bomb, but you never know when he’s going to go off. Jung Yoo-jin was less than stellar, but she does portray Han-na as being exactly the opposite to Kang-moo: she’s a bomb whose fuse goes off time and time again. I did get annoyed with her multiple times throughout the show but I can’t say I hate her. Yoon In-na, unfortunately, did not stand out to me but I suppose it’s just because of how her character is written: cold and detached, pragmatic beyond belief and cold. There is one instance that I did love was her seeing the broken minded Ms. Oh and you can see it in her eyes that she finally realises the future that awaits her: abandoned by the country she served and left to suffer the memories of all the atrocities she committed until it breaks her.

Kim Hye-yoon, woooo boy she did a great job of making me both hate Gye Bun-ok and pitying her. Because on one hand, Gye Bun-ok has every right to be the way she is and you can understand why she doesn’t want to join in on the scheme that is brewing in the university. She has first hand experience of what happens to those who turn against the government and to communism, and the consequences they face as she still suffers the consequences that her old sister made because of that. She’s a pitiful character that I don’t think I can say I even hate her, even though she really annoyed me. She is constantly bullied and looked down upon by the college girls and has been abused by her parents all her life, even while acting as the sole breadwinner. She has every right to not feel loyal to the people who mocked and bullied her constantly, who saw her as nothing more than an infection to the rest of the student body. But, man, you see her act out time and time again even knowing why she’s doing what she’s doing but you just want to wring her neck out. Also, what the hell was that weird thing that was implied going on between her and Gyeok-chan? It really grabbed my attention and was quite disappointed it didn't really go anywhere.

There aren’t many other characters that stood out to me but I will say this: I HAAATTTEEEDDD the storyline of the three wives, like I mean HATED. I did not watch a single scene of them without skipping forward because of how boring they were. I only enjoyed it when they were getting their comeuppance but other than that, nothing positive can be said about these characters whose names I didn’t even bother to remember.

Other comments:
- The music and cinematography of the show were [chefs kiss]. Honestly outstanding and out of this world, a treat to the eyes and a feast that kept on giving. The show was honestly just so beautiful to watch, if I didn’t even like the show I would have kept on watching because it was such a beautiful show to watch.
- Once again, the pacing really hindered the show from reaching full potential as the same things kept happening more than once as well as the fact they stretched out the hostage situation a bit longer than I would have liked. I also would have liked if they kept up the storyline of the girls hiding Soo-ho in the dorm a bit longer.
- Even knowing the politics of the 1987 elections, I do think the show didn’t really go into the nitty gritty of it too much. I partially agree with some of the backlash being towards the show’s narrative of having ANSP agents being the ones trying to end the corruption within the election, but at the same time, I don’t think the show tries to say, “this is the truth and only the truth of what happened”.
- Not enough weird 80s fashion, disappointing.
- Now I know that I said I didn’t like how the hostage situation dragged on longer than it needed, but I liked the fact it made the show feel claustrophobic, as if you’re trapped in the university alongside the bulk of the cast. I felt as trapped as the students and staff did, only able to watch what was happening and not being able to go anywhere or do anything. It really added to the whole atmosphere and made everything feel much more tense.
- I’m going to admit it: there were times that I did wish Soo-ho followed through with his threats during the hostage situation simply because I wanted something to happen. But perhaps, on the flipside, it added more tension for me because I was there, waiting with bated breath wondering if he’ll actually follow through and kill a student as he threatened he would.
- I honestly feel disappointed at people who are hating on Jisoo’s acting because I thought she was sublime, especially considering the fact this is her first major role, I believe. Though I admit there are times I did feel like she was lacking a bit and Hae-in had to carry the bulk of the chemistry between the two – her interactions with Soo-ho towards the last few episodes felt lacklustre especially with the lack of reciprocation towards Soo-ho’s displays of affection, but I’m also empathetic towards the fact romance probably isn’t on the forefront of her mind what with everything going on in her personal life and the situation at hand. I see people getting annoyed over the fact that Yeong-ro felt betrayed and hurt towards Soo-ho as if he didn’t just take all her friends captive and use her as a human shield? As if he didn’t lie to her and put her in this situation? Like, Yeong-ro’s reaction and behaviour is extremely believable and human. Why should she trust Soo-ho after he lied and did what he did, acted how he acted and said what he said? And Jisoo was amazing at portraying this hurt and anger beautifully because you can see the innocence in Yeong-ro leave her, that she’s forced to face the consequences of being young and being in love and realising that all really isn’t fair in love and war.

Conclusion:

This show is not for people who like action packed, constant romance, fast paced, good guys v bad guys and characters who are more than three dimensional. You will feel fatigue watching it, but then it’s the end of an episode and you NEED to know what happens next. It’s a slow burn, an ember burning before it explodes into a fire. I will definitely be adding this to my very small list of shows I rewatch.

Final thoughts:
I wrote the bulk of this review when I was still waiting for episodes 15 and 16 to drop and much of it remains the same, but I am going to retract my last sentence in the conclusion. I do not think I will be able to mentally handle watching this show more than once. The tragedy and even the unfairness of this show remains consistent. I opened the review by saying this show was beautiful and poignant, but I forgot to say how tragic it is. I probably spent an entire hour sobbing hysterically after the finale to the point I thought my eyes were going to pop out of my head.

To say I wanted everyone to live happily ever after would be a lie, but I wanted them to simply live a life they can be content with. No spoilers, but I think the tragedy of this show lies in the fact that some people will always be victims – victims to the government, victim to their regrets, their mistakes, to the corrupt people in power, and even to their own feelings. There is no spoonful of sugar to wash down the bitterness in this show. It is raw and burns you and I cannot remember the last time a show has managed to pull this depth of emotions from me before. The ending is unsatisfactory, it leaves you empty and numb and you wonder: "What was it all for? What's the point if this is what the end is?". There are so many unanswered questions, so many loose ends left to dangle untied and even when those who deserved their comeuppance, it's superficial, like sand in your stomach because it fills you up but you're still empty otherwise.

You feel a sense of helplessness and hopelessness and it hurts, by God does it hurt watching that finale. And part of me hates the show for it, and I was adamant that if I didn’t get a bittersweet ending this show was going to get a bad score from me but I can’t, I can’t not when this show has caused such deep, emotional reactions within me.

And you accept what Yeong-ro has come to learn: all is not fair in love and war, not in this life.

And the real tragedy of it all is that you were hoping for much more than what this show was able to deliver, perhaps it's naivety or foolishness, but I wanted, I hoped, I despaired. You watch that final scene and you know in that moment, you are Yeong-ro and you know the life that awaits her, more tragedy paving the path. It leads me to ask: is a life alone, having lost everyone you know and love, any better than dying?

I have a feeling it will be a question haunting Yeong-ro for the rest of her life, forced to carry on when everyone else has been left behind.

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I'll start my review with this: <3<3<3<3<<3<3<3<<3<3<3<3<3!

Ok, let's go now: Healer is the best drama I have watched in my two years of watching dramas. I am absolutely speechless, actually I have so much to say and I don't know where should I begin. I'm not biased or something like that because I started this drama out of pure curiosity, I didn't even know JCW and YJT existed(shame on me, stupid girl) and I wasn't fond of PMY's acting. However, the three of them did such a good job portraying their characters and overwhelmed me completely. JCW became my first favorite actor because his acting is simply brilliant, I've never seen a Korean actor before him who's able to portray emotions so perfectly, switching constantly (He played Healer and geek Park Bong Soo). His eyes are expressing every single one of his feelings, I just focus on his eyes and I can read his mind, just perfect. PMY also surprised me (like I said she didn't make impact on me with her acting before) but she was so amazing here, her character Chae Yong Shin suited her so well that it is unbelievable, her chemistry with JCW is something you can't see every day, they are the best couple I've seen in dramas, maybe even in shows generally. That love in Healer was portrayed so beautifully, so intense, so perfect!! Every their interaction made my heart skip a beat, they don't even have to touch, their looking at each other tells you everything! And when they touch I feel like going insane, I've never felt that way before watching some couple in a drama. but this couple is something else. Also, other actors like Do Ji Won who played CYS's mum Myung Hee, Park Sang Won as Kim Moon Shik etc did an awesome job too! Every single character in this drama was portrayed so good, even the ''bad ones'' like Kim Moon Shik and his secretary were interesting to watch because they are not the usual drama-like bad characters who ruin everything, they had their own characteristics which they are known for like every human being, so they were also intriguing. Everything in this drama was done so perfectly I can't even explain it here properly, even If I used so many words.. Plot done by a perfect writer Song Ji Na, acting, OST.. If you haven't seen this drama believe me and start right now, you won't regret it, you'll actually be thankful to God and me, and other people who recommend it. :)

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What we should ALL be talking about

I want to talk about this drama with someone so badly!

When I saw the trailer I wasn't sure if I would like or watch this drama, but I'm so glad I am. The sex scenes are so well placed and tastefully done. The last scene in episode 4 is a MASTER class in the female gaze. I felt like I was watching a truly intimate and life changing moment instead of just a sex scene, if that makes any sense.

The story follows two women, one (Hee Jae) who is waking up from a five year loveless relationship and another (Min Na) who is not chasing love but sex. The two women are charged with hosting a podcast on sex in which they share topics and views with thier audience.

I love the premise, I believe you have to be a person coming out of a long term relationship or a person who has been in a long term relationship to truly empathize and understand how Hee Jae feels when she realizes her relationship has been one-sided and how selfish her partner was. For Min Na, I love the portrayal of a woman taking charge of her sex life and going after what and who she wants in a safe manner. I also like how the author, In Chan, talks about sex in the age of social distancing and how as human beings we long for touch.

As of this writing, I've only watched up to episode 4 but I'm hoping they continue to push the subject of healthy sex between couples and partners and to show that sex isn't anything to be ashamed of.

Update as of Episode 5 & 6:
Ok, I love this drama! The male leads are walking green flags.

Hee Jae chasing In Chan to be FWB (Friends with Benefits) is so adorably cringy. I like the role reversal where the man wants to fall in love and not just have sex. In Chan is genuinely showing Hee Jae that he wants to date her and fall in love not just have sex with her.

Min Na falling for Dr. Cha is unexpectedly cute. Her backstory was heartbreaking.

I dare say this drama is turning into a healing drama.

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I am so sad that this drama is over. Legitimately sad. That's an amazing feat considering how much I thought the first two episodes sucked! I've also managed to give this drama a 10, which may seem illogical based on some of my critiques (and I have many), but I really could not give it even a half point lower... that's how much I loved Lucky Romance. I guess that's fitting since this drama puts feelings over logic as a theme. I feel like Shim Bo Nui, I know it doesn't make sense, but I don't care : p



You should be warned that this is a full on RomCom, so if you're not interested in romance this is definitely the wrong drama for you. If you are a romance fan, even a slight romance fan, then this is a must see! Not because of the story, which follows the standard kdrama romance formula, but what sets this romance apart is the chemistry between the two leads, and that is 100% due to the breakout lead performance of Ryu Joon Yeol as Je Su Ho. He is perfectly cast, and PERFECT is not an exaggeration. I think the first two episodes are boring because they focus on introducing the plot, and on Shim Bo Nui being weird, but as soon as we get to see more of Su Ho the show became instantly addictive.



Hwang Jung Eum has lucked out with many great pairings, but this one is my new favorite. She relies on her usual perky personality, which can be annoying, but it really fit the quirkiness of this character well. I also liked that even though the character was kooky, and irrational, she was also smart, and not just a doormat. Bo Nui is desperate, and self destructive, without losing her charm, which makes her extremely complicated. They both nailed the balance between silly humor and more emotional scenes. They also looked good together, even with her HORRIBLE outfits (I still don't understand the hospital gown couture). My only complaint about the pairing is their kissing scenes... UGH! Joon Yeol gives everything to those moments, including his beautiful lips, and she just presses her lips to his with no effort. It pisses me off too much not to mention it.



The rest of the cast is also amazing. Gary Choi is a great 2nd lead character. I like his dynamic with the leads, and that he's not a villain-type. I've never seen Lee Soo Hyuk in a drama before, so I wasn't initially impressed, but he grew on me quickly. Amy's character was not as likable, but I still think Lee Chung Ah did a great job. The office team is full of great smaller characters, with their own cute little stories (I loved the office bet moments), but the supporting character MVPs are BFFs Dal Nim and Ryang Ha. They really were hilariously cute together, as well as perfect support for the leads. Some of my favorite moments in the show are their banter. They are the perfect comedy relief when the rest of the story gets less humorous too. I really don't think there are any weak acting links in the cast, and it's the cast that drives this show. I am annoyed by the lack of development for Jung In Ki's role, but that has nothing to do with his acting, which I think was spot on, that's the writer's fault.



That leads me to this dramas biggest weakness, and that's the story. Not only is the premise ridiculous, but how it's handled left many questions unanswered. I think that's part of the charm of the story, not having everything defined as 0's and 1's (a major reoccurring theme), but it is also frustrating. Then there are other storylines that are introduced... a missing father... the chicken guy... disgruntled ex employees... but those stories just aren't ever as interesting as the main love story. Even the game development story is only slightly intriguing, and just another brilliant means for them to interact. So I thought the story was pretty average, but I was still a fan of the writing. What I thought the writer did well were actually what the characters said, or how they interacted with each other. Ju Ho has some brilliant moments, and unless he was totally created through improv, the writer deserves credit for making one of my favorite drama characters EVER.



The music got better. I wasn't initially a fan, but I started liking some of the later songs more. What I really love is how they incorporated the song "Sad Fate" into the story. I thought that was very well done.



Now for the real reason behind me giving this drama a 10, and thats the rewatch value. Of course I gave this a 10 for rewatch value, because I am already rewatching, and I'm already up to episode 7 o.O!!! I've never done that with a drama ever!



So overall, this drama may not be perfect, but Ryu Joon Yeol was perfect, and that earns this drama a 10 score from me. I can't believe he's only been in two dramas!!! Obviously I now have to watch Reply 1988! I know that the next drama he's in will probably have me doing a countdown 'till the first episode.



If you're reluctant to watch, just please remember not to judge this drama by it's first couple of episodes. Once this show gets on a roll it is continuously charming until the very end. There are also some great themes about love, life, and "fate" in it that I appreciate. Oh, and I truly appreciate my new ideal kdrama namja chingu... RJY. I have a feeling I'm not alone in feeling that way!

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Here we have it folks - Shopping King Louie Joseon Edition!

It pretty much was, you can't deny it. However, all jokes aside, I cannot deny that I immensely enjoyed watching this drama. Without a shadow of a doubt I looked forward to each episode which brightened my Monday and Tuesday evenings (which are pretty grim), as the whole drama was just sweet and oh so refreshing. I absolutely loved it. If you are wavering about this drama, please give it a go, it was amazing.

I'll actually begin my review with the acting and cast. It was lovely to see Kyungsoo as a main male lead, he pulled off the role incredibly well and proved his acting ability. I loved whenever he would get triggered by things and go "Oh hO!!" lmao. D.O. is clearly an amazing actor and that goes without saying. Nam Ji Hyun was also good, but I have to say that it felt like Kyungsoo was the one who shone between the two of them and pretty much made the drama - but I suppose it was inevitable by the way in which the show had been written. Nam Ji Hyun has proven before that she can play some stronger women roles, like in Suspicious Partner, so I thought it was alright. Jo Sung Ha was brilliant as expected but what I really enjoyed were the characters in the village! God it was so sweet that I felt like I wanted to live there at times lmao. The second lead syndrome was there for me in this one - it wasn't too much because the guy pretty much knew he had no chance from the start and didn't really make a move (unless it was to tease the crown prince) but I actually enjoyed his character and thought he was an amazing friend to the main leads. Lastly, I want to address the I know the King was annoying to some but I actually greatly enjoyed him as a character. Yes, we are seeing weak kings crop up quite often when the drama circles around a Crown Prince main lead but I felt his character was a bit more lovable. There wasn't too much fault with any of the acting.

Okay, so, the story. We can all agree, as I said earlier, it was pretty much a Joseon version of Shopping King Louie, with the rich guy with amnesia, Nam Ji Hyun (lol bless her, always having to play these roles) finding her brother- I mean it is quite coincidental but hey I still love both. I actually enjoyed the story, I didn't really skip much and I am glad that they didn't add too much seriousness and conflict as it would take away how sweet this drama actually was, but not so little that we were sitting here thinking "ugh when is something actually going to happen". The only disappointment with the story, in my opinion, was towards the end. I definitely felt that the last episode was rushed and there was too much to do - start/end a war and also get the main leads together. Moreover, I was getting a little annoyed that Hong Shim was telling the Crown Prince that she didn't want to be with him! I think that they had been through enough shit together that they really deserved each other. I genuinely have no idea why the writers decided to make us go through that bs at the end when instead we could have got some more heartwarming scenes between the main leads to finish it all off.

Moo Young's death was expected on my part. The man literally had been shot by so many arrows through the series as well as so much pain that I was surprised they didn't kill him off sooner. I definitely did not want him to die in the slightest, I liked him a lot, but I think the fact he went through so much pain and then DIED - ugh it's so upsetting. This fact was so important to me I put it in its own paragraph lmao.

The music was lovely, it fitted the series well and familiar faces, or voices I should say, popped up on some of the tracks which was a treat. It was memorable at the time in which I watched the series and perhaps if I heard them again, but nothing really stuck in my mind. It was wonderful though. What was nice was that there wasn't music in many scenes which meant that the music never felt 'overplayed'.

I probably wouldn't rewatch this drama unless I was with one of my friends and trying to get them to watch it. That being said, I've only rewatched half of one series lol.

Overall, this drama was an absolute treat, I really enjoyed it and I do hope that you did too. Thank you for reading my review and I hope I didn't bore you too much.

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A touching drama criticizing society in the most beautiful way

This was an emotional ride with every singel emotion known ... I have probably cried every singel type of tear i know of.... so to say I was touched is an understatement.

This drama combines important issues while celebrating peoples life and showing both respect and nuance to peoples death. Every episode has a message and while some kick you making you want to fight back, some will give you hope and others are just sad and that is okay too.

The main story is touching on its own with, trauma, violence, misunderstandings and a whole lot of regret truly has everything and more that one can expect and wish for from this type of drama. I Love the way this drama shows people of different ability as competent humans with emotions deserving respect but also in need of assistance. I also love how this drama tackels prejudice and controversial issues in today's society in an unapologetic yet beautiful way.

I was not annoyed at any one, never had the urge to pause, the humor in it hit just the right spot and all in all I loved it. Yes I did. This does not mean every second was perfect or that every singel actors acting was flawless it just means I liked the way it woke my emotions and made me feel so many different emotions in only 10 episodes.

What also made this drama great was that different episodes where kind of different generas so there was really not time to get bored. While some episodes where more emotional, other episodes kept me on my toes, some truly caught me of guard and supersized me and some even made me fall in love... but to be clear the romance truly is kept to a minimum.

This drama also taught me that even dead people communicate, we just have to listen and observe the objects they leave behind and that as long as some one is in your memory you will never be alone... kind of creepy but sweet and comforting.

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Okay, first of all, I want to address the haters out there. They are going to say that Cha Eun Woo is just another Idol who can't act. He is just a pretty face that doesn't deserve the lead roles already. They will also be saying that Im Soo Hyang is too old for the role. I have also read a few people say that the story was "too slow" and the romance "too childish".
I disagree with all of the above statements. Cha Eun Woo has some serious acting chops. I am not really a critic. Honestly, I usually think everyone is great, but all the negative comments he was getting made me pay extra attention. His character was pretty traditional stoic and standoffish. But I thought he played the part well. He would have these minute facial expressions that showed what he was thinking. And his character grew and progressed as the story went on.
Im Soo Hyang did an awesome job for the part. Because of the plastic surgery she was supposed to look more "mature" than her fellow students, so her age wasn't really a problem. The actress was excellent for the part. I can't imagine anyone else doing such a good job portraying someone who looks beautiful but feels ugly.
As for the rest, haters gonna hate.
This was a lovely show about a girl who was bullied all through her childhood for being "ugly". Before entering college, she gets plastic surgery done on her whole face in hopes that she can have a new life. But it turns out, it takes more than a new face to change your life. She has to learn to love herself and to not judge herself or others based on the way they look.
Most importantly, at least for me, the ending was perfect. It had everything I want in a drama ending. And for me that is pretty rare.

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Clichés? We don't know what that is

What makes this drama so special? For me personally, it was the lack of cliches. Our female lead can stand her ground, she isn't a damsel in distress who needs saving every time. She also knows what she wants. Our male lead, although younger he has proven just how mature he can be and how much he cares for her. As he said, "she can worry about beauty, I'll worry about her health". They are both willing to comprise.

When an issue presented itself instead of breaking up they dealt with it. I've seen many dramas that when an issue arises the first thought is always to break up because they think that's what's best for the other person. Like Lin Yang said, "I won't hurt him and I won't hurt myself". This drama presented a realistic view of a relationship.

They are childhood friends, she has seen him since he was a baby. He fell in love with her when he was 15, and saw her go through many breakups yet he never gave up. He knew what he wanted and he charged forwards for it. He never hesitated in showing his love for her.

Love triangle? yes but it's so light that you barely feel it's there and it got resolved halfway through the drama.
Annoying second female lead? yes, but he always made it clear and drew a bright red line between them which left no room for misunderstandings. Our female lead also stood her ground. Although annoying li tian came around.

Supportive parents? Yes, it would be weird if they didn't support them considering they wanted their kids to marry even before they were conceived. Plus they treated each other's children as their own.

Supportive bestfriends? Yes, there is no backstabbing. They felt like that ride-or-die type of friend.

I would recommend this drama. It's light but it still manages to portray a good relationship between the leads.

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“Why do you Run?”

This drama is about two adults who met in the oddest way, but at the perfect time - one who is an orphan and has been living only for herself, and one who has been living for others to the point that he's left with nothing for himself. And no, they did not need each other nor did they need saving, but they grew as their own person when their worlds collided. This drama follows their journey of self discovery and self love. This drama does not have your usual tropes, angst, and fluff (at least at the beginning- wait for it!), it doesn't have a major conflict, but it just shows the characters' day-to-day lives. It shows a mature and realistic take on relationships. It shows that we are simply the protagonists of our own lives. Moreover, It shows the importance of finding yourself and loving yourself first before you are able to give yourself to others. The cherry on top? Their chemistry. The main leads' chemistry is THROUGH THE ROOF so be prepared to fall in love with them.

As the title might suggest - this isn't a sports drama, but a slice-of-life romcom. It's funny, endearing, impactful, and heartwarming. It carries so many life lessons and touches on many sensitive issues like sexuality. As the FL is a movie translator, this also includes a lot of classic movie references/ parodies that enthusiasts may like. It may be slow at the beginning but it's because of the many layers and depth that will be unveiled as the drama progresses. This is also full of parallelism and symbolism that might require reflecting before you fully understand because that's how rich and detailed the writing is. This is a dialogue and character driven drama, which might not be for everyone, but it's as good as it gets. This drama's charms are the raw, rich, refreshing, and excruciatingly honest dialogues, the witty jabs (trust me the humor is very, very well written), and how the story circles back to its title - Run On. Run On, move forward - even if it life gets difficult, you can always slow down, just don't give up. Despite your traumas, life must go on.

This drama is so healthy, real, and good for the soul - no toxic relationships or toxic masculinity. The men: the male lead is a character we haven't seen before - he's odd, awkward, but in every way charming. He is always ready to lend a helping hand to others. He has a hard time communicating and expressing himself but eventually the female lead broke his ice (isn't it fitting that the FL just happened to be literally, a translator?) The 2nd male lead is equally charming, a bit emotional and sensitive, but knows what he wants. He's quite the character. The women? Damn. The women are strong and brilliant. The female lead is the epitome of self love without any selfishness. Despite her tough past, she grew up well. The 2nd female lead is a chaebol (not your ordinary one) - a strong, independent woman, but puts up walls and boundaries. It's beautiful to see all of them grow and come together, with a bit of cute bickering on the side. The characters are very unique - roles/jobs that aren't usually shown in dramas (a translator, retired athlete, movie distributor, artist, and so) so this is quite refreshing. I also loved how all the characters have a relationship with each other (not just the leads) - bromance, sismance, even the male lead and 2nd female lead and vice versa. The friendship that developed among the leads and supporting cast is just phenomenal. The writer also managed to let the 2nd couple shine and not just make them a mere filler even until the last episodes. Even the smallest roles were given recognition. Cannot praise the writer enough for this.

If you are looking for a comforting and healing drama, this is for you. If you are at a bad place or if you are feeling lost, this is for you. Honestly it has been a while since i've been this attached to a drama. I assure that you will fall in love with the characters, the insanely beautiful cinematography, the OST, and the impeccable writing. It is in every way sensible and authentic. It is full of so, so many life lessons if you'll just go beyond the surface.

[Edit after completing] Well, it's still as beautiful as when it started. It's great from start to end, cried a lot in the last episode. The ending has to be the best i've seen in kdramas. I love how everyone was given their own happy endings. I also love how the ending shows that life just goes on for everyone - you don't need a big, grand, happy ending to find meaning in our day to day lives. Again as the title suggests, Run On. Amazing, amazing work by the writer!

It's a long review but in conclusion: YOU NEED TO WATCH THIS NOW!!! This is a rare masterpiece!

My favorite quote: “When you run, you don’t think about what’s behind you. The only thing that matters is what’s right in front of you. Normally, it’s the finish line. But today, it was you.”

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THE BEST ASIAN BL EVER MADE

THE GODS THEMSELVES BLESSED HER. F*CKKKK, WHO TAUGHT SAMMON (writer of Triage) HOW TO WRITE.
Triage absolutely caught me unawares. Now, I have watched BLs for 8 years (since 2014) and in that period I have watched over 370+ BLs, BLs from every area of life, from different countries and genres. I can proudly say that Triage is my best BL ever made or released (followed closely by The Untamed at number 2).
I was not ready for the phenomenon that is Triage, like I started this series and it was kind of slow in episode 1 and 2 but I am not the type of person that usually drops a show if I don't like the first few episodes and I can say that was the best decision of my life with regards to BLs, I absolutely love how well knit this series is and how realistic it is, the social issues that it handles and addresses and how it does this without being cliche or boring.
But what amazes me the most is how this woman managed to tie the entirety of Triage to Manner of Death, like her brilliance in all of this, I don't know how I will ever lower my standards for Thai BLs. THIS SERIES WILL NEVER BE DEFEATED IN THAILAND
Anyways, let me get to the review proper.

If you have read my reviews in the past, I review series in 8 standard areas/categories.
1. Introduction
2. General Review, Themes and Specific Issues
3. Story Arc and Storylines
4. Characters and Casting
5. Acting
6. Misses
7. Production
8. Rewatch Value

Introduction
In summary, this series is more about how interconnected the lives of different characters in the series can be without them knowing, it is about an abuse of a position of power and trust, it is about the complexities of love, it is about the desperations of life and how life can hand us such a bad set of cards, it is about the weaponization of poor disparity to keep the oppressed in an oppressed position. Along the line of all these things, we get to witness two men fall in love, in what might be one of the purest forms of love, a love that nurtures and guides, a love that doesn't judge, a love that grows us and develops us.

If I say this series took me by surprise which was what made it all that more pleasant to watch because I had ZERO expectations from it, but it absolutely SMASHED!!!! every possible barrier. Like when this series was being made, all the gods of earth were in the room with them because that is the only thing that can explain the execution I got from this series. I saw one of the videos on twitter, they literally had doctors on set with them to teach them what certain procedures should look like, the precise places to perform a surgery etc and I had a medical student as well as a doctor who watched the series who said their medical procedures were really spot on.
The series was so mature in how they handled their storylines, their concepts and issues, they did not make caricatures of any characters, they did not attempt to villainize any of the characters out of stereotypes (I was particularly worried they would do that to Mai, but the mature way the addressed Mai, Heart and Tol's relationship in the series).
LIKE FUCKKKKKKKK, these people really gave me such a good time in the series, that just thinking about it makes me smile like a child and giggle. I am almost tempted to say this series had no flaws but I won't lie the slow start in episode 1 and 2 is kind of a flaw because it may dissuade the impatient viewer from continuing with the show and making them miss the gem that they will get in the rest of the series.

Alright I know I am sounding like a broken record, so it's time for me to move to the next segment.


General Review, Themes and Specific Issues

For a general review, Triage is a sleeper hit, because Triage was such a refreshing breath to me, I had intended to give up watching BLs in October of 2022 (I don't know why I had a specific date) but the series just had the IT FACTOR, it was refreshing to see detail in that sense, as well as the amount of detail paid to medical terms, autopsy, surgery etc.

I was pleased with the level of suspense they left us with after each episode, like they dropped tidbits of knowledge that make you eager to learn more by the next week, and there was a certain level of complexity with the amount of attention devoted to the mystery. Knowing each character's driving forces and having the utmost suspicion for each one

I loved the series for so many things, they always made me laugh and roll over with laughter with how in love Tol was with Tin, how much of a bxtch Tin was to Tol, sadness with Rit when he discovered his information, sadness for Tin when Tol and Fukfang both died. This series made me feel all the emotions possible, joy, happiness, sadness, rage etc.

Now to the themes and issues addressed, there were so many real-life issues addressed in the show that if I decided to touch on everyone, I would exhaust my word limit on the review, because Sammon is just that good of a writer, she knows how to handle issues, but here are a few that I have identified and picked out:

1. Medical Malpractice and Organ Harvesting - Seeing a BL cover an issue as serious as this and as underrepresented in mainstream media was so exciting because this is a real-life issue we battle in the real world. From the improper administration of drugs to patients to the illegal removal of patient's organs, the series touched on an epidemic that has plagued the lives of so many persons who have had a need to use health facilities especially where the person cannot afford the most expensive of facilities. People don't understand the pain that comes with having your organ stolen but the series handles this pain so beautifully it could not have been better.
2. Relationships that build each other - I think in Thai media and media at large, we have been exposed so much to a love that is always toxic and destructive, that we have started to adapt to this as a form of "healthy" relationship. One thing I loved in the series was the fact that Tin never once judged Tol for his actions, instead he worked with him to try and do better, which is more important than most in a relationship that you are developing each other. Another angle in which I saw this was with Tol to Mai, we can all clearly see that Tol loved Mai in the previous loops (else why would he always die because of her), but I love how much when he found out about the reason why she was dating him, he didn't become bitter or vow to destroy her, no he understood why she did what she did and helped to ensure her mother got the appropriate care she needed, this is what I mean by having relationships when you edify each other.
3. The Effect of each of our actions: This is best portrayed in Tin and Tol and the drunk guy that was saved in the last episode. The effect of choices, every decision we make, no matter how remote or isolated it is, has an adverse effect on tons of lives, take an example, Tol saving that man's life now, impacts not just the man, but his family as well, who only God knows might be the sole bread winner of the family.
Tol said that is in-line with this -"Because someone doesn't love his life, doesn't mean there aren't those they love and that love them back. Saving a guy's life can make a lot of people happy "
It goes to the fact Tin was so blinded in rage about his sister that he forgot one of his core oaths as a doctor, DO NO HARM, his actions hurt someone, whether or not he sees them or not. Tol just talks about making them happy but me, my thoughts take it farther, not just their happiness but the overall impacts on their life
4. Wealth Gap and Oppression of the Poor - One of the most important themes of this series is how the voice of the poor is often robbed from them, we see Rit who initially commits suicide is led to those actions because his rich and more powerful friends' asides treating him like shit, steal his ideas and get away with it because the society is built to favour the rich and powerful. We also get this in Mai, who basically forced to enter a relationship she does not want to be in because it can pay her mother's bills, again portraying how expensive the health system is but also how it oppresses the poor from getting vital healthcare.
5. Mental Health: I felt almost foolish at the finale for hating Doi all through the series, the way she handled Doi's mental health, she didn't do something that writers and the world likes to do often and that is treating mental health as a crime. I always asked myself what Doi's motivators were and I wouldn't lie, I hated him for his interference in the series but I must say, when it was unveiled that he has mental health issues with him in the psych ward, damn, I was so happy with the writer becasue she shows often times, what these people need is the appropriate help not hatred
6. Senseless Injustices - Another prevalent issue or theme in this is the uncontrollable nature of injustice, asides Rit and Mai whom I have spoken about in number 4, we see uncontrollable injustice with Tin's sister and I think this specific theme is important because I understand how bad it can get when some of these injustices happens.
7. Forgiveness because there was a lot of forgiveness going around, from Tol towards Mai, Rit to Tol etc.
8. Bribery and Corruption - Honestly on this theme, I don't think I will go so much into it

So that is everything on general review, themes and specific issues.



Characters/Story Arc and Storyline
1. Tin, for Tin we see Tin have to come out of his shell, his dislike for humans and his judgemental high grounds to actually develop a conscience, fall in love and try saving people. At the start of the series, we meet an already broken person in Tin without realizing that he is broken, although we get a first hint of this where he is being kinda bitchy about treating a drunk person but the story arc of Tin has him maturing, seeing that life is not always what it seems to be especially with him discovering that Tol was not actually drunk and he had judged him too much. From his attempt to save Tol, we see Tin slowly change as a person on a whole he becomes softer not to only Tol, but those around him as well. His character development was really great to see. Seeing the efforts Tin put in on his side to being there for Tol broke me😭😭😭😭, man legit studied a course he has no background in, just to stop Tol from cheating.... This is why I always say, it's the tiny things that matter.... This is such a positive example of passing across what a healthy relationship should look like.... Working to build each other up.
Also Tin being an ER doctor makes sense, when you explain it like this, he is an ER doctor, prolong their lives long enough to see other doctors. Because his personality doesn't mix well with other humans, and as an ER doctor, most patients are not in a state to be able to talk.

2. Tol is a rich boy, who it pretty and has always gotten what he wants, this of course makes him a spoilt brat who doesn't appreciate anything beside him. It makes him ruin his friendships with people without realizing that he is doing so, it makes him lazy and naive (the attempt to cheat in the anti-fraud exam.... the irony of cheating on anti-fraud). I mentioned it earlier but I love how his dynamic with Tin through the series, why did I particularly love this because Tin corrected Tol with love rather than judgement, he took his time to teach and explain why each of the imperfections and flaws. I think we get to see Tol develop from this immature self to ultimately being the one that has to save everyone in this final loop. If that is not character development, I don't know what is.
But can we take a moment to acknowledge how cursed Tol is with love, I mean my guy, women are using him for his money and the man is cursed to either watch him die or he watches the man die, like my dude should just give it up. But Tol was so in love

3. Jinta, our ultimate hookup master, lol, this man needs to be taught what privacy laws, because the way he just drops in it is funny, Tol trying to cover his eyes from seeing him and Tin do the deed got me. Jinta's hookup service is extreme because it is literally do or die, either you get him to be with you or he dies and you never get him back, the terms of his deal are simple, which is hillarious to see him stress Tol like that

4. Heart and Mai, surprisingly, I did not hate Heart and Mai, I love the clarity that the series gave to them both, Heart was not made to be some deadbeat guy who was using his girlfriend to defraud someone, instead you could see him actively trying to be better and available for her and Mai couldn't be blamed either, society put her in the position of having to trick Tol for the sake of her mother's life.

5. Gap and Sing were just adorable, watching Gap get jealous all the time was so funny to see because he was sulky about it. I liked how in this current loop; they are already together.

6. I hated Sak and his Lackey


Now on a general, I love how they tied their stories together and created parallels
1. If you followed the memories carefully, you would notice that the Tol and Mai fight, where he throws her and she gets cut, it's a replica of Heart and Mai fight, so since in the previous loop, he is in the knowledge of everything and he is already with Tin, balance is struck by having Heart and Mai have the fight instead.

2. Similar to how Tin also died at 10:55pm July 18th similar to Tol's time of death in the loop. Notice the cause of death is always linked to a party? Since the first cause of death was him chasing after Mai at the party, he threw to appease her, Tin's death was at Tol's party for his accomplishment because in this loop, Mai's party couldn't exist and be the cause of death... So now it's Tol's party that has replaced it and is the cause of death

3. The crossing of the loop with Tol seeing the memories, thus why Tol was physical in one of Tin's loops just made so much fucking sense, because in Tol's view, he is seeing how far Tin went for him, literally battling days of no sleep, just to have a way to save him and if you link if to the previous episode 4, it is shown to be a driving motivation for Tin... if you go back to episode 4 where the OG Tin seeing Tol scene happened, the music is the same as the music in episode 11, the conversations are also the same... Word for word.... The scene also makes sense now, on why Tol was so intimate with him in the scene when they didn't have a relationship yet.... Also, if you noticed, Tin "woke up" in episode 4, right when Jinta switched the memories in episode 11... LIKE THE FUCKING ATTENTION TO DETAILS!!!!!!!!!!!

4. Using their parents to get to each other

5. There was no scene that was left unexplained, every part was carried fully

Casting and Acting.
1. Tee Thanapon Jarujitranon is a FUCKING ACTOR!!!!!! The way he portrayed one important factor in his search for Jinta, so he can bring back Tin.... It's very important because Tin has had a cool and measured approach because he started trying to save Tol when he had no feelings for Tol, but subsequently those feelings developed and that's why his death in episode 6 pained him more.... But with Tol, we see that he is already in love with Tin when Tin dies, so the way they portrayed his anxiety to get his lover back is so great and realistic...... Like the utter desperation he displayed to Jinta as well as when he was still in his ghost form at the beginning of the memories and Tin was trying to save his life.... His reactions 🥺🥺🥺🥺, when he is back to the past, we can see the desperation with which he tries to reunite with Tin, including faking the medical emergency (to a literal doctor), Tee is able to embody all of this, including the great love for Tin, which is beautiful

2. Tae was absolutely awesome as well as Dr. Tin, he gave the sassy and bitchy vibes completely well, his sequence in episode 6 after the deaths of Tol and Fang was so painful to watch, the tears and all. His gentle smile when he sees Tin. He absolutely delivered his scenes as well. His struggle to save Tol was palatable to me, I felt his frustrations in episode 1 and 2, I felt every disappointment of his because he was communicating it so well. I love how he characterizes Tin as a flawed human who was also in need of fixing.

3. The entire burial scene of Tin was really good acting from the cast, it felt like someone really died, the tears and crying didn't seem forced

Misses (There are none to me, so here are funny bits instead)
1. Tol assaulting Tin in his sleep (joking), so he can get him to remember him
2. Tol trying to block Jinta's eyes from him and Tin
3. Tin saying Nosy/Rosy
4. Tol trying to fake drowning (a medical incident to a doctor)
5. Gap thinking sing wanted to have sex in the medical room

Production
On production this series definitely put total thought into all aspects that they needed to make sure they are a 100% and they did their assignment on that, from the medical scenes to the acting etc. Like the open heart surgery, it was way too real, the irony of that scene was that right before they showed it, I was dragging them that they won't show it, they would just skip the scene and show us hours later, next thing I saw a blade cutting someone's skin and blood gushing out and I was like "alright, too realistic for me" but yes, scenes like that accentuated the series for me.

Rewatch Value
Heck I am rewatching this show this night

Again, I must say I absolutely love this show. It is the Best Thai BL ever

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Voice got a lot of mixed reactions, ranging from perfection to utter garbage. Being a crime drama hater as well as a viewer who consciously avoids OCN shows, I’m more than surprised to belong in the former category. Voice was a splendid crime thriller and for me, the best OCN drama I’ve watched by far.

Story
Same old, same old, 2 police officers whose relatives get murdered by the same person, are teaming up to create a new division based on the emergency call police department and their end-game is to catch that bastard.

Been there, done that, so what did Voice do to break the mould of crime dramas?

First of all, the concept of Voice profiling. Not sure if this is a thing, but even if it’s not, we accepted a crime drama about a walkie talkie that could make a 2 guys living in different timelines to communicate, why can’t we accept a woman who can hear extremely well? The voice profiling was original for me, gave a different vibe and an innovative twist to the all-too-usual police procedural recipe.

Furthermore, the impressive cinematography and music. The drama is gritty and dark in all the right ways. Creative directing, haunting dark colors and soulful music just came together perfectly and clicked, making a drama that not only gives off ominous vibes but it is also sinister only by looking at it.

Continuing, the incredible side stories. Every two episodes or so there is a new crime story introduced for the “golden time team” –the aforementioned new division created- to resolve. This is where the writing along with the directing and montage click together doing miracles. All of the side stories were intense, engaging, thought-provoking (although the first two ones were my favourite), well-written and did not drag at all.

Finally, the most important one, the marvelous core story. Cliché done right. The concept of putting a psychopath as the main villain isn’t foreign to dramaland; however the drama’s atmosphere, world-building along with the casting literally did miracles. More specifically, I appreciated that there was not a lot of red herring involved –crime dramas seem to think that we enjoy being led astray every 2 episodes for some reason; while, it felt like there is a whole story going on in the background making this drama look like a part of a whole. Effectively, we were focused on the police side of a bigger narrative - plot twists, havoc and despair ensued.

Furthermore, it’s worth noting how every character, plot device and potential twist are beautifully connected and intrinsically linked to the bigger picture. Good writing - the drama is actually so good even when you see the twist coming, you're still gonna like it anyway cause the whole aura of the drama won't let you a moment's rest.

Lastly, It would be a serious negligence, at this point, to not mention the exquisite Serial Killer. Undeniably, the drama owes how well it worked to its main villain. As far as I’m concerned we’re talking about the best villain I’ve ever witnessed creepy, scary, disgusting and disturbing, the type that crawls up your skin only by seeing his smirking smile. He enhanced the drama while simultaneously we do get the environment in which a serial killer is born that was spectacular to watch.

Honestly, not many drawbacks can be cited by me. If I could address one it would be the somewhat conveniently written side stories. But, come to think of it, isn’t every kdrama ever like this? Rich hot arrogant chaebols falling for poor innocent girls, silly coincidences and other cliches and we accept that but can’t accept a crime drama with stories being a little far-fetched or exaggerated here and there? This is dramaland, if everything was absolutely rational there would be no drama to watch!

Additionally, it was claimed that the drama had gruesome scenes and a lot of blood. Having grown up watching American TV shows this felt like child’s play to me but I do understand if some scenes were too much for some people. Everything is censored (actually, too much censoring going on to be honest), but be aware if you are sensitive to such scenes. Moreover, I read comments saying the side stories were boring and dragged, which contradicts completely what I said. I obviously disagree. Frankly, the side stories might be the best part of it all.

What's more, people argued that the drama takes a hit after a strong beginning. Strong starts bring high expectations too. I think the drama did well in keeping up pace, not dragging and staying strong plot-wise. Yes, middle episodes weren’t as strong as the first 2-3 but still a solid drama overall.

In general, Voice isn’t perfect, but it is time well-spent for sure. It is extremely thrilling; the side stories addressed interesting issues like child abuse, rape ect and were generally on the humanistic side of society, definitely struck a chord with me. The drama deserves a 9 for its flawless story line (side+main) +0.5 for the fact that it was utterly stimulating and increasingly intense with fleeting moments of strong sentiments and despair that just make the whole thing feel that much more real and emotional; I was at the edge of my seat during pretty much every episode either being thrilled or feeling hopeless.

Acting
I admit I was purposely avoiding Lee Ha Na. I only saw her once before Voice, didn’t like her. That being said, thank god I picked this because she redeemed herself completely. I couldn’t even recognize her here and I drew the conclusion that she just doesn’t match cute rom-comy characters, but rather darker ones. Her performance was impeccable here and she had great chemistry (as co-police officers) with Jang Hyuk. I’d love to see her in a similar role, or even in a melodrama in the future.

It is established how good Jang Hyuk is, and here is no exception to his unending talent. Fearless and brave character with a broken and emotional side, he pulled off his role immaculately and he was a perfect fit for it. Such a well-rounded actor, he can do everything. Respect.

Where have Kim Jae Wook been all this time? Flawless and creepy, an absolutely perfect match for his role, I need to keep an eye out for him in the future. I can safely say he made the drama!

Recommend
Concluding, I’d say don’t turn a blind eye to this drama, it’s really good. Crime and thriller drama fans I call out to you, viewers who enjoy intense and provocative dramas/stories that aren’t extremely complicated this is for you. I can’t see how someone wouldn’t be entertained by Voice if you disregard the convenient part and you don’t have a problem with some violence ect.

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The Wish of First Love that She wrote on Paper Stars came True!! ♥

Cute and Wholesome ♡♡

Hidden Love is a binge worthy, adorable drama about a young girl in love with her brother's friend. Sang Zhi met Duan Jiaxu when she was just 14 years old and again when she was 17, with time she develops feelings for him. Jiaxu who was 5 years older than him only saw her as his little sister but she always had a special place in his life (as a family). They part ways for a period of time and meet again! And whoa now that she's an adult there starts a story of sweetness, hotness and the chemistry that literally do not leaves a chance of giving you butterflies!!

To talk about chemistry, nah they've physics, maths and every subject you can think off. It wasn't even much about the story tbh, most of us just adored this pair together! The good parts about this drama is probably the CHEMISTRY (*chef's kiss*), the ACTING (they look way too natural) and the LIGHTNESS (name a drama with almost no toxicity).

Not like the story left much impression, there was a lot going on and they could've gone in depth with it but instead they focused on our main couple and how to develop their relationship better. Sang Zhi kept saying "I'm not a kiddo anymore" and him finding his home in her and yet teasing her about it. This... This sweet banter, understanding and comfort they had around each other won my heart.

Sang Zhi (played by Zhao Lusi) is such a thoughtful character. Not only she never gave up on her love, the way she was giving her 100% for him and never being insecure or so damn sure that "yeah he is the one for me" is lovely to watch... and did I mention I fell for Zhao Lusi once again!! She ate her character. even her playing a 17 year old was kinda convincing, tho she was 23 when this was filmed. And she sang two songs that always lit up the atmosphere of each scene. She's genuinely impressive.

Complimenting her is Duan Jiaxu (Chen Zheyuan) . This man is a walking green flag. The reason I don't blame her for the puppy love is because who would not fall for him if the guy is this sweet and caring... and visuals obviously!!... Duan Jiaxu got his own struggles but he still walks like a sunshine being nice to everyone around... so take note future drama writers "past trauma do not makes every male lead poker faced and cold"

We also have some beautiful relationships around our leads like Sang Zhi and her brother Sang Yan (Victor Ma) who bicker so much like any other sibling would do... and her amazing parents that give off ideal family goals...

Just a reminder that this drama is FICTIONAL, Hidden love is a completely romance focused cheesy drama that kicks away all the toxicity very smoothly (unlike reality). there's no way a kind Sang Zhi like this or perfect Duan Jiaxu like this or a fully healthy relationship like this would exist. So don't get your expectations too high haha.

I did encounter some typical cdrama tropes but how come they made this drama extra sweet. I hope I'm not going to get tested positive for diabetes by next week as I plan on rewatching this a little more XD... its honestly been long since I've rated a drama a 10 but this one deserved it for staying in its genre and truthfully being what it is, a romcom.

Also trying to address an issue...
•• Is the age gap really an issue? No it's just 5 years.
•• Did he liked her too when she was still a kid? No. It was always her having a crush on him until they met again after she became an adult. so he is not a pervert


OSTs
If the chemistry wasn't enough to give you diabetes, the songs will - sweet and perfect for the moment

1. Only Want to Secretly Hide You (只想把你偷偷藏好) ~ by Zhao Lu Si & Silence Wang (you'll hear this song for half of the time in the drama and you won't mind it cause it's actually soothing to ears)

2. I Have Someone I Like (我有喜欢的人了) ~ Zhao Lu Si (Ioved her vocals for this song. Zhao lusi is just impressive ❤)

3. Be Your Light ~ Ma Bo Qian (my favorite one, love the feel good casual vibes of the song)

4.The One Who Stole the Stars (偷星星的人) ~ Yi Hui
5. Have You (有你) ~ Zhao Lei

6. Forever Star ~ Zhang Yi Hao
7. You are My Only Wish in this Lifetime (你是我此生唯一所愿) ~ Zhang Bi Chen


So Hidden Love is a 10/10 for me for being that perfect light romance drama that makes you blush in and out with the butterflies. it's worth checking out for the fluffy, sugar factor!! Would definitely recommend it!!

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