Reviews

In a smaller, more rural part of Korea, a girl and her family move there after an unfortunate series of events. They end up under the wrath of something worse than a church with the young daughter in the forefront. We follow her journey of struggle and escape. Seo Ye Ji's acting was amazing. I wish they had elaborated more on their family's past life in Seoul, specifically the brother. The humor between the cop and his son is very heartwarming to see. I felt like they started off with a hint of tension of romance but completely forgot all about it towards the ending, but it didn't take much of the plot so that was ok but it was still disappointing. My first dark drama, I would say a solid 7, but 8 if being generous :)

Read More

Unexpected

This is my first time writing a review. So this is based on my opinion.

The story was well-written, the acting was well-done. I can feel their feelings of hopelessness. At first I tought the men in black are the one responsible for the deadly game. before I knew who the "Admin" was, I make a lot of wild assumptions. I didn't expect that the students who were being bullied already died. I was thinking that he is probably the "Admin". At the end, I was surprised that the teacher was added to group. It is sad that only four out of 22 student that survive until the end. I didn't expect that the "Admin" was an Artificial Intelligence (AI) . It's crazy that the AI can kill a real person. BTW I'm still confused on how the "Admin" or the AI was able to kill them. I know that they will be killed if they don't follow the rules of the game. But they won't be killed as long as they were away from their phone. So, is the phone a murder weapon? And about the four "target" why are the bullies not included to the "target". The student wasted their friends because they thought the bullies are the target. Well, for me, this drama is worth watching. And I hope there will be more dramas like this.

Watching this Drama reminded me to Korean dramas such as Squid Game, Night Has Come, All Of Us Are Dead, and Duty After School. I really like survival type dramas.

Read More

It's one thing for a single man to find out he has a daughter but to find out he is a grandfather too? Makes for a very, very cute movie. I must say, as usual Cha Tae Hyun does not disappoint in his movies. Playing Hyun Soo and watching his character evolve was precious and Park Bo Young? What a joy! This is my first time seeing her and I'll tell you what, if that was her singing, someone needs to give her a singing contract. I don't know if she was but whoever it was had a wonderful voice. And let's not forget little Wang Seok Hyeon as Ki Dong. So cute and so precious. Who wouldn't fall in love with him! If you want to watch a movie that at the end puts a smile on your face, this is it!!

Read More

No series has ever got me so frustrated and involved in the story like the show!!!
First of all, I found out about this show from the book and the forums where people were trying hard to somehow live ideas or advice for the authors. Why you may ask? It's because this story is real, it's based on a book that is an autobiographical book. The author is the main character and even to this day, she does not show her face at book signings or fan meetings (she always wears a mask- you can see her on youtube).

This series actually shows the horrible experience a couple had to go through because of society (there are a lot of silent "whys?", that the viewers can think about). As this happens in Japan a place where mental health/ trauma is not considered real/a problem and where women talking about sex are not accepted. It portrays a true filling of being helpless when needing help.
The pressure and frustration, are easily imaginable because the problems don't get fixed in big part because of the location, this is as real as it gets.
This is not a simple TV show this is a very intimate journal.
The story is unique as I never heard of any other case quite like this one. The pain is real.

The cast is good and the chemistry works, the story is accurate, they kept the series faithful to the book.

My advice is don't look at this project as a simple TV show looks at is as a confession of a friend in need, because the story already happened and it can't be changed. The viewer this time becomes a witness for this couple's hard/painful times.
I even want to read the book so I am searching for the official Eng translation for some time now (years).

Read More

Better than anticipated

Let's start with the obvious, it's a 100+ episodes type drama focused on Revenge.
If you have seen one, you've most likely see most of them
The recipe stays the same: Lead will experience abuses, than when she/he lost enough will dedicate itself to Revenge . Then will find a enemy of its enemy, and 100 episodes later the vilains will get what they deserve.

If you don't like that type of drama, you probably never will.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Intro done, let's start the true review.

Story:
For this type of drama, it was pretty good.
The beginning is hard to digest but i advice you to hold on until at least the revenge path has started.
At first, the vilains are way too vilainous, it's caricatural.
The Fl and her family are weak and pathetic...
But it gets better, and at some point you might find yourself engaged in the story.

The characters evolve, the weak will become less naive and more cunning.
The bad guys will feel the axe of revenge fall over their heads.
The fact that the FL is actively involved in the revenge was truly appreciated. She does not just depend on her allies.
I also like the fact that the romance was not overbearing, the true focus stays on the revenge.
P.s: Special mention , no amnesy plot, or FL revealed as the hidden daughter of the enemy... that's quite refreshing.

Acting.
Minus one character that was too much (ML's mother) but probably on purpose, the acting was pretty okay

Music:
I won't remember this soundtrack, but at least it did not bother me.

Rewatch value?
I binge-watched this show.
Once the introduction's act was done, it became quite ok.
In a few year, i might rewatch this.

Read More

BEST SCHOOL CHINESE DRAMA

Worth my time watching.. realistic story of love, friendship, family as well as working environment. The leads match well with each other and whole cast. The storyline is so amazing.. A realistic view of a relationship that is mostly common in real life these days (unlike many dramas both rich characters), how they deal and overcome issues both in love, family and work. How he proved his love for her despite of his familu status. How she stayed by his side thru ups and down👍👍👍

They are both rookie in showbusiness but they nailed it. Hope to watch more dramas of u two. I really love their chemistry.

Surely watch it over and over..❤️❤️❤️

Read More

This show is not the best thing you'll ever watch but it's honestly not the worst show you'll ever watch. The chemistry between Kae and Pop is actually pretty fantastic; even though it was quick, it was definitely a love at first sight thing and everyone in this show is pretty good looking. I absolutely adore the best friend that helped Kae through everything and I liked her mom too. I hated Kae's family as so will a lot of you and I didn't mind Pop's family, except his mom; But I really liked his little sister a lot. You've got your good characters and you've got your terribly mean and horrible characters which is average. I liked the whole going from rags to riches kind of thing though, but Kae stayed humble and was just a great actress; she was basically your average Cinderella which was kind of cool. I didn't really care for the second characters; I'm not a huge fan of Chap anyway; I think his acting is mediocre. Overall, the story is good and easy to watch, it gets SUPER frustrating at times because well it wouldn't be a Lakorn if it wasn't; like I hated the boyfriend and side ex girlfriend and all these annoying people but it makes the show. I also hated the family like ugh.. but overall; it's a decent watch. The chemistry between the main characters are definitely nice and the music isn't terrible; if I'm bored I'd watch it again or something.

Read More

One of the best time-travel dramas!

I AM A SUCKER FOR TIME-TRAVEL DRAMAS, but sadly there's only a handful that reaches my expectations because it's hard to tackle without getting too confusing and messy! But this one is GOOD REALLY REALLY GOOD!

HONG KONG DRAMAS WHEN THEY HIT, THEY HIT HARD! THIS ONE IS SO GOOD!
- I have always seen Vincent here and there in dramas, but this began my obsession with his dramas, this is such a hard role to nail, he does it all, from comedy or convincing jerk character to the sweetest in seconds! (It proves the range of this actor is big and he portrays all these different sides in one drama!)

SO GRIPPING
- SO I've watched over 600 dramas in the past 12 years, which means I usually can predict most drama plots, but this drama surprised me on multiple occasions
- It's fast-paced, the characters are endearing, and my favourite part? THE CREATIVITY!
-The plot is WOW!

Rewatchable? Yup! I rewatched half of it in one day recently with my parents, totally fun to watch with friends and family. Highly recommend this!

Read More

The Knight of Shadow : (9.5/10.0)

[WARNING: the rating and review I give have the possibility to be subjective due to my preference for the genres, scenes or casts]

So, I watched this movie at the cinema. I'm not watching this to see Jackie Chan, but to see Austin Lin (^o^) (I'm so sorry, Jackie XD) And oh my God, I always laugh when he come to the screen! Especially when he dressed up like a woman! (^o^)

For the story, I love how the story taste light in the beginning and then become heavy from middle to end without leave the comedy aspect. A little minus point from me is a 3D animation for Caichen when he standing (or flying should I say) at the Lanruo. For me, the standing pose is simple enough, they no need to use the 3D animation. That's my opinion tho (^_^)

After all, I will watch this movie again for sure (^_^)

Read More

Sexy start then it fizzled

I had this on my plant to watch for a while and having recently watched one of Park Seo Joon's dramas, I was in the mood for more so I decided to watch this one.

I'm not a particular fan of Noona romance dramas despite having watched a few of them. Usually, if the leads have good chemistry I will enjoy it for the story and not place too much weight on age. The beginning was exceptionally sexy, but giving its comedic style, it introduced the characters in an entertaining way.

The story seemed to be going well up until they introduced the second love interest. From then on the tone of the plot completely changed from funny and lighthearted to dramatic and depressive. That exciting sexy vibe was no longer there and the characters' personalities kind of flipped to match the new direction of the story.

I kept waiting for the drama to pick back up to where it was before but that didn't really happen and it left me feeling unsatisfied until the end. Nothing stood out in any particular way and while it's still an OK watch unless you are a huge fan of Park Seo Joon you can skip this.

Read More

I loved this series. I never thought I'd find such an interesting take on female characterization and deconstruction of female stereotypes in this drama by the time I started watching it. I was faced with my own pre-conceptions of internalized misogyny more than once and I thank it for showing me better. The sisters seemingly represent prototypes of female characters, showing in the surface what the viewer can easily assume, whereas the only character who really knows them fully is non other than their mother, whose figure is extremely important. This drama works on the value that women give themselves versus the one society gives them in a lot of moments, especially in Takemi's character but also in every one of the sisters. Takemi superficially seems the careless gorgeous heart-breaker, Fujiko seems like the obsessive over-achiever, Sakurako seems like the girl who just wants to settle down in the most traditional way and Ume seems like the artsy teen with low self esteem. And they are that. Only in part. Discovering these characters throughout the series is like seeing the tip of an iceberg to then explore what's lying beneath. And, as a girl, I felt very deeply many of the worries and tribulations these girls go through. Yes, there are some plot-lines that could have been better taken care of and some characters that could have been more developed, but all in all, it's a drama where girls are the center and they're realistically portrayed, all funny exaggerations and caricature moments aside. I really loved this drama.

Read More

Well, it's not an easy movie to watch, that's for sure. The trailer gives you a glimpse of the drama in the movie, so just to reassure - it's far from any action. What's that about then? Definitely it shows the society's degradation really well, and hopelessness, in a slow, but not boring mood. It's like seeing a dim light at the end of a tunnel and trying to make your companions see it too.
Enough about the plot. Acting - amazing! The characters are multidimensional and the main cast reflects that nearly flawlessly. They differ greatly, and despite little development, you get to see their ups and downs very credible. If the actors have by any chance better portrayals so far it can be only by little.
As for a music lover there wasn't enough of it. As for the way is was shoot - it was perfectly enough, and was once again great indeed.
As a summary: it wasn't westernized too much (not at all if you've seen, form the newest production, World of Kanako), it was soot beautifully despite showing the ugliness. Why 8, then? It's not something you'd yearn to see again. There's a high chance not to get bored - but only if you do enjoy this kind of cinema. And there's ending that might be... well, this you need to see yourself!

Read More

This one didn't rise well

Bake Me Please is a rather watchable BL. It could even have been quite good for those who do not mind predictable stories. However, certain weaknesses in plot development affected the characterization.

Shin is a baker in a bakery he has started with his friends, Oab and Guy. One might wonder how he even had friends to begin with because of his cold demeanor, but we can overlook this. Oab's mother makes his brother, Atom, join the bakery, and Atom in turn pulls his friend, Peach in. As you might guess, Shin and Peach fall in love.

The story doesn't quite impress with originality, but to its credit, it doesn't. It can be a fairly good run-of-the-mill BL. Unfortunately, some flaws do compromise the watching experience. Some parts lack coherence in somewhat bearable ways. Peach's grandmother has been clearly open to Peach and Shin having a relationship, but Peach behaves as though he is surprised when his grandmother is totally fine with it when Shin announces that they are dating.

The worst moments in the series are the rather forced turns in the behaviors of the characters to fit rather forced turns in the plot. The first of these turns is when Guy quits to join another bakery, tired of playing second fiddle to Shin all the time and probably because he is jealous that his crush, Peach, is a couple with Shin. Guy is a fundamentally good person, so it is odd that there is no sign of hesitation or struggle when he does some of the less than honorable stuff he does. Then there is Shin's behavior. Although he is socially inept and even harsh with his words, he is not an unreasonable person, especially after meeting Peach. However, he refuses to let Peach continue his friendship with Guy and breaks up with Peach simply because Peach goes for dinner with Guy. The poor plot development mars the characterization as well.

I think the writers should have opted for the feel-good factor throughout by developing the plot in a different direction. The story does end pleasantly, which salvages things somewhat.

Read More

Slow burn excellence

I was a little nervous about the leads' relationship — after all, the characters have a TEN year age gap. But this turned out to be one of the sweetest, healthiest, most mature relationships I've ever seen and I can't put into words how much I loved seeing their feelings slowly develop. The chemistry was absolutely there but even individually, both the ML and the FL were given equal time to shine. They were such well-rounded characters with their own stories, and their relationship was built on supporting and caring for each other during those journeys. There were no stupid misunderstanding tropes and the honesty was just so refreshing. The FL is exactly how a strong female lead should be written, and the ML is respectful and kind.

The second and third couples were okay; I liked them as characters also and think the relationships also made sense, but they weren't as fleshed out and sometimes there were developments I wanted to see that I feel like the show skipped over.

But they were still good additions to the cast, and plot-wise the subplots of all the side characters were intertwined with the main one relatively well. It's interesting too to realize that there are really no clear-cut villains in the story. There are some people that are selfish and money- and power-hungry, but ultimately they didn't become "evil" and things were never that black and white. It made the drama very relatable and true-to-life.

I know some people complained that the drama started out slow but the pacing of the entire show was just perfect for me. We got to see what the characters' original lives were like, what traumas they had, who and what was important to them, how they handled conflicts, etc. It makes seeing their development at the end mean so much more.

Whether you typically watch sport dramas or not, this is one I will 100% recommend.

Read More

crush, campus star, bully trigger, best boys, soft & sweet

Look, I am trash for trash, but this was less trashy than most Thai BL pulps. University set about a popular architecture student who is a picky eater and the food science major who has a crush on him and uses food to court him. I COULD NOT ASK FOR MORE. Basically it gave me reason, and room, to breathe by being exactly what I want from a Thai BL with no attempt to be anything else.

I adored the taste-then-cook competition opener. The chef teacher is queer, not just visually but linguistically. Do I spot an actual butch character in a BL? YES! Meanwhile, the seme love interest, P’Ram, is a rich campus moon but also a genuinely nice guy with 2 hot besties. So, sure, we are in hella familiar y-novel territory. But if I were into BL for novelty of it, I wouldn’t be into BL. The older architecture phis with their colorless lives coming up with tricky ways to keep meeting up with the bright sparkly queer food service kids is the CUTEST flipping thing. It’s like watching two friendship groups falling in love with each other.

What is unique about this one is that this pulp has unexpectedly high production values and good quality cast, sound, & wardrobe. Even the het couple is cute. Love the pink hair! What a surprise gem. This season’s Nitiman with a better ending.

Chup being bullied is so sad. But Ram’s “my good boy” is the best, because it’s so true. Honestly, these two are just about the marshmallow fluffy sweetest softest little snookums. I like the external bullying as a narrative pressure, although I wish it hadn’t been combined with the faen fatale. I wish this show had just taken shipping culture to task.

I enjoyed La Cusiine but it is awful slow. Thank goodness GaGa has 1.5x speed option. It also takes the faen fatale archetype to the next level of extreme evil. Everyone got a cute couple ending, even characters I didn’t really recognize, couldn’t remember, or showed no chemistry. But hey, shrug. Also, Sky & Phai = unexpectedly great kiss.

Why did we not get their thread (and Kitty’s for that matter) throughout the show? It would’ve helped with the pacing a lot. (Honestly, these two actors probably should’ve played the leads, IMHO).

In the end, a sweet and kind of pure show, and like Thai desserts perhaps requires too much patience for a layperson. Because of the pacing and the focus on the bad girl character, I did dock it. But if you like stuff in the Oxygen vein, then this show is for you, and far better than most Thai BL pulps. That said, I suspect that I enjoyed it more than many would.

Read More