This review may contain spoilers
Seiren no zange tackles the complex nature between the media, police and the public. The show tries to throw you off on who is responsible for the given crime; however, the story quickly became predictable. A similar story pattern could be found in a related genre as this one.
While watching all four episodes, it reminded me of how it closely reflects on our current society. Our source of news is flooded with false media and information. Information that tends to jump to conclusions for the sake of benefiting the media workers, not for the victims. The drama series presents this very directly and how their actions could worsen the situation rather than making it better. For example, false accusations via SNS (social media outlets) could cause a psychological impact on a person and change their social life. However, spreading 100% of the truth does not also benefit the victims, as mentioned in the drama. The reasons behind the media's actions were clearly explained in a documentary series called the social dilemma. I thought it was an interesting insight.
Minor Spoilers:
Although the drama series is short with limited development of the characters, it at least tells a clear and somewhat intriguing story. The main message of this series is that there is no black or white pattern or complete good and bad. Majority of the characters were portrayed as a mix, making you reflect on how our 'actions and 'words' affectively cause a scar on our lives.
Overall, the performance is mostly centred on our FL, portrayed by Araki Yuko. She had a strong presence, and although I haven't seen any of her other work, I believe she left a promising impact. The other performances from the victim to the supporting felt slightly average. The music selections were minimal; however, it suited the tone of the story. From my perspective, I wouldn't go back and rewatch this show due to my taste in enjoyment, leaning towards action and comedy genres.
Was this review helpful to you?
one of the best asian dramas
I have finished this show a long time ago but I completely forgot writing a review about it.I am not the kind of person who would rewatch a show only if it was THAT good.. well, this show was indeed, that good. A few months after watching it for the first time I binged watched it again and I have a feeling I will re-watch it sometime soon. I started reading the books after finishing a show and I loved it! I would recommend reading Grandmaster Of Demonic Cultivation because it is really great and has a lot more romantic/cute scenes between Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan.
Anyway, back to the show.
I usually skip through scenes when I get bored or just simply drop a drama if it has way too many filler episodes but with The Untamed I did not have to do either. I loved every single episode of it and I am pretty sure I would never get bored watching this show. I do not think that I will ever find another Chinese drama that I will love this much like I could talk about my love for WangXian for hours.
I do not want to spoil anything or talk more in-depth about this show, but I hope anyone who watches it will enjoy it just as much as I did.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I wanted to love this show!
Something was missing. The music was the best score in my ratings, which is the first of many K-Dramas I have watched. However, I wouldn't call this a romance. It's nothing really romantic about it other than some unrequited love. I did enjoy the actors and their effort to make this show a comedy. There were some laughable moments, but I know many of us clicked on this hoping it was a fuzzy warm, romantic comedy. ***Spoiler Alert*** You don't see anything close to a warm fuzzy feeling until the last 3 minutes of the final episode. I saw so many opportunities to insert those cute romance moments in the show. I guess that the writers were trying to show us that they can keep us wanting more, and they succeeded. I gave this drama an overall 6. I didn't have the satisfaction I was hoping for at the end and throughout the series.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I found this series from several edits and I didn't really know about the story, but Tangmo's and Love's chemistry got me into watching it. At first I was kind of "disappointed" to see that Love was acutally a girl. But I continued to watch it to see if it'll get better, and so did it. There was a long time I almost forgot s/he was a girl. There were some plottwist I enjoyed and I loved the ending.
Tangmo is the silly, childish kind of guy which I really liked, and there were many scenes that showed how caring and sweet he is. He's that kind of guy who can cheer you up at any times.
As I said, at the beginning Love seemed kind of boring and too much of "I dont want to be a boy" but as the time went by, s/he more and more started to get to into my heart.
I also liked the story of Menn and his one-sided love, he was so cute. I also find the story about everyday school-life in the Great Men Academy to be very interesting.
Different schedules, it was almost like a school trip.
All in all, you should definitely give it a try!
(btw, the music really fitted and gave a nice touch to everything :) )
Was this review helpful to you?
Extremely frustrating Series ლ(ಠ益ಠლ even for ZTao's fans !
1/ The storyline is stupid and full of nonsense!- the attitude of owners with their dogs: “to show my attention, I will wash you every day”, purebred Malinois babies are abandoned in China??, etc.
- the FL's behavior is irrational/idiotic: you don't have to be intelligent to study in China's veterinary school ? She's just naive, "everyone is nice" type of girl, has no management skills but won't admit it, ... and is super aggressive towards her investor. Seriously ?? The FL only makes peace with the ML (who's saving her clinic) from episode 6 on.
- The screenwriter and the director have probably never had animals and have never set foot in a veterinary clinic, given the number of Bull**its ideas there are in the drama.
2/ The dialogues are flat, full of clichés...
3/ Employees are all caricatures.
4/ The break-up with the FL and the marriage (interrupted at the last minute) with FL2 are nonsense (not counting Sheng Mi's secret, an aberration, resolved as if it were a normal thing...)
- Z TAO: I have been a fan of his for a long time, but why did he agree to appear in this drama??? Probably because he loves dogs (he has one, adorable). That being said, you should still read the script!! (๑•ิཬ•ั๑)
Moreover, I know that ZTao likes this type of hairstyle, but the volume is too much (does he want to keep a beehive on the head or something ?)
=> It's really hard to get hooked on this series 〣( ºΔº )〣
=> I wanted to go untill the end in FF and with a lot of skipping, but I suffered!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Regardé pour Ztao et un magnifique samoyède :) Mais cette série est extrêmement frustrante ლ(ಠ益ಠლ
1/ La storyline est idiote et pleine de non-sens !
- l'attitude de maitres avec leur chien : "pour montrer mon attention, je vais te laver tous les jours", les bébés malinois pure race sont abandonnés en Chine ??, etc.
- le comportement de la FL est irrationnel /idiot : il ne faut pas être intelligent pour faire l'école vétérinaire en Chine ? Elle est juste naïve, "tout le monde est gentil", n'a aucune compétence de gestion mais ne l'admet pas, ... et super agressive vis à vis de son investisseur. Sérieux ??
2/ Les dialogues sont d'une platitude, bourrés de clichés...
3/ Les salariés sont des caricatures.
4/ Le screenwriter et le réalisateur n'ont sans doute jamais eu d'animaux et n'ont jamais mis les pieds dans une clinique vétérinaire, vu le nombre de Bull**it qu'il y a dans ce drama.
=> Dur d'accrocher à cette série 〣( ºΔº )〣
+ ils ne font la paix qu'à partir de l'épisode 6
- le break-up et le mariage (interrompu à la dernière minute) avec la FL2 sont des non-sens (sans compter le secret de Sheng Mi, aberration, résolu comme si c'était chose normale...)
-Z TAO : Je suis une de ses fans depuis longtemps, mais pourquoi a-t-il accepté de tourner dans ce drama ??? Parce qu'il aime les chiens ( il en a un, adorable) mais il faut quand même regarder le script !! (๑•ิཬ•ั๑)
De plus, je sais que ZTao aime ce type de coiffure, mais le gonflant est too much (il veut se recycler dans la choucroute ?)
=> J'ai voulu aller au bout en FF et avec beaucoup de zapping, mais j'ai souffert !
Was this review helpful to you?
Out of the ballpark
Thailand has always been the home and mothership of BL but there wasn't much quality in their series and most of it relied on the same trope and cliches of the episode 11 curse, the 'i am not gay, you're the only guy I like', the 'breakup because we have to' and the cringefest romance/being cutesy sometimes, and my personal poison the husband and 'wife' trope. Urgh. In the last year or so it seemed that the Philippines and now even Korea seemed to be running ahead of Thailand and coming for their crown in terms of production value and acting. But this series, this series blew everything and more out of the park! It set a new standard for Thailand and for all upcoming Asian BLs and I am so happy Thailand snatched back that crown and said "your call, bitches!" I have yet to see chemistry, acting, and skills at this level. I have also never seen so many people on so many various forums and on social media reach the same consensus on how amazing this show was on all fronts and how it actually affected. This show was more than just two good-looking heteronormative guys being paired together (cough*cough) trying to sell us a love story. These were two actors who themselves had so much off-screen chemistry and who in their own words 'were soulmates' believed in their being that they were Pran and Pat. Having been best friends for years, Ohm and Nanon's solid friendship and love as buddies themselves shined through the entire 12 episodes, and we ourselves couldn't see where Pran and Pat ended and Ohm and Nanon begun. Ohm and Nanon - gosh. These two actors are simply awesome. As someone who is also in the media/performing arts line and has been in front of cameras, a few times, I have so much respect for these two actors. I have not seen the extent of acting talent in individuals so young. It's not easy to emote with only ones facial feature and make the audience believe you're feeling the emotion and not just acting it out. Nanon nailed that in every damn episode. Ohm brought that carefree spirit out of Pat so easily, that I forgot that he is a perfectionist and a little neat freak OCD in real life. I have never been bothered to write a review for any BL's I have watched but, this show affected me in ways I have not been in years. I was coming out of a bad place mentally when this show started and this show made me feel things, made me look forward to something, and help me heal from the numbness I have felt for so long. This show deserves everything I am sure it will win. This show deserves the 10 minutes of me sitting down and writing this. This show deserves a second season.Was this review helpful to you?
The value of knowing one's self-worth and loving yourself first
I have seen the Korean original and Chinese adaptation of this drama, and I liked them both. Each one brought its cultural style, and even though none were perfect, the great mix of comedy, romance, and drama resulted in entertaining watches for me. It is the same for this Thai version.I read some criticism that the acting was too exaggerated, but I have enjoyed enough Thai lakorns to expect and accept that. For me, Thai lakorns have their brand of slapstick antics that mesh well with the plot and character development. This lakorn, Me You Always, had its unique flair and provided a good amount of situational comedy, witty, and lowbrow humor for some good laughs. Also, with great timing, rhythm, and sound effects, the show swings from romantic to dramatic to funny quickly and smoothly, and it keeps the entertainment level high throughout the show. There were some deviations from the Korean and Chinese versions, a few for the better, and a couple took away poignant moments for me. The ending in the Thai version though is my favourite.
For those who have not seen the original or any of its adaptations, the plot is based on the classic and over-used "Childhood Love" trope. Still, the story develops nicely and interestingly in this particular drama. It's truly a sweet rom-com, but you will feel angst during the prolonged misunderstanding on the ML's part and some noble idiocy on the FL's side. You will also get the second male lead syndrome, or at least I did, for all the versions. Most of the plot is about the FL deceiving the ML about her identity and how despite it all (including a sexy, eager SFL), he still falls in love with the FL.
In all versions, the ML is a jerk at first. However, some of it is due to him being bullied during his younger days, and he grows up developing a prickly shell. His mean attitude towards the FL is mostly because he is so confused and trying to fight against the attraction that he feels towards her, especially when he thinks he has already found his first love (the FL's best friend).
I like that in this version, the show did not have Ploy, the FL go through any significant makeover. She looked normal, albeit a little unkempt and dowdy with her oversized clothing and lack of attention to her appearance, but she was still pretty and cute, especially when she smiled. I love how Ploy improved her outer beauty naturally and realistically as she started to pay more attention, such as using proper skincare, contacts, and tidying up her hair. Most of all, I like how Kawin (or Win), the ML came to love her for her character and the connection he felt with her, the same closeness he had with his first love.
Fang Neerasingh as Ploy and Pae Arak Amornsupasiri as Kawin were adorable together. They had awesome chemistry and looked good onscreen - I love the height difference. They played off each other well and nailed every scene.
Ploy was a strong, happy-go-lucky FL whose physical appearance belied how tough and plucky her character was after having gone through hardship in life. For sure, there were moments where I wanted to yell at Ploy for not having the courage to tell Kawin the truth, and she was the one who started her best friend, Randa's deception. Still, Randa could have made better choices. In the end, though, it all worked out neatly, and I like the character development of Ploy, Kawin, and Randa. It's great that Ploy prioritized her self-development, and Kawin was equally amazing in allowing Ploy time and room for her to pursue her ambition. After waiting years for her, he was confident in himself and their relationship.
This is the first drama of Fang's that I watched, and I thought she did a great job. She was able to convey different emotions with her facial expressions, and her crying scenes were pretty much on-point. Her cute "girl next door" look reminds me of other Chinese and Korean actresses, but I still cannot place which ones exactly. She also sang one of the main songs.
I am not a fan of Pae's hairstyle here, but he is still as charming and attractive as ever. I like his portrayal of Kawin and his mood swings as we see Kawin struggle against his curiosity about Ploy that eventually evolved into attraction and ultimately love.
There's lots of accidental skinship (yes, "mostly the trip and fall into his arms" and the "oops, I turned my face and my lips almost found his" kind), but since these two were so cute together, these scenes only increased the sweetness factor for me. I wish there were more kissing because they looked comfortable and natural together when they did. However, I did feel that the other versions did a better job showing how the ML slowly fell for the FL.
As for the second male lead, it is the way the character is written that would result in the second male lead syndrome. He's sensitive, cool, super sweet, and supportive of the FL. Nat Kitcharit played Tula well, and there were so many times when I would smile at the chemistry between Tula and Ploy.
The acting was great across the board, and there was just so much rapport between the cast!
There were not many songs played in the drama, and most pieces were instrumental. However, the theme song was fun and reflected the cute tone throughout the drama. The other one is the more romantic song and the instrumental version was used a lot during the meaningful scenes. It definitely heightened the romantic experience for me. For posterity, I have listed those two here:
1) "จับมือเธอไว้" ("Hold Your Hand")
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ1ujiR2i6g
2) "ฉันจะกล้าพอ" ("I Will Be Brave Enough")
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7K5hqv5LpQ
Overall, do give this drama a try! The sweetness, the silliness, the laughter, the terrific cast, the lovely ending - there's enough to keep you entertained!
Was this review helpful to you?
Plot's premise was intriguing, but there's almost no answer of anything. Dinner part was forgotten after episode 2 and the other character felt unnecessary.
I think the problem was the duration. There's no enough time to properly tell the story. Probably because the recaps, they spent too much time on that.
The acting was fine, even though there's some scenes where they looked awkward. I didn't like any of the OST (for now). The cinematography was good.
Overall
I won't recommend it to anyone. But if you're going to watch it anyway... Don't try to find the logic, just go with the flow and maybe you'll liked it.
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
This is a very short Taiwanese series - short as in 10 eps, 13 min. each - and it tells the story of 3 brothers, same father, different mothers, who bicker as if their lives depended on it but they do love each other, though they would never say it out loud, they would rather die. And these brothers, they all fall for the various men in their lives: the younger two for their best friends, the eldest for the guy who their father thought might be his fourth son - spoiler: he isn’t.It’s pretty funny and I especially like the pairing above, the eldest son, Yuan Jun Cheng, and their wannabe brother, Lin Xun. Because Yuan Jun Cheng? He has the behavior of a mob boss and Lin Xun is not impressed. And when Jun Cheng decides he wants Lin Xun as his lover, he steamrolls everything in his way while Lin Xun is still not impressed. There might even be some eye-rolling there. And yet somehow, Lin Xun still ends up in a relationship with Jung Cheng. I bet that till this day, Lin Xun doesn’t understand how this odd thing actually happened.
Was this review helpful to you?
I watched this almost two years ago, because Kim Beom was in it.
I think the cast was good: as I read in other reviews, you could feel the emotions while they were acting.
But the thing is I couldn't understand the subject of this movie.
The events goes on more or less logically but in the end you aren't able to understand what the movie is telling you, or what you should have understand.
If someone asks me "What is this movie about?", I probably would answer: "Two guys in love that act in a weird way because you can't totally understand why she becomes mad and why he becomes that kind of 'bad' guy."
The only thing I well remember after two years is the weird mood in wich this movie pulled me in.
I felt somehow anxious, and I was disapointed too, I don't know why.
Anyway, I just think it is a movie that you like or don't like, that you understand or don't understand. I think I should rewatch it to find out something more!
Was this review helpful to you?
I like the way it was built around the female lead in a way that few Dramas set in more recent times are. And I especially liked the fact that Jang Geum was shown as learning her skills, through study, practice, observation, trial and error. Obviously, dramatic licence inflated her skills and achievements, but not to the point of being “magick”, merely hyperbolic and perhaps anachronistic. In the current era of “geeenius” everything (ALWAYS male), it was refreshing to see a Drama built around a character who came across as real, and who earned her accomplishments on merit.
The contrast between this medieval medicine woman and a shrieky female psychiatrist in a currently airing Drama could hardly be greater. So, while I won’t be watching it again, and wouldn’t necessarily recommend it to others, I am very glad I watched it all. A modern day remake would be a must watch, I think 16-20 episodes following a woman’s rise to medical pre-eminence with an (at most) secondary loveline. A man can dream, right?
Was this review helpful to you?
Despite not being a genre I'm gravitating towards, it's well-done!
Stranger / Secret Forest follows Hwang Shi Mok (Jo Seung Woo), a brilliant prosecutor who has lost the ability to empathize with others due to a surgery he had as a child and he teams up with a female police officer Han Yeo Jin (Bae Doo Na) as they investigate a seemingly simple robbery turned murder, amid political corruption.I don't gravitate towards political or corruption, things that seem to be really relevant to the show so I was apprehensive, but the show did a very good job at presenting you all of the puzzle pieces involving different characters. No one and nothing was being purposely left out to divert or keep me confused. I have to say that although it's engaging in the moment of watching, I don't feel any intrigue/addiction for the next episodes, maybe because my own tastes don't really line up with this genre.
What I want to highlight is how well the story was presented. I was surprised because of the synopsis about a prosecutor who lacks empathy would focus on human emotion and behavior. The cameras shot close-up to characters faces, to show all of the micro expressions. For a role that is supposed to be cold and emotionless, Seung Woo's acting is captivating. While his face remains blank at most times, there are slight nuances in his expression that highlight the emotional development. Then the two actresses I was happy to see here were Bae Doo Na and Shin Hae Sun. The acting of the entire cast is top-notch! I loved the Stranger Overture OST (my favorite aspect of this show, really), the cool blue tones for the color grading. I think it matches with our analytical male lead. Also loved how they showed the prosecutor's office as bleak narrow hallways. All in all, the execution is well-done!
Mar 2024
Find me on Instagram: @kdramajudge
Was this review helpful to you?
A good mix of melodrama and sweetness after a so-so start
I finally finished this drama after having it on my Hold list for ages. I just could not get past how spineless the FL in the beginning but I really like Wallace Chung and his acting. I'm glad that I gave it another chance because the FL got better towards the later part of the show (after ep 22).The plot was not unique but really quite lovely, about a couple who fell in love in college, separated due to misunderstandings and past grievances, and in the end found their way back to each other. The drama featured flashbacks of their college days
and those episodes were good. Kudos to Luo Yun Xi and Janice Wu for their portrayals of the leads in their younger days. I cannot believe how much these two actors have progressed in their careers.
I am not too impressed by Tiffany Tang's acting and I think she could portrayed the FL better especially in the beginning. Her wimpiness was too pathetic but it could be because of the script and directing. She looked really pretty though even in the ridiculous outfits that the show dressed her in. I really questioned the stylist and the choices for her.
Wallace was great as the ML, displaying a myriad of emotions. He can ham it up during the comedic moments and adopt a cold stone face when the moment called for it. He Yichen, the character himself was not the perfect ML but his commitment once he decided the FL was the one, was swoon-worthy. His hairstyle though - LOL, again I am not sure what the stylist was thinkinig. Other than his hairstyle though, he looked pretty suave in his suits.
Love the shenanigans of the law office and the fashion magazine folks, and I enjoying watching the second couple's path to love - truly a hate to love relationship!
Most may view the SML, Ying Hui as being annoying for his refusal to give up but I was actually quite intrigued by him. Honestly, if the FL chose to be with him, I would have been fine too. He was good-looking, successful, smart and also committed to the FL. I have seen Tan Kai, the actor in more recent shows and I must say that he's aging very well.
I really enjoyed the soundtrack especially the opening song, "My Sunshine" by Zhang Jie, the angsty "Why Love" by Wallace Chung and the equally emotional "A Ray of Light" by Hua Chen Yu. Tiffany also sang a lovely one for the show called Long Time No See. I am not sure why they selected the English song - most of the time, it did not fit the scenes. For posterity, I have list the songs below.
Overall, the later episodes and the really great ending left me satisfied, and the college scenes made this show a good one for me. I would recommend it but with the advice that if you feel your interest faltering, you should try to get past episode 22 because it does get better later. At least for me, it did.
OST
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU-7klSJJms
00:00 Jason Zhang Jie - My Sunshine (Opening Theme Song) | 张杰 - My Sunshine
https://open.spotify.com/track/4ZHbDjROaPH8KWXn20ZRmT
04:24 Wallace Chung - Why Love? (Ending Theme Song) | 钟汉良 - 何以愛情
https://open.spotify.com/track/3jnhJ37cVGK92lbyQhYhgx
09:16 - Tiffany Tang Yan - Long Time No See | 唐嫣 - 好久不見
https://open.spotify.com/track/6iWESa3J8akk6C1lovuuHI
14:00 Hua Chenyu - A Ray of Light / Glimmer | 华晨宇 - 微光
https://open.spotify.com/track/2pxbYnrJ3tUDMZaBPCtvdZ
18:23 Gao Shan - The Road Not Taken / To April | 高姗 - The Road Not Taken
https://open.spotify.com/track/4XTtNQcDJ1hyl8Dy5arn7B
22:03 Gao Shan - When I Met You, All The Stars Fell On My Head | 高姗 - 遇見你的時候所有星星都落到我頭上
https://open.spotify.com/track/56xLSzX5lcYHCaxc1W5fLR (not the Gao Shan version)
25:58 Fang Wu Wen Fang - Accumulated Loneliness / The Sum of Loneliness | 吳汶芳 - 孤獨的總和
https://open.spotify.com/track/1rhPNTxshTaIrCkPrGn4KK
Was this review helpful to you?
ONE OF THE BEST CHINESE DRAMA 2022
I've been on mydramalist for quite a while, but this is my first time writing a review, and i'm going to write it as honestly as how i feel.Love Like The Galaxy is a very good drama❤️🎇✨, and actually i'm gonna go with 9.8/10 for this (cause this is a slow-burned romance drama, i would give another 0.2 points if only they gave more of scene between Ling Buyi and Cheng Shaoshang like how the novel was written, maybe not all of them but i think it's way better if they added that, because i think there are some of crucial part in the novel -but did not make it into the drama- which in my opinion is quite important for build-up their relationship). And also more scenes for Shaoshang's twins, Cheng Shaogong, because when i read the novel i felt like he is also one of the important character, maybe in the same level like A Yao and Yuan Shen...but anyway i still like this drama as the way it is^^ :)))
Honestly i've seen historical-romance Chinese dramas very often, but for some reason this one really gives a different impression than all the dramas i've seen before and obviously it's in a good way✨
Wu Lei and Zhao Lusi's acting is really good, their chemistry is unquestionable😍. This CP is probably one of the most compatible with each other. The drama storyline is also easy to understand. Their OST is also great to listen to...... and +1 point, i'm glad they don't do dubbing that often, because their natural voice is already good.
Overall, this drama is WORTH TO WATCH! They also deserves an award!!! Very recommended drama!
Was this review helpful to you?
Recent Discussions
-
Not getting notifications for subscribed threads30 minutes ago -
Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao’s Story and Romance30 minutes ago -
Broadcast charts & Tables35 minutes ago -
Official Spam Thread- Report spam here1 hour ago -
