Reviews

Great acting and good premise

All of the actors in this were really good and portrayed their roles well. This would make a good movie because some of the long stares and unnecessary characters would potentially be cut way down.

Chef Eve, to me, was not necessary to the story at all and honestly just confused it. Her getting involved with Bie at the end... what was that?

When you wait a week for an episode, long stares are so frustrating that it actually changes the story internally. Something the director meant to be a beautiful and meaningful pause evoked cause me to become pissed off. Not what was intended, I think.

Prem and Vich... one person getting a love interest at a restaurant is ok, but two friends finding love at the same place? I don't know. And then suddenly opening a place? They had more going on than the main couple. They had a romance and even a sexual relationship that even the main couple didn't have.

Wiphob... adding him as a competitor and even quickly mentioning why he was so completive would have been great, but meeting his father and whatever that nonsense with Aek was... way too much. That whole thing where Aek called him for help... why not Bie or Vich? And then stayed over... ugh. I was annoyed all week at that wasted episode.

Aue's mother and her gallery also seemed unnecessary. Aek's mother and story were perfect and interesting parts of the story.

Loved the restaurant staff and all their scenes. One exception was Chompoo's date. Again, wasted time that could have been spent on the main characters.

Aek's friends scenes were all good and added to the story. (Well, except Bie's strange date with Eve.)

The story was good overall and I really liked the showcase of the Thai food and the non-Bangkok Thailand. I enjoy shows that show off smaller towns or villages or even Chang Mai. Thailand isn't only Bangkok.

I look forward to more work from the main two actors. They did a great job in this. I will rewatch this someday and maybe have less complaints without the weeklong waits.

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STORY: Overall, this is a good drama! I love the story and the characters! If you want some light-hearted fluffy drama this is it! But don't expect too much though if you wanted something with a deeper plot! but that is what I like about this drama!
ACTING/CAST: Oh gosh, the only reason I even watched it while it was ongoing (I have a rule to watch drama when it is already finished) is because of Lee Dong Wook and Yoo In Na, I loved their role in Goblin and I was sooooo excited to see them again pairing up and it did not disappoint! I even loved the other couple too, they were very funny!
MUSIC: I soooo love this song especially by Wendy What if Love! It's on my spotify and that is the first thing I play when I drive, hahahha!
REWATCH VALUE: Well! I would defo rewatch this drama if I'm craving something romantic and funny! It is light hearted and not heavy at all!
OVERALL: 9.5/10! It was a good watch!

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Story:
It was good, very easy to pin point where's the story's going. I like that, I hate thinking so much. I want to relax and not solve puzzles anyway that's why I am watching in the first place.

Cast:
WOW for Kim Jae Wook. He's Handsome, so. I became a fan in an instant.
AS for the female lead, she is one of my Fav.

Music:
Just right for my taste aswell especially "Thinking of You"

Rewatch Value:
I already rewatched some of its' episode, fake dating scenes most of them.

Overall:
I like this drama, though it's very simple I mean the problems arising were very heart breaking and deep like the abandoned kid and the death of a sibling but it was presented beautifully in way that my heart did not ache so.
I hate it when I have to cry so much because the scenes are so heart breaking.
So really like that this drama because it gave me smiles, lessons and romance in an exact temperature that I am looking for, just the way I want and just the way MY heart can handle.

:)

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This is a must watch

This drama is sooo underrated. I planned on watching it, but kept putting it off. In the end I started it and it was not what I expected. It was way better than what I thought. Just one thing I didn't really like about this was ep 38, but other than that everything was amazing. The two main couples and their chemistry were superb. Especially the main couple, from the beginning they just clicked. Another thing about this series was the OST, AMAZING AF. The OST itself just made the ratings for me go off the charts. This is a short review, but I just want to say it is worth the watch. Don't worry about MDL Ratings just go for it.

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Don't let the title put you off by thinking that you'll get some samurai action. You will. But not at the kind you're used to. Famed director, Yoji Yamada, known for his Tori-san works, delivers a melodramatic slow-paced film that carries weight and beauty in simplicity in The Twilight Samurai. It is an Oscar foreign nominated film for a reason. It won 12 Japanese Academy awards for a reason. This is inspired by the short story, "The Bamboo Sword" by by Shuhei Fujisawa.

Two hours did not feel like two hours. It's slow-paced but it's not the kind that drags on into unnecessary details. It's also not the metaphorical tale that other try to be, the story is straightforward, simple yet there's also something so enthralling about it. You'd want to see Seibi's character and how he'd go about his life as a petty samurai with two young daughters and a senile mother to look after. He's portrayed in a pitiful way but not in the way that makes you feel sad for him but at the same time, makes you root for him. He's neither depicted as likable or unlikable, just the way he is. Raw and real.

I definitely loved the aesthetics of this film. It's set in mid-19th century Japan and everything about it feels like that -- even the Japanese that they use. I guess it's the dialect (?) but it does give off a very historical feel even the way the characters act down to the little details of the clothes, hair and such. But the colors aren't crisp that it evokes a nostalgic and dramatic feel that echoes the overall tone of the film. It's a tale of mundane life that's amplified but still concise.

Hiroki Koreeda cites his style as more of Yamada to which this having my first Yamada film, I can finally see now. The attention to details, the simplicity and the subtle dramatic tension makes the film all more beautiful. Seibei and Tomoe's formal courtship is filled with dramatic tension -- just perfect for its time. While the lone "action scene" is stretched to the last 30 minutes or so, Yamada tries to keep us at the edge of our seats as the two characters (hero and villain) talk things out before launching into battle mode, only to force us to take deep breathes as he suddenly lunges at us.

All in all, The Twilight Samurai is ultimately about family. And while a mundane tale, Seibei and the narrator (the daughter's) words make it a poetic, almost poignant one.

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I haven't cried this much lately while I was watching a lakorn. Ton the male lead is such a loving, caring guy that It makes me wonder why men are not like this in real life :)

It's one of the rare lakorns that you'll love all the characters in it. From Squirrel boy to the white witch

No fighting, no jealousy, no crazy ex.

The special effects not the worse but watchable .

There's a lot of comedy in it, The father who's cheating, the heir son who wants to be a singer, the other residents of the apartment, security guy and his daughter, his daughter keeps using korean and calls him Appa all the time lol

Only hint I can give you is everyone ends up being a couple, getting married and giving birth :)

The eding killed me....

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The screenwriters want to teach us what love is but the Show came across as half baked and tedious

The fake marriage trope is now firmly established as a recognised genre and j-drama has done its best to invent a sub-genre whereby the marriage is between two total strangers with little or no preamble.

It can be very interesting and rewarding to see two strangers navigate living as a married couple with all the obligations and expectations from families and society. Finding love is a must and that journey of discovery is usually what sustain us and defines whether the Show succeeds. This show started on the right track but then lost its way in a maze of its own making before eventually finding the exit. The viewer is taken on a protracted run through the maze and it is frustrating when we can see the correct path before us but the protagonists always seemed to take the wrong turns.

The show is billed as a rom-com. There is the usual overacting and it has lots of romance in its plots but most of them seem to circumvent our OTP. It is as if the writers are giving us a tutorial on what true love is with lots of book examples. Unfortunately, the ML must have slept through most of it.

Time and time again, the ML was confronted with "feelings". He would get confused or misunderstood simple signals. At one stage, the FL shouted that she loves him and he replied "that's nice. What's for dinner?" (that is not what he actually said but you get my drift). The problem is that this doesn't happen once but repeatedly. The ML was berated by his friends, family and even his love rival as being dumb, idiotic and clueless. This is a person who works in advertising, well educated and pushing 30. He is not a shut-in. I can accept social awkwardness and inexperience but his behaviour is next level. Yet, at the same time, he has a long time crush on someone so he is not without feelings. While the FL was better represented, she was portraited initially as scatty, impulsive and naïve but at least she knows what love is when it hits her between the eyes. Of course the FL spent much of the show annoyed, disappointed and/or confused.

So with all the tutoring, expositions and observations of other people falling in and out of love over many episodes, you'd think our CP got the gist, right? Nope, not for 90% of the run. Even after multiple "confessions" and the donning of couple's pyjamas they still broke up on the weakest pretence. Forsooth, ye ol' curse of Failure to Communicate! The writers loved to use this device. They would have the actors interrupt other each repeatedly at key moments or an action is totally misunderstood but there is never any clarification. That is painful to watch as it was so obvious and served only to prolong their suffering and ours.

Speaking of love, there seems to be a queue of people who would fall in love with our protagonists pretty much at first sight. Random characters would be introduced for an episode or two, hit on one of the leads and sow confusion and then disappear. Why is this the only way for our protagonists to get any clarity about their feelings?

In terms of chemistry between the leads, there is a bit but there should be a lot more. The pairing just never felt 100% right. The Show tells us again and again that they are perfect for each other but I don't feel it. Friends, yes but soulmates? Kisses are rare and felt wooden. You just don't sense the passion. The herd of unicorns are MIA for this show.

Of course the ending is HEA with hints of multiple pairings. I would have prefer a show that spend a lot more time and energy showing us how the OTP falls in love and work together to sort out problems rather than standing around observing other people's love affairs and then completely botch their own. This is not a DIY car repair video after all.

There are much better examples of this genre such as "Because This Is My First Life" and "Shanai Marriage Honey".

The Show is watchable and there are funny and cute moments but it doesn't balance out the tedious bits. There is next to no re-watch value for me. Peace out.

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Basic Chinese Rom-Com

There were many cute and a few cringey scenes, as expected, and some random plot twists. I have to say, the character development wasn't the smoothest characters (change their mind and "grow" from their stubborn ways quickly, which doesn't make sense). I do have to say I was confused with this mysterious twin part for longer than I expected. I am still not very impressed with the backstory but I enjoyed that there was no school-drama immaturity and not many dumb misunderstandings between the cps. Decent OST and decent acting makes it a light drama to watch, especially as there are only 24 half-hour episodes.

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Surprisingly hilarious and wholesome!

Upon attending their therapy sessions, an ex-police officer, Noh Hwi Oh (Jung Woo), who lost his job when he couldn't control his anger, met a woman, Lee Min Kyung (Oh Yeon Soo) and become straight-up enemies. Min Kyung has an anxiety disorder and has lost faith in people due to an incident in her past. As they keep crossing paths, will these two fiery hearts help heal each other?

Bada boom bada bam! Comedy in your face, again, again, again! Yes, this is how I felt watching this show. I get immediately suck in to the leads from the start, seeing the hot-headed Hwi Oh clashes with Min Kyung, both of them are crazy! They are literally fire and gasoline. Their hijinks are hilarious, super slap-sticks! Even with some cringy potty humor, I’m pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable this drama is.

Though short, it handles sensitive topics of mental health and trauma so well. It didn’t feel depressing, but we get to see raw and vulnerable moments of our leads. Characters development is very organic that they touch my heart. Of course, I love their wholesome romance. They had a quite sexy intimate moment too, which felt so organic and earned. The only nitpick is the chaos in the finale, that is not my fave part, but it is a very fun short watch. I would recommend it.

-Feb 2024, Yovita
Find me on Instagram: @kdramajudge

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Oh WOW

So this drama started off interesting.....plot is unusual.....a mother raising her male child as female. But she's quite abusive about it and not surprisingly both her children grow up pretty damaged. Their subsequent behaviour as adults is very messed up.....we have a lot of cheating, lying and switching games going on. There's no redeeming quality.....nobody seems to learn any lessons, develop and mature into better people.

Mostly what I didn't like is that whilst the drama was trying to make points about gender and the way society views it, the drama made the mistake of falling into judgemental views on gender. So the female twin is portrayed as meek, subservient and uninteresting but the male twin is the one who can draw, play football, cook, run the company etc......

The drama was showing the dangers of having a society that places such high emphasis on male heirs and this theme runs throughout, yet the drama itself makes it appear as if only the male twin is worthy, he can do everything better than his female twin, including stealing her husband from her.

So yeah, I started watching this with high hopes because of the unusual storyline but by episode 6 I gave up on all the angst and skipped to the ending.

The only thing I took out of this drama is that instead of having relationships & messing up each other's lives and marriages, all the family should have checked themselves into intensive family therapy from Day one.

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Worth Re-watching

This is kind of Groundhog's Day meets Cinderella vs Manchild Boss. But it is sweet with lots of heart. The time travel becomes not to reform Bai Zhenxiang the Boss but to do over to save the day. But Zhenxiang and Li Duduo, the the Female Lead will help each other and will change each other and change for each other and will also impact on their friends, co-workers and family. There are a few scenes that will bring tears no matter how often you re-watch them and that's why I re-watch them.
The trailers dance around the journey of Bai Zhenxiang and the journey of Li Luduo so that some may find the story not what they had expected.
But I think that this story explores what would you do to get something you love, to save something you love and to protect something you love. Many of the characters will grapple with those three things and you will smile or shed tears watching their stories.
Who wouldn't want to be around someone and to chase someone like Li Luduo. Who wouldn't want someone like Bai Zengxiang will prove to be.
The OSTs are very good and used wisely but the uncredited BGM also sticks in your heart. Go Slowly or 慢慢走吧 is really good.


If you've read this far, thank you.

Spoiler.

Pay attention to the shirts that the ML and FL are wearing at the end.
Thank you.

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Wow, All 16 episodes were a journey. I was rooting for Dong Eun to get her revenge, and it happened. The Bullying was actually unrealistic, as many bullies are often stressed by their families and use weak people to vent their anger, but the Bullies are just awfully rich and sadists for no apparent reason. That was the thing that never went well with me during this drama.
Acting was so good by everybody. They nailed their roles, and that's what I like about recent K dramas—everyone is an Oscar-worthy actor.
Kudos for how well the Drama went. Also, call me crazy, but Jae Joon doesn't deserve the ending he got. He was crazy and violent, but I think Prison would've been better for him than death. Also, going to Yeo Jeong for autopsy details was crazy. How idiotic is he?
But nonetheless, I really liked it. For crime thrillers, I prefer Realistic dramas, but this one was at least enjoyable and kept you on the edge of your seat till you finished it. 9.5 ratings from me!

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It's an okay fantasy drama but lacks oomf factor

This drama mainly revolves around finding the missing body parts of the ml, which is a dragon. I've watched another drama of the ml, but for some reason I wasn't able to finish it because the story got dragged out at the end. So I was determined to finish this drama no matter how it goes just to give it a chance.

Let's talk about the positive things first. I like the plot and how it teaches the values of forgiveness and moving on. I also like the slow-burn romance in this drama and how the female lead is not your typical annoying weak character. We love strong women. There are actually a couple of scenes where she saves the male lead. It has also a hint of comedy so it's more like a feel-good drama because there is not that much angst in this one compared to other fantasy dramas. Contrary to popular opinion, I quite like the CGI on this drama. It's not that flashy compared to high-budget fantasy dramas but that's how I like it since it's better for it to be simple than it being too much.

Now we go to the negative things I have for this drama. There are a few scenes where I get so frustrated because most of the conflicts in the story are due to poor communication. They always directly go to fighting instead of talking it out first. The plot also in the 2nd half got so dragged out. They kill someone, and then he's alive, and then he's killed again, and then he's alive once more. Pick a struggle hahaha. The chemistry between the leads is also a bit lackluster for me. But it got improved in the later part of the drama.

Another thing, I always feel so skeptical when I start a chinese fantasy drama because it's either you get a bad ending, a sad ending, and an unsatisfying ending. I only knew of a few dramas that have a satisfying ending. Unfortunately for this drama, it has a very unsatisfying ending for me. I don't know how and why it's always the same thing. Although this drama has a happy ending, the happy bit was squeezed at the last 10 min of the drama. There are unnecessary scenes that could have been replaced with happy parts and proper closure for the characters. It's getting repetitive and I need a drama where they break this kind of stereotype.

Overall, I'll give it an 8.5/10. It's an okay drama if you have nothing else to watch at the moment.

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Delightful, heartwarming family drama!

Rare find of a well produced, beautifully portrayed kdrama that spans three generations! The story evolves around the people in a tiny township and how they come together to make a profit by consolidating their land and their lives. The drama touches many aspects, situations and issues that each and everyone can relate to in terms of divorce, adoption, misunderstandings, generation gap, city & country living. The well cast young actors are brillant! Byung-do outshined the group and wise grandpa held the reins mediating work and family issues.
I am surprised with the low viewage. This is a really great drama for the whole family!

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Underrated

At first I thought I would be watching three women who will complain with their drinks and I simply didn't want to watch such one dimensional characters. But when I gave this drama a try, I made the best decision.

The three FLs have so much depth to them than they let on in the first few episodes. Their friendship doesn't feel like drama but it feels real, and their behaviour is so authentic when they argue and more than that the female actors have acted so good in their roles.

One factor that might bother few people in this drama is that FLs drink a lot. Yes a lot, but I won't count that as a bad writing here. The show is all about three woman who love drinking. The best thing about it is the FLs don't drink because they have some sad past, they drink because they simply love to drink.

The drama had few heavy topics like death, lgbqt issues which were handled with perfectionism.

Overall I never thought a web series would be this good. I am badly waiting for season 2.

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