This review may contain spoilers
This was not just another BL
It was obvious from the beginning that this was going to be in another level. But, it still exceeded all of my expetations. Gun nailed it in playing two characters, you could really see the difference between White and Black, you could actually think they were two different people. One complain I have is that I really wish we had seen more of Black, maybe more flashbacks or having him come back two episodes earlier, he pretty much only showed up to be hot and kick ass, but he did those two things VERY WELL.Off, Papi really went off with this role, everytime I see the scene when they break in Tawi's factory and they have to act only witb their eyes, I still have chills, his voice breaking when he called Black's name while he was beating his ass up...
Now, the story, the polical satire, pushing for diversity, and the fact that they were doing that through art is what really got me. The show ended with a reminder that things can't and won't change over night, but as long theres people willing to fight, there will be hope. The van scene, the people saving them gave me teary eye, because it show how much power the people have if they unite in one cause.
The relationships:
White and Sean. Chemistry on point as we would expect from OffGun, well devoloped, cute, hot and the right ammout of angst. They were surprisenly good at communication even with the secret identity between them
Yok and Dan: the acting was on point, they were so emotional and cute. Yok's pain of being betrayed by Dan really hit me, and I loved that by the end Yok fargave Dan without knowing why he did what he did, It was like saying that all he needed to know is that he was sorry and was ready to change and that punch was weirdely satisfying
Gram and Eugene: NOOOO. That made absolutely no sense, we were led to believe Gram was in love with Black and I understand not having time to develop something between Gram and Black wich Im convinced was the initial plan, I know they had to reshoot most scenes from the last episodes so ... I understand, but I was fine with Gram having a one sided crush, why stuck him with Eugene ? Also, who does that to a friend? To me it just doesn't fit Gram's character to go after his friend's ex. It doesn't fit Eugene either, she was obviously not over Black, it also bothered me when Eugene is having her flashbacks remenbering her relationship with Black, most scenes was the ones with White. They did had chemistry, it just didn't make sense.
White and Black: weirdely enough, it actually work, never mind that we had a scene with the twins where Gun actually got naked but had to be cut from the waist down. They had amazing brotherhood, their supernatural connection played it well on the story without being cringey. I dont know what else to say, they were very good together despite the fact that it was only one actor playing both roles.
The Gang: so, this is where the story gets me, the trio Gram, Yok and Sean were awsome together. The rooftop scene, the banter when they were making plans, especially the hug when Sean gets shot, everything was well scripted and the loyalty and brotherhood was there, but, White felt out of place in it which made sense in the first episodes, but towards the end it felt like he still wasn't part of the gang despite telling them the truth, it was like he was just taging along. While Black was barely part of the group, at the beginning we were told that he was their leader but when he comes back and they learn the truth about White nobody stops to ask where the hell have Black went.
PS: those parkour jumps were awful.
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This review may contain spoilers
Amazing, underrated but NOT a lighthearted drama - Funny, Sad, and Relatable
Subjective Gut Rating: 8.75Trigger Warning - this drama covers many issues and might be difficult to watch for those who are sensitive. I’ve listed the potential triggers at the end of this review.
“Salon De Nabi” aka “Fly High Butterfly '' is an underrated drama that was not released in Korea due to the bullying scandal of supporting actress, Shim Eun Woon (Jen). The drama was released in Taiwan instead and then on Amazon Prime in selected regions. It’s really unfortunate that “Salon de Nabi” did not get its deserved release and promotion because it’s a great drama. It tackles many important social issues through the lives of the 7 individuals working at the salon and their customers. Initially, I thought this would be a lighthearted watch, but I was wrong. I did laugh a lot, but I also shed many tears for the characters. I was shocked at how funny and depressing the first episode was.
I realized that I had to pay attention to this drama as not all the events and explanations are openly and graphically shown. There's quite a bit of subtlety to the storytelling, e.g. the uncle greeting the teenager and touching her arm, the character calling out their mother’s name outside the police station and then the camera panning to the cross hanging in the car, which then reminded me the scene where the character left a cake outside their family’s door. These scenes are shown to us, but not explicitly explained.
We get to know each of the 7 unique main characters in the salon, some with a bigger focus than others. The drama uses a lot of humor when introducing them but along with the laughter, there’s a lot of tears when we learn of the challenges each of them faces. I would not have liked this drama as much if there were only funny parts.
Gi Bbeum, as the female lead, has the most screen time and the biggest character development. Her story was the first to be introduced in episode 1 and also sets the tone for the rest of the drama. It’s lovely to see how she’s changed from an introverted, quiet but hard working intern who battles social anxiety, to a more confident and outspoken designer/hairdresser-in-the-making. Despite her flaws, she’s not afraid to keep learning and asking questions. Her questions might be weird but she’s trying very hard to improve. Her romance with Moo Yeol is really cute. They’re destined to be together as Moo Yeol seems to be the only one that can understand her mumbling speech. The love confession does seem to have come out of nowhere despite the weak explanation that she might have liked him from day 1. I think Moo Yeol brings Gi Bbeum out of her shell and helps her become a better version of herself. He is quite attuned to her moods, and is not afraid to ask her questions. Gi Bbeum, though shy, is very honest with Moo Yeol.
None of these characters are perfect, and a couple might be very annoying. But these flawed characters feel relatable thus we care about them and root for them to overcome their challenges. I particularly like the odd pair of Jen & Kwang Soo. Jen is the best ‘wingwoman’ and she’s so badass. Kwang Soo is the weirdest and most self-absorbed jerk, yet he can be very perceptive and can shut you down with his no nonsense facts. I probably like Michelle and Soo Ri the least, and find them slightly annoying. Poor Teacher Woo is just there. He doesn’t get a lot of screen time or lines, but I think that’s because of who he is. This weird bunch of individuals don’t necessarily like each other and are not the found family in other dramas that give you the warm and fuzzy feeling. But when one of them is in need, they rally behind and have each other’s back. There are a few circumstances where I don’t agree with the initial reactions of the characters. But when I think clearly, their reactions and actions are very normal. These are flawed characters and it takes time for them to digest the information, but will also act appropriately at the end.
My main criticism is probably the number of issues they try to cover in this drama. Sometimes, I feel like the drama is trying to do too much, therefore, a few of the storylines are fully developed. Nevertheless, I strongly recommend this drama if you want a slice-of-life drama that covers some relatable issues in a very funny yet human way.
Other Random Observations:
1. Some bad wigs are used in this drama.
2. It’s funny how dissatisfied customers all run to the public restroom to check their hair.
3. I have enough fat girls being criticized plot, forever stay in the friend zone and have low self-esteem.
4. FL’s fake smiles are haunting me.
5. It’s so sad that a character refused to go to the hospital after being stabbed by a pair of scissors.
6. Jen & Kwang Soo’s romance could have developed more.
7. Great advice from Jen about FL’s first time having sex - looking back to see if it’s a fond memory.
8. Love the interesting way of telling the ‘origin’ story of the 7 individuals in episode 15.
9. Ep 15 is technically the season finale. Ep 16 is only a bonus episode.
10. I did not like Ep 16 - it’s all fun but I was bored because I am missing the human element of the drama. Comedy only is not enough for me.
Potential Triggers (spoilers): bullying, weight issues, fat shaming, transphobia, sexual abuse, suicidal thoughts and attempts, depression, terminal illness.
Completed: 3/19/2023
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This review may contain spoilers
After watching a lot of dramas with a lot of complicated twists and turns in its plot, I was looking for something light but sweet. And luckily, someone from MDL posted this on the feed and stumbled upon it. Wasn't really expecting much from this drama because 1.) not really familiar with it 2.) not familiar also with jdrama that much, i have only watched a few so far 3.) i don't know the actors 4.) well, it only has 10.5 episodes. Can't really expect a lot from that.
It started quite okay. Honestly, I thought it was gonna be another "They kissed Again" adaptation. But it was somewhat different. The more I watched, the more I got hooked. The plot was light but not too light that it gets boring for the viewers. There was also enough cliches which is my guilty pleasures in dramas especially romcoms. And what surprised me the most is that, despite the age gap of the leads, I really liked their chemistry together (just a back story, not really fan of age gaps hehe. it's more of a personal preference).
I'm really thankful that I stumbled upon this drama. Really really nice. It brightened up my week :)
I guess now unto the next drama <3
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Anyways i would highly recommend this to any bl fan who wants something easy to watch well i found it easy to watch but yh enjoy !
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although the main role was that of izumi's and in the beginning she was clueless about infiltrations and secret investigations, with the help of someone she matured. there were many different premises to the show which involved back stories and secret plots going on behind the scenes. it's not just one case on each episode it's many cases which all link to one person.
the acting, was like always outstanding. small expressions, bigger expressions, style, the small habits each person had and the way they spoke. izumi was able to mature as a role from the beginning until the end and in every episode there was progress. it's really rare to find logical character development in dramas and most of the time the actors can't pull it off. here ti was pulled off greatly. with outstanding guests stars too i could not give the acting less than a 10 it would be unfair.
the music was adding to the climax of every episode and to the scenes it was not distracting you from the show and what was going on so i gave it a ten for that reason. i would certainly think that rewatching this after a year would most likely make you able to notice things you weren't able to notice the first time. overall i give this a ten. it's a great watch for those who like mysteries and detective dramas. it's definitely something a mature viewer would appreciate.
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If you liked shows like Trick, Tokyo Dogs, Mr. Brain, then you will like this. The production value is not as high, but the stories and the acting are quite good.
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Well as the title say the movie is all about dancing so it included a lot of dance routines which i found all really good. The story isn't about romance as a main point its more about doing what you love no matter how hard things get, never give up...
I really recommend this movie and I'm sure you won't be disappointed at least that's what i think <3 <3
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Beautiful. That's it.
This is not a BL. It's a drama that includes a M/M romance, but the story is so much more than that.Tian's journey of devoting his life to something bigger than himself after a near-death experience is the heart of this story. It's about love in every possible form, one of which happens to be a two-person romance. But it's Tian's love for teaching children. It's the love of friendship. It's the love of people and life and the little things.
The directing of this show was gorgeous. You can so clearly tell so much effort and devotion went into the production of this show, and that's proved by watching/reading about the behind the scenes. I mean, the crew built an entire village after the real one they were going to shoot at didn't work out. I heard how freezing it was, and that doesn't show at all in the scenes. I commend everyone involved. This show was clearly made with so much heart and love, which shows in the storytelling and the acting.
I'm so impressed with Mix's acting, as this was his first ever show, and he carried all of it. Everything was centered on his character, and he more than pulled through. Also, I think he's so youthfully beautiful. During the kite scene when he was smiling in the rain ... phew. Beautiful.
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This review may contain spoilers
Little Gem
I watched this series on Viki, in the edited 12-episode-format.Some people have mentioned that it's obviously low-budget -- but I think if the story and the story-telling is good, things like this don't matter much. And the story-telling is excellent!
First, the series is set both in our present and in the past (or maybe dreams) -- and they are beautifully interwoven. I loved how smoothly the transitions between both worlds are done.
There are five sub-plots (or rather short stories) about friendship, familial love, romantic love -- about loss, letting go, sacrifice, and healing. These are cleverly tied together by the "Demon Bar", a place where demons meet, and destiny brings customers to ... well, to what? To dream? To tell their story? To relive past lives?
What is real, what is a dream -- this is never quite clear; and in the moment when the sommelier (the demon hunter?) maybe grasps an important part of the truth -- the series is over.
I wouldn't even be sad if there's never going to be a second season, this ending is kind of perfect.
Throughout all of these sub-stories, we also follow the friendship (and it can't be more, it's from China) of the demon hunter and the dragon. The former gets some backstory and also some character development; the latter unfortunately not. Maybe he is supposed to remain shrouded in mystery.
On a personal note: I laughed a lot -- but I also cried at the end of every sub-story, especially the first two had me bawling my eyes out.
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"freedom is everybody’s business" -- NOT ME: a love letter to Thai people
Not Me is undoubtedly one of the best Thai series ever made and it's a product of an incredible amount of care. as i said in the title of this review, Not Me is a love letter to the people of Thailand by the producers, the writers, the actors, and everyone else that was involved in the production of this show. it is a poignant love letter to Thailand's queer community, their revolutionaries, the Thai proletariat, and everyone else who is marginalized by the system, written by people who clearly care a lot and want better for their country and their people.besides having an incredibly well-written, complex, and layered scenario; intentional and complementary sound design; creative, boundary-breaking, and emotional cinematography; this show addresses a lot of important societal issues, such as labor rights for disabled people, class differences, educational opportunities based on class, privileges and social/cultural capital, the idea of law as justice, corruption, nepotism, police brutality, workers' rights, the “right” ways of the revolution, the luxury to protest, and many more. this show is very unapologetically anti-capitalist AND very unapologetically queer; what better way to communicate its messages than through one of Thailand’s most influential soft powers? a BL.
one thing that particularly impressed me was how the show did not hold back at all; as much as they were unapologetically anti-capitalist and pro-revolution, they were not afraid to explore the gray zones and they were not worried about getting everything "right." the variation in different characters' different approaches to the "revolution," or radicalism in general, the ambiguities in their ideologies, the different ways they all approached the cause based on their lived experiences; it all added so much nuance to the show and showed how the writers/producers took their audience seriously and wanted us to grapple with these ideas.
the quote i added in the title is from Dolemite (1975) and the context is Black people's liberation; it says, "revolution was never meant to be easy [...] it's not a matter of color. freedom is everybody's business." i added this in because while Not Me takes place in Thailand, the issues addressed are universal and freedom is everybody's business, which includes yours and mine. since solidarity was also one of the points the show emphasized as being very important for any sort of societal change, i believe it is worthwhile to make a point out of this.
furthermore, i loved how the gang were portrayed as frequent readers who constantly engaged with radical material. i loved how the characters participated in discourse, as in there was actual dialogue written for different characters going back and forth, about the issues addressed by the show. i particularly loved Nuch's input & their discussions with Gram. i loved how all of these characters approached the fight in creative and unique ways. there were expressionist dancers, expressionist artists, readers, those who fought by protesting, those who made signs for protests, those who organized on social media; there was space for all.
ACTING -- as strong as the scenario of this show is, the acting performances of the whole cast need just as much praise. starting with Gun, who had the hardest job of all yet delivered phenomenally, his acting is never really over the top but always nuanced and intentional. the way he played White, the way he played Black, the way he played the White that was pretending to be Black, and the way he played the Black that was pretending to be White, were all different and easily identifiable just by his gaze. it was almost like the look on his face reflected the lived experiences of the character he was playing; his gaze was cold, controlled, and firm when he was Black, whereas he looked inexperienced but passionate, innocent but not dumb, and filled with so much hope when he played White. Not Me also had Off's best acting. i never thought Off gave any particular outstanding performances in his previous work that i've seen or i've never seen an OffGun show and said, "yeah, Gun is great but look at Off's performance," until i watched him in Not Me. Off's performance in Not Me very much stands out and is proof that a good script and director can bring out very different skills in an actor. he did a great job at portraying Sean's grievances, his pain, his anger, and his shortcomings. additionally, i thought OffGun had so much more chemistry in this show than their other shows together, which also shows chemistry can be cultivated through writing & directing and it is not static between two people. lastly, First also gave one of his best performances in Not Me. he was doing a lot of eye-acting and i particularly loved how he interpreted Yok's disappointment when he found out he had been betrayed.
POLICE BRUTALITY -- at first, i thought it was weird that they wrote Yok's love interest as a cop, who are agents of the state, tasked with stopping revolutionary efforts all around the world by any means necessary. however, this was one of the gray zones they explored, which did, in fact, serve a narrative purpose. Dan represented the people who understood what was wrong with society but fell victim to the idea that they can change things through becoming a part of the system. he became a cop and the very same system he thought he would be able to change by doing this made him complicit. he was given authority and power over the people simply by becoming a cop and he was given a deadly weapon, as well as the authority to shoot whenever he felt "threatened." eventually, he ended up becoming a well-working part of the system and reinforcing the same conditions he hoped to change through becoming a cop.
despite appreciating Not Me addressing how systems of oppression cannot be changed from the inside, i thought the show really dropped the ball when it comes to Dan and his police brutality storyline, especially considering the global political climate at the time this show came out, as well as them mentioning the Black Lives Matter protests. despite the heavy, heavy guilt Dan felt, which Gawin beautifully portrayed, i found it very hard to feel sympathy towards him after he revealed how he "accidentally" killed a presumed-to-be-guilty yet unarmed person (not that it matters) who was running away and faced no consequences other than his conscience. he detailed how he did this, how his coworkers covered it up, how he felt so guilty that he changed stations, yet he never quit his job (until later). yet, he never found the family of the man he unlawfully killed and apologized. he left Sean without a father, took someone's partner from them, while exercising (abusing) his state-appointed power. he saw Sean seeking justice years ago yet he only went to him when he couldn't carry the guilt anymore. even worse, when confronting Sean, Dan says it was an accident, which shows that he still doesn't get it. this is how the system operates. he would not be in that position at all, with a gun in his hand and the power to direct it at someone, if he hadn't chosen to become a cop and a part of this system. he said it was an accident but he never really took responsibility. he killed a man but he never was judged by the law.
furthermore, i was really disappointed with Yok's reaction to finding out what Dan did, especially because he knew Dan for so little yet was friends with Sean for years and saw how traumatized and radicalized he was by his father's death. i felt like he really didn't feel the weight of what he did beyond how it made Dan feel. it was sort of this romantic, opening-up moment, which felt odd to me. i felt like all the things Yok said were wrong and lacked empathy for Sean; he said Dan was now making amends by fighting against Tawi when he never even took responsibility for what he did or even apologized so how could he be making amends? on whose terms? to who exactly? in what ways? i really didn't think he deserved to be comforted, especially by Sean's very own friend.
while watching the show, i said, "unless Sean kills Dan and takes his revenge or is able to get him charged with murder, i won’t think they handled that storyline fairly and it will just be (some cops are good but they make mistakes) copaganda to me," but the actual confrontation between Sean and Dan was so much worse because they made Sean look unreasonable for wanting revenge and it felt like he was forced into resolving this issue within himself for the comfort of everyone else. Yok was yelling at Sean, saying "he's trying his best to make it up to you" for, literally, killing his father through state-legitimized violence. on top of the fact that they kept referring to him making amends, which somehow did not involve the actual victims at all, i just felt crazy watching this particular scene. everything Gram said was even worse. he said, "don't take revenge, what are the laws for?" yet the laws clearly didn't do anything? in fact, the laws were in place to protect and empower those like Dan who protect and serve the state. if the law was there to provide justice to citizens, would Dan get away with killing someone just because he was wearing a badge? Gram said to punish the ones who really did wrong, which, he is right, because police killings are political and directly related to structural oppression and this is not a problem of individual shortcomings of one cop. yet, no form of "justice" was served for Sean and his family and Sean didn't deserve to be made to feel like his feelings weren't valid, no matter how impulsive. of course, i didn't actually want him to kill Dan and get himself in that predicament with the law, cause unlike Dan, he would be charged, but he wasn't wrong to want revenge.
NON-VIOLENCE -- one other area where i thought the show dropped the ball was their focus on non-violence in the context of the revolution, or simply, as it relates to societal change. it reminded me of all the people who were more worried about the looting of luxury stores, damage to property, or respectability politics during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, than the people who have been victimized by the police state for far too long, when we know all revolutions in the past have been won through using violence back. in Blood In My Eye, George Jackson says, "revolution builds in stages; it isn't cool or romantic; it's bold and vicious [...] the power of the people lies in its greater potential violence."
Not Me, in many ways, addressed how the law itself is not justice nor is it always just or correct. they acknowledged it is there for a reason but also showed the characters struggle with its limitations. they even openly said how the law exonerates the elite who use it for corruption because it’s made by them and for them. we often saw White question this; he said, “fair competitions only result from fair rules. what if the rules aren’t fair? is it right to break them?”
while they did address both sides of this spectrum, there was a focus on non-violence, especially portrayed by the main character White, who seemed to be in the middle of everything yet saw and acknowledged both sides. this focus on non-violence, which goes against the radical nature of the show, was disappointing but kind of expected. i was surprised at how honest and fearless the show was in addressing certain political and social themes that i thought they would not fall victim to the liberal notion of non-violence in the context of the revolution. also, them mentioning Martin Luther King Jr in the context of nonviolence was very on point because anytime someone wants to criticize revolutionary efforts, which, of course, can involve violence, they will quote MLK and how he advocated for non-violent protests. Not Me does the same and it's not surprising why they don't bring up other Black revolutionaries, like Kwame Ture, who said, "in order for nonviolence to work, your opponent must have a conscience." furthermore, MLK is always remembered by his most famous sayings about non-violence, yet his other words, such as, "one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws," go unmentioned.
it felt like maybe they intended to focus on unity and the positives to give people hope and make the idea of the revolution more palatable (then again it is a tv show), but diluting revolutionary efforts through notions of non-violence or more palatable and comfortable ways of revolting excuses the violence suffered by the people. both in Sean's case and in general, i think the expectation to stay calm through abuse is where the violence lies. it is almost offensive to ask people to contain their anger, to act respectable, to not use force, when state-sanctioned violence is normalized and millions live in poverty.
WHITE'S PRIVILEGE -- finally, i want to address White as the main character. i mentioned the show focusing on nonviolence before, and this focus is mainly established through White's character. before White took Black's place in the gang, they were already using different forms of violence to fight back.
when White first comes in, we see him as this rich, privileged, sheltered guy, and when he joins the first mission, he’s obviously dumbfounded. in a way, White represents the elite in juxtaposition to the rest of the gang, he doesn't have the same life experiences, he hasn't been burned by the system the way they have been because he's been on the other side, and he has little to no lived experiences with any forms of oppression. yet, he leads the conversations. he represents neutrality, intelligence, and logic while those like Sean or Black, who are rightfully angry, are portrayed as rabid dogs who lack civility and only know violence. White represents the elite's understanding of conflict and revolution and i don't like how him being the main character made it so that his point of view, one of neutrality, was emphasized.
however, this was also White's journey of understanding his privileges and his own position on this chess board, he said, “ [...] if the privileges i’ve had in my entire life come from exploiting others..” which very directly addresses capitalism and wealth inequality. the fact that White had an easy life where he did not have to think or act about the structural problems of society and systems of oppression is because he had the privilege not to. in the end, the show made it seem like it was White, who did not live in Thailand until recently, had no direct experiences with poverty, oppression, or state violence, and lived an overall privileged life, who would bring reason to the group and their actions against those like Tawi. in a way, it was White's neutrality and "logic" that diluted the revolutionary efforts of the gang, which were much more strong and radical when Black was leading them. the show made it seem like these guys, like Sean, who were radicalized through their direct experiences with injustice, were akin to savages acting on pure rage.
i'm emphasizing this point because it was so painfully obvious; even when they found out about the cop's betrayal, White was the one who could see both sides of it. while others were mad or disappointed, White, once again, represented reason and could immediately sympathize with Dan and did not seem to be as emotional about their efforts being ruined. however, what the show doesn't directly tell us is that White can afford to be neutral about this BECAUSE he is privileged. even his capacity for sympathy towards Dan demonstrates how privileged he actually is. he isn't as angry as others because he can afford to be. he hasn't been hurt and damaged by the system the way others have been. he doesn't have the same grievances despite believing in the same cause. yet, he was made to be the voice of reason, which everyone followed. he got to criticize, direct, and change the ways the gang went about the revolution and we were just supposed to believe he somehow knew better and was better, which seemed condescending. for example, when in EP6, White did not follow Sean's plan and assumed he knew better, it showed us that he did not value the experiences of the people who were actual victims of oppression, unlike him who only learned or read about these things. it seemed like the show created scenarios that made the gang look impulsive and thoughtless while White was always written to be the voice of reason and intelligence. as Attica Locke wrote, “you didn’t make good choices, you had good choices,” and that's how privilege operates.
IN CONCLUSION -- no matter my stance on some of the focus points of the show, i loved how they addressed the gray zones in a lot of the issues in the plot. they never claimed to be right or know everything about everything. they tried to acknowledge and explore as many viewpoints as possible, which made for a very enjoyable and educational watch.
most importantly, my favorite part of the show was how they made so much space for love throughout it all. we need so much of it. we need love for each other because that's how we build community. societal change can't come about if people don't care about each other. we need people like White to care about people like Sean. we need people to care when there is nothing in it for them. we need them to care even when it doesn't serve them. this is why i love how they didn't end the show with some unrealistic portrayal of a successful revolt or something. they ended it by emphasizing the most important point: solidarity, solidarity, solidarity. they ended with, "not me, not you, but everyone," emphasizing the importance of the collective over the individual.
and the fight continues.
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This one kept me on my toes right from the first episode and the production was beautiful. I hate watching many of the newer historical series sometimes due to the lack of attention in details to the costume/makeup/environment, etc. It feels less historical and more like a joke most of the time. However, they did such a fabulous job on this one. I truly appreciated the realism in the fight scenes as well, which is rarely done well in many series.
Lei Jia Yin and Zhou Yi Wei really made this series come to life for me. Then again, if I think about it, many of the actors also made it come to life. Those two just happened to be my favorites. Each episode with its intervals of the day were interesting by itself and the progression was done well. And really appreciated the focus on the "minor" characters and their sacrifices (they usually forget them and move on quickly).
The only real flaw for me was how it ended. They did so well with maintaining really great intensity for most of the episodes but the ending for both the plot and the characters didn't sit as nicely for me as I had hoped. Nevertheless, it is still very much worth the watch. The ending isn't as destructive to the series as it has been for others.
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I guess you can call it fate
Under the gun is nothing out of the ordinary, just a short series with romance retold once again.Cha Se-Young is your typical "rich" FL, from a good home and not much drama at her house other than match making mother. Bonus points because she is not a brat, doesn't flex her wealth and is actually nice and proactive. Whilst our ML, Go Gun, is rough around the edges due to life but is also a decent human being who was forced to grow up too soon. The meet up is as destined and they eventually bond and date. Even though it's short there aren't as many plot hole that make you disinterested nor a heavy focus on side plots that don't add to the story but we do have a healthy amount of coincidences and clichés (as expected). Bonus points for cute height differences, how they always support each other (mostly FL but still) and proper communication between the two most of the time. Even when there's disputes they are quickly resolved and everything goes back to normal. It's a cute romance with one or two tear jerking scenes, and adults not acting like adults most of the time.
It's a story of how life can be mean at times but with the right people on your side you can hold on just to live another day. And if you are lucky enough, get through it, and live to tell the story. There's good chemistry between the leads, although I must say I wasn't a fan of everything especially how they initially got together because she practically did to him what SML did to her successfully but I digress. Notice how I didn't say much about the SML? Well he is a plot device, and that's about it. It's a decent watch to get out of a slump or if you want a quick watch.
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Warm and cozy; bound to make you feel fuzzy inside
"Would You Like a Cup of Coffee?" is a great choice if you want a healing drama. Not to mention, a perfect pick for coffee lovers as well.If we're talking about side plots, a story like this has limitless possibilities. Each character had a story to tell, and while some of the stories were a little lacklustre, I found many of the characters to be entertaining to watch.
The two male leads, as well as the supporting/recurring actresses/actors, performed admirably. I only have one gripe: Han Ji Ho. He portrays Seo Young Hoon, a cheater who attempts to extort money from his ex-wife. He was terrible at acting. I don't mind if an actor or actress has amateurish abilities, but his was just plain bad.
Kang Go Bi is exactly the type of character I adore. He has flaws. He makes errors. Like, a lot of them. But he gets better every time. He never gives up. I have a lot of respect for these characters! They are very inspiring to me, ngl. Choi Hurt is another one of my favourites. He's direct, a little rude, and lacks a filter. But he keeps it 100% authentic. He's another type of character I admire, especially because I'm the polar opposite of him: a people-pleaser who avoids conflict.
The music is very relaxing, which fits perfectly with the vibe of the drama. Sadly, nothing stood out.
It was nice watching this drama. I think it would've been a better choice to watch this alongside a fast-paced crime drama, because sometimes it felt a bit boring.
aight byeee~
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Chinese version of Jason Bourne, spy vs. spy
Initially, I was a bit skeptical about this drama whether it will be good or not. The first episode hooks my attention where I already get some tense from the manhunt. That leads to the curiosity on what will happen in the next episode and the next one and on and on...As the story goes on, from each episode onwards you will get that tense feeling and guessing on what will happened next. I think this is one of the best C-Drama with Historical, Political and war theme. It shows courage, patriotism, loyalty, integrity and all aspects of a spy should have. Really really interesting.
The setting of Shanghai in the late 30’s and the 40’s are well built, when you watch the episodes, you will feel that you are brought to that era. The cinematography is also good. In some tense moment the camera movement adds the effect on the dire, suspense situation.
The acting is also seeming natural, not exaggerating. I think every single character played very well and worth some appreciation.
Although this is not a romance drama, and the topic is more towards History, political and war but the relationship of the Male Lead and Female Lead was built beautifully. There are not many or almost non-romantic scene to describe their relationship, but it is able to show how deep is the feeling between both characters. Both Male and Female lead are giving their utmost act where you can see their feeling, their pain, their mutual affection clearly. You are eager to know what the end of these two characters will be, will they be together or not. That will make you more attached to the show.
You may not agree with the political views here i.e., communism – but despite of that, you may disregard your political view and just enjoy the storyline.
The series has a tight plot which able to create suspense and thrill, it is spy vs. spy. Depiction of intelligence world in China that day.
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This review may contain spoilers
Mindless Entertainment
The Good:Gun, as per usual was lovely to watch. I mean, there's not much to say other than that he's a truly good actor. His character, Run, was interesting too. He wasn't morally grey, his whole thing was not agreeing with Home School's new goals, but he definitely had more depth then a lot of the others, which was nice.
I liked Film's acting. I haven't seen loads of opinions on it; it was stiff at times, but towards the end of the show I think she shined. Jane as White was good as well. I adored her in The Gifted so was excited to see her here, and I don't think she disappointed. Chimon - do I really need to say anything? I think he was second the Gun (although Khaotung in the those last 30 seconds lowkey out-acted the whole cast) and I loved his character, Pennueng, too.
Hugely unpopular opinion, but Maki was my favourite character. She had some questionable moments for sure (''Home school has changed. They aren't teaching us anymore.'' Babe when have they ever?) but I'm such a main character person, honestly. It annoyed me when she got shot cause a student death would've been super interesting but I didn't want it to be her lol.
A second unpopular opinion - I didn't like Hugo and Jingjai, but!! I do admit that they brought some much needed complexity to the show. They were flawed and did bad things but ultimately they were just young kids with bad parents (their treatment of Pennueng really got on my nerves though) and did the right thing when it really came down to it.
As much as he irritated me, Master Prasat's whole thing was exactly what the show needed. All the other Masters as 'villains' (even if they didn't turn out to be bad in the end) were flat and just plain boring to watch. He really ended up saving the show and bringing the much needed intensity.
The Average:
The romance was extremely meh. Firstly, did the writers have to couple - or in Fuji and the twin's case, throuple - every character up? Pennueng and Pheng were so cute as a platonic thing, I didn't even consider them being a couple till Pennueng confessed - like it came out of nowhere for me. Hugo and Jingjai made sense, I'll give the show that. Tibet and Maki were... okay, I guess. I will admit, I'm a huge romance girl, and the really subtle moments between the two of them I enjoyed, but overall they were just awkward. Nai and White were a slight improvement, although not by much. I liked their energy better, but I think Jane carried their dynamic, while Dew struggled a bit.
Tibet, Nai, Jean and Biu were weird to me. Tibet - where was his personality? Nai kept switching from being super serious and angry to randomly playful and silly. Jean had like, three lines the whole show. Biu was introduced as super bubbly in the first episode but then turned mean and unlikeable. I didn't hate them, I just think the writers introduced too many characters and then couldn't keep up.
The majority of the acting was just fine. I preferred Nani and Dew in F4, they just didn't fit here. Everyone's parents were just terrible. I mean Jingjai's mum's acting when Jingjai was trying to kill her was appalling; no emotion whatsoever. Only reason I'm not putting them in my 'bad' section of this review is because they had like 5 scenes total.
The Bad:
Draggy. This should not have been 18 episodes, it could've been done in 12. I mean, apart from setting up the plot in the first few, and then getting super intense and interesting from episode 14 onwards, what actually happened? They played games that were meant to teach the students meaningful lessons but in reality just made me laugh in disbelief at the stupidity. Was that musical chairs game really necessary? I can't even remember what the point of it was, that's how irrelevant it ended up being.
There were a lot of things that didn't make sense to me, either. Am I just being dumb, or did we never actually find out what Bodin did to Maki? I get that he was abusing her and Run, but why did they build up this massive thing that he did to Maki that never ended up actually being revealed? The whole conflict of her not remembering took up like an entire episode I'm pretty sure - maybe even two. If I'm being stupid and accidently skipped over the reveal then please tell me because it's all that's been running through my head when thinking about this show.
Another thing that didn't make sense were the drugs. I'm sorry, but the fact that there were drugs that could turn someone into a mindless killing machine was a little ridiculous. They had zero explanation from what I remember - no science, no scene of them making the drugs, nothing. Also, wasn't there some dialogue between the Headmaster and someone else (probably Master Prasat) where she said that the drugs didn't work on her? Why not? Why do they work on some people but not others? I just don't get it.
The hypnosis stuff? I mean come on, that really came out of nowhere. You're telling me with a couple of pen clicks Run was able to hypnotise someone so completely they were rendered useless. And that Master Amin wasn't actually a bad person, he was just under hypnosis? Yeah, no.
I didn't like a bunch of the dialogue, either. Most of the time a character was literally just repeating what a different character said 10 seconds ago. It was repetitive and boring, and when it wasn't either of those, it was cringey.
I know that with what I've said, my rating should probably be a lot lower, but the truth is for all its faults, the show was entertaining. It dragged, yes, but it was mindless entertainment and that's all I really wanted to be honest. It was intense when I wanted it to be, and I was rooting for the main characters throughout. If you're looking for something that's fun to watch with half-decent acting, then Home School is perfect.
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