Reviews

Whatever decision you make, you must like the self who made that decision!

This series started with me smiling and it's the first bl themed series I've watched that kept that smile and giggle till the end!
There was no drama just to add drama, it was just a story about two different individuals who fall hopelessly and beautifully in love. And as a person who has never experienced such, mostly that awkwardness and cuteness oh! I can now say with one heart that I have lived and I have felt that mysterious and beautiful thing called LOVE.
The giddiness that comes with venturing the dating waters, the shyness towards the other party, the happiness.. I swear when Kurosawa "proposed" to Adachi, I too gasped and was happy and surprised as though it was meeeee who Kurosawa proposed to.
And the friends!!!!!!! They were supportive, caring and cheering of each other and their achievements. Such moments just made me tear up , mostly at what they did to support Adachi and Kurosawa with the fire wax. I hope they get all that they deserve and moreeeeee.

ooooooooooh *smiling, giglinggggg* before I FORGETTTT!!! That least scene, that elevator scene, that just kept my eyes glued to the screen and my head inching CLOSER and CLOSER to the screen *screammmmmmm* kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa ...
Just watch it y'all

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You know what I loved about this movie? Besides Shison Jun who was mah-rvelous again, of course? That there weren't any villains in this. There was no backstabbing, no hidden agenda, no spite. They were all honest to gosh good people, a sight rarely seen!

Even though Mio loved Yuzu, she helped Alice and taught her how to sing. Even though Haruyoshi loved Mio, he wasn't jealous of Yuzu, he wasn't angry at Yuzu for Mio's lack of interest. Even though Yuzu's writer's block was hindering the band's breakthrough, his friends did not pressure him. And Yuzu and Momo, your usual rivals in a love triangle and yet, when Yuzu found out who Momo was, he wasn't angry at him and when he realized how much Momo cared for Alice, then despite loving her himself, Yuzu tried to make her dream come true and get Momo to acknowledge her! And then, when Alice confessed to Momo that in the meantime, while he was gone from her life, she fell in love with Yuzu? Momo stepped back with no drama and no pressure. That was so lovely and actually mature!

What a feel-good movie! It made me feel all mushy and fuzzy on the inside. Exactly what I needed tonight!

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Thrilling, Touching, Thought-provoking

Fans of Crows Zero and High&Low The Worst, assemble! South Korea is entering our favorite genre, "high school delinquents fighting and bromancing," to challenge Japan's supremacy in it, and let me tell you: the Koreans are starting with an absolute banger. Weak Hero Class 1 is action-packed, entertaining, thought-provoking, and will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions. It gives the bromance, friendship, and fights that are the genre's hallmark and at the same time presents a unique twist on the familiar story of high school rivalry.

What distinguishes this series from its Japanese counterparts is that its setting is more realistic. We leave behind the Japanese high schools from hell and enter an average school, in which teachers, ordinary students, and, sadly, bullying exist. Notably, the guys throw punches not like anime fighters, but like real high school students, and this is why the main character, Yeon Shi Eun, is so memorable and likeable.
Unlike his equivalents from Japan, he is physically weak, but he compensates for his weakness with his strength of spirit, bravery, and intelligence. He is a person whom I grew to admire over the course of the series because he reminds the viewers that courage does not mean lack of fear – courage means doing the right thing despite your fear – and this is precisely what Shi Eun does from the first episode to the last. Even when he and those dear to him suffer from the cruelty and injustice of others, he does not lose the kindness of his heart. In general, if I had to point out just one thing that the production team of this series did right, I would say that they gave us a main character who knows right from wrong and acts on his principles.

It is worth mentioning that the plot is heavier than those of the Japanese movies. While the delinquents of Japan fight to establish dominance, uphold the honor of their school, punish criminals, have fun etc., the focus of this series is definitely the exceptionally severe bullying. There are bad gangsters to be defeated too, of course, but they are present only in the first half of the story – keep this in mind.

Surprisingly for Korea, another hallmark of the genre, "bromance with no heterosexual explanation," is as recognizable here as it is in Crows Zero and High&Low The Worst. From finger hearts to calling your bro "cutie" and putting on your helmet on his head, to jealousy, to staring that makes the viewers exclaim "I want someone to look at me the way Shi Eun looks at Ahn Soo Ho," to sacrificing yourself to protect or take revenge for your bro, the familiar signs are all here. Who is open-minded enough to see it will see it.

This review will be incomplete if I do not praise the actors. They were all brilliant. It was Park Ji Hoon who stole the show with his great performance, though. I have been following his career since his days as a member of Wanna One, and I like him as an idol, but I had not thought highly of his acting until I saw him as Shi Eun. I believe that here he finally showed what he is actually capable of.

Overall, if you are looking for something that both is action-packed and has an interesting, well-developed plot without melodramatic romance, annoying characters, and unfunny humor, which seem to spoil many Korean series, this series is definitely worth the watch. I have not been so invested in a story in a while. Kudos to the production team.

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Welcome to my final review of 2021!

As per usual, negatives first! Whilst I didn’t mind the disapproving parent trope, I didn’t care for all the scheming and plotting. I think this lakorn would’ve still been enjoyable without it. Also, I’m utterly dissatisfied with the outcome of the antagonists. It’s not often I even say that but this is one of the few times I’m not a happy bunny. It felt lazy.

Another thing I was displeased about was Prang’s role. She plays a “main character” who is really in supporting role. There’s been a few lakorns like that this year but she still has good scenes. She certainly killed all those crying scenes lol.

STORY
I’m not really sure if this is spoiler cos for me it’s not, given that it’s revealed pretty much everywhere that a ghost is involved ~ in the title, in the trailer, in the (open) tags, and of course, for those who read synopsis….in the synopsis. Anyways, the Ghost plot is what piqued my interest in this lakorn. The ghosts aren’t scary at all which for me is an absolute bonus!

It is a little bit episodic but honestly you shouldn’t be too bothered by them as there is still a lot of focus on the main plot because they are linked.

CAST/ACTING
Everyone did a fabulous job playing their parts. I will admit that I got attached to some of the characters especially because of the presence of the Family and Friends theme. I loved the main couple as well as Non + Mu and Non + Pong’s antics and whilst Prang did spend most of her scenes crying, it honestly didn’t bother me. She had reason to cry so much, only a monster would whinge about that lol.

MUSIC
I’m sorry but I only remember Please Help Me by Kongthap Peak cos it was so repetitive but since I loved it from the moment I heard it, I really didn’t mind lol.

REWATCH VALUE
Absolutely, 100% but then again that’s cos I enjoyed this lol so probably best to ignore this part.
I probably liked 99% of this lakorn as reflected in my review so I am unsure if the story dragged. If anything, I didn’t want it to end but alas all good things must come to an end right? I think the fact that this was pretty heavy on the topics of Karma and Merits made me love it even more as I don’t really see other countries mentioning similar things. If you like ghost plots, leads who can see ghosts, family theme and of course romance + comedy you may enjoy this.

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A love story that can restore love in any barren heart.

Frankly, I finished this over a week ago and-- yes. I still haven't entirely moved on. That being said, it took me a long while to come up with a review for this drama that will continue to hold a special place in my heart because I didn't want to simply rave about it. (lie)

Firstly, what I loved about it? Pretty much everything. I went into it blindly-- expecting to drop it after the first episode since I avoid medical dramas like the plague. But what I definitely did NOT expect, was to be so quickly sucked into the world of its simple but powerful characters. All their charms solely lied on how humane they were. And rather quickly, I found myself feeling like a part of their little group-- as if I'd gotten attached to them personally.

But beneath its slice-of-life outer shell, is a deep love story between the two main characters-- a neurosurgeon whose life seems to have come to a halt as she's diagnosed with short-term memory loss, and a man who doesn't have the word 'impossible' on his dictionary... especially not, when it comes to the love of his life.

While I initially believed that intimacy played an important role in driving a love story, such as kisses or casual skinship-- 'Unmet' conveyed a love story that is deeply intimate, without showing any of the above.

Starring a cast full of talented actors you might have seen in several dramas/movies if you're familiar with Japanese films and TV, nobody stands out in a negative way. Everyone shared wonderful chemistry with one another, and a special mention for Sugisaki Hana's performance as the soft-spoken and utterly lovable Miyabi-sensei.

After all those positive stuff I just wrote, you must be wondering why I still settled with a '9'... Well, I won't say it's a perfect show (nothing really is). I feel like the antagonists were a bit too conveniently written, and cartoonish. It was a bit funny at times, but I'm not sure if it entirely suited the overall concept of this drama. Then again, I can be super nit-picky.

In conclusion, highly recommended. Even if you're not into the slice-of-life or medical genre, I strongly suggest you still give it a try. I'll miss this show deeply.

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Competent in parts, hard to pin down as a whole

As a BL, this Filipino production can be rather special. It doesn't overly beautify the main characters, and it isn't shy to portray the sexual aspects of their relationship. It may be attempting some depth in commenting on class relations and political tensions, but "attempting" may well be the key word here: either the messages are painstakingly obscured despite all the historical, political and class references or the series is simply hollow and pretentious in this regard.

There is an assortment of characters living in the same block (reminiscent of the chaotic delight that the Thai BL, YYY, was). But their stories don't really intertwine in meaningful ways except maybe for the story of Kelly. There is some commendable message about the difference between a gay person and a transgender person through the character of Kelly, but the message is not very subtly stated. Perhaps this is a deliberate attempt to ridicule those who can't get the simple distinction.

Perhaps there is some commentary of class difference, with the wealthy guy an indirect beneficiary of the corrupt Marcos regime and the poor guy an indirect victim. The message may well be pacifist, focusing on reconciliation rather than confrontation. However, one may find that those who have obtained their wealth through corruption seem a tad too benign.

The series does have its strengths. The parts focusing on the sexual attraction between the male leads is competently done. There are also rather funny moments in the series. I'm not averse to the historical and political references, but they ultimately seem somewhat pointless and don't gel well with the main narrative threads.

The good thing here is that Filipino BLs have actually be venturing into terrains previously unexplored by BLs coming from countries like Thailand. They attempts do not always yield ideal results but are nonetheless laudable.

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Light and Shadow

“An artist should recognize a metaphor” a character tells the show’s protagonist towards the end. And like Jin Soo Wan’s earlier shows, this one uses metaphor (in this case the trope of time travel) to explore how pain can become the garden in which art and joy grow, how parents can fail and save their children, and how it is not luck or fame or fortune but love that keeps us rooted in this broken world.

Most shows hesitate to mix comedy with serious themes, as if by merging the two, they’ll either destroy the lightness of the former or dilute the gravitas of the latter. Twinkling Watermelon explores child abuse, neglect, suicidal ideation, and discrimination against the deaf community, but it does so amidst a candy-colored swirl of music and unbridled teen exuberance. Its characters face real trauma, but they also laugh and flirt and rock out with their friends and wear their hearts on their sleeves for all to see. There are few dramas as unapologetic in their delight as this one, and even when plot points get messy or a random gang of thugs appears, the show’s warmth never falters. And in the end, it suggests that’s what truly matters both in art and life.

So to judge it by this criteria, does this show spark joy? Yes. So, so much. And its happy moments shine all the brighter for being set against the darkness.

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Some thing to pass the time...

I originally stopped watching this show midway and I wasn't sure why...I think I just got bored and it was at the part the ML almost ate up the FL. You would think I would want to watch more....but I didn't. Funny enough...I kinda wanted the FL with the SML. That dream she had look more lovely and natural than she had with the ML.

I'm not sure what to make of this drama....even the reunion in the last episode was so lacklustre. I finished it because I like to finish dramas. On a side note, I like the secondary couple...they were cute and so much more interesting than the leads.

The OST was okay and the acting was just alright. The obstacles they faced were so minuscule or were made to feel that way after a couple of episodes. I am not actually sure why or how they fell in love which makes their romance not believable.

You can watch it if just for the laughs here and there, surface-level romance and sneak peeks of Go Kyung Pro...Also, with that said, Hye Ri's performance does remind me a bit of Reply 1988.

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Such a charm to it

To begin with, I watched it quite a long time ago now, so I surely forgot lot of reasons why I loved this title so much. All you have to know is that I waited every week impatiently for episodes to come out and had my heart to flutter for each episode, I liked all episodes and have not been bothered by any of them.

Now I'm going to list a few resons for why I loved this series (sorry it won't be a well organized review):
-The characters are extremly loveable. I felt attached to the four main of course (Hands down to Hashimoto-san who is my favorite character, so cute and funny, I lowkey want to marry her) but also to others like the side couple doing fun things or the mother of Ida. The relationtions between all of them are well written and I especially liked the building of a real friendship between Aoki and Hashimoto, this is such an iconic duo. And for once the girl is truly kind and, even more rare, she is not at all a threat to the development of romance. At every interaction it was a pleasure to see.
-The series is funny and cute. A lt of scenes were pure amazment, Ida and Aoki had adorable scenes that were so romantic and beautiful to see because of the setting. It was also the case for the side couple whom love story was really well-developed and whose story I was deeply invested in. BUT the interest of this series also relies on the comedy aspect. I already talked about the great comic-relief duo that is Aoki-Hashimoto but a lot of scenes also are funny by themselves. I laughed out loud at some moments.
-serious subject were also talked about, and not only the usual way. What I mean by that homphobia is shown from an interseting aspect: hidden, not only frontal (if it makes sense). Whether it be by jokes meant for no harm or a character that seemed nice but ends up having prejudices. And it's all the more important to show that homophobia can have many forms is that we can see characters really hurt by those situations but kind of "gaslighting" themselves because they deem them as not being "that important".
-To end this up with, one of my favorite point: the mature relation of Aoki and Ida, they communicate! Share their worries, show to the other they're here for support, care for their partner, etc. I loved to see them evolve in a really cute and healthy way :)

To sum it up: a really cute and fun story that still have important subject treated. To see and see again.

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The masterpiece of its kind...!

How I felt about it?

I felt like I am woken up from the crazy world to this serious shit...i mean I liked it. This is probably the best thriller, time loop c-drama i have watched so far. Well i haven't watched much of the c-drama content so for me, yes this is.

This is basically like a game or a project if you try to relate to your daily life where, if you make even a small mistake you have to do the whole thing again...like back to where you started and you know how frustrating this is, I suppose...

[INTRIGUING PLOT:]

Li shi Qing and Xiao he Yun are the two ordinary people, former is an University student and latter is a game designer... Their life changes completely when they get involved in a time loop, in which, the bus they are in explodes. They and the rest of the passenger die in a bus explosion... The tragedy arises when Li shi qi realises that the dream she is having is no longer a dream but a reality she is living and dying again and again...she then pulls Xiao he Yun into the time loop and together they try to uncover the truth behind this well planned accident.

Story does a good job pulling you into this dangerous world, where you have to keep your senses together in order to understand this properly...i hardly expect such things from cdramas, i guess I am proved wrong here.... I found no loophole in those time loope, probably I am not smart enough to get them right, i guess.

Doubting everyone and everything is what drove them throughout the drama. The female who planned all the accident was excellent, i got nervous everytime when they tried to approach her... This is one of those dramas that leaves a space for you to run your brains and predicts the things ahead, and in that case they (screenwriter) nailed it. Romance is a minute part some you might not even want to notice that but i somehow came to like it.

Thank god! It ended the way I expected. I got the sigh of relief at the end after such a hassle...

[ACTING:]

Zhao Jin mai is a very good and excellent actress and gorgeous of course... This is my her first drama and I am really impressed by her acting and she is just 19 y.o. she looks stunning in this. I appreciate how she tried to tackle the situation with morals and beliefs and gives her best to save everyone in the bus.

Bai jing ting is the male lead. A rather different from the female. He is more like a self centred and protective. His character is a well written and has a development with the course of episodes in this series.

I barely know rest of the cast and i think they did excellent job... They are meant to frustrate you throughout the drama and find truth at the last so yes they did perfect job...^_°

This is a time loop, thriller drama, yet it tries to convey very important matters of public transport ( bus).

[MUSIC:]

As for the music it is good...
I loved the song, 'My Only (周深 Zhou Shen),
though i didn't understand why it was given if thought about the thriller and sci fi plot
Anyways ost was pretty good to my ears.

[RE-WATCH:]

Though I had a good time with this one, i would not come here again....cause then You'd already have known the further things. I could have if this had sweet moments to keep me here. Anyways it is rewatchable and who knows? you might want to rewatch it when you feel so.

[Overall:]

This is one more mind-blowing thriller, mystery and time loop drama that you would not want to skip at least for the leads. This is the masterpiece of its genre ..go ahead if you are in need of such elements you won't be disappointed....



Thanks for coming here.…
Happy watching!!!

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Hwa Yi is a young boy who’s been kidnapped as a kid by a group of five gangsters. The gang takes in the boy as their son and raises him into a criminal.
A contract to kill off a whole family has been signed, however, once it’s up to Hwa Yi to take the enterprise he starts messing up, being of course so different from his five parents.
The youngster’s difference doesn’t hold the righteous nature alone; Hwa Yi sees something grotesque that impedes him to take cruel actions. It also may manifest when he is left unaccompanied…

Directed by Jang Joon-hwan, Hwayi: A Monster Boy (2013) is really ruthless and brutal. Be ware of violent scenes as some may result quite disturbing and direct.
The main lead Yeo Jin Goo was 16 year old only when carrying out the role of Hwa Yi. It’s quite noteworthy in my opinion as he played the part really well and the fight scenes are striking.

At the second half of the movie, though, it takes a turn to a typical revenge-themed Korean film. If you watched I Saw the Devil you know where I’m coming from. Hands up, it is properly made as a thriller and full of action, but I didn’t expect that kind of dramatic plot-shifting.
The main subject of this movie I’d say is the boy’s transfiguration from an innocent kid to a fearless killer, comparable to a monster, as the title suggests.

I found the second part a bit slow pacing and the film’s events made me a tad testy. Which is also the purpose of the movie, so don’t watch it if you tend to get triggered over seeing lots of emotionally unfair and violent scenes.

Recommended to an observant public and splatter lovers.

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One of the best Bls ever made

Maybe I shouldn't confine it to just a bl, this show was one of the best foreign tv shows I've ever watched. The storyline gave me Romeo and Juliette vibes but without all the death and gross age difference. The relationship was one of the healthiest ones I've seen in a bl and they called out some of the very annoying tropes that plague the industry such as the Hubby Wifey even though they are both men and the "I'm straight but I love you" trope that annoys the hell out of me. They were also super freaking cute together. Also, GMMTV, give Ink and Pa their own tv series, please. They are so so cute together and I need more of them. Also, screw their parents, they suck. No spoiler but what made the parents hate each other is valid, I'd hate anyone who did that to me(this is related to something later on in the series, not the reason we first get. That reason is super stupid). Please watch this, it is one of the best bls GMMTV has ever released and over all a really good show

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WHHHOOOWWW, another great movie well that's why i'm hire coz i watch another highly recommended movie... :)

base in me :) i can say i like it.. i love it.. this one is heartbreaking and the ending hmmmm i admit that i do cry a lot! :( because i thought the movie is another chickflicks that i frequency watch in the end that there boyfriend or girlfriend need to die because of some illness, well because i'am wrong thats why i like it..

i don't expect this movie is really that great at first...i just saw this in youtube by recommendation' well thanks for her so far all the movie she said is really worth watching! i love the way they made the story! i salute the novel who write this story..yeah :D i really love it!

warning: for those who do not want to cry, the movie is sad ending! and story! BUT it is really BEAUTIFUL MOVIE! and if your are like me that love to watch kmovies you must really need to try this one...

so guy pls try it and hopefully you guy also like it as i do >o

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It's such a refresher to see Tony Leung starring in a film that is not from Wong Kar-wai. But nevertheless, be it a Kar-wai film or an Andrew Lau (as per this case) film, it doesn't matter anyway. Infernal Affairs stars two of Hong Kong's biggest stars: Tony Leung and Andy Lau.

Leung and Lau are great contrasts to each other but at the same time, also compliments each other. With Lau's charismatic face, he delivers his character with such decency all the while keeping a dark secret. Leung on the other hand, has always been a playful character (he has played a policeman in Chungking Express too!) and his presence on screen is just really nice to watch.

Some say that Martin Scorsese's The Departed is a more "soulless" adaptation of Infernal Affairs but I can't say since I haven't seen the former. But the fact that it is a remake of the latter is enough of a statement to say it's good. I just hope those who watched the former know that it's based of on the latter (I mean with a cast like Dicarpio and Damon, it's difficult not to forget).

Infernal Affairs is intense, gritting and an exciting film to watch. The fact that you have a mole in the mafia and the mole in the police and it's a race against time to figure out the two is already enough to make something worth watching. Living in Hong Kong (and sometimes even taking it for granted), the cinematography of the city here is amazing. There is as much vibrancy as there is much darkness that embodies the two main characters as well.

The action isn't your-head-over-heels action compared to Western films but there's still that edge-of-your-seat feeling. So much dramatic tension and suspense especially on which mole will be figured out first.

Absolutely love that build-up before Eric Tsang (whom I know more as a comedian to be honest so his role here is a refresher for me too and he delivered it well) smashed Tony Leung's cast on the table -- I was surprised. It was too good of a scene. Add that up with music that gives you such adrenaline, you won't be able to take your eye off the screen. And that build-up up the way to the finale -- just brilliantly done. So many scenes that just gives you mini heart attacks.

I couldn't ask for a better ending as well.

I always saw Hong Kong crime thrillers as cheap and ambitious but that's a blind opinion since I haven't seen one before (except for some Jackie Chan classics which I'm not even sure counts as crime thriller) and then came Infernal Affairs. I take it back, Hong Kong crime thrillers are great.

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