Reviews

Addictive!!!

The friendships between all four characters were spot on and I never knew what was going to happen. That itself made the series very addictive (I finished it in 2 or 3 days).

Li Yi Tong was spot on the entire time; she's badass, rough around the edges, yet grows and show her vulnerable side more as the series progresses. Li Jie was kind of a nuisance at the beginning, but later shapes into a more responsible, character (yet still maintains his boyishness). Zhang Yubo is a little cold at the beginning, yet his transforms into a more caring one as his friendship/relationship progresses with Xiao Jiu. Xiao Jiu was the only character I did not like as much relative to the other three. She kind of getting herself mixed up between pursuing Yubo and trying to save him at the beginning. She makes Yubo the center of her universe too much and is annoying was she cried/gets upset. However, I did like how Xiao Jie showed determination as the series progressed.

Nevertheless, there were a few things that I did not like.

1. It was predictable that Fatty was up to no good almost the entire time.
2. I wish the drama between Yi Tong and her mom was played out more.
3. The end was a little confusing imo

Definitely would recommend this to someone that is looking for something just a little different (but not super different)

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6 isn't a bad rating y'all

The thing with rating is, that you have different scales, right. I hold this to the standard of other shows of similar length like Semantic Error, Mr Unlucky and of course Star in my Mind (which got 6 stars from me as well).

The plot is simple. Unruly protagonist meets pretty and kind love interest in a rural setting. It's a feel good show with no extreme plot twists or serious conflicts. So I really have nothing to say or comment on regarding the story.
I watched the last episode with a friend who knows nothing about the show and they put it perfectly "This would be perfect for when you're really tired from work and just want to take a nap. Just turn this on and drift in and out of sleep." And that hit the nail on the head I think.

I personally didn't enjoy the acting at all - no, let me put it in another way - The acting made my toes curl. Fah sounded like he was congested the entire time. Like come on, give my boy some nasal spray so he can breathe!! And Prince's facial expression ranged from "no toughts in my head" to "are you fkn stupid?". When I realized it, I couldn't unsee it and made me chuckle a couple of times, honestly.

ALSO I wish they would've tied in them meeting at Daonuea's Freshy Boy competition thing before somehow? I was kind of waiting for that. In Episode 4 of Star in my Mind they ran into each other on the stairs and that scene seemed so meaningful to me but they never addressed it. Not even in the flashbacks or something. Why was Prince even there? Why did he have all those roses? A mystery... (I know the director probably just put it in to tease the love story in whatever way possible but.. you know. A girl can dream of meaningful plotlines)

Anyhow, 6 stars isn't a bad rating in my book. I enjoyed it for what it was but it's forgettable by nature.

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Don’t Frighten the Horses

Well I got what I was wanting, something totally unchallenging. Yes I just wanted to veg out for a few days and this met the bill exactly. It also provided a good number of unscripted lmao moments as the ludicrousness - if that’s even a real word, it has the ring of a non-aural onomatopoeia - unfolded shamelessly before my eyes. It’s no Ming Lan, which is a pity because taken a bit more seriously it had all the ingredients. So how can I really get stuck into something that managed to keep me watching for all 40 episodes. There has got to be some good stuff there even though it undermined itself at every opportunity.

The storylines had interest and they offered good opportunity for character development and showcasing contrasting character traits. This is mainly what kept me engaged for the duration, although even this wore a bit thin at the end. They were a series of set pieces rather than one long twisting narrative twisting and these varied scenarios were paced well and showcased different characters.

But the time taken to achieve remarkable results was drastically foreshortened. Things that should have taken at least two years were achieved in six months. In doing this, all sense of realism and difficulty was undermined and the whole drama, and particularly the characters, were coated with a gloss of immature fantasy. The script didn’t help by reducing the business conversations to a mockery. Simply by lengthening the time-frames and writing more credible business dealings the characters could have achieved so much more depth and been offered space to reveal determination, grit and courage which were not really evident in the easy-success-piled-on-easy-success procession. It was episode 32 before there was any bite and real consequences were more fully explored. Unfortunately, before and to some extent, after that, any nasty unpleasantness had a feel-good blanket pulled over it.

Although lip service was paid, the opportunity was mainly missed as there was no real exploration of the cost or difficulty. Things happened and slid by without much of the proverbial s**t sticking to the protagonists. In fact they glided through the whole thing with serene, wrinkleless (another impossible word) faces. I was less than impressed by Hu Yi Tian (Gu Yan Xi) who managed to get through virtually the whole thing with one facial expression, except for the odd occasion where the director requested him to open his eyes in surprise. Which he did, to mirthful effect. Zhang Jing Yi (Hua Zhi) was a little more expressive, but remained far too calm to be convincing. The chemistry between them was placid rather than fizzing without that visible excitement you get when you’re bang slap in love.

I was more invested in some of the minor characters who had more life and animation. It was a large cast and showcased female actors and the story was predominantly shown from the women’s perspective, particularly early on.

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A paradise of sweets but also much more...

At the risk of sounding overly enthusiastic, it perplexes me that more people do not understand the brilliance of Saboriman Kantarou. On the surface, Kantarou seems to be just another late-night, food-focused Japanese drama. But it is very apparent from the first episode that it is much more than the sum of its parts.

Beautifully shot, well-written, and absurdly hilarious, Saboriman Kantarou does everything in its own, unique way. You can't help but feel the same infectious fervor that the titular Kantarou has for anything and everything dessert or sweets-related. His antics only get more and more crazy in the search for the best sweets in Tokyo as he does his best to hide the true nature of his secret, dessert-filled escapades during working hours. It all seems like it might be a bit over-the-top — and it is! — but the genius of Saboriman Kantarou is that it manages to capture all of this in a way that is still very engaging and has you wanting more.

It is hard to understand how it does all of this merely by speaking about the show without spoiling some of the best parts. My only suggestion is that you give Saboriman Kantarou an honest try as I feel you will be rewarded with a very sweet experience.

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Light hearted entertainment

This drama is about how two lady cops worked together to look after a small rural town in Japan. The icy cold disciplined senior Fuji and the nervous rookie Kawai. On the surface, it appeared as a light hearted stab at policewomen. On a deeper level, it was about friendship, trust and finding happiness in the work they did together. I thought Kawai did a fantastic job from beginning to end. Her role managed to salvage some of the unnecessary jokes and follies which slowed the pace of the drama down. I almost gave up then. As the drama went on, one could genuinely felt the incredible bonding between them. One must stay to the end to appreciate what comradeship was all about. This was well acted out. Nevertheless, an enjoyable watch. The original sound track was good too. I don’t think I will watch it again.

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Happy ending only exist in dreams

I’ve been stuck in a rut lately, I wanted to watch a historical Chinese series but lately, all the ones I wanted to watch the paces were too slow. I’m glad I found this series, but I shouldn’t be surprised as the director and the screenwriter wrote a lot of the short series I like. The series is simple with no weird editing, It has a beautiful storyline, and the characters are just fun to watch!

Still a great short series even though it's not my favorite, I still prefer A Familiar Stranger. That series kept me thinking about it for days. But don’t get me wrong, I still love this series, it's just one that I probably won't think about for days.
I also love the cast, zhao yi qin I’ve been watching his stuff for years so I’m glad to see him getting a lot more main roles. I remember watching Rain Lu in Qing Qing Zi Jin and she left a good impression so I’m glad to see more of her works here!

The only downside was the ending. I get that it was supposed to be an open ending but honestly, I was expecting a happy ending. The last two episode was a bit confusing, maybe it was the subtitled I found but I had no idea what happened to Marquis/Princess's husband. To see everyone happy at the end felt like a dream. I guess this is their way of showing that happy endings only exist in dreams.

This is going to be another director and screenwriter I will be following. I can't wait for more short series from the director and the screenwriter!

Overall an 8/10

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This has the most beautiful story I have ever seen in C dramas

In one word this is absolutely a masterpiece. from acting to casting and story to ost everything is 10/10. the ost OMG!! I can listen to it whole day. You will laugh, it will break your heart then again you will heal. I really really love this drama. it will always be my one of the best cdramas. I have already rewatched it many times!! Definitely worth the hype and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! I really fell in love with their acting the bonds between siblings and how they go Through different stages. I dont know how much I cried watching this. I can definitely say no one will be able to replace this drama as a Bl.

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It's ok sweet story

It started really good. I thought it was going to be a lot more different. Eventually it fell down to the same tropes.
I was expecting something like going against the industry and being in an open relationship, or don't know, something else.
They keep reinforcing the same stereotypes. Top/bottom, bottoming hurts. I know it's for girls, but you can at least depict real stuff. Bottoming doesn't hurt.
The end is happy but it's crap. Instead of fighting they just wait it out, and what for? There are no logical reasons, Nubsib wasn't bound by any contract. Then the Aoey dude, wasted scenes, no redemption at all.
I'd say watch it, I did like the acting, Gene and Nub felt real, but I think the story didn't do them justice.

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Very disappointing

Comparing with the last seasons this one was very poor, maybe due to Covid-19 restraints but looked like a low budget show. Very few activities and a lot of time spent in the house doing nothing!
The new rules, were not an improvement. In the last seasons, at least all of the candidates would have an opportunity to have a date in a rotative way, some of the player did not have a lot of aired time and their stories were not very explored.
The elimination should have been excluded this season, so this way every couple would have a chance to get to the final stage.
If a new season will be aired soon some improvement should be undertaken.

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Too many episodes, too little story

Meh.

I liked the premise with the FL being pretty much a human lie detector and the light exploration of how the world isn't black and white, as she first believed, but full of nuance and how, sometimes, the lies we tell ourselves and others aren't always for bad reasons.

The ML was a little too beige for my liking, and the spark between the main couple was missing imo. They were comfortable together, but gave off the vibe of long-time friends, rather than romantic partners. I couldn't help but feel sort of uncomfortable whenever they kissed, because their lack of chemistry made me painfully aware that they were two actors doing a job, and not two fictional people in love, if that makes sense. Like they were following the script, but not actually feeling it.

Lastly, as evidenced by the last two episodes just being a fluff-fest of a mamut epilogue—to give even the most secondary of characters their happy ending—I don't think this drama needed to be 16 episodes, or had enough going on for that to be the case. Frankly, I got bored towards the end and think this would have worked better in a 12-episodes setting.

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I enjoyed watching Eerie because every scene presents classic and stunning visuals. This reminds me of director Mikhail Red’s work in Birdshot (2016). It’s so well-crafted that it doesn’t matter if it’s a day or night shot. Every element you see on screen is a feast for the eyes. That as well as the actors.

Bea Alonzo, who is known for romance and drama genres showed off her versatility in Eerie. Charo Santos-Concio, on the other hand, has an incredible screen presence. Whenever she’s there, I wanted to run and hide or just go to class. Or, pray that I’m not in her class. Anyway, they both shined in Eerie and I honestly want to see them together in this type of film again.

Now for the story. They touched many other topics – bullying, corporal punishment, education system, and domestic violence to name a few. I honestly think touching certain topics outside the supernatural can be beneficial. It can make the story more interesting and deep; however, they could have just picked a few that would support the original structure. Then they can delve into those deeply so the audience has something even more solid to hold onto.

I say this because I only remember how beautiful the film was and how great the actors were. I am a fan of such storyline but I have yet to see the perfect one. Judging by Birdshot and his latest projects, I think director Mikhail Red will soon present it. This is after all his first foray into the horror genre.

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Too short for real developement

I never say no to a "haters to lovers", also this drama is from the director of "You make me dance" that I enjoyed, and I was familiar with Eui Soo Jang. from "Where your eyes linger". So I decided to give at watch.
The premise was simple but promising, also I love cooking so I really enjoyed the food element, but with these drama I really felt that everything was rushed, the chemistry between them there but the writing didn't help.
It was a cute series, it just didn't feel like it had the heart that others similar shows had.
As always these korean web shows on Viki are too short, they simply don't have time to develop the story and the characters. Maybe with a bit more time this could have been a more remarkable drama.

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