Dec 29, 2022
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers

Japan Does iI Again!

Another pleasant surprise that I can add to my long reasons why Japanese BLs have been the best out of everything this year. Once again, the title-that-I-will-not-spell-out came through, delivered, and left. And while there were some hiccups here and there, this series did what it came to do, and I appreciate any short subtleties that come in, do their job, leave a lasting impression, and become only memories from there on out - good memories though.

Let's Dive In.

The only reason I will not give this series a 10/10 is that we received no kiss. At one point in my BL endeavor, I was okay with that (Keita Hatsukoi, Cherry Magic, etc). But now, BL has gone way further than I ever thought possible, with profound and rich storylines, amazing emotional and physical chemistry, and heartfelt moments. So no kisses in BL now feels like an utter crime. And there wasn't a single reason why these two MCs shouldn't have kissed. It's getting old Japan!

Other than that, I freaking loved the plot. An erotic manga writer has a fat crush on his idol friend who also has a very open crush on him. and these actors played their part perfectly. I don't think the story would've worked without them. Issei's deep smile, warm aura, and generous eyes mixed with Mamoru's stale demeanor, and cold attitude, yet such a hopeless romantic was *chef's kiss*. They had such good chemistry, even with Koudai being cold for more than half the series. The way my stomach would bubble when Issei would go out of his way to make it to Mamoru events or do anything just to see him. Also, the character development was out of the park. One thing that will drive me over the edge of being in love with a couple is if that slow burn comes with character development, and these two had that.

I'm not the one to really enjoy anything outside of the BL couple's story, but Tsubasa's story had me on the edge of my seat. I really wish that he and one of the other band members (preferably Kyou) would've been a secondary couple, but whatever. He also had great character development (or more so we saw why he was so brooding) and it warmed something in me. Koharu was also a great addition to the team. She brought a light that was desperately needed and became a companion like no other.

Overall, this was a very peaceful and enjoyable watch. No need for a second season, but I do wish we could've seen an endearing kiss between the leads. But oh well.

Ratings:

Story: 9/10: The best part out of everything. It brought some pretty unique plots to the table. It came and went with a bang. I don't think there was any point in the series when I was watching and I was bored. It flowed so naturally and at a steady pace. It was exactly my cup of tea. I'll only take off a star for no kiss scene.

Acting: 9.5/10: as close to perfect as it could get. The story wouldn't have worked if it wasn't for this cast. Amazing job.

Music: 7.5/10: I liked it more than I usually like OSTs.

Recommendation Value: 9/10: I recommend it highly. It's a quick watch, which is a downside, but it's a really nice series, with some really nice characters.

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Completed
Busted Season 3
4 people found this review helpful
by SieL68
Feb 10, 2021
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0

60% Drama, 25% Detective and 15% Variety

I've been waiting for Busted Season 3 since the Season 2 ended. My thoughts about the 'final season' is that it's still a great show but I felt like it has been too different from the previous seasons. It has it's own charms so it's hard to compare it really. Nevertheless, I still love it.

This season focused more on the drama aspect so it felt a bit more scripted than the other two. Also, the grand scale set of challenges that made it a 'variety show' are noticeably lesser. They replaced it with crime scene investigations like on a detective show format. It's not that I hate it because I also love detective shows but seeing the first 2 seasons I can't help but compare and notice that Season 3 is a bit more different.

As for the casts, it has still the same 'Busted vibes.' Lee KwangSoo is back however Ahn JaeWook is no longer in this season and hasn't been mentioned on the series. Their characters are still there but since it became more serious due to the drama side, less jokes has been played. Most of them improved their deduction skills like JongMin and KwangSoo. They are no longer the fools of the team.

The guests are still high-end as usual. They actually invited a lot of interesting guests and also a lot of familiar faces. Tae HangHo is almost a fixed guest on the show since he appeared on Season 2. But I seriously love it. The plot twists of the drama storyline reminds me of makjang dramas. Also every episode there's a social issue that's being featured which leaves a meaningful message for the viewer.

If you love Busted 1&2, I'm sure you'll love this as well with it's unique charm. Season 3 has it's own story line so even if you don't watch the previous seasons it doesn't really affect the story but of course, for the full experience I still recommend to watch the first 2 seasons.

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Completed
Human Form
4 people found this review helpful
Oct 23, 2019
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
So have you seen Caroline it gives similar vibes or is it just me?
I think it's because of the faces you can see on the cover as well as well as the sounds and music.
It is great short movie which I hope was aired as full up to 2 hours like most movies, it has high potential for good horror movie with those creepy vibes. The idea of it is wonderful it actually shows reality just in more extreme outcome and measurements.
It's worth your 12mins believe me. It makes you wonder what would happen more what would be revealed more if it was longer ; u ; but sadly we need to be glad that we at least get to see a short version of it.

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Completed
The Love
4 people found this review helpful
Nov 10, 2019
Completed 0
Overall 3.0
Story 10
Acting/Cast 6.5
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers
I can’t ever recall a time where I watched a drama or movie that I couldn’t find something positive to say about it, until now.

The couple looked nice together.
The dog was adorable.

That’s all I got. *shrug*

The acting was...fine, most of the time.

The ML was always kissing the FL forcefully at weird times, not that there are appropriate times to kiss someone without their consent but he STILL managed to make it even weirder than it was.

The reveal was a bit of a let down. Only like 5 minutes before the movie ended so we didn’t get hardly anything between our FL and ML once everything was revealed.

FL’s dad was gross.

Now once our evil FL lead came in and found out ML was rich, she of course was interested again but when she told our good FL she wanted her husband and FL said no way, I was surprised and proud..for a second.

I laughed, albeit when I wasn’t supposed to but still. Watch if you want.

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Completed
Professional Single
4 people found this review helpful
Feb 22, 2022
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 5.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers

This had potential, but there were some real problems for me

First, what I liked - the roommates of both the ML and FL. They brought a lot of heart and humor to their roles. I also always like a large height difference between the leads. However, this led to one of my problems with this drama...

The ML was borderline abusive to the FL. The first time he grabbed her by the face and kissed her, it really was rough. Plus, he was always dragging her toward him roughly, or grabbing her by the arm in an overly firm manner. This really bothered me. I don't think that behavior is ever acceptable, but I might have been more tolerant if she wasn't so tiny.

ACTING: Ireine Song - I've only seen her in one other thing, and her character was pretty much the same, so it's hard to judge her acting prowess. Aaron Deng as Qin Shen - wooden and expressionless throughout. I've not seen him in anything else, so I'll reserve judgment on whether it was acting or the script. Which brings me to -
WRITING: I didn't care for the way the main characters were written. Qin Shen was a total Tsundere, but we never got to see the soft side of him. On the rare occasions that he smiled, it seemed somewhat forced. It would have been so nice to see him develop some warmth, especially as it related to his roommates. It always seemed there was only tolerance, I would have liked to see sincere friendships develop. The FL even used the statement about him not using his words. Throughout the drama, it was grunts or one-word answers. He was overbearing physically to the FL as mentioned before, as well as being possessive and jealous, and not in a cute way, telling her she couldn't talk to guys, following her around to monitor who she was talking to. This could have been portrayed in a way that was sweet and showed how he cared for her, but it didn't get portrayed that way. The FL character of Yuan Qian - when she stood up to the bully, I had high hopes for her, but she seemed like a "taker/user" to me, always asking others to do things/get things for her. She was also eavesdropping on every conversation he had with anyone. In every Asian drama, there always seems to be falling/tripping as it relates to the FL. This show took it to the extreme. She was ALWAYS falling, stumbling, tripping, or walking into things. I also didn't care for her attempts to be "cute". She was never willing to tell him how she felt, but was constantly asking him, "Isn't there something you want to say to me?" Each episode seemed to be a repeat of the previous episode, misunderstandings, him being mean, her trying to get him to tell her he liked her, and the friends giving both of them a hard time. As for the character of Ling Wei as the girl that liked Qin Shen - she seriously needed therapy! The writers also never really delved into why he was so mean to her, what had happened in their past, or anything like that.
RELATIONSHIP OF LEADS/CHEMISTRY: He was silent, bossy, possessive. She pouted, stomped around, was mad or employing the silent treatment A LOT. They spent a lot of time staring at each other, and not much time having actual mature conversations that would develop a relationship. This didn't feel like a healthy relationship to me at all. Granted, one of the reasons I enjoy romances is because it's not real life, but for me, this relationship never felt lovely, or something I wanted to see more of. Chemistry between them was severely lacking. In general, the relationship felt toxic.
MUSIC: I don't remember it.
REWATCH: There weren't even any scenes that I think I'd want to rewatch.

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Completed
A Journey to Love
4 people found this review helpful
by li shi
Dec 27, 2023
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers

Best Chinese Drama of 2023... with the side of an obsessive stalker

Really good show - one of the best Chinese dramas I've seen in a while (easily the best of the year), with some glaring flaws.

Now going into the show, it's important to look at it from the lens of an "idol" drama - it's purpose is to entertain viewers, not realistically portray humanity. That's why some things like the main leads' overpowered-ness (and yes, they are the two strongest characters from beginning to end, no one else comes close) is excusable. And even given that, they're semi-realistic with it - the main leads are constantly suffering from injuries and they struggle with defeating enemies in large numbers.

First, great characterization for the characters - leading and supporting alike, probably the best I've seen for a wuxia drama (outside of the masterpieces in Nirvana in Fire and Joy of Life).

The main leads have a strong relationship - they have good chemistry, it matches the plot, and by the end, you can see how much they care for each other in both their actions and their acting. They get together relatively early on in the show, and they have a strong loving relationship for most of it. The most refreshing thing about it is that the problems that they face in their relationship are very realistic - there aren't any stupid misunderstandings that drag on for episodes on end, and there are no outsiders that try to influence their relationship in any significant way (just a gang of shippers, but they're harmless).

Most importantly, the main leads have a mature relationship. Without spoiling too much, they broke up with each other in the middle of the show because they realized they both wanted different things out of a relationship. They're smart characters that clearly care for each other, but they also realize that they need to prioritize their own needs without sacrificing everything for their partner.

Outside of the main leads, Princess Yang Ying has the strongest characterization out of any supporting character I've seen in recent memory. She has a classic hero's journey arc - from weak princess to the strong ruler of a nation that takes responsibility for her citizens. She learns from Ren Ru Yi the importance of her status as royalty, and you can see how it transforms her actions and decisions throughout the show. From scene to scene, you can witness her growth and it's a feel-good moment at the end when you reflect on what she has become.

In complete contrast to that is one of the major flaws of the show - Li Tong Guang's character. His character is so odd and uncomfortable at times, given his obsession/sexualization of Ren Ru Yi. It feels like the show just brushes that aside when the two main leads decide to work with him - like, this man has been creepily obsessive over your lover for years, are you sure you want to treat like this? Throughout the drama, there are hints of his redemption, but they get squashed over and over again by his actions. To compare, the writer wrote Princess Yang Ying's character arc as a straight line from weak to strong, and Li Tong Guang's character arc as a fucking scribble.

Outside of these four characters, the supporting cast is well developed. Each of the Liu Dao Hall members have a clear narrative arc that is neatly wrapped up by the end of the show (especially Liu Shi San - did not expect him at all). Even minor characters like Chu Yue, Deng Hui, and Chief Secretary Du show character growth, and become likable to viewers. One thing I was particularly impressed about was how the writer managed to tie in the Wu Empress and Danyang Prince's narrative arc with such little screentime (episode 1 + an episode near the end).

The only criticism I have of the supporting characters is the Wu Emperor - who somehow magically transforms from a selfish to magnanimous king... but that leads into another issue: Pacing. Particularly in the last couple (5-6ish episodes).

The entire drama breaks down in the last few episodes - at such a rapid pace. Things are happening left and right. Something that would have taken a couple episodes to unfold is shown in mere minutes, and it leaves viewers confused. The plot twist when the main leads return to the Wu Empire could have been a glorious moment - but the entire conspiracy unfolds so fast, there isn't time for the viewer to completely process and marvel at everything.

And... MAJOR SPOILER: All the characters start dying off one by one that there isn't enough time to mourn their death either. It's strange when all of the characters survive until episode 35 or so, but so suddenly die off.

When it comes to the technical side of the drama, there's very little to complain about. Amazing sound - from the voice overs, sound effects, and (especially) the music. Beautiful costumes + production design, all of the characters looked beautiful. And the camera work on the fight scenes are a marvel - especially when the two leads are fighting side by side.

With that, it's a great show - the writer did a good enough job in the first 30 or so episodes of the drama, that I'm attached to the characters enough to follow through with the trainwreck of the end, since I wanted to see what happens to them.

(P.S. Hearing about the Liu Yu Ning drama breaks my heart. I think he's incredibly attractive in the show - and I'm not usually a fan of male characters in historical dramas. I usually find male actors unattractive because of the feminine look + heavy makeup, but he looked manly and natural in the show. That fucking mole is hot.)

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Completed
Ouran High School Host Club
4 people found this review helpful
Aug 23, 2012
11 of 11 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
I decided to watch this drama because of so many amazing reviews about it. And I actually enjoyed it. Its humor is very similar to anime humor and that never fails to make me laugh. I kind of wish that I had read the manga before watching this show. However, it didn't bore me overall. It had its very great and not-so-great moments but it was still enjoyable to watch.

I really adore Haruhi and liked her character a lot. The Host Club idea was also very good. I think this would make a much better watch as an anime rather than a regular show. That's because cartoons can overact all the time and still not bore us; but Tamaki's reactions got way too annoying by the end. It was too unreal. It still makes you laugh, though. I loved all the other Hosts equally. The show had some memorable moments especially those with Nekozawa and his black magic jokes were probably the best.

What I also liked was that the characters had depth in spite of their goofy actions- especially Tamaki. Him treating Haruhi as his own daughter had me laughing out loud. And Haruhi's transvestite father was good for a laugh. Only the member with the teddy bear was ridiculous. The highlight of all jokes is probably the homoerotic/incest relationship between the twins. Really, this show had one of the funniest jokes I have ever come across in a drama. Now I am tempted to indulge in the anime as well as the manga.

This drama is worth the watch and it ends pretty quickly- each episode spanning only 20 minutes and with only 11 episodes it is a quick watch. It never drags on and there are fresh jokes in every episode. I probably laughed hardest at the ending scene. Anime-type expressions came out to be the best from Haruhi.

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Completed
Red Devil and Heroine Su
4 people found this review helpful
by Alex
Apr 28, 2021
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This is really such an underrated movie and it definitely deserves more appreciation. It's so short but doesn't feel rushed and is able to make you fall in love with itself in just the four minutes.
The story seems a bit repetitive with two people being from different sects and despite everything falling for each other but they succeeded at creating a little twist at this classical story.
The OST is really good and the movie almost feels like a music video at the same time.
The actresses have such a great chemistry together and no wonder when they are a couple in real life as well. <3 I was so happy to finally see a wlw film piece finally made by an actual wlw couple. *-*
The cinematography, sceneries, and costumes are going to make you feel like watching a high budget drama because they are amazing as well.
I've re-watched Red Witch and Heroine Su three times already and I don't think that I will ever get tired of it. But we definitely need more wuxia GLs.

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Completed
My Man Is Cupid
4 people found this review helpful
Jan 20, 2024
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
This review may contain spoilers

Following your fate blindly or having a bit of courage to challenge your fate, which do you prefer!?

What is it that you actually want to happen in life if you had the choice to choose from:
1. Allow your life to unfold naturally; fall in love with the person who is entwined with you by a crimson thread of fate; and accept the outcome that fate has planned, happy or tragic.
Or,
2. Even if you are aware of your fate and the one that awaits you, muster some bravery and fight against it in order to have a happy ending and spend time with your loved one—not the one that is predestined.


Now, if I talk about this drama, what I actually enjoyed is:
1. The best female character written in kdrama history.
FL, Oh Baek Ryun knew from the get-go whom she liked, what she wanted from him,who was interested in her at the same time,how to make someone fall for you, how to handle third-party interest without playing with their emotions,how to sacrifice for your soulmate,how to fight against your destiny, and lastly, how to wait, praying for your one and only loved one.
I know it's super rare to find someone like her as your partner, but if you find one, you should thank your luck for meeting her.
2. ML, Chun Sang Hyuk. When I first started watching, it seemed like he was constantly falling for different ladies in different decades, all of which ended horribly. He was even warned against falling for any woman, but if he does, it'll end in tragedy. So I was actually worried about how the current timeline would end up. But after knowing that he had unknowingly fallen for the same soul in different decades,I had no choice but to admire his character wholeheartedly.
Although he was reluctant to openly date anyone after his first tragedy occurred, when he came to know that FL was actually the girl from back then, he let go of all other warnings, etc., and finally started to follow his heart to pursue his hidden feelings.
He also fought against his destiny, remained heartbroken for decades with a huge guilt in his heart, fought again against his destiny after learning the truth behind all of the tragedies,died as a fairy, and got reincarnated as a human to live the life he wanted with his loved one.
3. Chun Dong Chil, aka A Bad Day to Be a Dog. He practically carried most of the story as a major supporting character.
I'm not going to say much about him here; you should watch to find out more.

Now let's talk about what I actually hated:
1. Chun Dong Koo, aka the dumbest irritating fairy amongst the four. A man with a personality like his is a menace to society. His story is only here as a filler. If we can cut his subplot, I guess it'll easily be a super exciting 12-episode drama.
I just find it a shame that after spending so much time on him, the script writer wrote that horrendous ending for him, which makes no sense to me, like, WTF! Why spend so much screen time on him if you already have that shitty ending for him?
3. Seo Jae Hee, the most self-narcissistic delusional freak I've ever seen. He's the second-most pathetic SML I've seen in recent times! A man thinking of him makes my blood boil.
I never liked his character for my own specific reasons, which I shouldn't put here in words.
This feeling only cooled down almost at the end of the drama when he slowly started to let go of his obsession over FL after learning the truth from his past life, which can't completely wash away the fact that I was frustrated with him in the past episode, so kindly bear with me.
3. Chun Dong Pal, Lmao, he's a filler. That's it.
There are also other little but point-worthy things that I liked and disliked in this drama, but I can't include them in this list as it is most likely already very long.
Overall, I believe I will remember this story for a very long time, which makes it well worth my time. If I consider the re-watchability of this drama, I believe once a year is sufficient to reminisce about the leads' fascinating chemistry.

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Completed
Second Chance
4 people found this review helpful
May 3, 2021
6 of 6 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 8.0

Nostalgic, detallist and brilliantly acted by our main couple

This show starts slow paced. My advice is to persevere if the first two episodes are not it for you, it gets better each episode, like a room that gets warmer as you wait after turning on the heat.
There is a nostalgic feel all over it, with an early 2000's OST that helps you being translated to that time and place. They use the color in a diluted way, costumbrist i will say, sometimes it evoques the ITSAY and Call me by your name vibes, quite brilliantly for a very small production and budget. Pay extra atention to the rooms decorations, each poster has sense there.

Paper and Sky, the main couple, have great chemistry and acting skills. The last part of episode 3 is mesmerizing. Starting from there, their acting just keeps raising the bar each second. Is one of those special dynamics that not many bl couples can deliver, is in the details, the smallest gestures of tenderness, love, the little touches, the fingers caressing each other's skin... Even i got the shivers. Let’s give a special standing ovation to the actor that plays Sky part, Fluke, he is a rookie, but not many bl actors have made me feel the desperate, needy, profound and agonic love that he feels with just his eyes alone.

Also, i have warmed up with Chris and Jeno love story, it was just ok, till the last 2 episodes leveled up the game, and gave us a why, it was hella cute. Their story here is way more developed than in TharnType, liked their characters there but they were just a comedic distraction, here they have more deepness.

Some plots could have been improved, especially the first 2 episodes and the 3rd couple all together, for me they could have been cut and instead focus more on showing more alone scenes of the two main couples, when they are face to face alone is where everything in this series is right and makes sense, too bad there wasn't more of that.

The ending could have been better, but i am happy with it. Considering they cut from 8 to 6 episodes at the end, i would have focus more and again cut a lot of random scenes and provide more IT ones.

Overall, i am very pleased with this drama, came expecting average and ended with a treat. Totally recommended.

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Completed
The Untamed
4 people found this review helpful
May 7, 2021
50 of 50 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

I am in love

I am speechless. I am a big fan of fantasy works and this is my first venture into chinese dramas and xianxia. My teenager fangirl that used to have issues letting go of The Lord of The Rings is suddenly re-awakened and I do not know how to express my excitement over this. Perhaps it is the needed escapism during the pandemic (at least where I am from it is still raging).

Yes it sucks that China has censorship, but I guess all of us went into it knowing what we were going to get and the fact thatthe leads have such chesmistry, their long gazes, the longing and love for my is quite clear and beautiful and I find it sooo hard to understand someone who watches this and thinks Lan Zhan and Wei Ying are just friends. The love is there. <3

The story is great and any flaws be it technical or in script become irrelevant because of how captivating these characters are. It was a hell of a ride. I admit the 'outside world' influenced me a bit because as I went into my usual research about the actors I ran into the events of Xiao Zhan being cancelled and it made me sad for him.

One of the things I love about dramas be it from Korea or China is the amount of behind the scenes content we are given and I am a sucker for honest friendships formed during these productions. Being part of something that was as massive as The Untamed and changed careers and create a whole trend of so many BL novels being adapted now...would probably forge the type of friendship I remember The Fellowship of The Ring developing and it makes me (silly) sad to think a misguided situation may have affected these actors in such a way.

However sticking to the Fantasy part of it, there is no heartache to be had, no bitterseet feelings, just love.

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Completed
Let's Talk About Chu
4 people found this review helpful
Feb 5, 2024
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

Let's talk about Sex with a lot of Sex, Heart and Chemistry.

Subjective Enjoyment Rating: 8.5

This is one of the rare dramas that I think the English title better describes the drama than the original one, at least for the international audience. “Let’s Talk About Chu” focuses on the relationships and sexual experiences of each member of the Chu family. The Chinese title (愛愛內含光) is the name of the Vlog channel of Chu Ai, and focuses on sex education and her ideals on sexual relationships. The title originates from one of the verses of a poem 「曖曖內含光」meaning those with talents and positive traits shine from within (a very loose translation). How do we look past the appearance to find that special person who is right for us?

I had a very enjoyable time watching this short drama. A lot is being covered and was done at a very fast pace. I guess one of its shortcomings is the inability to really delve into the complicated relationships and spend time exploring the backstory of each character. This is also to be expected when we only have 8 short episodes.

At first, I thought this drama is similar to the K-drama “Hit The Spot” as it also has a podcast focused on sex. “Hit the Spot” actually focuses more on the podcast than this drama’s vlog. The vlog also comes at the end of the epilogue of each episode. I watched a few of them and got bored of it. The vlogs were not done in a humorous way and I found them dry and preachy.

Luckily, the actual drama is full of love, laughter and emotional moments. The acting is great and all the characters have excellent chemistry. Ok, maybe the actual acting of the sex act could be better, but that’s totally fine as they’re not porn stars. LOL. Yes, there are many sex scenes, though nothing with full-on nudity. These scenes help tell the story and I don’t find them arbitrary or unnecessary. I like that women in this show are not afraid to talk about what they want in their sex lives. They get frustrated and are not afraid to accept the fact that they’re not happy. The drama also touched on how a past trauma can affect your view of relationships and sex.

Though I am not fully invested in all the storylines, I like most of them.

* Chu Ai and Chou Ping Ke - I enjoyed their story in the beginning. I found Kai Ko (who played Ping Ke) super adorable and hot. How come I don’t remember him being so cute in “Till We Meet Again”? I must have got distracted by the pink hair. However, Chu Ai and Ping Ke’s romance lost steam towards the second half. I think Ping Ke is way too good for Chu Ai. He should have let her grovel a little more.
* Chu Yu Sen and Lee Yueh - They are my favorite! They are such an odd pair, yet they complement each other in a way. Their story is interesting and unexpected and also with a lot of heart. I love the last intimate scene. It’s making love instead of having sex.
* Chu Wei and Lin Shi Chieh - A very realistic story about married life when the initial sparks are gone. How do you keep the romance going and keep working at it?
* Mom and Dad - Not my favorite story not because they’re older, but because it’s boring.
I love that mom is watching BL on GagaooLala but Dad has no personality. I wasn't curious enough to find out if Dad has an affair or not.

Overall, this is a quick and easy watch. It doesn’t have too much time to tell a very deep story. But it touched on issues in various stages/types of relationships.


Completed: 2/4/2024 - Review #400

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Completed
The Starry Love
4 people found this review helpful
Apr 25, 2023
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 10
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Romantic Comedy-Fillings, Logically Cooked & Baked to Near Perfection

Discover the first and only Xianxia drama of its kind within the genre. As we know, xianxia drama are basically mythical fantasy ties in with chinese gods, immortals and demons or multiple realms of different species and races where almost anyone can cultivate themselves to attain magic power. Writer can make anything possible happen in such a story setting and for this particular drama, they went for the most unexpected and crazy route that none before them had ever attempted - logical character interrelationships and comedy.

For longtime drama watchers, its not uncommon to expect the usual cliches like jealous siblings, backstabbing, misunderstandings, miscommunications between leads/ friends, annoying evil bitches lurking behind every corner, leads that fall prey to their own stupidity/naivety, long angsty arcs, heck or even lives of doom reincarnated romance. In fact whether you're new or old to the xianxia genre, throw those kind of expectations out the window. Those usual draggy tropes don't exist here because this drama handle those problems like a pro, cool and mature; adult-style wisdom with clarity and rationality.

There are reasons behind every characters' behaviors and motivations. Very logical character developments and morally driven interactions that doesn't make you pulled your hair out in frustration. The main circle of relationships are built on unconditional love, trust and hope. They form an unbreakable bond and used their intellect to overcome the many challenges the universe or fate throws their way. Perfect example of human quality done right even when we're talking world altering godly powers or voids devil curse magic.

While this drama is filled with comedy, that doesn't make it light-hearted. Underneath it all, this drama make fun of all the mind-boggling issues we see so often time in a typical xianxia. They turn it into child's play to draw many beautiful and inspirational life lessons from, that keep on giving long after its finale.

Above it, the actors and actresses acting skills deserve high praise with their naturally level microexpressions that are both funny and complex. Every touching, emotional and heartwrenching scenes were carry out so immersively - you can't help but to shed tears along with them. With an undeniable chemistry between not only the main leads but every support characters and casts, this drama has forge a strong and unforgettable foothold in the heart of its audience.

The OSTs are another lovable addition to this wonderful drama. Every song match breathtakingly well and every single one tugged at your heartstrings at the right moment. And when you pair western instrumentals to scenes in xianxia, it produce a surprisingly comedic masterpiece, ensuring impeccable strings of laughter.

There are no perfect dramas but whether its story, characters, music, SXFs, CGIs to costumes and props; the feeling when everything in a drama was done to near perfection, it truly felt good and exhilarating. So good that you can't get enough and had to give it another taste to fathom how truly rich it really is.

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Completed
Watashi ga Kemono ni Natta Yoru
4 people found this review helpful
May 1, 2023
4 of 4 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 6.5
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 5.5

Short Josei Stories, slight dark

I actually started this by season 3, cause it says it's the best one, and in comparison with this one, s03 is really better. This one is dark&bitter.

Episode one: Stamina Tomboy tries to fix her age crises & need the wrong way
Episode two: Age gap. Nice boss, Nice employee, Nice relationship.
Episode three: Flexibility&her relationships, bitter ending
Episode four: Youngsters goes Halloween, she changes but still herself.

The pace here is faster but not in a good way, felt senseless in many moments. Episode two and four has some slight fluffy vibe while episode one and three has more subtle meaning, both FL has unhealthy mindset towards romance: at ep 01: She goes to skinship when she's troubled with something instead of deal with it. ep 03: She adapts too much when in a relationship, losing her friends and her sense of herself.

I suggest do what I did, start by season 3, their stories are a better warm up for this ones. Overall the production, OST and acting are still good here, just the mood is different.

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Completed
My Love Eun Dong
4 people found this review helpful
Feb 2, 2016
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 10
I am still somewhat a neophyte to KDramas, but I have learned a lot about their expected structure and tropes. I have seen at least 3 different titles for this series. This site calls it 'My Love Eun Dong', Wikipedia calls it 'Beloved Eun Dong' and Netflix calls it 'This is my Love' for everyone's information.
This was a sorrowful, melancholy affair throughout. No real harsh moments, just some very hurtful and shameful moments, however, it never made me so uncomfortable I wanted to get through a portion. For me, Kim Sa Rang stole the show. She is obviously one of the most beautiful people ever born. Miss Korea 2000 and played maybe parts that accentuated her gorgeousness, but here she was completely wholesome and demure. Her sweetness and gentleness and calm with her big, beautiful, expressive eyes were just awe striking. There was a point when you felt she was doing something wrong or perhaps not going about things correctly, but as the story unfolded she was completely in the right at every step.
Adults mess everything up in life...children don't have the ulterior or misguided motives so it was frustrating and yet understandable that the outcome protected the child in the end.
A highly recommended melodrama, so far for me second only to 'Angel Eyes'. This story is more even keel and smooth, however, it never evoked the powerful emotions in me that 'Angel Eyes' did, in spite many parallels.

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