Completed
The Untamed Special Edition
58 people found this review helpful
Feb 11, 2020
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
I saw the original and now this edition. I love all of the extended scenes between the male leads. No wonder they are getting spin-offs. All of the actors are extremely good even though they are quite young. I am obsessed with the theme song between the male leads. Wish more dramas can be like this and not edited to death so that the story makes no sense. Wish that there will be a season 2. If they ever do a remake, it will be really hard to replace the 2 male leads. Their chemistry is extraordinary with just the looks and smiles. Great job to everyone involved in this project!

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Completed
Unrequited Love
58 people found this review helpful
Feb 19, 2021
38 of 38 episodes seen
Completed 5
Overall 5.0
Story 5.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers

Tortured Unrequited Love

I think if you are going through a breakup and keep thinking you might get back together, watch this drama. Otherwise don't torture yourself unless that's what you are after.

In terms of romance this show tells us to not bother falling in love. If you get into a relationship make sure your exes and old crushes have been cut off. Otherwise they will be toxic clinger who will never let you go. Also the show seems to be telling us that one sided love is wrong, most people cannot stop their feelings. But the way it is shown makes it seem like you've committed some crime.

The main couple - are supposedly smart people. But despite their good grades they are the worse couple. I stopped shipping them by episode 24.

Luo Zhi has been madly in love with Sheng Huai Nan (SHN) since they were children, but he's never noticed her. Almost everyone else seems to know that she likes him, and the antagonists, namely his ex-girlfriend Ye Zhan Yan and her friend decide they want to scheme and manipulate it so that SHN can never really trust her.

There is also the other women who have crushes on SHN who also go out of their way to bad mouth Luo Zhi. But they eventually give up.

Sheng Huai Nan spends half of the series either unsure about his feelings or testing them on the poor girl. Honestly he's an idiot. He was treating Luo Zhi like she was his yoyo, pulling her close when he wanted her, and then pushing her away when he lost trust her in some way.

The last third of the the series spends most of the time focusing on SHN trying to persuade LZ to date him, only so that he can do something stupid in the next episode. Making her want to give up on her feelings.

I read a lot of comments of people blaming LZ for not forgiving him and I disagree. He was a jerk towards her. She was always helping him. At best he got her some cold medications and pancakes. Which he did in an underhanded way. Girls don't just fall for looks and money, underneath the shell is a vapid, insecure young man who can’t recognise sincerity or love if it smacked him on the face and kicked him in the balls.

Now let's talk about the pig Ge Bi and the very sad Bai Li. I hate Ge Bi. He is the worst boyfriend to all the girls. And even when confronted he doesn't care. He is selfish, stupid and frankly deserved worse than he got.

Bai Li is a great friend, and she really loved Ge Bi to a very toxic level. It was frustrating to watch and my heart hurt for her. She was really a foolish person, with so little self respect. It was tiresome to the very end.

There are many kinds of bad relationships, but the show made no effort to show us the positive sides of love. This team of producers and writers must have felt really bitter and angry when creating this production.

Really the only good relationships worth watching on this show were the friendships. Ming Rui was exceptional on this show. His character was the most likeable and sane.

The closeness of Bai Li and Luo Zhi was very sweet. Even Ye Zhan Yan and Ding Shui Jing loved and cared for one another.

If you have watched the 2019 version, you will not be able to stop yourself from comparing the two shows.

The 2019 is shorter and frankly less stressful to watch. The 2021 is very frustrating. There are so many examples of unrequited love on this show. So many ways in which characters seemly torture one another, mislead each other, and fail to trust each other. Once started I couldn't seem to stop, like many unrequited loves, I had such hope for it, and it was just an illusion that left me unfulfilled.


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Completed
Bossam: Steal the Fate
58 people found this review helpful
by JulesL
Jul 5, 2021
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 9
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

Highly entertaining but also frustrating

Bossam: Steal the Fate managed to be one of those intensely polarizing dramas where many viewers laud the series as the greatest, most engaging thing ever to grace the small screen, while others condemn it as a terrible waste of time. This drama was able to achieve the highest viewership ratings (9.8%) of any drama in MBN history, and yet, if you read the reviews and comments on MDL, you will sense the opposite sentiment.

As for me, I liked this well-written, intelligent and enlightening show that showed me another aspect of Korea's historical culture. Bossam was a custom in the Joseon period, in which a single man himself or through a hired hand kidnaps a widow by wrapping her up in a blanket at night and then makes her his wife. During those days, it was a way of getting remarried and an opportunity to get a new life for the widow who was obliged to live alone after her husband's death. Based on this custom, the drama unfolds the uncliched love story between the leading couple as they experience conflicts between social classes and families and survive being in the center of political struggles and turmoil.

Why highly entertaining?

From the get-go with the opening scene illustrations, I found this drama to be quite unique. It is a historical drama accompanied by non-traditional touches like the selection of eclectic songs and background music. The music producers deserved credit for being prolific and delivering quality tracks. The OST or BGM that underscored each scene was truly fitting and had elevated it to the next level for me.

Furthermore, the cinematography and directing were also a big part of the show's appeal, as one can tell that a lot of thought was put into each scene to evoke the necessary emotion and feeling. Every episode was nicely shot and expressed. Even details like how the hanbok skirt formed in a perfect circle surrounding a sinking woman was impactful. The settings and landscapes were lovely, like works of art. Visually, it was a treat to watch this show. The costumes and makeup also stood out for me because the show did not go for an idol drama feel with overdone makeup or glaringly obvious colors. The actors looked normal, good-looking nonetheless but refreshingly ordinary.

Acting-wise, I am impressed. I have heard of Jung Il Woo's ability but this is my first drama of his and I am blown away. He clearly has the experience and acting chops to pull off a complex character like Ba Woo, born from nobility but grew up a street rat. Shown initially as a rogue who was obviously a little damaged, it was also quickly apparent that our male lead, the heroic outlaw, was a good and generous person at heart. Jung Il Woo's micro-expressions were on point, and there was an underwater scene where he executed the scene perfectly by just his expression alone. His visuals are not my usual preference, but in this show, in that persona, Il Woo just exuded manly sexiness.

Shin Hyun Soo's character, Lee Dae Yeop, got a lot of hate for being the clingy second male lead who could not move on. However, I had a soft spot for Dae Yeop, especially after finding out his back story and romance with the Princess as well as his background. His actions may have seemed rash and selfish at first, but he never wavered from his desire to protect and ensure the happiness of the only one he loved. I had high hopes for his character development, and he did not fail me up to the finale. My heart ached for him a lot, and Shin Hyun Soo was brilliant in portraying this lost soul. With his eyes alone, Hyun Soo showed the hopelessness and defeat that Dae Yeop must have felt, trapped with no way out between his family, duty, love, and his own desires.

Kwon Yu Ri, however, is the show's biggest hidden gem. Her acting as Soo Kyung/Princess Hwa In, a demure, well-bred but humble Princess who was also passionate, brave, and intelligent, left a firm impression. Knowing that she is a Girls' Generation member, I was not prepared for her wonderful performance. In a way, this drama was also about how the Princess chose her own happiness by freeing herself from the societal rules and obligations, and Kwon Yu Ri portrayed this character's growth well. I appreciate the female empowerment theme featured in this show, like when Ba Woo constantly praised and respected Soo Kyung's intelligence and strength.

With the addition of seasoned actors like Shin Dong Mi, Song Sun Mi, Seo Beom Shik, Yoon Joo Man, Kim Tae Woo, Lee Jae Yong, and Lee Joon Hyuk, you have a cast that was able to deliver the story effectively. The child actor, Ko Dong Ha, who played Cha Dol, has potential as well.

I love that the characters were shades of gray. We had the antagonists who felt justified in their actions, people on both sides helping each other for justice and principles, and there were the protagonists who made bad decisions, said and did things they did not mean in the heat of the moment. The show scored points with dynamic characters who struggled with their actions, who were not always clear if they were doing the right thing or what the right thing even was.

To me, the show's strongest point is the way it executed the plot. I liked how the drama encouraged and engaged the viewers' imagination. It was my imagination that filled in and enriched what the show's visuals or soundtrack both concealed and alluded to at the same time. At least, I prefer to think that what was left out was not a mere lack but instead a conscious artistic act of intentional omission and suggestion. Coupled with somewhat predictable plot twists but, when revealed, were simply shocking in terms of magnitude and nature, the result was a story that kept me engaged from start to finish, with each episode leaving me eager for the next one.

Why frustrating?

Even though I appreciated the moments of omission and suggestion, the conspicuous use of them for the romance between Ba Woo and Soo Kyung left me wanting for more. The chemistry between those two was palpable, and I wanted to see more than hugs. Ideally, I would have preferred more tantalizing or passionate scenes, but if not those, then at least some other obvious display of affections that provide the anticipation and build-up that one usually seeks in a show with a romance tag. That said, I did find the scenes between the leads incredibly romantic, especially with the setting, music, and dialogue. There was a dignified and pure way about how their love for each other was shown, and I did believe that they truly loved each other. I also like the phrase they used for each other "saranghae yeon-mohada (연모하다)" which means to love and long for someone. Seeing them together left a good feeling and I was satisfied with how they ended.

With the romance underplayed during the second half, the show somewhat got derailed by the heavier focus on the palace and court politics. The villain, Lee Yi Cheom, constantly got on my nerves with his audacity and arrogance, but really, this was a good thing because it showed how terrific the writing was. I was glued to the screen, on the edge of my seat, wondering what was going to happen to the OTP and the other good guys. Had I not wanted more romance and pleasant "slice of life" episodes featuring the main couple, I would have appreciated the political shenanigans even more.

Overall
I would rewatch this drama since there were many nuances and subtlety that I may have missed the first time. I also enjoyed the story and characters enough to watch them another time, although I am unsure if I want to feel Dae Yeop's pain again.

I do recommend that you try this drama out and see for yourself. Thematically for me, Bossam: Steal the Fate is a show that encapsulates life in many aspects and topics. It touches upon self-identity and personal growth, love (romantic and familial), respect and loyalty (to self, family, country, and principles), politics, societal obligations and problems, the balance of power and inequality, friendship, and more.

Side note:
For posterity, I have enclosed the link to the soundtrack list: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bossam:_Steal_the_Fate#Original_soundtrack

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Completed
A Dream of Splendor
58 people found this review helpful
by bibi
Jun 23, 2022
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.5

Just watch it.

You know a drama is good when it has the comment section discussing the characters temper, personality and relationships as if they’re actually real people.

Where do I begin. This drama is: gorgeous, precious and will probably leave a hole in your heart when it ends. Not because it sad but because you’ll be immersed and involved in their daily lives.

I’ve watched a lot of dramas in the last 13 years and very few were this pleasurable. The characters are written so well, they’re layered, real and lovable. The pacing is delectable, not too action heavy, sometimes purposely mundane but always keeping your attention. The direction, cinematography, set design, clothes are tasteful, this is truly what they call the female gaze. YangYang just proved everyone that women just do it better and has set the bar to a new high.

The romance. THE ROMANCE. Mature, trusting, kind, understanding, realistic. This is the kind of drama where you can see the leads falling for each other just by the way they look at each other. The tension is unbearable at times, it made me scream with envy in my pillow.

This drama is VERY rich in human relationships. Father x son, sisterhood, womanhood, brotherhood, teen x mentor figure, teenage puppy love, motherhood and more. There’s something for everyone.

To me, this is without a doubt THE best historical romance drama I have watched. Not because this is the best most complex impeccable story ever written but because this drama will bring excitement back and get rid of you loneliness. The focal point of this drama is not the intrigue it’s the people and their personal hardships. I can’t wait to forget it so I can watch it again.

So just watch it, give it a go, at least 3 episodes. If you don’t like it, it’s probably just not your cup of tea, because objectively, quality wise this checks all the boxes. Great work.

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Completed
Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy
109 people found this review helpful
by atmsg
Jul 24, 2025
Completed 2
Overall 1.5
Story 1.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 1.5
Rewatch Value 1.5

It’s a total disaster

As a longtime fan of Omniscient Reader, I had hopes for this movie, but it really let me down. This movie was honestly painful to sit through. It completely disrespects the source material — major plot changes, wrong character portrayals, and decisions that make absolutely no sense if you know the original story. The creators clearly cared more about using big-name actors for hype than staying true to what made the novel great.

The pacing is chaotic, with too many plot holes and zero emotional buildup. It feels more like a cash-grab than a real adaptation. If you haven’t read the novel, you’ll be confused. If you have, you’ll just be angry. Nothing about this feels faithful, and calling it “creative liberty” is a joke.

Visually, it might look okay, but that’s about the only thing going for it. Everything else? A disaster.

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Completed
Night Has Come
181 people found this review helpful
Dec 21, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 12
Overall 6.0
Story 5.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers

an informal compilation of why the writing sucked.

- mafia could have tossed everyone's phone across the boundary and win at any point; they could have injured or killed everyone at night at any point. it's a very easy win for da beom, but nope, he goes: "okay jung won, even though you're bffs with yoon seo and jun hee, i'll totally believe you when you say you'll kill them..."
- da beom, who was very determined to kill yoon seo and jun hee, just stops trying to kill them. then, he starts threatening his mafia partner and tries to kill her..? it's like that horrible and annoying trope where all the villain needs to do is pull the trigger to kill the hero, but he goes on a rant and allows the hero to find an opportunity to beat him. except this is 10x worse than that. da beom literally could stab yoon seo or jun hee at any moment and win the game, yet he just spares them? and he's screaming, running around, and sweating to kill jung won first for who knows why.
- we still don't know how or why yeon woo got stabbed, how mafia planted evidence for mina's shoe, or how they knew jun hee's plan to entrap them.
- we still don't know jun hee's backstory and why he got traumatized by pools or who had drowned in his brief flashback...
- we still don't have a full backstory for the FL
- essentially our ML and FL, whom the drama went at extreme lengths at protecting, both lack depth and a backstory... in other words, there is no reason for why these two should be or is our protagonists except that they look better than their peers?
- jung won apparently came up with a plan for doctor's (and bullies') death. are we to believe she calculated that doc would follow the two bullies, get caught, and killed once she threw the can..? how does that make sense at all?
- jun hee and yoon seo did not bully se eun and were, in fact, the few friends that she had, yet the parents go, "DURRR, send them to hell. boohoo my daughter. my daughter no longer alive" :( :( :(
- in fact, only a handful of students actually instigated and bullied her. most were either bystanders who ignored the problem or believed a false rumor and gossiped with their friend group. yet... they deserve the same punishment as the bullies? what sort of logic is that. basically, according to the parents, if you're stupid and gullible or just don't care, you are automatically complicit and deserve to get punished (*cough* everyone giving this drama higher than a 8.5 *cough*).
- girl literally committed suicide because they deep faked her face to an adult entertainer... like come on, make the bullying more believable. I was so interested in how she got bullied, why everyone was traumatized, yet the big reveal is one of the tamest and lamest bully tactic there is... there have been youtube pranks a lot worse than this.
- Mafia is a random game. you could have punished the kids with so many interesting and relevant games, but no, parents want to go, "DURR I hate you all, so you guys all get to play a detective game forever muahahahaha. that is your punishment!" like, choosing Mafia as the game setting to get "punished" is so random and doesn't make sense. I'd understand if they were stuck in a horror game or something, but what's the point of Mafia? to train the kid's sleuth and reasoning skills to recognize how they bullied a girl? to get better at lying? lol.
- frail and sick little FL literally just accepts her fate and goes back into the game without a fight. it's as if someone is robbing your house and the thief says, "shhhhh, it's okay, just go back to sleep now," and you just fall back to sleep. wtf was that?
- what's the point of killing the kids over and over if you're just going to wipe their memories? that they played the games dozens of time already may sound spooky until you realize they dont remember anything right after.
- if jung won is an a.i. in the game, then wouldnt she remember all the previous iterations? if she doesnt, then the parents, who think jung won somewhat represents their daughter, are in a sense punishing their program version of their daughter like everyone else?? it's understandable if she were some invincible host or something, but the fact that she is vulnerable and plays like everyone else suggests she's getting punished too, and not just that, but facing the same punishment as her bullies. this was really poorly thought out.
- what the hell was the point of se eun's ghost arc if the game itself was revealing everything?
- and the most important question: how are the kids eating, pooping, and peeing while they're stuck to the VR?

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Completed
Legal High
28 people found this review helpful
by xnopex
Jun 29, 2012
11 of 11 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 10
I just finished watching the final episode and i'm really sad to see this one end! I began this drama with a lot of skepticism (i get bored easily of crime procedurals/legal dramas) but after 11 great episodes, i'm glad i stuck with it.

memorable leads, memorable supporting cast and a memorable story makes this drama my favorite of the sprint 2012 season!

if you long for a wacky but clever comedy to keep you in stitches, this is the drama for you.
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Completed
Love Syndrome III: Uncut Version
28 people found this review helpful
Jun 11, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0

too much toxic but not a boring serie

i found myself entertained, at least im able to watch and not feel like im about to sleep because of dragging scenes..
the 1 hour ep here pass like 20 mins, that says that im enjoying this, mostly because i dont see heavy filler scenes with this one. so i barely skipped anything..
while i understand why many people complain, yeah toxic unhealthy relationship, this serie is based on the novel, so if you are going to watch keep in mind there is obsession love, and physical abuse, sa etc
i liked the couples chemistry, the music, and the story is so toxic but still interesting to watch, maybe because we are discovering with Day about what happened in the past

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Completed
Timeless Love
28 people found this review helpful
Aug 11, 2021
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

Roller-coaster feeling

It's my first review about a drama so if I made any mistake please forgive me. First of all the storyline describes the drama well.The cast was amazing. You can feel every emotion. I usually don't watch melodrama cause I like comedy a lot. At first I thought I would not watch it but still I gave it a shot.It's not your typical idol type drama where the male lead is very popular and is surrounded by a lot of girls even though he is intelligent and handsome. The female lead is pretty,smart and talented in dancing. Those supporting roles played very well. What I liked is:
1.Good storyline.
2.Fabulous acting.
3.Drama fitting ost.
Now let me tell you a bit of this drama. It was love at first sight for the male lead. This drama reveals the dark side of reality and love. It also reveals the dark side of entertainment industry.Being born in a rich family doesn't mean that you have everything cuse you need your parents affection while growing up.Love is always not so sweet, sometimes it's hard,painful and filled with jealousy. Sometimes it's unrequited. Even though after all of this love can heal each other.I wanted to give a lot of spoilers but I didn't cause then you might probably become less curious of this drama. Overall even if you don't like melodrama a lot you can watch this cause it's really heart touching and you might feel like you are riding a Roller-coaster. Whatever happened in the middle the ending episode was the most beautiful.

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Completed
Love Is Science?
28 people found this review helpful
Oct 25, 2021
18 of 18 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 6.5
Music 6.5
Rewatch Value 6.5

Romantic and Meaningful

Love is Science? (戀愛是科學) is an 18 episode romance drama that revolves around 2 couples, Yan Fei - Wang Hsuan Yu and Ou Wen and Mark. Love is Science? is a slow but very heartwarming series. No antagonist, the characters are just sweet and natural. Though the plot is it’s rather cliche but it has a sweet atmosphere that makes you invested in it!! Plus, All of them have good chemistry, little misunderstanding.

Love is Science? the premise revolves around two couples, one bxg couple (Yan Fei and Wang Hsuan Yu) and one bxb couple (Ou Wen and Mark). The first couple's storyline is really sweet, it focuses more on how Wang Hsuan Yu unrequited love is finally being reciprocated, and how Yan Fei comes to realization that Hsuan Yu has been by her side this whole time. Watching the first couple, you will feel butterflies in your stomach (but slow butterflies), Yan Fei feelings realization towards Hsuan Yu comes rather slow. Therefore, all their sweetness is around the last episode. But while watching the earlier episodes, you won't feel bored because you don't see their sweet moments. Rather, the earlier episodes and every extra scene (Hsuan Yu's and Yan Fei's childhood scene) make their romance buildup more interesting and meaningful.

On the other hand, OuWen and Mark couple focuses more on character development and how they grow together, as a couple and as an individual. Mark started off as a playboy and a homophobic (Mark expressed his disgust towards OuWen when OuWen touches him and more). But over time, Mark started to open his heart and realize his feelings for OuWen. Their love story is really heartwarming, that it makes you go "aww". However, Mark and OuWen's story does not only revolve around them. Their love story also revolves around Qiao Anna (Yan Fei's best friend) who once hooked up with Mark, then to find out that she's pregnant. (The second couple story does overshadow the main couple, but I don't mind since I find the second couple story actually more interesting than the first one and yes, they deserve a separate drama for the second couple)
Each character is also designed very well done and 3-dimensional. Personally, I love OuWen as a character, he’s honest and confident but also vulnerable. One of my favorite dialogues from him is, "why a gay man cannot be manlier than you?". He might be confident about being gay, but he also takes into consideration people around him. Love is Science? storyline doesn't all focus on romance and love, but it also provides glimpses into slice-of-life, how each individual how they grow, family, friendships, and more.

In terms of production quality, technical execution, Love is Science may not be perfect, but it is satisfactory. The drama uses soft filters and vibrant color palettes that provide a generally pleasant and vivid viewing experience. In addition, it also has decent camerawork. The cinematography and color palette makes this drama an enjoyable watch. There are also several setbacks in this drama, but the only major setback I can think of is the male lead comes off to be rather awkward.

Overall, Love is Science? is a good watch if you're looking for something romantic but meaningful as well.

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Completed
Million Yen Women
28 people found this review helpful
by Elle
Oct 3, 2017
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 9.0
Story 10
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
O—K, so I managed to marathon this little beauty in about a day. This drama is concise and plays out more like a mini series.

Even through its dark and moody tone, the drama is surprisingly melancholy and understated. It strikingly fits the persona of the lead protagonist Michima Shin, a struggling novelist played by Noda Yojiro.

The characters are deep, and their character arcs are well developed considering that this drama is only 12, 25 minute episodes. Due to the run time, the story is very tightly written. Each episode beautifully plays into unraveling more of the mystery.

Million Yen Women has a bit of an off tempo. It is leisurely paced over 12 short episodes. I would highly recommend giving this drama a chance. I found that I was quickly pulled into the storyline. I will restrain myself from saying more so I won’t give too much away.

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Completed
Yukan Club
28 people found this review helpful
Dec 28, 2011
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
An example of another drama I only watched because KAT-TUN members were in it. And probably wouldn't have if they weren't.

The idea was cute, and fun, but a lot of the times I wasn't that amused. I mean this isn't a bad drama, but it isn't the BEST one either. I think if you have time you should watch it but it's not one of those dramas I'd stop everything for to watch.

It has a lot of laughs in their along the way, and many strange scenarios. Junnosuke Taguchi playing a swedish guys son was pretty funny, especially with that blond hair, and those blue yes.

In closing this is basically a Japanese version of Scooby-Doo, and if you have some time to kill go ahead and watch it.

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Completed
Peach Lover
28 people found this review helpful
Mar 24, 2026
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 5
Overall 5.5
Story 5.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 5.5
Rewatch Value 3.0
This review may contain spoilers

Strong beginning but nc-scenes alone don't tell a story...

While watching the first two episodes, I thought we get something different and interesting from Thailand for a change, but the script writers had no clear vision and in the middle of the series it felt just flat. We got our 2D awful father, of course the family of the other one was not better anyways and we got a side-couple to fill in the minutes.

The nc-scenes in the beginning were a story driver but that also collapsed in the middle of the show. At least they did try very hard to show us always different scenes, but that could not save the series. The endless explainations of the meaning of "peaches" was also getting on my nerves. It's ok to set it up once, but there is no need to repeat it every episode.

The side-couple could have been a balancing force with the sex-driven main couple but that also failed when in episode 4 they had sex quite quickly considering one of them was extremely reserved. After that the side-couple is just an afterthought with barely any screentime.

Production quality was ok, there where the occasional sound problems due to on body microphones, they used a lot of blur for no reason and an excessive amount of lipstick. The pacing was all over the place, especially in dialog scenes between the sentences they streched the time. This made some parts of this show quite boring. Instead of 60 minutes per episode, 40 would have been enough. Overall this is just an average show, started with a strong premise but it ended up in smoke and blur.

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Completed
Uncontrollably Fond
28 people found this review helpful
Sep 10, 2016
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 7.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
I will start by saying that although its clear where the story is eventually heading in the first few episodes, I think the title and synopsis are extremely misleading. If you are not prepared to watch a melodrama about star-crossed lovers, you will start to feel betrayed by this drama early on. This is from the writer of "Sorry, I love you", still one of the most epically melodramatic dramas I've ever seen, and knowing that helped me enjoy this drama more than I would have if I was expecting just a love story about two people who can't help but like each other.

For me, the MVP of this drama is Kim Woo Bin. He's the reason I wanted to keep watching no matter what. He mastered the charming jerk persona as Joon Yeong, and I was impressed by his range in this drama (from confident smirk to ugly tears). The story is so over the top, so It would've been easy to over act, but his character felt natural and real the entire time, which makes this crazy story work. I definitely became uncontrollably fond of him (sorry, i couldn't resist), and not just because of his shirtlessness. I missed out on Heirs, so this is my first time watching him, but certainly not my last.

He is paired with Suzy, who I think is a pretty good actress (even in one of my least favorite dramas ever "Big"), but she had her work cut out for her playing Noh Eul. Noh Eul is an interesting character, but also a frustrating one to watch. She also has a lot of weird wide eyed moments in turtlenecks, that kept reminding me of Shelley Duvall in "The Shining". Suzy has great chemistry with Woo Bin, but I think his charm deserves most of the credit for that. Suzy makes Noh Eul likable, and easy to empathize with, but there are moments where her actions are pretty ridiculous. That's a reoccurring theme for most of the characters in this show. They do things that make no sense, but the actors are good so it's ok.

That brings me to the rest of the cast. I think they all did a really great job considering how completely unbelievable most of the characters are. Jin Kyung is stellar as Joon Yeong's mom, but the way the character was written annoyed the hell out of me. Im Joo Hwan played his duality well, but the more melodramatic the story got, the less I liked his character. The junior romance subplot was also pretty cute. All the characters were memorable to me only because of the performances, but the characters themselves were often contrived, and lacked any real depth.

Speaking of lack of depth, I think that is what stopped me from really getting into this drama. In the beginning I was drawn in by the flirting, but then story turned into a revenge plot filled with greed, and betrayal, and everything you've already seen in other melodramas. Soon I found myself just watching the boring revenge plot just so i could see what would happen to Joon Yeong. I think that was the one redeeming thing about the plot. The cast's performances in the last 2 episodes got me in the feels so bad I was emotionally exhausted by the end, and was definitely underprepared in the tissue department. I finished the drama satisfied, though not impressed, which sums up this drama pretty well.

Overall, this was a great display of Kim Woo Bin's talent, but a pretty forgettable drama. The soundtrack is forgettable, the plot is forgettable, and even the title is forgettable. Still, I was entertained enough to want to keep watching, and It also didn't feel too long at 20 episodes. It was certainly cliché, but there are enough unexpected elements to keep things interesting. Interesting enough to watch again? No.

If you like melodrama, and tragic romances, there are a lot of things to like about "Uncontrollably Fond". There is not enough actual romance to satisfy true romance fans, or comedy to even justify having that listed as a genre for this drama. You also have to completely suspend disbelief, be able to empathize with horrible people, and be willing to believe the unbelievable... which is not a crazy request in dramaland. I can only recommend this drama with the disclaimer "Buyer Beware".

They also totally missed an opportunity to promote tissue boxes with Woo Bin's smiling face on them.

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Completed
3 Will Be Free
28 people found this review helpful
Jan 25, 2020
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 9.5
This review may contain spoilers
Neo: I love you both, equally and at the same time.

It was so very apparent how much Neo loved them both but especially the way he adored Shin was amazing. Because towards Miw he was very manly heroic and protective, the typical dashing hero, you know? But the way he… mellowed around Shin, his whole behavior simply softened. Like Shin said to Miw, “[Neo] gets my sensitivities and your abrasive loud mouth.” They obviously both gave him something he needed.

And the same went for Miw and Shin. They both loved Neo very much, that was their common ground but at the end of the series, it was obvious they started to feel something for each other, too. For Miw, both Neo and Shin were softer than her but differently so. Neo was more her equal so she could be brash with him -but she couldn’t be that way with Shin without feeling guilty. Shin was squishy and soft and so he made her softer, too. For Shin, both Neo and Miw were true and genuine, but whereas Neo was kind, Miw was brutally honest.

So, if you want to watch a genuine polyamory story, not a love triangle, then do watch 3 Will Be Free. Because their poly love is not just explicit - as in sex - but also discussed openly.

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