Reviews

To My Shore is not your typical "sweet" romance.

To My Shore is not your typical "sweet" romance. It is a heavy, psychological drama that explores how two very different men, broken by their pasts, collide in a way that is devastating yet deeply moving. It is a complex, emotionally draining journey that explores the thin line between love and obsession.

First, there is You Shu Lang, a character who truly defines "resilience." After a traumatic childhood, he carries a crushing weight of guilt. He becomes a provider (to his ungrateful adoptive) and he acts more as a caretaker than a partner to his younger boyfriend. In my opinion, Shu Lang is a man who is "good" in the purest sense, but his goodness leaves him profoundly lonely. He is looking for a "shore" to land on someone to finally share his burdens with. Hao Yi Ran’s acting perfectly captures his transition from a weary caretaker to a man pushed to the brink of a breakdown.

Then there is Fan Xiao. His backstory is equally tragic and his trauma twisted his worldview. Unlike Shu Lang, who chose kindness, Fan Xiao chose manipulation, believing that nothing is truly good. When he meets Shu Lang, he assumes these "good" qualities are fake. He sets out to prove that Shu Lang is just as selfish and greedy as everyone else. However, when he realizes he is wrong and that Shu Lang is a genuinely caring person who wants him to be happy, he falls deeply in love to the point of obsession.

The most controversial part of the story for me is the length Fan Xiao goes to "own" Shu Lang. His systematic isolation of Shu Lang is chilling: he removes everyone from Shu Lang’s life—his family, his boyfriend, and (controles) his career, so that Shu Lang has no choice but to depend on him.

When Fan Xiao finally realizes his obsession has nearly broken the only good thing in his life, he shifts from destruction to self-sacrifice. By handing Shu Lang the evidence to destroy the Xiao family, he finally gives Shu Lang the power he had previously stripped away. (And when Shu Lang is too kind to use it, Fan Xiao takes the lead and sends it himself.)

His years of "protecting from the shadows" show a genuine change in character, but for me, it is hard to forget the toxicity. I found myself deeply conflicted. I wanted Shu Lang to find peace, and I wanted Fan Xiao to become a better person, but his actions were incredibly toxic and emotionally abusive. Even though he spent years atoning, the "scars" are deep. The ending gives them a "healthy" last chance, but it leaves me wondering if a relationship born from such manipulation can ever truly be happy. MAybe I feel that way because the "atonement" happens in the last 2 to 3 episodes, it feels like only weeks have passed rather than years. This makes the redemption feel a bit rushed and makes it hard for me to actually see the "atonement" and reasoning for Shu Lang (other than an unhealthy reason) to go back to Fun Xiao.

If you enjoy stories about complex trauma and the messy, dark side of human connection, To My Shore is a must-watch... just be prepared for a moral rollercoaster.

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To be honest, I was expecting a really nice series as the continuation of Kiss The Series. However, I felt disappointed. As soon as Sanson started investigating about Matt (Mond)’s sexuality, I was thoroughly disappointed with her ways as I thought that they were very rude. I started skipping all of their scenes after that. I liked the plot between Sansuay and So, and also R and Sanwan’s, but they were cliché. New and Tay’s plot was great and I really loved it because I really like a plot where the characters starts as enemies. Overall, the series is just okay. The chance that I will rewatch the series is very small, and maybe I’ll only do so for the scenes that I like.

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Dramas are made to create an embellished version of reality so we can enjoy it and relax and fantasize.
Which is why dramas trying to portray real life are often slower and not as entertaining.
The writing for this drama is pure GENIUS, a lot more real and mature, definitely a lot less cringy-cliche than most dramas out there but still manages to keep it sweet, funny and entertaining.
There was no epic confession or slow-mo dramatic moments but I felt so much emotions watching this drama. The comedy is ON POINT, I laughed so hard.
The actors are phenomenal and were able to keep this bittersweet melancholy that adulthood can bring while remaining funny.
The emotional parts have a very mature/real impression which I loved because for once, it wasn't overdone.
This drama doesn't have to be relatable, you dont have to be in your 30's to understand its message, it's just a very beautifuly done and slightly different slice of life drama with an OST that will stay stuck in your head for the next month.
I totally recommend it.

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One line from Itsuki stayed with me until the very end.

He compared himself to "a tropical fish that feels too hot even in the water where it is supposed to live."

I interpreted it as someone who isn't weak or broken, but simply cannot survive comfortably in the environment they were born into.

Sometimes leaving isn't running away.
Sometimes it's simply a survival strategy.

This drama isn't about deciding who was right or wrong.

Yuma loved Itsuki's freedom at first, but later realized he couldn't live with it.
Itsuki wanted to be accepted exactly as he was, and eventually realized that Yuma could never truly understand that part of him.

Neither of them was a bad person.
They simply reached a point where neither could compromise on what mattered most.

That made me think about relationships in general.

I don't believe living together depends on understanding everything about another person.
I think it depends on whether you can accept the parts you'll never fully understand.

Empathy is wonderful, but it isn't always possible.
Acceptance may be even more important.

The director said she wanted to create a film that could change the world.

Can a story really do that?

If people could accept differences instead of trying to erase them, perhaps there would be fewer conflicts.
But at the same time, I don't think the world is ever that simple.

I only hope that, someday, both Yuma and Itsuki will find someone who can accept them for who they are.

Not every love story ends happily.
Some simply leave us with questions that stay long after the credits roll.

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What is normal?

Cast: the actors are known from other BLs, they have a couple of shows under their belts so they are rather experienced and doing their jobs well.

Music: nothing remarkable. No outstanding main tune, but nothing annoying either. There are few nice piano instrumentals though.

Production: this is very well produced, especially in the times of the pandemic. Camera work is fine, so is the editing. Props are fun, especially the whole colour theme of the main characters. Cooking bits are done extremely well. They filmed in a couple of interesting locations, I especially liked the library, the temple and the "classroom".

The only thing I will complain about (and not only me, judging from YT comments) is the quality of subtitles on the official Copy A Bangkok channel. The English subtitles are mostly delayed on every first part of the episode. Sometimes a large chunk of a dialogue is missing. The other time the entire subtitles sequence for the part is gone in 2min. They don't translate texts, messages, writings on the sheets of paper - everything that is not the dialogue. And episode 11 subtitling is an absolute mess. They also titled 2 parts wrongly. This is a shame for the international fans that enjoy and support Thai shows.


Plot: okay, this is bad.

Every episode I was screaming at the telly: Therapy! Psychiatrist! Meds! Diew is clearly on the autism spectrum and definitely not on the highly functioning one. The show says that he's got "autophobia", but it feels like it's just a tip of the iceberg. His issues, blown up by unprocessed grief after the loss of his grandmother and a big change which is going to university, make him unable to be alone for a longer period of time. This means he needs caretaker. Clearly his parents are to blame for not taking the matter earlier more seriously.

The plot is basically Diew trying to deal with his issues, struggling to understand the world and hoping to become normal. I've seen people complaining about the pacing of the scenes, but I suppose the creators wanted to show that people process the events in a different manner and I appreciate that. While the whole show was supposed to be uplifting, positive and "pat on the back" thing, I feel like this is a complete miss.

Although Diew's friends seem to be supportive and understanding of the problem, each one of them has their own life and has no time to care full time of him. Diew is forced to deal with the issues as best as he can. Some of his friends' ideas how to help Diew are only ad hoc remedies, that don't cure the real issues. It is clearly a work in progress for Diew, who needs a full medical support and a proper support network.

This is a complete misunderstanding of the situation. I understand the positive message this show wanted to show: you are not alone, in difficult times we're all together etc. etc. But I was more annoyed than uplifted. And disappointed as hell.

The show starts to develop properly from episode 10 onwards (although the messy subtitles do not help the situation). Diew starts to get professional help he clearly needs, his friends also team up to develop more tactics to try and help him. His relationship with Mix also blossoms.

And to all interested, this is not a full BL. There are BL couples, like Boon/Prem, but Diew and Mix don't get together. They do a lot of heart eyes at each other, and it is clear of their mutual crush on each other, but it seems that this relationship might be fully developed in season 2, if there is any.

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After finishing King Gwanggaeto the Great I have the feeling that I watched a action movie that lasted over 92 hours. Even if the first quarter was a bit too loud for my ears, after I become "immune" to the excessive screaming of all the male characters (I also lowered the volume) I focused just to follow Damdeok in his path to become King Gwanggaeto.
I liked also that the plot was not concentrated just of Damdeok and Goguryeo, but the fight over power was well presented and for the main enemies of Goguryeo, Houyan and Baekje.
The strategies used in battle were amazing and gave me the impression that things could happen in this way.
From all historical dramas that I seen, Lee Tae Gon was the actor that fit the best in the role of a powerful king.
All the actors did a great job, especially that the act was centered on the gestures and facial expression.
The fact that the story is about a great man and a great ruler that really existed is another reason for watching!
A masterpiece of Korean history!

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I really enjoyed this drama. The story is very fun and cute, if you want a quick lighthearted drama fix than this is for you! Its about a high school where there are 7 witches who can cast spells by kissing, and Yamada, a boy who can copy a witches power. Each episode (or there about) we find out about a new witch and her power.

The acting is typical Asian comedy acting, over the top but not bad. Yamamoto Yusuke is his same crazy self we know and love! I hadn't seen Nishiuchi Mariya in much else other than GTO, but she is quickly becoming one of my favorites.

I could defiantly watch this again. Who doesn't love a drama thats funny, over the top, cute and silly, yet still makes you feel alot of emotions!

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Morality, Violence, Justice: Re-evaluating Not Me 3 years Later

[Not Me aired from December 2021 – March 2022. This review was written in April 2025. Spoilers should be few; however, the review assumes most readers have prior familiarity with this series and its characters. Accordingly, it omits any detailed explanation of the plot. A goal of the writing is to explain why the series remains fresh three years after its broadcast run concluded.]

When Not Me debuted in December ’21, it instantly became the most unusual BL series in the GMMTV catalog. Three years on, it retains that distinction. Edgy, dark, and violent, its vibe represented a stark departure from the light, fluffy romantic fare the company usually peddled. Prickly, stubborn, and hot-headed, its anti-hero protagonists represented an equally stark departure from the typical BL lead characters who ooze sweetness and light. In the customary GMMTV BL formula, the romance of the lead couple anchors the entire storyline, but I cannot say Sean-White fulfill this obligation. The couple is not a failure per se, but it is also not entirely convincing. Could have been stronger. Two other plot elements overshadow the Sean-White romance. First, White’s masquerade as Black, trying to solve the mystery behind his twin’s near-murder. Second, the gang’s crusade against entrenched social injustice. In fact, I think the Sean-White romance subplot feels forced. Yes, the duo do spend a lot of time sharing close quarters--and, yes, those scenes deliver the usual BL mushy moments. Even so, it feels like their relationship progresses because the writers understand many viewers came to see the actors: they want Off and Gun fall for each other. (Again.) Thus the flirtatious scenes begin to pile up in middle of the series even though the first part of the series has made perfectly clear these mismatched personalities have many layers of conflict. (Yes, I know enemies-to-lovers is a viable trope. But I'm not sure this series fully earned the transition from enemies to lovers, so much as the whole audience just accepted it by habit. I mean, it's Off and Gun, so of course!) Put another way, BL romance trades in sweet moments, but the passion between Sean-White reeks of a more combustible hate-love. The attraction of the bodies is clear. The attraction of personality, less so. One wishes the meeting of the minds had benefited from a deeper investment into character development in the earlier episodes. Aside from Sean's rage at the world and White's struggle to connect with a twin he no longer understands, we do not know enough about either character for their sudden coupling to make sense beyond youthful randyness: namely, forced proximity + young horny men + tension = lust. By contrast, the Dan-Yok relationship feels far more organic amidst the detailed worldbuilding. The furtive romance between would-be revolutionary Yok and Dan, a renegade cop with a secret alter ego that itself flirts with illegality, is a clever match of character types. Their story provides a sweet emotional center to the series that the Sean-White relationship never quite supplies. The Yok-Dan pairing strikes me as a natural outgrowth of the story. It never felt forced. This devaluation of the Sean-White BL arc does not diminish the series because Sean and White themselves are more focused on The Mission than each other (until the last two episodes, anyway). Only if the viewer arrived at the production expecting the usual romance-centric BL plot will the shortcomings of the Sean-White relationship rankle. Perhaps “BL” is not even the best way to classify this complex work, as the characters’ absorption in their self-appointed crusade to right the wrongs embedded into the Thai social structure always overshadows their interest in romance. Not Me may be better understood as a social commentary wrapped in BL packaging. But its masquerade succeeds on both level, social critique and romance alike.

That success owes to detailed worldbuilding by the writers and the director. This worldbuilding includes a rich array of support characters and a willingness to explore multiple sides to many issues. In particular, the series uses its university setting to good effect. Various episodes present legal theory and economic theory to set the stakes, delivered in the guise of the classroom. The power of the arts to effect change is also showcased here, with both dance and street art marshaled to articulate the message of protest. Speaking of protest, the legendary scene where White dances in jubilation under a giant rainbow flag remains one of the most iconic moments in the entire BL genre. Also, that scene provides one of the very few where explicit symbols of queer power work their way into this genre all about same-sex romance. My remaining concerns can be easily dismissed. Aside from a central romance overshadowed by the side couple, one might also fairly criticize the presentation of the fight scenes. Some of the action set pieces implausibly favor our anti-heroes, who by rights ought to be overmatched in direct conflict. They are after all, amateur vigilantes who train for battle in between classes. That they can repeatedly best professionals with years of experience is far-fetched. Nevertheless, providential victories in battle for main characters in action films is so routine this largesse can be overlooked.

One test of a classic is whether it holds up to repeat viewing years after the initial enthusiasm for its arrival has faded. This series aces that test. Indeed, Not Me improved with age. This time, knowing in advance not to expect the typical light, fluffy BL made me more receptive to the social criticism baked into the story. The lads in Black's gang see themselves as heroes crusading on behalf of the overlooked, the downtrodden, the forgotten. But the script also overtly questions that premise. In the face of the gang’s self-image as heroic, other characters question their assumptions. That they have chosen illegal (and violent) tactics to achieve their ends is not simply dismissed. In fact, the series carefully offers counterpoints to nearly every grievance the lads claim to fight against. This nuance forces viewers and characters alike to reckon with the gray areas of morality. Life, the script seems to insist, cannot be boiled down to black and white. And both Black and White seem to grasp this point. Eventually. It is this balanced approach to the issues that helps Not Me to withstand the test of time.
In the end, all its daring departures from the norm work to distinguish Not Me from the pack of repetitive first love plots that comprise most genre stories about students. Tight writing, thoughtful and coherent, combined with powerhouse acting to meet the challenges of this difficult script. Not Me remains excellent today.

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Beautiful cinematography, very angsty, love-hate relationship

This mini drama is about the female lead who is married off to the enemy’s kingdom as a peace treaty. After three years of hell in the palace, she manages to escape. With tons of injuries, a man uses his medicine skills to heal her, in the process changing her face. Just when she thinks she is safe and sound, her husband (the male lead) shows up and thus their cat and mouse game begins.

POSITIVE:
- 100% angst vibes.
- Love-hate relationship.
- Face swap trope.
- Villain/morally grey male lead (basically a total red flag).
- Beautiful cinematography.
- Cat and mouse game between the leads.
- Soft, beautiful and strong-willed female lead.
- Selfless second male lead.

NEGATIVE:
- Very dark vibes, definitely not for the faint hearted.
- Not much soft and sweet romance.
- Male lead who is perhaps too dark which makes it harder to ship him with the female lead.

OVERALL:
If you are looking for a very angsty, love-hate relationship with a morally grey male lead and beautiful cinematography, watch this drama.

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A rare romantic drama that is comfortable to watch..

It's a rare romantic drama that is comfortable to watch. The main leads are "normal people" with positive values. They communicate in time when encountered with problems without internal friction. ML supports the FL emotionally and shares the pressure (without violating her principles to succeed independently without using his influence and resources!) when she faces difficulties at work place and the FL shows she can feel his efforts with her love and gratitude. This is pure mature love! Love is not just sweet romance but requires joint efforts, mutual understanding and support of both partners to go hand in hand on the road of life.

The second couple are everyone's favourites! They add more colours and storylines to the plot. There is a third couple as well. These characters show that everyone has issues/ obstacles/challenges they have to go through themselves. There will be mistakes and growing pains!

All characters and performances complemented each other. The family dynamics between the parents and in laws is a treat to watch!

Another highlight is the women in the workplace who are mutually supportive of each other and love their work (leave Tang girl). Their growth is entirely obtained through their own efforts and not by convenience or influence of a man.

Yes the drama may have certain shortcomings and some logical bugs but the flaws do not outweigh the merits! It's a profound theme exploration with insights on love/marriage, work and life in general for young couples. It's more realistic compared with other similar dramas broadcast recently and is definitely worth a watch.

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Calm and Good one, definitely worth a watch.

Don't avoid this because of the other reviewer . I'm writing this cause of other reviewer. This drama is really good. There is no stalking or stuff like that, The couple is adorable, FL is the focus here. She is strong one but doesn't come of as overbearing. The interaction between main couple made it really cute. They have a awkward but good chemistry But Romance takes a backseat here. this is more about work and life as an accountant. her job as accountant showed the hurdles that a company goes through and the people who rip off companies funds without much thought. I was continuously reminded that small pennies here and there add to a large amount.

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Outstanding characterization

What an amazing journey. The fact that ULS is an adapted screenplay, it really retained the soul of the manga. They also did a great job of picturing the script.

The way the relationships between the characters are developed is great. And with strong direction, the characters were also expertly and carefully written. With this cast, they did fantastic job with their roles and their relationship has such great chemistry.

One could contend that this series lacks strength, which I could see on some parts, but most of all it was thoughtfully planned and well-written, addition of the excellent work from the cast with of course those wonderful ost/s.

A must watch for this show really exhibits that romantic feelings existed even before we realized it and how crucial trust is for a healthy love, be it love of intimacy or love of friendships.

P.S.
I guess they have the most sweet-comfortable-hug I'd ever seen in a kbl.

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Crazy Love is an engrossing romantic comedy with a mix of some dark humor, melodrama, mystery, plenty of wounded souls, and great slow burned character development. For the leading couple, it is an enemy to lover’s trope that leads to a strong and supporting relationship. The actors did a great job bringing their characters and their realistic emotional and romantic entanglements to life. The leading couple has an extraordinary chemistry and it is impressive to see them together, not only when they have their beautiful and suave romantic interactions but their best is seeing in episode 2 where the female lead (Krystal Jung as Lee Shin A) reaches her “I’m going all out crazy” stage; it’s great! And, of course, Kim Jae Wook (as Noh Go Jin) was exceptional as well! A truly entertaining drama, enjoy it!

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I think this is a really great drama! Unlike most of the other lakorns I've watched, this one did not have a crazy ex-girlfriend. The progression of how the main actor likes the main actress is very well-placed, and you can see how he gradually likes her more and more. Even though it was more of a contract marriage, the contractual part did not last long, and it is refreshing to see that the main actor already liked the girl before the contract marriage. It's also helpful that the scenes are filmed beautifully and the main actors/actresses are good looking. Overall, I thought the drama was well-paced, the characters were likable, and the storyline (even though it does have some flaws) was still fairly believable for a drama.

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This is so cute. I can't wait for the next episode.

I don't know how I stumbled upon this, but it showed up on my YT recommendations (my history is turned off, so I don't know how). It is such a cute story.

Shun - so shy, so cute, so quiet. But his face says it all. I don't know if everyone else has been feeling the same.

Nagisa - this one is harder to read at first, but there's this softness to him when he's with Shun alone.

Chika - This girl. OMG. Obsession much? She literally stalked Shun when Nagisa asked him to meet up. And then invited herself after Nagisa broke things off with his ex. I get her. But at the same time, you can't force someone to like you. I feel bad for her because Nagisa totally used her, and that was so not cool of him. -- ETA -- I totally take this back. She is so cool. Ep 5 makes her totally bad ass.

Ayo - This girl is so cute. I feel so bad for her, but at the same time I feel like she is the most relatable character in this show. The one who wants to be better - the one who finds herself too plain and too boring. I love this girl. And I love how Shun is with her in 2-4. From telling her she is far from plain and has character, to telling her that she is better than him because she is taking action to be more like the person she wants to be. I love how he builds up her confidence. And I totally get why she falls for him. -- ETA -- I just watched Ep 5. And this episode just cemented the fact that I love her. I absolutely love this girl. She is me. Like 3000%. This is totally what I would have done, because I have in the past. When I love someone I just want them to be happy even if it means the person they are happy with is not me. Why are there not more characters like her.

Chika's Parents - How cute are they - from how in love with each other they are. To how open they are about sex and sex education. I totally dig them and their vibe. SO COOL.

Shun's dad - no comment. I guess if he hadn't left none of this would have happened.

If you know that this is the prequel to the movie, you know that between the mini series and the movie there isn't a happy ending even if they both might individually have happy endings. I haven't seen the movie so I cannot say - but it seems like it's a heart-wrencher. I really hope someone subs and uploads it some day - It looks soooo good. And the guy who plays Shun in that is so good looking.

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