─ the twist of adult child.
Started this drama without any prior knowledge about the plot or the full cast. So, there weren't any expectations but I was glad to find this twisted and psychological approach to this kind theme. The conflict between desperation and greed was nicely written.From the beginning, the sisters and chef reminded me of children that are forced to become adults. Neither managed to grasp freedom and instead followed a way that offered them dream like escape. At some point, you find yourself feeling bad for them, another time you question their morals and greed. Even at the ending scene, you still witness the twist in their ordinary looking lives, which I think was quite unique to see.
While the story had its ups and downs, sometimes left you looking for more and sometimes felt draggy, the cast did awesome job at their characters. Especially Nam Jihyun and Choi Hyunwook rightfully owned the spotlight as they portrayed desperate people that did not hesitate to turn bad when it comes to "being able to live."
Overall, it was a nice watch that delivered specific messages successfully.
link to edits : https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLI-LyvxxdMxBiq-NfStjWeJ-HBXaMzBcV&si=06NZ4vCYhhrRcZgj
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HOW COULD YOU
I NEVER SIGNED UP FOR THAT ENDING.The only thing I accept is that they won't be cursed anymore when getting back in a relationship. BUT DAMN.
Also we didn't find out anything else about Denis in the last episode.
The whole series reminded me a lot of "First Love Again" which is another Korean drama.
I must say, knowing it's korean, I didn't expect too much, but that ending was really unfulfilling 😭 Idk how to feel about it.
There's definitely enough space for a whole season 2, or at least some special episodes.
The series, overall, is pretty good. I liked the costumes, the actors, the acting and even the plot.
A rewatch might have a value is you skip the last episode, just so you could see them together
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The drama has its entertaining elements, such as the thrill to be able to have numerous suspects right from the start. It has a concise story that revolves around a certain number of people and we get to see a decent progress in the characters' development. At moments it might look as if you know everything already, and have a clear picture of where the story is going and how the show is going to end, but this drama has its fair share of surprises. I really liked the fact that we got to see a lot of most of the characters, not just the 2 main leads. It gave us plenty of different perspectives on the story. Overall, it is a quite typical investigation story, but worth the watch. Most of the actors did a very good job. I loved Go Hyun Jung, her acting felt really natural, as if she was made to play the role of Choi Ja Hye. However, the switch of the actresses was made, although unintentionally, at a turning point in the drama, so at times it felt like we were seeing a new character. Nevertheless, Park Jin Hee did a very decent job. Shin Sung Rok and Bong Tae Gyu were exceptional, it made us hate them, and that was precisely what they should have done. Jung Eun Chae was the only one that didn't convince me with her acting at times, but she made up for it at other times.
As for the other aspects, I really liked the music, especially the soundtrack in the first few episodes. The atmosphere and the setting of the drama was also well chosen. It had some unique scenes which were really aesthetically pretty.
If you have doubts about this drama in terms of the story, and its predictability, go watch it, it won't disappoint. It might not be the perfect drama by far, but it is definately a fun ride which will keep you on the edge.
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Hands off to the Thai movie industry. Seriously. If this same film was made anywhere else, the characters who were redeemed would never have been redeemed anywhere else. Every character has a part to play, no role is minor. The chemistry between all of the main leads, not just the romantic duo, was beautiful and believable. The friendship, the family values, the romance, and the empathy of this film simply blew my mind.
I excepted the Karsue to be the source of horror and jump scares. I never excepted to empathize the most with a floating head and viscera.
Watch this movie. You will not regret it.
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Kimi to Sekai ga Owaru Hi ni Season 2
18 people found this review helpful
This review may contain spoilers
Had high hopes, and now we're here....
WOAH what can I say about this mess of a season, other than, it's absolute crap.Seriously, don't bother watching this drama, and surely reading this LONG review if you don't want to get SPOILERS because I'll be straightforward and addressing plenty of issues regarding this season and if you think you're getting answers or any plot development since season one, than you better just drop it, because you're not, believe me, this disaster here was only to scrap characters from back and forth, stir conflicts, destroy character's plotline and perhaps act as a poor bridge to a third season.
Which I am highly skeptical about after this train wreck...
I've spent all this time pissed off while watching the attempt of development of plot here, and there was NONE.
First of all let me say, I didn't like Kurumi in the first season, and she proved to me again in this one why I disliked her character. It's a waste of FL, I don't see any improvement on her storyline but a setback instead. The whole amnesia being one of the symptoms of the virus she was injected was a cliché plotline to help with the sole mess that was the shelter "House of Hope".
She once again is the main reason Hibiki walks and breathes apparently, in his world there's only Kurumi and the rest is landscape, because wherever she is or goes so will he. Even if she forgets him entirely and ends up falling for the most cliché of all, oh yeah ANOTHER MAN. Years down the gutter right there, even if not remembering, I am sure she could feel deep in her heart that something wasn't right whenever she interacted with others, but I guess she is that clueless and emotionlessly driven. Pissed me off, how much more does Hibiki have to sacrifice for her, when in the first season he did that plenty...
Hibiki ohh the ML, the so-called leader, yeah for the while he had that role anyway. It served him better in season one, but after getting Kurumi back I guess he lost his senses, but even more when she lost her memories. In that moment I believe he just lost his marbles, because the rest on his scale lost the spark or interest the minute he stepped foot into the shelter. His plotline was destroyed by Kurumi once again, and he still had to go out there in search of some sort of cure for her. Funny thing right? He is the main character and in a season of ONLY 6 episodes he disappears for like 1 episode and a half maybe? Almost 2?
I lost the count because apparently here all that mattered was that bloody house and their annoying racist residents.
But seriously he goes ALL THE WAY to Fukushima and not even an insight on his journey is shown there??
What are we? Oblivious tenants in "House of Hope" to stay behind and not know about the world??
We're only left with his words, when he does come back (to find his girl being kissed by spineless creep), that there's no hope or even cure because he has seen that there's no safe space out there and that's it?
Well, nothing new there right?
In the first season there was already many facts that showed the lack of hope for better places and more survivors.
Hibiki's new found family is suffering and he is clueless about it, because all that matters is Kurumi... *echoes on her name*
The only highlight in this season could be the new bond formed between Todoroki and Kanae. When others fall, some will rise, these two are complete opposites and yet they compliment one another well in a crisis. Todoroki development from the first season to this one and the fact that he is atoning for being alive, only demonstrates how he is struggling and how much Kanae is helping him. The thing I don't get it is how the hell does he amputates his hand in cold blood, without hygiene because, well it was a life or death situation and they were trapped and void of options, and not bleed out or get an infection since they gave up returning to the shelter in the first place. Kanae, certainly is a female character that I for once noticed how much she evolved in the first season and she did not disappoint in this one. Her character is much stronger than others and she has learned to adapt well. I think that's part of her charm and new found charisma that attracted Todoroki towards her, and made them comfort themselves in their losses and grief, and pain of being rejected and made outcasts in a certain way. Them getting together only proves they can learn to love one another, and forget or lessen the supposed feelings they had for Kurumi and Hibiki.
Akiyoshi Ren, the son of the former leader of "House of Hope" pissed me off the most.
ALSO am I the only one thinking he looks like a total creep? >.<
Because those angry stares, and his whole dark emo demeanor, was awful for a leader I must say. If enigmatic and gloomy was the goal there, they FAILED completely. I was mostly creeped out and found him to be a rat and a weasel (note not to offend the animals, the poor creatures) on his attitudes and lack of integrity and morals. I mean stealing someone's lover, when he was made their guardian was a LOW BLOW. Even if it was Kurumi, that only shows how much of a coward he is and a traitor too in the first place. What a terrible example to lead, but then again the residents themselves were all garbage in the first place.
"House of Hope" what an ironic name for such a hopeless place.
The residents think they are almighty in their messed up beliefs and minds, that they deserve to survive better than actual survivors that have indeed seen the atrocities and what the world has turned into. The greed there is one of a kind, and the division of equality freakin' unbelievable, but then again, that's what we call humanity in a crisis. May the worthy survive and the less fortunate fall, what a load of crap! The sheer discrimination there shows the envy and disdain people have of each other. It only depicted what he learned from the group of strangers in the first season who learned and adapted to each other in order to survive, and in there they are slandered and made victims for being outsiders of the original residents. A bunch of narcissistic people, and the fact that most wear white outfits, as if they are pure or of better breed is quite ironic, when there should be unity, they are only divided.
Hope? Where? I don't see it.
The original group all divided is a blow too, and the amount of characters killed in this season is ridiculous.
It's like the screenwriter only wanted to get rid of most plot and add others, only to kill most of them at the end.
Oh and Hibiki's dad! That is like a filler inside a filler here. I mean the guy vanishes for YEARS! And irony of fate, when the world is falling down, they are united again, because that's right, the old man is at the shelter, who knew right.?
BUT, wait for it, because it's a bittersweet greeting. Not only is Hibiki's pissed off and with reason given the old pops never said anything and left him behind, only to discover he is about to die there. Talk about killing characters for plot and angst right.?
Honestly not much angst though, the man hardly has worthy interactions there, it's like a walking contradiction to teach us a few morals. Just like they tried to teach us the sense of family, that not always has to be from the same blood.
And when strangers are closer than family members, is like a slap in the face of the tenants there.
POINTLESS should be the word for everything in this season.
We're nowhere close to figure things out. The potential of plot here was wasted by cliché storyline, and a killing spree.
Why bring Minjun, or whoever is that?? Because for all records we saw him die in season one.
He died as a good boy, he was brave and had a family, HAD, because they are all torn apart now and some are dead...
Makes no sense to make him an antagonist now. What's this an anime of an ANTI-HERO who came back from the grave??
I had a few theories and I believe I made some comments in here too about them, and I expected it to be the case of something close from that but in this filler season nothing happened. I had a theory that both Kurumi and Minjun could be the only hope for a potential cure, because she was injected with samples of the virus and who knows what that Shuto did in that lab, to have Golems locked up and the original one of all in a isolated cell. Minjun was bitten by it. Hibiki's mother was the original one, the source of the current virus, so I had a theory that maybe her bitemark could have reversed side effects, perhaps regenerating ones as a side effect instead, and perhaps Kurumi would too if her imune system was a rare one like they have stated before, to be able to resist and delay the infection.
Although we saw Hibiki stab Minjun's head and his death, so that part would be odd to explain. But the strangest thing to witness here in his lookalike is that his right eye is marked with an X, or has a scar across it, and why does he remain hidden and acts like the walking dead? Maybe he is one...
I mean, if he is Minjun he was indeed buried.
Not a fortune event to crawl his way out of there.
I bet there could be more theories, but THIS SEASON MADE NONE WHATSOEVER.
It was only good to avoid it, and confuse us more, with the premise of a shed of hope with Kurumi's conception.
If their intention was to spur curiosity for the next season, well they made the opposite since many people dropped this for sure.
I for one, despite having rolled my eyes 'till infinity with these 6 episodes, will only see season 3 to see how further are they planning to ruin a show. That and because I want to know if that moody fella really is Minjun or not. Because that individual did end up going to the island and mess with Minjun's grave and rest place.
Could this be a sign? Who knows, certainly not me.
All I know is that this season could have been better, if it had maybe 10 episodes like the previous one and a decent plot and not an endless killing spree and mysterious events that didn't even let us see who the real antagonists is or better are, because that scene that caused a massacre at the "House of Hope" was made by more than a sole individual, and Akiyoshi had said it, there is a gang of former members of the shelter that rebelled, so he is putting the blame on them...
However, could this be really the truth?
I don't trust that guy. One can blame the pressure of replacing his mother that provided better guidance to the residents, and to the apocalyptic world they are living in but when being a leader it's not only the choices we make that are bound to others, it's the example and integrity too, and he has none. He slowly turned and consumed himself into the dark abyss that he feels deep inside him, believing that he is being bellitled and put aside, therefore snapping against Hibiki, and letting other's be in danger. He is selfish, and like most humans, greedy of what's not even is in the first place.
As much as I dislike Kurumi, what he did to her was wrong, he controlled and played with her unstable self and messed up emotions, as to make her stay with him and love him, instead of Hibiki. When Akiyoshi learns of her sudden pregnancy that could only be from her former lover, because let's face it there's no miracles here (and not even one would save this season.... that's for sure), he goes all mental against Hibiki when he is also denying the child, the opposite of Hibiki who wants to embrace his newfound role.
But guess what Kurumi leaves once again without saying a word, because it's the whole excuse of protecting others.... and once again Hibiki is pulled for the mighty magnet that is Kurumi, and their unborn child. The savior, departing the shelter once again. And this time he isn't going alone, because Yuzuki, is tagging along. Him being shot and wounded, and her being limping (and might I add ahsmatic, although in this season that hardly is mentioned unlike the first season where it was life or death), what a duo. I wonder what their reaction will be if they end up reaching Kurumi and find out Minjun or whoever is behind this.
This was a MESS and that's about it.
And I probably have more to say, but this is taking way too long and it was frustrating enough and infuriating to see how this went downhill so fast...
We had high hopes. Maybe we did...
OST wise the same song that follows here from the first season, works out fine too.
The acting of some here works better than the story itself.
As for seeing it again, (unless I missed something, along with my braincells) I would say no, thank you.
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Important representation that isn't fetishized or ridiculed
This show made me emotional many times. They show their hardships, some I could relate to and some were things I never thought about (as a foreigner).I like how they didn't put stereotypes on them like "This is the man and the other one is the woman", which many other shows do with gay couples, even bl.
The MC were very openminded but still said things I don't agree with because they say things they know nothing about (like ftm). I like how during the two months of the show, you can see how the MC progress. They had people outside the show approaching them and explaining what they thought the MC got wrong during the previous aired episodes.
I do not like how they keep saying that the parents of someone who is queer have it so difficult. I think the parents make it difficult for themselves. There are many parents who accept their kids and are proud of their kids' identity. I know it's their culture that the children shouldn't make their parents' life more difficult and that they should respect their parents, but some of the parents are exaggerating. I know they want their children to live a normal life but you can't make them happy by disowning them and ignoring how they feel. The queer people have it much harder in society than the parents, they should realise that.
The show isn't made to have shock value. The cast are very normal people, which I'm happy about and they don't state any political view. The show is only focussed on the queer part of their lives.
I definetely recommend it and I do wish for a second season.
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Though is not BL is worth watching.
I read a lot comments on other sites about show being a scam and not worth watching because the lack of BL content but I have to disagree. Without getting into spoiler territory I think people should give it a try. The diving plot is interesting even though is a bit predictable and cliche. The friendships are incredibly well developed and the chemistry ia off the chart. I was pretty invested in the romantic relationship too until they took a turn for the worst (my opinion) but not enough to ruin the story. Seriously give it a try if you are slightly interested... don't run away for the lack of gay content. That being said the potential to be a great BL was there... i will look up for a novel/manga/something and hopefully it will be BL.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I liked it, but not for the story.
The story could've been 24 eps or less. The plot was very dragged out, and the whole thing with Mr Lin bored me to tears on top of the ex husband plot. For a lawyer that lady had some serious issues regarding the law. Though she didn't start out doing anything wrong she dove head first into crazy, and made some awful choices.What I disliked:
I was not a fan of how long the story dragged, how they wouldn't let the stupid app go and kept trying to shoehorn it into the story. I wasn't a fan of the grieving mother of the coma kid, or the glasses coworker who was into her seemingly because she replied on the app. Like her personality was grief and rage, and she had nothing going for her. How that dude kept his job is beyond me too. The antagonists whole reason for revenge is pathetic as well. A traumatic childhood doesn't grant you permission to behave this way. MLs younger days sucked, but you don't see him framing people for fraud and sending his wife to prison for literally no reason. Like he had absolutely zero reason to involve her, or send her to jail. He specifically chose to do that to the mother of his child and then got an attack on conscience later. What a terrible person. I would've let him jump.
What I liked:
I adored FL and her friend, they were always there for eachother and were so supportive and kind to eachother and to others.
I also loved the ML and his best friend. It's rare to see a ML (never mind two) so open, emotionally vulnerable, and the opposite of the usual toxic hardman CEO trope. I've seen a few reviews saying the ML wasn't believable in a hetero romance, like he was too soft, and they could only see him playing in a BL. But I think that says a lot about the toxicity of the industry, and misogynistic gender norms, and the fact that people can't see a secure, emotionally available, kind man as a love interest to a woman. He was wonderful. A bit childlike (not childish), totally supportive, kind, hard working, and successful as well. He was a walking green flag, and exactly what FL needed after everything she'd been through. Many would've walked away from someone dealing with serious past relationship trauma, but he just comforted her in any way he could, and waited until she was ready and felt safe.
I swear when the main four were having breakfast and his bestie was crying at the table, that broke me a little. Bestie knew everything they were going through and he was so happy for them and it's just such a lovely little scene.
Even the part at the bar when FL is telling ML about the coworkers son and she's having a cry and he's just crying quietly beside her. All those wonderful little vulnerable moments just kept me invested when the main story itself wasn't particularly engaging.
Oh, and FLs laugh can solve world hunger. It's gorgeous.
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There are a lot of things that make a drama great: direction, screenplay, plot- among other things. But then there are dramas like Fated To love You, that don't need anything else except the one thing they have: phenomenal acting. Jang Na Ra and Jang Hyuk are simply brilliant at what they do. Which is why, what would've been an otherwise mediocre drama ultimately, became an excellent show.
Lee Gun is, to be frank, a weirdo. There's extra and then there is this guy. From his ridiculous pretend action moves, obnoxious laughter, tacky slow cap to his nonsensical rambles- he's truly one of a kind. But these eccentricities are what make him so completely endearing. His laugh, when he is happy, is so contagious that it would split your face in a huge smile. While the same laugh, when he's upset, would break your heart into smithereens. The pure and untainted love he has for Mi Young will warm your soul and his kind, kind heart would grant him a permanent spot in your heart.
Mi Young, on the other hand, is just precious. Jang Na Ra’s acting is so utterly genuine that it's impossible not to fall in love with her character. Mi Young is gentle, fragile and innocent and yet, there is a silent strength to her. The way her personality develops throughout the show is amazing. She grows from a girl who hides from the world to a woman who's confident in her skin and the change is totally believable.
Their relationship is goals and their chemistry is fire ( damn those kisses ????). There is a total balance of power between them and that is what makes the romance so great. He is a billionaire in his own right and she's a very successful artist. There are many scenes where our guy takes the back seat and let's our girl handle the reins. They are strong for each other and they're strong together and it's all just varying degrees of perfection.
Fated to love you has the best second male lead to date. I love Daniel Pitt. Literally every time he came on the screen I was like ‘It's okay if you didn't get the girl, darlin’ I'm still here and I'm ready to be yours.’ lol. Usually in romance dramas, I find the second male and female leads kind of annoying but surprisingly, in this show I wanted to know more about Daniel and Se Ra’s story and when it finally unfolded, it was completely heart warming.
Secretary Tak, Dragon, Mi Young’s mom and her crazy ass family, Grandma Wang, The triplets, The Lawyer- basically every character in the show is lovable.
Hamo Hamo.
Goodbye My Love sung my Aille is without a doubt one of the best OST’s ever. No matter how many times I listen to it, I can't get enough. The background music throughout the show is perfectly timed and exactly what a particular scene needed.
All in all its little bag of tricks, its quirkiness, its over the top-ness and ultimately its authenticity is what makes this show a true gem.
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Cute, short, easy watch
I wouldn't say it's the best of all plots, but it's not the worst either.I liked it as all the actors played their roles well and it was a nice watch, the main characters were all likeable and it was cute.
The only thing that will need mentioning in particular would be that it seemed slightly rushed towards the end, and would've been nice to see further interactions with the rest of the guys as well.
(Athough personally I was satisfied with the ending :D,,)
Other than that, I would recommend watching this if you're looking for something that's short, cute, with a decent use of comedy and has an easy watching plot!
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A POIGNANT TREAT!!!!
Lol, so I don't even know why I started this but I feel so glad that I did. Everything about this show is just so on point. The acting is literally so good that I have added some shows of the male lead in my PTW. The background music is so commendable. It's not like other shows where the music comes only in certain episodes or sometimes not even that. But here it's like everything has bgm and different tunings going on depending upon the scene. And it is just so apt. Like you will be so into the scene that you will not realise that this bgm is what is actually making it even more watchable, exciting and full of anticipation. The CGI is really good especially the colour palatte that the have chosen for this drama. It is basically and quite obviously a sad romance story with I guess loads of angst and politics. It's like you will be watching it and will be feeling really heavy like everything is very beautiful yet it has a certain gloom to it. Like the colour palatte though beautiful is basically a dull one. Similarly the instruments too give a heavy feeling of pain and loss. Also, the chemistry between the leads is no joke!!! You can really feel the tension between them and feel so giddish like a child being happy whenever the two get closer. It is basically a slow burn and obviously it cannot be everybody's cup of tea. But if you are into it then it is worth the watch so far. I AM ABSOLUTELY HEAD OVER HEELS FOR LITERALLY EVERYTHING IN THIS SHOW.This drama i finished around two months back but yet here i am. You just can't get over it.
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Story : Are you fed up of desperate causes ? Of Love-me-I'm-Dying kind of Drama ? I understand you. I was like that too. After 1Litre of Tears, Koizora and so on I just couldn't do it anymore. No more suffering, goodbye hospitals : I just gave it all up.
But this short drama let me see that there is still hope for the genre. And anyway it's not like it's a 120 episodes melodrama, there are only 4 episodes and they are all aptivating, really well directed, and full of surprises. In fact, it's so well done that I consider it a 4hours long movie rather than a drama.
And you'd be surprised how much you'll laugh in that drama. Indeed Perhaps Love was done by smart people, who are very much aware of how hard it can be to watch a melodrama, so they gave us 3 incredibly funny characters who lighten the atmosphere.
Plus, they managed to rid this drama of many of all the Dramalandian clichés we would expect to see in this kind of story, which helps a lot !
Acting : I rate it 10 because it really is outstanding. You believe in the characters, you are in this story with them, and it works. Don't expect the fake and classic End-Of-Episode-Kiss-Scene because the only kiss you'll get is those these characters can give each other in their situation. Their anger is real, their saddnest is real and their love is real.
Music : It's not all OST, you also have real-life songs if I may say, like CCR "Have You Ever Seen the Rain", a song that is doomed to make me cry from now on. Very well chosen and balanced.
Rewatch Value : You'll see in the end of the drama. If you're like me, you'll want to rewatch it right away. And then in a few weeks. And then in a few months.
Overall : Underrated. Incredible. Melodramatic without needing any string quarted. It's short. It's great. Just watch it.
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An enjoyable low quality comedy to turn off your brain and watch.
In no way this is tropes free, but has an unexpected charm. It doesn't take itself seriously, doesn't pretend to be more than what it is either. Specially fun and enjoyable if you are into over the top comical nonsense. There's no much deep into it other than the acceptance of the families but it doesn't need more, it doesn't pretend to be an emotional wrenching drama, just what it is, fun, nonchalant, easy to digest.I die with the musical moments, two characters are talking about something and it becomes a musical scene all of the sudden, with two not so good singers signing a definitely not so good song. The alone ones are truly a sight as well, amusingly bad and hilarious. They know this and exploid it.
Now to the 3 bl couples.
The main, Ig & Ruk is probably my least favorite. Is a bit messy, you want to punch Ig on the face and make him understand the situations he is in during the first half. They are cute together and i like that both are masculine just in diferent sizes. I like when they get out of the stereotypes and don't pretend to make all the couples have masc/fem type of roles. At the end they are solid.
The 2 couple is my sweet spot. Kui is the handsome goalkeeper that goes on vacations with his friends and finds an unexpected love. I like how it wasn't dragged, he never liked a guy but meet the sweetest watermelon sunshine and just felt head over heels. He felt it, was honest from the get go and went for it directly. They are the sweetest couple and their love story is soft and lovey dovey, sad that they don't have a lot of screentime or any relevance in the final episodes.
The countryside couple, Ruk's older brother with the cute famous singer is beautiful. They put the little deepness that this series has. Their love is strong and consolidated already, an steady couple.
I would say go for this one if you liked the comedy in Fish upon the sky, imagine that (specially the brother of the protagonist kind of humor) on a lower budget and production quality, mixed with bl loves from the past like Make it right. Take it to the countryside and you get Siew Sum Noi. An enjoyable turn off your brain watch.
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A rebirth that… doesn’t really change much
You know how rebirth dramas usually go—revenge, a smart and capable female lead, and a second chance to rewrite fate. That’s what Si Jin seemed to promise. Jiang Si dies a tragic death, supposedly at the hands of Yu Jin, only to wake up years earlier, ready to take control of her life. She breaks off her engagement, protects her family, starts a business, and even gains the status of a Saintess. Sounds great on paper.But while the setup brims with potential, the execution falters in crucial ways. Despite her rebirth, Jiang Si’s second chance changes surprisingly little. Sure, her family avoids ruin, but her own trajectory remains eerily familiar. The Saintess subplot could’ve added weight to the story, yet it’s barely explored, leaving it feeling more like a gimmick than a meaningful part of Jiang Si’s journey. For a drama that leans so heavily on rebirth as a premise, it sure does very little with it.
The writing falters even further when it comes to its characters, and no one exemplifies this more than the Emperor. I honestly can’t tell if he’s borderline bipolar or just plain incompetent because half the time, his decisions make zero sense. One moment, he’s taking a firm stance; the next, he’s doing a complete 180 like he has the political awareness of a rock. He’s the Emperor, for fuck’s sake—where are his guards? His informants? His advisors? Did he somehow lack the resources to keep his own family in check? No, he simply chose to remain blind, letting the Royal Princess and her spoiled daughter manipulate him at every turn. And not because they were particularly clever, but because he was just that easy to fool. Sighs sighs sighs. Jiang Si herself also suffers from this inconsistency. Some episodes make her out to be intelligent and composed, only for the next to show she’s acting completely out of character—like that scene where she suddenly held a gold hairpin to the Royal Princess’s neck. It came out of nowhere, so over-the-top that I almost laughed. Was it meant to be intense? Because it felt unintentionally comedic. And definitely makes it hard to fully root for her.
Then we have the villains. If you enjoy over-the-top antagonists, this drama delivers them in spades. The Royal Princess, in particular, quickly became exhausting to watch. Her entire character arc is fueled by insecurity and jealousy—fair enough, if it had any depth. But no, it’s the same tired cycle: she’s jealous, she lashes out, and then we do it all over again. The drama insists she’s some great, menacing force, but in reality? She’s just petty with a royal title. And while I can appreciate the whole motherly love angle, watching her willingly push her child down the same self-destructive path was frustrating.
Now my biggest question of all—Jiang Si’s death in her past life. The drama makes it clear that Yu Jin didn’t actually kill her and that, in some grand act of devotion, he sacrificed himself for her. But how? When? They never properly explain it. Either I missed something (entirely possible), or the drama just decided it wasn’t important enough to clarify.
Well as usual, I skipped the second leads’ romance—it rarely impresses me, and this drama was no exception. Every time their scenes came on, I found myself reaching for my phone without a shred of regret. (Though, I’ll admit I might be a little biased toward Jiang Si’s eldest sister. I kept wishing they’d give her more screen time—she was far more interesting than the other supporting casts.)
Yet, for all my complaints, I still found myself enjoying the ride. Maybe it was Zhang Wanyi’s performance that kept me hooked, or maybe it was those fleeting moments of brilliance buried beneath the inconsistencies. Si Jin may not have delivered the rebirth drama I hoped for, but despite its flaws, I kept watching. And in the end, that has to count for something.
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