Surprisingly, what I really cared about the most wasn't the main couple but EVERYONE. All the characters were important in my eyes *whispers* especially Kim Min Ki. That drama is more than "and they rekindled their romance". It's about accepting past mistakes (yours as well as others') confronting your fears and moving forwards (toward your very own happiness). It's about taking care of the people you love and understanding them.
You will laugh, you will shed a few tears (or buckets) and in the end, once the drama is finished, you will happily say goodbye to these 21 hours of well spent time. Because yes, maybe Emergency Couple is not a piece of art per say but it is the kind of drama that makes you feel good about life, that reminds you that whatever mistake you made in the past, it doesn't and shouldn't define you and if that you try hard, you can succeed in anything.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A geek and campus beauty story just like any other. It's an enjoyable romantic comedy about a person who cares too much about what people think of her and a guy who just wants the person he loves to understand him. It was funny and sweet and definitely worth a watch with a bunch of friends hanging out because that's the kind of feeling this movie hasHowever, I can't help but feel like this film was directed and/or written by somebody who does not understand " geeks ". I say this in quotation marks because that's just a negative word for the people who are over zealous in their own hobbies; video games, engineering, art, computers, science,history,etc/ Most of these are actual professions. In this movie, these people are portrayed to be creepy socially inept emotionally weak people who are the vermin of society. Not only this but the male lead is the prime example. Why? Clearly in the real world this is not the case at all
The " twist "at the end was not a good idea and I want to kill the person who thought it was. It's like they took a page straight out of M. Night Shamalyan's films. Forcing a twist at the end of a film just for the sake of having one. Except in this case, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Read further below if you want to find out exactly what I mean
SPOILERS
So in the movie there's this legend that if two people fall in a lake while it is dried up, they will become happily ever after. So the two leads fall in and you see how they end up together throughout the 90 minute movie. However, it turns out at the end you discover that it was all a hoax by the male lead. He manufactures the legend, the draining of the lake, the fake happily ever after stories from the legend, as well as a number of things just so he can get together with the campus beauty. After finding out about this, she breaks up with him. And what does he do? Almost kills himself. Fade out to 7 years later and they're married and together. The End.
What. The. Fuck? If it weren't for that stupid ending, I would have thoroughly enjoyed this film but as of now, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. IM going to washing it down with another episodes of Game of Thrones.
Was this review helpful to you?
The story is marvellously written, in the movie the topic that was handeled can be seen in the real life food industry and that makes the story utterly sad. It is an unique movie, because it is realistic in a certain way.
The story picks up fast and in the last hour it leaves out no time to proceed fast, I wished they stayed on some scenes longer to give more of an impact but that is just a minor flaw in my opinion.
The cast was amazing and I really appreciated the collab between Korean actors and American ones. It was difficult in the beginning because Jake's acting was too much, but that is the way Bong Joon-Ho produces its movies and I am happy he stayed true to himself.
The music was beautiful at certain scenes, not all of them.
Overall I really liked this movie, certainly ones that impact me (it left me crying) but also made me think about the food industry. In my opinion I don't see this as a propaganda but as a supernatural movie with a deep message, it makes a valid point.
Watch this and you won't be dissapointed, try to look over the over-reacting actions from some actors but see the message behind this movie.
Was this review helpful to you?
Worth the Watch… But Not Without Skipping
The acting was solid, and the leads were convincing in their affection...but I couldn’t fully buy into their chemistry. The plot felt stretched out, especially with 56 episodes, and I skimmed through a lot of filler. The whole immortal-god-falling-for-someone-way-younger trope felt off to me, even if it’s fantasy. I wanted a stronger reason for their bond, beyond power or old debts. I also wasn’t thrilled that the female lead had to struggle so much. That said, curiosity kept me going, and while I didn’t love the drawn-out misunderstandings, it had enough romance to keep me hooked...just not as much as “Eternal Love.”Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Please tell me there are more episodes!!
I just finished watching episode 40. I feel that that there is a lack of information. I saw on a clip online that they had moved into a new house, but that was not an episode 40. If James has a new job, why is he back in Shanghai? and what happens to Li Dai? I need at least three more episodes to round this out. I prefer at least 10. And James is no longer a husband!! Why keep saying marriage is important if they won't get married!? And how and when did Second Brother and MeiMei get back together?? Too, too many holes.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Love with Flaws
Here we have a special series, which is defined primarily by its unique storyline.Unlike the often over-romanticized BLs, both main characters have recognizable character flaws: they are arrogant, selfish and obsessed, but also insecure, intimidated and vulnerable.
This contrast is what makes the series so appealing, because for all their negative attitudes, they remain sympathetic and likable and I always wished them a satisfying love.
Their relationship is neither perfect nor equal and their love hurts others, but that's how it often is and I'm glad that a series shows this without losing sight of the beauty of their relationship.
The acting, cinematography and soundtrack are always on a high level.
All in all a nice surprise at the end of the year and probably one of the best BLs from Japan.
Was this review helpful to you?
Healing drama of 2024
Having walked out of a toxic job and figuring life in 2024, I resonated so well with the story, and am so grateful to hear assurance from this show. <3I would recommend this drama for anyone lost in life, figuring out life, a drama suitable for start of the year. It has a slow, dreamy vibe with soft filter effects that makes it like a film, plus the soundtrack is so suitable for the story. Each character has their own story developed nicely till the end. Some mentioned that main character's story was cut short, but I felt the multiple character introduction makes a good break to develop the story as a whole!
It's not heavy in romance yet some parts makes your heart race - the dialogues, the acting - it makes me want to fall in love again. The life lessons learnt there is a 10/10.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Wang Kaimu best film in 2025
I though Wang Kaimu in Secretary Qiu was his peak in 2025 and I COMPLETELY WRONG.Everything in this drama was *chef kiss* MASTERPIECE. Xu Zhenzhen surprised me with her inner voice that not cringe and her character is so adorable. The plot on the vertical drama view is the best despite minor flaw that we can forgive it. It giving Sex and the City vibe.
The plot is quite fast compare to other same theme drama with mature conversation that realistic on real life (How ML have same exact sex position for more than year lmao). The romance growth for stranger with marriage arrangement to become dependent for each other is natural without any force chemistry. I like how the couple solve the problem with proper conversation (FL wants to divorce ML because found her secretary lipstick on his coat while ML tried to defend his right by checking the CCTV and fired the secretary, ML jealousy of FL coworker, etc) Wang Kaimu- Xu Zhenzhen chemistry is like river flow-natural and not being force sweetness. The supporting character aka FL best friend are biggest helper to clueless FL and ML about love (and sex).
I like how ML backstory of being robotic and how to overcome his trauma with FL. While FL tried to understand ML more better without siding her main priority as human being.
One of the best vertical drama in 2025. I am not even kidding with that statement. I will recommended to anyone who passed 18 years old, even not c-drama enjoyer can enjoy this.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
This movie is up there with TLT2 (the Neo Hou/Cheng Yi outing) as my favorite DMBJ thingy. No silly het romance of an unnecessary insert (I'm looking at you, Providence), just good old tentacles and Bromance - with the B being very silent.Till this movie, Heihua did nothing for me. It didn't ring any bells, it left me cold and shrugging on the outskirts of this fandom. But Ji Chen and Ji Xiaobing as Hei Xiazi and Xiao Hua, respectively, did A Thing(TM) to my perception of this pairing. Like... wow.
This movie was everything I hoped for. Yeah, yeah, grave robbing (sorta), tentacled Cthulhu wannabe, that was all nice and whatnot. But the relationship between Hei Xiazi and Xiao Hua? That was perfection pure.
Like...
- when Xiao Hua first came to Hei Xiazi and Hei Xiazi learned why Xiao Hua was headed into the jungle - and then he stole Xiao Hua's ugly statuette and threw it into the pond to protect him.
- when Hei Xiazi paid the armed wannabe bandits to let Xiao Hua's expedition pass but he placed himself right next to Xiao Hua, just in case, to protect him from bullets.
- when Hei Xiazi was told that the cops found a dead body and he feared that it was Xiao Hua, remembering his words, "Are you not afraid that we will all die?"
- when Hei Xiazi immediately packed his things and ran to Xiao Hua's rescue.
- when Hei Xiazi realized that Xiao Hua was poisoned - well, the rest of the expedition too but them folks could just keel over and die for all he cared - and kept on checking on Xiao Hua for the rest of the movie every time Xiao Hua was sick or dizzy - Hei Xiazi's Look(TM) when he saw the insect sores on Xiao Hua's arm!
- when Hei Xiazi decided to open the sarcophagus, not really caring what was inside, just so Wannabe Cthulhu would stop killing Xiao Hua.
- when Wannabe Cthulhu smacked Xiao Hua off the platform and Hei Xiazi screamed with rage!
- when it looked like they might die after all and Hei Xiazi simply lay down next to Xiao Hua, fully intending to just expire together with him right then and there.
- when they escaped through the river and at some point, Hei Xiazi let his young fellow of a friend go, despite the boy being knocked out, to drag Xiao Hua up.
- when Hei Xiazi's young friend told him, "Why don't you go with [Xiao Hua]? He obviously cares about you a lot."
- when they then ran off together, doing unseemly things in Russia.
This movie just pushed all the right buttons when it came to whump. There wasn't just a lot of hurt, there was so much care on both sides. It's the most lasting impression of mine after watching this movie: they CARED for each other. They cared so much. You could truly feel the depth of affection they had for each other. Smitten, I was smitten!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Shadow Love has the flavor of Romeo and Juliet
This review is a journey exploring the universe of sensations and feelings that Shadow Love can lead you to experience. Although the story is simple, it deeply explores love as a powerful experience of strength and resilience, capable of overcoming the most brutal and painful challenges.Shadow Love is a powerful love story that straddles the real world of the realms and the mystical world of Wulin Mountain.
The series is unforgettable: I laughed, I cried, I vibrated... I went through all the emotions and waited for each episode with a delicious anxiety.
I trusted the plot, and above all, I trusted the signs the story gave toward a happy ending.
All the actors delivered impeccable performances. I hadn't seen any series with Song Yi before, and I had just watched LOTFG (I loved it!), with Cheng Lei, whom I also hadn't seen before: now I feel like I can't live without them both.
The story is easy to understand, flows smoothly, and the plot and subplots are well-organized and fit together seamlessly. It evolves at a good pace, balancing happy, funny, tense, and sad moments. It manages to move the story steadily throughout its 38 episodes, keeping the viewer very engaged, until it reaches the totally satisfying climax. It explores human values and virtues amidst villainy and cruelty, all very well balanced.
The camera wanders, explores and expands angles and frames that enhance the aesthetics and support the wordless narrative, where only the image dialogues with the viewer, both in the amber luminosity of the love scenes, suggesting innocence and purity, and in the dark scenes, where the light-dark contrast emphasizes the focus on the character, amplifies the dramaticity, volume and depth of the environment, recalling works by Rembrandt characterized by the Chiaroscuro (light-dark) style.
In that regard, the cinematographic aesthetics offer a delight for the eyes with countless scenes constructed with art and lyricism that clearly allude to Chinese paintings. These scenes remain etched in the retina like sweet memories.
Song Yi gave greatness and humanity to the character, virtuously conciling femininity with the soldier's unyielding rawness , without losing elegance, always with her bow and arrow, reminiscent of the character Diana, from Roman mythology. She masters facial expressions and gaze from the subtlest to the most evident: I was overcome with sadness in every scene where she cried, and I found myself smiling at the soft light that bathes her entire face when she smiles. She has in her eyes the eloquence of the heart.
There is also a poetic beauty in the scenes where Li Shuang nourishes Jin'An with her own blood, which does not resemble in any way mere vampirism, whose logic is in mere benefit and parasitism, resulting in the discarding of life, but recalls the legend of the pelican who, having nothing to offer its chick, pecks its own breast until it bleeds and feeds it. This image symbolizes sacrifice and dedication, exactly Li Shuang's most striking virtues. Nurturing is such a feminine function, no matter the bond; it's a woman's trait, and this was greatly valued in the character of Li Shuang, a symbol not only of courage but, most especially, of self-sacrifice and self-denial for the greater good.
Cheng Lei overflows with charisma, his penetrating and indefensible gaze magnetizes and leads us to surrender. All three characters he embodies are impetuous, so passionately compelling, that he leaves us no choice: we fall in love with all three. They combine two forces that enchant women: masculinity and sweetness.
Shadow Love's originality is truly impressive! As the episodes progressed, I clearly noticed that the story's construction deviated from the standard plot structure that virtually all dramas follow. An example of this is the way LS acts and behaves: she breaks away from the standard passive woman in love scenes; she surprisingly boldly takes the initiative in these scenes.
There's also a modern touch that makes Shadow Love stand out as a genre, giving Jin'An, when he undergoes the transformation, a superhero character rather than a mere mutation. The character's specific theme song itself has a very positive tone, composed in a typically heroic melodic structure, suggesting a heroic nature (a specific theme song for each character, object, idea or emotion is called 'leitmotiv', free translation 'leading motive', musical resource created by the German composer Richard Wagner). Another touch of originality was to endow this character with an identity that preserved his humanity and defeated Mo Yin's predictions about the loss of self-control, the rupture with himself to give way to an irrational beast. The strength of love prevailed in him, his strongest nature, that of a man in love.
The story conveys this message of extraordinary power that reverberates in real life: love is not just a physical memory within time and susceptible to oblivion, but a transcendental experience, as it transcends the human condition and, therefore, immune to oblivion, regardless of the trauma.
Finally, the songs... They are profoundly beautiful and frame love with hope, perseverance, resilience, and renunciation. The reward for this challenging pilgrimage faced by Li Shuang and Jin'An could be none other than a Happy Ending, freed from the past to resignify the present. I will miss them so much!
Was this review helpful to you?
Watch It for the Supporting Couple
I don't know why Xanxia dramas always need a second couple to take the attention away from main leads, but I guess it's necessary to make a longer drama. I was really disappointed with this drama, first off, because there is just no chemistry between the main leads. Dylan is such a bad actor in this. He just does not look like he was enjoying himself. The one scene where he actually looked alive was with young Liuyang in the Kunlun mountain arc. Zhu XuDan is a wonderful actress and I have loved her since TMOPB, which was a great part for her as she is capable of quite a range of characters. Although, I am glad that she gets a lead here, it just wasn't as well written a part for her. I don't particularly care for Mary Sue's or grown women acting like 4 year olds and, with the exception of the lady general arc, I was mostly disappointed.This brings us to the secondary/supporting couple who are different as night and day to our main leads. Once again we have the serious guy opposite the flighty female. But, in contrast, they were better actors. Xue Qian Xun, brilliantly played by newcomer Deng Wei, may have been a cold fish, but he was ALIVE. The lights were definitely on in that pretty head of his and when QingQing was angry at him or sad about something, he was genuinely mortified. I loved watching their banter, the stolen glances, the loving looks. This was missing between our main leads, and that was the biggest shame. Because of this, they single-handedly stole the show from Dylan and XuDan. I looked forward to the episode that would finally reveal their story.
Some of the plot lines were annoyingly predictable. I felt like I was watching rehashes from previously better-written dramas. That kind of laziness is inexcusable.
The OST was the best part of this whole production. I could listen to it all day. It was perfect for the situations and gave scenes their appropriate weight. Background music was gorgeous, as was cinematography and costumes.
The ending was sad and disappointing. After all the reincarnations and tribulations I hoped for better for the main couple. If anyone can recommend better Xianxia dramas, please leave a post in the comments.
Was this review helpful to you?
The Light in Her Eyes!
'The beautiful journey which keeps you engaged till the end, giving you pain still you have a smile left on your face.' if someone asked to be to describe this show in one sentence. Well, it's an emotional roller coaster where you experience every emotion itself, you cry, you laugh, there's pain, you'll shock, in short you'll experience everything in this small ride. But the main thing is you'll get more than just entertainment, bitter truth, or reality you can say. Surely it's not a fairytale but none the less than that.The story itself was phenomenal, you cannot predict anything, and the twist you get near the end was more than any surprise. I've seen in any thriller, suspense drama. The execution, the direction was perfect. Characters their emotions, sentiments were amazingly conveyed. The humor was to the point till not absurd, nothing was perfect, every character had it's pro and con, and that's the specialty of this. Its realisticness opens our eyes to see the real world where we live.
Hat's off for the acting, Kim Hye Ja absolutely nailed it, like this role was made for her. I can say I saw a really good change in Nam Joo Hyuk's acting he did a great job portraying his character and last but not least Son Ho Jun wow he's gonna be one of the characters which made me laugh most.
So this was a whole package having a great story, cast, execution, beautiful cinematography, and more than just a drama face to the reality which can teach you the real value of life.
"Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy's First Law of Equivalent Exchange"
Was this review helpful to you?
If you liked the main story, watch this.
HINT: Google "Yandaixiejie Additional Chapters". They are on YouTube.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Unique and Unforgettable
The only reason why this drama is not a perfect ten for me is because I probably would not watch the first half of episode 1 again, so the rewatch value isn't perfect. But everything else is freakin' dope in my humble opinion.STORY: The writing is strong, and the plot unique. With the overflow of romance dramas in S.Korea, it's terribly hard to find a gem like this. This drama deals with exorcism (both the Christian and the shamanic exorcism), with very unique Korean traits. Even though the atmosphere is mostly dark and gruesome, the mystery and the characters' relationships pull you in. It has no romance at all, but the very strong family and friendship ties (*cough bromance cough*) make this story a lot more valuable and compelling.
There is foreshadowing in almost every episode, with some red herrings thrown here and there, but most would still point out to the crux of the mystery. My most favorite foreshadowing happened on Ep 8 where the main character, Hwa Pyung woke up in jail. The drunk guy next to him was murmuring something in his sleep, saying "It's all your fault. It's all you."
I'd never think that this scene would mean so much. It's just a passing comment meant to wake up our main character. But it actually does mean a lot for the ultimate twist in the end. There's a lot more foreshadowing that I appreciate (i.e. Yukgwang's fate revealed in Ep 2 and the death of crows in Ep 4, etc. ), but the "jail scene" above is my absolute favorite.
In my opinion, the ability to integrate a lot of meaningful foreshadowing to the story definitely shows the strength of the script. It shows that the people involved are not just shooting arrows into random baskets. They actually know where the story is going, and that's what makes this drama more substantial and impactful.
CHARACTERS: Aside form the strong story, the other thing I like most about this drama is its CHARACTERS. We're not only talking about the perfect casting but also how the story broke all stereotypes for all the main leads:
Psychic Taxi Driver Hwa Pyung - Despite the incredible childhood trauma this guy has experienced, he still remained kindhearted and open minded. His past is so dark and desperate, but his attitude is still sunny and laid back. He's also very gutsy and reckless. And very brave to a fault. He'll do anything to save a life. Not one to be bothered by any formalities, he'd always say what's on his mind. A very capable psychic but a very lousy taxi driver though. He never completed a single trip for any customer throughout the series.(smh)
Exorcist Priest Choi Yoon - TBH, even though this guy's a priest, that does not stop him from being the rudest and most straightforward person I've ever seen in any drama. Probably the most uptight one in the room, but still one of the most reliable friend to have around. But even with his poor bedside manners, he would still be the first one to literally sacrifice everything, including his priesthood and his life, to save people. Self-sacrificing to a fault and uncompromising.
Detective Gil Young - I loved that even though she’s the only female in the series, she isn’t no damsel in distress. In fact, she has the most action scenes in the story. Being the sole protector of the trio, this female lead's stubborn and brave. She's the muscle of the group also the brains, as her incredible intuition saves them most of the time. Has a huge problem with authority (according to her sunbae and chief), but an amazing detective nonetheless.
I also liked how all of them almost lost their jobs because of their mission. Actually, Hwa Pyung lost his taxi driver gig in he middle of the series; Choi Yoon almost lost his priesthood; and Detective Kang Gil Young was suspended and reprimanded a lot of times -- all because of their involvement in the capture and termination of the evil spirit, Park-Il-Do. I like how realistic it got, how it definitely affected and dominated all the aspects of their lives and relationships.
ACTING: Not only the main leads, but even the supporting and minor characters have strong acting chops, especially all the possessed characters. Their realistic acting gripped your attention from start to finish, allowing you to feel both sympathy and righteous indignation to all the people who have hurt them.
MUSIC: It's really hard to pick a favorite aspect of the show when everything is just mind-blowing. From the opening soundtrack to the background music- to the terrifying rhythms and melodies of the rituals and scenes- everything is just flawlessly created. This drama has my favorite track of all time - "Somewhere", which is just hauntingly beautiful. Both the original and memory version of the song has that bittersweet and melancholic feel to it. I simply love it.
REWATCH: I've already rewatched this series many times. So the rewatch value is still definitely high. I just steer clear of the first half of episode 1. Because that episode almost made me "nope" out of watching it, TBH. I persevered thankfully.
TLDR: This is, so far, the best Korean drama I've watched. It exceeded all my expectations. The fact that I wasn't even into horror and gore and it still drew me in episode after episode is a huge thing for me. Really impactful and memorable. I will never forget this series. Thank you OCN for such a wonderful series.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
You have to love the craxy
So I would recommend this if you like short dramas and all the dumpster fire craziness that they bring. It is a complete guilty pleasure but I do love this kind of drama. It's short, it's crazy and most importantly fun and entertaining. The chemistry between the leads was on fire. I wish I knew who directed it because I would totally look up the next one they did, it was beautifully shot. And lastly I wish that long dramas would take some cues from this kind of format because watching leads kiss - all that money and it's like watching someone kiss a dead fish. You certainly don't have that issue with this kind of drama. Also they're not related to each other and that's all I'm going to say about that. Definitely will rewatch when I want something fun and slightly wrong.Was this review helpful to you?
