Reviews

Haters Be Damned.. Love.. Justice.. And a Touch of Chaos in The Judge From Hell..

Such a horrible drama.. Bad CGI.. Poor acting.. Bad Ending.. What was that all about?? 5 /10 for me..

If you have heard or read comments like this.. Don’t be too quick to believe them.. Trust me.. This show has so much more to offer.. From the unique storyline to the carefully crafted characters.. Every episode brought something memorable which i wouldnt want to miss..

The drama started off strong.. But ep 2 is where I got completely hooked.. The abuser getting to experience his sins and the pain he was in before his death brought total satisfaction.. This is the kind of intense and unapologetic justice you rarely see in Kdramas... And that ending?? When she stabbed the ML.. Just made it more interesting.. How on earth are they going to go from this to being in love?? Well.. They were in love and more than that by the end of the drama.. This isn’t just the usual Enemies to Lovers trope.. This is something even darker and more intriguing.. Killer to Lovers?? Forbidden Love trope??

Seeing her thrash those culprits was so satisfying.. Easily one of my favorite parts of the drama.. Its not often that a show gives us such visceral justice.. And I honestly couldn’t get enough..

I read people complain about the lack of romance in the first half.. But honestly the chemistry was there all along.. Romance isn’t just about kissing scenes and physical intimacy.. It’s also about those micro moments.. From her smirk in the courtroom when she saw him smiling to her disappointment when he didnt trust her.. She was clearly drawn to him even before she understood her feelings.. She was in love long before she realized it herself.. She literally needed a psychiatrist to point it out..
She is a demon who dont know what love is.. But she was quick to clash with anyone who stood against the ML.. If that’s not love then what is??

When the detective went missing.. What surprised me was how casually her abduction was handled.. Even Han Da On didn't seem interested in doing anything.. I understand his reasons but it felt off.. She had disappeared from a dangerous situation.. She was like a mother figure to him.. He should have been searching for her like crazy.. But he didnt and he didn’t even ask Bit Na for help..

I despised the A Rong/Gremory character from the start and just wanted her to die as each episode passed.. I don't know why.. But she really got on my nerves.. However I have to admit she made up for her mistakes later on.. Really loved Man Do.. He was fun to watch..

I read some complaints about the CGI.. While I wouldn’t call it top notch.. I would rate it a solid 8 out of 10.. Most scenes were well done.. Except for a few scenes involving water..

Justitia went from killing him in ep 2 to going on to say:

" I wanted to kill everyone who made you cry..
And I wanted to make you happy so u never have to cry anymore.. "

And she went from calling kissing scenes in dramas filth to asking him to kiss her more.. That transformation was so much fun to watch..

Now.. The whole drama was a masterpiece.. But the ending.. Ending felt lacking.. She has 3 years left in earth but she chose to stay as a Judge that too far from the person she loves.. With whom she wanted to make memories which she could remember for eons?? And he didn't consider transferring to her city or taking a break?? He can work all he wants after she disappears right?? The logic was quite lacking considering what they both went through to reach where they are and the fact that they don't have a future together.. It was such a vague ending.. If they confirm a second season then all good.. Otherwise the ending is really lacking for me..

PSH really outperformed everyone.. Well there was no one as good as her here.. But she was really good.. She is one of the most convincing reason for the drama's success.. Kim Jae Young did a good job as well.. I hope this drama gives him the recognition he deserves and gets more opportunities..

Overall.. The Judge From Hell has amazing actors.. Great chemistry.. But the interaction between Da on & bitna in the first 8 episodes was truly spectacular.. Just stood out for me.. They were the opposite ends of the same coin.. The plot of Da On chasing her was absolutely exhilarating to watch.. The first 9-10 episodes is the reason why this garnered so much attention..

P.S. I find the subtitles for most dramas frustrating.. They often fail to provide accurate translations.. Missing key moments and not capturing the intended emotions.. Thankfully I understand a bit of Korean.. So I can pick up on what they really mean.. But I cant help but think that most people are missing out on the essence because of the terrible translations.. Its a bit annoying honestly..

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Visually, musically, emotionally - This show hits all the right spots!

Season 1 ended well, leaving the audience much to look forward to in Season 2!

I was anticipating this drama not only because of Dilireba but also because of the director, Zhu Rui Bin (Chu Yui Bun), whose works included "The Long Ballad". Apparently, a casual conversation between Zhu Rui Bin and Dilireba, who was reading the "Blue Whisper" novel, led to the filming of the series and their collaboration. For those interested, the novel "Blue Whisper" is written by Jiu Lu Fei Xiang, and you can find a good English translated version here: https://wayeast.weebly.com/the-blue-whisper.html. I started reading and finished the novel when I was almost done watching Season 1, and it is a good read!

This show is tagged as a Xianxia, an ancient Chinese fairy tale set in a magical fantasy realm, with gods, monsters, ghosts, and cultivators (or xiūshì) who seek to become immortal beings called xian. As for the female lead, she is a guardian/spiritual master of the Wan Hua Valley. The male lead is Chang Yi, a Merman (or jiaoren) captured by Princess Shunde, an immortal and the older sister of Tianjun who is the Lord/Emperor of the Heavenly Court.

The drama starts with an episode highlighting the intelligence and kindness of our female lead, Ji Yun He, portrayed by Dilireba. Yun He is resourceful, and she seeks to achieve what she wants through the least harm to everyone involved. She is pitted against her "senior disciple brother", Lin Hao Qing, the young master of Wan Hua Valley. He appears crueler and one who would stop at nothing to get what he wants. However, his actions are contradictory, especially when it comes to Yun He. The audience will find out why eventually.

In exchange for a high reward, Yun He and Hao Qing accepted a challenge from Princess Shunde to transform the captured Merman into her subject by 1) teaching him to speak, 2) for him to grow legs, and 3) ensuring that he is forever loyal to the Princess.

The story focuses on the main couple's journey, as Yun He and Chang Yi fall in love, and the trials and tribulations they go through for each other. In season 1, the audience may find that the main couple does not have enough screentime together, and much of the story is also about the side characters. However, for me, each character adds depth to the story, and I find the side stories engaging. That being said, I still want to see Season 2 showcasing Yun He and Chang Yi more.

Visually, musically, emotionally - The story pulled me in so deeply. The production is undoubtedly high-quality, and a lot of attention is paid to the details. The costumes and sets provide a striking visual impact, and the special effects/CGI are well-done, immediately evoking feelings of wonder and fantasy. I like the cinematography, where the director filmed from different angles and views, providing a fresh experience, and drawing in the audience. Furthermore, the choreography for the fights, flying, and other action shots were done so superbly. I watched the "behind the scenes" (BTS) clips and it is obvious how much effort and time the actors put into practicing the wire-flying and martial arts moves.

So far, this show is a gem - it flows nicely and is well-executed. Each episode kept up the pace, never lost the momentum, and just got better and better. With unexpected twists and turns (some not in the novel), I never feel tempted to skip, and there are scenes that I would rewatch just so I could appreciate the gestures, effects, and words again.

The episodes show different aspects of a situation and the different perspectives of the characters, who are interesting and none are superfluous. No one is all good (except Chang Yi initially) or all bad. Every good character has flaws, and each villain has a backstory that makes them relatable and their actions justifiable. You will come to understand what the characters go through, the reasons for their emotions, and their circumstances. Overall, the script scores points with dynamic characters who struggle with their actions, who are not always clear if they are doing the right thing or what the right thing even is. I find myself connecting with the characters and rooting for many of them. As the story progresses, there are many more tears-inducing scenes, and I become more emotionally invested.

I have nothing but praises for the acting delivered by Dilireba, Allen Ren, and the other actors, including Xiao Shun Yao (very manly!), Hu Yi Xuan, Fan Zhen. Together, their looks are a visual feast for the eyes.

Dilireba fits the role of Yun He perfectly, but then again, this is not surprising since she often plays intelligent, quick-witted, and strong female leads. This time, it is another female lead with a tragic background that formed her resilient character. As expected, she looks gorgeous in her outfits and make-up. Just wait till you see her transform into her demon animal, you would be blown away! To me, she has improved even more in this role, honing her skills to deliver the story via her eyes and facial expressions. She does so well not only in scenes with increased, intense emotions, like laughing while crying during the ironic or tragic moments, but also in simple scenes where the audience only needs to watch her face and feel the loss or longing that Yun He is going through.

Likewise, Allen Ren impresses me with his ability to emote a myriad of feelings and thoughts just with his eyes and micro-expressions. His character does not speak for the first couple of episodes, and only through his physical acting, can still move the story well. Side note: I read that Allen got criticized for wearing a muscle suit during his merman scenes, but that still does not detract from his fineness. Chang Yi is the epitome of pure goodness in the show, which is what Yun He is drawn to at first. Allen delivers this innocence well but he is also able to easily express anger, nobleness, and arrogance. His visuals are not my usual preference, but in this show, in that persona, he's captivating. His transformation from trusting, naive, "fresh out of the water" Chang Yi to the all-powerful Lord of the North highlights Allen's acting chops.

The show does a great job, allowing each main actor to showcase their talents and skills. Yun He is featured more in the earlier episodes, and I like her character development. Then in the later part, Chang Yi has more screen time, and he becomes way cooler and more impressive.

The entire cast has performed well, and the supporting characters help to carry this show. There is such good rapport among them, like the endearing sismance between Yun He and Luo Luo, her butterfly spirit, played by adorable Hu Yi Xuan. I also appreciate Xiao Shun Yao's portrayal of Lin Hao Qing's character, who displays conflicting motivations, forced to act a role to protect someone he cares for. Compared to the novel, the show made Hao Qing more complex.

The OSTs are on another level, with appropriate pieces underscoring the scenes. The starting and ending songs are very fitting, and both set a dramatic and emotional tone that is infused throughout the show. The more I listen, the more I like them! For posterity, I have recorded the main tracks here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpzFy3Rzd74
Song: 留白是表白 (More Than Blanks)
Artist: 金志文 (Jin Zhi Wen)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExRgy5Ry3C8
Song: 鮫人之歌 (The Song of the Merman)
Artist: 周深 (Zhou Shen)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_pzD0itRfo
Song：#如你所想 (As You Wish)
Artist：#毛不易 (Buyi Mao)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtKnVuUxCN4
Song: 魚躍而上 (Leaping Fish)
Artist: 薩頂頂 (Sa Dingding)

On the whole, I find this drama worth watching and following. Not surprisingly, many of us are eagerly waiting for the English subtitles to appreciate it fully. I will rewatch this show when the whole show completes airing with proper subs in case I may have missed any nuances during the first watch.

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This movie is seriously underrated. Nobody seems to know about it even though Lee Byung Hun is the male lead. I hope that with this review a few more people will decide to give this movie a try.

Let me start with the plot. You could say that this movie is devided into two equally long parts. The first one focuses on the development of the relationship of the two main characters, and the second one shows the situation of the male lead 17 years later.

You could say that the real story only starts with the second half of the movie and for people who are not into light romance movies, the first half of the movie might seem really draggy and uninteresting as it only shows selected scenes of the couple and their relationship, but believe me, every one of those scenes is necessarry to understand what happens in the second part of the movie and why exactly the main character falls in love with one of his male students.

And let me tell you, this is not a gay movie! It is true that "gay" becomes a subject at the end of the movie, but that is not what this movie is about.

This movie is simply about love. About endless love.

I don't know how it is for most people who saw this movie. I've read other people's opnions about the ending, but I don't agree with most of them. Some just didn't get the message this movie was trying to deliver.

It was not about society and gay people and the "curse" of loving the same gender. Absolutely not. This movie was just about how much love effects you and that it is possible to find your soulmate. This movie is about an undying love that no matter what will never fade.

The characters and the actors were just awesome. I can't really put into words how much I loved the male main character and the way he changed after 17 years, but his love for her never died. It was also increcible how the second male lead (who becomes his love interest in the seconds part of the movie) resembled the female lead, but was at the same time so different.

This movie is just the best and people who like complicated but sweet romance stories should definitely give it a chance. And yes, I really think that this movie is sweet, despite the drama and tragedy that seem to happen to the male main character the whole time.

I've watched this movie a lot of times already, but I could still watch it over and over again and love it just as much as I did the first time I watched it.

Just one thing: Don't drop the movie before the "17 years later" part begins. You will love this movie, believe me!

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Found My favorite comfort series!

I wont write much except this show is Easily the best series in this genre. Each episode is better than the other. Its real issues wrapped in fantasy lore. Its Intriguing, Emotional,Funny, Thought Invoking and all the best qualities it could be. The actors did a great job. Hope they make a season 2 with these leads with a different story line but same premise.
Whoever pitched this idea and whoever wrote this idea into a script did a REALLLLL good job!!!!

P.s if you struggling with mental issues please seek the help you need. It may seem hard and you may think people will make fun but there will 1 person who will listen to you. Hold on to that hope. You are not alone and definately not the things people say you are. ❤️‍🩹

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Too rushed and unable to meet its full potential

Episode 1: 7/10 (Pretend To Love)
—Story- When I saw episode one would be OhmFluke I was very excited as I already knew they have great chemistry together. Unfortunately the fast paced plot meant their relationship didn’t go anywhere, and they were hardly in any scenes together despite the whole first episode being about them. I appreciate 20 minutes isn’t a lot of time for a full story to take place, but they could have done so much better than that. It was a huge mess with no real closure to the jealousy and misunderstandings, and the ending felt so incomplete. As a start to the series it really fell short for me and while I love OhmFluke so much, and we got to see Fluke’s award winning tears again, they didn’t have their chance to shine which was severely disappointing.
—Acting/Cast- Ohm as Pierce: Ohm is a pretty good actor, but unfortunately this series didn’t showcase his talents as he played a character with little emotion, meaning we couldn’t see a full range from him. His facial expressions were lacking and even when faced with a potential breakup his face was just quite blank and expressionless. I am a little disappointed with his character and was sad that Pierce didn’t have the time to properly apologise for when he did, but at least we got something.
Fluke as Typhoon: Fluke is back at it again with the top notch acting and the famous crying scenes he really excels in. While I feel like Ohm didn’t have the chance to shine that well, Fluke really showcased how a powerhouse actor can steal a scene with less than 5 minutes of screen time the entire episode. Fluke is honestly one of my favourite actors and this just goes to show why. His acting in the final scene was the best part of that episode and is the main reason I ranked this episode as high as I did. I really hope to keep seeing more of Fluke in the future!
—Overall, I’ll give this episode a 7/10 which I believe is quite generous in the circumstances. It could have been so much better with a better director and more time, but they really took over in the limited time they had and gave the best performance they could.

Episode 2: 5.5/10 (Just Friend)
—Story- Well, I wasn’t expecting any bestiality in a drama but first time for everything I suppose. Everything about this episode was just strange and confusing. Although I liked JaFirst ever since I saw them in TharnType 2, I just don’t understand why First had to be a cat that only we could see as a human, it was the strangest thing I’ve ever seen. Other than the confusion at this part, the rest of it was pretty good. Although it was fast paced, it didn’t feel rushed or incomplete like episode 1 did, although it left me with several unanswered questions (like seriously, who sends a potential partner home just to cuddle with your cat, maybe it’s because I’m not a huge animal lover but I just don’t understand.)
Acting/Cast- First as Moojoom: Well, he played a pretty good cat even if it was the weirdest thing to watch a human meow and swipe at the air like that. He looked very sweet and defenceless in the box which I suppose a human version of a cat may look like, and First is very good at acting sad and depressed which made him rather pitiful when he was locked in the bathroom. As I said before, it was such a weird episode that I’m still questioning what I just watched and because of this I don’t think I can rate his acting very well.
Ja as Xin: Ja is a pretty good actor and although he’s still a relatively new actor, he’s very good and I’ve enjoyed his other works such as TharnType and UWMA. As I mentioned in First’s review, it was such a weird episode that I don’t think I can rate his acting very well, but he did a very good job playing with Moojoom (his human cat lol).
—Overall- I’ll give this episode a 5.5/10. The storyline was a little better because it didn’t have the same incomplete feeling that episode 1 left me with, but the fact that it’s a romance between an animal and a human meant that any enjoyment I got out of the episode was replaced with an abnormal feeling of bewilderment.

Episode 3: 9.5/10 (Willing Or Not)
—Story- This was one of my favourite episodes so far and I actually enjoyed it a lot (mainly because I love judo). After the first 2 episodes I was getting a bit sceptical as to the quality of this series, but MaxNat really saved this for me. As the storyline wasn’t in as much depth, it didn’t feel fast-paced or rushed at all, and honestly 15 minutes felt like much longer. Despite having no particularly romantic scenes (other than the piggyback at the end) Max and Nat had great chemistry, which combined with a more interesting plot, meant they did a really good job with this episode.
—Acting/Cast- Nat as Mini: Nat is actually a really good actor despite his age (ironic as he’s a few months older than me) and he always does such a good job. I first watched him in his debut role as Blue in WhyRU and have watched all the other projects he’s been in which was why I was so excited to see him here. Although now I play quite a few different sports, a few years ago I hated any type of sports or athletics, which is why I found Nat acting exhausted and tired really relatable for me. I loved his little commentaries when he looked at the camera and started complaining about something Titan did.
Max as Titan: I still can’t believe Nat (who is short) is called Mini and Max (who is really tall) was called Titan, but when I first heard his name I had to pause the episode and laugh at the hilarity of it. Max actually reminds me of my old Volleyball coach, incredibly determined and won’t let you take a break until you can barely move. I always think coaches and instructors like that are the best because you can guarantee you will learn some important lessons from them, which is why I really loved Titan in this series. Like Nat, I’ve also been watching all of Max’s projects since the beginning and I really enjoyed this episode with him in as well.
—Overall- I would have to give this a solid 9.5/10, it would be a full 10 if we actually got some romance like a sweet hug or even a kiss. I’ll settle on the piggyback at the end, but as this is supposed to be a BL series, it would have been nice to see some kind of romance. Other than that I honestly enjoyed everything about this episode.

Episode 4: 9/10 (Just One Life)
—Story- I’m so glad that episodes 3 and 4 have started to get better as I absolutely loved this episode. Although some people preferred this episode over MaxNat’s, I personally don’t think it was as good, only because I was quite confused about the plot. It did feel very rushed, one minute Peam is crying over his ex, the next he’s fallen in love with XiaoPing. Although it made more sense after rewatching it, when I first saw this episode I was quite confused by the beginning with Peam crying and wanting to throw himself off a bridge then XiaoPing appearing out of nowhere and cheering him up. Those were the only complaints I really had about this episode, everything else was so good. Yoon and Talay have such great chemistry from recording YYY the series and they definitely carried it on here, which has got me very excited for their episode on Y-Destiny. It was just a cute, fluffy episode without any drama and a breath of fresh air.
—Acting/Cast- Yoon as Peam: Although Yoon has done quite a few projects, he hasn’t had very many main roles which is quite surprising considering the high quality of his acting abilities. I first saw him in his main role in YYY where he flawlessly acted in such a funny, comedic series. It’s clear from this episode he has a certain charm that reveals itself when he plays a funny character which really draws you in. He’s so talented and I look forward to seeing his future projects.
Talay as XiaoPing: Although I knew Talay has done quite a lot of acting before, I never realised he’s a member of a boyband until I looked at his profile. He’s such a natural actor and I’ve enjoyed every project he’s been in with special emphasis on My Engineer and YYY. His expression management is no joke and the way he can manipulate audiences emotions just from a slight change in expression is incredible. He’s honestly so beautiful and his eyes are stunning, it’s so visually pleasing when he smiles that I keep falling more in love with him.
—Overall- I’m going to give this episode a 9/10. While this may be a rather unpopular view, I really did enjoy this episode, but I honestly think the slightly rushed place and simplistic plot set it a little lower than episode 3. However, it was still an amazing episode and I really liked it.

Episode 5: 10/10 (Dear My Star)
—Story- Okay, now it seems I have a new favourite episode. This was about a long distance relationship that connected through the 2 characters being “pen-pals” (thats what I would refer to it as but basically just talking through letters to someone in another city/country). This is the first time I’ve seen something like this as, while there have been dramas with online relationships forming, this episode was completely different from that. As this episode was set during the 90’s I was worried it would look tacky and obviously fake, but that wasn’t the case at all. It was such a natural setting and layout that if the camera hadn’t have had such high-quality definition and I didn’t already know Jimmy and Tommy, I would have honestly thought this was filmed in the 90’s.
—Acting/Cast- Jimmy as Night: Jimmy is such a great actor and I honestly keep forgetting he only started acting very recently when I watched him in a main role in WhyRU the series. His expression management is insane and I constantly find myself falling in love with how sweet and innocent he is. Although the episode lengths are quite short, due to the plot we were able to really meet the character of Night in depth and learn about him. I love Jimmy’s facial expressions when talking and writing to Mekhin, and when they met you could practically see the stars in their eyes. Jimmy and Tommy have such great chemistry and they definitely showcased that in this episode.
Tommy as Mekhin: Tommy is another actor I love to watch and I first saw him when he played a couple with Jimmy in WhyRU the series. Although that was the first time I saw him in a drama, he has been in the industry for 6 years so has had more experience than his costar. Tommy is such a great actor also for the ways he can manipulate the audience just from a simple change in expression. Although he’s played a couple with other actors than just Jimmy, he definitely has the best chemistry with Jimmy and it came across so well in this episode, making it my favourite one.
—Overall- This is definitely a full 10/10, I absolutely loved everything about this episode. The storyline was something unique and refreshing to watch, and Jimmy and Tommy’s chemistry made it even better. I honestly hope they will make an extended version of this episode some day!

Episode 6: 8/10 (Imagine You)
—Story- I’m still very confused about this episode due to the elements of Sci-fi that didn’t really make sense to me. KimCop are one of my favourite BL couples in the industry so I was so excited and happy to see them here, but I think the plot they were given was too confusing for only a 15 minute episode. I thought the VR concept was great and a really interesting idea, but it should have been a series within itself instead of a single episode which made it all quite rushed and complicated. I have quite a few questions about the ending, particularly whether Jedi actually carries the memories from his VR counterpart or if he has no idea who he is, but why was he nice to Ray one minute, then cold to him the next? Although the confusing storyline ruined the episode for me a little, as this could have had the potential to be my next favourite episode, KimCop have such great chemistry that I enjoyed the episode regardless.
—Acting/Cast- Copter as Ray: (recently edited this review to change Copters pronouns, they are non binary and use they/them pronouns <3) Copter is another actor I discovered right from the beginning of their career after their debut in 2 Moons, and I’ve followed them for almost every project they’ve taken on. I have so much respect for Copter as an incredible artist. They’re such a great actor and they definitely showcase their remarkable acting abilities in this episode. Ray was incredibly anxious and clumsy in front of Jedi which is very relatable as many people struggle to face their crushes head on, especially when you’re basically in love with a celebrity. Copter did a great job with Ray and I’m so excited to see them in many more of their upcoming projects.
Kimmon as Jedi: Kimmon, like Copter, I have been watching since his acting debut. Although I never realised he was in Love Sick 2 as well, I’ve watched nearly every series he’s been apart of and I’m constantly keeping an eye out for any new projects he takes on. Jedi was such an interesting character, both his physical self and VR persona, and I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about him. As I said before, if the episode was longer and we had the time to learn more about him and have some more questions answered then I would have loved him even more. Despite this he was such a cool character and, like Copter, I can’t wait to see more of Kimmon in the future.
—Overall- I’m going to have to give this episode an 8/10 because of the short, confusing plot. This is one of those episodes where the perfect phrase comes to mind “The idea was better than the execution”, which sums up this final episode perfectly.

Final Thoughts:
My final ranking of these 6 episodes is as followed:
1. Episode 5 (Jimmy and Tommy)
2. Episode 3 (Max and Nat)
3. Episode 4 (Yoon and Talay)
4. Episode 6 (Kimmon and Copter)
5. Episode 1 (Ohm and Fluke)
6. Episode 2 (Ja and First)

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Huh?

Q: How was the series?
A: Huh?

Q: Was it good?
A: I think so?

Q: Would you recommend it?
A: Maybe?

Q: Can you answer without it being a question?
A: Seo Kang Joon

Q: It has to do with time travel. Is it messy?
A: I'd say complicated, but what time travel story isn't?

Q: Another question reply. Did you find it entertaining?
A: Seo Kang Joon

Q: Was it worth the time to watch?
A: Time doesn't flow.

Q: Huh?
A: Huh?

Q: Ok, one more try. Do you think I should watch it?
A: Episode 7 is really going to irritate you. I mean, like reeeeeeally make you want to shake someone vigorously.

Q: What about the rest of the episodes???
A: The rest will be the cop irritating you.

Q: What's your overall view of the show?
A: I understood that I understood nothing.

Q: You've been no help at all.
A: Seo Kang Joon!

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I am still in tears because of this drama. It's so amazing and very unique how the story is created. I just finished watching this drama RIGHT now... and the ending was... I don't want to spoil it but this drama deserves an award. I really like how the plots are created. It's so distinctive to see and very hard to create your own ending for this drama. We don't know how it will end especially when both North and South are not united in real life. This drama is full of emotions that will make you cry, laugh, smile, cringe, confused, and be shook. Their romance was so daebak! They will risk anything to save one another. I'm trying my best not to spoil it but Fate can be true sometimes... Ykow. I like how they are brought together, and how they show their love to one another. Especially the 4 comrades, OMGod, don't even get me started. They were amazing! Very funny and very Stupid in a good way xD
I don't know what else to say but the only problem that I was scared of was the ending because I couldn't even think of an ending for this drama. I thought they will not be together cuz of their country or they might die, or just fall apart. Who knows. We even created (not me...I just joined xD) like a poll of 'How do you think this drama will end' because I believe we all are curious and this is a new drama and the first drama where we can't think of an ending.
I love both the protagonist n antagonist character but Sometimes you just gotta hate the antagonist you know. xD
iN MY opinion, this is the best drama I've ever watch in a Korean drama. Before it was DOTS ... but now it's this. I'm thankful to the creator and writers for creating such an amazing drama. This is my first time waiting every week to watch this drama because it's just another level of KDrama. I waited every week and did not regret it at all. I am very honored to be a part of this drama (watcher haha) and to enjoy it from the beginning till the end.
Thank you so much.
I love this drama so much.
And I am cheering for the casts to earn awards because they deserve it.
They worked hard no matter how cold the weather is.
Saranghae and FIGHTING!!
2/16/20
3:13PM
<3 <3 <3
P.S. THEY DID WIN AN AWARDS. MULTIPLE AWARDS. IM PROUD!!!!!! AND HYUN BIN won a grand award as well. I forgot what it was called but it's from 'Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards Ceremony'

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First time writing a review, so sorry if its not that amazing, but its truly my opinion and I loved this drama so much that I decided to do this.
So let's start....
The only bad thing about this drama?
Well it ends! :(
Best drama eveeeeeeeeer !!!
The actors were not "super pretty idols/cute" that we usually watch on kdramas, instead, they were just normal,
We didn't get pretty faces? We got better than that!
Amazing actors , amazing story, amazing soundtrack.
Who needs romance when you have this kind of drama???
LKS amazes me every time he is cast in a drama.
I loved every story this drama had to tell, they were more than just 'cops' , they were a huge amazing family.

I will rewatch this drama again for sure !
And I suggest this drama to everyone. You all need to watch the best drama 2018 could have.
TVN always brings amazing dramas but this one...HATS OFF!

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I watched this because Irene was in it

I have never written a review for a kdrama or a movie before, but for some reason I felt compelled to write one for Double Patty (probably because there are no reviews as of the time I am writing this). To preface, I had heard about Double Patty earlier last year when it was reported that Irene would star as the female lead in a movie. I was extremely surprised because the only prior acting experience she had was in a web drama that didn't really get much attention (I recall a lot of people talking about it), and starring as a lead in a movie seemed like a big jump from that. Now here is the review (I'm bad at writing essays so I'll just format my review based on the rating criteria above):

Story: The story is about two characters who each have goals (one wants to be a news reporter and the other wants to be a wrestling champion). They both strive towards their goals, experience setback, meet each other at their low points, help each other overcome their setbacks, and ultimately reach their goals. On a basic level this story is fine, but I think it was the poor execution of it that made me feel like it was bad.
The biggest problem I had with the movie is that the main characters' backgrounds and motives are not well established. In the first two and half minutes of the movie we are shown a slideshow of both characters and how they reached this point of wanting to do what they want to do. Lee Hyunji's father and her father's friend were in the news industry. And while the friend succeeded, Hyunji's father did not. We do not know why he ended up failing, but we are shown a picture of her father protesting against the privatization of news. As for the other character, Kang Wooram, we are shown that he got into Korean wrestling while growing up. The relevant characters in his backstory are his friend/rival who quickly surpassed him in wrestling, and his wrestling mentor (big brother figure?) who has just passed away. That was it. Each character was given less than a minute and thirty seconds to establish who they were and what their motivations were, and now the rest of the plot is driven by that. Now I get this isn't a television series, so we aren't able to have hours of screen time to set up the characters. But if this is all we are given, it is hard to feel interested or invested in our leads' journeys. Movies that do a good job of establishing the characters and their motivations don't just tell you who the characters are, but they show it to you. A good example of this, I feel, is Forrest Gump. In Forrest Gump, we see all the formative experiences the main character has (in fact, we almost experience them with him) and then we reach the point of the "current time". Now of course I'm not saying that a movie has to spend 80% of the time establishing the characters, I just think that character and motivation establishment can take its time and can develop even while the plot is moving.
The other thing that bothered me was the relationship between Lee Hyunji and Kang Wooram. The first time the characters have contact is when Wooram catches a few glimpses of Hyunji in a restaurant and outside, and just has the expression of "wow yeppeuda." Later, the first time the two actually meet is when Wooram goes into the burger place that Hyunji works at and awkwardly orders the late night special. From then on, Wooram frequently goes to the burger joint because he likes pretty girls and good deals (who doesn't) and their interactions compose of them checking each other out when the other person isn't looking. Following this unknown amount of time, Wooram shows up one night to the burger joint drunk and they are conveniently out of patties (even though the main thing they sell are burgers and there are no customers). She knows that he is sad because of his mentor's death so she takes him out to eat, then takes him back to her place for some beer, then decides to go to his mentor's memorial service with him, then they walk around his hometown like a couple, then she comforts him while he is mourning over his mentor, then she successfully encourages him to continue pursuing his wrestling goal all within 2 or 3 days. Of course it's possible for two stranger to progress their relationship this quickly, but it probably isn't very common. Furthermore, it may just be personal taste, but I find it hard to root for a relationship that is based off of physical attraction as opposed to one built on an emotional connection over time. Or maybe that's just the jealousy kicking in saying "we get it, you guys are both hot." Regardless, all I felt was a sense of apathy towards their relationship as I didn't feel moved or invested in it.

Basically the movie felt like it was mostly being carried by Irene's face and Shin Seung Ho's body.


Acting/Cast: Irene's (Bae Joohyun) acting was mediocre. The thing I looked forward to the most when watching Double Patty was seeing the range of emotions Irene was going to show. I was thinking "maybe we'll see her cry, or see her ecstatic, or even see her angry." But we got mostly neutral Irene, shy Irene, and smiley Irene (shy and smiley Irene overlapped a few times). I don't know if she was doing a bad job of expressing her character's emotions or if her character was just written to be really bland. Also, it felt like half of her scenes were either eating food or drinking soju like a commercial. I remember specifically this one scene where they were on her rooftop patio and she was handing Wooram a can of beer. She had her head tilted slightly forward, her hair gracefully falling down, perfect makeup, perfect lighting, a big smile on her face, and there was even some wind making her hair flow. This was in the middle of the movie and it looked like they were filming a beer ad. I paused the movie right then and there and considered closing out the tab. Nothing wrong with looking great and being a CF queen, but it seemed like either she or the director was leaning too much on that, and it gave her acting a very unnatural feel at times.
As for Shin Seung Ho, his acting was not bad. Although not particularly amazing, he did have the one crying scene which was a pretty good performance.
Everyone else was fine, but none of them really stood out too much either.

Music: The music did its job, I didn't really notice it and I don't feel like going back through the movie to listen to the sound track. There was that one song that Irene sings that you hear in the trailer.

Rewatch value: The only reason I would rewatch this would be to give it a proper review. Then again, I rarely rewatch movies so I might not be the best person to make a take on this.

Overall: I don't think a 5.0 is "bad". If we rate a movie from a scale of 1 to 10, regardless of the distribution, the average should be 5.5 right? So a 5 is just below average. I don't know what to say except that I did not expect that it would take me over two and a half hours to write a review and now I'm up at 4 AM not knowing what I'm doing with my life. I spent more time and energy writing this review than I did on my English papers in college. There is more I would like to talk about on this movie, but I'm bad at articulating my thoughts in written form so this will be it.

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Itaewon Class was an emotional ride with an especially promising start. Just after the first two episodes, I felt immensely attached to the main character, Park Saeroyi, and was looking forward to following him on his journey. Throughout the 16 episodes, I definitely learned a lot from his hardwork and values. Park Seo Joon did a phenomenal job with his character and left me in absolute awe. Whether it may be understanding the beauty of life or being reminded the importance of hardwork; I was thankful to be able to get to know and learn from Park Saeroyi.

However, apart from Park Saeroyi, I did have a few complaints for the other characters. Some characters were especially annoying, and lacked development. I did like that the drama showcased imperfect characters, but it also sometimes excused the ignorant behaviour of these characters - almost making it seem that such behaviour was appropriate to viewers. Some characters were especially inconsistent, and just seemed random. This switch was really annoying to see because it didn't make sense. I think these characters had a lot of potential to really compliment the story, but the writer just changed them randomly in order to make Park Saeroyi look good. I wish the side characters had contributed a little more to the overall plot but unfortunately we were unable to see that as viewers.

The show also became a little slow in the middle, but then quickly picked up its pace later. I was disappointed with the last two episodes as I felt that there were unnecessary additions to the plot. However, the ending was still quite nice and most questions were answered.

Overall, this was definitely a meaningful and enjoyable watch. The reason why this show is receiving such a high rating (from me) despite its flaws is because of the lessons it served. As I saw this show and went about my life, I found myself thinking about Park Saeroyi and the importance of hardwork. Even if it was fiction, I really learned a lot from this drama and was thankful for the insights I gained. In addition, Itaewon class held some especially beautiful scenes that had my heart racing and gave me goosebumps. The OSTs were beautiful, and I know I will play them countless times in the future! Itaewon Class may have been lacking in some areas, but it was still a great show that managed to keep me eagerly waiting for new episodes each week ((:

Edit: I wrote this review almost six years ago, during a time when I was uncertain and stressed about achieving my career goals. But I often thought of Saeroyi and drew strength from his perseverance to keep going. Now, six years later, I’ve accomplished a major dream of mine, and coming back to read this review feels incredibly heartwarming :,) Allhumdulilah for everything, and thank you Saeroyi for inspiring me to continue <3

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A beautifully executed story on what it means to love others, and yourself

Love Game in Eastern Fantasy was a wild ride as we followed the female lead, Ling Miaomiao, on her quest to “capture” the male lead’s heart. Although it does have elements of a typical Xuanhuan, its character development, the caliber of acting, and attention to small details help it stand out from others in its genre. Objectively speaking, the drama did fall short as it neared the end. But this really depends on how you decide to interpret the ending. After spending some time watching close analyses of the ending and parts of the drama on Chinese social media, I have a much greater appreciation for why the drama ended the way it did. Subjectively speaking, this was a cute and emotional drama that filled my heart to the brim with warmth. You're in luck if you watched Moonlight and enjoyed Ding Yuxi and Yu Shuxin’s chemistry there.

Adapted from the extremely popular novel “The Guide to Capturing a Black Lotus”, the female lead is whisked into the book of her favorite author after expressing her disappointment in it. The world is one home to both humans and demons, but demon hunters diminish the possibility of coexistence between these two species. Aside from her initial side quests, Ling Miaomiao’s main goal is to reach 100% affinity/love of the ML, Mu Ziqi’s heart. Ling Miaomiao’s personality is the polar opposite of Lin Yu, the character she becomes in the book. Lin Yu is the third female lead, cunning and in love with the book’s male lead, Liu Fuyi. Ling Miaomiao’s bubbly personality is what has drawn so many people into this drama, as with her cute and loving dynamics with Mu Ziqi. Originally only caring about his “A’jie” (older sister Mu Yao), Mu Ziqi develops a strong connection with Miaomiao, who changes his worldview that there are other people out in the world who care about him.

The romance between the leads is not an “in your face” love story, but shows such depth that allows their bond to develop organically over time. As Miaomiao and Ziqi face numerous challenges together, their connection strengthens with mutual respect, trust and compassion. I will warn you that there are no outright kiss scenes, and have noticed this to be a complaint of many viewers. While an additional kiss scene may have been favorable, I do understand this approach to romance. By not relying on overt physical expressions of love, LGIEF is able to focus more on emotional intimacy and the growth of the leads’ affection for one another. (If you do want to kiss scenes, though, go watch Moonlight!)

The casting for this drama could not have been better. In fact, I think it was perfect. When the casting for this drama was first announced, so many OG novel fans expressed their disappointment on Chinese social media, demanding a “better” casting. Many of these fans have taken back their words, and understandably so. Having read around 20 chapters of the novel, the drama surprisingly sticks to many elements of the original book, down to the costumes. As noted before, the attention to detail in this drama is remarkable (and I will create a list near the end of the review). Each character has their own distinct style that complements their personality. Ling Miaomiao’s hair is filled with cute little flowers and tassels, while Mu Yao’s simpler yet elegant hair supports her role as an older sister figure. The costumes are designed by Yi Xiaoya, who also worked on Love You Seven Times and LFBAD.

Yu Shuxin and Ding Yuxi really brought Ling Miaomiao and Mu Ziqi to life. Esther’s naturally bubbly personality shines through in Miaomiao’s character. The naturalness in Miaomiao’s cuteness showcases Yu Shuxin’s talent in bringing the character to life with authenticity and charm. Her portrayal of Miaomiao makes the FL very loveable and captures the essence of someone who radiates positivity without forcing it in her acting. On the other hand, there is absolutely no better actor than Ding Yuxi for Mu Sheng, who displayed a perfect balance between his aloofness and growing warmth. His embodiment of Ziqi (especially through his eyes, the emotions in his eyes!) really showcases the internal struggle of a character who begins as emotionally distant but slowly opens up to love and connecting with others. His overprotectiveness of his sister is a result of him being constantly suspicious of others’ intentions, and it’s so fun watching the relationship strengthen between him and Liu Fuyi. The chemistry between the leads is one of the strongest I have seen, and both leads exhibit so many emotions through their eyes alone. (And not to mention the eye candy) – There was a scene of Ziqi where it looked like he came straight out of a manga. As usual, Yu Shuxin dubbed her own character. I personally don’t have an issue with her voice, but as some do, I will put that caution out there. For me, Yu Shuxin’s voice perfectly embodies that of a bubbly girl. Ding Yuxi’s voice is dubbed by someone else, but there's an Easter egg at the very end. While the drama could have used DYX's original voice, they chose to use a voice actor whose voice was deeper and more mysterious, capturing the "Black Lotus" personality.

I couldn’t feel the same level of chemistry with the second leads. Their relationship was cute but felt flat throughout a lot of the story. It would have been more preferable for a lot of viewers if more portions of the later episodes were allocated to the main leads instead of the second leads. However, I do appreciate the quality of Zhu Xudan’s acting. She’s been an amazing actress for years and is finally getting the recognition she deserves for her role as Mu Yao. Yang Shize did a great job portraying Liu Fuyi, a mysterious man who later proved to have a complicated backstory. As for the other supporting characters, their additions to the drama added much more nuance and excitement to the story. Cui Cui (bamboo demon) is the cutest kid ever, and displays both courage and loyalty as a young demon. Everyone’s acceptance of him into the “friend group” also helped Ziqi to eventually embrace his true identity. The backstory of Ziqi’s parents, a love story mixed with tragedy and devotion, also added depth to the person he became. We are given an “ending” to most of the characters, depending on how you define closure.

Additionally, the production of the drama was phenomenal and was one of the many reasons for its huge success. The CGI effects elevated the Xuanxuan experience, immersing the viewer into the otherworldly setting. The visual effects were seamlessly integrated into the many battle scenes, magical moments, and beautiful scenery. Even the little dust demons who made up each percentage of Ziqi’s affection towards Miaomiao were cute and visually appealing. The novel use of the pixelated background for the ending of each episode also led to the new Chinese trend of making Miaomiao and Ziqi out of “perler beads”. The drama team took viewers’ wishes into account during production, eventually buying the rights to the song “Moonlight Thoughts”, a song popularly used for historical reels on Chinese social media (and, to fans’ delight, created an MV with the leads and a few supporting cast!) And can we talk about the demons’ nails? They were breathtaking! Cheng Duling (Mirror Demon) had less than 20 minutes of screen time and only appeared in the first episode, but her outfit was stunning. She was actually the third most popular drama character according to Chinese polls, beating main leads of other airing dramas.

And then…we come to the ending. I echo the sentiments of many other viewers who expressed their disappointment in the abrupt ending, where we weren’t shown the physical reunion of the main leads. The message of the story is certainly out there, but could have been executed in a more straightforward manner. However, besides the very last two minutes of the drama, I believe that the last episode was executed beautifully. Here, the leads don’t solely demonstrate the beauty of loving one another, but the beauty of loving oneself first before loving others. This theme plays a pivotal role throughout the drama, as we witness the dramatic change in Mu Sheng’s attitude towards others and life in general. This is something that sets LGIEF apart from other Xuanhuan dramas. We follow the leads on their love journey, but this journey is also one where they discover and accept their own selves. The way this idea stretched throughout the drama was done beautifully, and it felt like a full circle in the end. (And it was like a giant revelation.) I won’t elaborate too much as to not give away any spoilers, but I’ll include some other thoughts and observations in a comment below this review.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed the past few weeks of following this drama (the wait was painful, but you don’t need to wait for the episodes to air!). The character dynamics were fun to watch, the story was gripping, and we got to see Ziqi’s affection for Miaomiao increase from -200% (yes, negative) to 100%. It was also such a treat to watch Ding Yuxi and Yu Shuxin together as main leads again after Moonlight, and they both exhibited their exceptional acting skills, once again. Although an extra minute of the leads together at the very end would have perfectly sealed the story together, the last episode ties the entire drama together very well.

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Best Cdrama of 2024 For Me.

I like everything about this drama the music the acting.
I really like the bond between zyz and zyc frist zyc hate zyz then they become best friend slowly and I like the chemistry between wx and zyz and also like the story between zyz and lilun and their costumes is awesome specially zyz costumes and the cases is not boring in this drama as compared to mlcb overall it's good drama but I don't like one thing is that male zyz screentime in latest episodes is so few.
I really like evil switch of zyz hou minghao is a great actor his expression is excellent and I'm waiting for his upcoming dramas.

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People who fight ghosts or demons and get them into the afterlife are nothing new in kdramas and although I liked a lot about how this world was set up or presented, it was not necessarily super original or unique, and does not work that deep sometimes. Yet, the people working it the afterlife did feel like their own character so their connection to our world felt a lot stronger than in some of these dramas, and I did enjoy the superpower aspect of this all a whole lot.

There was a bit of a superhero-feeling to this all, which I always found really fun to watch. It was the right amount of cool and camp in my opinion and I like how the show never felt like it was trying to be super serious, while also never feeling tacky or just odd. And I always admire it when a show manages that, because I feel like that is the right type of tone for a story like this. It gripped me completely from the first minutes. The plot is nicely paces, there is nice suspense within in the story, although it drags a bit towards the end, but there are countless questions and cliffhanger moments that come up in each episode that always made me excited for the next one.

I did feel like the show did drag a bit or loose some steam when it focused to heavily on the crime and human corruption of the show, rather than the supernatural problems of the characters. For a drama about people capturing evil spirits I wanted them to capture more evil spirit and for that too have a more central role within the story than it did.

Although the drama did a good job with mixing the characters conflicts, their backstories of the characters, with the main story, I also felt like I had seen that type of story play out a bit too often and there could have been more balance between the crime plot and the quest for fighting evil spirits.

There was a lot more crime in there than I would have wished for, but I can not say that I was bored while watching it. The story has it’s momentum, I could never really guess where is was going. It has a good pace, and there was always a bit of humor and a lot of cool action to go along with it with some really loveable characters that you just can’t help but love. This drama has a lot of good things (action, humor and heart) and does those things really well.

Our main character are true underdogs, and you really do feel for them. They made me tear up several times. Especially So Mun and personal quest and his connection to his new superpowers. He really does grow with it. It may all be a bit typical for a story like this one, but it works really well.

All the main characters are deep, with their own flaws and strengths. They frustrate you, yet you love them and feel so much with them. And I found the evil spirit, their main rival apart from the evil politicians and corrupt police officers, really well crafted. I just really like that aspect of the show. That was why I tuned into it and why I continued on watching it.

The love and affection between all the characters is just wonderful. It’s overflowing with heart; whether it’s the love that So Mun has for his grandparents and vice versa, his friends from school and then the little family that the Counters have. This little found family really touched my whole heart, it’s one of my favorite tropes and I love it when it’s done right, and made me shed tears many times throughout the drama. There’s just a really good heart in this story.

The Uncanny Counter is just a lot of fun. I feel like it sort of threads this path of being familiar and yet unique enough that it feels fresh and exciting. There is suspense and humor and heart at the core of each and every episode, and the cast is super loveable and tug at your heartstrings a lot and which is the true strength of the drama. That found family aspect and the friendship and love between the main characters. It talks a lot about human greed and corruptions and how that feeds the evil spirits and vice versa, which does sometimes feel a bit heavy handed, but the plot is well paced and exciting, so I never got bored, and there is a really good underdog story there that makes it all worthwhile.

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Once the main couple gets together the drama just becomes very bubbly, cute, loveable and cliche. Also the cat and dog audio effects makes this drama a lot more fun to watch.
In the beginning I was upset with the main lead, Si Tu Mo because she wouldn't leave this man who is one out of two most irritating and annoying character in this drama. (The other one is a snitch and I wanted to punch him everytime he raises his hand or snitches on ehem someone.)
Anyways, eventually she began living together with male lead, Gu Wei Yi who taught her how to chase her dreams and come out of her shell. When that happens she's more outgoing and basically wears the pants in the relationship. I grew to love her because she knows what she wants. haha
Gu Wei Yi is an awkward nerd but handsome student. He's quite innocent when it comes to relationships so he's clueless 100% of the time when it comes to how Si Tu Mo is feeling. Needless to say, I enjoyed watching him from not caring about Tu Mo to growing feelings for her. The way he did it was ADORABLE! He respected her boundaries but he can get jealous. haha
There's not much of a plot going on in this drama. Its like a sitcom where you see a life of a couple living together except they start out as "strangers." We see the main leads interact with one another and how they grew close to each other. As well as hanging out with friends, misunderstandings/jealousies, asking advice from friends about love. There's also work related things as well. But overall, nothing tooooo exciting besides the love life of Si Tu Mo and Gu Weiyi. I guess in a way there's nothing that is too memorable for me to fully love this drama aside from the main leads. However, I enjoyed it a lot.
The acting from Fei Xing who plays Si Tu Mo was great! She acted quite well and I love it when she makes her puppy eyes face expression. Gu Wei Yi CANNOT deny that!
The actor who plays Gu WeiYi needs a bit of work. His acting was quite stiff, yeah he's suppose to be awkward but its his acting is just stiff and off to me. Its difficult to explain but it did bother me sometimes when I notice it.
The ending is a happy +1 ending. ;)

I love the transition effects in this drama as well as seeing how Gu Wei Yi does things without the audience knowing initially. It seems to be a trend in cdramas lately. ^^

If you want to watch a campus love story then this is a recommendation for you. If you do not want to watch something that doesn't have much of a plot then its not for you.

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