A Parody of Thai BLs
I am writing this review right after watching the one episode because I am looking at so much negativity the series is receiving for calling out toxic Thai-BL culture.The show is a parody of the Thai-BLs that takes on some of the issues that are so common in the Thai-BL industry with a cohesive, strong storyline while being as friendly as one can be to the toxic Thai-BL fanbase. Despite tackling some of the pervasive issues, the show is light and fun to watch. In a sense, they make you laugh and think simultaneously. Some of the problems the series tackles are:
- the romanticization of disregard for consent and sexual assault
- the casting preference to heterosexual to benefit from the fan-events
- using straight-passing-gay actors as token LGBTQ actor to claim they are an LGBTQ ally
- shipping actors and harassing them about if it’s real
- predominately being written by people who have little to no understanding of the gay relationship
- the pornography-inspired intimate scenes between two men.
At the same time, the series does not have unbelievable healthy characters that would have made the series more like a documentary. Instead, it has Gene who has trouble setting his boundaries, and Aey who pretends to like Nubsib to gain popularity. I will revisit this review based on how they deal with these characters and their unhealthy traits. The show is a farce, especially when it comes to the background music that seems to annoy some viewers who can otherwise appreciate the parody. But for now, I recommend that you give this show an honest try.
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Story of catching a serial killer from north Korea and how he is protected by different governments and secret agencies is portrayed in this movie. Will he ever get convicted for the gravest sins he committed? Watch the movie to find out.
They should have ended the movie at 1:50:50, then there would have been a scope for part 2. The scenes from 1:50:50 till the end was really unnecessary( but that is just my opinion).
No other serial killer creeped me out like Lee jung suk's character. Lee jung suk proved that he can handle any role with ease - not just the sweet lover boy role. Amazing acting Lee jung suk. You were perfect for the role. This is worth your time, watch it!
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I found it confusing..
The story started out with a good premise, unfortunately it wasn't really enough to carry the story.They did a ton of flashbacks - they were very confusing because there was no indication they were flashbacks! Usually, there is a special effects, fade in or out, etc. Not in this series, and since they were almost always in school clothes, it was difficult to tell if it was present or past.
Also, they looked so much alike, sometimes I couldn't tell who was who! The few included kisses were lips pressed, then back of their heads and show them from a distance - all tricks used on BL series when the actors don't want to kiss - it's an automatic turn off - if you can't kiss properly, just leave it out altogether.
It was nice, if that is what you are looking for. The series got a lot of positive reviews, but for me - it has no rewatch value.
Not the worst, nor the best.
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Overall I would recommend watching this short film.
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It starts off with a really ridiculous situation, in my opinion but soon it starts to get better. I love how the story brings light to a lot of things especially the hardships of being a single parent and the love that's lost in your married life.
Everyone in this drama did a good job in portraying their characters especially to the kid who played Min Woo, he did a good job.
Surely, as someone who has never been in a relationship nor marriage, this drama gave me life lessons. This drama is very heart-warming and it's really funny too. If you want a good laugh, you should definitely watch this show.
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a mystery/thriller series that tried something different
Overall: I appreciate that this series had a unique premise. This is more mystery/thriller instead of horror/gore, there are some very heavy topics and things shown. Aired 14 episodes about 45 minutes each on GagaOOLala. Make sure to watch the entire post credits scene in episode 14.BL content: I'll put this in a spoiler comment
Content Warnings: there are some really heavy topics, see my comment with a spoiler for the full list
What I Liked
- unique premise
- blended different elements well
- acting
- liked in episode 2 how Dan sought communication from Nai
- a few sweet moments (including the friend cuddle)
- production value
Room For Improvement
- unless I missed it, 2 characters should have been shown being arrested by police but the writing seemed to suggest that their own miserable lives were bad enough (but they should have been arrested)
- how much Josh & Nai believed Dan who they had recently befriended stretched credulity a bit
- where was the teacher at the pool???
- I dislike that the school priest tried to force forgiveness
- open ending
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BL Drama no Shuen ni Narimashita: Crank Up Hen
24 people found this review helpful
stellar comedy, need a season 2
Overall: this crack comedy made me laugh but it also made me empathize with Aoyagi. 3 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/3919/i-became-the-main-role-of-a-bl-drama-2023-e01What I Liked
- laughed many times, it has an exaggerated style of humor which I can struggle with, but they made it work
- the two managers (I need more info on their background)
- how they differentiated between the acting scenes and other scenes
- characters weren't unrealistically stupid, they figure things out
- sweet moments
Room For Improvement
- who falls asleep like that and then doesn't wake up in ep 1???
- needed 5 more seconds at the very end of episode 3
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This review may contain spoilers
An amazing outcome
When I was looking for something to watch on Netflix, I came across this series. At first, I was actually sceptical, as the description made me angry. However, I gave it a try, as I had too much free time ( I know, I need to get a life!).
From an artistic point of view, this drama is amazing! The colours, the lighting, the framing, and the camera angles (the cinematography in general), were actually to my liking. As for the plot, I must admit that I was frustrated with it. I do realise that its in the Japanese culture for women to focus on wedding and having children before a certain age; however, I find it rather harsh for having this type of mindset now. Women should do whatever they want, and if they don't want to get married and have children then that should be legalised! I don't understand why there are still people making women feel bad about those things. We did not come to this world to fit in the norms that other people have. Anyway, I am going to stop talking about this matter, as it really bothers me.
The acting was really good. All of the actors (lead and secondary) gave their 100%. However, I have to admit that I found the female lead as a weak and creepy character. I want to point out again how amazing the acting was, Tokunaga was able to express how miserable Wako was and how she tried to fit in the status quo. Now let me elaborate more on the plot.
Wako, is a 31 years old woman who is not happy with her life and how her relationship with her boyfriend (Fu) is. To be honest, she was right to not being happy with her boyfriend. He was someone who did not respect her, who belittled her, who took her for granted, who did not realise how much work and money she invested in their relationship. Did he deserve to be cheated? Hell no! Even though they tried to show us that Fu was indifferent towards Wako, I still believe that he loved her. His way of loving her might not have been a romantic one, but he was in love with her. Unfortunately, I feel that she was not in love with him. She was repeating that she does not have get to choose who he will be with, so when Fu came, she should be him as she might not get another chance. Her way of thinking is idiotic and she disrespected Fu's feelings for her. She was only being patient with him, as she wanted to get married.
That's when she meets Yumeaki, a handsome high school boy. This is where the real issue starts for me. Even though she knows his true age, and their big age gap, she still makes a move on him. In a way it is understandable, that she wants to fill the void from her relationship with her boyfriend; but he is underage! I felt that she tried to prove herself, through those actions as Fu was not taking care of her. What she did was wrong. In a way she seduced an underage boy and gave him a type of pleasure that he experienced for the first time. There were multiple times when she promised that she would end things with Yumeaki, but she always got back to him.
Someone could have been jealous of her, as a handsome young boy fell in love with her; yet, I think that this situation is not a jealousy worthy one. The difference between the maturity and the generation gap between them, could be seen. Yumeaki, had his friends at school, while Wako was feeling lonely at her new place. Furthermore, I felt that Yumeaki, was getting crazier as the episodes went by. He was possessive over her, he did not trust her talking to other guys, he feared that she would cheat on him with another man, and he was acting like a spoiled child that could not get what he wanted. However, the way he behaved was the consequences of their relationship.
For me, by the end of the series, Yumeaki changed from a handsome high school boy to a maniac boy who does not know how to comprehend the true consequences of his actions. This is a perfect example of "be careful what you wish, cause you might get it". Yumeaki was not longer who he was.
What really bothered me though, except the unrealistic expectations for women, is how Wako was never punished for her crimes. It was a crime to be in a relationship with a minor, and the only punishment that she got were some rumours at her workplace. No! It is illegal what she did. Love has nothing to do with that. He was 15 years old, she was 32. But, I felt the sexual scenes were needed in order to understand their feelings for each other and establish the character development of Yumeaki.
Love and Fortune, is a rather controversial series. You do understand why Wako is doing what she is doing, but that does not mean that you agree with her. This series presents a great ethical dilemma and puts the watcher into deep thought. Would I have done the same thing if I had the chance? Would I approach my problems with my current boyfriend different? Would I let the age be an issue with a person that I liked? It is a good series to watch in one go, as it is a rather short one.
P.S.1. To be honest, I am not a fun of an open ending; I prefer to be given an ending by the director, rather than leaving the ending to my imagination. I wanted to know what the end was really like.
P.S.2. I was rather invested in the movie that was shown on the last episode. I would totally watch that movie if it really existed.
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The mains are great, but I also need to add that I've never seen such a great supporting cast. The music is perfect.
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One of the best medical cdrama i've watched
It's so hard to find a good quality medical cdrama so when I started to watch this i have no high expectation. It didn't disappoint me tho. Exceeded all my expectations. While there's rivalry and hospital politics, they're not toxic. Any misunderstanding are wrapped up in time, not dragging and annoying. All characters are lovable. No one is problematic. Time flies so fast when I watch an episode. It keeps me wanting more. Patient cases are interesting and heartwarming. I especially liked how mostly are coming from emergencies and some cases are hard to diagnose. I personally don't care about the scientific and explanations. I just want a medical cdrama where I can enjoy watching it. And this is one of it. I keep looking forward to going home and settle in my bed and watch it and keep wanting more after i'm done. It's really feel good. No stress. I hope it stays that way. I'm bad at writing anything but i need to let this out. This drama is so underrated. I wish more people get to watch it. Highly recommended.Was this review helpful to you?
A Fun Revisit to Some Favorite Ships
So just as an initial note for anyone unaware/confused, this is not a continuation of Love by Chance, which is why the characters have different names and for the most part different mannerisms (Plan and Perth seemed very similar to their respective LBC character counterparts). There are, though, some playful allusions to LBC and the fandom, which I thought was a cute touch. As for Phun and Noh, this felt more like a slice-of-life additional chapter to what we’ve already seen (kind of similar to the compilation Our Skyy) but not necessarily a continuation of their story either. Overall, this project was designed to be more of a fun treat to give fans.That said, I think fans of those shows will enjoy this little project, provided they keep in mind that it's its own separate work. It's great seeing some of the most well-loved Thai BL pairings back together, and New really is a talented and fantastic director. It feels like you're watching a crossover between the two universes (though, again, not technically so) which added a fun little dynamic.
In terms of plot, there's a story there. The main one is simple and relies on the oft used theme of misunderstandings and ensuing jealousy, but it kept me entertained and wasn't bogged down with unrelated filler. The secondary one gives us an earnest Mean trying to win over Plan’s moody heart, and I enjoyed seeing them act with different personalities. For consisting of only three, short episodes, ReminderS did a nice job of giving us a lighthearted, complete little one-shot, but I wouldn’t expect anything less from New.
As far as acting goes, I first have to say that Perth really impressed me with how far he's come since the first few episodes of LBC, and I think Captain has improved since his Love Sick days as well (and looked damn fine too, might I add). I loved the dynamic between all of them, as friends, enemies, lovers--they worked really well together which made this special all the more fun to watch.
The music--man I just have to say that the first and last minutes or so of episode one gave me all the nostalgic feels, and I was definitely here for it. Such a good move using those songs as the opening and closing themes! It really set the tone beautifully and having it interspersed throughout the other episodes as well added a really nice, sentimental touch.
Overall--really enjoyed it and of course recommend. You definitely don't need to watch Love Sick or LBC first to understand and enjoy ReminderS, so no worries if you interested in this one and haven't seen the others--totally fine to watch this one first.
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This review may contain spoilers
It's real life and it's okay!
I'm satifasted with the drama. First of all, the cast is amazing! I was impressed with the debut of Baek Sung-chul. He and Hani were the best couple EVER!Then, the stories unfolded evenly, giving us the information to keep up with the gaps. The ending was, at the very least, interesting, simple and real. I wish she was already very well with the director? Clear. However, how unrealistic would that be, considering all the trauma of past relationships? Min Hyuk, I was angry with you, but it just proves how good the plot was and you are an excellent actor! In short, this k-drama is adult, realistic and even simple. I thought it was well distributed in its episodes and was very consistent. And I recommended for those who are not looking for a drama of great events, but an easy and light entertainment to watch.
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A hot mess of a tragedy
This drama was kind of a hot mess. I watched it till the end just coz I wanted to know what kind of ending they were going with, and when it ended, I literally said out loud, "Wait, what?"What I liked:
- I love IU, and the actor playing the 4th prince was pretty good too... for about the first 4-5 episodes lol
All other thoughts:
- This show is adapted from a Chinese court intrigue romance novel and it shows: internalized misogyny where the women are either Mary Sues who die or very unlikeable assholes, court politics, power and hierarchy... Leading to my next point:
- Although this was in a Korean setting, the show felt like a Chinese story - the themes about power and the throne/succession, the storylines of each of the characters... it was pretty interesting. I've read quite a few CN court politics novels and a lot of the tropes, plot, and storylines in this drama were very familiar
- Pacing was bad. First ten episodes felt pretty slow although there were some really funny and cute moments. Last ten episodes was faster, but somewhat predictable
- I seriously did not like how the female protagonist was written. Reminded me a lot of The Rise of Phoenixes: the female protagonist starts out pretty decent, but then ends up tragic, losing the will to live, damsel in distress. By the end, the female lead exists just as a tragic female figure for manpain and angst. She even died of childbirth, lol
- Can't believe I'm meant to ship the 4th prince with the female lead? He's possessive and has serious control and power issues because of abandonment issues. I was creeped out by him. Which leads to my next point
- Characterization was poor. I didn't really find a lot of the characters' change in motivations and behavior convincing, and it felt like they were forced into being a certain way because the plot/tragedy demanded it
- Also lol what was up with that ending
- Side note that the 4th prince/Emperor alone in the snow, abandoned, totally reminded me of Ning Yi from The Rise of Phoenixes. I'm sure there's something to be said about internalized misogyny and manpain in CN novels
Overall, I've watched better shows regardless of whether it's about court politics or doomed romance
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Why not begin by dispelling possible preconceptions? Miss Korea is not some cheap opportunity to watch lovely ladies prance and preen. It never glorifies the institution of the beauty contest, nor does it present beauty as the only measure of female worth. Unlike myriad other dramas, characters do not fall dead at the feet of resident beauties. There is also no ugly duckling plot-line; the lead character is attractive, accepted as such, and needs little more than trade knowledge and support. No Hollywood style, remove-the-glasses-and-change-the-girl makeovers here, folks.
So what exactly is Miss Korea then? It is the earnest tale of perseverance, hard work, friendship, and love. Flaunting quirky style and offbeat humor, viewers tag along as a gorgeous elevator girl, a cosmetics micro-company, and a gangster (who ought to have been a teacher) all chase after their dreams. While the beauty contest plays a large part, it is merely the means to an end. Some events might be a touch predictable, this or that element slightly off, but so much remains to be enjoyed.
But what is any script without an excellent and involving cast? Lee Yeon Hee comes to mind first, playing delightful lead Oh Ji Young. This actress depicts both the strength and vulnerability of her character with aplomb, lending herself easily to the required nuances. Ji Young is also one of my favorite female characters to ever appear in a drama; she displays personal fortitude without authority or martial skill, but with one courageous “Waikiki!” and a bright smile. Lee Sun Gyun falters a little in comparison. His Kim Hyun Joon starts off by rather being sleazy and difficult to like. Luckily, as his chemistry with Lee Yeon Hee stabilizes and the drama finds its pace, so does he; interactions with his leading lady become a definite highlight. I adored both actor and character by the end. Nothing can make his flashback sequences less awkward, sadly. There’s just no making the man look like a teenager.
Other memorable performances come from Lee Mi Sook (fascinating Ma Ae Ri, whom I would love to explain but cannot because she's that incredible), and Lee Sung Min (oddly lovable gangster: Teacher Jung). His every scene with Song Sun Mi (Go Hwa Jung) were highlights in of themselves. It isn't often I fall for supporting characters as much as the leads, but these guys made it easy. Not everything is peachy, though. My chief complaint tacks onto Lee Ki Woo; he's gorgeous, I've enjoyed him before, but his Yoon was a hateful character played too stiffly for my taste.
If one has heard nothing else about Miss Korea, they'll have at least heard how amazing the soundtrack is. As picky as I can get with music, I concur with that opinion wholeheartedly. From memorable instrumentals to fitting insert vocals, this drama has everything. Personal favorites include "Moonlight" (Onew of SHINee), "Hero" (J-Min), and pretty much anything contributed by Every Single Day. Such a great sound for a more than pleasant show.
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This review may contain spoilers
Life and death are in the power of the tongue.
The only goal of this review is to explore spiritual themes and messaging in Mr. Plankton. I'm not analyzing on any other level, so if that's your thing, let's get into it.The story begins with the fulfillment of two curses, previously spoken by the leads over each other at the end of a very unpleasant breakup. Jae Mi tells Hae Jo that he'll die alone in the street and Hae Jo tells Jae Mi that she'll never be a mother. Unseen, the forces of darkness leap to bring about the circumstances necessary to enact these words and several years later, on the same day, in the same hospital, Hae Jo is diagnosed with a terminal case of tangled blood vessels in his brain, and Jae Mi is told she's entered premature menopause.
Hae Jo is the more intuitive of the two and seems to understand that the road to redemption is through Jae Mi, so he kidnaps her from her wedding. Her wedding is a farce, a play where everyone is playing their part no matter how ridiculous. Jae Mi has no real self-esteem and has built a house of cards with her fiancé that will come crashing down the moment his family realizes she's not pregnant nor likely to be in the future. Hae Jo recognizes that she is not being honest with herself because of her desperation for family. What he doesn't recognize is that his own repeated abandonment of Jae Mi is a different reaction to the same desperation.
A series of adventures begins in which Hae Jo looks for his father and drags Jae Mi along with him. The story bounces back and forth between outrageous shenanigans and moments of genuine connection and soulfulness. In a particularly moving scene, Jae Mi asks Hae Jo to sing her a song. "You were made to receive the greatest love. You'll feel it in every part of your life." He sings life over her. Not an exact reversal of the original curse but powerful nonetheless.
Later in the story, when Hae Jo has flatlined once and seems near to death, Jae Mi decides to sneak his unconscious body out of the hospital. It's completely ridiculous, but in a moment of desperation she finally tells him she doesn't want him to die. She pulls back a corner of the curse blanketing him and he awakens. She buys him some time.
Unfortunately for this story, and the swollen eyed writer of this review, neither Hae Jo no Jae Mi ever fully understand the power of their own tongues. Reversing a curse requires repeated application over a period of time and so we're left with a story of limited redemption and a pretty heart wrenching ending. Here's hoping that radical, destiny changing, curse reversing redemption becomes increasingly common in future endeavors in storytelling in Kdramaland.
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