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Emotionally Exhausting.
This psychological thriller felt predictable to me when it comes to the plot, but its manner of execution combined with the taxing performances, particularly by Kang Ha Neul and Kim Mu Yeol is what makes it brilliant.I'm sure that I might forget the name Jin Seok somewhere in in the future, but in no way am I going to forget his face and the rollercoaster of emotions that I felt while watching this.
[Though, there was one pivotal scene which seemed quite illogical and poorly written, considering the circumstances.]
Kudos to each and everyone who worked on this movie.
Sometimes there are instances and feelings which are absolutely impossible to put into words. And this movie is a paradigm example of that.
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This review may contain spoilers
I have not wrote many reviews. When i am done watching a drama (even ones people hate the ending to) i typically have some sort feeling. I hit episode 58 and watch the end then realized it was over and that almost perfectly mirrors my experience watching this show. A lack of attachment or feeling in general. Literally, a waste of time, which is sad becuase i like the world that was set up. Lots of crazy stuff happens but i never really felt connected to any of it. I just don't get why its rated above a 7 at most. There are no blaring issues with this Drama its just not a very enthralling story. In short, its boring and the characters are unlikable and unrelatable. There is no one to cheer for. The show doesn't give us a reason to care for the main character, she is almost unlikable for most of the Drama. Her love interests, are bland and more than stoic. They are stoic and at the same time super irrational (its dumb). Heck, even her child you cannot care about because clearly she doesn't. The child shows up and disappears like its some sort of toy. Oh don't worry mommy got her memory back but doesn't really give a shit about you baby, WTF.
The only character the MC shows any kind of decent connection to is her Master and he is asleep 90% of the show.
I think a 6 maybe high, but i do understand that i am rather harsh on shows.
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This review may contain spoilers
An adventure show with great vives
The show mixes a between a lot of genres and often succeeds in most of the parts it is trying to play. It's main issue is that the show is short with a very simple plot that could have been a 2 hour movie.The main 3 characters have decent chemistry between each other, one often carrying the other; however, it is often annoying that all of them feel incomplete and don't talk their mind ever. The male lead is dying but refuses to tell anyone and even in the end he does not feel that sick so that story point seemed moot. The female lead had issues getting pregnant but It did not have any meaningful impact in the story and no one really cared at all about the issue. And other the male character was so incompetent in everything that I always ignored him.
It's a shame that none of the plot points mattered and it is just a simple journey/adventure show, where you get to see new things and places. I enjoyed the first few episodes but later nothing seemed to happen between any characters. I was confident after episode 4 or 5 that the main lead is gonna be fine after the show and it is going to be a simple ass ending and I was right. I am not saying it is a bad thing is that I would have loved to have some changes to happen and something of consequence to occur in each episode. And in my opinion nothing was going on.
In conclusion, the show had a bit too small of a plot to not be a movie and be a full fledged series. It is a mini series and it succeeds in doing that. I would have loved the show to have some consequences or some changes in situations between the leads and the people surrounding them as I got super bored after episode 6. But it is a well acted and directed mini show that delivers in what it promises.
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The worst remake I have ever seen.
Before starting this series, I was excited to see Win as the protagonist. But when I saw the first episode I knew this was going to be a disaster, unfortunately I was right.The Korean version is a very important series for me because I identify with both Sumi and Mi-rae. I could feel the pain that they both had to endure what toxic society demands of us women. Be beautiful, thin and kind to the point of hurting yourself so that this cruel world will accept and love you. They both suffered in different ways, but they were both hurt in the process of being accepted.
Here the first thing I felt was that Liu did not carry the same burden and they did not judge her as much for her operation. Which is a crucial point because Mi-rae by having to go through those horrible criticisms of hers was able to overcome, accept and love herself as she was no matter what others said about her.
Secondly, his great hatred towards Guy was problematic. She made the character frustrating until the end. She could unconditionally trust anyone she barely knew, except Guy, who she really hated for no reason. It is very ridiculous and her character was not well written or well executed by the actress. I really think it was a bad decision for the actress to take this role, she didn't really convey any kind of sympathy or compassion for what an idiot she was.
Guy... Well, I started watching this because I was excited to see Win. But the minutes on screen were so few that it made the chemistry between him and the actress difficult. He didn't acting well either, he looked like a robot. Unable to resolve or help Liu like Kyung Seok did with Mi-rae. I think he still needs a lot of training to act.
Faye... the actress acted well. I think she is the only redeemable one in terms of acting. But her story was ridiculous. Her motives of hatred towards Liu were also. Sumi hated because a friend of hers stole the boy she liked for an operation. Not because of whether she had money or not. She really lived in a pigsty. She barely had a mattress on the floor to sleep on. Still, she Faye complained when she even had a computer to streaming lol.
The ending was just as disappointing for me. I really wasn't expecting anything at this point but it still managed to disappoint me even more.
I liked that Sumi made a change in her hair, and she who hated perfumes will start using them. I also liked seeing that there was a psychologist to treat her mental problems. And the conversation she had with Kyung Seok.
I also think it was a good decision for Sumi to take a break from university so she could be better about herself. And although she and Mi-rae didn't become friends, it was a nice gesture that she returned to university just to give Mi-rae the perfume she always used to wear as a gift from her.
With the damage that Sumi did to Mi-rae, it was totally normal that they couldn't be friends but that Sumi, in her own way, thanked her and asked for forgiveness.
Faye and Liu... they could never be friends with someone who really wanted to see you destroyed. That's not credible.
Saint was really annoying, when the sunbae's character was actually very kind and understanding. He seemed more of a protagonist than Guy and that was the case until the end. I also didn't feel that friendship that Kyung Seok formed with his sunbae. The only thing Saint did was bother.
And what can I say about the final kiss? Nothing really romantic and everything very forced. Since Liu spent most of his time hating him, they couldn't have had chemistry. It also seemed like Win was being forced. He and the actress really had no chemistry at all.
The Korean version's message is much deeper but no one wants to watch it because it's "boring." So what was this?
It was torture to watch it, but I told myself I was going to finish watching it so I could have all my thoughts about this remake clear in my head.
And no, I didn't want it to be exactly the same. I don't criticize him for that. A remake always brings new things and that's great. But here time was wasted on so many absurd things that the essence of the original work itself was lost (I'm referring to the webtoon).
The director and the screenwriter really did a very bad job.
So no, I don't recommend it at all. I know there will be people who will like it but from my point of view if you are looking for a well-defined message, with romance and chemistry, just don't watch it.
I for one will pretend this drama never existed and will never watch it again.
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I mean, it was perfect. I love everything, HE is the ideal boyfriend: romantic, sweet, lovely, gentleman, and handsome. SHE, was perfect too: beautiful, brave, a REAL WOMAN. I'm just too sad because it's over..... I feel like a bittersweet right now, but i'll be okay.
It is the typical love story that many would like to have but that is not part of the real reality that we live today.
I loved everything, the music, the direction, the acting, the characters, the relationships, the environment where it developed.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I SEE DRAMAS, I did not feel that the second protagonist deserved the main character (in a good way, he is a sweet man), but I feel that his place will never be her, and when they see, they will understand .
I watched this series at dawn on January 2, 2018 and finished it on the night of January 3, 2018.
A perfect start to the year. JUST WATCH IT!
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This review may contain spoilers
Satisfying ending, however the Netflix issues were worse.
I enjoyed Moon Dong-eun and Joo Yeo-jeong's stories a lot! I was so relieved as, there was a point there where it almost seemed like they wouldn't get a happy ending. This part really hit hard on obstacles in Moon Dong-eun's way, especially her mother, but I felt satisfied that the punishments doled out were proportionate.This part digs more into Moon Dong-eun's terrible mother. In some ways, the ending of her career at the school felt unaddressed. She says farewell to Yeon-sol, but since we didn't get many shots of Moon Dong-eun at the school in this part, it almost felt like she wasn't there that much, despite it being her job. A couple of things felt somewhat dropped in this part.
We find out that Jae Jun apparently got Yoon-hee pregnant, but we don't really dig into that any further. For a character that was so important to Yeon-jin's story, his ending seemed a little brushed aside. Sa-ra's undoing was a little confusing as everyone seemed worried she'd be in big trouble after the press photos at the church, but then she was just at home playing around on her computer like nothing happened. It took her stabbing Choi Hye-jeong in the neck for her to get in any serious trouble, and I don't think Moon Dong-eun could've predicted that.
Ha Dong-yeon's ending was happy, I think. I was a little curious why he didn't have any further goodbye with Moon Dong-eun, but I was glad he wasn't caught in the crossfire too badly after Yeon-jin's conviction.
Again, my issues with this series were Netflix produced drama's tendency to have unnecessary nudity, unnecessarily drawn out violent scenes and unnecessary sex scenes. I have never seen a kdrama with bare breasts - I also don't think that was necessary. We have an unnecessarily drawn out (and repeated) sex scene with Myeong-o and Sa-ra. Also, a really weird note, the scene where we find out there's a creep at the elementary school taking pictures of children showed the pictures and I don't think they needed to. You can convey what he was doing with that. There were a lot more scenes of characters just screaming at each other and that didn't make for drama, it skewed into melodrama, in my opinion.
However, overall, I enjoyed the series and it's ending. I think it would've been even stronger if there didn't seem to be this focus on adding the kinds of scenes that draw in international audiences.
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One of the best Cdramas in 2022. Get ready for a rollercoaster of emotions!
L&P is not just your average Cdrama. I dare say it surpassed the usual dramaland cliche for many. If you are in for a very different and intriguing drama, L&P is your best bet!Story:
The story revolves around college students. At first, it might seem like many school dramas, but as the story goes on, we go deep inside the lead's lives. we realize how different and hard life can be for some. It's not glittery or fluffy all the time. It has its dark moments and happy moments.
The story is divided into 3 phases: Present, past, and again present all within the span of 3 years. All focus on character development and the lead's interactions. The writers did a marvelous job depicting these characters and we get to know how they are. it's thorough and sweet altogether. Kudos to the writers for their awesome job and to the novel writer for creating a masterpiece!
Acting:
It was my first time seeing Chen Feiyu, but i dare say he is really talented and such a great actor. His face is full of emotions and he will melt your heart while watching the drama. he deserves an award for his role!
Zhang Jingyi, aka the FL. She seems a bit naive and poker-faced at first to some, but as the story goes on, she shines and develops into a character that you will never forget. She really matured and by episode 36, you will realize how the actress made the character lovable to us.
The villain and other cast were all also great. Especially the villains. The actors did a wonderful job.
Chemistry:
One of the best aspects of this drama is focused on chemistry. due to the fact that this drama has 3 phases, We encounter leads in different situations in their lives. In the first college phase, they open up and start a relationship. we gradually see changes in their behavior and they turn into one of those power couples. Yet the story gets interrupted, and the other phases follow. But you should know the couple has a burning chemistry. They might not touch or kiss directly, but you see their eyes full of emotions, Their looks burning their existence, and their actual intimacy and skinship like a natural pair.
And if you are into romance, this drama will satisfy your cravings. There are many kiss scenes, many intimate scenes, hugs, bed scenes, etc. Get ready to enjoy it fully lol
OST:
The songs are brilliant. They match the mood, the scenes, the emotions, Everything! even the lyrics speak for the characters in each scene.
Production:
Unlike many Cdramas with shabby locations, this one actually has a really decent production. The places they filmed different scenes are greatly exerted. From the college to companies, and their private homes, all are in accordance with the story.
Especially the scenes where important events happen, we get to envision special effects and great shots ( trees, forests, snow scenes, etc)
All in All, one of those memorable dramas that will stay in your mind for a long time!
It's not cringe-worthy, it is not silly, and there are no loopholes.
watch it for an awesome chemistry and an engaging story altogether at once( Which is really rare tbh)
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this.
where to start?i am completely convinced this will never be topped. just everything about this is so cute.
let's start with the story. with the first episode everything has already been said. "this is a slightly silly love story about hardworking good-natured high schoolers." and it is exactly that. this is a character-driven drama honestly. the plot is there for the characters not the other way around. like a lot of coming of age dramas, it's about the characters and not the plot. it shows the life of a (struggling and confused lol) bisexual teen in high school juggling new love, friendship and of course, school. it also sometimes shows the persepctive of his love interest, a well-meaning volleyball player who is also new to this whole love thing and bad at expressing emotions.
the acting. the facial expressions michieda shunsuke has done for this show is incredible. it might seem over the top but for those who have read the manga know im not kidding when i say that's practically what aoki is like in the manga too. meguro ren as ida was spot-on. that is the blank-faced ida i know and love brought to life. the casting was just perfection. also ya gotta admit. they're a good looking pair. as for fukomoto riko and suzuki jin, they are also perfect cast. they do amazing as their characters. the casting seriously perfect.
oh the music. oh the music. i love it. i really do. both secret touch and ubu-love. these songs are blasting in my head at all times. they are very fitting to the drama. the lyrics from secret touch especially. secret touch is sung by meguro ren's group (snowman) and ubu-love is sung by michieda shunsuke's group (naniwa danshi).
and the rewatch value? oh darling, i was rewatching the first episode religiously since i saw it. it became apart of my DAILY routine. then the second episode was released. so i was rewatching the first two until the third episode. then i was rewatching the three until the fourth and basically that's how i've been living. easily rewatchable. you will be desperate for more.
overall. my favourite jdrama and probably overall drama for all of 2021. i love a series with heaps and heaps of drama but something like kiekoi has seriously topped. it's a sweet silly love story of two inexperienced teens in high school realistically done. one of my favourite aspects is probably how relatable this was for me. as a bi teen in high school, i have experienced something like this. it wasn't as sweet and happy in fact it sucked. watching aoki and ida navigate their love in a sweeter and happier way despite their ups and downs, makes me like this drama a lot. so. watch this if you need something sweeter than candy.
tldr; one of the best jdramas of 2021. sweet cute love story between two inexperinced teens. 10/10 would recommened. biased because it's personal to me lol but seriously, its really really good.
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A Thrilling Thai Zombie Series Packed with My Favourite BL Stars
After two years of waiting for DOMUNDI’s next big project, Zomvivor finally arrived on Netflix, and it did not disappoint. This Thai zombie series is everything I hoped for and more.It reminded me of All of Us Are Dead, but what made it even more special is that it features so many of my favourite BL actors all in one show. I love seeing Janis and Keng/Namping from Khemjira, along with ZeeNuNew, Tommy, Jimmy, Tim, Boss, MaxNat, TutorYim, NetJames, Boun, Park, and Poppy, truly a dream cast for BL fans.
The story follows a group of students whose normal school day turns into a nightmare when a deadly infection suddenly breaks out across the city. Cut off from the outside world and surrounded by chaos, they must rely on each other to survive. As fear spreads and trust begins to crumble, friendships are tested, alliances are formed, and every decision becomes a matter of life and death.
The zombies are genuinely terrifying, the atmosphere is dark and relentless, and every episode leaves you on edge. The tension builds beautifully with just the right mix of horror, emotion, and suspense. The acting is phenomenal, you can truly feel the panic, desperation, and hope of each character. The soundtrack and cinematography are equally impressive, enhancing every scene’s impact.
Even though it is not a BL series, seeing so many beloved BL actors together brings a sense of connection and excitement that makes the show even more special. Their chemistry and emotional performances make you care deeply about their fates, and it is impossible not to get attached.
I finished all seven episodes in one sitting because it was that addictive. Zomvivor is dark, emotional, and action-packed, a perfect blend of horror and heart. A solid 10/10 from start to finish.
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The not a BL continues...
I have no clue why MDL says it's the "Side Story" when it clearly is not. This is chapter 2 of the series and it continues from the last series. https://mydramalist.com/profile/11366851/review/475568The premise is different this time... There is a new young man seeking out the tutor, but he has an ulterior motive which gets revealed in the end, but the story is not finished when this series ends. So I hope there will be another three or six episodes to complete the whole story.
While it's not a a side story, this also turns it up a notch. More story, better NC scenes and much better chemistry between the two actors imho. It did not feel akward in the least and both actors did a great job. So, if you have not much experience, you should watch it regardless, because you may learn some things. Otherwise it may be too much for the fangirls, because it's pure and raw without fluff.
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Started off as great, drifted in the middle and fell short to deliver good concept
This drama wants to give an important lesson - In case of grave situations, will you choose yourself or your loved one? In the recent self-centered world, there are people who still choose to sacrifice themselves to protect their loved ones. And our leads are one of them.This drama had good concept, very good cast and different vibes from other horror dramas. But unfortunately it did not deliver properly because of LACK of required content after airing half-way through. It started off as very FAST-paced and engaging, but soon it became dragged and went in circles and circles. There was nothing to keep you look forward to next episode. But last episode finished on pretty good note.
I wish they give another chance and make a season 2 with good story with the same cast.
The acting is great. Daniel kept his worth as ghost detective Da il. He is clever and deeply cares about the people around him. Eun bin is a good actress. Yeo wool was convincing. Both leads had painful past revolving around their family and so they understand each other. They had GOOD chemistry together but couldn't be explored more as it isn't in the story. But whatever time they had together, it was good. The bond between them was very different, more of two humans who shared SAME VALUES together.
Ji ah is really scary as Sunwoo hye. Killing people while sucking on a lolly-pop. she was an UNIQUE antagonist. She is smart and more powerful than the leads. Of course, little Sunwoo hye (Heo Jung Eun) is more scary. She made me cry in Oh My Geum bi! and here she is scary as hell.. Bravo to little actress!
This drama would have been better if there were only 10-12 episodes instead of standard 16 episodes. Just because of insisting the certain number of episodes, they ruined a very good drama. but the last episode was definitely saver.
Music is good. Some OSTs are memorable. Background score gives you goosebumps in some cases specially in Ji ah 's scenes.
Definitely NOT a rewatch.
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To talk about acting... to say anything... really won't mean anything... as everything was just perfect, perfect, perfect!
And the music... sometimes it made me dizzy, if I wasn't sitting while watching, I'd fall down for sure...
This movie really made my day!
Totally recommended!!!
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Cheese in the Trap will always hold a special place in my heart. First of all, it's the first Kdrama series that I'd started watching and that got me sucked into this Korean entertainment world. Second, I really enjoy reading the manhwa of this story. So to be quite honest, I had really high expectations for this movie. From the first glance of the teasers I noticed that the movie's cast is more fitting and appropriate than the original actors of the Cheese in the Trap drama. There is no better actor who could play the dark and mysterious Yoo Jung than Park Hae Jin. I was surprised, that a lot of people didn't like the fact that the actress for our Hong Seol has changed. However, I personally think that the new actress looked more like the original comic book character, and her personality of Hong Seol was more like I've imagined her to be. Now for the storyline, I believe that one movie is not enough to depict the story of Cheese in the Trap. Many important scenes were just not added into the movie and left out. What a bummer. However, the cinematography gave me something beautiful to look at for 2 hours. The camerawork was simply amazing and mesmerizing.
Overall, this was personally a feel-good movie to watch for me to watch. I love the original drama and the storyline so much, that I just can't get enough! I would love for the directors to turn this into a drama with the new cast since, I think that the new actors fit the roles of the characters much better!
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The movie's not perfect, but I still love it :) Great music, great cinematography, and dialogue exchange on confessions ... I replay all the couple interactions between the two main characters, just because, I'm a sucker for make-out scenes.
WHAT CAN BE IMPROVED:
It would've been better if it included a backstory (as explained in the original novel) on how Cheng Zheng fell in love with Su Yunjin. Also, the movie did not provide more scenes on events that occurred, ultimately not giving enough time on characters to grow and develop properly throughout the story.
Otherwise, the movie is great. The ending was slightly disappointing because I wanted a more straightforward ending, but it opened up questions and allowed me to think about what should happen based on the decisions the couples have made in the story. It's a neutral ending and I didn't see anything bad from it.
By the way, this movie ending isn't the actual ending to the story. If you watch the MV version of the theme song to Never Gone you would see the perfect happy ending that most viewers would be looking for. *raises hand* :)
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