This review may contain spoilers
Had to Fast forward to finish it, the ML is the only saving grace
Zhang Si Nian (ML): The actor that portrays this character does very well with roles that feature him as a genius. But he was much better in Unforgettable Love (2021). The ML in the show was pretty nice but a bit slow on the uptake. Once he figured out that he was in love in the FL, he didn't play any games and tried his best to win her over.Yun Shu (FL):
The Bad:
Childish character with annoying voice. I had to clench my teeth to keep going, because i just needed to know the entire story. I don't mind it when a character is a little bubbly, it makes things interesting, but Yun Shu was kind of unbearable. The ML looked better with Yun Shu's sister when they were all together in a frame.
The Good:
She was a nice person overall and also didn't play any games. She even reminded me of Shim Chung / Seo Hwa from The Legend of the Blue Sea even before she actually put on a mermaid costume.
It was an okay drama. Not worth a rewatch though.
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Sooo good yet so draggy...
Once upon a time there was a lonely prince who lived in a palace where toxic masculinity and rivalry ruled... The women where abused and used as objects owned by men. Tradition was supposedly strong in the palace and any one male or female who tried to go up against it was tossed in to a marriage against their will, pretty much forced to commit suicide or ended up in prison. People where scheming plots all over the place...But one day the prince met a girl whom was warm, funny and loved food above anything. And while he could not make her his wife he made her is concubine... Which made for the start of a whole bunch of people working towards new lives... and yes A New Life Begins...
The drama has a lot of everything, maybe a bit to much of everything as nothing seems to get fully explored and both drags out for what seems like an eternity only to be wrapped up with a few lines here and there... maybe a slow mo scene of the result but the turns are fast and the process extremely inconsistent. Is this the result of poor writing, censorship or a writer who just wants to include a bit to much I do not know... But it did feel very off at times. Which is really sad because there is so much good in here.
Both leads are lovable, good actors, have great chemistry and lovely interactions with each other with some pretty steamy kisses. Unfortunately. their story does not get nearly enough screen time as all those other side plots take away from their time together. However I do have to say that this is a male lead who even though he grew up in the toxic palace actually seems to have some kind of respect for women and can both take no for an answer and seems to try to avoid forcing himself on the female lead even if they are supposed to try to consummate the guy seems to want to the girl to actually want to consummate before consummating. Showing some type of consent culture.
The food in this drama is mouth watering, making you hungry every single episode.
The side couples are mostly lovely and show a bunch of ways of power relations and personalities... As we get to see the difference between domestic violence practiced by people with power and violence in the relationship practiced by people with less power. Non are good but we do get to see a nuance done pretty well.
We also get to see a lot of women empowerment, sisterhood and a potential poly relationship that could have been so good if the drama was not so obsessed with monogamy vs concubine culture.... There is one truly annoying character but she grew on me after a while, but then she pretty much disappeared from the plot.
This drama is a good pick for those who like c-historical with many episodes and do not mind the draggy parts. For those who want to see 100 years of woman's rights battles cut down to about 3 or 4 years and are okay with getting pebbles of great romance between sisterhood, friendship, family relations, politics, food and pretty much everything in-between...
However if you are like me you will miss the pebbles and find it draggy and may find yourself struggling to finish it wanting to drop it yet still not being able to score it to low because it just has so many good parts in it...
Also the predictability is pretty high so do not expect to be kept on your toes, at all.
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This review may contain spoilers
IMPROVED, BEAUTIFUL AND BETTER. WORTH YOUR 16 HOURS!
BOYS OVER FLOWERS.. it won't be a lie if we say the story is epic. having Korean, Chinese, and Japanese versions, we all knew that it is difficult to make a new version, especially when it already has a worldwide audience. I was very excited to see what the Thailand version had to offer us this time...surprisingly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IT IS THE BESTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
like, I swear, I don't think I'd ever like any of its versions as much as I've loved the Thailand one...
let's just review the things one by one.
the characters:-----
1. THYME AKIRA- played by bright. I swear I never like this character to this extent.. no matter which version I watched I was always somewhat inclined to the fact that I don't like him.. especially if we talk about goo joon pyo, I kind of hated it it it him, in the Korean version. but thanks to BRIGHT, he has played the character the best. being a bad boy, he has been perfect, being a good boy too, suited him well. his anger, his conscience, and at the same time his soft part were very well depicted.
2. GORYA- I loved her character. the braveness well stored inside a cute little girl was sparkling enough to make you fall for her. the portrayal was beautiful. TONTAWAN did a great job doing it.
3. REN- played by dew. honestly, I was shocked when I got to know that f4 Thailand is dew's debut... I mean, how can someone be so spectacular at his debut.. his skills are commendable. his character of a suspicious and secretive boy was carried out very nicely. his love for Gorya was well hidden and especially there was no kissing scene between Gorya AND Ren. and I loved this part. in the Korean version after the kissing scene of jihoo and jandi, things were messed up to a very another extent. there was only one scene when ren was leaving for France and he gave a forehead kiss to gorya, it was personally, my favorite scene. ren's story was well depicted and the aura he held all along the show was beautiful. I fell for him at the moment when ren rescued gorya from being bullied by giving a false fire alarm in which he has all wet. he looked handsome as crazy and I can never forget that scene..... he was the first one I fell for among the four. there is a lot you can learn from REN.
4. KAVIN- played by WIN METAWIN. I am already in love with him. the depiction of his character was smooth indeed. METAWIN was perfect. considering his character as a playboy but still a person with a soft heart who values love. you are surely gonna fall in love with him.
5. MJ- his presence was felt all along. he looked handsome af. and I just loved how his story was also well shown. because when I watched the Korean version, I always felt that his story was ignored. there was almost nothing we knew about the song woo bin. but the SHORTS of his story at the end of every episode was very impressive and unexpected.
6. KANNING- I loved this girl. her sweetness, innocence, and selfless love for both her friend Gorya and her love KAVIN were beautifully portrayed. I just loved how she was always anxious about her loved ones and she carried herself... one thing which is worth mentioning is her get-up. I loved her floral outfits with her signature hairstyle with a ribbon on them. it made her look even more beautiful.
7. Roselyn Paramaanantra- THYME'S MOTHER- she was outstanding. I loved her display, her emotions, and her terror of hers.
other cast members which I significantly loved were
8. Maria Poonlertlarp as Tia Aiyawarin Paramaanantra (thyme's sister)
9. Niti Chaichitathorn (Pompam) as Gawa (Gorya and Kaning's boss). I loved him .. he was the best
10. Pansa Vosbein (Milk) as Lita Lalita Empicca (thyme's fiancee) was crazy af... and was a little toxic too, but in the end, I liked her
SHIPS:
1. GORYA AND THYME. I think their best work was on them only.. when I was watching the Korean version, in the end, my heart was not convinced, I somewhere believed that jandi would have chosen jihoo. but in this version, I swear, their pairing is the best. I also like their chemistry. in the Korean one, one thing which I didn't like was their height difference but there was nothing to dislike in this one. their love was pure. if we see the Korean version. there was a scene when Joon Pyo forcefully tries to kiss jandi, and she throws Joon Pyo off her, but there is no such scene here, thankfully. they are looking fabulous together.
2. GORYA AND REN- the bond they shared was the most beautiful thing in the story. I just loved the fact that both of them accepted that sometimes loving each other is not sufficient, sometimes two people are just not destined to be together. their bond was beautiful till the very last episode. I cried my eyes out when she danced with him saying he was her first love. they both looked just perfect together. ren never forced himself to gorya which I loved. their ship will teach you a lot about love.
3. KAVIN AND KANNING- oh god! they were so adorable together. they just looked like the perfect couple. they both will charm you out definitely. Kanning's love will show you how to love someone selflessly. their moments are beautiful.
EARLY EPISODES:-
in the early episodes in which thyme is a bad boy, I loved the way how gorya fought against him. the helping of ren, and also how Kavin and MJ advised thyme that he is doing wrong. bullying was well shown and the incidents were worth mentioning. Groya's friendship with a girl who later betrays her is also very nicely shown. Gorya showed us how to be a loyal friend even though your friend cheated on you. Gorya's parents are crazy as expected, I loved her brother. Gorya's brother was soooo cute!!
SOME OTHER POINTS:--------------
* THE OST'S WERE BEAUTIFUL. MY FAVOURITE IS "YOU ARE MY SHOOTING STAR"
IN THE END, I SWEAR, YOU'RE GONA CRY YOUR EYES OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
all over it is worth your 16 hours!!!!
ALL I CAN SAY IN THE END IS..
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, WATCH IT NOWWWWWWWWWWW!
-NANDINI SHRIVASTAVA
IG- the_koean_world.12
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This review may contain spoilers
A story with several meanings
Although Tae-in reluctantly took in the young girl, Cho-hee, to stay at his place, they eventually started gaining trust and opening up to each other. To me, this shows symptoms of Stockholm syndrome, which is a psychological connection formed with their captors during captivity. Although Tae-in did not intend to abduct Cho-hee, ultimately he is still a kidnapper who hid her away from the public eye and stopped her escape attempts. Cho-hee bonded well with Tae-in’s younger sister, and at times, it indeed felt like she was truly happy there and did not want to leave the place. Although we don’t know much about her family, but it was brought up several times in the movie that her family obviously doted on the son more, and she was actually not the intended kidnap target as well, highlighting the issue of patriarchy in her family.However, at times the line between whether if Cho-hee is suffering from Stockholm syndrome or not is quite blurred, as both Tae-in and Cho-hee could not make up their minds on how they perceived each other. For Tae-in, he just wanted to quickly get the job done and send Cho-hee away, however he still had a conscience when he knew that Cho-hee’s life was in danger. As for Cho-hee, she couldn’t decide to trust Tae-in or not, but ultimately, she makes her decision at the ending, which I will not spoil here.
Since Yoo Ah In has no lines in the movie at all, his actions and body languages are quite obvious and easy to understand, without being too exaggerated. From his expressions, ranging from joy, to worry and desperation, his character, Tae-in was able to communicate well and relate his thoughts with the on-screen characters and with the audience watching the movie. In an interview, Yoo Ah In described his character as such, “Tae-in doesn’t speak. I don’t think he is unable to speak at all as he makes some noises sometimes. He refuses to communicate with the world for some reasons.”
Overall, this movie has various blurred lines, on the overarching theme of good and evil – for the audience to interpret in their own ways, such as the lead characters working in a job that is essentially a crime, but what they do could also be rationalised as okay; and if Tae-in and Chang-bok are actually good or bad, as they are kidnappers, albeit kind-hearted ones who actually looked after their abductee. The movie ending itself is something that we did not really expect, but it does match the overall theme well.
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The characters, if not all fully developed, were funny...often silly at times. Matsuda Shota as Dr. Kota was a juxtaposition of a bumbling lovestruck goofball with that of an efficient genius doctor. Matsuda is really such a versatile actor--he never fails to entertain me. Takei Emi as Mako also didn't disappoint. She was the opposite of Dr. Kota in personality and helped to ground his character whenever his eccentricities went overboard. I especially loved Dr. Kota and Mako's chats at the end of each episode--everytime Dr. Kota said anything inappropriate, Mako would mysteriously produce a "blue slipper" and smack him on the head with it. Hah. The supporting characters were also nice to watch--sometimes adding insightful words of wisdom; more often just providing comedic relief with their antics.
This show has a great song that was a perfect episode ender - Taiyou no Megami by Leo Ieiry. Very upbeat and optimistic, like the show.
I doubt I would re-watch this drama from start to finish. But I would definitely replay the funny parts where Matsuda is being geeky and adorkable.
Pros
With only 11 episodes (gotta love jdramas for this), you can easily marathon this in a couple of days. The other plus is its renzoku format--each episode concludes a storyline, so it's unnecessary to watch each episode to get the jist of the show. However, you may miss out on some of the storyline and character development that continues from episode to episode.
Cons
Some of the situations and events are a bit unrealistic in how they are addressed and/or resolved. And just about every episode is a cliche. But I think that's part of the show's charm. And I'll also admit to being guilty of fast-forwarding to the more entertaining parts whenever some of the episodes dragged along.
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Great reborn/revenge-plot production that contains a very different love story
This is a great reborn/revenge-plot costume production with really good actors and a storyline that contains a very different love story and revenge-plans that are meticulously executed.I did find it a bit long but I loved this capable/vindictive/adamant FL and cunning/clever/nice ML. This unlikely couple was endearing to watch, so I truly enjoyed this.
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Sun-Kissed Romance
Most definitely, this series carried such a summery vibe all throughout. From the warm cinematography and the playful color grading to the breezy locations, everything screamed sunshine and romance. And of course, the hot scenes between Winny and Satang added that extra spark. It was refreshing to see them step into more mature roles, really leaning into those steamy love scenes that pushed their chemistry to the next level. Now, I’ll admit—the acting wasn’t perfect. There were moments where it could’ve been sharper, but honestly, their chemistry more than made up for it, plus they both register so well on camera. Story‑wise, it follows the familiar rom‑com BL formula we’ve seen before, so I really did not expect major twists or reinventions. But what kept me hooked was the way it was narrated—the pacing, the vibe, the way the visuals tied everything together. The colors, the atmosphere, the whole aesthetic gave it a charm that made the series enjoyable despite its predictability. So yeah, while it’s not a masterpiece, it’s definitely a fun watch if you’re in the mood for something light, romantic, and visually pleasing. I’d land it at a solid 3.5 out of 5 stars—worth the ride for the chemistry and the summer glow it brings.Was this review helpful to you?
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a cut above your typical run of the mill boys over flowers reverse harem story
If you had told me that i would genuinely enjoy a reverse harem drama w four suitors, one of whom is basically a vampire, i would've never believed you.on principle i don't particularly enjoy love triangles unless like, there is a clear endgame and one of the options just exists for the main character to learn from (for ex. fuheng in yanxi palace). this is because usually they exist in dramas for melodrama and fantasy scenarios of what if these two different hot boys were into you lol. maybe i just haven't seen that many but i've just always written them off as understandably popular for a reason but generally silly and cringey dog blood.
lost you forever/chang xiang si was very immersive because it offered a similar reverse harem formula or structure, but the basis and core of WHY there are multiple options is a cut above the typical boys over flowers reverse harem story. it is not simply that xiaoyao is a stand in for the audience, and her options are a good boy and a bad boy please choose which one u like more, y'know? xiaoyao is a multi faceted character who has been deeply traumatized and has a host of abandonment issues that affect her relationships as an adult. her two main options, tushan jing and xiang liu, represent two different pathways for her to progress- and the reasons why she likes them are also informed by her trauma and experiences. tsj offers her kindness, softness and gentleness, unquestioned support and care, he represents way for her to truly heal and learn to trust other people again, to grow in a positive manner. while xl’s coldness, darkness and danger are attractive to her because he is a kindred spirit, and also what she knows and understands. xiang liu's love on the other hand doesn't push her personal growth, but rather supports who she is in the present. he abandons her, pushes her away, never allows her to know how he loves her, and puts the bigger political picture above her. he teaches her archery so that she can continue to stand alone without relying on others to protect her. but tsj will come to prove that she CAN rely on others (or should at least in s2). it makes complete sense why narratively tsj is endgame, but her storyline with xl is equally, if not more compelling exactly because it makes complete sense why they love each other, but ultimately won't be together. not even gonna touch on cx because he’s a non-option whose relationship with her represents the worst possible route you can go post trauma. congrats y’all actually got me to enjoy a love triangle!!!! sort of pentagonal!!
the strengths of the story are the character and relationship writing. the doomed trauma bonded siblings, xiaoyao and cangxuan are the core relationship of the story and both characters are nicely done. i particularly like cx, what an ambitious little freak who got his wires crossed and is too weird about his sister! zhang wanyi is really excellent, i enjoyed watching his acting SO much... his tight little smile that never reaches his eyes…LOL yang zi is also great and particularly committed, especially as wen xiaoliu. xl and tsj are generally well written too, as is chenrong xinyue, and even the minor support character sang tian'er was well written and so memorable (honestly her role as a former sex worker was more progressive than the entirely of a dream of splendor). However you can really tell the writer only cared about Some characters while others only exist to cause conflict, namely fangfeng yiying is just Evil for like no good reason, and tushan hou is similarly just senselessly evil. i think the writer definitely struggles with villains and they are pretty one dimensional. generally however, the characters are pretty good, and good character writing can really drive home the themes and take a story so far! AND YET......
the plot........ my absolute biggest gripe with cxs is the PLOT. i find the plot so incredibly inept at supporting its characters, and unable to push the narrative forward. the story is extremely character lead, to the point where most of the show is just conversations, with very little Events Happening. why does cx achieve the throne at the end? HOW does he even achieve the throne at the end? because grandpa said so. thats why. as an avid lover of political court dramas and little plots and schemes, this show was so disappointingly short of that. and like, i'm not asking for nirvana in fire or rise of phoenixes, because that would just be a different show, but like.... just a little bit of plotting please.... just more sense as to HOW cx is power hungry and ambitious, cunning and calculating instead of just telling us over and over again. mainly all i saw was him getting hooked on drugs and building good relationships with the right people. i wanted him to take down his uncles and enemies one by one!!! doing more and more dastardly things to do so!! it just felt like the crown was given to him instead of him having worked to achieve it. i get that the author seems to mainly just want cx to represent this kind of classic cold, ruthless, power hungry character, and doesn't actually care for politics itself but like i can't help but feel kind of cheated out of what was promised in the first episode and the premise of his character. china's political drama genre is very popular and there are plenty of sources to pull from!! the princes’ struggle for power is a classic! as a result the story feels flat and like the characters are just existing in a blurry aesthetic background. these parts are just SO weak. like i don’t know who cx is as a ruler, i don’t know what his relationship is like with the common people, has he done anything for them? a ruler doesn’t exist without citizens, idg why we aren’t shown the ways cx built up power and support from the people. literally it’s just him interacting w the same ass two nobles who are already committed to him. similarly, tsj’s family is literally CARTOONISHLY evil, from torture to rape they’ve fuckin done it all!! they exist to purely just be evil and it doesn’t even make sense, why are they forcing him to be clan leader and marry ffyy when tsh and ffyy want to KILL him so she can openly be w tsh and he can be clan leader. idk maybe it will be explained next season but so far it’s just weak and lazy story telling. there are ways to tell a story about an abusive family that uses confucian values like filial piety and duty to manipulate its members and make it resonate in a real way- the same way that xy’s fear of abandonment resonates. if the writing was stronger they would be able to explore how they keep tsj trapped in this toxic family without resorting to the most outlandishly evil dog blood tropes. and xl too!!! his relationship w the chenrong army is SO WEAK and poorly written. like everything is for his adopted dad, but it just doesn’t feel enough, esp when the army others him for being a yao. if they had more scenes that developed his relationship with them, his devotion would be so much more believable. a scene of them singing around some burning bodies does not communicate the strength of their bond or conviction. nobody in the army is even NAMED. like if we actually got to know them and hear their stories, see how xl came to bond with them, it would just be so much more believable. in general this is the issue with the scriptwriting. cx, tsj and xl are all pretty well written by themselves, but they don’t have support from the plot to make it all make sense.
Not only is the plot writing weak, at times it is pure dog blood trash. for example, the entire plot abt xy getting tortured and killed by some complete RANDOM. clearly this random guy who we have basically NEVER met or heard of was being influenced by 5 wang and 7 wang who wanted to get rid of xy to get at cx, but there was so little build up, so little development. when it happens it feels like it's out of nowhere, and just happens in order to plant the seed that she's chi chen's daughter and to compare how our three leading men will react. i wanted it to be much more clearer why xy is a target politically, instead of like, just this random guy's revenge. just felt SOOO out of nowhere, shitty writing, poor development, and really took the quality of the story down sooo much. even worse tsj’s rape and forced marriage.... i have too many frustrations, the way they handled the rape was so abysmal i don’t even wanna talk about it lmao.
i found everything more successful and enjoyable in the first arc when they were still in qingshui town and xy was wxl. honestly i am also just a sucker for stories about the common people with common every day problems so that also contributed, but it truly felt so much stronger. i think that when the stakes are lower, more grounded, the writer is much more adept at creating a plot that can support its characters. the little political things that happened felt reasonable and believable, rather than later on when the stage is bigger and stakes are higher. i loved wxl’s found family, his everyday problems, and his relationship with xl and tsj was already well developed and fully communicated the themes and messages of the story. once wxl becomes xy and we are now in princesses and nobility and palace world it loses so much of the heart and charm it had originally. also all of the gender stuff! i appreciate that tsj often takes a narratively feminine role, but nothin’s gonna come close to how fun and queer and trans the first arc was.
on the whole this show boasts some strong characters in a weak plot. a reverse harem being used to examine the different paths one can take after trauma gives this show substance that most reverse harems don’t have, if only everything could be backed up by a carefully cared for plot. excited to see how things develop season 2!
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Peak Time is what every idol show should be!
I have never watched a survival show because they all seemed really "reality-ish" and toxic which I hate and I only decided to give this a chance because I really like many of the judges and I have to say I love this. From the concept to the way the participants treat each other and how the production and judges seemed to treat them is all really amazing.The K-pop scene is a very cutthroat business and with so many idols debuting is really hard to make an impact, so what this show does is really amazing. Giving all these idols a second chance or a chance to be recognized is really amazing.
The first elimination was really heartbreaking but what the production did for the teams that did not make it is amazing! Giving them the songs/ choreography & clothes that they did not get to perform in is such a thoughtful gesture! Given that many of them come form really small agencies with little to no support, all those lessons they received can go a long way. I also noticed that they gave them the opportunity to showcase some of their talents and skills either by having to play some games, allowing some participants to MC something or participate in some outside segments. This will allow them to be noticed by some producers and maybe get casted in a variety show or maybe secure an MC position in a show further increasing their exposure in the future.
Peak Time really is what every idol show should be. It should put the idols first and give them all the necessary tools they need to succeed and make it!
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Where the Moon Rises: A princess with a plan and a soft-hearted hero
🔹 Would I rewatch? Yes,✨ What happens when a determined princess meets the kindest man in the kingdom, and they discover how love can change their paths?
📕 Overview 🎬
🔹 20 episodes, historical romance
🔹 At the time of this review, all episodes have aired
🔹 Adapted from the novel Princess Pyeonggang by Choi Sa Gyu
🔹 Kim So Hyun portrays Princess Pyeonggang, a character who is brave and dedicated to her country.
🔹 Na In Woo plays the character On Dal, who is gentle, loyal, and braver than he realizes.
🔹 The story begins when a princess loses her memory after a royal tour incident, grows up as Yeom Ga Jin, and later meets a peace-first young man.
🔹 Ideal for historical romance enthusiasts who enjoy court politics combined with a tender storyline.
🌸 How It Felt Watching 💙
🔹 Setup: a palace filled with tension, where a determined heroine is on a mission, and a quiet hero steps up to help her out, all while keeping his heart intact.
🔹 Viewing feel: warm romance intertwined with the stakes of a palace setting, with a few heavier moments introduced later on.
🔹 Themes explored include love, duty, and courage.
🔹 I liked their chemistry. Even when things slowed down later on, I kept tuning in to see what they were up to.
✨ Cast & Acting
🔹Kim So Hyun as Pyeonggang felt right from the first scene, strong yet tender.
🔹 Na In Woo portrays On Dal as a calm character who grows into his courage, showcasing strong chemistry.
🔹 Supporting cast: a well-balanced mix of allies and rivals that holds the drama together.
🎶OST
🔹 "I Become Love To You" by Zia
🔹 "Against The Wind" by Ahn Ye Eun
🔹 "Tears Of The Moon" by Kang Tae Kwan
🎞️ Production Style
🔹 Setting and mood: forest paths, rivers, and court halls that feel lived-in and authentic.
🔹 Costumes and sets: period armor and robes that are clearly visible on screen.
🔹 The rhythm is generally steady, but it slows down to a softer pace later in the run.
☕ Tea Notes
🔹 What worked well was that the characters felt authentic together, and she took the initiative in the story.
🔹 What didn't: I felt some repetition in the palace arc, and the pace slowed near the end for me
🔹 Would I rewatch? Yes
☕ SpillTheDramaTea's Rating: 8/10
🌿 Tea-Scale: A nice brew, I enjoyed it
✏️ As SpillTheDramaTea, I really loved getting cozy with a classic historical K-drama.
✨ In the mood for a brave princess and a kind-hearted hero who learns to stand up for himself?
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I loved all the cast, and characters. I loved that all of them were flawed in some way, and that even minor characters had depth, and were complicated. I especially loved the chemistry between Jo In Sung and Song Hye Kyo! From their very first scene together, I saw the spark of what would become my three day obsession. Jo In Sung's charm is undeniable, which makes him perfect as a womanizing conman, but he also has this incredible sweetness that makes viewers *swoon* (I know I did with every smirk). Song Hye Kyo seems to be typecast as irrationally stubborn and kinda conceited (qualities that make me want to punch her character in "Descendants of the Sun"), but in this role it makes complete sense, and makes her character seem strong, and not just a pitiful victim with a disability - and YAY lady Chaebol! Yeoung is smart, and often a step ahead, which I liked most about her. She also did a pretty good job convincing me she was blind. The normal melodramatic KDrama romance back and forth was much less frustrating than it usually is for me, because their romantic tension was seriously epic! I won't say why, because it's a large part of the story, but when two people with abandonment issues, who can't admit how they feel, start falling for each other, it's gonna cause epic tension. Sure, if you replaced the music with a horror soundtrack, the show could suddenly seem like a frightening tale about a guy seriously stalking a blind girl, but we all know stalking means saranghae in KDramaland. It also helps that they are quite easy on the eyes, and that she's tiny enough to carry (ok, maybe that could be creepy too).
There are too many great performances by minor characters to name them all, but I will name a few. Kim Bum is always great, and adorbs, so the fact that he's so good is no surprise. Jung Eun Ji grew on me, and I liked her spunk. Bae Jong Ok, as the secretary, was super chilling, and surprisingly empathetic. I don't necessarily like how her actions are dealt with in this drama, but that has nothing to do with her performance, which was great. Seo Hyo Rim's annoying face is perfectly cast as super cray cray. Her character is so unhinged, that it was borderline comedic, but she truly pulled the character off. And then there is Kim Tae Woo as Moo Cheol, who was my favorite kind of villain. He's the kind of villain who is not only empathetic, but I couldn't help but root for him a little, because he was so good at being bad. He also pulled off being bad@ss very well, considering the fact that he looks like asian Spock. I only lowered the score slightly for those extra over the top moments, but in this genre, that's acceptable.
I truly think the writer and director did an amazing job putting all the pieces together. Sometimes it was confusing keeping track of certain rivalries, so I lowered my story rating a little, but it eventually all became pretty clear. The writer & director are the same team that made "Padam Padam", another tragic love story with Kim Bum as an epic sidekick, and disappointing kiss scenes (Though TWTWB isn't nearly as bad with the kiss scenes). Both stories are sweet, intriguing, frustrating, heartbreaking, and inspiring. With this drama in particular, I loved the imaginative way they chose to show memories, and her blindness, which kept me guessing as a viewer without it feeling gimmicky. I was also very confused by the ending, at first, which could be interpreted as open-ended, but I think it was very beautifully done, and not as unresolved as others may think. I took a deep satisfying sigh after it was all done.
The music was great, and fit the story well, but the lyrics were so literal I think I actually laughed at a few of them. I still liked it, I just wouldn't add it to my KDrama OST playlist.
Would I watch it again? Definitely. The suspense made the episodes seem to fly by, and kept me watching waaaaaaay past my bedtime. It may lose some of that thrill on a second viewing, but the performances are worth watching again, and I may catch something in the plot I missed the first time.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this as a must see for fans of romance and melodrama. There is also some action, and suspense, with enough humor thrown in to stop it from being too depressing. You may want to have plenty of tissues handy, just in case. You also have to sometimes give in to "KDrama logic", but who watches melodramas for their realism?
TWTWB made me glad to be an only child - siblings have so many rules lol! It also made me think about forgiveness, holding grudges, and what really matters. In my search to find a show that could remind me I have feelings... mission accomplished! My favorite drama list just got a little longer too.
I know I will probably never be able to hear a tiny bell again without thinking about this show.
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At the beginning, you will find yourself getting confused but it all starts to make perfect sense and the story comes all together in the mid-way.
In terms of acting, the acting was done nicely by the actors. There's not much characters in the short film but the actors did really great with their given roles!
For music, it was pretty mellow and it complimented the scenes really well.
Therefore, this web film is pretty worth watching! I recommend it if you're looking for something short and heart-warming!
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This review may contain spoilers
Touch Your Love
Listen, Jiang ShaoPeng's love language is touch, and I respect him for that. My man got himself a boyfriend, and we found his innocent face was just a facade, cuz every second he was lifting his lover up, then it was kisses here, touches there, and ignoring that his parents are in the house. Homeboy was wild, and I loved him for it."I can't hear, but I can see how you say you love me." -- And they showed us how he saw that love, in this very beautiful 13 episodes drama. See You Love is one of the best dramas that released in 2024. Arguable, it's one of the best bls out there. The drama is about two lost souls, one spoiled rich kid with a kind heart, who found love and realised he was not useless or weak, and shouldn't live for the approval of others, and about a loving deaf boy who never thought he was enough because of his disability, but learned to love himself and accept his limitation did not define him.
This drama made me laugh, cry, and in some cases, annoyed the hell out of me. Let me explain.
I CRIED When:
= Jiang Shaopeng couldn't find a job, although he's been working so hard and was more than qualify. People suck.
= When Yang Zi Xiang was explaining to Shaopeng that he's useless and weak in his family's eyes, and basically saw himself as someone who was worthless. Baby looked so small, and that fake smile had me tearing.
= When we found out Zixiang slept in that closet. Poor boy.
= When Jiang Shaopeng broke down after his mother was hospitalised, admitting that because he was deaf he has to rely on others for help, care and sympathy. 'Haven't I tried hard enough, haven't I been patient enough' made me sob.
= When Jiang Shaopeng's hopelessness and sadness made him fight with Yang Zi Xiang. When Zi Xiang was yelling at him for pretending to be strong, I had to pause the drama for a bit and get myself together.
= When the next day, Yang Zi Xiang wrote him that letter/phone note but said he wasn't going to apologies for what he said during their fight, and that being strong did not mean that Jiang Shaopeng couldn't also be weak. And although he himself is weaker, he want Jiang Shaopeng to let himself be weak and show his vulnerability when they were together, cuz he'd be there for him.
= When we found out how Jiang Shaopeng's friend Shu He blamed him and his disability for what happened to her. Girl how does that make sense? Why was it his fault?
= When Jiang Shaopeng finally gave in, rushed to Yang Zi Xiang in the hospital, hugged and kissed him. I clapped and cried happy tears when they finally got together.
= When I saw Jiang Shaopeng finally working where he wanted too and being happy about it.
= When Jiang Shaopeng said Yang Zixiang was part of his family. That was as good as getting married.
= When Jiang Shaopeng put his hand on Yang Zi Xiang's throat/vocal cord to hear/feel him say his name over and over again, while they cried. That scene emotionally broke me.
= When Shaopeng said that 'If in the future I become a burden to you, just tell me you want to break up, no need for any reason.' I yelled at my screen like, 'Boy dafug you saying?' Was so glad Zixiang reassured him, cuz dude was out there talking nonsense and making me angry sad.
= When Yang Zixiang wanted to sacrificed himself for his love and cousin. That boy is so pure, I love him so much.
= When Zixiang slept in the closet/wardrobe again, but Shaopeng said it was okay and they had lots of time to work through his issue together.
= When I saw that ring on their ringers in the post credit scene. They're married y'all.
I LAUGHED When:
= Yang Zi Xiang thought Jiang Shaopeng was the perfect hire cuz he was deaf, but Shaopeng was not having it, quitting when he saw through Zixiang's bullsh!t. Lmao, the way he aggressively quit and refused to come back had me rolling.
= When the second leads, Wang Xinjia was trying to kidnap and kill Jonathan, but my man ended up in his bed instead, and proceeded to fail miserably, until he even moved in with them and started working for them. Lmao, you call that being an assassin? he sucked so bad, it was funny.
= When we found out how WILD Jiang Shaopeng was after the two got together. Dude had zero shame, was always ready for a kiss, and did not care his parents were home, and could hear them. My man was on, and I respect that. But like in the scene when Zixiang first visited Shaopeng's room and immediately started rolling on the bed, sniffing his pillow, boy was just asking to be eaten, so I don't blame Shaopeng for losing control.
= When Jiang Shaopeng got jealous of the cousin, and then tried to run and hide his face cuz he was embarrassed.
= During that shower scene I was swooning and going... awww he has to step on his feet, ooofff hot, the chemistry is chemistrying, but before that I was laughing cuz poor Zi Xiang was like, let me take a shower, and Shaopeng was like, sure... but that doesn't mean we have to stop what we are doing. Boy, Shaopeng's innocent face had me in the first half. WILD.
= Not laughing, but I coo and smile whenever I see the size different between our two leads. Shaopeng is so tall, and it's so cute whenever he sits on Zi Xiang's lap. They are soooo adorable!
= When Jiang Shaopeng's father tried to fight Zi Xiang after he found out they were dating but immediately broke his back. LOL, that dude was so cureless, he didn't get a hint that whole time??
= When Zixiang was trying to figure out what he should bring as a bride price for Shaopeng. I was like, nothing, that boy is so gone for you he'd marry you on the spot.
= When Shaopeng looked pissed off and annoyed for being kidnap. The way he was calmly writing back his answers.
= When Shaopeng's dad was like, 'nope, ain't telling those love boys to break up. But thank you for the second son, I can see you don't want yours, I'll take care of him.' Goated, and I loved it.
= When Xin Jia's drunk arse thought he was in control and sober. LMAO, the whole time he actually believed that lie.
I ROLLED my eyes in Annoyance when:
= Shaopeng's female friend started getting jealous and wanted to cause trouble. The audacity after what she did.
= The slow build of the second lead, or I guess they're going backwards build, cuz they did the deal and now they just sort of roommates? Like are they supposed to be a couple or not? I've waited so long and nothing is happening with them.
= That random fiancée showing up and trying to start sh!t. Why were the females in this show so annoying?
= When Shaopeng's female friend was warning Zixiang not to hurt him or else. That girl seriously have too much audacity.
= Whenever that cousin of Shaopeng showed up. He was unnecessary mean for no reason, literally what the hell did he want? Shaopeng didn't even want the business and dude was still planning to assassinate him.
- That Cousin. Waste of screen time.
Plot wise, the story wasn't something new, but the execution and the chemistry of the leads carried the show. The main focus was on the two leads, and I hoped the secondary characters could have been well developed and have more scenes, but with 30mins episodes, it wasn't possible to give everyone the screen-time they deserved, nonetheless, they got their point across. Personally, I enjoyed almost everything about this show. The main couple were amazing in their roles, Raiden Lin and Jin Yun had such an amazing chemistry, and played off each other very well. They were able to convey the emotions the plot needed for us audience to connect with the characters, which made me enjoy it more.
All in all, although it wasn't perfect, it was a great show with lots of emotions and laughter. I'll highly recommend this to all bl and drama lovers. This was among my top 3 most favourite dramas of 2024, so yeah, give it a watch you'd like it. I really hope to see Raiden and Jin Yun in a drama together again. I'm gonna rewatch this one a lot this year, cuz it simply stole my heart.
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However, one must be patient in watching in order to enjoy it fully. One major thing that made me love this drama was the chemistry of our main leads, Chu Yu Xun and Murong Yun Hai. No wonder Zhang Han and Zheng Shuang ended up dating in real life! In terms of acting, Zhang Han playing the Domyouji character really made my fangirl heart jump out of happiness. I believe he played it so well next to Jerry Yan's Dao Ming Si. I also can't believe that Zheng Shuang was just around 18 or maybe even younger when she acted in this drama and she was just really adorable and fierce at the same time. The only thing that I could complain about her was that she was just too pretty to play the Makino character but this is hardly even a complaint. I have always been a fan of Hanazawa Rui (both in MG and HYD) but the one here really disappointed me in terms of acting and looks (sorry for being shallow!) but he just grew on me as I continued watching. I also found the other F4 members really cute and they actually had decent storylines.
I gave the music section a perfect score because I really love the OSTs that I'm even listening to them now as I type this. My favorite ones are Love's Waltz, Let Me Sing A Song For You, I Want to Soar, etc and most of them were sang by the cast members! It was a chance for me to actually listen to their real voices as they were all dubbed in this drama.
I gave a low score to the rewatch value because I feel that it would be dragging to rewatch everything all over again. I would also be unfair and say that nothing can beat the rewatch value of Meteor Garden which is why I gave such a low score. My apologies for writing such a long review but it only means that I'm very passionate because I believe that more people should give this drama a chance. A bit of chance that would entail just enjoying the drama alone and forgetting the other adaptations even just for awhile!
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Definitely not something you'd expect in a regular drama!
Honestly my first reaction when I reads the synopsis for this drama was...….. WTF!!!!!??? Why? Because I've watched tons of drama and they've never been this direct and on the nose before. Especially one that is centered around high school kids. Other than that I really love the drama cause it realistically speaks on what any hs kid goes through/will go through. Having passed through this myself and looking back as adult I can laugh because even though some of the stuff are exaggerated for comedic purposes (like being able to see super long distance clearly when you quit masturbation for just a mere 5 days lol). I'm looking forward to this drama the acting is good. Storyline is interesting and the characters are fun. Definitely will recommendWas this review helpful to you?
