Finally, the acting was okay, and it did got a bit better, though, I think that Joy didn't fit her character. Maybe I see her more of the younger girl characters, in a more happy concept drama. I really enjoyed Min jae at least. He was a nice delightful surprise.
So, 3 out of 10.
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Disclaimer: times have changed and so has my review now, but these were my initial thoughts after
Yes, I did rate this a 10, but let me explain. If you look at my other reviews, I'm not usually this generous so I do have my reasons for giving this one such high scores in every category.The story itself actually had a nice, steady pace. From my drama watching experience (and I have watched quite a lot), the show usually gets draggy around episode 10 to 14. This was NOT the case. From the very beginning it was so action packed and fast paced I wondered how the writers were going to keep this interesting for another 15 episodes. They proved me wrong though, and every episode felt like 3. The story itself, granted they did have the advantage of a unique setting, does not use the same plot devices as other dramas. It was just a perfect mix of humor, suspense, romance, and action. Those are very different genres but they managed to do it really well. There didn't seem to be a central storyline, but instead it was quite episodic which would usually turn me off. The drama, however, had such a good flow that I didn't even notice, and although the conflicts are episodic the romance and relationships between the characters were developed consistently.
The cast did so wonderfully. Not only were the main actors amazing, every actor breathed life into the supporting characters. They were not just there to support the leads. Each one of them actually had their own distinct personalities and characters that added so much substance to the show. The chemistry between the leads and the second leads was one of the best I've seen. Because of the setting and the dire situations they're put in, you can clearly see the development of the characters. And as a side note, though some of Song Joong Ki's lines may come off as cheesy as hell, he pulled it off so well I almost didn't even notice how cheesy they really were. In fact, they just added to his character.
The music is just so so so good. Usually I only find one or maybe two good songs per OST, but right now I have the entire OST on replay on my phone. It's that good.
That said, I would definitely definitely rewatch it. Normally I would have a couple critiques on my reviews, but honestly I couldn't have asked for a better show. Sure, the show has become really mainstream and may come off as overhyped, but that doesn't mean it loses it's value. If you're hesitant about trying it, don't be. Of my 140+ dramas, it's climbed to number 3. You won't regret it!
Now I'm just going to go into my little corner of post show depression :')
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1the revolutionary of bl
The story that came to life from a country where BL isn’t even allowed and yet brought us the omegaverse.I’ve spent the past three months thinking about them; they never left my mind for even a single second. They made me fall in love with the actors and support them everywhere.
Gaotu, Shen Wenlang, Sheng Shaoyou, and Hua Yong ,you will always be the best characters I’ve ever seen in a TV show. I’ll miss you so much, and I don’t want to say goodbye, but everything eventually comes to an end.
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Under the Power Review This is one of the best drama to start off the year with. If you’ve seen me in the comment, you would’ve known that I actually started drama because of Tan Songyun. Please do not be mislead by the synopsis or the summary of this drama, and give it a try. You’ll be surprise how amazing it is.
Short character detail:
Lu Yi – 22 years old cold, rude and obnoxious. He takes his work seriously, and abide by the rules. When he interrogates people he does not hesitate to use any type of force. At home, he rather loves music and spend most of his time reading. He is actually rather warm compared to what others view him as.
Jinxia – Obsessed with food and making money, and she is very calculated when it comes to earning and receiving money or bonus. She is good at fighting, and even though she has a buddy next to her, he always let her do the fighting and the interrogation. She is goofy around her close friends, mother and master but take her work seriously when she steps in the field.
Storyline Review:
This drama combined two things I love the most, historical and crime, plus a bonus romance. Even though, Lu Yi holds the higher position compared to Jinxia, and I like the fact that sometimes, Jinxia works faster than he does and solve things faster in certain case. She also has the ability to examine dead bodies and clues. Another good point is Lu Yi doesn’t abuse his authority power to make her struggle, although he talks rough to her, he always discusses to her about the cases and seeks her opinion toward them, this take away the cliché of the “liking the guy who ignored you” kind of thing. The story does not revolves just around them, there are doctors, gang members, and etc. I like that this drama does not have too much political issues, or forced marriage (just because they work for the emperor) which makes things even better, because I really hate those types of ideas.
The costumes in this drama seems very simple, but yet they are very beautiful. I mean the Lu Yi have most of the beautiful clothing, and I understand it because he has the high position plus money. Jinxia supposed to be poor so most of her clothing looks very similar, but there are times where they give her very beautiful and elegant dresses that was breathtaking.
The Romance:
The relationship between these two developed really well, and I like the fact that their relationship did not take 40 episodes to realized their feelings. There were small little things and detail from each episode that add up to their relationship, so it does not take long for the romance (no worries there). I like the innocent, naïve and sweet moments that they developed for and each other’s in this drama.
So What?
Overall, I highly recommended this drama to anyone who is interested in historical, crime and humor drama. The scenes, scripted and the novel was so well written, I honestly haven’t shed a tear for a drama in a long time, and they were able to make me cry, laughed and feel all squishy squishy. I like that they did not developed the lead female to be weak, and useless but instead they made a powerful young girl, who saves a lot of people. Each character was very well developed, and Han Dong played such a great role as a villain, and if you hate him, that mean he did a really job on his part. Even minor role as a bodyguard is essential to the story.
I really do hope these actors have a chance to maybe be paired up with each other in the future project. To me, from the OST, story, characters and actors this drama is definitely my favourite drama for the starting of 2020.
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The Story of Nut Sack
The title says it all, doesn't it? I can't say this was a highly anticipated drama for me, but I did add it to my watchlist because of ZLH. At the time, I hadn't yet seen ZJM in anything but was familiar with the SML or CHY and several others in the supporting cast from previous things. I however didn't expect to see so much of the series essentially taken over by SRQ and away from the ML and leads altogether. It was sad and everyone was sick of it. Instead of The Princess Royal, this should have been renamed "The Story of Nut Sack." That's what I dubbed him; even funnier just how many people started using that nickname after I put it out there. I knew we were all in the same boat.Pros: Everyone's acting. The leads really embodied their characters especially ZJM or LR; I'd only seen her in a modern drama at the beginning of this year. For a 21 year old, she sure knows how to act. Very impressive. ZLH or PWX, though relegated to a virtual supporting character, he was infinitely patient and loved with all of his heart. I don't know how he was written in the novel as I never read those but he did the best with what he was given. Little prince was too cute and I really liked him with QZZ. It was actually funny that he in real life is older than ZJM who plays his older sister. The other characters I liked were SY, SRH, QL, LFB, the eunuch, and the rest of the folks on team LC. None of these characters were cookie cutter good. They were all complicated with problems that they had to overcome and evolve into. That was the part of it that was really good. The sword fights were good; loved when PWX told nut sack off at the end for being so damn delusional and how he had every choice in life number two to change everything but still didn't. I also really loved the OSTs.
Neutral: Before I start on the cons, I just want to make sure people understand that I have no hate towards any of the actors. Though this story of nut sack was played by CHY, the actor did the best he could with what he was given. He himself is still very new in the industry and green. I do hope for better work for him. I think he was miscast here. If you want him in a good drama; check out "Warm on a Cold Night."
Cons: The people responsible for turning this story into the mess it became, was production. The script was absolutely horrendous (we had a second lifetime of do overs to get things right but instead what we got was a convoluted mess); it turned the story away from the leads and to the SML who wasn't even given a billing lead role but as a supporting character. How could they do that to him given how much screen time they gave him? Really unfair to the actor. At every turn, nut sack took most of full episodes of screen time and became essentially an obsessed lunatic with forced second lead syndrome plus producers really wanted to give him a redemption arc, though they still killed him; but his constant glorification was pretty ridiculous. He was vile and stupid; he killed her in their first life, yes with two others but he was probably the first forgiven. If the reason it took her longer to forgive her little brother and SY was because she cared about both more, why the hell did she waste so much time yelling for nut sack to turn back to the right path? Right up until his fiery death, both leads still were trying to get this POS to see reason and become good. It just didn't make any logical sense. Reason and what we were seeing were two different things and this was constant. Say one thing, mean another. Just constant contradictions until you got a damn headache! I can't begin to even really explain what happened to the story but it went from in-fighting palace politics over a throne in two lives that would have still happened to absolute chaos with the SML. A lot of the time, you were wondering; what was even happening and why? Many scenes had you cracking up because they were so absurd.
Nut sack was both Superman and somehow escaped flames for a long time after being stabbed plus he was able to play a song. What in the what? Way too many loopholes and continuity issues; arrow that killed consort Ru came from where? How did her daughter scream without opening her mouth? Cheng 2.0 came from where; was he created from clay? How did nut sack catch up to LR when they went diving off the cliff? When did this turn into a Xianxia? And many others. Suspension of disbelief was a constant must. Wasn't this an S+++ drama? Why the hell was everything so cheap looking? Where did all of the money go?
The ending was rushed obviously because over half an hour was spent on nut sack's last time on earth, though the sword fight with PWX wasn't bad. It was an HE for our 3 couples but very rushed and a lot of the characters didn't even get proper closure as they were just left on the sidelines or disappeared altogether. So now we're getting an extra episode at some point because our leads barely got their 3rd wedding in and the kids weren't shown. My question to producers is, was it worth it? To screw up a great story for one character that should have been kept as is. Only reason this got the score it got was because of the really awesome acting of the actors.
Would I recommend it? Even though the actors were awesome, this story was a mess and I can't with good conscience recommend something so completely out of left field. Even if you didn't read the book (like me), as just a viewer, you'll know very quickly something is very off about the story. All of these actors deserve a better script, so I'd recommend you watch all of them in other things.
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I have to say I actually really liked this one.. That makes it three dramas in a row that I have enjoyed.. LOZH, Reborn and this.. All in completely different genres.. Song Wei Long’s previous work was pretty disappointing for me.. Same with Liu Hao Cun.. Even though her last drama wasn’t bad, I just didn’t think she did a good job in it.. The ML mostly carried that one.. But this was different.. LHC felt more comfortable here.. She seems more at home in dramas with martial arts and action stuff I guess.. Even SWL, his character was solid here and he did a satisfying job..
Honestly, I didn’t really enjoy the first few episodes.. Some scenes were so silly or cringey that I just laughed at them.. But it got much much better as it went on.. Loved the Captain America inspired fight in the lift.. That was fun.. I also really liked the fight in ep 2 between the main leads.. I liked their chemistry there and the kind of expectation it brought with it.. And I was also very excited about the squad.. They had this weird bond and behavior.. It was bound to get crazy and obviously fun..
The world building was done well and the relics in The Seven Relics of Ill Omen are a fascinating plot device.. Though not without its flaws.. But I think that’s easy to ignore since the other aspects of the story make up for it.. The story kept getting more interesting with each relic, how their pasts unfolded and how their connection to the relics was slowly revealed..
" You have to believe the heavens love you..
The flowers they withhold..
They make up for it with stars.. "
I liked the relationship between Luo Ren and Mu Dai.. This wasn’t a romance story, but they had good chemistry and really clicked..
How can I not talk about their Hummer?? Just like the characters, the SUV went through a lot too.. They literally dragged it through a desert, dried lake, quicksand, mountains and it still survived..
Everyone in the Phoenix Squad had a painful past.. Except Chubby I guess.. The main leads probably had the most painful ones.. They lost a lot and went through even more.. I just wish they had taken Lou Ren's Flashback scenes a bit more seriously.. Because it had real potential.. They should have handled it with more care.. The gunfight scenes could have been much better but instead it turned out to be too bland.. It was just a senseless sequence with no real clarity.. If they had spent a bit more money and brought in professionals instead of shelf actors, those scenes could have been a lot more satisfying and enjoyable to watch..
The only disappointing part in this drama for me was Ao Rui Peng.. People might hate me for saying this, but he was terribly bland in this.. Honestly I am surprised he is hyped as a talented actor.. I just don’t see it.. Overall, this drama isn’t a masterpiece.. But for me it gets so much right that I just had a good time watching it..
P.S. The OST was too damn good..
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A Short but Striking Wuxia Tale – Dark, Poetic, and Gripping
If you're looking for a compact yet emotionally resonant Wuxia drama, this 18-episode gem (with episodes around 25 minutes each) is absolutely worth your time. Despite its brevity, it delivers a powerful story, rich character development, and stunning visuals.At the heart of the story is Mo Qingchuan (played masterfully by Cristy Guo), a tragic heroine navigating a path of revenge. She’s a morally gray character—mature, intelligent, and emotionally complex. Her backstory is revealed gradually through well-placed flashbacks, adding layers to her motivation and deepening her character with every episode.
Xia Qiguang (Zhou Zhan), the male lead, is a righteous and loyal figure who occasionally leans into awkwardness, but in a way that’s endearing. While Zhou Zhan may not be the most obvious casting choice, he holds his own and brings credibility to the role. His dynamic with Mo Qingchuan helps ground her, offering a subtle counterbalance to her darker path.
The supporting cast deserves a shoutout too—entertaining and well-acted, they add life and energy to the narrative. The various antagonists are interesting —clever, ruthless, and yes, often sporting dangerously sharp jawlines.
The cinematography is striking, especially in Mo Qingchuan’s fight scenes, which are choreographed beautifully and shot with precision. The costume design is aesthetically pleasing and fitting for the genre. One surprising highlight is the background music: an eclectic blend, sometimes reminiscent of Gregorian chants, which adds a unique atmosphere to key moments.
The storytelling is engaging and well-paced, with only a brief dip into melodrama near the end. But even that scene serves a purpose—it sets the stage for a truly epic climax that lands perfectly. One note of caution: after the final credits, there’s an epilogue. If you loved the powerful ending, you might want to skip it, as it slightly undermines the emotional impact.
Overall, this drama is a hidden treasure—elegant, intense, and emotionally satisfying.
Highly recommended for fans of Wuxia with a touch of tragedy and poetic justice.
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Multi-Layered Characters
Originally this was added to the watchlist because I had heard that LYR was doing his first ML role and he'd done a good job playing supporting ones so was curious and I'd seen XRH once before though I wasn't very convinced back then; don't know why. Some of the supporting characters were familiar. But the story itself was interesting and all of the characters were multi-layered.Pros: What set this show apart for me from others I've watched was the fact that this second chance romance brought in the past of the leads first to the episode, than present day including their and the other two couple's participation in the filming of the variety show, that way things were explained and you understood why certain things happened. It seemed to me that all three couples evolved both separately and together as the show wore on. At first you thought FL was a selfish brat because of her actions and in fact she did admit to most of the mistakes from the past as being hers but when you saw her layers of trauma, you understood that though this was a drama, she was still a human being. Favorite character was ML; I like how he was sure of himself, confident, independent and quite obvious that from the two of them he had grown and matured first.
The second couple was weird, toxic, and codependent and at the end she became pregnant and somehow you just prayed the child wouldn't become neurotic like his parents. They were my least favorite. The 3rd couple were called the healing couple in the comments and I agree; even though they were both ridiculously shy to the point of social anxiety; they were always a soothing balm to each other and their friends especially once they got together. I also liked that all 6 people even with all of their shortcomings, were such great friends and support systems to each other to the point that the show ended with the 6 traveling around together. Their friendship started in HS and progressed way into adulthood.
The 3.5 annoying people who played either rivals in love or just one completely unhinged chick all stayed as long as necessary and were then sent packing. Ironically even though YS seemed like the most annoying, when giving advice to the other two women during their "dates" set by production, gave the best advice. And really great way everyone took down the unhinged chick in the 2nd to last episode. Also how symbolic that it was SXR that proposed to LXY in the last episode as a close to the chapter; the marriage-phobe realized that's exactly what she wanted and that near death accident made her understand being next of kin is vital when you love someone.
Cons: Obviously this show was lower budget, but it didn't really hurt it. I do wish the SFL was less baby-voiced viper most of the series. Towards the end, I don't understand why the legal proceedings were published on screen. For starters this was fictional and secondly, the unhinged lawyer chick's crimes went beyond "intentional attempted vehicular homicide", yet she wasn't charged for those. Also none of the civil charges were made public. So either get all of the charges or none. Makes zero sense to do what they did. I think things could have been explained better about the show itself, as well as how SQ met her abusive ex husband. The show should have focused more proportionally on the third leads as we don't know much about TML's or TFL's backgrounds or their parents.
Would I recommend it? Yes. This was a different show that you had to watch to understand the multifaceted characters and how they got to where they were. It's a nice modern drama.
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The synopsis for this drama doesn't even begin to tell the story. It is dark, but somehow gives hope. The story is very detailed and all the characters are intricately combined. The imagery as well as the references to Dante's inferno and Rodin's Gateway to Hell etc. trigger so many emotions and elicit so many thoughts. The use of the tarot cards throughout gives answers and brings questions. I was blown away by the way each character’s story is told. The cinematography was so well done. There were so many scenes that I thought were perfectly portrayed. There are very few times in this drama when I knew what was going to happen next. I watched this ***with my sister, finally someone to watch drama with*** in a few days because it was hard to stop due to the perfect pacing of the drama. I almost felt desperate to know what was going to happen next. The ending is one of the best that I have ever seen. I would give this drama a 10 for the ending alone. This isn't a romance and there is no fairy tale. If that is what you want to watch, then this is not the drama you are looking for.
The acting is beyond great. Uhm Tae Woong plays Kang Oh Soo who is the detective of this drama. I won't try to tell his story, because it is too complex. I have liked Tae Woong as an actor for a long time, but his portrayal of Kang Oh Soo’s good, bad, and ugly emotions is perfect. It is hard not to find this character pitiful and lovable. Joo Ji Hoon plays Oh Seung Ha. This character is so multifaceted. He is cold but just by using Ji Hoon’s expressions, I knew there was more to him. There is no way that I could not be sympathetic to his character. I have seen Ji Hoon in Goong and Antique Bakery. I liked him in both, but I really had no idea that he could pull something like this off. It makes me want to watch Five Fingers next. I love Shin Min Ah. She is one of my favorite actresses. I don’t know why she isn't in more dramas. I’m really enjoying her in Arang and the Magistrate also which is airing right now. I hope she does many, many more. Her portrayal of Seo Ha In is so good. She IS the light in this drama. There are so many more characters that make this drama worth watching. Usually I get annoyed with secondary stories and lots of secondary characters, but for this drama every character had his/her place and the actors did a great job of bringing those characters to life.
Honestly, I couldn't tell you what music was played in this drama. I can say though that it wasn't annoying like some music in a melodrama can be.
I will rewatch this at some point.
I recommend this to anyone who likes revenge and psychological dramas.
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Treasure hunters or just a bunch of con artists?
Low Life is one of those underrated shows that go unnoticed which is pretty ironic, considering the entire plot revolves around a lost treasure at the bottom of the sea. But what many people don’t realize is that the real hidden gem is the show itself.The premise: a group of people half misfits, half dreamers (or just completely lost, to be honest) are chasing a lost treasure: valuable ceramics that sank with an old imperial Chinese ship off the coast of South Korea. Sounds epic, right? And it is... just not in the way you’d expect. These “treasure hunters” aren’t glamorous, they don’t have futuristic gadgets or a brilliant plan. What they do have are debts, flashy clothes, questionable ideas, and a natural talent for trouble.
Right from the start, what caught my attention most was the setting. Low Life takes place in the 1970s, and I have to say: the production work is simply impeccable. From the retro home decor to the colorful clothes, the slicked-back hair to the thick regional accents everything feels very authentic. As someone obsessed with vintage aesthetics, I felt right at home.
I’ll be honest: the first few minutes left me a bit lost. A bunch of characters are introduced all at once, with names I couldn’t keep track of yet, and the narrative doesn’t hand everything to you on a silver platter. And yes, I was bored at first. But it was a necessary kind of boredom. Because when I finally gave it my full attention, I began to realize that each character has something unique to offer. It’s like watching a big game board being assembled: each piece, no matter how random it seems, is there for a reason. And everyone, without exception, is involved in some kind of crime whether out of desperation, cunning, or pure greed.
The humor is another strong point. The show has moments so absurd I couldn’t help but laugh. Nothing feels forced: the situations are ridiculous on their own, the characters get themselves into trouble thinking they’re being clever, and the comedy flows naturally. Many times I found myself thinking, “There’s no way they’re this dumb” and yet, I kept rooting for them. Because Low Life knows exactly what it is: a story about a bunch of lovable idiots, and it embraces that wholeheartedly.
Starting with episode 5, the show begins to slow down to introduce the characters more calmly. Each episode tends to focus on one person or duo, gradually revealing who they are, what they want, and how far they’re willing to go for this so called treasure. This pacing might bother those expecting a fast-moving plot, but personally, I found it bold. The story is simmering on low heat, and it’s clear it knows exactly where it’s headed.
But what really makes Low Life interesting is how it tackles serious themes without losing its light tone. Corruption, inequality, blind ambition, the desperation for quick cash all of these are present, but wrapped in humor and driven by characters who are both tragic and hilarious. Yes, there is social commentary but the kind that catches you off guard, in the middle of a laugh or while you’re wondering if you would have done the same thing that scammer in the suit just did.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely. But not to everyone.
Low Life is for those who enjoy unconventional narratives, large chaotic ensembles, and stories that seem aimless at first but gradually prove to be tightly woven. If you like dark comedies, well crafted historical settings, or simply want to watch a group of grown men fighting over antique ceramics, this show might be exactly what you’re looking for.
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oh sooooo boring....
While not really a bad show, man was it boring.The writing was predictable, there were no real challenges and if you do food, why is the "super monster chef" just the jury verdicts?
At least one fresh face with Aungpao who did a good job but most were acting like highschool kids and not like grown up humans. I am also not a fan of the weird sounds used in Thai romcons, but at least they did not overdo it.
The kissing scenes with OffGun looked strange for me. I mean they kissed really well in other shows but here it feels shallow without the feeling of love or desire.
This show is a good downer if you have seen something like "Not Me", to calm you down and turn your brain off, because the story does nothing to challenge it.
The finale was an all around happy end, all the parents are soooo nice and so understanding especially Fire's mother. Of course grandma was always cool and always supportive but for the rest I would have wished a more rocky ending or more episodes to see them come to terms and less of the earlier meaningless stuff.
All in all this show was a disappointment.
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The camerawork is outstanding. You may not notice or care but most dramas are not shot like this. This is theater-quality filming with all on-location and natural weather settings. You can see the snow falling and melting into the actor's hairs. The wide angle aerial shots make those vast desert landscapes and green mountains seem to burst out of the screen. Just for the visuals alone this drama is worth multiple rewatches.
The story is this grand world that's on par with something like Game of Thrones. Deeply detailed with multiple kingdoms and all coherent and well-established. You can tell this drama is based on a well-written novel. The key driving force are the characters of course. Arthur Chen does an amazing job as Ning Que. He is charismatic and fun to watch on-screen. His chemistry with Song Yi Ren (Sang Sang) is fantastic. You can tell he is a rather young actor in some of the scenes that require deeper emotions and subtlety but he really holds his own against super veteran actors and a grand-scale epic story like this. Can't believe he is only 19 with lots of room to grow.
They really didn't skimp on anything for this drama. At a budget of $70 million USD (quite unheard of for tv dramas), everything is high quality. The costumes are realistic and so are the sets (again, money well-spent on those on-location shoots). Also, no poor wire tricks here. The action sequences are again movie quality. Very well choreographed and executed. Each movement is so tightly done and well-executed. For an action buff like me I just couldn't get enough. The thing I noticed the most? The soundtrack. From the opening scene to the various character themes the music is amazing. Just listening to it transports you back to the scenes and characters.
Obviously I can't say enough about this drama. I think I was just taken really aback by how well made this drama is. I haven't seen work like this since HK's Golden Age. It makes me hopeful of many of the C-Dramas that will come out of China in the coming years. Although Arthur Chen is not coming back for Season 2, which is extremely disappointing, I will watch Season 2 if it has the same high production value as Season 1.
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It Rained, It Poured & They Sent Emails
Yes, YES, cheating is wrong, but, I’ve never been this happy to see two people cheat. My arse was up at 5am refreshing the app, waiting. That being said, Hagiwara is genuinely a good person. Sei, whether consciously or not, built his own hell. Fujisawa, well, I can’t believe he was the sperm that won the race, and Kaori’, oh Kaori, that woman’s audacity needs to be studied.OMG the way my heart dropped in the finale when the credits were rolling and Hagiwara deleted Sei's contact. Tears of anger were about to fall before I hovered the mouse and saw there was a bit more left. I would have accepted it, but also cried buckets. Thank you bl gods.
Listen, this drama was one of the most realistic, mature, honest portray of relationships and sex our side of the community ever got. It’s relationship in its rawest form. Unfiltered, and in some cases, very relatable. I started this cuz I liked the title and the poster. I’m glad I added it, cuz we’re only two months into the year and I can confidently say this is one of the best bls of the year.
Look, I know most of us cheered when that taxi stopped in the rain and those two booked a hotel room and did stuff like rabbits. But, let’s be honest, that cheating scene was no cheating scene, it was a love scene. Instead of hot and fast, we got a raw and slow moment that showed their venerability. Everything from Sei’s assurance to Hagiwara’s tears when he finally felt that connection with someone he so craved was done so beautifully. I was speechless of how real and emotional that whole scene was. It brought me way down from my ‘yaaay cheat, cheat, cheat’ chant. I understood the calmness of it, they both needed it after everything.
I love how they got to know each other through their emails. Here they’re finding their soulmates through emails, and me, I put every email I don't recognise in spam without reading. Sorry, soulmate, perhaps in our next life you’d learn to call or text. In the scene when they finally figured out they'd been talking to each other, I was stressed!!! Legit, I put the episode on pause cuz I was scared of their reactions. The air I let out when they acted matured about it and then continued to connect in real life. I love these two so much.
The finale made me hate being a rational person who can be objective. Before that conversation between Fujisawa and Sei, I hated Fujisawa with the burning passion of the sun, but then he started explaining, and I'm forced to understand him. Do I forgive him? hell no, but now I get why he did the things he did, and I'm vexed. Everything from his obsessions to his guilt made me understand his character and I hated it, cuz I wanted to leave the drama hating him 1000 percent, but now it's like 999. Cuz, his reasons doesn't excuse what he did. We will not rationalise abuse. And during that conversation I was glad Sei let him go, but him implying they'd have worked if Fujisawa ignored his morals was... well it is what is it, I suppose.
Anyway, I'm happy for the finale. Glad things were explained and we got to understand where everyone was coming from. Hagiwara reconnecting Sei with his friend while keeping away made me love him more. I’m happy our two leads took that time to sort out what they needed to, figured out their feelings, and then found each other in the rain. Happy tears y'all, happy tears. Such an amazing show, I'm sad it ended after just 7 episodes, I need a special.
PLOT:
This was good. Relationship comes in all forms with lots of problems and I'm glad we got to see this side of it. It's not all sunshine and rainbows, and sometimes we get stuck with people we care about but might not necessarily be the best for us. This was the something different I was waiting for. Emotions were high, and it made me think a lot, so I enjoyed each episode.
Anyway, below is my rant of the characters from episodes 1-6 with no knowledge of the last episode.
CHARACTERS REVIEW EPISODE 1-6
HAGIWARA KAZUAKI: This man was one of the good ones. No, I’m not excusing/forgetting what he did. No matter how you look at it, Hagiwara did cheat on his girlfriend. Still, he was a character deserving of happiness. Look at some of the facts:
Although Hagiwara wanted intimacy he never forced Kaori. He didn’t even get angry at her, and it was after Kaori’s pregnant friend snitched and he confirmed that Kaori didn’t want him that he turned to Sei. Even Kaori was surprised he didn’t trash-talk her in their emails.
Hagiwara is a gentleman. During that cheating… love making scene… when Sei asked him about his first time, that amazing specimen said he didn’t want to talk about the girl's privacy. But of course, there his girlfriend was, announcing his business to the world. The disrespect. Frankly, I’m shocked it took Hagiwara that long to cheat.
The reason I was happy to see Hagiwara cheat on Kaori was because, Hagiwara seemed like the kind who liked to feel an emotional connection with their partners, and Kaori was with him for a long time, so she knew, so for her to deny him that level of intimacy was just cruel, especially when she knew she was never gonna let him touch her again.
I wasn’t surprised he went all in when found that connection with Sei. In that scene when he was crying behind that glass door, asking if he was alone in his feelings, I was right there with him. And when he said, 'you’ve got your secret now,’ I sobbed with him. Glad he didn’t open the door cuz he wouldn’t have been able to let Sei go. My man loves too easily and opened and it hurt seeing him so broken.
NAKARAI SEI: Like Hagiwara said in that hotel room to Sei, “I don’t know if you are brave or cowardly.” Depending on the stand you take, Sei’s character was both. He had me feeling bad for him, and also wanting to slap him with a rubber chicken out of anger.
Sei was brave enough to cheat with Fujisawa, and to looked Fujisawa in the eyes and admit it when he got caught. No, but that whole scene had me rolling, yelling, ‘yes, tell him!’
Fujisawa: “You got a call from your side-piece. He got caught. His girlfriend ran away with his phone.”
Sei: Ah, the cat is out of the bag, oh well.
Fujisawa: So you cheated on me? Slept with another guy?
Sei: Yep, I cheated. I did it, I super done did it. We did it like rabbits, all day and night.
Hahaha no filter whatsoever and he didn’t stutter once. I was so happy when Fujisawa was yelling and demanding answers he straight up said, "Yes, I would have sex with anyone, it could have been anyone, but not you, not today, not here." I clapped, because here’s a man who had wanted Fujisawa for so long but was saying no to him now.
I’ve been wondering if Sei knew he was in an emotionally abusive relationship, or he was too close to see it. In Fujisawa defence, he already made himself clear where he stood when it came to intimacy. Which means Sei stayed in that relationship because he'd hoped Fujisawa would change his mind. Which brings me to my statement of him being the cost of his own pain. Why stay with someone you know can never give you what you want?
Did Sei truly, really, ever loved Fujisawa or did he stay with him out of loyalty? I think Sei mistook appreciation for love. He was happy for the kindness Fujisawa showed him during his parents’ death, and mistook that kindness for love and let that mfker isolated him for selfish reasons.
I felt sad and anger on Sei’s behalf for what that mouth breather Fujisawa did to him, but also at Sei when he apologised the next day like he did something wrong, and was considering quitting his job and moving away with him. Like????
Was Sei afraid to leave because he believed he wouldn’t find better? Hagiwara already confessed to him so he knew there was someone out there who wanted him, so that couldn’t have been it. Or was he scared of losing the security and familiarity that Fujisawa provided? Scared of starting over? Scared of Fujisawa thinking he was ungrateful after what he did for him? Whatever it was, it made him apologize, even had him lying to Hagiwara and trying to hide his injury, which made me angry at him.
“If you cry later, blame it on me,” Hagiwara said while I was shaking my head in judgement at Sei, because dude what the hell? You know how Hagiwara feels about you, you’ve admitted to feeling the same, so what is keeping you? Loyalty, understanding? Blame?
I realised Sei apologised to Fujisawa because he felt he was to blame. That some of the faults was his for cheating, but I’m still so angry, because he did not deserve what happened to him, and he did not have to rationalize that whole event at all. But then again, sometimes we are so close to the problem we don’t see it ourselves, and as outsiders it’s very easy to blame the victim. Still, I wished I was inside the screen, so I could shake him until he came to his senses.
FUJISAWA KAZUAKI: Dude vexed me. This guy hated everything, literally when Sei kept listing things Fujisawa didn’t like, I was like, ‘honey, please, save your voice, tell us the things he does like.’ I felt so bad seeing Sei beg him again and again for intimacy.
Sure, on Fujisawa’s part, he already made his stand clear, so some of the fault was on Sei. I thought Fujisawa was asexual or like sex was just one of the things he hated cuz he’s personality was hating stuff, but it turned out he was just a psycho. I don’t even think he was jealous that Sei turned to Hagiwara for intimacy. It was more like he was angry someone took something he thought was his, which is why he hurt Sei the way he did.
That scene where Sei was begging Fujisawa, telling him to stop hurting him because they couldn’t return to what they were made me sad and angry at the same time. Because Fujisawa, that fker had the nerves to reply. “What did we have?”
Exactly, they had nothing, nothing at all. Then the next day, his arse out there talking about I’m sorry, and I didn’t mean to hurt you. Bish he begged you to stop sooooo many effing times! In hindsight we should have known he was a psycho when he pressed into Sei’s injured nail and made it worse. Plus, he hated everything, like dude, how about hating air, stopping to take it and letting us have some peace? huh?
The nerve of him to even be surprised that Sei cheated in the end. What did he think was gonna happen when he wouldn’t even let Sei take care of himself in his presence? Literally, their whole relationship came off as roommates who tolerated each other, nothing more.
MIZUTANI KAORI: Some people really have all the effing audacity and this girl could sell hers. Not only did she get into a relationship with someone knowing after a while she’d no longer want sex with them, but she also went around telling people about not giving her sweet boyfriend any.
Look, I’m all for the sisterhood protecting one another, and Kaori’s friend straight up telling Hagiwara that she knew they weren’t having sex cuz Kaori said she hated when he acted masculine… #Sidenote: dafug does that even mean? does she not want him to appear/look like a man?? Woman if you feel this way then get one of those silicons and put it back in the closet after you are done using it, cuz you clearly don’t want a man.
Anyway, the point is, I’m all for the sisterhood, but I'm glad that the friend snitched, cuz she was also going through similar problems with her husband and wanted to warn him to save himself.
During that breakup scene at the cafe, I was behind my TV thinking of all the ways I could throw that coffee on Kaori’s head. Talking about you were with a man so I can’t forgive you, it would be unbearable to touch you. Thank God Hagiwara clocked her like, ‘wasn’t it already unbearable for you?’ She wasn’t even touching him, and now she’s like I can’t do it. Do what? You were not doing anything to begin with.
Sure, after she explained herself, it’s obvious she have some problems with intimacy and perhaps her sexuality. What I don’t understand is why she got into a long-term relationship. Woman if repulsion and nausea are how you always feel after being with a man a couple of times, then honey you don’t need a live-in-boyfriend you need tinder, get in and get out, don’t go and give someone’s son blue balls cuz you physically can’t bring yourself to be intimate with them.
Then she went on and said, ‘did you get with the next man you saw cuz I didn’t allowed you?.’ Allowed?? Once again, good job on Hagiwara for putting her in place like, ‘woman, I'm not a pet, not your dog to be allowed stuff.’ At least she did one thing right, letting Hagiwara have the satisfaction of telling her he found someone else and they should break up. Sure, she walked away feeling like she won and was in the right, that she did nothing wrong and Hagiwara broke up with her after he cheated, but I’m still so very happy Hagiwara told her what she wanted to hear. It showed he no longer cared how she took the whole thing, he was free and that was all that mattered.
And what in the dramatic arse thing was that, running away with his phone, and then shipping it to him via mail. Lol.
##End of rant##
Anyway, Hagiwara and Sei were going through it with their partners and I’m glad they found happiness together. They were each other’s missing pieces. I knew they would not be able to walk after their one night. Loved that last scene in the rain in the finale.
This series was one of the best bls I've watched in a long while, and I'd highly recommend it to everyone. I wish to see more work from the two leads, they were amazing in their roles. Hagiwara and Sei are going to stay with me for a long time.
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I must say I got hooked from very first episode. The story reminds me of my high school days. I literally lived those days again through this drama and that's what makes this drama so special to me. I watched lots of school/college dramas but this one hit differently.
What can I say about the acting. Everytime the ML looked at the FL with those "teary eyes" My heart melt, the way he looked at her, the way he talked to her, I can't express what i was feeling, all I could do is just smiling like an idiot. The innocence reflected through the FL's way of talking is not annoying at all (as sometimes talking that way feels too annoying), she did justice to her character.
The college days are little first paced (if you read the novel) , but still for 24 episodes with 40-45mins time span it was better.
Talking about music , 'Long day' is now one of my favourite osts. I am listening to it on loop.
I tend to forget things and may be after a while this drama will not be same for me as it is as of now. Hence I am writing this review so that I can remember these moments forever.
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