Having watched 'Iljimae',I must say, there is very little in common between these two dramas, other than the 'Robin Hood' nature of Iljimae and his rather misfortunate connection to his parents.
The return of Iljimae has a broader framework,is more well written, and explores the identity of Iljimae as a hero of the times, working against injustice than for any personal quest. I felt that the story and the characters were more complete in this.
The action sequences are good. There must have been plenty of rope and pulleys used in the making, as Iljimae and numerous others are always flying and leaping about in these scenes.
The episodes are all interesting, and keep you moving forward without boredom.
Regarding the cast: I had wanted to watch this initially for Jung Il Woo, and he didn't disappoint. He is good as Iljimae, truly the 'pretty girl-like-boy' as often referred to in the drama (I loved his ponytail hair).
The supporting cast is good,with many strong performances except that some secondary characters were made annoying by over-acting.
Despite all this, I didn't feel really satisfied with this drama. There wasn't so much plain fun or happy-energy associated with it.
Iljimae's character is mostly solemn/sad/serious/angry. Very rarely do we get to see his smile, let alone hear a laugh. There are so many things happening, we can near feel him carrying the burden of the world on his shoulders.
The romantic relationship is developed on realistic terms, along the sidelines of the plot.
The ending too, although happy, has a solemn, contemplative feel to it.
To sum up, although lacking in story and character development, character Iljimae in the drama 'Iljimae' evoked more happiness than the one we find in 'The Return of Iljimae'.
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There were many times where my heart was racing during this movie. Although it is not a thriller, some parts may surprise you and make you jump.
An interesting aspect of Pluto is its connection with Pluto. The reason why it is titled so is very interesting, though it only seemed to intertwine with the plot in the beginning and the end.
The cast seemed to fit well with the characters and the acting was extremely convincing.
I am glad that I watched this and would definitely watch it again.
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1This review may contain spoilers
A crime investigation with a strong theme of bromance.
Where do I begin with this series? Of course like many fans, I found out about this series on twitter and only knowing Inukai Atsuhiro. I went in and bought all of the source manga digitally. Reading the manga really excited me of what I call a mix of action thriller investigation and semi metaphoric romance between Ichirou and Shirou.The drama version of Kei x yaku is almost prefect. But because as a manga reader and knowing how good the drama could have been I can’t rate this series higher than 7.
I also have to warn that most will not like the ending. But it leaves a possiblity for season 2/movie follow up.
Kei x Yaku as a standalone drama is still very good, it’s got action, suspense, mystery but good chemistry between the two main leads.
Story
Kei x Yaku base story brings together Ichirou a public officer and Shirou a Yakuza gang leader together through one person they both know. It leads them to work undercover as a “couple” to find out the truth the story and from this unfolds into something more deep. As well as the bond between Ichirou and Shirou forming.
Acting/casting
One of the biggest positives/highlights of Kei x yaku is the cast. I have little complains (but in my ideal mind I would of casted an actor who’s the same height as Inukai). This would be my 1st introduction to Nobuyuki Suzuki in anything that he’s done, I will say Suzuki did great! He pulls off the soft but serious Ichirou, the best thing about his performance is that he can withhold his emotions in his acting.
I was more interested to see how Inukai Atsuhiro was going to act as Shirou, because I really like Shirou in the manga. Inukai blew those expectations out of the water, because Inukai is the perfect casting for Shirou and I couldn’t see anyone else but Inukai play as him. It’s amazing that dyeing your hair blond changes his whole image, but the slight gestures and attitude he displays screams Shirou. This so far is the like the best thing I’ve seen Inukai act and I would recommend 100% for Inukai fans just to watch him in this.
The rest of the cast is also very strong.
Music
I have to give a shoutout to composer Ryo Nobuguchi because the soundtrack to Kei x yaku is amazing. The main theme alone is enough to make you excited as well as 13th drums. An amazing mix of cello, violin, piano and drums. The music is one of the highlights of the show.
Positives
What I think the best thing about Kei x yaku is quality. The directing is amazing, the production is high quality, the cast/acting is amazing, and the music is amazing. Put it together and you get something like a semi action movie like drama. The 1st episode will always be the best one for me as it goes out with a bang.
I also like that the story doesn’t ignore the bond between Ichirou and Shirou, because the drama weaves in the investigation action with general scenes with just Ichirou and Shirou getting on with their lives.
Negatives
Kei x yaku honestly could have been something more special. One factor of the manga is that it has hints of showing something more between Ichirou and Shirou but the drama version doesn’t go beyond the “bromance” line. I assume it’s because they think the audience wouldn’t be able to tell what Ichirou and Shirou relationship is if they showed it like the manga. So face down the drama version is just a bromance, any BL drama fans looking for the next History Trapped this drama isn’t it.
Another factor is that the manga is WAY MORE ACTION PACKED. There’s a lot of action scenes in the manga that is gripping, I assume the drama didn’t have that much budget so these action scenes were reduced. But there’s an odd pacing to the investigation, like trial and error approach. The characters think they make progress but then they stumble and the progress they made is pushed back. There’s also way too many flashbacks to fill in screentime when they could of shown more new scenes.
Overall
Kei x yaku is a good investigation action thriller with bromance. If you are open to watching bromance then you are in for a ride! Any BL drama fans just looking for the romance I suggest to watch an actual BL drama.
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Heart-wrenchingly beautiful but with a dose of humor
This short 6-episode drama hits me with so many different emotions. It’s the perfect length to tell the story of Ram U (ML) and Hui Wan (FL). Their story was told with a combination of flashbacks of happy times (for the most part) and the present-day timeline of grief, guilt and depression.I’ve only seen Kim Min Ha in “Pachinko”, and she’s excellent in it. It was quite refreshing to see her as an outgoing and boisterous teenage girl. It’s hard to imagine she’s 29 years old, yet can play the role of a teenager and a depressed college student so well. Gong Myung has this baby face that’s so adorable as a teenage boy, and he’s actually 30 years old. They both acted beautifully and really toy with my emotions.
This drama reminded me of the best part of “Seasons of Blossom”. A similar story of grief and depression that was beautifully done. But in “Way Back Love”, the focus is just on them. They make me laugh, cringe, and cry. If you really think about it, the plot isn’t very unique. Just as I said it reminded me of “Seasons of Blossom”, it also reminded me of similar K-dramas when a Grim Reaper is involved. But the storytelling, the acting, the cinematography and the OST all work harmoniously together.
Maybe because I am in a mini K-drama slump, and this beautiful drama pulls me out of it, for that it deserves a high 9.0 rating. If you are in the mood for something heart-wrenching but beautiful, I recommend “Way Back Love”. With only 6 episodes, the pacing is great and you don’t feel it drags when its tone changes to be more melodramatic.
Completed: 4/20/2025 - Review #568
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A Whiff of Beer and Bubblegum
Sometimes a drama lands in the middle ground—not bad enough to rant about, not good enough to rave about. This particular romcom feels like white noise, a pleasant enough background hum that neither surprises nor offends. It’s just there.The story, ostensibly about beer (and maybe a covert PSA for liver transplant hospitals), checks every box for its genre. It’s bubbly, light, and packed with characters whose childlike antics make you feel like you’re watching a cartoon version of adulthood. While the premise is quirky, the execution doesn’t quite pop.
The second couple, though, steals the spotlight with their adorably sweet interactions. They’re a joy to watch and, honestly, more compelling than the main storyline at times. Thankfully, the drama avoids some of the genre’s most tired tropes—no love triangles, no catastrophic miscommunications, and (hallelujah!) no noble idiocy. Instead, we get two couples who actually talk to each other and work through their issues like emotionally intelligent adults. A rare win for healthy relationship portrayals in romcoms!
However, the narrative feels so light it’s almost forgettable. The pacing meanders, and there are plenty of moments where you might find yourself zoning out. The “special forces” subplot? Let’s just say it’s absurd enough to make you question its inclusion. And while the music is cute and inoffensive, it doesn’t leave much of an impression either.
If you’re looking for depth or a strong emotional arc, this isn’t the drama for you. But if you’re in the mood for something breezy and low-stakes—complete with a classic Kopiko ad cameo—it might scratch that itch.
Ultimately, this drama is like a glass of beer on a lazy afternoon. It’s light, frothy, and gone before you know it. Not every sip is memorable, but at least it doesn’t leave a bad taste.
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This review may contain spoilers
Sakura and Tendo are the most lovable and cute couple that I have ever seen in a drama. Although it had only 10 episodes, I was hooked into this drama. At first I thought Sakura was extremely in love with Tendo so I thought this drama would not be so good. But as I watched this drama, I fell in love with Sakura and Tendo. Sakura was madly in love with Tendo and what I loved about her was that she was never afraid of anything. She was an optimistic and happy girl that was like a sunshine to Tendo's life. She never hesitated about her feelings towards Tendo. From the beginning she made clear that she loved Tendo and I must praise her courage to confess her love in front of everyone right after they met.Tendo's character had a huge development. I thought he would be very cold and ruthless towards Sakura but he never disrespected her. He was also madly in love with Sakura afterwards. He was really sweet as a boyfriend and was head over heels for her. At first he was hesitant to express himself but slowly he stared to express his feelings towards Sakura. He was very professional towards his job. He never mixed his personal life and work life together and that is what made him more attractive in this drama. Tendo is one of the best boyfriend material ever. It shows that destiny surely plays a huge part in your life.
Also I loved every other cast in this drama. Everyone played their part perfectly. It's hard to move on from this drama. I smiled and laughed o much in this drama. I also wanted to cry because some scenes were really touching and sweet. I loved Sakura and Tendo's chemistry. I wish it was longer than 10 episodes. But nonetheless I absolutely loved this drama and I'm sure you won't regret watching this drama. ❤❤
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The story was good, but the plot was same old same old. Some of the my questions were not answered. I like this drama because both actors loved the girl in a different way maybe more than another. The suspense was a good add to the drama, but they couldn't keep up with to the end. How the problem resolve was not resolve in a good way.
I dislike this drama because they didn't really solve the mystery and why it started was not solved. If you love the actors, I suggest giving it a try. The love triangle was entertaining and cute at the same time.
I would rematch it, but only if I am bored.
Loved the music
Overall it was a good ride, but only if the story remained good.
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It's good but...
I knew that I shouldn't have watched this one, I really wasn't planning on it, but curiosity got the best of me.Even If This world Disappears From The World Tonight, the original movie got me with that title, the poster and the two main leads, whom I fell in love with when I watched My Love Mix Up. I waited almost 2 years for the release of that one with only that information, Main leads, Title and poster.
When I first watched I thought "Oh!! 50 First Dates, but teens" It's not, well yes it is but it's better and it hits like a punch in the gut hard! despite how much it hurts I've watched more times that I can count and it hurts just the same each time. This is why although this version is quite good and made some good changes, knowing how good it can be and how much more impactful it can be I am rating it rather low, much lower than it probably deserves.
This is a good movie, I liked it, I smiled the whole way through and I am sure that if I hadn't watched the Japanese version my rating would've been much higher.
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UNDENIABLE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN THE LEADS!
To be honest, I'm not a fan of c drama but when i browse to Iqiyi newest drama. I saw this one MrBad drama,I was surprised that It keep me waiting for the next episode and even bought the express package hahaha.
The female lead Shen yue is so pretty and her acting in this drama fits her role as Nan Xing.
Chenzheyuan is so handsome, he fits his role also as Xiao Wudi.
The chemistry between them is SO NATURAL, especially when they have baby xixi. Looks so real.
OMG i want and demand a new drama for this two.
SHEN YUE AND CHENZHEYUAN chemistry is unbeatable. Indeed a MUST WATCHED DRAMA.
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Once upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain
26 people found this review helpful
This review may contain spoilers
Choppy, Campy, Cute
So my take on this drama is that Xu Kai's role in this took a little while for me to get used to because the character he plays (Wan Lu) is soooooo conceited. I kept on watching though because Sandrine's character (Wan Wu) reminded me of myself and some of my best friends... kept me laughing myself sillyAltogether, I think I started warming up to him in the episode where his ego takes a serious beating and he shows some much needed humility and vulnerability... his likeability score before that episode wasn't very high.
The connectivity of each episode sometimes felt ever so slightly choppy... sometimes a "theme" would be introduced that would carry for maybe 3 or 4 episodes before that would be completed and another "theme" begun. This choppiness made the storyline feel more like a tv show than a smooth plotline, focused drama.
However, once I started the show, I didn't feel like dropping at all... the action, and tension were constant, the humor was funny most of the time ( to me), although I know others might prefer less campy comedy and more seriousness in the dramas they watch.
The start of the very first episode felt extremely cryptic and confusing, and half way through the drama when I began to suspect that Wan Lu was Ouyang reincarnated, I had to go back and rewatch the first episode to understand the from the strange occurrence of his birth. At the end when it's revealed otherwise, I had to read other fans assessment to discover that he WAS supposed to be Ouyang reincarnated in the book. I'm not sure why they changed that --- it makes a better storyline and also makes it easier to believe that they fall in love, because while I liked the not-serious, playful flirting between the two, I don't know how I feel about real budding feelings between WL and WW...I don't know if they can pull off the chemistry they need if they are supposed to fall in love. I guess we'll see since this show seems to be heading toward a second season.
I'll be keeping my eyes open, cuz it entertained me enough that I'll watch it as long as it has the same people acting in it.
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This drama was different from other Korean and Asian dramas that -I- have seen. The premise alone seemed daring and atypical to what I'm used to watching. One modern woman living independently with her boyfriend while not being married and then dating 12 men in one year? I believe that brakes a lot of drama cliches just right there. That alone made this drama worth watching.
I feel the drama was executed well. This is a story that deals with the question of what happens when love is not enough and does not last forever. Actually, I feel like it deals with the topic of love in a very modern and pragmatic way. It shows many forms of love in an interesting, funny and often touchy way. There is love of parent and child, friends, first love, etc...
I felt the drama was acted well enough. But, I felt the main character was overshadowed by that of the girl who plays her best friend. The way that character was written, acted and even physically, out shined the lead. There were some parts where I thought that Mi Roo was behaving like a total B...rat!. I was never really able to connect or really fully like her.
There are really no bad guys here. Everyone has their good and bad qualities in different proportions at different parts of the story. I liked that.
Now, as I said, it was not perfect. I had issues with a few things.
1. Was that by episode 4 I felt the drama lost a bit of its steam. I don't know how they were doing ratings wise or how it was received in Korea, but I felt like they decided to stop and look for that line they wanted to step on but not cross. It had this feeling of uncertainty, like for a second they were not sure how they wanted to continue. This was not really detract me from enjoying, but I did feel a change.
2. It did not feel as though the main girl had a lot of character growth. She pretty much felt the same from beginning to end.
3. I hated the main character's sense of fashion and hair cut. IT DISTRACTED ME!. At times I was busy thinking how much I disliked it and had to rewind the episode.
4.The ending felt a bit rushed.But it did tie and tell you what happens to all the important characters. I did not know who she was going to end up with.Well, I think that was not necessarily a bad thing, but it did feel underdeveloped.
Again, if you want a good rom-com, with a good story and don't mind the main girl kissing more than one man, this is a story worth watching. Enjoy!
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It certainly feels like a historical drama that is meant for the big screen and not necessarily a tv show where it both felt stretched out to fill up its eight episodes runtime but also not deep enough and a bit too rushed with endless number of flashbacks to explain to us how the characters had arrived at this point of the story. If it had twelve episodes with three distinct arcs (the rise to power, the fall and the fight) all told from the perspective of Queen Woo it might have worked out and felt more like a complete, fully fleshed out story.
There is enough action, and you can see that a lot of effort was put into the epic which makes it seem like a very long film and the scenes are well done, but I’m not sure if the drama works too much on the epic for the narrative itself. It’s never said anything more than that this team was brutal. Most of the nuances in the story are missing. The drama seems to let the actors, and the action and violence do a lot of the dramas heavy lifting. The narrative is too standard and nothing we haven’t necessarily seen before in historical palace politics.
The excessive sex and violence often feel quite perplexing or just straight up oddly presented within the story and really doesn’t convey much about the story, the society or the characters. Often it just seems to be forced in there just because they could and it would make the story more daring, but it just feels lazy way of telling us about the characters and some of their ruthlessness. There must be a point with the things you put in your story.
You can’t just endlessly give us characters acting unhinged and deranged if it has no value or adds any nuance to the story. It’s just there for the shock. The characters must be built up, little by little. You must work for the things that happen within the narrative for it to work properly. While it’s fun for a while, and shocking, and can be brainless mayhem that’s exciting to witness, it gets tiresome after a while if it leaves nothing more. No nuance or reason.
Queen Woo certainly was one of those interesting characters on paper, but she feels a bit too much like a puppet in this whole game at times, and I am sure that angle could be compelling as we see her slowly come into her own, but the drama spends a whole of time getting there and I am unsure if the payoff was worth it. She is clever, she is calm under pressure and has a lot of prospects as a character. But she also comes off as somewhat of a girlboss female character that was too much written for modern audience to really become more than a standard female character in a historical drama.
The drama seems aware of its own flaws, as it’s so intent on covering up its lack of proper narrative with shocking scenes, flashbacks and battles, but the story itself is something that’s been told so many times before in costume dramas like this, aside from the violence and the nudity when it comes to kdramas, so it never becomes anything grand or special. It forgets that it is supposed to tell you an interesting story. This drama certainly had an idea, but an idea is not a narrative. Impressive in scope and quite entertaining once you turn your brain off and just enjoy the cast, the battles and costumes but if you peel back any of the layers of the actually storytelling you see that there isn’t too much there.
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Problematic But Brave
As other reviews attest, it is far too easy to "punch down" in reviewing this series: its flaws are many and criticism is warranted. And yet, I didn't give up and actually looked forward to each week's episode release.The script chose to tackle and address issues that many stories (BL or not) pretend don't exist: mental health, therapy, institutional/authority figure predation (and the willful ignorance around these predators), and forced prostitution and victim-shaming. I think art, even flawed art, that chooses to speak to power should be praised for what it gets right as well as criticized when part of the execution falls short.
The early episodes did a tremendously deft job in taking us on Ice's journey as he continued to heal. Some of the most outstanding scenes during the characters' workshop sessions were understated and they let the subtext speak volumes that the script did not. Their workshop scenes were heartbreaking and hopeful, and watching two fractured people attempt to create connection (while one is still reeling from the trauma of sexual exploitation) was masterfully done. In fact, I might go out on a ledge and say those scenes in particular are some of my most memorable from the 2025 season and the best acting executed by the leads.
Yes, the second and third acts piled trauma on top of trauma, trope on top of trope, to the detriment of the story that was offered in act one. To me, it felt like the production team had tremendous courage to tell a unique story as they started, but got scared and retreated into genre semantics and syntax as the story progressed. If they had had the courage to keep the story smaller, the plot contrivances fewer, they had a chance to tell a very aching redemption story for our two leads.
And the reviews citing Ice's toxic boyfriend as an unnecessary element, in my opinion, miss the point of that subplot. Ice still feels unworthy and "tainted" when he chooses that relationship- there is a part of him that wants to wallow there as those feelings are at least familiar. He specifically chose a partner that would create the feelings in him he felt he deserved. Moving past Warm was a sign of growth and healing for Ice. Too often, survivors feel unworthy of real, sustained happiness and will continue in relationships that keep them in their "normal" state of stress, self-loathing, and self-doubt. Did the writers take that arc too far? Absolutely. This is just one example of courage in act one that retreated into trope by the end of the series.
Overall, this definitely is not a "seek it out" kind of show. But if you're in a generous mood and looking to watch a flawed but brave series, indulge your curiosity.
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standard Thai romcom elevated by Off & Gun
Overall: this is a pretty standard Thai romcom, it was nice to see Off & Gun again. 12 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on GMMTVs YouTube channel cut and WeTV uncut.Content Warnings: past death, grief, mental health struggles, stalking/harassment, bullying, dead body covered, slap, homophobia, unwanted outing, punch, non con video recording/sharing, cyberbullying
What I Liked
- reverse personalities/dynamic from their previous characters
- laughed a few times
- sweet moments
- dream sequences
- motivations/responses of the main leads make sense
- how Prem checked in about Ten's boundaries
- Prem/Ten's mutual and ongoing affection, being supportive of one another
- supportive grandma, Unky's parents and the stepmom
- Ten apologizing for what happened in ep 10
Room For Improvement
- started with an inner voice exposition dump
- not a fan of an aggressive pursuer/reluctant pursuee for the side couple (liked them more starting in episode 7), and then there were some unwanted relationship games in ep 8
- quite a lot of the intended humor was a miss for me
- choppy at times, heard the uncut is less choppy
- the long press and hold kiss with zero lip movement, need more energy in their kissing
- comedy sound effects made things less funny
- could have condensed into 8 episodes, felt slow
- ep 8 the friend going as the in between felt very immature instead of funny
- was disappointed about the Unky arc/telling others without first checking in with the person
- punch was unneeded and then the scene after was jarring with the different tone
- a dad who slaps his son then lecturing him about using physical violence made me roll my eyes
- episode 12 time jump
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