2 DAYS, IT TOOK ME 2 DAYS to complete this series
As usual I sacrifice my sleep for dramas. And this series was great! I loved the storyline a lot! Its really different from you all fluff rom-com dramas for sure. I felt the feelings brought out by the characters, including sacrifices one would make for he/her loved ones. I really thought it'll have a sad ending, but NO! it definitely has a happy ending!The acting; c'mon i totally watched this because of Xing Fei and Ren Jia Lun is a bonus.
On a side note, this is the first c-drama i watched with the ML/FL not kissing (on the lips) in it!!! I totally baffles me to no end how complete this drama is even without kissing (I repeat, on the lips! However, we have steamy (imo) kiss scenes by the 2nd couple haha!
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Madness that does magic
This is that kind of movie where the characters make all the dumb decisions and started the worst situation you could ever imagine, ironically it is exactly the madness that does magic in a sense of who can be the smartest out of all in this mind bending strategy war. What happens afterwards in the movie is pure magnificence, the legal indictment of its murder investigation is extremely detailed and the plot twist within it will ultimately blow your mind away not only once but multiple times. The acting performance is so intense it will pull you into a great deal of attention to determine the truth behind it, the amount of emotion and thrill it carries is unprecedented.Was this review helpful to you?
If, however, like me, you are Takeru Satoh trash, and have an appreciation for films with a deeper meaning, enjoying unexpected (and extremely sudden) plot twists and a dark and slightly creepy psychological theme... then I suggest you give this movie a shot. ^v^)/
One of REAL's biggest highlights for me was that you really didn't know what to expect next. You just have no idea. One minute, I was focused in the neurological world, and the next I was hiding behind my pillow. And that is how you go through the film - not knowing what to expect next, yet anticipating the conclusion. I give the rewatch value a strong 9*, as it all makes so much more sense if you were to rewatch it, and you can appreciate the thought put into its creation, the jumpy camera angles and script.
The cast and acting were great, although again, initially you might find it a little strange in the beginning. It all makes sense nearer the end. ^^
One thing that did confuse me was the strange blend of both decent CGI, and college-green-screen-quality CGI. I'm not sure if it was intentional or not because of the story line...
Also, plesiosaurs. I love them.
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*[EDIT: Rewatching is so worth it!]
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Firstly, I’ve got to say that the filming location for this movie (apparently Mie prefecture) is absolutely gorgeous. This movie made me want to drop everything and move there ASAP! If you like movies set in rural Japan like I do, you will by default LOVE this movie for the scenery alone. One word for the cinematography: WOW!
The story itself is honestly nothing that hasn’t been done before. Tokyo girl (Rio) goes to the countryside for her summer vacation and falls head over heels for the local heartthrob. Lots of cute moments and clichés follow. In fact, this movie takes every possible “summer” cliché and throws it in: sunflowers, blue sky, festivals, fireworks, barbecues, swimming etc. you name it, it’s there. One thing I liked about this movie in particular (compared to other shoujo manga adaptations) is that this movie doesn’t get overly bogged down with lots of forced melodrama or antagonists. Problems are resolved pretty quickly and the overall pace is good.
This movie has a lot of young actors. Wakana Aoi is really good here and I liked her character. Rio was gutsy and knew what she wanted. Respect! Sano Hayato is a little less polished than Wakana but he still impressed me. At first glance he’s not conventionally handsome, but his mannerisms were surprisingly cute and he won me over for sure. Their chemistry together was pretty good too.
This is a shoujo manga story so it's not meant to be taken too seriously. It's unrealistic and dreamy but it has its charms for sure! Give it a try if you like summer romance!
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Urghhh…you don’t understand how much I love this
I’ve only watched up to episode four, but Me and Who has been such a fun ride so far. The production quality is great, the cast is amazing, and the acting is honestly my favorite part — the expressions, reactions, and timing are all so natural.It’s funny in the best way too. The humor doesn’t feel forced; it just happens — sometimes through a look, a line, or the way someone reacts. The story is interesting, the pacing is good, and overall, it’s just really enjoyable to watch.
I’m genuinely having a good time with this one. It’s light, fun, and easy to get into. Can’t wait to see how the rest of the episodes play out🙂↔️
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Murder and Misdaventures
This was the drama I didn't know I needed or was waiting for but I was hooked from the moment the FL jumped into the bath with the ML. None of us would ever be the same again. :DAt the heart of this crime solving drama is the love story between two larger than life personalities. It begins with an unexpected intrusion, then an almighty clash of wills. All that belied a meeting of minds and a passion for getting to the bottom of inexplicable occurrences that came their way. The two bicker their way to the autopsy table and there they become a formidable pair of ancient sleuths trying to uncover criminal activities and make sense of their growing feelings for each other while navigating a thorny love triangle that includes a former betrothed who has secrets of his own. The show also manages to thrust them into one of my favourite tropes -- the contract marriage -- in entertaining fashion. I admit to cringing at the start with their respective nicknames but came to love them once they evolved into terms of endearment.
The format of the drama sees the two stumbling or being led into cases which may or may not have immediate relevance to the overarching Bad Guy plot. The pair with their combined abilities resolve them quickly but their exploits and romance soon come to the attention of larger forces at work. What I found especially interesting is how these individual cases have direct lessons for the pair regarding their own journey to finding true love.
The star of the show in my book is Xiao Song, a veritable Sherlock Holmes styled character whose knack for deductions earns him the appellation of being the country's premiere investigator ("The Sorrow of Chang'an's Ghosts"), a highly valued official of the Tang emperor's court. He falls for the sassy and skilled Ran Yan who is inevitably Dr Watson to his Holmes. Xiao Song is not one to do things by half. He lives large and loves large but desperate times bringeth forth the man, showing his true mettle. He is played by the wonderful and delightful Toby Lee whose versatility gives flesh to the character beyond the super sleuth template. At times he is the lofty official that throws his weight around barking commands, the next he is a mischievous suitor to his reluctant coroner pushing her buttons to get her to bend to his will. There is however, also a tender almost boyish side to him, glimpsed when showing genuine concern for the people he really cares about. Overall he is really the best written character whose passion for the truth and for the woman he loves makes him someone you can't help rooting for.
Newcomer Pinky Zhou plays the lovely, smart and strong-willed titular character who accompanies Xiao Song on his fishing expeditions ;) albeit reluctantly at first. It doesn't take long before she gets bitten by the bug and becomes an adept detective in her own right. Zhou is generally adequate to the task although I suspect a more seasoned hand would have produced a more nuanced and satisfying performance.
Our main duo are ably supported their motley crew made up of the doggedly loyal Bai Yi, Wan Lu, the cowardly but multi-talented scholar extraordinaire Sang Chen and Uncle Wu, Ran Yan's teacher and mentor. Occasionally the former fiance, SF finds himself on the same side as his bitterest rival.
As a long-time fan of crime fiction, I really enjoyed riding on the whodunnit and whydunnit bandwagon following the mystery of the week while the couple bickered and completed each other's thoughts. But the single most important highlight was discovering Toby Lee who was born to take on this role.
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How did this drama get pass Chinese censors? ;)
If this Show was made in the West, it would be considered old school, maybe a low budget indie drama. The fact that it was made in China and quite recently is a surprise in itself.The Show is a black comedy at its core. It is in your face, no holds barred, and then gives you the metaphysical middle finger because it can. I'm not saying that every c-drama is pure as driven snow but when you consider the show's FL is an alcoholic middle-aged rocker, the 2FL is a rebellious high school dropout, then add a whole cadre of deeply flawed characters to fill out the rest of the cast. It is definitely not your typical c-drama casting call. On top of that, the show is overflowing with themes like child abandonment, failed marriage, mental health, bad parenting, drunkenness and other questionable behaviours. It is a wonder how it got past the censors.
It is a shortish rollercoaster ride at 12, 40ish mins episodes, but it is “action” packed. There are many twists and turns. All the emotions are raw, and not much is sugar coated. The spitefulness of the characters is on full display. Most characters have been hurt before and are still smarting after all these years and nobody is getting off easy. All the dirty laundry will take a battery of industrial grade washing machines to get through.
In terms of acting, the veteran actors all turned in solid performances, but the show belongs to the FL. It is her tour de force. She acts, sings, and so much more. I am impressed by her comedic timing as well. It is definitely not a glamourous role, but she is all in. The younger actors pale by comparison but it is not their fault. They did well, but they need more time in the vat to be well seasoned.
In terms of writing, it was hardly original. There are all kinds of tropey plots and plot holes. The Show counterbalances this with its fast pace and boundary pushing edginess. There are surprise twists and some of the black humour is laugh out loud funny. It is rude and crude, but that is part of its (largely) unfiltered charm.
I do find the ending to be a bit of a cop out though. The Show ultimately becomes a healing drama with a long redemption arc that felt too safe. It was a little disappointing when you consider how much energy it expended in dismantling the status quo only to come in for a soft landing. Yes, it was nice to see some resolutions, but I would prefer an all guns blazing finale.
It was a challenge to watch more than one or two episodes at a time. However, once I stopped, I kept thinking about it. I ended up binging the last few episodes. I believe the OST was sung by the FL(!) and the rocking soundtrack is about as fitting as it can get.
Rock it, Mom is a polarising show. Some will hate it, and some will love it. There is not a lot of room on top of that fence. If you can push through the first few episodes, you will find a diamond in the rough. I thoroughly enjoyed the crazy, off-colour ride. I must confess that I did cringe a few times but that's Rock & Roll, baby!!
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Disappointing drama
Disappointing drama.Everything is present to make a beautiful love story. We are quickly attached to the story and the characters. But we can guess a little too easily what will happen next, despite a few twists that reinforce the plot. The sentimental hesitations are not convincing. One gets the impression that the writers have done little research on the love triangle when two brothers are in love with the same woman. In this story, the choice for Ye Ji seems obvious after a few episodes, but the writers have reduced the poor heroine to a pretty doll who spends her time hesitating, crying and running from the obvious.
The weight of Korean taboos and social codes weigh on the lives of the characters and the life choices they might make. Everyone seems to carry too much guilt to be believable. The screenwriters lacked a little freshness and audacity to make this unnecessarily maudlin story more original and modern.
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stalking, obsession, hottest guy on campus, multiple couples, queer affirming
Previously known as Stalker the series, and you can TELL. Co-produced by and featuring (but NOT staring) Saint and directed by Cheewin (sigh) with mostly fresh faces it was pure pulp and... I hated the plot.In fact I was ALL OVER THE PLACE with this show.
I ADORED both queer friendship groups, and the language use that resulted, and the main character reads as out gay and a bit femme, which is lovely to see. As @heretherebedork pointed out this show is basically giving the characters that usually get punch downed on, mocked, side-lined, and pillorized, their own love stories and happy endings - and I LOVE THAT for them. And for Thailand.
But (and you knew there was a big ol’but coming) the stalker aspect was far too much for me. Toh, the lead, was so cringey I dropped it at ep 3 because it had become my personal hellscape of second hand embarrassment. Like Bridesmaids or The Hangover this is NOT a style of humor or romcom that I enjoy at all.
As is often the case with stories of this type, Toh came off as desperate, needy, and awkward while Nuea had no personality. This meant that I could find no reason for Nuea to fall f\in love with Toh (although sexual attraction seemed to play a BIG role and that, by episode 6 started to save the show for me). Self consciously the narrative seems to recognize its own flaw in this matter and sought to address it by hanging yet another lamplight (or two) on it in the final episode but, I was over it by then.
And while Nuea did grow a bit out of his blandness, Toh never stopped being a complete nightmare (for me). Certainly as we got to know Toh better his disposition was better understood (Austen) BUT I never grew to like him, or entirely understand why Nuea liked him, either.
I DID like how very first love and gay sexual journey of discovery Toh & Nuea’s relationship was.
This was one of those rare (and much coveted) BLs where the characters actually do seem to want to bone. In fact SCOY’s Nuea & Toh are the pinnacle of that awkward first-time super-sexualized relationship in university. Like, I REMEMBER what this was like. Knowing how cool you want to be, but also just craving another human THAT BADLY you totally forget your cool.
And frankly, I like that in a YA drama. Really good, adolescent first love, shown in a positive light with a pro-sex message as well a themes of communication and safe sex? We NEVER get that from Thailand. In fact, we rarely get it in any gay shows, anywhere, BL or not BL. Just ANYWHERE. The fact that this show featured a drunk kiss that was NEGOTIATED ahead of time blew my mind. How clever. What a subtle way to address dub con. In this aspect the actors did a GREAT job, especially Billy (who played Nuea).
There was an awkward raw visceral connection going on that really worked and that previously only Taiwan and Japan have ever really bothered with. The other show that got this DOWN was HIStory 3 the BL that shall not be named.
But otherwise, I spent more time cringing than enjoying the mains. The side couples, however.
THE SIDE COUPLES!
I lost my mind first over Sky & Jao.
A confident king who falls head over heals for the sweet scared boy with self worth issues and makes know bones about his interest. Actually we have seen this trope before, but it was so perfectly done with this show.
But then at the very end they gave us Intouch & Daisy. Daisy & Intouch did not have enough screen time and I could watch a full series all about them. Their language alone was a real pleasure to listen to. I think the show didn’t have quite enough faith in standard Thai BL watchers' willingness to invest in them as a couple, over which I am quite sad. Because i get it. But in this matter, at least, I wish the show had been even more brave and boundary pushing.
In the end, for me, this show was a real doozy. It was a mix of Thai cheer meets creepy, Taiwanese in-your-face queer, and Japanese chaos muffin slapstick (like Kieta Hatsukoi). Was it successful mixing these things? Not for me.
It had a ton of things I really did not like (e.g. the humor was crass and awkward, and the whole thing was extremely CRINGE). It also had things that really worked: (e.g. representation of multiple different kinds of queerness, about which it very Taiwanese - in that there was no doubt that the characters really did want to bone). It was the opposite of sanitized gay. Honestly, if you can make it through the first half, and survive the never ending cringe-factor that IS this show, the second half is entirely unique - content we’ve never seen before in BL.
SCOY must be applauded for giving us, without question, the queerest, most honest, most truly gay Thai BL campfest that I’ve ever seen. It has to be praised for everything that it does accomplish:
beautiful peer groups;
all powerful and encompassing friendship support;
those friend’s giving equally bad advice & gossiping;
discussions of topping versus bottoming and safe sex;
examinations of wife/husband language;
concerns around body image and self-worth;
AND the gross, weird, ugly, hilarious side of all of the above.
Did I love this show?
Absolutely not.
Did I want to love it?
Yes.
Do I admire what it was trying to do and, to a certain extent, did do?
Absolutely.
SCOY drove me nuts and made me bush but had flashes of unparalleled genius.
SCOY was many things (a lot of them annoying af) but it what it was, primarily, was actually quite special.
So, I remain conflicted.
SCOY made me feel whiplash and I hate that sensation. But I love what it was attempting. I loved when it was suddenly very sexy but then I hated SO MUCH when it was suddenly not sexy at all. I certainly fast forwarded more than I watched. But when I paused to take it in, it did get fun and enjoyable.
If you like slapstick and you don’t mind cheese and cringe then you might enjoy this BL quite a bit. In the end, this one really came down to a matter of taste. It’s not to my personal taste, the narrative was hit or miss, but its intention was pure gold. This one waffled from 5-9, so I ended up just going with 7/10.
RECOMMENDED WITH RESERVATIONS, just not the usual ones
Final note, the sub team on this one was AWESOME, gotta give them a shout out.
They did mad good work.
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Compelling idea but lacking any real development
I'd been looking forward to this drama since it was announced and went into it really interested and excited. Unfortunately it didn't live up to what I expected.Truthfully I wasn't really sure what to expect, but after the writers introduced the several plotlines in the first episode, I was excited to see what they would do, and then nothing really happened. Every single plot point (connect, organ traffickers, serial killer, etc.) was underdeveloped and didn't really go anywhere meaningful. Nothing was explained (I'm guessing they're counting on another season for that) and it just sort of ended.
I also had a hard time liking the characters, which makes it really hard for me to get into a series. The only person I did like was Ha Dong Soo, but even he was a little sad and pathetic that it was difficult to get fully onboard with him. Again, I think this is due to being undeveloped.
The actors did a good job, but I don't think they were given enough to work with. Or maybe it was just how the story was actually filmed/put together. I'm not really sure, but in the end the whole thing felt like it was missing something vital.
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Life was Hard
2025 had some fun movies in Korean cinema, but no movie came even close to "No Other Choice"—not until I saw this movie. The Ugly is a simple but impactful drama that looks back on the hardships of a man and a woman, discovered by their son through a series of interviews. The premise may not seem that interesting at first, but it is made in a Korean style that I really like, contrasting the good and the bad in people and offering a deeply human experience without a mainstream happy ending. We often don’t understand the way of life of our grandparents, or even our parents, so this movie gives us a mirror to reflect not only on the story presented, but also on our society in general, and invites us to have more respect for our ancestors (and the cross they carried).The movie has a mystery to uncover, but for me it didn’t offer any real surprises in the development of the story. Where the movie truly shines is in the actors’ performances. They did a great job portraying believable and deeply touching emotions.
The movie also invites us to reflect on what is ugly and what is beautiful. As it is written in the Bible, God does not look at outward appearance but at what is in the heart. So what seems ugly to the world may in fact be beautiful, and what appears beautiful may actually be stained with ugliness.
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This drama is one of my favorite light hearted rom-com dramas...The main leads Sung Deok Mi and Ryan Gold had perfect chemistry and it is fun to watch them get close to each other. At times it felt that they weren't acting and that makes it even better. Their relationship was was very mature and sweet and very honest. One thing i loved about the drama was the unique storyline which shows that Deok Mi is a fan girl which is very relatable and it's very fun and interesting to watch. The way this drama was produced, the OSTS, the acting....it was amazingg!!! I definitely recommend watching it! Was this review helpful to you?
Bad start but get's better
Sometimes you will see a cover and instantly know that this is just not for you.... but then you may look a bit closer and find out that Greg Hsu is the star and all of a sudden you just have to watch it for that smile.... But deep down inside you know that Greg is probably the only thing this movie has to offer.And well it started off just like it´s cover suggested, annoyingly bad silly humour... Greg Hsu as a homophobic over the top jerk (with muscles) slightly painful to watch second hand embarrassment making me rethink my choice to watch it, but since Greg Hsu is the star and they trowed in a bunch of open minded granny's I stuck to it and it actually got better. Showing me yet again the Greg is a versatile actor (having like 10 personalities in this) and more then just a pretty face. The other male lead did a really good job too. Some twists where more predictable than others, actually most of them where predictable. the character development was however lovely and I think I may almost have shed a tear.
So I am not going to say this is great, but if you are a Fan of Greg Hsu or ghosts, this is not a bad place to watch them just don´t judge the movie by its cover or first 30 minutes or so. It does indeed get better. But honestly it is probably worth a 6,5 or a 7 but the cast and moments of brilliance (few as they are), as well as the presence of a cute dog truly adds a whole lot of stars.
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Why? As the five characters slowly investigate among themselves the truth behind the death of their gravure idol during her 1 year memorial anniversary, they unfold each other's personal lives and connection with the dead idol. During this time, they are all cooped up in a small apartment formulating reasons as to what really happened before and during the time of their idol's death.
If you think this is a boring film, well watch the movie and think again. This isn't your average film full of talk, mystery and well… more talk. This is one of those films that would make you scratch your head in the beginning, then seat straight-look-forward-to-screen in the middle and finally say "So that's what happened" in the end.
Its very entertaining to watch not that their acting was over the top, it was simply perfect. Every character portrayed themselves so well. The way they analyzed each other, puzzled things together and draw a conclusion to each scenario... it was very smart and witty. There were flashbacks to give a better visual of the scenarios they come up with and that definitely helped in building up the story and make the unfolding of the mystery more fun. I give kudos to the writer of this movie who made everything interesting.
Cinematography wise, it wasn't much since the focus is more on each characters who are talking inside a small room and as for the music I wasn't able to remember it much but it did somehow help as a background to build up the mood of the film.
Recommending this to those who like watching films which are more on the conversation side with mystery and comic relief on the side lines. BTW, there's no other film that I could compare it with since I think… it is one of a kind.
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