Reviews

This is the BL We Lived For

This is the BL We Lived For. The BL genre is so saturated right now and its good to see production companies try to deliver unique plots even with limited budget.

Short summary. A hunky Guy suddenly appeared in a man's house looking for an evidence of a crime 10 years ago. Guy put the Houseowner in a cage in his own basement because who doesnt keep a cage in their basement, to search for that evidence. Suddenly, Houseowner's friend - an obviously gay twinkie Cop who is looking for a way to clear his father's name, appeared in the house and met Guy - who pretended to be Houseowner's brother. Of course Cop would believe and flirt with Guy because why not? They made love and fell in love. However, Cop realized soon enough that Guy is not Houseowner's brother and is keeping his friend in the basement, but still chose to believe Guy's explanation over his friend. Guy found the evidence he was looking for- same evidence that can clear the Cop's father's name. Chaos ensues as more people appeared the house. After all the killing, Guy and Cop remained alive, and they lived happily ever after, in a beach somewhere.

The good:
1. Great camera work - i dont know what type of camera they used but shots look cinematic, plus great editing and color grading.
2. Unique story.
2. Capable and good looking main leads.

Im so sick of watching Korean BLs with 10+ min per episodes, i honestly dont understand why they cant just make episodes longer when their intended broadcast platform doesnt have limitations on episode length. can someone please explain it to me? That why, i am glad that the episodes for this series are slightly longer than the average Korean BLs. The 5 to 10 minutes added per episodes gave the story enough breathing time so the execution doesnt feel rushed. It felt like a well executed complete story but still i cant help imagine what the show could have been if its a regular length series.

However, the show isnt perfect and there are some loopholes in the story:
1. However twinkie the cop may look, why would he need a self defense training from a random stranger - he is a cop for crying out loud, isnt self-defense and all other kind of defense and offense training already part of cop training?
2. Why would the criminals wait for 10 years to look for the evidence that can implicate them in a crime?
3. its an expensive looking house but people kept showing up unannounced - dont they have a front door or something? Even the father cop suddenly appeared in the living room without even knocking and announcing himself and has the guts to say lets do it by the books.
4. I may get a flak for saying this, i had a hard time identifying all the other cast members - they all look alike with the same styling even in the flashback scene from 10 years ago.

Will i recommend? Yes definitely. it's a 9 out of 10 for me.

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I don't even know where to begin with this drama. Ever since I saw its teaser on Netflix, I was absolutely stoked, for multiple reasons. The production looked fantastic, it was shot in Taiwan , and the premise seemed extremely interesting and unique. My thoughts going into the show was the standard "genius detective that gives little regard to societal rules." As a friend pointed out, something along the line of characters such as Sherlock in "Sherlock BBC" or House in "House MD."

I couldn't have been more wrong. The first thing that this show really nailed home was the depiction of Asperger's. The lead male actor, Henry Chang, did a fantastic job with his character Fang Yi-Ren. From the little awkward quirks, to his inability to properly interact with society, and his ineptness in dealing with human emotion, he really brought his character to life. The show did not romanticise the disorder or the supposed intellect that comes with it, but instead demonstrated the internal and external struggles of someone who has it. Chang's superb acting portrays these complexities and layers in his character in a way that never felt cringey or was "overacting" to me.

Fang Yi-Ren's direct foil was Xu Hai-Yin, played by Tiffany Hsu. While Chang's character was trying to understand emotions and be a "normal person", Hsu's character used empathy to her advantage to get whatever she needed to report about. She plays the ballsy reporter that will do what it takes to rise up in this world, even if it meant obtaining information illegally. Her background felt a bit forced to me in relation to the story's overarching theme, but received a satisfying closure in the end. While dialogue between the two characters were written to be awkward and stocky, their chemistry was surprisingly fun to watch and grew even better as the show neared its end. Chang and Hsu complemented each other well and I would be stoked to see them act together again (rumours of Season 2?) in the future.

Nearly all the side characters, their background, and their role were memorable to me. The story, as unusual as it would be to happen in real life, was something I hadn't seen before and it was clear to me that the writers spent a lot of time thinking and researching everything to the best they could. The last five to six minutes of each episode actually dives heavily into the behind-the-scenes and the film team shared much of what they did, such as interviewing mental health workers, reporters, policemen, or the extent they went to to try to get a "message" across. And as a viewer, I can say they definitely succeeded in this regard as I am still thinking about this show long after I finished it (in a day) and probably will for quite awhile.

At the same time, the really only "con" to this show is that the writers were trying to accomplish too much with too little episodes and more casual watchers might not find the experience as satisfying. The overlapping themes and subtle details were very thought-provoking, but not everyone prefers to ponder over such things or look for such aspects in a drama. There were also clearly parts where they were trying to tie up loose ends that felt slightly forced to me. If there were more episodes and they had the ability to shoot more scenes and "fill up" the story, I think the drama's emotional impact would have been a lot greater. More time to bond with the characters would have been nice as well. But for what they managed to accomplish in eight episodes is already quite impressive to me.

All in all, the show has amazing acting (seriously still impressed with the Asperger's portrayal), beautiful cinematography, intriguing detective cases, and a murder mystery that definitely kept me on my toes up to a satisfying ending. I think, what's also the MOST impressive to me, is that it is a Taiwanese drama that has all of these. For the longest time, I could not find a Taiwanese drama that I could sit down and finish without being disappointed or cringing at the acting or story. I say this as a Taiwanese citizen who is often letdown by the garbage one's country can produce. But I'm so happy to say that The Victim's Game proved me completely wrong and I would be absolutely ecstatic to see more Taiwanese dramas trend towards this direction in the future. Or, maybe Netflix funding is just something to behold.

Highly recommended drama and I will be rewatching in the future. I would love to continue to discuss it with anyone who would spare the time to watch it.

SPOILERS AHEAD:
Here are two central themes of the story that I wanted to talk a little more about in a way that I feel the drama didn't completely do and that would be better understood from a citizen's perspective.

The first victim, You Cheng-Hao (River Huang), chose death because she felt that she was trapped as transgender (male to female) in a society who shunned her. Her parents disowned her, she was forced to live a hard life in a host club, and even the customers mocked her as a "gay" when she was just trying to be herself. The reason behind her character couldn't have been more clear to me, as despite Taiwan being the first Asian country to legalise same-sex marriage, a lot of discrimination and legal issues still exist.

The perpetrator, Li Ya-Jun, was not only a depiction of mental health issues, but also on the struggles and likewise discrimination of illegal and foreign workers, which is quite prevalent in Taiwan. They are "nobodies," as one of the characters say, and being treated as essentially human trash in Taiwanese society led Ya-Jun into finding some kind of worth in her supposedly meaningless life.

Each of the "victims" had their own story and background that I assume the writers wanted the viewers to be able to empathise with. I certainly did with cancer patient...that one hit home.

To end with before I go on for too much longer: In one of the ending interviews, the screenwriters mentioned that you could see a part of each of the victims in the main lead, Fang Yi-Ren. That's still something that I'm thinking about and there is still so much to unpack in this amazing show. I hope that everyone who watches it will enjoy it as much as I did!

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An OK Drama

Bulgasal literally means 'impossible to kill'. This drama is based on a Korean folklore. Bulgasal is mythical immortal creature or monster that feeds on human blood. This folklore dates back to the late Goryeo period.

Bulgasal: Immortal souls is directer by Jang Young Woo and screenwritten by a husband-wife team Kwon So Ra and Seo Jae Won.

Dan Hwal played by Lee Jin Wook was a human who was born with Bulgasal's curse. He bacame a Bulgasal himself after a series of incidents 600 years ago which led to him losing his family. He is now in search of a woman, who he believes to have killed his family and turned him into a Bulgasal in her past life. She has now reincarnated as Min Sang Un played by Kwon Na Ra. Hwal needs her soul to break free of his curse of immorality and leave the world.

The first episode is set in the late Goreyeo period, when monsters were alive. It shows the original story of Dan Hwal from birth to how he became a Bulgasal. Honestly, though a lot happened in the first episode, I didn't really feel anything. It felt really uninteresting and slow. There was a war inside my mind whether I should continue this show or put it back in my PTW list (I don't drop dramas) after I finished the first episode. Then, I decided to give the second episode a try. Most of this episode was set in the modern times and in this, unexpectedly the whole look and pace of the drama changed. It became more and more interesting and intriguing in the next episodes. It's really unpredictable what will happen next and arouse our curiosity. Each and every episode arises new new questions which keeps the story compelling.

After starting this drama during the airing time, I realised that it was not a good decision because we will be at our wit's end wating for the next episode. The whole drama was fairly fast paced with no lagging.

Both Lee Jin Wook and Kwon Na Ra are veteran actors. As I usually watch C-dramas and only recently ventured into the lands of K-drama world, I have never seen them in any drama except Lee Jin Wook in Sweet Home (which I never completed). I liked his acting in Sweet Home and I think I know why he is cast for this role. Dan Hwal's character needs a commanding as well as terrorising (sometimes calm and caring too) look which Lee Jin Wook had.

I'm not really a fan of Kwon Na Ra but I canno't deny that her acting was nice in this drama. Eventhough the she was a bit annoying at first, she fairly pulled off her emotional scenes. But she dosen't make up to the list of my favourite actresses.

The actor that I liked the most in this drama is the villian's. I won't say who it is (probably you know whom I'm refering to) but, his acting is just superb. He nailed his character and this is what I really want from an villian character. His look, gestures and everything is really apt for his character.

Also the supporting character play a major role in the story of this drama, especially Min Shi Ho (Min Sang Un's current life sister) played by Gong Seung Yeon, Detective Kwon played by Jung Jin Young, Nam Do Yoon (an orphan who is often abused) played by Kim Woo Seok and Lee Hye Suk. Without them, the drama would feel incomplete. I really liked their bond between eachother. I won't elobrate their relations to eachother in their past lives as I don't want to spoil the fun for the future watchers.

The cinemaorgyaphy is awsomely done. It correctly captures the feelings of a scene. Also the background music is really eerie which well fit the atmosphere of the drama and makes our hair stand on end.

Some other OSTs from this drama:
"Leave" ( 하루) by 4Men
"Tunnel (with Kardi)" (터널 ) by Kim Ye Ji
"Can't Forget You" (잊을 수 없다면) by Min Seo
"Beyond The Time" by Jannet Suhh
All the OSTs are nice. But, Leave and Beyond the Time are among my personal favourites.

The main story arc sometimes feel difficult to understand and is confusing. It is like pieces of puzzles which we, audience, have to join and understand. Although there are only a few main and supporting characters, I was confused of their relations with eachother in their current and past lives at first.

Another problem lies in the romance part. There was absolutely no need of romance. Sometimes it works but sometimes not. If we understand the underlying logic in the romace part, it can sometimes be heart fluttering. But, this is not a drama for romance lovers. There are not kiss or intimate scenes. Just some piggy back rides and hugs.

However, I have to give a warning to everyone who is thinking of watching this drama. This is really bloody. This drama gives you pain and shocks. There are many scenes of self-inflicted wounds, deaths, monsters and many more scenes which give you goosebumps.

This drama is an ok drama for me. It had really great potential which is ruined by substandard direction and writing. It could have been a lot better. However, this is a recommended drama for mystry and supernatural genre lovers.

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Love it and enjoyed it, amazing acting

Watched it in the cinema with friends on the first release day in Hong Kong and it was a pleasant experience. I love how good the actor's acting are when it comes to expressing all the detailed emotion. Especially when i had enough of BL drama full of sexual scenes, this movie certainly gave me a refreshing break. If you are hoping for some crazy hot and spicy love story, sorry but this is not one of those. But you are looking for beautiful scenery, music, people and subtle emotions, this is certainly a must watch. The lyrics in the theme song pretty much stated out the whole story line.

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who proposed this drama ??

i suppose this is an unpopular opinion, but i barely tolerated this drama. it requires zero expectations or standards to be watchable, and i couldnt manage that. most people are in love with it and say this drama uses tropes and cliches “properly”, but i didn’t think so at all. they were cringey at best, toxic at worst. i believe dramas have a responsibility to portray relationships mindfully, without romanticizing abusive behaviors that will then influence young viewers. therefore my negative feelings towards this show are mainly directed towards the characterization of the ML and a few other tropes/ideas the show pushes on the audience.

to start: there are hundreds of kdramas with the same “cold rich guy is mean to innocent girl until he falls in love with her because shes so different” plot lines. business proposal is one of them.

the cold ML archetype is overdone and horrifying, and in 2022 i didnt think id have to watch this arrogant, spoiled man literally blackmailing a poor girl into fake dating him and then harassing her about it even at work. imagine if the ML was unattractive or sixty years old, it wouldnt seem so romantic then. but media romanticizes stalking, borderline harassment, pushy men, and this affects how we see relationships and set standards.

specifically, i hated how the show romanticized ML being pushy with FL. his profession of love: “it you reject me again ill ask you out again and again. i wont give up until you like me back” was appalling. first he blackmailed her into fake dating him, then he says he wont give up even if she rejects him? not only is he a powerful wealthy man, hes also her boss. this is the DEFINITION of a power imbalance. no matter her reasoning for saying no, she said no and i would’ve loved to see him respect that choice. it couldve been written that FL realizes her feelings on her own and comes to him, without making it look like he pressured her into the relationship.

and this is not a one time situation: the drama does this with youngseos cousin who keeps pushing herself onto sunghoon who clearly drew a line. notice how in this situation its weird and uncomfortable but with hari and taemu its okay, because we the audience know she secretly harbors feelings. i dont appreciate this show telling viewers that if someone says no, you dont give up.

in the past major dramas such as boys over flowers and heirs, MLs would be pushy and FLs were doormats and this ended in true love. now, we finally have characters setting boundaries and yet STILL dramas say “never give up! no means yes!” i definitely wouldve been a lot more lenient and willing to just watch this as a lighthearted fluffy drama had they not used this male lead archetype.

perhaps you think this doesnt matter. but there are impressionable viewers learning what is acceptable and romantic based on these dramas, no matter how silly or obvious the tropes may seem. even if these dramas are far from reality and are clearly meant to be taken lightly, this all couldve been omitted while still keeping the plot the same.

in terms of writing and production: they didnt spend enough time fleshing out the characters and i just didnt care about them or their romance. there was barely any build up, they saw each other a few times and suddenly he was in love with her. the scene in ep 11 everyone was so excited about felt so random to me and for the first time ever i did NOT want to watch a main couple show be affectionate.
the ML spends half the drama harassing and blackmailing the FL, and the FL spent half the drama lying to him. the characters felt very 2d and they were basically built off the cliches rather than having actual personalities. the side characters like haris old crush and his gf had a single personality trait each and i forgot they existed at all. oh, hari has a brother that shows up once in a while for no reason. all of this i didnt really mind as it was obvious from the start that this drama is not meant to be revolutionary. rather i think the worst part is i didnt feel chemistry between the main leads at all.

overall, this drama is highly predictable and lacks any real depth. i know many people enjoyed it, and thats fine. perhaps you will enjoy it too. but i hope my review tells you what the description and ratings do not.

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Storywise, this series had a lot of holes. Things kept happening without explanation and the story line is confusing. Many scenes are pointless and the more you watch, the faster it’s going downhill. I tried giving it chance but since I started it and invested time watching the first few eps, I decided to finish it.

Acting. So-so. You can clearly tell that they don’t have much experience since they act so scripted/directed and not natural. But it’s still okay and tolerable.

Music. The ost is good and memorable even if I can’t understand Thai.

Production. I think this series has a low cost production and it shows. TeeMork and GordMorn have so much potential. They deserve better storyline and production.

I think the reason I watched this is because I don’t have so much option when it comes to BL series. I’m a sucker for BL series. Most likely I will not watch this again.

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I cannot believe how they ruined such a good cast and potential plot. The first ten episodes were exciting and really made me think "wow this could be one of my favorite dramas of the year", but no. It goes downhill to the point you have no idea what they are trying to prove or show. Unless you enjoy a psychotic guy falling in love with a girl with no values or even common sense, then do not torture yourself mentally by watching this. At the beginning of the drama I was one of those people who defended the female lead despite her playing two guys because I thought she was gonna grow and change. How could you make a vow to your fiancé that you will always love and be with him even in another lifetime and go love the person that stabbed him to death?? Not only that she made him look like a fool for saving her and loving her unconditionally; she acts like a block of ice and runs to the psychotic guy hugging him and talking to him like he's some type of angel. What is the point of this drama? To show that eternal love doesn't exist? To show that stalking someone and murdering is okay? To show that the "bad guy" can get the girl? WTH like I don't even know how someone approved this drama to be filmed after reading the script. I also don't know why the actors especially Lee Soo Hyuk would want to participate in such chaos and nonsense. I finally understand why this drama received very low ratings in Korea and now even on MDL. For your own good and sanity do not watch this drama.

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With a solid plot and a magnificent, stellar cast, this is a fresh and intelligent historical drama.

The brilliant Hou Minghao, in the role of General Wuji, is the true soul of the series; his overwhelming charisma, wonderful expressiveness, and marvelous eyes convey deep emotions without needing words. Imposing and ruthless on the battlefield yet possessing a righteous heart, he shows a vulnerable side that makes you truly empathize with him. The young actress Aimi is also fantastic as Xie Jiayu; she is highly talented and has a incredibly promising future ahead of her.The series has the feel of an old-fashioned drama, with a gritty, realistic quality to the visuals that makes everything feel authentic and believable. Modern themes are handled beautifully, featuring strong, intelligent, and exceptionally well-developed female characters. Wuji himself is very open-minded—he deeply respects his beloved's independence and never treats her as a possession. I must also mention the magnificent soundtrack, which beautifully features Hou Minghao’s superb vocals. It is one of those rare shows where I never skip the opening or closing credits.

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Escaped the world, Forgot All Things, and Fell Down a Long Romantic Dream...Under Moonlight

I "fell down a long romantic dream...under moonlight." This is it... Xiao Zhi Yu and Hu Xiu 💗 Watching Love Between Lines is like a wonderful dream with falling snowflakes, cherry blossoms, warm light, sunsets, and sitting on the rooftop in quiet conversation. Listen to the OST "Special Nights", and you will feel the vibe that resonates throughout Love Between the Lines. Then watch the love grow slowly yet steadily. It is in the flicker of a smile, the glances, the gestures, and those quiet moments when they were simply in each other's company.....under moonlight💗🌛🌸 This is a "watch and rewatch immediately" type drama. It is that good! There are some thoughtful moments, emotional moments, and some humorous moments. I smiled, I laughed, and I felt a little sad in a few parts, but on the whole, it was a light, uplifting romance drama. The chemistry is so beautiful💗

🌸Love Between Lines begins with the premise "life is like a game." And at first, you might wonder if this might be a virtual game drama. It is not the focus, so don't think too much of technicalities. The virtual game illustrates the theme of dreams vs. reality. The line between the virtual world and reality is not defined —at times, the leads fall out of their game character roles. "Between illusion and reality, parallel lines intersect." (OST) After the first two episodes, the drama shifts more into the real world with visits to the virtual game world here and there. I am one of those who wanted to rush through the first two episodes because I am not keen illusions and fantasy. However, I find myself going back to the earlier games because it all makes more sense now. There is a significant connection between their relationship in the game and their relationship in reality.

MAIN CHARACTERS

🌸Lu Yu Xiao, as Hu Xiu, shines as a natural actress. Her performance was so believable that I can imagine she is really this person in reality because she didn't appear to be acting. Hu Xiu is a kind, intelligent, resilient, and determined FL. She delights and captivates Xiao Zhi Yu/ Qin Xiao Yi, with her vivacious personality. She is honest and not afraid to share her thoughts, and when she does, she is clear and to the point, but gentle and warm. She went to the virtual game to escape the reality of her life. Yet, it is in the game that she faces her inner conflicts when Zhi Yu/ Qin Xiao Yi's asks the question, "Do you know what you want?" She decides to reclaim her dreams instead of keeping a bad option, as those who do "spend the rest of their life with that bad option without realizing it."


🌸Chen Xing Xu, as Xiao Zhi Yu, is captivating with his calm perfection. Zhi Yu is strong, steady, perceptive... he listens more than he talks. He plans his way carefully. He doesn't rush to interfere but rather observes and allows Hu Xiu to make her decisions. His quiet strength gives the romance a sense of calm. He is protective but knows when to step back. I have to mention his expressive eyes, his slight smiles, and his aura. They were everything! There is a sense of mystery as his goal is to clear his father's name and reclaim his original identity, which, due to the circumstances of his father's death, has been kept a secret since childhood. For Xiao Zhi Yu, the virtual game is where he can reclaim his name, Qin Xiao Yi. In the virtual world, he is Qin Xiao Yi, Warlord Commander, described as "cunning as a fox, deep and complex." Needless to say, he is just as cunning in the real world.


🦊THE RELATIONSHIP🐰

🌸 Hu Xiu and Zhi Yu's relationship is mature and based on equality. They work together. They come to trust each other. They come to love each other. Zhi Yu sees Hu Xiu's talent and potential. He knows she is clever, but does not realize till later that she is the clever rabbit who outwits the fox 😂 He sees her as someone who "doesn't need anyone's approval to prove her worth." He allows her to grow, and he doesn't try to make her who he wants her to be:

~~~~~ 💗 " She exists, she grows, and she becomes who she wants to be. That alone is already beautiful enough." 💗

🌸And even though Zhi Yu doesn't share all his plans and thoughts with Hu Xiu at first, she somehow understands him. She senses his needs. He tries to protect her by keeping her out of his problems, but it is Hu Xiu who gives him the "token" he needs to win in both the game and reality. She guides him to open up to his mother because she might never know what he is thinking. And Zhi Yu showed his support sometimes in silence and sometimes in open communication. Hu Xiu knows she has someone who believes in her as she tells him :

~~~~~💗 "Because of you, I have more courage to chase my dreams and make up for all my regrets." 💗

🌸Love Between Lines isn't only about the blending of illusion and reality. It beautifully depicts the balance between two different people who seek to reclaim a loss. Hu Xiu is the gentle emotional rabbit. While vulnerable, she is fiercely resilient and quick-witted. Zhi Yu is the cunning fox who finds himself softened by Hu Xiu's enthusiasm and passion. They come to an understanding and a relationship based on trust, equal respect, and appreciation for each other.

🌸 Episode 7 marks a significant point in the relationship when Zhi Yu brings Hu Xiu with him to a wedding where he plans to have a business meeting. The groom turns out to be Hu Xiu's two-timing ex-fiancé. It is here that Zhi Yu and Hu Xiu grew closer when he helped her face her past and move on. I loved it when he told her that she did nothing wrong, so she didn't need to hide. I loved it when he retrieved her missing shoes and knelt to put them on her feet, even though she said she could do it herself. I loved it when he carried her on his back when he saw her limping. The lyrics from the OST "Closer"fit so well here.

💗How long did we wait, going from strangers
to familiar faces ?
It was destiny that brought me to meet you.
In my heart, there is now a place for you;
Believing in this is the ultimate meaning of life.
Drawing closer to you and closer to myself,
the frozen night begins to flicker.💗


WHAT I LOVE

🌸 I have many favorite scenes, but it was the leads who made me love this drama. Lu Yu Xiao is delightfully natural. She gave Hu Xiu the energy and sweetness that brightened Zhi Yu's life. Chen Xing Xu's expressive eyes, his calm, his charisma made Zhi Yu stand out as the male lead we all want to watch. I cannot tell you how many times I would go back just to watch his facial expressions. He made me love Zhi Yu!
🌸 Beautiful OSTs
🌸 The ambiance: the moonlight, snowflakes, cherry blossoms


OTHER CHARACTER ROLES

🌸Pei Zhen is Zhi Yu's stepbrother and rival. Sadly, Pei Zhen is driven by desperation to prove himself worthy because his father never finds him good enough. He blames Zhi Yu for taking all that is his. I realize many will hate him, but I found myself feeling pity for him at the end. And before anyone misunderstands, at no time did I feel any sml syndrome. I am too in love with Chen Xing Xu as Zhi Yu for any of that! But I don't see Pei Zhen as evil. He is too caught up in his need to win over Zhi Yu. He lacks love and affection, so when Hu Xiu puts a bandaid on his forehead to cover his wound, it means more to him than many would imagine. The fact that he emptied a small box of something that was probably of more monetary value than a Band-Aid to store the Band-Aid from Hu Xiu, is a clear indication of how much her simple action meant to him. The band-aid is a symbol of his inner wounds. He feels he needs Hu Xiu. His desire for her is desperate, selfish, and aggressive, while Zhi Yu's love is steady and patient. Pei Zhen represents the theme of redemption. He knows he is wrong and seeks to know if a building can be changed if the foundation is already set. To this, Hu Xiu tells him:

~~~~~💔"So what ultimately decides a building's final appearance isn't the foundation but your vision." 💔







ENDING SPOILER

🌸It is a happy ending, but I have one disappointment. There is an "elopement", but it is only to the top of the high-rise building designed by Zhi Yu. There is no married life with kids, but you will get a cute kitten that they decided to adopt to make them a family of 3. (I understand the kitten as a pet opens up the converstation that we shouldn't fear loss). After watching the ending to Shine on Me, it is hard to settle for anything less than an adorable child. There is no cute child in LBL. There is no engagement ring. Nothing. Some might say it works for the drama as Hu Xiu focuses on her career goals. I suppose I could try to see it that way too😢 And I suppose it should be enough that it is a solid happy ending, as they are never going to break up the way they love each other. It also helps that they discussed marriage, and Hu Xiu appeased Zhi Yu's frustration saying, "You are not part of my plans. You're already written into my life." And of course, I have no doubt Zhi Yu will get his wish. Eventually.

Don't miss the scene following the credits of the final episode.
It is a new story.
"Welcome to Rongcheng. It's a new world. Embrace your destiny."

I wonder if this means season 2 and a wedding. I know it doesn't, but I can only hope💗

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A very nice and entertaining drama

1/ STORY

The story is well written. The beginning sets up the plot, installs the characters, make them discover each other and interact. They go through sub plots and sub stories which are cute and emotional. Then, the main story develops with the two leads and the evil. There is also the ghost employees’ stories which needs closure before the final showdown, between good and evil. All this is fast paced and fun.

Romance is developing in a very natural way. At the beginning FL is stuck with her one-sided love. Then the main leads develop feelings, under the table for one of them and unknowingly for the other. The events and truths unveiled slowly help them to grow more confident about their feelings...

2/ ACTORS/CHARACTER:

- Go Seul Hae: Nice unsophisticated young woman enthusiast cop dedicated to serve. She has a sad background but remains cheerful. Then she meets ML and his employees and everything changes. She fights villains, spirits, falls in love and become a pretty girlfriend etc... I only watched Jin Ki Joo in Come and Hug me that I dropped. She is doing great here. A very compelling performance.

- Cha Chawoon: A magician who employs ghosts he lives with, to enhance his magical shows. Soon, they are dragged into the civilian police to "serve and protect". From a selfish money grubber nagging boss, Cha Chawoon becomes a real savior and shows his goodhearted side. Park Hae Jin in a very good performance since Forest.

- Choi Gum: 2000 years spirit of the Cha house with a mysterious past who behaves like a silly guy but he has his importance at the key moments.

- Three ghost employees: They are the most fun part of the drama despite their individual sad story which stuck them in their ghost condition. They are fun and good employees. Even if they often complain they truly like their boss.

- Hee Soo: Seul Hae childhood friend and first crush. He is a decent man and a good cop but his timing for love is bad. The actor Kim Jong Hoon did very well in this double-faced role.

- Hae Chun Moo: Super bad guy became super evil spirit and a serial murderer. Scary and convincing enough.

- Ye Ji: young shaman apprentice who is less materialistic than she thought and a worthy pupil.

3/ OST

Good. Nothing cringe or annoying.

4/ REWATCH VALUE:

Very fun and emotional. It is rewatchable

5/ OVERALL:

One of the most fun and entertaining kdrama of this half year. This drama is a great mix of romance, action, fantasy, comedy. The ending is epic and delivers more than expected. Totally recommended. 10/10.

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Erika Toda Eats Worms and Builds an Empire in Straight to Hell

This show is unwell, and I mean that as a compliment. This show looked at stability, peace, emotional balance, and said no thanks, we’re going to follow one woman who eats worms and then builds a media empire out of pure spite.

And at the center of this chaos tornado is Erika Toda, who is out here playing Kazuko Hosoki from 17 to 66 like she signed a contract with God and refused to lose. Five decades, five personalities, zero weakness. It is honestly offensive how good she is. I felt judged watching her. Like girl, relax, some of us are barely playing one version of ourselves correctly.

We start in 2005. Kazuko is rich, famous, dripping in power, and surrounded by rumors like flies on expensive fruit. Fraud, yakuza, sketchy vibes. The kind of success where people smile at you and then immediately Google “is she a criminal.” So she decides to tell her life story to this struggling writer Minori, played by Sairi Ito. And you think oh, nice, healing moment. No. This is not healing. This is PR with trauma seasoning.

Then the show punches you in the throat with her childhood. Post-war Japan said “good luck” and left her to starve. This woman ate an earthworm to survive. An earthworm! I complain when my food delivery is ten minutes late, and she is out here doing Fear Factor just to stay alive. That kind of origin story does not give you soft eyes and a gentle heart, that gives you laser focus and trust issues so deep they need their own postal code.

By 17 she is lying about her age and working as a hostess, climbing fast because she can read men like cheap subtitles. Of course some trash boss tries to ruin her. Of course. Men stay predictable. But instead of collapsing, she goes full villain origin. She learns one rule and carves it into her soul. Never depend on anyone. Not your boss. Not your man. Not your horoscope. Nobody.

So what does she do? Opens her own nightclub in Ginza. Like a psychopath. Brings her younger brother along. Builds it into a success because apparently survival was just her warm-up round. Meanwhile her love life is a flaming garbage fire. Rich men proposing, promises flying, stability nowhere to be found. And then she gets involved with the underworld because why not add organized crime to the emotional damage cocktail.| Toma Ikuta shows up as a yakuza boss boyfriend and you just sit there thinking yes, this tracks, nothing about this woman screams “safe choices.”

Every time life hits her, she does not break. She upgrades. Betrayal? New skill unlocked. Failure? Character expansion pack. So when she becomes a fortune teller, it feels obvious. Of course she can predict people. She has been reverse-engineering human behavior since she was eating worms in a ditch.

And the show looks amazing while all this insanity is happening. The wardrobe evolves like a glow-up montage on steroids. The makeup ages her so well it is almost disrespectful. And somehow Erika Toda is still dominating scenes she is not even in. That is witchcraft. I am convinced.

The supporting cast is great but they know they are living in her world. Toko Miura brings emotional depth as Chiyoko Shimakura, but nobody is hijacking this train. This is Kazuko’s rollercoaster and everyone else is just strapped in, screaming.

The timeline keeps flipping between past and present, and you start realizing something important. Kazuko’s version of events are suspiciously polished. Meanwhile Minori is digging around like “hmm, this smells like selective memory.” So now it is not just a life story. It is a psychological chess match about who controls the narrative.

Kazuko is not a good person in the clean, Instagram-quote way. She is ruthless, messy, morally chaotic. A walking red flag with perfect lipstick. And yet you cannot look away. Because Erika Toda does not ask you to like her, but dares you to understand her.

Take her out and this show collapses instantly. Leave her in and it feels like you are watching someone set fire to the world and then sell tickets to the show.

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Heart warming, touching, admirable.

Amidst a Snowstorm of Love ❄️❤️
I finished watching all 30 episodes, last watched ep 30 at 3:15 am and since that moment I've been feeling blank.

This drama made me feel a lot, and taught me quite some interesting points of life too. Their first giddy yet awkward love story may happen to anyone else too. The feelings of falling in love for the first time, the struggle to keep a conversation running, the unsaid thoughts, the sensational skin ship. Everything's relatable.

Not to mention how they portrayed the background stories of each characters and their growth. How they may be immature and hard headed at first but then learnt better of how to get a hold of themselves and think about others. Particular conservative Chinese identity that some character showcased, the importance of respecting others especially elderly, they showed great effort thru all of those. They also portrayed the sport amazingly well even tho there are some flaws still in the real sport terms. The dedication for the sport they love, their brotherhood and the bond they created while striving for a sport that they are proud of are so admirable. From coaches to the team and fans, they legit put on a great sportsmanship.

The actors and actresses blended well in their characters as if the directors hand picked them out from the novel. From main to side characters, they each have their ray of lights. The panoramic views from different location they shooted this, the soothing melodious music background and original song tracks they produced for the show were so brilliant and fit the concept exceptionally well.

Relationship, either with your family, friends or lover, relationship exists everywhere. There might be times where things won't go the way we wanted but surely, patience and tolerance will save us. There's more to relationship than just hugs, kisses, or compliments. Sometimes they can be words of comfort, acts of service, and even the presence alone, of both parties in well condition is enough to link up a relationship.

This drama is truly a relaxing healing drama. Worth the wait, worth the hype, worth the time watching. Surely gonna repeat watching this all over again anytime soon.

Kuddos to the author for writing such masterpiece and to the director, crews, actors and actresses for making such a beautiful series.

Amidst a Snowstorm of Love, after every snowstorm, there'll sunlight again, and then, you may feel the warmness again.

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A Screenwriting and Directing Masterpiece

It seems people want to criticize this series for being too honest. To me, it’s a depiction of the current social environment around us. Not the most appealing, but never the less, it’s there, and we’ve all seen it. Infidelity is a dirty word to one person and a taste of freedom to another. I think this series tells us that we all view relationships differently. Our thoughts, needs, and values are different. We even view love differently. The story I watched for sixteen episodes was a bitter look into the world of betrayal. It shows us how people justify their actions when faced with diversity in a relationship. It also shows us how fragile marriage can be when you don’t nurture it. It shows us how hateful and desperate people can be. It also shows us the ugly head of temptation. I think this series took a lot of thought and work to put together. It was a raw look at the emotional struggles of human beings trying to survive in a world that pulls them apart.

I thought the acting was perfect. There were two standouts for me. Lee Ga Ryong’s portrayal of Hye Ryung was just fantastic. Playing this type of character and making it seem real is not easy. Another one of my favorite parts was in episode 7 when Hyang Gi (Jeon Hye Won) told her dad what she thought about him divorcing her mom in no uncertain terms. She said everything her mom wanted to say, and it was priceless. Hye Won shined in this supporting role, and it left me with a favorable impression of her acting skills.

The music pulled everything together, and the subscripts were great. I enjoyed this because it was different. Is it worth watching? Cudos to Im Sung Han for her screenwriting and to Yoo Jung Joon for directing a masterpiece.

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Awesome series,worth watching,actors did great job

This needs to be recognised,actors earth and santha did a amazing job ,the storyline is good and i suggest everyone to watch this, light weight, feel good series.i would give 10/10 for such an amazing series,i would re-watch again once i complete this ,earth is my all time favourite actor,his acting took this drama to another level ,it really needs a huge recognition.i have watched 8 episodes so far can't wait for further episodes,i really goona miss this series once i complete,you can watch this series in you tube ..earth is such an cute actor❤️.. didn't expect this drama would make me fall in love with this

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