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Try it, it's fun if you turn your brain off!
This is another one of my favorite types of shows, the best/worst short dramas to watch! And I can't believe it looks like I'm the only person watching this in the world? Spoilers ahead (though it won't matter to the story at all, trust me).The Pros
The cast is very good looking. The hair, costumes, and accessories, for the most part, are excellent. The sets and scenes are beautiful, and if you watch a lot of cdramas you will see some familiar places. The wirework that the ML and FL performed was excellent, you can tell they must have done a lot of practicing to make the flights look so effortless. The music was really fun in some places, like the series couldn't decide if it was a light romcom or an exciting costume drama and the music showed that. The ML and FL are both really good actors and they could almost pull off this trainwreck of a show, but not quite!
The Cons
What the heck is up with the editing. The scenes go like this: they are in the middle of town in the daytime, no they are in the forest at night, wait, they are now in a dungeon? wait no they are in a bamboo forest in the daytime, no night time, where the heck are they now? No transition just flittering back and forth between times and locations. You could make a fun drinking game out of this. Every time there is a sudden confusing switch take a shot!
I never did really figure out what the story was. They were all looking for a chart and then somehow said fck it all we'll forget about that aspect of the story and it wasn't mentioned again. And the ML and FL were married (contract/temporary?) but how/why we'll never know. The FL and ML were both in disguise, one was an assassin and the other a marquis? Maybe? The fight scenes were so bad they were like a high school production. Keep that FL away from a sword please!
The villain was over the top cheesy and not in a good way. Even his wig was bad!
All in all I had fun watching this one. Try it, you might like it too. I have found that I really enjoy these short series, where you never know what you are going to get. The episodes are only 10 minutes long, less then that if you don't count the pre and post credits.
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Solid story, riveting throughout
I got to know about this series as I was looking at some of the Light On Series installments. Burning Ice has a sequel in Light On Series: The Long Night though Burning Ice isn't one of the Light On Series installments.It's not often that we get a crime thriller with a solid story, excellent storytelling and nuanced characterization while also being thought-provoking. The gradual moral degeneration of Guo Yu, a lawyer who unwittingly gets embroiled in criminal activities is one of the best elements in this series. He can be naive, he can be devoted in love, he can be cowardly, he can be callous. Dai Xu brings the character to life, making Guo Yu both a person we can empathize with and a villain we condemn.
The suspense regarding the layers of truth beneath the serial killer dubbed Snowman is also maintained very well. We get to learn about the identity of Snowman early on, but even as we know more, the mystery deepens. Everything comes together very well eventually, and there isn't an implausible twist or unconvincing criminal motivation to mar the story.
In comparison to the sequel (a different story except for the character Yan Liang, the policeman), perhaps Burning Ice has a less exciting story. But it more than makes up for it with very compelling and interesting characters (who suit the story). My opinion is that The Long Night has an even more compelling plot, but most of the characters are not developed with the sort of nuance that we see in Burning Ice.
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An anthology like no other
Many times, I tend to say that some series are not for everyone and you should like specific elements to enjoy them. However, I don’t think I have truly meant that, until now.This is a series that is difficult to describe in words or to be more precise, you can describe it well enough, but you will never truly prepare the viewer of what they will experience, because Isu is an experience in itself.
It is an anthology consisting of eight episodes about the stories of different women and their precious chairs. It is a dialogue-based series that relies heavily on visual storytelling and it is, as it should, visually stunning. The acting is phenomenal and it has elements that personally reminded me of a theatrical play.
You can find a bit of everything in this peculiar series, that, frankly, only the Japanese could make. There are some surreal stories that use symbolism, some melancholic tales, some interesting and though provoking stories and some that are a bit underwhelming to watch.
Like the opening of every episode says, if you imagine a world with chairs, it will become a story.
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An underrated gem - you're missing out if you aren't watching this
Upon a friend's recommendation I decided to pick up this drama called "Kotaru Lives Alone" just because I was bored of most dramas lately. The synopsis seemed nice but I started watching it without much expectation. But I was blown away with how good this drama was! It made me reminisce about my early drama watching days when I watched only Jdramas and nothing else. This drama seems fit for a late 2000s or early 2010s Jdrama quality.PLOT + CHARACTERS:
Honestly, it is ridiculous. It would never be legal, much less- posssible for a 5 year old to live alone and much less having a law firm or random people looking for a random kid. Were it a real scenario, they boy would be taken away by social services and they would have done as deemed fit by them. This drama reaffirms every episodes that it is a fictional set up which was sort of funny.
It's about a 5 year old who rents an apartment and how he navigates his life all alone. Of course, the neighbour steps in and from there on they go on from barely tolerating each other to forming a deep parent-child relationship. Also we have some lovely side characters thrown in and what I loved about this drama was how it was about kindness and helping others in need. The main adult character is a tsundere but his growth was pretty believable. I love how he never condescends the child and instead tells him how even an adult can learn lessons from a child. Honestly- their relationship had me very emotionally invested. We also meet a female hostess who is being abused by her boyfriend. I loved the fact that for the first time in a Jdrama, they called the police rather than trying to solve the problem on their own.
ACTING:
The main child star steals the show. His dialogue delivery was on point and he must be a smart kid because it was no easy feat! I also loved all the side actors and their interactions with each other were very natural. By the end they did seem more like a family than random people who came together. Kudos to the cast and the director who made sure that the viewer is able to feel this side of the story rather than us brushing it off as some comedy.
OVERALL:
I can understand that this drama isn't a conventional genre and Jdramas are even less mainstream among international viewers. However, it is a drama not to be missed out on as it has a fresh plot, comedy and some great characters. Like all Jdramas, it also teaches us the importance of kindness and giving others new chances. I honestly wouldn't mind a Season 2 because there is still a lot of story left to be told. Kotaru-chan's innocence lives on and I truly want him to get his real happy ending.
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All the cast are perfect especially Bella and Pope. They both slayed me with their performance as Karakade/Kadesurang and Date. Kadesurang as Karakade is no doubt the best lakorn heroine in my opinion, I just love her so much. She doesn't necessarily meddle in someone else's business, she's strong and she's so smart. As for Date, I love him too, he's so devoted to Karakade and I swooned too much when I saw him smiled. And as for their romance, I squealed too many times that my family thought there's a rat in house lol
As for the story, my only complaint is that I wish they show us more of their married life. I would love to watch more of their interaction as husband and wife. It's really fun that as we watch this lakorn we also get to learnt more about the history of Thailand. If only my country would also do something like this lakorn, then maybe I won't be as clueless as I was about my country's history.
If you're looking for an amazing, sweet and funny lakorn/drama, then I definitely recommend this to you!
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The extended shots and continuous takes evoke strong vibes reminiscent of Edward Yang and Hou Hsiao-hsien, which might make some viewers find the material a bit monotonous. But if you're a fan of Edward Yang or Hou Hsiao-hsien's films, this is a treat. I would even go so far as to say this is the best thing I've seen from iQIYI and Chinese contemporary film/television in a long time.
The direction, production, and the actors' performances (there are some seriously impressive performances here) are genuinely excellent and ensure there's always something captivating happening within the frame.
The atmosphere and mood of the show stayed with me long after the credits rolled in the final episode. If nothing else, the final half-hour or so will linger in your memory long after the screen goes dark.
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Story - It is quite a typical revenge and fate between main lead plot line. I wouldn't say it was particularly special. Despite this it was paced well, the relationship between the characters did not feel forced and you can tell the progression in their relationship. The ending though was not very clear - i didn't read the novel but apparently was quite different to the reference. Cast - As usual Zhao Lu Shi is really well suited to these comedic historical roles as she makes it seem so natural. It was great to see the improvement in her acting and slightly more serious role compared to her previous works. Zheng Ye Cheng was a surprise, I've seen his works in Love O2O, An Oriental Odyssey and most recently Royal Nirvana - his acting is very diverse and he really executed the 'male god' character/aura very well. Definitely one of those dramas that make you fall in love with the male lead. There is a second male/female lead romance line, but that didn't gauge my interest much.
Voice - I really enjoyed that they used original voices for the dubbing instead of voice actors. It makes everything flow so much better.
Overall i think the drama is highly recommended if you are looking for a historical romance with touch of comedy. Whilst there is some political elements, it is not the main plot but supports the progression of the main characters' story.
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A Japanese take on "Sex and the City" - if Carrie was a good friend
Four friends at the age of 29 all have their worries that in a way all come down to "crap, I have to do this and/or that before I turn 30". Get married, have a kid, answer to society's often unrealistic expectations. Haruka hasn't had sex with her boyfriend in what feels like ages, and her desire to have sex again results in her sleeping with an old-turned-new co-worker and subsequently ruining her relationship with her fiancé when he inevitably finds out. While Uta is out to her mother who approves and is very supportive of Uta, reality is very different for her girlfriend, Makoto, who struggles to live true to herself and her identity as gay in a still relatively conservative society. Kyouko discovers something about herself that forces her to really think about her desire to have a child as a single person, and how to go about it. Kanon desperately wants to get married, and often turns to luck to try and score that perfect man to marry before she turns 30.All four women go through their struggles- but not alone. At times, they try to shoulder it on their own as to not worry their friends, but in the end, they all have each other's backs. And that's one of the beautiful things I will remember about this series. The way they portrayed adult friendships between women in this stage in life, was excellent and I could recognise myself in it almost all throughout. Another highlight for me was the portrayal of LGBTQIA+ relationships in a still somewhat conservative society like that of Japan, where you have a few but not many privileges as a non-straight person and couple. I'm not gonna lie, I teared up several times when they focused on Uta and Makoto, and after the gay couple came into the series near the end who not only helped Uta and Makoto get themselves an apartment in a LGBT-friendly building after a lot of struggle, they're also strongly implied to have helped Kyouko in her dreams of becoming a mother via surrogacy.
I adore this series for not being ashamed of discussing certain topics like being non-straight in Japan, mental health, sex, marriage in the sense of "is this right for me" and not just "when do I get married". I love series where we get to see women in higher positions, like being a CEO, and these women aren't just plot devices but have their own stories and are written excellently. Not only that, but the actresses played their parts very well, too. I'm not gonna lie, I went into this series because I saw that Shuntaro Yanagi was in it, and while I was initially disappointed that he ended up being a plot device, I stayed for the women in the series and am endlessly glad that I did. It's a very 'brutally' honest, realistic, and sometimes not very happy portrayal of what it's like to live in the shoes of any of these women. But that's why I really loved it, because it was so, so real and relatable.
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this drama may as well be the definition of Han.
(i dont rate rewatch value, neutral 5)- a uniquely korean concept (emotion) that is generally defined along the lines of a deeprooted unresolved pain relating to historical injustice, universally felt by koreans. it goes an extra layer deep, and pretty much explains a large part of what makes korean media as good as it is. (and why my ass be cryin during all these damn kdramas.. they literally feel more.)
Heung would be the counter, explosive and contagious joy, which this show also delivers in spades. Go Soo for one literally makes me smile just being on screen. damn near laugh even. he's so funny and kinda wacky that he almost seemed out of place at first, till quickly he became the only person fit for the role. my girl Ahn Sohee in here bossin (i say my girl but this is also the first time i saw her lol), Ha-Joon goin truh his things, Heo Junho on Go's side. and THOMAS. it's the most charming freakin cast ever, and they bounce off each other so well.
but yeah, what's more of an injustice (Han) than being killed, not even knowing why, and existing in limbo because your body hasnt been discovered? but.. then.. whats more of Heung than that limbo being a colorful, warm little village of people in the same position as you, all loving and caring for one another. on the one hand, developing all those relationships, youd wanna stay.. but on the other, you probably want someone to find you, for your loved ones to get closure.
without going any deeper into the plot, that's where Han and Heung meet. that's why the final ep was a waterpark on my face. nothing hits like kdramas hit. these mfers just whip out masterpieces like its nothing.
if you like the show Pushing Daisies i think that'd be the closest western comparison i could make, tho i was a kid when that was on and barely recall it. it has the same kinda blend of dark subject matter with a whimsically light scifi twist.
at 12 eps i cant give it anything but a perfect score. this is just everything. i'll miss you thomas 😭 and i aint even mention the puppies
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The story is well-written and progresses naturally though their growth.
I liked how they were telling the story through the interviews, and that they went back to the train station scene.
The music is nice, i'm a big fan of lofi music anyway.
The actors did a great job, I had a hard time finding their name since there's very little info about this on the internet, but when I did, I started following all their other projects.
This is something I want to rewatch many times because it just makes me feel good afterwards, I hope it does the same for you too.
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The time travel plot was pretty solid and unique (and no, I don't get tired of this genre unless executed poorly) and the story moved along at a great pace where I never felt the need to hit the skip button. I loved that there was minimal court politics and instead they focused more on the cute romance between the leads.
The main male lead was perfect, like I would marry him right now hands down no objections. The main female lead was a little ehhh in the beginning, but she grew on me. She went from "you're slightly annoying?" to "you are funny, i like you" in a few episodes.
The OST is amazing- fits the mood of the drama. I can listen to it for hours.
Overall, great story, great chem, great costumes, great scenery, great music, i would def rewatch the scenes with the main couples.
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1“What you see is no longer what it once was.”
Yanagawa was a story of love, loss, and lives that were sadly isolated. A friendship from twenty-years prior had made it difficult for at least two people to move on, and one of those people had far less time ahead of him to reminisce.Li Dong stumbles out of a doctor’s appointment and bums a cigarette off a stranger. He’s just discovered he has stage 4 cancer. He meets with his brother without telling him the diagnosis and proposes a trip to Yanagawa, Japan. When his brother rejects the idea, he tells Li Chun that their old flame, Liu Chuan, is living there. The brothers haven’t seen her in 20 years and have never gotten over her. The two men catch the first flight out of Beijing and are soon checking into their room at a Japanese house. They find Chuan singing in a small bar. Will she be as excited to see the men as they are to see her?
The first hurdle to overcome with this film were the age gaps. Ni Ni would have been 32, Edward Zhang-40, and Xin Bai Qing-47. That 20-year time lapse would have made Chuan 12 years old when she left Beijing. Apparently, the writers assumed the audience would age her up in their minds to make her compatible with Xin’s 27-year-old Chun. The brothers were also in their 40s which meant they were grown ass men stumbling around. I never could reconcile the ages.
The brothers were opposites with Dong being the quiet, reserved, bookish brother and Chun the outgoing extrovert who sought to be the center of attention. Dong never wanted to leave a trace of himself in the world and began to put his house in order. The top two things on his bucket list were to take a trip with his older brother and see Liu Chuan one more time. During the trip, Chun often belittled or interrupted Dong. The older brother was married with a child, yet made every effort possible to sleep with Chuan. Despite declaring his eternal love, he was the one who caused the alienation between the two twenty years prior. So self-absorbed, he could never imagine that the beautiful Chuan would have ever been interested in shy Dong. And Dong must have merely wanted to gaze upon the object of his affection as he never held an important conversation with her. His best joke was one he forgot. Aside from the brothers, the landlord of the house they were staying in also had eyes only for Chuan. Ni Ni’s character spent most of her time with the reverse harem fending off grabby men or singing sorrowful songs. I’m a huge fan of hers and this film felt like a waste of her talent. She still managed to shine, though her best scene was with the Izakaya where the two women deeply understood each other empathically.
The characters spoke a variety of languages. The three from Beijing spoke Mandarin though in different accents. Dong also spoke Japanese. In order to converse with Nakayama Noki, the landlord, they switched to broken English as neither Chun nor Chuan could speak Japanese. Korean singing was heard coming from one of the boats. Both Chinese and Japanese folk songs were also sung. Regardless of the thin reason for Chuan deciding to live in Yanagawa, I wondered how lonely she must have been with the language barrier. Though she often sang John Lennon’s “Oh My Love,” which spoke of finally seeing clearly and living peacefully with the world so maybe it wasn’t a problem.
Yanagawa was a low budget film that managed to be aesthetically pleasing due to the scenery and cast. Much time was spent talking on boats and benches or in Izakaya’s bar. Loose ends were left dangling as people conversed little knowing that one of them was on a ticking clock. Twenty years is a long time and people mature and outgrow the familiar. “What you see is no longer what it once was. Nothing is what it used to be.” Yet truths eventually made their sorrowful appearances, ones that could only be seen clearly in the rearview mirror.
“Oh, my love, for the first time in my life
My eyes are wide open
Oh, my lover, for the first time in my life
My eyes can see”
(John Lennon)
2 June 2026
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Nothing is stronger than family. Absolutely beautiful. As an elder sibling I loved the older brother's mature approach to the behavior of the confused younger siblings. The acting was realistic, no high school fake glamor. All actors looked natural, no make-up. God *siiiigh* I'm so tired of crying.
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