Completed
Ghost Boyfriend 3
11 people found this review helpful
Sep 11, 2020
Completed 3
Overall 4.5
Story 5.0
Acting/Cast 5.0
Music 3.0
Rewatch Value 4.0

Not a sequel to Ghost Boyfriend or Ghost Boyfriend 2

Not a sequel...

STORY: This is NOT a sequel to the first Ghost Boyfriend or Ghost Boyfriend 2. Completely unrelated, again. OK, so this time it seemed they tried to do some kind of horror movie, for 20 minutes, then the next 15 minutes was a quirky comedy, snooze through a few more minutes back to horror, then barely stay awake for more comedy, to end the whole thing in a very confusing plot twist with more horror... if you managed to stay awake long enough to see the ending. This was pretty boring, also they used being "gay" as a means to deceive each other when neither guy is gay. There is no "boyfriend" in this at all, bromance, or otherwise.

ACTIING/CAST: Nothing stood out, in fact, most of it was very amateurish.

MUSIC: Well, there was a song at the end but I basically skipped the credits cause I didn't care about this movie.

Rewatch Value: No.

Overall: Queer baiting, and not even good at that. After 2 "sequels", I suppose I should give up on the hope of ever a true sequel to the first movie.

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Completed
The Package
11 people found this review helpful
Nov 21, 2017
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
What a lovely gem! Watched it without any expectations and finished it blown away by how much I've gotten attached with all of the characters. As soon as I read "Thank You for watching The Package" in the subs, I miss them already. I love that this drama stayed true to itself until the very end. No unrealistic villains, no unrealistic plot twists, no cliched conflicts, love triangles etc. that we more often than not see in Korean dramas. The balance between comedy, romance and angst to a certain extent was done brilliantly! All the characters are real people you can relate to. Here, you have a male and female lead that you can root for with or without the romance. Oftentimes, we wish for a happy ending because that can only be the saving grace for a drama but not in this drama. This drama did not need a saving grace at all. It's also quite amazing how both leads are uniquely charming in different ways yet both so relatable and realistic. I didn't know Jung Yonghwa can do comedy! What a pleasant surprise as well. And let's not forget those perfectly executed intimate scenes between Jung Yong Hwa and Lee Yeon Hee! 10/10

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Completed
Dr. Romantic
11 people found this review helpful
by Irene
Sep 22, 2017
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 10
This is how medical dramas should be done!

All of the medical cases were weaved into the story seamlessly. Excellently executed. Great characters. Master Kim embodied the righteous teacher you would want to learn from, who had made mistakes and had learned from them. He was such a mentor to the younger doctors in the hospitals. He inspired them. He also stood up for them, in many satisfying scenes.

I've seen a number of Korean medical dramas, and most of the time the surgery or medical cases only served as plot devices to move the story further along. More often than not, it was difficult to be invested in the cases. However, with this drama, each medical case really brought along a lot of emotions and drama, as you learn not just from the doctors, but also from the patients.

This drama especially reminds me of early days Grey's Anatomy. Lots of heart. Lots of tension. Satisfying to watch when injustice is overturned, which the doctors face on an almost daily basis.

The romance, while light in this drama, is well done for its realism.

Watch this if you are in the mood for a medical drama and you will be drawn in by the doctors at Doldam Hospital, who put saving the lives of their patients above all else, as true modern day superheroes. Be prepared to drop some tears!

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Completed
Love Keeps Going
11 people found this review helpful
Sep 1, 2011
13 of 13 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 5.0
I actually had a hard time watching this -____- There were times when I just wanted to give up on this drama. I couldn't stand some of the actors/actresses acting. Especially the person who was playing Mike He's older brother. I think he played his part sorta well (clueless, weak & can't stand up for himself), it's just when he's acting w/ other people, for ex. w/ his gf, then he looks stiff & awkward. I usually fast forward his scenes w/ his gf since they were pretty much predictable.





Other than that, I kept on watching since I'm a Mike He & Cyndi Wang fan. I love these two & they're so adorable together ^-^ But I don't think Mike He should sing XD As for the story, I enjoyed it. These are one of those stories that they pulled in the amnesia thing, which I don't really like since I've seen so many of these. But still enjoyable.

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Completed
Doctor Lawyer
11 people found this review helpful
Mar 10, 2024
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 4.5
Story 4.5
Acting/Cast 5.0
Music 1.5
Rewatch Value 1.0

Teacher Mechanic Accountant Pilot

You know they began to run out of ideas when they start to merge professions. It makes me wonder what might come next, but the entire law genre had plateaued, and coming up with new unexplored ideas got only more difficult. The entire hearts swapping operation at the beginning of the drama was flawed and didn't make any sense. Instead of giving us a cohesive storyline, we were left with this mishmash of abandoned subplots and forced plot turns that were hard to sell. You may expect a lot of highly implausible scenarios and you gonna nod your head and just accept it. Neither of the main leads brought any appealing character or performance making it difficult to empathize with their struggles or connect with their motivations.

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Completed
Double Savage
11 people found this review helpful
by RoseQ
Jun 25, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 6.0

People are not white and black, we are gray

Any kind of love rivalry is a very common theme in all sorts of works of fiction. Even love triangle and brothers going against each other, be it for love or other things. This means that the plot and story must be really good for the series to do well, for the series to really shine. Sadly, the plot and storyline are where Double Savage falls short.

Korn: His father hates him and is abusive towards him while his mother enables him to do so. I know she is supposed to really love him, but the fact that she just stood by and did nothing? Yeah, doesn’t really make her a good character in my books. His two siblings do try, but they cannot really do much unless they want the same treatment. He is an incredibly strong, smart and independent character, but his family obligations and love know no limits. Even at his own expenses. Ohm did exceptionally, he truly shined in the role of Korn. The action scenes were great, yes, but the emotional ones? He really portrayed so many emotions through his eyes. Him being calm and mad at the same time was done so well.

Win: I really wanted to like him, and I did at the start of the series. And after that, it all went downhill. I don’t even know if I can believe that he at some point truly loved Korn as a brother should. His actions in the second part of the series show his true colors and they make me question everything I have thought about him. I think his upbringing as the golden child of the family really showed. He felt the pressure his father put on him, yes, but he was also led by the idea of being better than everyone. Perth played Win so well. The scenes where Win and Korn are going against one another had be on the edge of my seat. Especially the way Perth played Win.

Rung: The girl has absolutely no redeeming qualities. She made playing the victim her whole personality. She messed things up for everyone, multiple times, and caused troubles for herself and even more to others, yet she went and blamed everyone else but herself. Boo-hoo, go cry in the corner and see if anyone cares. She was manipulative and selfish, and she only truly cared about herself. I must give it to Film, it’s hard to make me hate a character this much, but she did a great job. I really loved how she controlled her emotions and her micro expressions in many scenes.

The whole love triangle between the two brothers and Rung was done very poorly. The way brotherly rivalry was written into the plot was not exactly great either. As I said, this is a very popular trope, so it really needs to be done well. Which it wasn’t. It made very little sense how extreme Win’s reactions were at certain scenes, especially after the later revelations. And his double standards for Korn and everyone else? I am disappointed with how they decided to resolve all of this in the end too. Especially the whole Rung situation.

Li was probably my favorite character in the whole series. She truly loved her brothers, equally and unconditionally. Even when they were acting like idiots, she stood by them and supported them in any way she could. She is brave and loyal, she is caring and supportive. I could really relate to her.

I also really liked both Ah and Mek as well. The two might have been criminals, but they had good hearts. They cared not only about themselves but about everyone around them and their whole community. Even if their community turned their backs on them on certain occasions. I even liked uncle Wit. I really enjoyed how calm Korn seemed when he was around him. He is truly at peace while around him.

The rival gang – who were they? Where did they come from? What did they want? What was their end goal? No one knows because they showed up and left with no explanation. Which is another plot hole.

There were some plot twists that I did not expect. While some made sense and really fit into the story, there was also a lot of them that just didn’t make any sense. Or really lacked background information that would make us understand them better.

I think the acting was the only thing that saved this series for me. I think all the actors did an amazing job in the roles they were given. And yes, even those who played characters I disliked. I hated the characters, not the actors. The plot was… what even was the plot? I feel like the reasons behind what happened were not solid or made clear. Another thing is the ending… why? Just why? Redemption arc is something that should be given to characters who deserve it. And not everyone does.

If there is one thing that the series showed well is how people are not white and black, we are gray. No one is completely good, and no one is completely bad, but we are a mix of good and bad.

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Completed
Friend
11 people found this review helpful
Dec 17, 2013
Completed 1
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
As I am going to watch Friend 2, it made sense that I at least watch the beginning. Not a movie I'd watch again because of the sheer brutality! The acting was excellent as you got to watch friends go down the path of a gangster (except for one) as well as the camaraderie and friendship as it morphed. But one thing for sure, if you are looking for romance, forget it. This movie is not for you. If you are looking for a movie that is definitely reminiscent of The Godfather, Goodfellas, you might be interested.
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Completed
Days of Being Wild
11 people found this review helpful
by Jia M
Sep 25, 2016
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
I've finally completed Wong Kar-wai's "Informal Trilogy" in such a weird sequence: In the Mood for Love, 2046 and now Days of Being Wild.

If I've said that In The Mood for Love will make you feel exactly just that and 2046 would make you in the mood for heartbreaks then Days of Being Wild will give you the mood to be just that—wild.

Days of Being Wild is only Kar-wai's second film and it both shows his infancy but also how he shaped his identity as a director as well as his characters, some of which have regularly appeared throughout the Informal Trilogy.

Leslie Cheung plays the young and charismatic but emotionally unstable, York who is a womanizer. Cheung, whom I have seen in Happy Together with Tony Leung is really a charismatic character. He embodies a sexiness that's untamed and draws you in as a viewer. It's no wonder that two of his flames are so madly in love with him. Much like in his character in said film, Cheung here is also on the verge of self-destruction further heightened by his familial identity.

But Kar-wai doesn't just focus on Cheung. He also gives us Maggie Cheung's Su Li Shen, Carina Lau's Mimi and to an extent, Andy Lau's Tide perspectives—all of whom are grappled with their own frustrations that ultimately involves York. It's York's own biological identity that shapes his relationship with women and eventually, how he lives. He is damaged but it is not romanticized. Kar-wai isn't a pessimist, he is just showing rawness.

Kar-wai traits also plague the screen: cramped spaces that seem to emit suffocation, unusual angles highlighting the characters and their interactions, dark and damp and nostalgic setting—all embody Kar-wai's consistency as a director and how his filmmaking drives his story as much as character even if it's lack of a strong plot.

There is so much tension in this film, so much dramatic build-up and so much longing. How much does Li Shen long for York? How much does Mimi long for York? How much does York long for his mother? How much does Tide long for Li Shen? Each minute is made with beauty, each glimpse, each touch feels like it's consuming you. Just like Li Shen and York's memorable 1 minute, Days of Being Wild has been another memorable beauty of a film.

This film, itself, is about identity. Who is York to his biological parents? Who is Li Shen without York? Who is Mimi when she is not Mimi? Who is Tide as a sailor? Every fleeting seconds matter in discovering who we are and how each person in our life shape us.

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Completed
Naoki Hanzawa
11 people found this review helpful
Dec 3, 2014
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
At first I read the synopsis and I’m not even made it my plan to watch.
Why did I watch it? Because after I watched Legal High, I began to like Masato Sakai, so I try it. And after one episode, I just love it.
Why do I love it? Because when I watched it I can’t skip it (I usually skip the part I don’t like), and I can’t skip it cause it’s too good to be skip. (The script writer must be a genius)
The story is kind a serious one, it’s about Hanzawa Naoki, an employee of a bank. He is a good brilliant employee but when someone wants to shift blame to him. He simply cannot forgive everybody that involve in it. And the brilliant story begins.
The cast is just amazing!!! And Masato Sakai is maybe born to be an actor, he just awesome.
And what’s the best is the story. You’ll really love Hanzawa Naoki although he’s a serious character, and his wife is funny, so the characters are well written.
If you want a well made Japanese drama, bored with romantic comedy and want something worth your time THAN you must watch Hanzawa Naoki.
And you’ll not be disappointed.

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Completed
Cupid's Last Wish
11 people found this review helpful
by DrKay
Mar 23, 2022
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

Cupid strikes but the arrow misses.

Is this the season for experimental BLs? Given the releases we've had in 2021 and 22 (until now), the answer is a yes. Whether it was the groundbreaking portrayal of frenemies to lovers in Bad Buddy or exploring vampirism in Kissable Lips or the soft anti-heroes of Not Me, it's delightful to see BLs leave the greener pastures of college romance to venture into the wonderland lurking just beyond. Cupid's Last Wish is another such attempt in how it's a road-trip BL and for the most part, it delivers without being too didactic.

Once unraveled, the plot of CLW is quite routine. But being set against a rustic backdrop with an interesting set of main characters, suitable music (barring the segment that induces delirious dancing), the little moments of epilogue at the end of each episode, the relevant flashbacks, and the charm EarthMix carry forward from ATOTS, elevate CLW onto another level. Jan's Lin playing Win is another advantage. It's not often we see a clingy and huggy female character who does not whine and act spoiled at the same time. She's just someone who likes to be physical. As Win, she also kicks some butt and goes into Super Dino Mode- Aggressive but one wishes she did that as herself as well. Body swap in dramas almost inevitably includes periods and is usually nauseatingly cringey but CLW treats the subject with due care. It is intelligently incorporated as a plot device with some timely situational humour that gives us an insight into the characters as well. Seeing Mix in that role is both hilarious and endearing. I almost wanted to give him a painkiller.

Then we very obviously have to talk about the swap that happens and the apparent misrepresentation in the show. To me at least, it didn't exist. Korn recognises Win from the moment he wakes up and he keeps addressing him as such and though we see Mix as Win on screen, Korn is actually looking at Lin as Win. The Win he loves may have changed bodies but his love for Win remains the same. Right from the beginning, the whole point of collecting the holy water was only to be a means to an end. The monks' questions and advice are nothing profound or new; they are just the exact set of words that we (and Win) needed to hear to change. These important interactions are disappointingly short but they are to the point and do not take away the real personal growth that the show intended to portray through the journey of 7 days.

When almost nothing was going wrong for the series, the finale arrived with a bang. From what I took as a cue in the first episode regarding how the monk is informed of the car accident, I expected the reason behind the writing of will to be the last wish of the real cupid of the show. Maybe we'd discover a hidden letter from Win's father explaining his actions? As it turns out, the ultimate plot twist is so nonsensical that it is shocking. Absolute zero rationale. Win's aunt and uncle have no real purpose and they might have as well not been a part of the drama for all that they were present and made themselves useful. Non is bright, but there's not much for him to do. While these may exactly not hinder the drama, they do stand out as eye sores.

Who Cupid is and what his last wish is are two questions that remain unanswered but truthfully, Cupid's Last Wish is really about EarthMix fluff. Need any more reasons to watch it?

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Completed
The Great Shaolin
11 people found this review helpful
Jun 8, 2021
42 of 42 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers

REVENGE, ANGER, MORAL CHALLENGES , and KICK ASS FIGHTING

What a jewel of a find!!! I love Shaolin storylines - dramas and movies and when I saw the title GREATEST SHAOLIN on YT while scanning through clickbait shorts I had to explore. This drama must be a recent English translation release because I could not find it anywhere - except YT. The actual name of the drama is Shaolin Wendao.

The story -- 4 loyal childhood friends (3 boys and 1 girl) are now adults and have explosive and devasting experiences that lead to life-transforming conflicts and emotional rollercoasters. The actors' Zhou Yi Wei (Trials and Empires: Storm of Prophecy and the Rebel Princess) and Guo Jin Fei maintained one of the most toxic "brotherhood" I have ever viewed in a drama. The lust for revenge versus what is good and right becomes major themes mixed with Buddism and Filial piety. I have no desire to reveal spoilers because this is a drama worthy of all 38 episodes.

There are numerous individual fight scenes that are unforgettable and bloody, there are battles with groups and there is a war with Japanese pirates. The childhood female friend is forced into prostitution although a princess prior to her being labeled treason - solely by being a family member. Her character is a catalyst for moving this drama from one degree of average entertainment to challenging the viewer as to her culpability and sanity. ACTION ACTION ACTION!!!

Life in a Shaolin Temple, commitment, vows, and hierarchy was shared which was a bonus. Visually stunning watching the training and inner conflicts which can develop and their resolutions.

Every actor brought their A-game to the drama and the casting director picked quality actors for all of the roles. No letdowns or weak performances.

The music was the perfect accompaniment to the pace of the drama and did not overwhelm or underwhelm the scenes which I always note when music seems to be overdone and annoying. None of this happened throughout.

A must watch -- the quality of this drama in 2017 when it was apparently first released without English translations would have put this one of many top 10 or top 20 at the minimum.

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Completed
Koko wa Ima kara Rinri desu
11 people found this review helpful
Jul 29, 2021
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 1.0
Rewatch Value 1.0

Is ethics for nerds only?

So many are sleeping on this drama and it is pity. No wonder, there is not enough content in TV, the net, cinema, SOCIETY talking about ethical things... well it needs thinking and for the majority of modern people it is "painful". Anyway, when I found out there would be a jdrama about ethics in schools I needed to watch it.

I must to say I enjoyed this drama and plan to read also manga in the future. Why? Because as a person with a philosophy, pedagogy, and ethics degree I know a thing or two about this beautiful and for most people "useless" science" called ethics. I was really curious how they would manage to put ethics into a Japanese high school setting.

Actually, so many things were poorly explained but only real scholars would get it. The majority of the audience won't get it anyway but might find it interesting. Ethics in Japan is of course is practiced, seen, and done differently than in Europe. All in all, drama touched a rather wide range of representatives and their works which were included in modern students' life and troubles they had to face. * SPOILER * One thing which ruined a feeling of the whole drama for me was the unnecessary "student-teacher confession". Like can they stop promoting this kind of fetish? It was totally out of context and it left a bland taste of the whole drama. *END OF SPOILER * So, not great, not terrible, this show had more potential if it was longer and scriptwriters had done their ethical research done more thoughtfully.

Ok now let me continue with acting - great choice of young actors/actresses, so nice to see fresh talented faces. The kids really did a great job. And Yuki was brilliant as mysterious ethics sensei. My only dissatisfaction was the length of each ep. Just 20 min was not enough to fully explain and deeply involve the attentive viewers in the stories of the students. So many things were unsaid but ok I understand the manga is still ongoing.

Alsooo, want to say a few words about Takayanagi sensei. He is not the happy-go-lucky overly hyped annoying nosy teacher. On the contrary him being deep, enigmatic, introvert, observer, philosoph with a cynical view of the world and people. Even though he is broken he empathically helps people when needed and gives his students much more than just empty useless words. Actually, he inspired me too. Definitely, he showed introverts can make more capable teachers and mentors than his extroverted colleagues. I indeed learned a lot from his role which I want to keep to myself only.

I recommend this drama mainly to philosophy geeks or people who want to get a bit view of how (not so real) ethical classes are. It is not a drama that attracts many people, some might find it boring but some might found new inspiring ideas and get interested in ethics.

PS: Rewatch Value is low because I am not the type of person who rewatches films/dramas even if I like them. Also, there was not much music to rate. And I tend to rate things quite strictly, so some people might give a better rating.

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Completed
Till We Meet Again
11 people found this review helpful
by rkod
Nov 29, 2021
Completed 2
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 10

Fresh and a unique plot!

I was lucky enough to be able to catch the movie premiere of this show in my country, I've just gotten home, opened up my computer and here I am.
[Alert: The movie has quite a few sexual references [7/10 spicy] so do take note!]
Summary:
FUNNY, CUTE, LOVELY, AND A TEAR JERKER. WORTH THE WATCH! AND IM GONNA WATCH IT AGAIN KEKE

PS: These scene description are not considered as spoilers. Its just briefly how the movie starts and how it will start developing

This is the MOST unique and newest storyline I have ever watched! There are ML, FL [Pinky] and FL [XiaoMi/XM]. Before death, ML and XM were the best of friends for years and yay they got into a relationship, and engaged just for a short while before his death. When he was down in the underworld, and after some "You're Dead" process, he decided to be tested to be the God of Love, Yue Lao [an actual god in history and also the chinese name of the movie] and ding ding ding, he passed! And shockers! His partner is Pinky! I wont talk about their past or the major spoilers but wow if I wasnt watching the movie with my mum, I WOULD BE BAWLING!! The romance line was SUPER WELL WRITTEN!! Visual Effects were done SO WELL that they won an award at the Golden Horse Film Awards alongside with other segments. I can't describe much about the movie because theres content and new information every minute and of course it wasn't draggy at all, it grabbed your attention every second and every minute. Other than the romance line, there's a evil plot as well but again, it isnt like what we expect, not your typical stupid revenge plot. Really worth the watch!! Even the after credits scenes were like "OH WHAT?" I am definitely going back to the cinema for this movie soon after its public screening! 10/10 superb!

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Completed
Devil
11 people found this review helpful
by haha23
Jul 6, 2012
11 of 11 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
I can honestly say that this is the best drama I've ever seen. I usually watch a lot of rom-com's, but I happened to stumble upon this one one day and I'm so happy I did. It left such an impression on me that I was left with wanting so much more, but if you've watched it, or when you finally watch it and finish it, you'll know a second season would be impossible. I applaud Ohno Satoshi and Ikuta Toma's acting. In fact, I would bow to them both if I ever saw them. I never realized how amazing they were at acting until I watched this... Mostly because I hadn't seen any of Ohno's dramas before, and the only one's I'd seen of Toma's were Hana Kimi and Hanamizuki. But I will definitely be watching more of their dramas now that I know their skills.

This drama was very suspenseful, and I found it very hard to put off because I was always left wondering what would happen next after every episode. And lets just say, I was practically bawling when it finally ended. I would rewatch this a million times if I could! Although dramas are always best the first time cause if you rewatch it you'll already know what happens at the end and it's not as suspenseful... but if I wanted to, I would rewatch this again. So, that being said, I highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend this drama. I guarantee you won't not like it, and it could possibly become one of your favorites!

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Completed
The Untamed
11 people found this review helpful
Jun 12, 2021
50 of 50 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.5

The best Chinese drama

The best for the colossal genre. From the standpoint of the story, the cast, the music to the shooting site has been very supportive of the drama. Reviewing is also not boring. You guys don't hesitate to watch it. Sure makes it hard to forget. At first I was hesitant to watch it because I only like the romantic and comedy genre. And I convinced myself that I wanted to see this drama and that it was amazing beyond my expectations.
The scenes that have these episodes keep me free, and it will be the best massive Chinese drama I can think of
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