Reviews

If it is SWEET THEN IT deserves a 10!!!

I am someone who only writes a review if I want to give it a 10 other than that I will not write a review. I watch dramas purely for entertainment purposes and I feel that this drama has made my day and warms my heart. It has the nice fluffy and soft feeling that I get watching some of my favorite actors whom I have been watching and following since that debut so I do recommend watching it again and again especially when you are in between shows and waiting on episodes to drop and this doesn’t make you feel disappointed or distracted by skipping and fast forward to just to finish watching it.

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The Inferno ran out of fuel

This season of Single's Inferno was a whole mess, and if I had to sum it up in eight words, it'd be: Tarzan & Jane: A Dumpster Fire in Hell. The show's attempts at forcing drama and romance were cringeworthy, and the cast was just...meh. The whole thing was a skippable snooze-fest and that’s putting it lightly. Netflix has officially driven Single’s Inferno into the ground, and Season 4 is the flaming wreckage. What started as a mildly entertaining dating show has devolved into a predictable, lazy mess where one contestant hoards all the attention while everyone else fades into irrelevance.

This season’s culprit? Sian, the show’s leading lady, who spent ten episodes collecting male validation like Infinity Stones, culminating in a finale where three men lined up to get their hearts stomped on for the privilege of losing to Junseo—the human embodiment of the Cart Titan.

Let’s talk about Junseo. Every interaction was a performance, from the unnecessary back-and-forth with Minseol (as if he’d ever pick her) to the grand finale where he slung Sian over his shoulder like he was Tarzan reclaiming Jane. His entire existence was exhausting, yet somehow, Sian was enthralled. She didn’t want stability, sincerity, or basic respect…. hell no, she wanted someone who’d play mind games with her for ten episodes straight. And she got exactly that.

Meanwhile, the actual interesting contestants: You Jin, Hae Lin, and Min Seol barely got any fucking screen time because the producers were too busy shoving ‘the Sian show’ down our throats. The editing was trash, the pacing was horrific, and it was obvious Netflix has no idea what the hell they were doing. Instead of genuine connections, we got the same old and haggard love triangle formula dragged out like a bad K-drama. The way they were expected to choose people based on looks alone and like a 5 minute conversation pissed me off.

The best part of S4 was Theo, the greenest flag of all the guys and You Jin, the most bubby down to earth girl from the women. They are the reason why I’m giving this show 2 stars because they at least gave me something to look forward to and had me rooting for them even though both were so overlooked.

Lowkey, this season's panel was better than the others, but Dex needed to ditch them and get back to the inferno immediately! Ji Yeon deserved better than what she got like it was so obvious her and Tae Hwan were not compatible. I honestly would’ve liked it more if she turned him down at the end. And, tbh, the wild card men should've all stayed - what was the point of that whole thing, anyway? Jonghoon was hella bland and much too relaxed for my liking. Bro was just there for free vacation like Habin from season 3. He literally put in zero effort, and that "relationship" with Hyejin? Forced, fake, and chemless. Same energy with Jiyeon and Taehwan - I called it from day one, they had zero sparks.

This season was TRASH, and the fact they're making a S5?! HELL NO!!!! WE DO NOT WANT IT!!!!

At this point, it’s clear the show is beyond saving unless they bring in regular people instead of these performative plastic diva’s and lazy ass men. Bro the way they need men who actually try instead of them sitting around waiting for women to chase them. Like, I could try to understand if these men thought they were some prize or were super fine, but that wasn’t the case this season. They were all so unbelievably MID. The most decent looking guy to me was honestly Theo or Dongho. Every single one of them was mid compared to the Season 1 and Season 2 cast. It’s safe to say Single’s Inferno’s flame has officially burnt out.

This franchise needs to die expeditiously!

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One of Jun Ho's Best!

This is definitely Jun Ho like you've never seen before ...
Some reviews were so brutal here, I'm not sure we were watching the same series. I found this drama to be so fantastic in every way. Jun Ho is masterful as always. For anyone who lost a parent and had to pick up the pieces of their lives and go on, this series shows us exactly that. In the beginning, you can't imagine Tae Pung taking over the family business for his recently departed dad, but not only does he transform himself, but everyone around him changes for the better as we get deeper into each episode.
Watching the two lead protagonists fight the evil and dishonest practices of the main antagonists, Hyeon Jun & Bak Ho (Pyo's Owners), it's exhausting to say the least. At times it gets a bit too overwhelming, watching the evil father and son get the best of Tae Jung over and over again ... but you know eventually things will change. It does take forever for this to happen, but don't give up hope. It really does happen!
Early on I couldn't see or feel the magic of Tae Jung & Mi Seon becoming a couple, but somehow it happens and becomes quite believable about halfway through the drama. They become perfectly matched, making for a one two punch tag team to keep Typhoon Trading alive. I think episode 8, the Thailand trip, is when it begins to show us anything is possible, especially seeing Jun Ho sing in English. That was definitely the pinnacle episode of the series. That's where everything started to gel with all the characters, and you could see and feel an unofficial family starting to bond.
Toward the end, I must admit I was hoping for a better demise of the wicked Hyeon Jun. Even though he gets what he deserves, it would have been nice to see the full retribution that was coming his way. The writers seem to leave that up to our imagination.
Throughout each episode, as things kept appearing to be so bleak for Typhoon Trading, one line used earlier on, seems to apply many times over... ... "stars still exist even when they can't be seen"
Don't give up hope!
Extremely enjoyable series with great performances to match!!

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CLOSE YOUR EYES – NOW FEEL ⏯️

DISCLAIMER: I completed this a week ago and had time to collect / sit with my thoughts so please take my opinion / review with a grain of salt as I’m not here to argue with anyone.

I also have not watched the Taiwanese version yet (but I will do so soon) It will be interesting to see if my opinion on the show will been alter / change. Anyways, this is just a my summary of the drama. I watched it completely blind with no preconceived notions.

The emotions you will experience while watching this drama cannot be replicated by reading a plot synopsis or watching a summary video on YouTube. I recommend that you watch it without looking at the spoilers or hating / comparing it to versions you've seen before. Just pretend it's a whole new drama.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Romance, Fantasy

Tropes: Time travel, time loop, doppelgängers, friends to lovers, second chance romance ,found family, friendship, transmigration (body / soul switching), soulmates.

Likes:

This drama was interesting to say the least. The cinematography was beautiful and it felt very nostalgic because it takes you back to the 90s and 2000s. The time travel plot was very well done. I thought it would be confusing but it wasn't. It was easy to understand and found myself figuring out the plot half way through. I figured the scarred man was in fact Nam Si Heon and came up with reasons how this could be possible etc. My guesses were close enough lol. Every episode had me on the edge of my seat, thinking I had it all figured out, only to be surprised by unexpected twists and turns. I had to pay close attention because of the back-and-forth storytelling, but it was worth it.

Jeon Yeo Been's performance was outstanding, especially in how she portrayed the two different characters – she was convincing in showing us (the audience) that it was in fact two different people. The especially how she shifted her personality between the characters. The way she looked at Si Heon / Yeon Jun, laughed, walked, smiled and talked – all changed with the person and the timeline.

Ahn Hyo Seop gave me butterflies and made my heart skip whenever he was on screen, he really is very handsome and I think I developed a crush while watching. Si Heon / Yeon Jun was soooo boyfriend and just the greenest flag ever, across every single timeline. I mean he did such an amazing and convincing job as he portrayed the Si Heon / Yeon Jun who longed for his love (Jun Hee) across time and space. I thought the way he could immediately tell the difference between Min Ju and Jun Hee was precious and endearing. Min Ju could not fool him and unfortunately he would never be able to return her (or anyone else’s) affections becasue Jun Hee was his one true love.

Kang Hoon proved that even without a lot of lines, one's screen presence can be pretty impactful. Also, the way he emotes with his eyes is at another level altogether.

Rowoon's guest appearance was a pleasant surprise and I enjoyed seeing him on screen even thought it was short lived.

Min Jin Woong was a very compelling villain. He nailed the psychopathic murderer / serial killer role so well. I was definitely creeped out and on the edge of my seat watching and waiting to see what his character would do next.

Dislikes:

Some aspects of the time travel phenomenon weren't entirely explained, like why there were two people with the exact same face? I also found it puzzling how Chan Yeong looked exactly like his older brother. That resemblance was truly a mystery for me but I guess it made the storytelling easier from the writers perspective. It seems like that's just how the world of 'A Time Called You' works. I did not have a problem with Si Heon / Yeon Jun and Min Ju / Jun Hee existing in the same timeline like other people. It was very understandable and if you pay close attention you won’t be confused.

What triggered me was Min-Ju’s suicide. It captured a suicidal persons thoughts perfectly but reinforced the fact that no matter what you say / do to help a suicidal person, it won’t change the fact that if someone wants to die… they will kill themselves. They have to want to live for themselves and want to heal / get better and have something to live for. I’m not saying this to be cold/heartless because I just knew a girl like Min Ju. The only difference is she'd always threaten suicide for attention (unlike Min Ju) but in actuality, being her friend was exhausting. Safe to say we're not friends anymore and she still has her depressive episodes but I’m glad I’m not around for her to trauma dump on me or act like her issues are for more important / greater than anyone else's. She used to claim other's do not understand her and that she doesn’t have the mental capacity to care about anyone but herself (at least she was self aware, but imo she was also self centered and mean spirited most of all!). I don't think it was for a lack of love or attention, because it seemed she received both, but like Min Ju she was bullied a lot in her formative years and then kept attempting to transform herself indefinitely. Unfortunately she did not realize (and still hasn't to this day) that by doing all that she was killing the person she used to be, leaving her feeling empty and full of self-hatred (much like when Min Ju claimed to be Jun Hee lol!)

Anyway, it's ironic because thorough everything I was deemed selfish and told that I just don’t understand even though I always was encouraging, reassuring and supportive much like In Gyu. Seeing such a similar occurrence in this drama brought up a flood of emotions for me, which is why I think I felt overwhelmed then slightly irked while watching it. It was insane, especially when they showed inside Min Ju’s mind, Jun Hee trying to stop her, In Gyu pouring his heart out and trying to comfort her by lending caring / supportive worlds to then hearing Min Ju claim nobody cared about her. It was even more shocking to then see her catapult / launch herself off the building, thus killing herself (bleeding to death) and In Gyu taking the blame. I had so many mixed emotions but that very intense scene left me feeling sad and disheartened most of all. I could feel the same sense of hopelessness much like how Jun Hee felt, just being a mere bystander/watcher from that cave – not being able to do anything to help or convince Min Ju her life was worth living.

Moral of the story is choose your friends wisely, try your best and be kind always. If it’s not good enough (especially to the other person) and they don’t see the value in their life then know it’s not your fault / on you. Don’t blame yourself and go to prison for someone else’s choice or twisted wishes to be fulfilled like In Gyu. As Jun Hee said it was Min Ju's own expectations of people that made her miserable and she needed to take time for herself and take care of her wellbeing.

I wish the show explained the alternate ending better, I would’ve liked to find out exactly how In Gyu saves Min Ju on time. It would also have been nice for them to tell how Min Ju gets stuck in a cave where she see through the eyes of Jun Hee and vice versa plus how they escape from it and become the main host of the body.

I’m a very emotional / sentimental person so I did tear up while watching. If you’re the same (or worse) be sure to bring some tissues.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, each of their stories was beautiful as was the ending. Even though it’s an open and some what bittersweet ending I think it gives the viewer hope and promise of what is to come between the two main characters. While watching I felt warm seeing the kind of love that was portrayed throughout the drama. It made me feel the butterflies of a first love, the comfort of a mature love, the pain of separation and the overwhelming relief of their reunion.

The ending made me hopeful and happy, but it also made my heart hurt. I think it’s more so because of the realization that so many precious memories and relationships formed across various timelines would be lost forever, as if they never existed.

This was the kind of drama that stays with you long after you finish watching it. I still feel an ache in my heart when I think about it or listen to the OST (which by the way is just as amazing!) I think everyone who enjoyed this had that moment where they played "Gather My Tears" and tried to close our eyes and dissociate pretending we were going back in time like Jun Hee.

If this drama was a quote it would be: "In a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds, in any version of reality – I'd find you and I'd always choose you."

It truly deserves an 8.5/10 and I will definitely be sure to rewatch it in the future, whenever "a time calls me."

If you read all this ILY! 🥹


Thanks for reading & happy watching!

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

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How's the story: does it exist? I don't think so,

Jung Jin Soo is creepy, monsters are funny (literally), Min Hye Jin is reckless but cool (But what's the use?), Kyung Hoon is... wait what's his role? lol. My brother is annoying, Oops sorry this is unrelated. Well, so is the show apparently.

"When one person suffers from delusions, we call it a mental illness. When the society suffers from them, we call it being normal." -Anonymous

One of the few things done right is the portrayal of society and its mindset lol... I'd rather won't comment on how religious things are shown... but the whole setup of how people (normal people not the crazy dudes) think... was relatable.

For 50×6=300min (approx), I was staring at my laptop screen, was legit for nothing coz this drama is just so random. Some random characters with some random backstories, with their random purpose put together and bunch of super annoying characters are thrown...wait, that explains poster well. Drama ends up being a hot mess that doesn't serve justice to anything, anyone... characters, actors-their acting.

I'm curious what's the writer trying to show actually...Story is like some scattered pieces joined together without giving proper time to explore any character well. I didn't the webtoon to I've no idea abt the background story.. but just judging from the drama. It lacks in many ways, it's confusing, writing just sucks, editing is choppy, the whole cult thing is crazy, why some characters exist... then they just vanish in a thin air. Other than Jung Jin Soo's purpose everything has loose ends, should I call it a Netflix thing so they can create seasons per season.

I do not have a problem with bad CGI even though it made me laugh at the monsters... they legit look funny, or even cinematography. They can have a small budget it's understandable... but what's wrong with lighting? Okay, I get that Netflix is been trying this for a while now... making dark lighting and cinematography to suit the theme of thrillers, but that doesn't mean it should be this bad that I had to check the brightness of my device two times. With bad color grading, it's weirdly dark.

The acting is spot on. Yoo Ah In legit gave me chills... but he doesn't look himself and if he's the sole reason if you want to watch the whole thing, you'll be disappointed he's dangling carrot. I appreciate Kim Hyun Joo's performance too. Park Jung Min and Woo Jin Ah slayed in a very small amount of screen time given.

I think the main problem with it is they just tried to do many things together is a small amount of time. Trying to put many characters... many things happening at the same time. But this season is just meant for the introduction and things are explained in later seasons... I may ignore it but right now I'm just thinking of it as an individual drama.

It doesn't have many surprising, thrilling, action factors. I didn't find it the least bit scary nor any jump-scaring moments. It's gory, disturbing at times...you might get disgusted on many occasions but I won't call it a good horror.

It doesn't bother to explain anything, just wreck your brain on your own. Nothing is impressive... nothing. I admit it's different but not in an extraordinary way. It's just normal... might be good as time pass, as I'm the least bit entertained and thrilled. I just hope the second season (if it's gonna happen) will prove me wrong and this is just a build-up for it.

Am I being harsh? yes. I should be.

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Violence galore lacking meanings and life lessons, too much side stories, good acting

UPDATE: I still think this non-linear storytelling doesn't work well for a 20-episode drama. Many characters were left underdeveloped, their back stories felt like unimportant side stories. I wish they'd cover the core story sufficiently here... So I'm not really looking forward for the 2nd Season.

I have mixed feelings about Moving, I found this action show to be unique and gripping although I do not gravitate to watch a superhero genre. I really enjoy the suspense and stake built within every episode; At any moment the storm is coming and the action really starts where anyone can die. The pacing is fine and what's great is that all the characters are given their moments to shine. Another pro is the CGI, they are great quality and really believable.

Moving spends a lot of episodes introducing us to its many characters and setting up the story. The first 7 episodes highlight the kids' superpowers and friendship while hinting to us that their powers might bring more trouble than they’re worth. It gives us glimpses of the mystery and danger to come. I love the healthy relationships between parents and children throughout the show. I also want Bong Seok to be happy, although I'm not completely sold on a romance between him and Hee Soo. While I appreciated the parents' stories as well, after the 13 episodes of our character's backstories, I still have very little attachment to most characters besides Bong Seok. They are not fully fleshed out. This is way too structured, by the time I get invested in these characters, their story is over already (@,@).

Watching the 2nd half have left me feeling bitter and it does not recover till the end. My main issue is that the writer and director purely highlight violence is romantic in these backstories. In a world dominated by conspiratorial and corrupt governments, the only way you can survive is by murder. Also, the portrayals of North Korean villains as monsters could have been more intriguing if they're written as more morally gray characters. Their superpower is used to kill, not for self-defense, and sorry to say, I really dislike it. If that's the case, then what's the difference between heroes and villains?

-Sept 2023, Yovita
Find me on Instagram: @kdramajudge

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Interesting but Unmemorable

Let me start with some disclaimers because, as you'll find out, my rating for this mini-series is much lower than the majority of other reviewers/raters. Suffice it to say I have always struggled with Japanese Dramas.

I think their stories are interesting -- especially those that delve into the dark psychological aspects of human nature. However, almost all, without exception, have failed to elicit any emotion from me. For whatever reason, I often find that characters in J-Dramas fall flat. Alice in Borderland, unfortunately, is no exception.

Another important thing of note is that this review pertains only to this drama. I'm aware the story is based on a manga that I have not read, and the truth is told, I don't plan to check out. So keep in mind that I jumped into this series without knowing anything about it.

PLOT: Interesting, albeit left mostly unexplored
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The world (aka country/reality) in which this drama takes place is hands down the most interesting aspect of this series. So much so, that wanting to know more about the world and explore it through the "escape rooms" game-dynamic kept me engaged enough to finish this one in three days.

Sadly, the series had to juggle too many characters, so the world itself was left vastly unexplored. Of course, this is only the beginning and I've heard rumors of a second season, so they may simply want to keep some mysteries to resolve in the sequel. If so, I'll probably watch it in hopes of getting some answers to my numerous questions, though I won't really be holding my breath for it.

CHARACTERS: Flat and forgettable
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Rather than talk about each of the main characters, I'll talk about them as a whole, since they all share the same problem and that is... none of them are really fleshed out.

You could blame the length of the drama, certainly. But that would be a cheap excuse. These characters lack complexity and it was that alone that made me feel nothing for them. They could've all died by the end and I wouldn't have shed a single tear.

Now, there was an attempt at building emotion. But it felt superficial, rushed, and "formulaic". I knew when a character was going to be axed because we got to hear their sob story through a quick dialogue with another character.

To be frank, if you like being engaged by the characters this Drama may fall short for you. But if you don't mind simple characters we don't really "get to know", so long as the world they inhabit is interesting, then this will make a decent watch.

MALE VS FEMALE CHARACTERS: Problematic
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I want to take a moment to express a problem I have with Japanese Dramas. Mind you, I haven't tried that many... but my avoidance of them has to do precisely with the reasons I'm about to briefly delve into.

This Drama is male-centric. Meaning, male characters tend to be given more depth than female characters. As such, the drama gave almost every male character some kind of motivation which explained why they made each of their decisions.

Unfortunately, female characters were left unexplored and at times, downright untouched. Even Usagi (the FL) was stripped from giving her depth by focusing her flashbacks on her father, rather than on her own life/aspirations. There's only one female character (a transgender gal) who was given a brief but beautiful story. Her aside, though, female characters were depicted as disposable, selfish, useless, and/or simple eye-candy.

Unlike female characters, male characters were usually portrayed in a nobler way. Even minor male characters were shown willing to sacrifice themselves for other men/friends. While female characters were killed off for reasons verging on the absurd (like showing the audience the dangers of a room, for example). I don't want to add spoilers here, but if you're interested to know more, add a comment and I'll explain using the spoiler tags.

FRAMING: toxic male gaze
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The above points lead me to talk about how the Drama was directed because it's one of the most problematic areas and maybe the aspect that spoiled my enjoyment the most.

Many of the decisions here were taken with the idea that "sex sales" and, of course, most times that means female bodies will be exploited. So as the series crossed into the last quarter (when they reach the beach), a rule was set that everyone should walk around in a bathing suit to ensure "no one can hide any weapons".

The result was having most female characters walk around in small bikinis while male characters got to wear baggy trunks and shirts. The fact that they didn't march around shirtless nullified the supposed "purpose/logic" of the rule. To the point where we even see a few of these male characters taking out weapons from the back of their swimming trunks...

But perhaps more intolerable than this was a scene that involved what would've been a gang-rape had the scene not been interrupted. Luckily, the director decided not to undress the character who gets kidnapped and almost assaulted (which I believe is supposed to be an underage girl).

Yet, the entire scene still felt crass because the camera hovered over the assailant's shoulder, making the audience complicit by showing the scene from his POV instead of the victim's. The result is that sexual assault ends up portrayed as something quasi-erotic, rather than as something horrific that is happening to the victim. This didn't settle well with me, as this has been a technique I thought we'd move past with the rise of the #metoo movement...

OVERALL: On the fence
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To be honest, this one is a tough one to recommend without putting on the table all the additional notes/flaws I've pointed out in this review. I think the world is interesting enough to make this drama watchable --binge-watchable even!-- and the "escape room" games were hands-down the best part.

However, the characters are not memorable or even original. They felt cartoonish to me and ultimately unengaging. I also hated the directing and the constant "butt framing". The disparity in how the genders were handled was especially jarring, so I wouldn't recommend this one if you care about that at all.

I also think this show calls for some trigger warnings because we see: attempted gang rape, executions, and a number of shootouts that may hit close to home to someone living in the USA; as it is reminiscent of many real schools shootouts in the way they were portrayed. So keep all that in mind if you decide to watch. If any of these things trigger you, I'll recommend staying away from this one.

If, on the other hand, you don't care about these things and like watching psychological mysteries (which are constructed like anime), then you'll probably really enjoy this one.

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How to be a people pleasear | lack of romance

So sad to watch another drama where the FL is an example how to be a boxing bag, how to be a victim, how to not trust yourself at all, to be a people pleasear... the toxic life of koreans.... to be abused but to continue the contact, working with abusers. I dont understand how can be an example for young girls that whatch this kdrama.

How can you have, treat with kindness, even visit a frind that always wanted nothing for you. Bullying is a thing that koreans like so much... it become a normality to entrain.

I would have loved to see how she fights for her, how to gain self-confidence, to be in her own power, how to stand for yourself, how to speak for yourself.

The romance is absent completely.

There are some beautiful stories also and for this I give it a 5 but I don't recommend.

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EYECANDIES

While i cant say anything bad about the 4 main cast, who may be some of the best looking cast in any BL show, the story and the execution is a bit lacking.

The plot is a typical Thai BL setting - boy hates (or pretends) to hate another boy only to fall in love in the end - whats worse is this time we got 2 of that (or 3 or 4 if you count the side characters). There is no real climax to the story except to make these guys fall inlove with each other - there was very little time for the characters to grow. Initially they were trying to tell the backstories of Zon and Tutor, only for all of that to not matter in the end. There was no antagonist and no real (or very little) conflict and the finale felt like it was really rushed - nothing really happened in the final episode, other than Saifzon's first time.

If they didnt try to be so serious in the beginning and just made it a completely light hearted romance drama, things would have been better.

Saint is always amazing but for me Zee stole the show. The way he cried when they broke up and the way he begged Tutor to take him back broke my heart too.

Thank god Tommy was cute enough that even if his character is so annoyingly written I cant still hate him. Jimmy is just charming and cute as hell. These 2 deserve a better series of their own.

Will i rewatch the series again - maybe, only for the EYECANDIES, and if i am locked down again at home for a long period of time. Otherwise not at all.

I do understand the pressure of finishing a show in the midst of the covid pandemic - we all know that the production was heavily affected by it. And because of their effort to not hang the fans in the middle of the show, im still giving the show a 7.

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Love, Lies & Manipulation – Welcome to Secret Relationship

Wow. I don’t even know where to start with this one. Being my first-ever Korean BL, I was not prepared for the emotional rollercoaster this drama threw me on. But I do know one thing— it set the bar ridiculously high.

For a drama with only 8 episodes, each around 30 minutes, it never once felt rushed or incomplete. The pacing was so well done. Every single episode left me wanting more, and somehow, they managed to pack in all the tension, angst, and emotional wreckage without making anything feel forced. It’s rare for a short-format drama to feel this full, but Secret Relationship nailed it.

The Plot – A Toxic, Twisted Love Web
Jung Daon is caught in a very complicated situation—stuck between a controlling toxic oppa, a sweet sunshine who deserves the world, and an absolute devil who enjoys playing with people's emotions like it’s a sport. It's messy, so messy, and that’s what makes it so damn addictive.

Characters – A Messy, Flawed, and Completely Addictive Bunch
One of the biggest strengths of this drama is its characters. They are not simple, one-dimensional tropes. They are deeply flawed, frustrating at times, and painfully real.

Jung Daon – Walking Emotional Damage
– If "walking heartbreak" was a person, it would be him. The poor guy has been stuck in this cycle of self-doubt and emotional torment for so long that he genuinely believes he’s not worthy of happiness. Watching him struggle, make questionable choices, and slowly fight to break free was one of the most compelling parts of this drama.

Seong Hyeon – The Ball of Sunshine
–This man? Too pure for this drama. The absolute sweetheart of the show, My precious, soft-hearted, warm-as-the-sun baby.. He’s the kind of person who puts everyone else first, even at his own expense. He’s pure, kind, and incredibly loyal, which makes it even more painful to watch him get dragged into this emotional battlefield. He deserved all the happiness in the world, and honestly, I just wanted to protect him.

Kim Su Hyeon – TOXIC Hot Oppa™
– Where do I even start? Sir, you need therapy. Immediately. This guy is toxic, obsessive, abusive and emotionally unstable and unavailable in the most frustrating way possible.
You are toxic and I hate you. And you are HOT

Jaemin – The Devil in Disguise
–If there’s a character that deserves an award for mind games, it’s Jaemin. A psychopath. A master manipulator. This man plays chess while everyone else is struggling with tic-tac-toe. Every action, every word, every little gesture—it’s all calculated. He smiles like an angel but manipulates like a devil, twisting people’s emotions and pulling the strings behind the scenes; he’s always one step ahead. And the worst part? Jaemin, you are a menace. He was just that terrifyingly good.

Brilliant performances – These actors delivered— They nailed it.

Music & Atmosphere - The background music? Perfectly placed. won’t say it was the most memorable OST ever, but it did its job so well that I can’t complain.

Final Thoughts –
If you want a soft, healing romance, this is NOT it. But if you’re looking for a dark, twisted, emotionally charged love story that keeps you hooked from start to finish. It’s messy, it’s intense, and it will ruin your peace of mind—but you’ll love every second of it.
For my first Korean BL, I don’t think I could’ve picked a wilder, more gripping watch. It was toxic, dramatic, intense, and utterly unforgettable. If you’re looking for a romance with real emotional depth and a chaotic love square that’ll have you screaming at the screen, this is it.

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Holy smokes! My mind is blown in millions of pieces.

Someone please hand Jung Kyung Ho an Oscar. It's such a shame that I never knew this actor existed. His acting messes with your mind and emotions because the way he portrays "Doc Son" no one else could have. He adds his own element of mysteriousness.

When gruesome fights and drug deals can excite you to this extent you know you got yourself something special. The action is ecstasy. When the fights start it's like you're watching something blissful.

I think the greatest thing about this show is it's realistic factor. I see realism within the characters and their pasts. There is so much complications and emotions going on that you go on the journey along with them.

Less the complications the better? Not in this case. You just want more and more of each thing whether it be complicated or messed up because it still delivers and grabs a hold of your attention.

Our OTP. Action and romance together it has the tendency to get mushy and "throw it all away for the woman." BUT not in this case. Our main lead knows the difference between professionalism and personal business. They're such a pleasure to watch because they compliment each other very well. They add heat. They add comfort. They add soul. This couple is a package between amazing chemistry and realistic expectations.

This show will never stop surprising you. Every cliffhangers has left an emotional scar. When you watch this show you'll be glued to your seat and you'll be literally in the face of the screen because you don't want to miss a single aspect of this drama.

It's dark. It's bloody. It's got drug deals. Power. Corruption. Heat. It's got everything. How can you turn yourself away from this.

I feel like I'm not talking about Heartless City/Cruel City If I don't mention that this the best drama of 2013.

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Lackluster planning made it go downhill pretty fast.

Starting with some facts - Sian should have been the wild card catfish and join the cast later instead of Hae Rin. She has more of the presence to stir some "trouble" and her indecisiveness would work better if other contestants had time to get to know each other before she showed up. But with how the casting and editing went - it was Si An as the main characters, and some cast members were not even supporting roles, but rather guests.

The whole two inferos and how some people met first the first time after 2 days on 10 days trip was also weird choice. First impression is important and it was hard to follow who clicked well with whom, when most of them did not even interact at all.

Now that I think about it, the episodes should be split a bit differently. Nothing really that interesting happens in first 1-4 days, put that all in 2 episodes, and with each passing day, make the number of episodes longer. It takes a few days to everyone to create connection,s and that's when the fun starts. That's what most viewers what to see.

At the end of the day, this season was just boring. People were either 100% into one person, or not really interested in anyone. Little to no excitement. Dong Ho and Arin or the win tho. They were two most normal, but also fun to watch people from the whole show.

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Fun & Light Undercover Drama

Undercover Miss Hong is a light and enjoyable drama that mixes comedy, investigation, and workplace moments in a simple but engaging way. The story follows an undercover mission that leads to many awkward and humorous situations while slowly uncovering a deeper mystery. Park Shin-hye delivers a solid performance and brings charm and confidence to the character.

The drama keeps a playful tone while still maintaining some suspense through its investigation plot. The supporting characters also add energy to the story and make the interactions more lively. Visually, the drama has a clean and pleasant style that fits its lighthearted atmosphere.

Although some parts of the plot feel predictable, the overall pacing keeps the drama easy to watch. In the end, it’s an Average and some Kind of Boring drama that offers a good balance of humor and mystery, making it a decent watch overall.

My Rating 7/10

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One of the better GMMTV shows but far away from a 10...

As usually the show started strong, but while it did not fall of a cliff it was a bit flat in the later episodes. The comedic parts are often over the top as usual and the finale did not catch me at all.

At least the script was better than normal, but of course the predictability was a given. So it's a light-hearted show with few ups and not many downs, on the good side overall. But it will not leave an impression for me. While their chemistry was good, I felt there was not much tension between them and I also didn't feel that longing after three years and the reason was a bit "boring" imho.

It's pleasant to watch, it's heart-warming most of the time, but it misses the spice I have expected after all the interviews of the MLs I have seen before the show. It was just "safe" as usual by GMMTV. Success with the fangirls for the reunion of a fan-favorite couple, earning lots of money with fan-meets, concerts and merch. And that's what's a three billion ($ or €) industry is all about in most cases. Sorry to say, this series is very far away from the 10.0 many have given but we got disappointed by GMMTV much more before. Overall a decent show which can be watched without much brain-power but also a show which will not drive us insane with a stupid script either.

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missed the mark (watch suggestions)

Overall: though this is based on a book which has 2 other live action adaptations, I tried my best to review this series on its own merits. That being said, I think some fans of the book and original adaptation will not like a few changes that the creators have made as they fundamentally changed 1 character which alters their dynamic to feel imbalanced. Aired 10 episodes about 1 hour long on WeTV (need to VPN to Thailand, cut version & uncut version https://wetv.vip/en/album/pgahblq3qny0xuz) and YouTube cut https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqQkseRPA8d53_Hg0wnBlDFwNtFBw6xo3&si=rpt7pbo4KhLJoAoj Later added YouTube uncut for channel members. You can tell you are watching the uncut version if ep 1 starts at a fancy event in a flash forward. The cut version starts with a bunch of students taking an exam. Re-aired uncut version on Viki April 2025 https://www.viki.com/tv/41064c-addicted-heroin

Content Warnings (uncut): non con kissing/biting, fight, bullying, drugging, abusive parent/violence, transphobia, non con kiss, theft, kidnapping/held against will, punch, drugging, blackmail, homophobia

Watch Suggestions (this is for the uncut version, it cuts out some of the love triangle stuff)
- watch episodes 1 & 2
- episode 3 watch beginning to 12:15, 13-24:45, 36:25-40, 46-end
- watch episodes 4 & 5
- episode 6 watch beginning to 27 minutes
- episode 7 watch 22:15-23:35, 26:30-34:15 (if you want to see a character be unhinged), and 44 to the end
- episode 8 skip 14:40-38
- episode 9 skip 6:30-31 and skip 43:30-49:15
- episode 10 skip 31:15-37:30

What I Liked
- visuals (i.e. working out scene)
- countryside setting
- sweet moments
- that they modified a part in episode 7, the book appears to have been written in 2015 and I have no problem with adaptations changing some things from the source material
- that 1 character didn't get a redemption arc in the finale
- a decent plan in the finale
- satisfied with the way it ended even if there isn't a special or second season
- production value (especially how the opening scene transitioned into the flashback, however it needs better transitions overall)

Room For Improvement
- the cut version took out key relationship development between both couples however it did take out some of the evil girlfriend/wannabe girlfriend stuff which was nice, speaking of
- too much screentime on evil girlfriend/wannabe girlfriend cliche
- tried to cover way too much plot, the side couple would randomly appear and disappear, too much of the main couple's relationship development was done in a montage
- choppy (even the uncut), it quickly jumped from one scene to the next
- a character was toned down but then went very unhinged, the dynamic didn't work
- fake kissing (a reason not to cast a 16 year old and a 30 year old...)
- the transphobic comment in episode 3 which I think was supposed to be translated as "he's not even a real man, he's a trans friend of mine"
- too many flashbacks
- comedy sound effects, also the tone switching between comedy and serious moments didn't always work
- nonsense stuff ie in ep 10 characters didn't tell another character information because they thought it would make him sad so instead he was both sad and mad for many years
- one of the worst/most confusing releases I've ever seen, the youtube channel that released episode 1 was different from the channel that released episode 0, no subtitles even though there were supposed to be and then the subtitled cut version was removed from youtube shortly after it was available to watch, 1 week later ep 1 and 2 cut were back up with subtitles

Note About Actors' Ages (I didn't take off points for this but as an fyi, 1 actor was 16 when he filmed this, the other lead actors' ages were: 26, 17 & 18; age of majority in Thailand is 20)
- from the source material and as shown in the series, the characters are the same age, they start in high school and then later there is a time jump
- there were zero real kisses, the one supposedly intimate scene was very tame and only kissing the person's neck/close to their neck

Cut version differences in episodes 1 & 2 (overall the uncut version is better, I didn't have the energy to watch all cut versions to compare but this gives you an idea of types of differences)
- in episode 1, 12 minutes were cut, about 5 minutes of that was there was an intro scene that took place in the future/present before a flashback, they also cut short the vandalism scene, then they removed Pop talking to his grandma/dad towards the end, and they removed the very end where there is a flashback to the vandalism scene but a new part shown
- in episode 2 (58 uncut/47 cut), after store there is a short talk with grandma about him working which is why he is out late, they cut a little of the nurse talking, in the infirmary they cut at the end that Hero got into the bed with Poppy to cuddle with him, after the sneezing they cut where the girl must have left a box of toilet paper for Mr. Sneezy and Mr. Sneezy thinks it's from Mr. Grumpy who denies it but he is shushed, after Pop's meeting with Hero's dad he goes to school and walks by Hero who is shirtless and randomly wrestling other students for fun, Pop volunteers to wrestle pins Hero and they stare at each other, after Pop took Hero's shirt to wash it there is a scene at a convenience store where Pop helps Hero with writing/homework, they then get drunk with Pop defending his mom and putting his head on Hero's shoulder, Hero gives Pop a new pair of shoes, ties them, Pop then shushes Hero and leans in, it cuts to Pop waking up shirtless in his bed with seemingly a hard on

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