1Last Twilight but Our First Twilight
"Last Twilight" emerges as an exceptional masterpiece, leaving an inerasible impact on us viewers. The year-long wait for this series was undoubtedly worth it, as it took time to craft its brilliance. My admiration for JimmySea, immersed by "Vice Versa," only deepened with "Last Twilight." Upon experiencing the series, I was left astounded. Jimmy and Sea surpassed my expectations for BL dramas, showcasing a well-developed chemistry not only on screen but also in real life. Sea's portrayal of a person with a visual disability demonstrated remarkable improvement, adding depth and authenticity to the narrative."Last Twilight" arrived at the perfect moment amidst a sea of hit-or-miss series. It concluded my 2023 on a high note and ushered in my 2024, infusing the transition with a renewed sense of optimism and possibility. What more is there to say? To truly understand the magic in "Last Twilight," one must embark on the journey themselves, engaging in its allure and experiencing its wonders firsthand.
Struggling under substantial debt, Mhok (Jimmy), a technical college student, seeks a well-paying job and lands a position as a caregiver for Day (Sea), a badminton player grappling with partial blindness caused by infectious keratitis. Mhok, in contrast to other candidates, shows no signs of pity for Day. As they spend more time together, a profound connection forms between them. However, when Day receives the news that he has approximately 180 days left until complete vision loss, the challenges ahead will test their bond's strength.
"And now here is my secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye." - Day (A reference from the Little Prince)
Read more here from LauLastWonderland. This is an excellent review to clear up the misconception, especially with the last few episodes. (Spoilers ahead) https://mydramalist.com/profile/LauLastWonderland/review/336399
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A drama filled with so much beautiful meaning into it. A very healthy, sensible, genuine kind of story as to friendship, family, love, goal, career and priority. It is really funny especially with that "WHAAAAAT!" lol. Plus this drama is such a TROLL not everything you'd expect will happen, It will take you by surprise and you'll find yourself laughing. The edge of this drama from the one's I've watch? It's not the feels but the message it brought me, It was truly amazing.
CHARACTERS
Kim Bok Joo and Joon Hyeong is the best love story I've watch, a kind of relationship that would bring out the best in you, filled with overload cuteness, realistic a normal one. Phasing of their story is slow but slow kind of stories turned out to be awesomely perfect! They are so friendship and relationship goaaaals!!
Kim Bok Joo
This girl is totally relatable, when she's in love, to music taste, to clothes, to fangirling activities. Everything about her is suweeeeeeeeeeg!
Let's talk about the male lead. Joon Hyeong, ok I'll keep it short his character is so boyfriend material, a kind of guy you want to keep in yourself, in your life.
Ex girlfriend: OK she's the "only one cliche" here like a kind of clingy ex you'll hate but her existence didn't much affect me.
Friends: yes a very fun friends to be with
Abujji and samcheon: You'll love the father and daughter relationship, samcheon is very sweet, likeable and so kind plus funny.
Actors and Actress:
Lee Sung Kyung and Nam Joo Hyuk both are great and I know it's not related here but I just want them to date for life. lol
Edit: They are officially dating not as characters but as real life couple!!!! Confirmed by Papa YG this month of April 2017. According to dispatch they've been dating since month of January 2017
Everyone else of the cast is so good ofc!
LESSON: Every girl deserves to be treated as a girl, a woman despite of any career she's into like Police, Carpenter, Judo, Boxing, Weightlifters.... Those fields are mostly for men so they're like boys into other people's eyes but ...Hell they shouldn't! They are girls too! Who would love to wear dress, wears clip, wears lipstick and wants to be beautiful especially when they're In front of the guy they like. I think they're the coolest girl ever with a suweeeeeeeeeeg!!
(There's more into lessons, life, meaning into this drama I just give you some points about it. Kekekke)
RECOMMENDATION:
Even though I so love this drama. I would not recommend it for everyone, this is a kind of a kind of drama that targets a certain group of viewers. I'd highly recommend it to the youth like from age bracket of teenagers to 25 years or if not by age depends with your personality like if your happy go lucky one, or if you love reading my review and it keeps your interest, the genre is your style then you'll definitely love it despite of your age. This drama is slow yes. Could be an advantage or disadvantage. You just gotta be patient with it and everything will be worth it and it will perfectly fits into place.
Music:
I always enjoy the sound effects in funny scenes that's the best thing like "WHAAAAAT"!
Rewatch Value: I thought one time viewing is enough or just rewatch a certain scene would be enough but as I watch more episode I become more attached with the story and I was like I need to watch this as a whole over and over again.
Overall: one word, SWAG!
Writing a review feels like I'm saying goodbye to this drama for the second time around that it hurts so much.... *Wiped tears*
Kim Bok Joo and Joon Hyeong is so lovable, I would not mind watching another season with them or another drama from LSK and NJH..~
Warning: if you deeply love the story, the characters, once you complete this drama you'll feel incomplete, a happy one but it will make you sad.
It will always have a special place in my heart.
Ok before I end my review I have a question for you. Ummmm... Do you like Messi? Hahahaha!! Nevermind. Anyways hope my review helps!!!
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romcom fantasy done right
90% of the reason this worked out was Lee Dam, 9% of it was the mythical creature ML that was civil and sweet and 1% was for the age gap done rightLee Dam is my ideal type of FLs, she was realistic, she had low tolerance for bs, she thought on her own, she went after what she wanted, she trusted with her whole heart but she didn't let others take advantage and best of all she was HILARIOUS! and also fashionable❣ and so so cute ❤o❤
these things sound so simple yet romcom writers 99% of the time ruin their fls, but Lee Dam was the perfect representation of gen z, she was believable as a person and that helped this fantasy drama feel realistic as far as fantasy goes
on the other hand as a mythical creature oh so amazing out of everyone's reach ML, Woo Yeo was again done right. he smiled when he had to, he talked and interacted with people though he never cared for their presence, he was imperfect, sometimes rash disguised as wisdom in his eyes -ie he'd leave cuz it's the "best" choice- but he was also weak infront of his own decisions, he was emotionless but he changed with Lee Dam (she didn't "change" him, he just reacted to her presence), he was curios because of her, he was happy because of her and he opened up his heart to his lost dream of family and love because of her
another point I really loved was the friendships, the 2FL was not a jealous evil character that was desperately in love with the ML, they were friends, they were siblings and they were each other's home.
Hye Sun is confident, poised, elegant but kinda sloppy and though her relationship with Woo Yeo felt like tom and jerry she cared for him and she ended up becoming friends with lee dam as well~
Jae Jin is the soft naive uwu type of character, he again was like a brother to lee dam, he always protected her and sometimes he needed the protection and again it's great to not only see the FL have friends but to see normal male characters that love and respect the fl in a non romantic way is always welcome (special shoutout to sunbae Jung Suk who was also a great normal friend to lee dam)
Sun Woo was the cute type of typical jerk ml but he was kidna overboard by the end, but he was still cute, I hope to see more of the actor~
I did also love lee dam's friendship with Soo Kyung but I'm kinda sad they made her too comedic even more than lee dam.
another great part of this drama was the comedy, I've not laughed this much since Birthcare Center, it was exactly my type~ like the drama never tried to take itself seriously, it was a fantasy after all there was no need for life threatening "I love you but you'll keep getting chased by the truck of doom cuz of our love" randomness.
it did have the star cross lovers that started too soon and took too much time, but as a long term webtoon it did need more than one conflict so I forgive them
also, my FAVORITE part was the no past connection! I think this is the 1st romcom, and fantasy with no past 1st love fate bs. and that made their love so much more endearing.
they met, had a accidental tie down, lived together, saw each other's true selves and they fell in love, how normal and sweet is that?❤❤❤❤
in the webtoon they seemed to imply a lee dam's brother x sunwoo's sister and I think that'd be hilarious and sad for them to make the 2ml her brother in law xD
I didn't like some of the guys' reactions, their possessiveness, their tears, their clingyness, or the way jaejin x hyesun happened and also the way lee dam felt the need to apologize while Woo Yeo stayed quiet as if she needed to apologize, but overall the perfection of lee dam and the cuteness of Woo Yeo smiling when he didn't go through the writers "we can't be together" brooding mood, everything was perfect~
tbh I hated all of the breakups and near deaths, I wish it was more like 49 days (minus the ending) where they had to collect tears of love
so like they could've done more things to make him feel human. I was more touched at Hye Sun's tears over Woo Yeo's return than anything
though I was happy with the subtle change in his personality, like he got more carefree and dorky and my girl lee dam was always rational about it
I like the ost enough and I actually rewatched some scenes for my article so I'll say I'll rewatch lee dam's hilarious comedies and the cute dates ;p
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Of course, I will start with So Ji Sub, who this role seems custom made for. I always admire his acting but to see his more comedic side, even as the serious-faced straight man, was really impressive. He definitely gets to show off his action skills too, and kick @ss in a way that made me swoon, but there are also so many funny scenes that made Kim Bon irresistibly charming. He was matched well with Jung In Sun as Go Ae Rin, who I think played her role well even if I was often annoyed by her character's actions. They may not have had a passionate chemistry, but I loved their innocently flirtatious and sweetly considerate moments together. Normally I would wish for more blatant romance, but considering their pasts in the story I think it was handled just right. However, I do kinda wish that I could see their story keep going beyond the last episode.
This is also the kind of drama where the supporting cast really shines, and I loved the entire cast. There's the KIS crew who turned nosey neighbor behavior into a true art form and had some of my favorite moments in the show. They are mostly there for comic relief, but I love how they were actually woven into the more dangerous and suspenseful parts of the story as well. Then there are the NIS agents, specifically Im Se Mi as Yoo Ji Yeon and Kim Sung Joo as Hacker-Bae Ra Do Woo, who had great chemistry of their own from the start. Joon-Joon were super cute, even though I initially wanted to put them on permanent time out. I guess they needed to do a good job of showing why Ae Rin was so desperate for a babysitter. Even Son Ho Jun grew on me in a way I didn't expect. Although some of the supporting characters and guest roles were cliché and over the top, it worked with the style of the story, which at times was campy, and I think the whole cast embraced that.
As for the writing, even though I was entertained the entire time, there were definitely some weak moments. What this drama does best is balance comedy and action, and both are done well without taking away from the other. You just have to embrace the totally unbelievable moments, but they did do a good job of not leaving many holes. The ending did feel a little abrupt and rushed, but they did a great job of ending the story without leaving any of the characters I grew so attached to ignored or forgotten.
Would I watch this again? Yes. This is a drama I wasn't ready to see end, so I can see myself rewatching more to enjoy the characters than for the plot. I would much rather see a sequel instead, which isn't likely, but the ending does open the door to a possible one which I would absolutely watch!
I don't really have any major complaints except for the obnoxious product placements. I think they made some of the moments extra cheesy on purpose, but especially in the last episodes. I couldn't believe how many commercials they squeezed into the story so blatantly (Did Quiznos really need to become part of the plot??!!! lol)
Overall I am glad this drama lived up to the excitement I had over first seeing the ads for it. If you're expecting a serious spy thriller or an epic romance, you are setting yourself up for a major disappointment, but I still think there's enough in this drama to keep a wide range of fans entertained. This is also an obvious must watch drama for any So Ji Sub fan. I wish he could give me "nose to nose" through the screen, but alas... I guess I have to settle for another drama to add to my favorites list.
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This review may contain spoilers
Yes but no...but why not.
Ok it's low budget, we got it. I saw better end of studies projects. It seems to be shot with a smartphone and two ringlights. The sound is the worst ever heard (you can almost make it into a game: subbed? Not subbed? Do you hear the film crew behind?).The script was written on a corner of the table.
Do you want clichés ? You have it. The rich, somewhat rebellious hunk, the poor guy who succeeded through hard work. The mother who puts pressure. The nasty ex girlfriend really nasty. The best friend in love but ultimately too much ...
The editing is random.
Sometimes I was "WTF?" or "oh wait, really?". Sometimes I laughed (when it was not funny).
The acting is cringey (especially for supporting roles).
At least, the end is not tragic if not really happy (and we applaud this detail!).
BUT, curiously, despite all these faults, I enjoyed the series. I think it owes a lot to the two main players. They are cute, they have good chemistry and seemed to get along really well. They are doing well and we get attached to their character. There are some skinship too which is emphazised.
AND it's BL Chinese.
So you liked Addicted? Don't expect to see a replica. But we can salute the sincere effort of the whole team to have tried to produce something despite all the restrictions. I know they had a lot of problems producing this series so I want to support them.
Fighting, China! You can do it ! Produce a good BL.
Soon.
Perhaps.
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Then, somewhere in between Just Between Lovers took a turn down the typical K-Drama alley. It became overly melodramatic and sappy. In order to create a tragic hero, they piled every problem possible in the world on his beautiful shoulders and there was only so much I could buy before I started giving it the side-eye. Physical health problems gave precedence to mental. I won’t say that it romanticized mental illness but it did gloss over it all. PTSD does not randomly vanish like this.
However, despite all this, one thing that was very clear to me at the end of it all was how much I enjoyed this show throughout. I was even more relieved than disappointed because of all the tropes it chose to follow because they provided the much needed escapism we look for in dramas. Even though, it dealt with heavy issues it didn’t drown in it. There was always a comedic gesture, a heartwarming moment and a swoon-worthy interaction between the leads to balance things out.
I think this drama had one of the best K-Drama romances ever. This was exactly the kind of relationship I fall for. It was a beautiful slow burn, where two people grow individually and together. They go through obstacles, they have their highs and lows and they become stronger through them- both in harmony and independently. And, it was all absolutely beautiful to watch. I’ve never been this starved for skinship between the leads and when it finally happened, it was so sweet and intimate that it was worth the wait.
Both the main leads were very dear to me. Gang Doo was simply an angel. I don’t think people like him exist in this world anymore but it would be a huge relief if they did. Moon Soo, even though some of her actions at the end were questionable was undeniably a sweetheart. There were some side characters I was lowkey annoyed with (Think: Second Male Lead, Second Female lead (though she had her moments) and the female lead’s parents) because of how much they victimized themselves even when other people had it far worse. But at the same time, I also adored a lot of other characters. Like basically everyone related to Gang Doo; his grandmother, his Doona, his brother figure and his team leader. You know what they say, good people are surrounded by good people.
As far as the acting goes, I won’t say it was exceptionally outstanding or that I was floored by it. Their inexperience and freshness shined through however, this worked out in their favor. Because the way the two portrayed their characters was so sincere and natural that it didn’t fail to capture the audience and touch hearts.
One of the best things about the show is the OST. I really recommend watching this show in a print that has the songs subbed while they play in the background. The lyrics are so meaningful to the plot and the play timing is perfect. So when you know what the songs are saying at a particular moment, it gives all the more depth and insight to the story. And it’s simply gorgeous.
So ultimately, Just Between Lovers is a show about healing, friendship, love, serenity and brilliant dialogues. Even though it develops slowly and maximizes emotion, it’s never boring. There are some tears here and there but with that comes so much more hope and so much more warmth.
Definitely recommend.
Enjoy!
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1
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1This review may contain spoilers
The Ten Commandments of TBL
These are the commandments that have been handed down to us by the gods of Taiwanese BLs. They shall be the commandments by which any present and all future TBLs may be judged.1. Thou shalt violate an apparent taboo. So it is that a stepbrother may lie in the Biblical sense with another stepbrother, or a stepfather with a stepson, or a teacher with a student. But a real taboo, thou shalt violate not. For it is a sin. Our purpose here is titillation, not transgression.
2. Thou shalt not utter the word ‘gay’. For it is a sin. Thou mayst love another man, but if anyone shall ask of thee if thou dost, thou mayst answer, “I like not men, I like only you.”
3. Thou shalt always include more than one same-sex couple. For it is the law. The number assigned to thee is two. One is too little, for it adheres too close to the earthly realm; three too much, for it adheres too close to the realm of Thai BL.
4. Employ thou a verily bright colour saturation in thy film, to mask the limitations of thy capital and thy cinematographer.
5. Apply thou, always, a verily thick, sweet, intrusive, and insistent music over thy graven images, to mask the limitations of thy talent and thy words. Drown out all the tender and vital moments of thy show with melodies made by AutoTune Pro, and lyrics conjured by Google Translate.
6. Remember thou that there exist only three acceptable settings for a TBL: a school, a university, and a criminal enterprise (the Lord doth favour the mafia). For these do encompass all of life. Thou mayst aim for complexity by leavening one of the first two settings with the third. Leviticus doth indeed condemn leavening, but it is not prohibited by the gods of BL.
7. Thou shalt have no balance. Remember thou that men must fall over and into each other at every step, puddle, path, street, game, instrument, opportunity, or obstacle in existence. This, and this alone, shall be the occasion for their first kiss. The said kiss may be accidental, forced, or incite a wide-eyed surprise. But a loving nor sensual kiss it may not be.
8. Thou shalt depict at least one instance of fornication in thy tale. Or two, if thou hast taken care enough to inscribe a story for the second(ary) couple. But the act shall not unfold until the penultimate chapter. Thou shalt tease thy viewers for ten long hours, and grant them gratification for ten short seconds, which to most shall be proof positive that Moses was heterosexual. Thou mayst inflict additional torture upon thy viewers by interrupting the said gratification with deafening music and wanton cuts.
9. Thou shalt choose from the following any number of ornaments to embellish thy tale: gentle wiping of the lips (for there is a general want of raiment in our kingdom), gentle forehead kiss, gentle lock-of-hair restoration, gentle somnolent confession, a gentle fever, a gentle towel bath for said fever, a gentle pour-over coffee, a gentle post-modern coffee-shop to house that coffee, and forget not thou, a not-so-gentle last-minute conflict, a forced separation, or a wandering to parts abroad wherein shall cease all modern communication. If imagination thou lackst, thou mayst construct a story from these elements alone.
10. Thou shalt by no means indicate homophobia in thy tale, unless it furthereth thy plot and our cynical purpose. Friends and family shall be universally supportive, unless it force a separation between thy characters. (Parents and spouses shall be left otherwise dead, be it from accident or ailment, to anoint the show with cheap sentiment.) Remember thou, always, that this is a world of pandering fantasy, not reality.
Biblical Proportions:
Commandments Broken: 8 (partly).
Commandments Obeyed: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (again and again and again), 9, 10.
Observations:
Well, this one is for the books. Every TBL commandment was kept to the letter, except, in small part, for the 8th, and that too only because the love scene between the teacher and student came so early. But then, that scene was so badly done that I wonder if the commandment was broken after all.
There is no writing in this show to speak of, no script, no real story-telling, no serious attempt at characterisation. Nothing. Just the loose outlines of an imaginary BL... The experience of watching this show is something akin to ordering a small package on Amazon. You order a simple toothbrush, and are shocked to find, the next day, a huge cardboard box sitting at your door step, only to realise that, when you open it, there are 7 smaller boxes inside, each stuffed with shredded paper and bubblewrap. By the time you get to the final box, you forget what you ordered, what has arrived, and what you were looking for. You just know there is a huge mess to clean up, and that a lot of trees have given up their lives for it.
The men are beautiful, two of them quite sexy, and for that reason, I gave 'casting' a 5. If any of the actors start *acting*, someone please let me know. I'll be sleeping in the back.
There will be, I imagine, a lot of hand-wringing and pearl-clutching about the teacher-student relationship. But, as the first commandment states, this is just an apparent taboo. No trust has been broken, no consent violated. The age gap is dimunitive, the "teaching" is more like tutoring (lasting a mere few weeks), and both men are above the age of consent. There are no interesting or troubling power dynamics at play here. Nothing to be outraged about. It's just dull.
Finally, for fucks' sake, just say it. It's not the fucking plague. And we are not in Florida.. So say it. Yu Xing is gay. Come, say it with me: "gay". See? The world didn't fall apart.
Verdict:
This is a dreadful show. It might even be one of the worst BLs to come out of Taiwan. Avoid it. Avoid it like radioactive waste.
Reader's Digest:
DO SAY: Blessed Art Thou, O Lord
DON'T SAY: That Don't Impress Me Much
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This review may contain spoilers
That was bad.
I think everyone here was in the same boat, wondering why on earth we were watching this, and yet we did. For me, it was about the discussion section, which was far more entertaining than the series. This wasn't the worst BL I've ever seen, but it was the most boring and pointless.I'll start with negatives and end on positives, if I can think of any.
- There was no plot. None. Nothing happened the entire season. Well, one thing happened, but I'm putting it under positives.
- Even given there was no plot, the writing was truly terrible. Nothing really made sense. Like Kit and Mark practicing to be apart for almost the entire season. If there was a reason why anyone was watching this, I imagine it was MarKit, and we got almost none of them. There's an episode where a third of the runtime is taken up by a discussion about putting on a play. Not an actual play, but discussing the details of a production, like how the props would be done, and who would play which characters. Much of the rest of the episode was people texting each other. Riveting.
- The main character, Wayu, is the most useless person imaginable. He doesn't do anything, can't do anything, and he has no agency. He's everything wrong with the seme-uke dynamic.
- The romances were so tame that most viewers have likely had racier relationships in primary school. They are nauseatingly saccharine and totally passionless. The only moment of heat the entire season was when Pok attacked Tong in the shower.
- Sandee was criminally underused. Bank was easily the best actor in this, and by the end of the series even he'd given up.
- Big, who plays Pha, never once took off his shirt, and that bod needs to be shared. You'd think laying in a hospital bed for an entire season that someone would give him a sponge bath at some point. Speaking of which, why would you bother to have a character that does absolutely nothing but lie in a hospital bed for an entire season? Although I'm not complaining because his death, funeral, and tombstone are 95% of what's good about this series.
Positives:
- Bank as Sandee. The way he can pack malice into a subtle look, or mischief, loneliness, or all of the above made for a character that much of the audience was cheering on, and he was the villain out to destroy everyone. Sadly, he failed.
- There were things in here that were so bad that they were good. Kit and Wayu go to see Pha at the hospital. and as they arrive, his crying mother is exiting the room, and she says "he's gone! (i.e. dead)". So the boys go in and have a conversation with Pha, who has either resurrected, or he had been asleep and his mother just assumed he was dead and didn't bother to check. It's a good thing they're Christians and didn't have him cremated prematurely.
When he did kick the bucket, his funeral involved plopping onto a lawn a tiny casket that might possibly fit a small child, which suggests they had Pha dismembered and stuffed into it. I guess Pha's mother was on a budget and decided to forego gravediggers. She also didn't attend the funeral. That along with her apparent indifference to whether or not he was dead at any given moment created the impression she didn't much care for him.
In a later episode, it appears that wild animals dragged off the coffin as they are wont to do (which is why you need grave diggers), and in its place was the most hysterically funny tombstone you will ever see. That sounds exaggerated, I know. But it was. I couldn't tell if it was a novelty cake or made of styrofoam, except whatever production assistant made it accidentally ran over it with his car and tried to tape it together or something.
Story: 1 - There isn't one.
Acting: 5 - I hate to criticize actors, but none of them except Bank (Sandee) put in a good performance. I think it was probably terrible directing, because I've seen some of these guys do good work elsewhere. But here the directions seems to have been "keep your face and voice as blank as possible, pause for ten seconds between every phrase you speak, and always move unnecessarily slowly."
Music: 1 - you will want to smash things listening to that same two bars of music over and over for 12 episodes.
Rewatch Value: 1 - forget the gun to the head - you'd have to threaten to nuke a country to get me to watch this again. Except the funeral scene. That I could watch again.
Overall: 3. The suggested was 2, but a score that low would have to be for something aggressively awful, instead of passively awful like this series.
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Q10 is surreal, poetic, highly amusing, thought-provoking and surprising . It's brilliantly acted too, which adds to its delicious oddity. It doesn't have even one unpleasant character: they are all very weird and very human, at times histerically hilarious and at others wonderfully deep.
I'm not sure whom I would recommend this drama to; however, I'm certain it won't do for those looking for a rom-com, for an uncomplicated plot, for simple entertainment, for shine or for glamour. The one and only requisite to approach it, is to do so with an open mind. If you believe that people have each their own sound, that calling for help loud enough will make somebody come to the rescue, that death is just a way of thinking and that you achieve a goal because you want and not because you can, then "kiuto" is for you.
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This review may contain spoilers
The best Multi-Leads Chinese Drama Ever!
This is my first time writing a full review here on MDL, and this drama absolutely deserves it. First of all, I started watching it right in the middle of its hate train because—what do you mean it’s getting so much hate when I genuinely enjoyed the first few episodes? It’s one of the very few dramas where I actually liked the opening episodes. It’s not boring, it’s not dull—it’s a romcom, and they did it so right!Pacing
Right from the first arc, they introduced us to the Li sisters and established the tone of the story. The backstory of the Li family—why there are only daughters and why they have a single mom—was explained well, with no glaring loopholes. Then, just a few episodes in, the two leads got married. I was shocked. Like, why did they get married so fast? Is the angst coming? But I was even more surprised when the focus suddenly shifted to the 1st sister. That’s when I started piecing everything together—this drama isn’t just about one couple; it has multiple storylines between different leads. Since I didn’t check the plot beforehand, I was confused at first, but honestly? It made me so happy! I was excited to see how the rest of the sisters’ stories would unfold. Overall, the pacing was great—every lead had enough screentime, and everyone felt equal.
Storylines & Character Dynamics
Each couple had their own unique storyline:
1st couple – The noble introverts
2nd couple – The chaotic duo
3rd couple – The scheming masterminds
4th couple – The cold husband and cutie wife + amnesia plot
5th couple – Enemies-to-lovers
Brother’s story – Childhood lovers
This variety in plots made each couple stand out, which is why I never felt like there was a main couple. Instead, it truly felt like a story about a whole family, where everyone was equally important.
The Li Family – Best Family in C-Drama?
Speaking of family, I love the Li family. Honestly, they might be the best family I’ve seen in a C-drama. The bond between the sisters, their mother’s strength, and even their relationships with their in-laws felt heartwarming and genuine.
Production, Acting & Overall Experience
The acting was fantastic—I could feel my blood boiling whenever the villains appeared, but I also found myself giggling at all the sweet moments. The comedic timing was on point, the production quality was solid, and the entire ambiance of the drama was just chef’s kiss.
Rewatch Value? 100%!
I would rewatch this over and over again, just to catch all the subtle interactions between the leads and appreciate the details I might have missed the first time.
Overall Rating: 9.5/10
If you love romcoms with strong family dynamics, engaging storylines, and well-developed characters, then this drama is a must-watch.
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This review may contain spoilers
More than a remake. Delicate timbre. Powerful. Reckoning with the void of a luxury-branded world
"Pale Moon" develops a particularly delicate timbre. Fine personality portraits, none of them smooth and pore-deep clean, but rather inwardly crumpled people with dreams and weaknesses, people who sometimes make questionable decisions, who don't stick to the rules, who succumb to the temptation to take the chance to realize their dreams.A little 'noir' here and there. In any case, emotionally dense. Unexcitedly emotional. Quiet and yet powerful.
The KDrama is based on a Japanese Original (Mitsuyo Kakuta), which was successful as a series and movie, too. This is now a South Korean remake. Apparently, Kim Seo-hyung was immediately (after she saw the original in 2015) determined to play the female lead in any potential South Korean remake. You can tell, she is breathing her role.
The original novel is about the embezzlement of bank funds as actually happened in Japan. In South Korea, the list of embezzlement in billions is also long and the remake is accordingly well placed.
However, the South Korean remake is about more than misappropriation of wealth on a large scale. This is generally about lies, deceit and deception - even on a smaller, manageable, interpersonal level. However, it is also about human vulnerability, the cracks in the facade.
The story unfolds against the background of unstoppable consumption - a veritable frenzy of consumption that has long since left any connection or grounding behind. A life-style in a parallel world, that only a few can really afford. This world of luxury, which initially seems appealing, develops an intoxicating, addictive character and ultimately catapults itself into the void. What remains when the lover equips the lover with the designer goods from head to toe, from the car to the house including the interior and the laptop, too? Alert, alert: the luxurious world of matter - initially well camouflaged as the lifestyle of your dreams - becomes an ugly parasite that feeds on substantial emotions, liveliness and passion, but in the end leaves nothing behind...
In the field of tension between the dreary normality of a boring everyday life that is perhaps pimped out on the outside, but emotionally rather empty, almost everyone here is willing to deviate from the path of virtue in order to get a piece of the promisingly dazzling consumer cake.
Nevertheless, the story also tells of the sincere moments of perception and recognition of unsightly vulnerability. These are the moments when sincere encounter happens to become possible. On the outside, these are not the nice, shiny TaDa moments, but on the inside they provide light and warmth, they nourish the soul, like water making flowers bloom. Moments that cannot be bought with money. Moments that are among the most worthless in the dazzling world of consumption, shunned, despised, marginalized, excluded.
In this way, "Paper Moon" is an intelligent approach of reckoning with the consumer-driven social reality in which 'appearance' takes the place of 'being'. Quietly and constantly the KDrama is reminiscent of the basic in human, which has nothing to do with staged perfection, but rather with irrational impulses and irreconcilable paradox. At most, beauty in ´being human´ unfolds when weaknesses become strengths, when ruptures make the whole, when betrayal opens the door to freedom, when loss becomes the gate to abundance, when I find myself by losing myself, etc.
Since we are all human, we can remember (that we are like that too) and empathize and accept ourselves (and others!) even in our (their) 'ugliness', 'despair' and 'failure'. That makes life truly valuable and remains as a valuable experience, even if any material value has long since disappeared.
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SIDE NOTE: -------- 'Paper Moon' vs. 'Pale Moon' ----------
The original title "Paper Moon" was for the international title particularly changed from "Paper Moon" to "Pale Moon" in order to create a certain degree of selectivity from the Japanese original. The story may be remade, but it's retold in characteristic korean-style. Successfully so. And if you like, the changed nuance in the title already testifies to a finely nuanced, additional facet within the KDrama production.
The term "PAPER MOON" refers to a fake, oversized crescent made of cardboard, which became fashionable at the time, with the advent of photography, as a specific variant of (cheap but effective) portrait background. At fairs, etc., photographers as a special gag offered the cheerful visitors unforgettable portrait photography in front of an artificial crescent moon made of cardboard. The happy couples (but also everyone else who had their picture taken) floated optically above the clouds, removed from everyday life, yet oh so close to the (artificially fake) sky... A reMINDer, documenting a very special moment.
Since then, the meaning of the ´paper moon´ generally refers to an object with the help of which a void is filled with fictitious, purely optically reality – a make believe. However, the emptiness is still there. The symbol, enriched with meaning, inspired many a great work. One of them is the piece of music "It's only a Paper Moon" (originally "If you believed in me"), which summarizes the basic idea or the basic feeling in a striking way - as a tightrope walk between hope and hopelessness...
"Say, it's only a paper moon
Sailing over a cardboard sea
But it wouldn't be make-believe
If you believed in me
Yes, it's only a canvas sky
Hanging over a muslin tree
But it wouldn't be make-believe
If you believed in me
Without your love
It's a honky tonk parade
Without your love
It's a melody played in a penny arcade
It's a Barnum and Bailey world (=circus attraction)
Just as phony as it can be
But it wouldn't be make-believe
If you believe in me"
...The unreal reality, the deception, the lie, all of this could be true if only one can convince the others that it is so.
"PALE MOON" on the other hand refers more to the real, pale (full) moon in the night sky, which is repeatedly staged in this KDrama. It's not dazzling like the radiant, all-illuminating, blinding sun, and not loud and spectacular like fireworks, (and not as big and dominant next to me as a paper crescent moon). The pale (full) moon only shimmers in the dark hours of the day. It may light the way and also cast shadows, yet from my perspective it is just tiny and far away.
Nevertheless, despite appearing almost fragile and delicate, is solidly stands there like a vague, quiet, soothing reminder of something truly beautiful and valuable. Something that is there repeatedly, with beautiful regularity - remaining, just being, no matter what. Something to relate to. Far away it may be, yet emotionally quite substantial - and thus close to the HEART.
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Story-10
The story was a definite 10 for me! I just loved the romance a lot and the love scenes were defiantly super cute!!! The chemistry between the two make me hope that they are a couple off-screen as well! In all honesty, this was defiantly better than the remake.....and the story affirmed that for me! The story has an equilibrium between the romance and comedy which is actually quite tricky to master...but they managed to pull it of exquisitely!
Acting/Cast-10
I absolutely loved the actors and actresses! They suited their roles perfectly! I absolutely loved the chemistry between the two! I will defiantly be watching more of their dramas in the future! The actress does a very good job at pulling off Aom-am's character and the actor also does a very good job when acting as Mike.
Ultimately, the acting was a great plus-it wasn't fake nor was it uninteresting! It seemed realistic and thats why i absolutely loved the show!
Music-9
The music was really good-the only thing i wanted was another song because the same song would of been played at least 2-3 times during a single episode.....however I liked the song and it was cute because the pair actually sang the song themselves :)
Overall-9.5
I loved this drama soooo much and it has been so long since I have encountered a really good rom/com!!! I highly recommend this to anyone in search of a good laugh and 'aww' moments!
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My heart was felt pounding for entirely different reasons:
- The growth of the characters
- The pure and honest depth of the story
- A sense of warming accomplishment communicated by the great acting
With a very easy to follow story that's both believable and motivating, completed by relatable, developing characters whose interactions with each other made me both cry and then grin, Page Turner encapsulates everything a short drama should be.
The story feels mostly predictable but there are certainly twists and surprises! The music is of course fantastic. The acting, I expected no less! And I'd certainly rewatch the whole thing again at some point just to get those butterflies again *cough*andwatchaperkyJiSooagain*cough*. It was a great ride. But be warned, the ending may not be all that you expect it to be.
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script sat in the sun too long
Overall: The number of times I screamed "what is going on?" might have been a record. I was both bored and confused. Beautiful location and great actors were wasted with this nonsense plot. Watched on iQIYI.Content Warnings: suicidal ideation played as comedy, dub con kissing, held against will, manipulation, slap, drugging
What I Liked
- beautiful ocean side location/beach town
- cute intro but on the long side (3 minutes)
- Boun & Prem!!! It was fun to see actors from several different BL series together in this series
- the end of the boxing match was bizarre but cute
- the dads discussing love is love
- the outro with the behind the scenes footage
Room For Improvement
- too many couples, there were (I think) 4 and maybe one or two love triangles. This was just too many for six episodes.
- boring, 1/3 of episode 3 was getting down from a mountain, 5 full minutes of cleaning in episode 4
- confusing, there were several times where I just did not understand what on earth was going on, things just happened and we didn't get enough explanation. The most clear plot was the two boxers and they had about a minute per episode of screen time.
- nonsense things i.e. what was the dad's "plan"?, who leaves their (expensive) adult stuff lying all over a bedroom?, Arthid's elaborate plan instead of just...talking to him?
- some choppiness
- the comedy fell flat for me, the comedy sound effects didn't help
- that suicidal ideation was played as comedy
- the two trans/effeminate male characters played as slapstick comedy characters
- the red/orange hair and glasses weren't my favorite style (would have preferred tattoos/lip ring/etc) but I didn't take off points for it
- subtitle errors, but I didn't deduct points for them
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However, despite being known as an excellent kid explorer, Dora wasn’t the brightest bulb in the closet. Every episode went something quite like this; Dora would stand in front of, say, an apple tree and the treasure that she sought after would be an apple. So in order to find that apple, Dora would first cluelessly look to one side then the other, then she’d look all over all the while conveniently missing the tree located right behind her. After a good ten minutes of looking, when Dora still wouldn’t find the darned apple, the creators of the show would decide to give her a hint.
The hint went something like this: “Dora, if you look exactly behind yourself, you’ll find something. Now, we are not telling what it is, since this is only a hint but I think you should look behind you and see what you find.” For further help, a huge green arrow would point towards the apple on the tree. That was when Dora would finally have a light bulb moment and discover the goal of her expedition. Feeling mighty proud of her feat, she would then ask the viewers whether they too were able to find the apple or not.
Even as a child, I was about ready to combust at this point, for I had found the mighty apple the moment the tree came into the view. However, despite all its flaws it was still one of my favorite cartoons because it made me feel so clever. I was smarter than Dora. The world was a good place. What could possibly go wrong?
Except, when the same Dora-style execution is done in Contemporary Crime Shows, things do actually go wrong. This is exactly one of the reasons why people love “Stranger” so much. Stranger doesn’t come with the usual BS. It doesn’t assume that its viewers are mentally impaired baboons who can’t put two and two together. It actually respects the audience by considering them smart enough to follow the plot. There is no spoon feeding here, nor does a big ass green arrow point towards every idiotic discovery ever made. Instead, it’s a drama with an intelligent script that demands your full attention.
Every scene and every character has a reason for existing. With brilliant direction and almost no plot-holes the drama not only succeeds in captivating the audience, rather it also gives them space to really think about all that is happening.
For a lot of actors a “cold and emotionless” role is the gateway for slacking. They leave all their acting skills in the backseat and decide that posing like a cringey af model throughout the show is the way to go. Jo Seung Woo with his “Prosecutor Hwang Shi Mwok” explains that kids, it is indeed not the way to go.
For a character that is supposed to be expressionless and indifferent to everything and anything, Seung Woo sure did put out the acting of the century. While his face remains carefully blank at all times, there are slight nuances in his expression that highlight the emotional development Shi Mwok experiences throughout the episodes. A slight twitch of the brow to show frustration, relaxation of the facial muscles to show ease and the gorgeous, beautiful and rare smile to show happiness. Simply put, Shi Mwok is a delight to watch. Without showing, he still shows so much that by the first half of the drama, the viewers have already formed a deep connection with him.
A lot of people thought that the whole “brain surgery” plot-line was unnecessary, however, I think it was wholly essential in order for Shi Mwok to become who he was. He was a prosecutor who was able to observe every crime scene with a cold detachment that is unachievable for a normal person. And the show facilitated the fact by backing it up with a genuine reason instead of feeding the viewers some bogus and over-dramatic crap.For all those people who have seen God’s Gift, I know that Seung Woo shocked your pants off. The utter versatility of the actor cannot be described in words. He was a completely different person in this show, simply unrecognizable and for that, he has all of my respect.
I think one of the most endearing characters in the show was our female lead Han Yeo Jin. Bae Do Na held her own in terms of acting and the amount of chill that her character had was unlimited. She was such a genuinely cool person. Relentless, strong and quirky. Even though she won against bad people numerous of times, there was never any pomposity in her, for to her, even the wins felt like failures because they were against her own people. You can see how her heart hurt at the name of injustice and how fully determined she was to stand against it. No matter the consequences. She was the kind of fearless cop that is every ordinary citizen’s dream and every corrupt person in power’s nightmare.
So considering how exquisite these two were individually, it’s no surprise that they were unbeatable together. Lieutenant Han and Prosecutor Hwang: The ultimate dynamic duo that made the baddies shiver in their boots. The chemistry between them was excellent; easily topping many romances. They were the kind of comrades that can lean on each other in time of need, rely on the other in time of action and above all, understand each other all the time. As weird Shi Mwok was, Lieutenant Han just seemed to get him and he in turn respected and shared his secrets with her.
With best friends like these, who needs romance?
All of the other side characters came with their own quirks. They had their own story, their own motives behind actions that appeared to be ruthless and their own flaws and weaknesses. Nobody was completely good or completely bad; rather they were all wholly mortal.
Like other crime shows, the show did not make use of convenient plot-lines or shock value. There weren’t any WTF moments or nerve-wracking cliff hangers, rather there was a constant under-current of gravity that kept the viewers rooted to their spot.
This is the kind of drama that will warm your heart, fill you with sadness at the world’s corruption and leave you with the sweet hope that not all people are wicked, that there is still some good left and that little bit of goodness might just be able to overcome the evil.
I know that I should just end this review here but I need to be completely honest. As as you can clearly see, I have nothing but good things to say about this show. However, it doesn't mean that I am going to give it a perfect rating like many others because despite all of its beauty there were times where I wanted something more. I wanted to know why Mwok Shi was so relentless on eradicating all corruption. If he couldn't feel anything, where did all his righteousness sprout from? I wanted to know more about Lieutenant Han's background. Why was she always so alone?
Even though the whole drama came with a certain amount of simplicity and subtle intelligence, the last few episodes did at moments take on a fairy-tale touch. The conclusion was everything that you could've wanted, it was the perfect ending. However, considering the somber tone of the show, personally I expected something more gritty and raw.
So while this was one of the more amazing shows I have watched, I will not claim that "This was the best Korean drama ever made".
That being said, with some of the best dialogues and a spot-less execution, this drama is definitely not one to be missed. Which is why I wholeheartedly recommend it to every crime/thriller fan out there.Enjoy!
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