The beautiful story
A beautiful film about life as a refugee, about love, about humanity but also about the lack of humanity. A topic close to many people these days: showing the entire bureaucratic machinery. Soo Jong Ki is the best Korean actor. His acting skills are at the highest level. I really like all his films, but here he achieved acting mastery: he shows all the emotions... anxiety, fear, the will to survive, the desire to assimilate, the feeling that he can't go on, longing for his loved ones.Was this review helpful to you?
Good revenge drama with a sprinkle of fluidity.
The story goes like this : A woman who's family was annihilated because of a treasure map, seeks revenge. She decides to infiltrate the palace and becomes the crown prince's bodyguard.- Great plot with great fighting scenes.
- A sprinkle of fluidity, wich is rare and makes the drama stand out.
- Good acting.
- Good music.
- Great cinematography.
- Female lead has more chemistry with 2nd Female Lead than with Male Lead in my opinion.
Overall the drama is entertaining and kept me interested until the very end.
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This review may contain spoilers
Ximen Lichen + Bo Wang = Ling Shi Jin
I’ve been waiting for this to be in MDL for F O R E V E R and it’s finally here! I’m currently in a Zhao Zhendong binge and when I saw him with Zhang Shan, I instantly looked for it (and boy it was so hard to find).LIKES:
1. ML - this is my kind of Zhao Zhendong roles. The flirty, shameless kind who will do anything for the person he loves. Like what I wrote in the headline, Ling Shi Jin has Ximen Lichen’s shamelessness when clinging onto the female lead and he also has Bo Wang ruthlessness when dealing punishments to others and even towards himself. You’ll see this when watch the scene of him dealing with the antagonist and when he was proving his love for FL.
What I also like about his character is even when he hated FL for leaving him, he never really hurt her. BUT FL did say that he was a controlling bastard when she and him used to be together so if that was shown then I wouldn’t have liked him as much. On the bright side, after FL came back to him, he learned to compromise and let FL be her own person so yay growth.
2. FL - I liked that even when Jian Cheng hated ML, she will side with him against others. Also, never really gave in to ML until he learned to compromise. She used to be ML’s canary/kept lover and when she ran away, she was forced to become independent since ML was hunting her. And when they reunited, you could still see the familiarity of two people growing up together even when they spent years apart. I also like that she’s not afraid of getting her hands dirty. Like the scene where ML’s assistant asked FL to persuade ML to hold back in dealing his revenge and she’s like “why should i?” Queen behavior. Zhang Shan’s pulled off the independent, playful and dark vibe which matched well with her character.
3. Chemistry - It’s not as spicy as his drama with Han Jia Hui BUT there’s something very natural about his chemistry with Zhang Shan. Like friends to lovers kind of chemistry and it just established more the idea of their characters growing up together that they know each other very well. There’s one scene where ML was punishing himself and FL immediately freed him even when ML is yelling at her to leave him alone. PLUS, I’ve read somewhere that some of the bts/bloopers were actually put in the drama. Off cam chemistry was so great it made into the final cut.
4. Story - I’ve always been a sucker for husband chasing wife trope. I was a bit worried since there’s usually abuse involved with the “i hate you for leaving me so this is my payback” but surprise surprise there’s none. Even ML found out the secret FL kept from him, it just showed that he was more hurt than angry. The plot itself was not unique but I like that their backstory was shown through dialogues. Like the grandpa dropping off the bomb that FL was taken in by their family and she even used to call ML “little uncle”. I was like “?? That trope is also included??” To be fair, I don’t think the age gap is too big but it wasn’t confirmed so just use your imagination.
5. Supporting characters - they also need recognition especially ML’s brother, assistant and the kid. ML’s brother was the villain. Characterization was average but his acting on the confrontation part was phenomenal. Him provoking Zhao Zhendong’s character and slowly realizing what ML would actually do was A M A Z I N G. He matched Zhao Zhendong’s energy so well. ML’s assistant was hilarious. He fits all the qualities of cdrama assistants. The long suffering yet still loyal and willing to serve ML. The kid was also great. I felt sad and proud for his character since he matured so quickly. Like kids shouldn’t be too understanding. It’s good that when ML and FL got together, he finally acted his age.
DISLIKE:
I wished they gave more details on how FL ended up in ML’s family. Or maybe it’s in the drama and the subs failed me.
FAVE SCENE (so many):
- confrontation between ML and brother
- FL protecting and comforting ML when he had a breakdown
- ML: I punished both his legs // FL: isn’t he lame on his right leg? // ML: baby, don’t you know men have three legs (LMAO)
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This review may contain spoilers
I Loved This Until I Didn't
Burnout Syndrome follows the same, formulaic sequence that all GMMTV series have: I love it (episode 1-5), okay, something is dipping (6-8) what am I watching for (9-10). Burnout Syndrome felt like this series that could be GMMTV's anomaly, and yet, it unfortunately was not. Some of the best performances I have seen out of all of these established actors, so it sucks that the story cannot say the same thing.Let's Dive In.
Let's get one thing straight; this is the best work I've seen out of Off and Gun. I was worried with Off's portrayal as the lonely and stoic Koh, but we see the very intricate details he placed into his character, and by the end, we see a dramatic disposition turned truly beautiful from him. Gun is Gun. Gun could literally never do anything bad. His performance as Jira is heartbreaking and poignant and I loved it dearly. Dew as a new comer (for me) surprised the hell out of me. I did not think I was going to go into this loving him and his character as much as I did. I was expecting him to be treated as a throw-off second love interest, and instead, they might've told his story the best.
The problem? This series ends with zero morals. Jira throughout this series rejects and criticizes Koh's utilization of AI. Even after his art is used like some lab rat for Koh's new technology, he still ends up with him. What. the. fuck. So what is the moral of the story? Deal with it? Deal with what's going on? Oh well?
If BL Thailand didn't have some stringent rules of pairings and couples, Jira and Pheem would've ended up together, no questions asked. While Pheem has his own list of problems, he's agitated with how much he cares for Jira, and is even more upset with himself that he let himself get so attached. He tries his best at helping Jira, and nothing works, less because of Jira, and more because Koh is the walking, living, breathing devil.
This worked so well because it felt so different than another other series, cinematography-wise, pacing, the story, the way intimacy through nudity and art is shown. And then they completely fumbled the ball in the end, which is just such a let down.
If I was rating the first half of this, I would've told you 10s across the board. I cannot believe that I didn't end up loving this like I was so sure that I would.
Rating:
Story: 7.5/10 - Excellent story, a new, intimate story we haven't seen out of GMMTV yet, but they completely ruined it by the end. The audio was also some of the worst that I've heard it be in a while.
Acting: 9/10 - Every one does beautiful, even Emi, even AJ.
Music: 6/10 - Didn't pay much attention to it.
Recommendation Value: 7/10 - I think the first half of this deserves every audience it can get. The second half, I have no words.
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the good this is that it was short coz girl i dont think i could take anymore of the ridiculous journal. the other is that song jae rim mostly and the rest were a hot cast so kudos. one major thing that gave it a 5 instead of 2 is unlike other kdramas this has alot of kissing scenes so i liked it. there really was also some cute moments seriously. thunder actually did a good job for his first role, he was cute and funny but sometimes i could feel his nervousness.
the bad thing oh gosh its like 99 problems. park gyu ri, how did this girl get chosen for this role coz its definately not her acting. one of the baddest gender bender. this girl couldnt pretend to be a boy for the life of her. i watch shows for the actual acting and not the cuteness. she supposedly was writing a journal by pretending to be a boy and find out about this guy she fancied. everytime they re-enacted her stories is when i would want to throw this laptop. it was fake beyond fake including her fake wig, fake gumihos, fake hunters, fake guns and gunshots......i could go on to 99. some story lines were really great like the grandma/grandpa fiasco. its just the story lines kept getting plugged in where they shouldnt.
give it a try, u gonna like kay as he starts getting feelings for her/him and seeing the different styles of nail art.
how do u tell about someone by looking at their nails **smh**
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1Not your usual twisted thriller...
This is complete fantasy, not in the sense of a fantasy world, but fantasy as in phantasmagorical. It’s a sort of teenage dream sequence and I like it. (Thanks Skitc for the recommendation) It couples total teenage angst with savage violence. This isn’t about reality, but the balancing out of intense impulses, living at the extremes. An allegory for the raging torrent/torment of hormones that just about allows you to hang in there by your fingertips and survive, somehow appearing almost normal on the surface.Just don’t try and make rational sense of it. Don’t look for credible motives or realistic psychology, simply immerse yourself and enjoy the ride. There are lots of lol moments, gory moments, weird moments, surreal moments and, strangely, smile moments.
There are also clunky moments with the script and a few convenient tropes like the obligatory memory loss and some clumsy plot structure. It’s also pretty clear what’s going to happen in the end. But overall it holds up without being unnecessarily complicated, probably due to the short length.
I like the cinematography for the fight scenes, which is not coherent, but messy, just like the fights themselves. I also appreciated the soundtrack which doesn’t necessarily take the obvious path.
The best of it are the scenes between Park Se Won and Song Geon Hee as the central couple. They had a great dynamic and their relationship was the glue that held everything together. The other cast is quirky-weird with great performances by Yang Yang (Cha Joo Young ) and her sidekick Jang Hyeon Min (actor not listed on MDL, cast list needs filling out, sorry can’t do it don’t read hangul). Also in the mix is an OTT drug induced psychotic villain who twitches his way through the series and a creepy sadist who does, well, creepy sadist things. And yes, it’s pretty violent and twisted.
What my rating means: 8+ A great drama with interesting content and good writing, direction, acting, OST, cinematography. But didn’t quite have the requisite sparkle to bump it into my all-time fave list. Worth watching.
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The story is based off of her trying to making a name for herself after years of settling into her party girl life style, but the story is not as shallow as it may seem. The drama tackled issues of peer pressure, self worth, and self esteem.
There were memorable cute scenes from the main couples and just when it got too serious there was comedy relief from the side characters. Also there are strong women all through this drama. Some are accomplished and teach others or they have ambition to do great things; such a girl power feel to it.
The OST was amazing, Onew has a magical voice that made the main couple's song come to life. There was always good music playing in the bg; it helped with the story telling in each scene, i felt more in love, more nervous or mad because of the music. I loved the OST so much its going on a playlist.
Overall I would recommend this drama when you need a break from crying or being frustrated with the other hundreds of dramas we watch. If we had to label this drama it would be a "slice-of-life". There was comedy, romance, and a bit of angst but not enough to be the central theme.
Rewatch value went down just because i would go back only for specific scenes that i loved, and not the whole drama.
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This review may contain spoilers
this wasn't sweet at all. hella salty.
the title sounds cutesy so why? what was the point of this drama? why would you make me want to eject myself into the sun? i'm a masochist but gosh darn it this was so frustrating to watch.this is just another straight drama with frustrating main leads.
i don't see anything extraordinary about the fl and it honestly makes me question why she's the fl.... the scene of her not being able to back herself up when facing those homophobes demanding her program to be cancelled..... for once i wanted her to have some courage to stand up and tell them why she made her program and that there's absolutely no reason for her program to be cancelled
when things were going haywire with her program and her boss quit, she was asking "who will help me with this?" like ????
the ml was so annoying ohmygod... i get that at the beginning he was desperate for money because of his dad needing surgery but then he continued burying himself with lies after another which made him a very selfish character
a straight dude pretending to be gay then leading a gay dude???? and y'know who he thinks about? the fl !!!
this guy straight up talks to kang tae wan about how he might hurt ah jin if he told the truth but hasn't he thought about how it hurts kang tae wan? how he misled everyone to believe he's gay? how there are actual gay people having difficult time to come out???? he was receiving all sorts of support but he didn't do anything.... he waited for shit to hit the fan.... how irresponsible can one be???
kang tae wan is the only character that was decently written
it's honestly a shame that this character has limited screen time because i could care less about anyone else lol
in conclusion, i'm in the process of lowering my expectations
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FRESH AND BUBBLY ROM-COM
It is a drama that I would recommend for when you want to have a good laugh and have a good time. The characters are very fresh, and although it seems like a cliché story, there are several elements that make it quite unique. I think the adaptation of the novel was done wonderfully, from the cast to the details in the production. It took a little over two years to be published but it was well worth the effort. Jun, congratulations on getting back to work as an actor! You still have the professionalism of your 15 years of acting career ~ im proud, Even if you don't like Lingchao that much, you worked hard! Hopefully you can fulfill your dream of being a villain another time. Miaoyi, good job, you've been busy with so many projects, I'm glad you could bring XiaoTu to life~ Little bunny.Was this review helpful to you?
One of the best School Life to Adulting China drama I've watched.
I really loved the 2 main leads together, their chemistry is really good.One thing I really like about this drama is that both ML and FL are mature and there wasn't any misunderstandings caused by communication problems like in many dramas. They say what they needed to say and cleared up any unhappiness immediately when something happens. They stick together through thick and thin and never let anyone get between them.
The character development for the leads was also great. The FL comes from a well-off family and started off making a few snub comments regarding the ML spending all his time earning money instead of studying like what a student should be doing. But over time she came to understand ML's actions and also encouraged him to change him for the better. Great and natural interactions between them.
Its a pity they did not put much effort into the 2nd couple. Gu Xiao Man blindlessly continues to love Chen Yi Chuan without any reason, and even after being treated badly by him continuously until he finally realises his own feelings. They did not justify the reason behind their feelings and also there was no growth.
There is however growth in Chen Yi Chuan's character himself than his love line.
Overall I'm head over heels for the main leads and would definitely rewatch this again.
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A light hearted romance
I had no intention of watching this drama at first because I thought it would be the usual cold male silly female troupe,etc,but this drama caught me by surprise . I became addicted to this drama without realising it. This is a feel good drama with not much serious or dramatic plot. If you want to watch something to relax your mind and soul , yes then this drama is for you.
It's a story of two people falling in love. First they were strangers, they became friends, then eventually lovers. The story is about how they understand and discover each other as they spend time together. They have a lot of meaningful conversations here and they find themselves in some situations which make them understand better .
The male lead Lu Zhao Xi is an easy and outgoing person with a positive mindset whereas the female lead Ye Shi Lan is a timid, introverted person. But yet they compliment and understand each other well. Communication is the key for a relationship .
Male lead is the most likeable character you can ever see in a drama , trust me. He is not the usual cliche CEO you can see in many dramas. He has friends, and his relationship with parents is great. He is very humble . There is no reason to not like ML . He has many positive sides. He is what every girl needs in their partner. There is a scene where Ye Shi Lan was asked by Lu Zhao Xi what are the bad qualities of him and she couldn’t answer. He was brought up by his parents well.
In the confession scene, we can see our female lead, Ye Shi Lan, was worried that what our male lead, Lu Zhao Xi , was feeling towards her was pity or sympathy because they became friends and he knows a lot of things about her past and been there with her in her most embarrassing moments. Male lead explained his feelings so clearly that it made me appreciate the screenwriter.
I feel like there are some little life lessons that we can get from this drama . If a person goes through a toxic relationship and sees this drama, they would rethink their relationship. They would thrive to have this kind of relationship.
The OST is good , the setup of the drama is good, the feel is good.
Overall a good drama which gives a warm feeling and makes you happy till the end.
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Great Series!
Perfect! This story is inspired by the true story of the first unicorn in Thailand. It can inspire viewers to do business or start up. All the actors played their roles well, not just the main actors, the supporting actors or guest actors, they played well, the picture and sound were very good. Ice, Janeyeh and Palangr are very talented and great actors. They should receive awards. All the staff, the director should also receive awards too. It's a very great series. There is no boring part. Everything is perfect. I would like to recommend everyone to watch it. It is definitely not a waste of time.Was this review helpful to you?
Ps: did I mention it took me 2 months to sludge through this drama?
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Heartwarming Encouragement
I'm sure the synopsis will explain the romantic plot and the struggles/growth the characters go through, but I think it's really important to highlight just how heartwarming this show is. It felt like a big 10 episode hug.It's been a while since I watched a drama that is an original script and not adapted from book/manga. Not to say adaptations are bad (not at all!), but I really liked how the actors got to actively collaborate on creating their characters. It made it feel real for me.
Also, there isn't a bad person in this story! The support they provide to each other throughout it is such a lovely reminder to be kind to others. Nothing is a burden and characters are quick to consider adapting things or situations for their friends, family and loved ones.
While it seems like a lighthearted romcom on the surface, I think there's much to be learnt from this drama.
Happy viewing! And keep your spirits up! Fight!!
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Suspense
The multiple timelines really brings everything together, and this is the first CDrama I watched that wasn't some happy and chill romantic comedy related to divorce or high school. Very dark, thrilling story, with everything coming together at the end, making it pretty hard to rewatch but amazing the first time around. The suspense is real, with amazing music and cinematography and actors that make the characters feel so realistic. I don't usually write reviews, but this piece of art really stuck to me and I rank it among the same tier as TV Shows such as Game of Thrones (earlier seasons), and it truly felt like an adventure watching it with my native chinese parents who understood it better than me most likely. Of course, there were some tiny plot points not explained in the end but they were not too important, and everything truly tied together and made the story bittersweet, as it truly was dark and sad with some hidden and obvious messages towards the end. WATCH IT 10/10Was this review helpful to you?
