Reviews

Overall “Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds” is a good movie and it’s easy to imagine why so many love it. Unfortunately the great concept they had going was lost in a so-so story and a main character that you, as a viewer, don’t really get to know.

But even though it has some major flaws, I kind of like it, I would be lying if I told you otherwise. So here’s some reasons why it isn’t an amazing movie, but why it’s still worth the watch.

The first half of the movie feels a bit flat in my opinion. The main character is put through these trials that are somewhat repetitive and don’t really engage you since he feels like a stranger, empty and lacking a clear personality. A problem that persists throughout the whole movie. It’s hard to care about the outcome of the judgments when you can’t really connect with the characters.

Another thing that is off putting with the trials, is the fact that they never get exciting or serious. You never feel nervous for the outcome because of how predictable and silly they are. I still, as I wrote previously, love the concept though.

In the second half of the movie you get to know all the characters a little better, better but not well enough to make them feel like 3-dimensional, full characters. Even though it’s still very predictable, you want to see how the story unfolds and if you are a crier like me, you might even cry a little. I must say though, that the comedy and the tragedy in this movie isn’t that great. They play on your emotions in the most typical ways and often fail.

What I really like about the movie is the CGI. Almost every setting and fight was nicely done, something that is rare for these kinds of movies. The great surroundings truly make the movie come alive.

So all in all, I think that they could’ve made the movie a lot better and way more interesting if they wanted to, but at the same time it is an enjoyable movie and totally worth the watch. At least if you are into things like the afterlife, reincarnation, angels and Gods. I know I am, but are you?

Just because a movie isn’t amazing or flawless, doesn’t mean it’s not worth the ride, so don’t let all the not-so-great stuff prevent you from watching this nice movie.

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The Best Sapphic Themed Romance in a Long Time

You were my dream, my longing and my one and only Prince!”

If someone had told me that a supporting character would rise to be the main lead’s love interest, I wouldn’t have believed them. That was until I watched “Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born” and was left mesmerized by the romance between Jeongnyeon and Jooran. A classic retelling of the webtoon “Jeong Nyeon” (정년이) written by Seo Irae (서이레) and illustrated by Namon (나몬). If you are worried that the show is a censored adaptation, so it won’t have the same romantic connotations as the original, fret not. “Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born” encompasses a spell binding romance in the midst of encapsulating the Korean art forms, Pansori & Gukgeuk. For those unaware, there is a difference between both. Pansori is a Korean genre of musical storytelling performed by a singer and a drummer, where the singer tells the story by singing and the drummer accompanies her on the drum. Gukgeuk refers to a theatrical performance that combines both singing and dancing. The show embodies the very essence of both art forms that were quite popular in the post-war era. Being an all women production, even the male roles were portrayed by females. We are going to talk about the different facets of this show that strongly betray its homoerotic context!

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/11/19/jeongnyeon-the-star-is-born-series-review-ep-1-to-12/

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um just watched all of this show how do people like it? he is sexually assaulting yin? is that his name? and he is never happy agh im so pissed they condoned this level of harassment and so many people like it. up to the episode where he kidnaps him he is so nice and is worried about hurting him like when he touches the wound on his head and is then worried but after that he goes on to rape him. this is how rape culture exists teenage girls and boys are watching and reading shows like this and come to believe this shit is right no way! is this a healthy relation ship yes yin kisses him himself but that is after talking to his ex he is so brain washed by whatever his face is and is worried about what would happen if he tried to leave him so reassures himself by being with him. the rapey guy also wanted to get the virus that yin had that could possibly kill him that's not love that badshit fuvking crazy I honestly thought it might have ended with him killing someone like the "feminine guy" for being close to yin. the first half was so nice and I really believed this was going to be the best show I've watched in awhile but it became so unbearable to watch and made me feel so uncomfortable I've lost all hope for humanity if people truly believe this pairing is perfect

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I was a little hesitant to start watching the drama, because of the storyline. It didn't seem like it was going to be a good drama. When I started watching it I really did expect the story to be overtaken by the conversation of politics and sadness, but it was the exact opposite. The romance in this drama was so beautiful! There was, of course, some political talk, and sadness, but it was replaced with very humorous moments that I have not ever seen in a historical drama before. There were times when I was desperately heartbroken, and others where I was literally unable to breathe, because of something being extremely hilarious. The acting was great all the way through. I have to give huge props to all the actors who played the younger versions of the main characters. They all did a wonderful job, and are beyond their years in the world of acting. I loved, loved, loved Soo Hyun in this drama. He took his character to a knew and complex level. The music was absolutely beautiful!! I can still not get over the music that was played throughout this drama. It had an eerie grand warrior feel to it, if that makes any sense. I would rewatch this drama in no time. I really enjoyed it, and I'm sure anyone who watches it will. Overall, I give this a 9. Based on my personal rating I gave this drama a 10, but I feel that the storyline wasn't the absolute best, but you really cannot judge a drama based on it's initial plot. Loved this drama, and you will to. So! stop reading this review and go watch this drama!!!!!!

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Final review : Sadly it crashed towards the end

When I started this drama, I really enjoyed it and looked forward to each episode every day. But from ep 25 onwards, I became impatient to know who Yesha was, so I started getting a little bored. The final six episodes were disappointing, though still somewhat acceptable to me.
Towards the end—especially in the last six episodes, the drama seemed to throw in every leftover plot points randomly and illogically just to wrap things up. The twists felt confusing instead of shocking, and they were rushed, leaving the audience no time to process anything.
For example, at the start of ep 31, they suddenly decided to kill off Tong Shuang—not even five minutes in and then immediately jumped to the mourning scenes. Right after that, the remaining four sat together, and out of nowhere Xiao Beiming announced that he had discovered the identity of the Yesha who committed the murder back then (Miao Yue at Fengbo Lake), and that there was actually a second Yesha. He then rattled off the how, why, and what, ending with the conclusion that the second Yesha might be Miao Yun, Miao Yue’s adopted Haiya orphan. The whole thing felt anticlimactic, and the “build-up” to Xiao Beiming realizing Tong Shuang was Yesha was unconvincing. Like, what do you mean he just needed some alone time in a cell, squeezing every last brain cell, to magically connect all the dots?
And then there’s my favorite bit of absurdity: Zhong Xueman recognizing Miao Yun from a portrait drawn by Zhuge Tong and saying he “seemed familiar.” Plot twist: she’d seen him ONCE, three years ago, and they locked eyes for less than a minute. Girl. Be serious. If you can pull a three-year-old, one-minute memory out of thin air, you need to be studied by science. I can’t even remember who I bumped into yesterday.
The reveal that Tong Shuang was Bei Kun and wanted revenge also fell flat. He just failed and died? I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t that. I didn’t expect fireworks, but I did expect something more than “welp, guess that’s over.” Also, maybe it’s just me but I noticed that as they uncovered more about Yesha, the camera sometimes focused more on Tong Shuang, even when he wasn’t the main subject of the scene. At first, I found it odd, but now I think it might have been a deliberate hint or it's just me overthinking.
As for the ending, it was exactly what everyone expected: the leads’ second marriage ceremony. Predictable, sure, but after all they’d been through, it made sense. Still, I’m sorry but they just didn’t have chemistry or sparks as a couple. Maybe it’s because the story didn’t focus on romance, so their emotional connection never developed in a believable way.
On the acting side, Wang Xing Yue did well overall, especially in emotional scenes. Xiang Hanzhi did her best, and while I get why some people complain about her, I think it’s also because the character was written in a way that made her hard to love. Personally, I didn’t have a big problem with her acting, but she didn’t wow me either. Most of the side characters were fine, but when it came to He Luoluo as Yesha, I found him a bit underwhelming. He lacked the aura of a true villain, and it took me a while to take him seriously because the image of bright, adorable Tong Shuang was still too strong in my mind.
In the end, I enjoyed the character bonds and the way they stuck together through thick and thin. The first half of the drama was solid and right up my alley. But as it went on, it kept testing my intelligence with increasingly ridiculous twists until I couldn’t ignore the nonsense anymore. Final verdict: not the best, not the worst but definitely the kind of ride where you start off cheering and end up sighing.

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abusive relationships (watch suggestions)

Overall: I have conflicting thoughts on this that I'll try to describe below. Based on a webtoon that I haven't read and will review the series based on its own merits. 8 episodes about 30 minutes each, 2 episodes per week. Aired on GagaOOLala (not available in U.S., Canada, Mexico, Chile, Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, U.K., Spain, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea) https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/5149/secret-relationships-2025 and iQIYI (assuming for countries not covered by Gaga) https://www.iq.com/play/1f4631z99hw?lang=en_us&sh_pltf=4

Content Warnings: implied rape (coercing someone is not consent freely given), sexual assault, non con kissing, self harm, blood, stalking, manhandling, punch, past non con touching, past violence/blood, harassment, manipulation, coercion, cyber bullying, kidnapping, near muder-suicide

Watch Suggestions (to take the abuse out and turn it into a love story of two people)
- episode 1 watch 7-11 and 21:20-29:20
- episode 2 watch 4-5:30, 19-22 and 30-33:50
- episode 3 watch 6:10-7:35, 9:30-10, 13:30-16:25 and 18:10-22.25
- episode 4 watch 11:30-14:40 and 29:20-30:20
- episode 5 watch 11-12:05, 13:15-17:40 and 25-26:45
- episode 6 watch 20:30-22:45
- episode 7 watch 21-22:15 and 26-27
- episode 8 watch 23-35:45 or all the way to the end for a flashback from 12 years ago


What I Liked
- visuals
- the tie tying/sweet moments
- a character recognized his feelings fairly quickly and expressed them
- twists as the viewer learned more about what happened in the past
- showed how emotional abuse is also horrible, interesting as a viewer to see a character more outwardly abusive cast as the villain but then another character is also terrible and does his abuse more covertly
- the grandma
- in episode 8 that a character was able to do his original plan/what he wanted and his love interest didn't hold him back
- production value* (I especially liked in episode 8 how the light changed around 27 minutes)

Room For Improvement
- voice over start
- multiple flashbacks, I appreciate that they were clear and in the beginning it lent to the twistiness of the plot but later it felt like the flashbacks dragged the plot in the present, also the sweet flashbacks at the end were extremely jarring
- nonsense stuff: even though the initial "plan" was stupid and likely not one that anyone has ever made/for that long, a character not telling another character the truth about what happened in the past until the end of episode 6 was infuriating/unrealistic, no one covering a wound in episode 8 in the ambulance, how a character was not immediately in police custody
- not enjoyable to watch 2 abusers fight over Daon, I don't blame Daon, he's been abused and not sure he even recognizes the extent of it, I think the writers made Daon a bit too doe-eyed/naive and was unbelievable like his actions at the end of episode 7
- a character who is supposedly a green flag: kissed Daon back when Daon was extremely drunk/unable to consent, repeatedly ignored Daon's boundaries, borderline lovebombed him and felt obsessive in a unhealthy way, in episode 7 he refused to let Daon explain, he did have some redemption in episode 8 but it wasn't enough for me to fully support/feel confident that they would have a long lasting/healthy relationship
- too much time is spent with the dad and two characters instead of focusing on the main romance/relationship development, a 5 minute montage in episode 8 didn't make this a romance series
- cliche time gap in the final episode (but at least it wasn't too long)
- a 5 minute conversation and 1 action as the redemption arc for a character
- no consequences are mentioned in the finale for a character
- flashback with a cliche at the very end of episode 8
- *some scenes were too dark and needed more light on the actors' faces/bodies

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THIS DRAMA's COLOUR IS GREEN. GREEN FLAGS EVERYWHERE

This was such a breath of fresh air. So different from other kdramas and I have watched 150 of them. Intelligent and logical FL . ML was like a shy puppy . Both of them green flags. This drama has a love triangle but it so mature. THE BEST SECOND LEAD I REPEAT BEST SECOND LEAD in any k drama ever. Respects her boundaries, respects her bf , not a typical kdrama triangle plot. Also if you go to the drama without knowing any spoilers, you are in for a surprise. Like the plot will shock you a bit, that bein said it's a murder mystery too but don't go for just the mystery. It was so refreshing to watch , If you are in a mood for a happy ending romance kdrama, with no disgusting drama and green flags give it a chance

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Missing parts.

Let me preface this review with a warning - this is a well-loved drama that I simply fail to appreciate. If my criticism of it will offend you or ruin the joy you found in it, best give this a skip.

The soundbites are tantalizing: a taboo romance between a eunuch and a concubine; a ruthless and scheming male lead; a spirited and clever female lead; and palace conspiracies and mysteries aplenty. Not to mention Wang Hedi's Xiao Duo exudes that intense tall, dark, and dangerous kind of sex appeal that screams he is no Lord Varys. So I jumped in despite my reservations over Chen Yuqi's acting. As it turns out, that is one of the drama's lesser problems.

This drama is an inane attempt at dark satire aimed at the obscene privilege of emperors. It opens with the shockingly cruel practice of sending off childless concubines, known as tribute ladies to accompany the emperor in the afterlife. After high powered eunuch Xiao Duo rescues Bu Yinlou from this dastardly fate, an alliance of sorts forms between the two as they navigate treacherous palace politics in a time of power transition. I like how it was just a mutually beneficial relationship initially and how they disliked and were wary of each other; that the romance did not blossom instantly. Where it falters is in showing me why the two most powerful men in the palace connect with and fall so utterly for a woman afflicted by bizarre facial paroxysms.

Xiao Duo's wicked ruthlessness is gleefully conveyed with wit, panache, and flawless comedic timing by Wang Hedi. This is well matched by Peter Ho's slightly over-the-top portrayal of the deceptively simplistic, cartoonish-ly obsessive, and delusional emperor. Both portrayals convey each character's underlying ethos; a past sadness and secret loneliness. Unfortunately, Chen Yuqi’s jarring and tacky comedic interpretation is far more typical of a slapstick comedy than dark satire. Her exaggerated rapid eye movement and outlandish facial expressions had me triple-checking the synopsis to see if the character is supposed to be epileptic, schizophrenic, or simply possessed. While a huge upgrade from her usual vacuous sleepwalking, for the first 14 episodes, there is little beyond brazen tasteless humor in Chen Yuqi's Bu Yinlou. After that, she gets into character and delivers some really good scenes. She has good romantic chemistry with Wang Hedi that elevates her performance and the more serious tone the story takes also helps. But her acting is not consistent and wobbles again at the ending episodes. It highlights her limited range and is quite inexcusable for someone who is an acting school graduate with a long list of drama lead role credits. This is the best I have seen from her in years but that says nothing at all.

This drama's biggest issue is that it is missing a good plot. The storyline is contrived, naive and so ridiculous it is disdainful of audience intelligence. The writer's ignorance and superficial understanding of feudal imperial inner palace workings are embarrassing. It is impossible for someone like Bu Yinlou to waltz in and out of the inner palace like it is a hotel, live at a brothel and gallivant all over the kingdom with Xiao Duo. The production leaked "cut" romantic scenes like a sieve, trying to blame the abysmal failure in storytelling on censorship. The truth is all the kiss scenes in the world cannot salvage the messy plot and inconsistent characterizations. We are told both leads are smart characters but they are actually the architects of their own troubles. The allegedly Machiavelli Xiao Duo wrests the crown prince from the custody of the one person with the highest incentive to keep him alive and healthy and puts him in the hands of the person with the strongest incentive to kill him dead! As a couple, they have repeated opportunities to escape, but choose not to. Xiao Duo's revenge is anti-climatic and hastily swept under the rug once the killer is uncovered. They flaunt their affair with such reckless impunity they so deserved to get busted. I stopped caring if they ended up together and sat on the meh ending episode for weeks. I finally finished watching this so you don't have to. To my dismay, they got an ending they didn't earn or deserve.

The bottom line is Wang Hedi is the only reason to watch this drama. He is sexy even when he glowers and scowls and his costuming and visuals in this drama are swoon-worthy. In fact, save yourself some time and just watch all the fan-made videos of the romantic scenes hard-core fans have stitched together. You can skip all the rest because as foreshadowed by the eunuch theme, this drama has critical missing parts. I can only rate it 6.5/10.0 to finish at the rock bottom of my completed list for 2022.

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I started watching this series because the reviews were amazing. The trailer was very intriguing and overall it just drew me. The first 12 episodes were really good. The relationship between Xiaofeng and Gu Xiao Wu was also nice. Chemistry was interesting and overall acting, cinematography and especially the side characters were great. I loved the Danchi tribe and how Xiaofeng's personality was. She had self respect and a sense of power. She was like a bright star filled with innocence and kindness Everyone respected her and loved her. Her grandfather was truly the best. I seriously would emphasize that the first 12 episodes were the best.

Somehow after the first arc ends, it gets very lame. After the 25th episode it get's a bit boring. I hate Gu Xiao Wu or Li Cheng Yin. He was such a terrible person. It was always quest for power for him. Even when he was trying to protect Xiaofeng from other people, he was so mean to her. I don't even understand how she could love him again or when he actually fell in love with her again. Li Cheng Yin was really a terrible character. His acting was good but I somehow feel that this drama lost it's budget halfway. The story just kept on being prolonged for no reason. The development of chemistry in the eastern palace was so boring. Literally did Xiaofeng have nothing better to do in the palace?

Even though I saw this drama, I really won't recommend it to someone. I also have seen a few other tragedy dramas but this one was not a good one. Acting wise, the cast did a good job but plot wise I think it failed.

The costumes were beautiful. The acting was also great. No character had just one side to him or her. The OST's were really good. I will appreciate the good elements of the dramas but the middle portion of the drama was a bit weak.

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best of cdramas

this was a great cdrama, and before the buts I'll talk about the good points:
1- the fl was the main hero, she woke up 1st and she "solved" most of the problems, though at points they did seem to always praise the ml (once the cop even praised him for remembering "something" but at that timeline the fl did all the work)
2- each passenger had their own lives, as the leads suspected them all, each one of them revealed their own struggles and hardships (I do think they glossed over them too fast, but in the end they were all "heroes" eventhough most time lines they didn't want to intervene)
3- the cat guy UWU
4- the different interpretations of how each action resulted in a different reaction (though they were a little too repetitive at times)
5- I'm glad the final showdown was done by the fl

now for the buts~
1- I think one pervert one time was not enough for her meltdown. if someone touches you, SCREAM right away. there were many people there, her story felt like a simple "backstory" on why 2 people wanted to blow up a bus..
2- going to prison for terrorism and mass murder attempt probably has a higher jail time than sexual harassment, which is sad cuz that dude deserved worse...
3- I thought this was like that ep of "Mystery to Iunakare" where the kidnappers took the bus with all the suspects of that event, though indeed it'd have been harder to track down the pervert which results in my "solution"
4- this should've been revenge. like they did find the pervert but he got out easy and they wanted more..
5- at one point the ml was too controlling, the fl was the hero that did most of the job while the ml always nagged her
6- this needed half the ep counts, they had too many repetitions
7- I'm not into cdrama osts

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“I see you clearly”, and I saw it all very clearly.

“I see you clearly”, and as I sat down and started watching this show, I saw it all very clearly.

I saw the beauty of nature, the breathtaking environment, the cultural heritage of the herders, the kind and warm-hearted Kazakh people and the ever changing times.

It’s a simple plot, but it’s beautifully told, with sympathetic depictions of the common minority folk and richly nostalgic evocations of rural life.

What a wonderful slow, character-driven story with its dreamlike quality, yet so detailed and personal that it captures and connects stunningly with so many lives.

I still have the lingering feeling of being intimately acquainted with the people living in the isolated yet beautiful landscapes of Altay.

The music score was just perfect and poignant; on more than one occasion I found myself shedding tears for the beauty of it.

I highly recommend this, and I am extremely grateful to the person who suggested it to me, as it is deserving of recognition and praise.

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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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that sub plot is most definitely gay

I know that there is a lot of controversy when it comes to North Korean stories being told by South Koreans, but as someone who isn't Korean at all I can't comment on it. With every twist and turn I was able to stay surprised (as long as I was able to hold up my suspension of belief). Like any movie that involves guns there are scenes where people don't shoot when they could've brought someone down, but once you get to the end you sort of understand why. I didn't look at the casting beyond the two leads so I was very surprised with how many well know actors there were. With such a great cast of course the acting was good and I have no complaints. I really enjoyed the soundtrack especially the inclusion of zionT's song. I had not heard it before watching but it was a very impactful addition. I can see myself watching this again once it goes to streaming, but I highly recommend seeing it in theaters if you have the chance. I would recommend seeing this.

When it comes to the *potentially* queer subplot, I don't care what the director says. "The Bastard I Loved" says it all. My thoughts were summed up really well by an article on the IndieWire by David Opie and I recommend giving that a read if you are interested.

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