Though sometimes one may see it advertised as such, Saikou no Rikon cannot be called a true "romantic comedy". It watches more like a slice-of-life, centering around two couples (whose respective relationships may or may not be crumbling). The comedic aspect hits as often as it misses, despite passable delivery from involved actors and actresses. Emotionally rich and intense scenes outweigh these in sheer remarkability; in fact, the levity issues are approached with at times (such as the occasion divorce is brought up for one of the couples) actually leaves the whole product feeling a little inconsistent. Am I watching a zany Japanese relationship lark or this heavy treatise? Because some elements did not wholly jive (at least for me), those thoughts popped up frequently over the course of the series.
Where the drama excels must be dialogue, which is razor-sharp and surprisingly natural. These characters speak like real people, even showing pop cultural awareness. An engaging way speech is used is also in the way characters loose their frustrations to others; they tend to tell strangers and service-providers in these long-winded monologues, unable to vent to anyone closer. What it lacks in stunning backdrops and visual candy, Saikou no Rikon makes up for in thoughtful camera work. With a sharp focus on the inner workings of married life in mind, shots often adopt voyeuristic qualities. For instance, we might see an argument from a fly-on-the-wall perspective in the kitchen, overlooking the entirety of a small apartment made for two.
Eita headlines a solid cast, swinging all his powerful versatility behind the (initially) repellent Hamasaki Mitsuo. This is a character that embodies everything wrong in a husband, from his incredible pettiness to the selfish way he views most everything. The first time he tells his wife something between them was her "personal problem," even threw me back into some bad memories of my own. However, Hamasaki exhibits incredible personal growth throughout Saikou no Rikon (with Eita totally inhabiting the role). Ono Machiko, as his polar opposite and somehow wife Yuka, has a fantastic showing also. Whenever Yuka showed weakness or had something big to say, Ono-san knocked it out of the park. Her role, despite early episodes showing her through her husband's perspective, is lovable and sympathetic; women will definitely identify with her best.
Ayano Go and Maki Yoko portray strange duo Ryo and Akari, whose tale most interests at first glance yet slowly is overcome by that of the main couple. Both are fine actors and do beautifully in their scenes. Unfortunately, paired with the "that's just how things are" attitude the characters take to one another and themselves, the too-fast wrap to their story leaves the entire relationship a little hard to watch and slightly unsatisfying to finish (unlike that of the main couple).
If Saikou no Rikon is a hero wielding dialogue as its best weapon, music will be its Achilles Heel. Having just come down from a marathon of the series, I can scarcely remember any specific tracks. There was at least one quirky instrumental number, but the only truly memorable song is ending theme "Yin Yang" provided by the amazing Kuwata Keisuke. Despite not being a song to my taste, it suits the drama exceedingly well. And that wild ending sequence that accompanies it? Positively awesome.
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I don't want China to stop making BLs
The amount of butterflies I got in my stomach while watching this drama was insane. The main attractiveness of this drama is The POWER BOTTOM ? Ohhh yeah the characters are so handsome that sometimes I forgot to breathe . What a beautiful storyline ! What a beautiful acting ! Woah . The slow burn is S L O W B U R N I N G . And one the most beautiful part is the cinematography. It's really awesome.I love it when two polar opposite people start to like each other. And the 1980s theme made it more special.
What made ' Sammy's Children's Day ' more likable ?
A. Excellent story plotline. Something new , Something unique. ( Not some typical soft romance )
B. The strong MAIN CHARACTER ..... ( Said goodbye to stereotypes )
C. Beautiful background music .
D. Talented actors who made those side characters interesting too.
If the starting of 2026 is like this then I can wait for it every year . Go and try it , you will definitely like this drama a lot . 10/10 recommended.
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Cute Idiots in a Fluffy Romance
Before watching this drama, viewers need to first understand the age of the female lead, Wen Su Jin, because this is pivotal to the enjoyment of your viewing. Accordingly, Wen Su Jin should be only about 14 or 15 years old, very much younger than female leads of 18 to early 20s in other dramas. Therefore Wen Su Jin’s behavior, mental capacity and actions are immature, very appropriate for a young girl of her age. With that perspective, hopefully viewers will find her funny and cute instead of annoying and stupid.This drama is about a young girl who runs away from a forced marriage, trying to save her sister who stands in for her, and her family which may be prosecuted if the impostor is exposed. The plot is simple and the dynamics light. The storyline is not that original either, and the plops are minimal without lavish settings. Putting together, however, this unpretentious drama makes a very fun watch. Despite complaints from viewers about the female lead, the cuteness of the romantic pair really captures the viewers’ hearts, making this an addictive watch.
Xiao Yu (Chen Jing Ke) is a governing prince and Wen Su Jin (Xu Ya Ting) is the general’s daughter. As a very young girl of 14 or 15, Wen Su Jin is bold, naive, innocent and kind. She’s given an edict to marry the prince whom she’s never met, so she runs away. The Prince is aloof and a suspicious person. His previous wife dies mysteriously so he refuses to take another wife. But they meet and fall in love without knowing each other’s real identity for a long time even as they're living in the same mansion. She can’t tell him about herself for fearing the truth may cause the demise of her family, and he doesn’t want to tell her about his own identity for fear of losing her.
As a very young girl, Wen Su Jin’s actions are understandable. She is fixated to save her sister and her family before their identities are exposed. In her desperation, she creates lies after lies to protect herself and her family. It’s really hilarious to see how she handles the Prince who seems to condone her actions. Though not lying to the Prince intentionally, she's always in a dilemma - to tell or not to tell him about her real identify.
So, more than half of the whole drama revolves around both hiding their own identities, but showing mutual affection for each other. There are mild palace politics, non-serious struggle for power and light conspiracies, but nothing too deadly or serious.
I have really enjoyed the dynamics between this couple. It makes me laugh and love the characters, especially Xiao Yu. With Wen Su Jin, he’s always protective and doting on her, and in return, Wen Su Jin has a mind of her own and always acts out of his expectation. The moments and scenes are endearing and hilarious.
This drama deserves a higher rating than what it’s getting right now because many viewers dislike Wen Su Jin’s character. With a better perspective of the character, I hope viewers would enjoy this drama as I have.
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This review may contain spoilers
Healthy relationship between the leads, good chems, no breakup n unnecessary angst...
What I like:- The leads chems was good... they look comfortable with each other n they look natural... the skinship r lots n there r even some steamy ones...
- The leads have a healthy relationship, they trust each other, it’s an adult n mature relationship... so eventhough there r some other parties trying to mess it up, it never works, their luv is strong...
- There is no breakup or unnecessary angst... yes it took some time for the leads to be officially together, till halfway I think, coz FL’s ex keeps wanting to reconcile... but ML fell for FL early, n the pursuing part was already an interesting thing to watch...
What I’m not satisfied with:
- The sidecouples... one is FL’s bro n her BFF... their story just took too much screentime for something so uninteresting... it’s an older woman kinda story, which I don’t like, plus the bro is just so childish... the other one is ML’s assistant n ML’s pursuer... it’s boring n she is just too annoying... so honestly their stories I skipped most of the times...
- I wish the leads didn’t have the relationship a secret till the end... there could’ve been more potential cute office romance scenes...
- The business part is not that interesting... I’d prefer to have the leads n even with their colleagus, work together side by side facing problems/a crisis... they mostly have separated work scenes, esp after they r in a relationship... when actually ML is the investor of FL’s company n they r even working at the same building... I wish it was mixed up a bit more, in a light fun way...
- The ending... it’s a HE so don’t worry... it’s just that they were building it up to have FL’s ex last final effort to mess with ML, so I had expected something more... but in the end it fell a bit flat to me... there r some major consequences, but for me the way they tell it is just mehhh...
Anyway, I enjoy watching it while ongoing... IMO just watch mostly for the leads, n u’ll enjoy it more... it’s almost angst free, just both exes popped up here n there, but they r irrelevant since the leads’ luv is strong... so it’s a suitable drama for u who just got out of a max angst kinda drama...
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A contemporary love story with bonus fashion
I always wonder why some dramas have extremely low ratings. I have found out that it is best to watch most of the drama yourself and then rate independently of low reviews. This drama is another example of a diamond in the rough. From the beginning to end it started with strong characters and a substantial storyline that took the viewer beyond China to France and back. In addition, the story is a treatise on Chinese clothing styles and heritage. So many times I went to Google to research different terms used and regional cultures based on the introduction of different sewing styles and fabric choices that were indigenous to China. The fashion designs were over the top beautiful and the runway presentations made you feel like you were personally at Fashion Week.The second unique quality of this drama was the romance. This drama bordered on "Restricted" viewer use for a Chinese format. This is the first drama I have watched that the man was truly a sexy back type of man - (both lustful and romantic) as compared to the endless "cold - unemotional men portrayed so often in romance dramas. This drama continues to mature and mature and evolve into an addiction daily since the episodes were translated 7 days per week until the conclusion. That was a major treat.
The third quality was the background music. It never overwhelmed me and was always appropriate and never distracting.
Costume design A++++++ The fashion designs were excellent but the person or group of people that designed the attire for the actors throughout were very talented and added a higher quality to the drama. Award winning choices.
Kudos to the actors - all of them. They all hit home runs in their roles and this drama is highly recommended.
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A simple, wholesome tale beautifully told
This Show is tropey. There! I said it so let’s move on. :)There is not a great deal of innovation regarding the setting or the narrative but there is an undeniable charm to this tale. The ensemble cast is well populated by the standard clichés. Hard working farmers, nosy neighbours, cute kids roaming free around the village. Of course, there are dramas within the village and without, but they are mostly storm in a teacup just to add a bit of spice to the proceeding and give us a bit of the backstory.
The main focus of the show is the love line between the city vet who was tricked by his grandfather to take over the rural animal hospital for a few weeks and the young policewoman who is super helpful and the focal point of village life. Needless to say, their interactions and chemistry drives the show.
As I mentioned before, the story is quite simple and tropey, so it was fortuitous that show was only 12x30 mins episodes long. With such a short runtime, it motors along and doesn't drag. Nothing is left to fester for long and resolution is always around the corner. All the swoony moments are turbo charged.
Acting wise, it is more than acceptable. The ML is a bit stiff and reserved, it could be due to his storyline and a lack of acting experience. He does warm up a great deal later on. The FL was just so sweet and wholesome. You really want to give her a hug and make sure she has a happy ending because she deserves it. She also have an infectious smile.
All in all, a lovely watch and perfect for binging. It is very sweet and romantic without being overly artificial. It is swoon worthy and uplifting if you are feeling down. This show is not about manufactured angst, high dramas or convoluted plots so don't expect any. It will bring you moments of simple joy and contentment. That is good enough for me. :)
Highly recommended.
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The Best Kdrama I Have Ever Watched!
I have wanted plenty of Kdramas, but none have pulled me in quite so much as this one. I have a thing for fantasy, romance, and historical pieces, so this fit the bill for me right of the get go.I'd never watched a Kdrama that wasn't fully released, so this was a first. I waited with anticipation for the next updates, and I truly cried during the ending.
Shin Hae Sun is the best actress I have ever watched, and that is not just for a South Korean actress. She is my favorite actress overall. I feel like, without her, this Kdrama would've massively flopped. She is now my queen, and I feel like I've fallen in love. Everything she acts in is impeccable.
The music was really fun here, and you immediately recognize the funny, romantic, and tearful scenes.
The story wasn't that easy to follow regarding the politics, during the first watchthrough. But the second and third time I followed it perfectly.
I spent weeks attempting to get over this Kdrama, therefore, I had to write my very first review. Watch it, it is truly amazing.
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enjoyed it more than expected!
This romcom started with every cliché there could possibly be for a cdrama: cold male (traumatized) CEO, dumb, childish, poor girl, contract marriage, accidental kisses .... You might need some time to get into this drama, but since it's always that way for me, I didn't mind too much.The FL doesn't turn out as dumb and annoying as probably expected. At some point, I really started to like her.
I had a harder time adjusting with the ML. No matter how incapable of dealing with other people, their and his own feelings he was supposed to be, this was definitely no way to treat a girl lol.
There were some way too obvious plot holes you just can't miss, even to me, who watches dramas for pure entertainment and always oversees them. But it's okay, the overall story is good, and I especially loved the development of their feelings, so I guess you can just ignore some other things :)
The acting is so good! The ML's amazing, and the FL does so much better than expected. It's her debut drama, she's only 19 (!!), so let's be kind to her!
Also great chemistry between the first couple! Can't wait for further development :))
The FL always gets herself in trouble, and there were some issues that made me feel a bit uncomfortable sometimes, but they were surprisingly solved quite comfortably.
I just finished Ep14, and I'll do an update once I finished the whole thing. By now, it's far better than expected :) (Don't mind the rewatch value, I usually don't rewatch dramas)
EDIT: Okay, finally got to finish it! Sooo there's few things I'd like to add:
- Whoever said a good drama HAS to be non-cliché like, unpredictable and intense, I FUNDAMENTALLY diasagree with that!!
- Regarding my last aspect before the edit, this was definitely one of the things I enjoyed the most about this. Issues didn't take up years to build up and again years to solve, they came and went quickly, making the journey of watching quite comfortable and pleasant. However, the only waaay too consistent thing were the 2 more or less nasty sideleads who lowkey (or better highkey) tried to ruin their relationship. And there was no way you could ignore them because they were there ALL THE TIME :(
- This drama definitely focusses on character development, not business or the ML's phobia or anything else.
- The chemistry was OVER THE TOP. Won't say too much about this because I don't want to spoiler on this, but I don't doubt at all you'll feel it too.
- Second couple got only little screentime, I enjoyed their storyline a lot tho. It's not that I refuse "too much cliché" (lol don't watch this if you do), but I liked that they didn't make the second couple to that "one chasing the other" cliché too.
Last thing (I promise hahaha): It's a very very short drama. And the beginning was by far the worst part. It has 30 Eps of 30 Minutes, so that'd be 20 Eps (!!!) of 45 Minutes. (Not me actually sitting down and calculating that oops.) It's no shame to drop a drama if you don't like it, but here, it's also not that hard to stay through it for the ending :)
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This review may contain spoilers
Ok, when I first watched Kiss, I mainly watched for Pete and Kao, and got nothing. Then I watched Kiss Me Again, cause I wanted Pete and Kao. I could care less for Sandee's sisters and their love stories. And when I found out about this, I put it off until I saw it was almost finished. I watched a few episodes and fell off a bit because of watching too many things at once. However, I went through it thoroughly after binge watching it. If you sit down and watch it all at once, it's great. It's amazing. The only thing I didn't like was how possessive Pete can get with Kao. I get it he's your boyfriend, but like don't make it that obvious. Also, the fact that the gang "didn't know" about Pete and Kao, when Sandee revealed their relationship in Kiss the Series. What? You all knew this.
Non. This little f***er. I get your dad doesn't treat you well, but wtf. Classic teenager, lying about how things happened and someone ends up hurt.
Sun and Mork. MY LOVES. I wish they had the series all to themselves at one point. Nothing between them felt forced whatsoever. It was a gradual love. A hate to love, which in my opinion, is the best kind. Also, all of the little things Sun did for him, trying to not get caught in the process, was too cute for my heart to handle.
My mood needed this after watching HIStory3, so thank you.
And I really want Sun and Mork to get their own series. Blue Sky Love or something like that. Black Forest Kiss. IDK something like that.
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Coming to the cast. I am not particularly fond of Chae Soo Bin, but this drama definitely changed that. She was perfect both as the robot Ah Ji and the street smart Ji Ah. Yoo Seung Ho was ADORABLE! He was the best thing about the show! I've seen plenty of his works and I think by far, this is my favorite character portrayed by him. This character really suited him so much. The supporting cast was really good. Loved Ji Ah's friend and her brother as well as his family. They were all great. Sun Hye's little love triangle was awesome. lol.
The music was great. Perfect amount of chirp and serious.
I would definitely come back and watch it for the adorable character of Kim Min Kyu as well as certain hilarious scenes. Also, someone needs to invent those things Ji Ah made in the show, but sounds a little difficult from science's POV, lol.
Anyways, if you are in a mood for an easy-watch, this is definitely your show!
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1I don't understand why people like these kinds of shows. Typically bubbly, happy girl with so-so or terrible grades + good at everything, rarely talks, absurdly popular guy who treats her like shit but she's 150% devoted to him anyway?
In this show, Nao will ask Uehara a question, a simple one similar to 'What would you like for dinner tonight?' and Uehara will blow up at her for being annoying or butting into his life and then someone will tell Nao about how today is some hard day in Uehara's life or something bad happened at work/school with Uehara that day and then Nao rushes to find some way to apologize to Uehara for being so stupid and not realizing that he's having a hard time, when she did nothing wrong and definitely nothing to deserve him lashing out at her.
Every time she finds joy in something, he criticizes her for it. Literally every time she's happy imagining something, typically involving her and Uehara, Uehara walks into the room and in ONE SENTENCE has her frowning and fidgeting, unsure of how to respond without making him more upset.
Nao is surrounded by people who care about her, who SHOW HER they care about her, who make her smile and laugh and feel good. The only time Uehara makes her feel good is when he's in her mind. And we're meant to believe he loves her too because every once in awhile he frowns when some other guy is being nice to her, or because, when other characters practically force him into it, he does something nice for her, because that one time they had a meal together and he didn't immediately tell her she was stupid for thinking he was enjoying himself, because they had one scene where they slept in the same room because the heating was broken.
Except 90% of the time Uehara accompanies such scenes with dialogue calling Nao an idiot or stupid for thinking it's romantic, for thinking he would ever do anything just for her, for thinking that the moment is nice, happy, or that he's kind. And not in the endearing way some characters do, where you can tell 'stupid' is a term of endearment, but as an actual insult.
That's not a loving relationship. That's abusive. That's toxic. And I put up with it for all but the last 2 episodes, waiting and hoping that Uehara was going to wake the f*ck up and stop being like that, learn from past mistakes and events, grow up and stop acting like a 4 year old who doesn't understand that other people have feelings too. But it didn't happen. And I couldn't finish the show. I couldn't stand to watch a finale where, I assume, everything is tied up with a neat little bow and we're promised that Nao and Uehara are going to have a wonderful, happy, love filled life together. Because I can't believe it. I can't watch what I know is going to be a loveless, abusive relationship. I hated every second of it.
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The first few episodes seemed to deliver on the promise. In my rush to judgement on MDL I even posted an early rating of 9.5, in part because I wanted other BL fans to know that this was worth a look.
The series started out by exclusively taking Tine's POV, allowing Sarawat to develop as a character who was at times funny, charming, prickly, seductive, and above all, unpredictable. It was mainly because of Sarawat's interactions with Tine that the first few episodes of '2gether' were so enjoyable.
Then, about halfway through, '2gether' took a wrong turn and never found its way back. Around this time in the series Sarawat and Tine finally became boyfriends, and along with that the two boys took the momentous step of moving in together -- sharing an apartment, a bedroom, and (of course) a bed.
Now, the definition of 'boyfriend' can vary from person to person and even across different cultures, but for most of modern civilization, when two people are romantically involved to the point of living together, certain assumptions apply. One of those is that the relationship has evolved to the point of physical intimacy.
Once Sarawat and Tine had advanced past the flirting stage and become a couple, this became '2gether's' biggest problem. From that point on, one detail after another clashed with the everyday experiences of everyday people. While cohabitating, the boys would share the bed, but they slept fully clothed and never cuddled. They would stand together romantically under a starry night sky and not put their arms around each other or hold hands. They would comfort each other with words but not with a warm embrace. And a kiss, even a quick peck on the lips? Not happening.
The bottom line was that despite being two college-age guys in a m/m relationship, Sarawat and Tine showed no signs of sexual attraction. In fact any physical contact between them came off as awkward and uncomfortable. Somehow, whether at the behest of GMMTV, the director, the actors, or some element unknown, the decision had been made that despite Sarawat and Tine's boyfriend status and shared living arrangement, there would be virtually no displays of affection on-screen.
It was a wacky decision, and it showed in the final product. Time and again, a scene between the two guys would work its way to a point where the mood was clearly set for a moment of physical affection (whether it be an arm around the waist, a held hand, a tender hug, or a kiss), and '2gether' would veer away at the last second, often resorting to a substitute gesture that was more suited to best buds or actual sibling brothers. The substitute most frequently used was a pat on the head from Sarawat to Tine (which with each occurrence looked more and more condescending), but sometimes they didn't bother with any substitute at all. A scene would just end.
This is simply not how real boyfriends interact, and I think it's safe to say that everyone knows it, even adamant supporters of the series who have defended it for its 'purity' (as though the purpose of '2gether' was to depict a divine love unblemished by anything as sordid as hand-holding.) When a work of fiction deviates from commonly perceived reality without first establishing a believable reason for doing so, viewers get confused. When it happens over and over without explanation, viewers get frustrated.
What bothered me personally was that I sensed an agenda at play. I grew disillusioned, and found I was now watching each episode mainly to see how they'd keep screwing with reality. Along the way I noticed that Sarawat wasn't so endearing anymore, and Tine had become a paranoid bundle of nerves who forgot how to smile. The joy I found in their relationship -- and in the series -- was in ashes. When the final episode approached and the script deployed the trusty "ex-girlfriend who's still in love" trope to stir up some drama, the result just lay there like the stupid and insulting tactic that it was. You can't revive a patient who's already dead in the ICU.
By this time I'd finished mourning the loss of what '2gether' had started out to be, moved past my anger and resentment, and settled into amusement. I looked back on how much I'd anticipated the series and laughed at how I'd been fooled. This was a production presumably written and directed by experienced professionals who are familiar with the BL genre. It was mind-boggling how they'd squandered the fantastic beginning and ended up with something so phony and awkward. For me the plot had gone completely off the rails, so whatever story the series was trying to tell didn't matter anymore. What I became most curious about each week was how they'd finally pull this mess into the station, and what kind of shape it would be in when they did it.
And the way they ended it, of course, was with the high-five between Sarawat and Tine that has already gained near-legend status. I must admit that this was where the series, which had already established itself as a mockery of BL, proved it could still surprise me. It was as though the production team had gotten together to brainstorm and find a way for '2gether' to deliver a final, unmistakable "F U" to fans of the BL genre -- a gesture guaranteed to become the ultimate meme.
In this I think they succeeded, but it makes me fearful over what GMMTV will do with their future BL productions.
ACTING
In general I think the actors did a fine job with the script and the direction they were given.
Win's work as Tine deserves a lot of praise since he had no prior acting experience, whereas almost all of the rest of the cast did. His first foray into a series was a tremendous success for him personally and promises great things for his future career.
Regarding Bright, it's hard to tell if Sarawat's detachment and wooden affect was a result of Bright's inability to act or the fault of the director. Given the way the entire second half of the series was botched by the director, it wouldn't be a stretch to blame him for Bright's performance, at least in part.
That said, I get the sense that Bright did not enjoy being in a BL series. He was smart to agree to it because it provided the perfect target audience to rocket him to fame. (His previous acting gigs didn't result in anything close to this fanbase.) From here I'll be surprised if we ever see him play any other role other than a heterosexual male. And honestly, that's fine with me.
MUSIC
Scrubb! Awesome band, great songs. You don't even have to understand Thai to feel what the lyrics are saying.
I suspect that Scrubb might have also written the song that plays over the end credits of each episode, sung by Bright. It has their vibe and Bright does a nice job with it.
I'm not a fan of the song sung by Bright that was released as the series ended, but this opinion is probably tarnished by my disappointment over everything else.
REWATCH VALUE
I will never rewatch this series. While the beginning episodes are wonderful, there'd be no way to enjoy them knowing what comes later. In fact I'd probably start to pick apart the good episodes too, looking for hints of the lameness to come.
THE 'PORN' DEFENSE
A lot of diehard fans of the series have defended it by saying that anyone who criticizes the lack of physical affection between the leads is looking for a series that depicts explicit sex.
All I can say is: if this is your best argument then you have already lost. Nobody in their right mind wants explicit sex or porn in a BL series. When you have to misrepresent an opponent's argument in order to counter it, you're only saying that you don't have an intelligent response to what they are actually saying. You are admitting defeat. You are admitting that '2gether' is a failure.
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The art direction, acting and incredible sets are as breathtaking as the massive scope of the series.
The show is good but they left out all the juicy details from the novel,
I love the opening ost, and Qu chu xiao super cute, i am glad to see him main role,
The production is beautiful, the dialog economical and exceptionally well-delivered,
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As much as I love my usual rom-coms, Misaeng completely took me by surprise and gave me thrills and heart wrenching moments in every single episode. Some people find the pace slow, but it worked for me. I was engrossed with each and every character and every single plot. I laughed and cried with the trio from Sales Team #3 and its group of supporting casts. It has unexpected moments and original story telling that is rarely seen. I absolutely loved it!
Give it a try. If nothing else, you will walk away with a few valuable life lessons.
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1This was supposed to be a hard pass
Netflix decided to constantly remind me about the release of this series. After reading the synopsis and watching a bit of the trailer, I was sure that this would be something I wouldn't enjoy. I was way too bored to give this a chance, if I am being honest.After its release and its very low rating here on MDL I was even more reluctant (even though I know that most of the times non-Korean series are rated lower).
One tiktok video later, I thought I could just watch the first five minutes and then just drop it or skip through it, mostly to indulge my curiosity. Those first five minutes turned into the first four episodes that I ended up watching till four in the morning...
I tried to think of something not to give this a perfect score, but in the end, I actually had no complains. This is the definition of a binge-worthy series with great acting, good plot and high entertainment value that doesn't fail to offer some emotional moments.
Noteworthy things:
=> No awkwardness detected
This is a series focused on (sexual) relationships. It has a lot of sex scenes and many references to sex from conversations to table lambs. That being said, all actors had great chemistry with one another and I didn't feel awkward at all when watching it. There was no stiffness. Everything felt very natural.
=> No romantic music playing in the background while the two leads first fish kiss
This series focuses on sex, lust (and love) while also giving us some swoon worthy moments, without it feeling like the ''too good to be true'' moments we usually watch in series where all the main characters are perfect in every way, shape or form and where holding hands is the peak of their relationship.
=> Educational
I will say that this actually had many interesting facts when it comes to sex with the videos during the credits (don't miss them) being a great example.
=> Everyone was interesting
I have this problem with series with multiple couples. Most of the times, the main one gets the most screen time and is boring as hell, while all the others are great with almost zero screen time. There was nothing like that here. Every couple and every character was interesting. Everyone had their story to tell. Everyone had their own difficulties and definition of a relationship. Everyone was there for a reason. For once, I didn't roll my eyes every time they showed the mains or generally any of the characters.
=> Nude scenes
Something that I found pretty interesting is the absence of nude scenes. Even though the series has lots of sex scenes, it doesn't really show that much nude.
=> Balance
This was the cherry on top. Everything felt ideal when it came to balance. There were the sad scenes, the funny scenes, the cute scenes, the ''oh my God I can't believe he did that'' scenes. I just felt very content watching this from beginning to end.
=> Different stages of life
We had like four main relationships, where the characters belonged in different age groups. Most of the times younger people are the focus on series about love/sex. Even though two of the mains belonged to younger age groups, we also had two other couples that were in a relationship for a very long time and belonged to different (and older) age groups. As a result we got insight in their life and how things can be after being with someone for a longer time.
=> This wasn't just a fun watch
The series deals with many issues without being over the top or too dramatic. Some of them involve homosexuality, loss of passion after marriage, love vs sex (and trauma), toxic relationships.
I am 100% sure this will be my answer at the end of the year in the ''which is the most underrated series of 2024'' question. This is a very well-made series that unfortunately doesn't get the attention it deserves and that is the main reason I am writing this review.
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