This show follows three best friends, two guys (Lu Qiao Chuan and Ren Yi Fan) and a girl (Zhong Bai) as they go to college together and make new friends. Their friendship is put to the test when Lu Qiao Chuan starts liking a new classmate, creating tension between him and Zhong Bai (who has a crush on him) and Ren Yi Fan has to try to mediate between the two. The show also takes a peek into the lives of some of the new friends that the three meet in college.
The characters are real and complex and the show avoids painting anyone as exceptionally perfect or exceptionally villainous. The show pacing can be a bit slow because there isn't a greater overarching plot. Instead, there are a lot of plot arcs that span a few episodes and each deal with different issues that come up in college, friendships, and relationships.
I really enjoyed that the show gets a bit meta with regards to the drama genre as a whole. At various points in the show, our two "second leads" (romantic rivals who aren't really romantic rivals, but are just people who also happen to like our main characters) frequently refer to themselves as "Girl 2" and "Boy 2" and talk about how their lives would play out if they were in a Korean drama. That got a few laughs out of me. And it's great because the show doesn't play out like a Korean drama.
My favorite character in the show is probably Xiao Hai Yang, one of Qiao Chuan and Zhong Bai's classmates who has been held back for two years in a row. He immediately takes a liking to Zhong Bai and is such a sweetheart throughout the show. I definitely liked him way more than Qiao Chuan, who appears to be the main "protagonist" of the show (a lot of the situations revolve around him.) One of my favorite plot arcs/episodes of the show involves Hai Yang and his past.
Overall, Stand by Me is a really great drama for someone who enjoys watching a show that can be a little slow, but feels very real and relatable. You won't really get any of the melodrama or excitement that you would expect from other more plot-driven shows, but you'll still shed a few tears and laugh a few laughs because the friendships are so beautiful.
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So here's another work about how a teacher influences her students. What the teacher does here is try to widen her students horizons and give them the chance to hope and dream. The amount effort she exerted changed her students lives and showed them a different world.
The film also portrays how parents claim to support their kids and wish them a better life while they actually stand in their way and oppose any new way. It also presents the joy of exploration and seeing things for the first time. At the same time, it warns the dreamers that the road towards their goals is not as shiny as they might expect.
A touching story. Worth watching and rewatching.
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popcorn > plot
If you're after an easy horror watch, this one delivers. It's quick, fast-paced and punchy to give you that instant adrenaline hit without overthinking. Don't try and piece it all together, sit back and enjoy the ride. Just don't expect to trust water as much after this one. A gripping popcorn flick for a low effort, high thrill experience, exactly what you came for.(spoiler: included a well-known film theory in the comment for this review)
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Passion takes flight and soars
This movie is overflowing with heart, passion, and dedication. The unsung people known as test pilots are so under appreciated. Born to Fly highlights their spirit and determination in their chosen profession, taking on risks to ensure their air force have the best possible equipment to go about their duties.I love how the director tried to keep it as real as possible (from what I heard in interviews), incorporating anecdotes from real test pilots, showing us glimpses and sacrifices of their lives.
The aerial scenes are breathtaking, so vivid and mesmerizing. I also love how the story takes us through the conditioning and training one would go through to even be considered for a test pilot position in China.
Lei Yu is an eager beaver, going through life fueled by his love of the air. He can be spontaneous to a fault however he more than makes up for it with his intelligence, love of problem solving and drive to succeed. Wang Yibo plays Lei Yu to perfection, injecting his brand of 100% dedication to his chosen craft.
I love the camaraderie between the team and personnel, everyone understood their assignment, gave their all.
This movie is well casted, I especially loved Hu Jun’s role as Zhang Ting, he inspires such loyalty.
You will laugh, cry, cheer but most of all, overflow with admiration for a team of dedicated people at the end of this movie.
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This review may contain spoilers
Story: The premise of this movie is about a young adult becoming a masseuse in order to pay for his grandmother's medical bills. In the beginning, the MC refused to do more than legit massage, even though his boss and male customers occasionally ask him to perform "extra" services. MC kept insisting he wasn't gay and even called a female friend to engage in a make-out session that went south quickly. MC was fond of one frequent client in particular, who seemed to share his feelings, so MC finally relented in one of these sessions, which culminated in them having sex. Little did he know that it would be the last time MC would see him again. The boss found out and figured that if MC was open to sex with men, that he would also provide the same sexual service to other clients and started booking him for such. Unfortunately for the MC, the clients were lacklustre at best, and greasy or even violent at worst, that he decided to quit after there was no longer a reason for him to keep making money.
Which brings us to the crux of the movie: I find this movie is less about MC accepting his sexual orientation and more about his relationship with his grandmother. I had to commend the MC for being so young and yet understand the concept of filial obligation even when his parents abandoned him when he's a child. The gentle attitude and caring he showed towards his grandmother, even though she mistook him for his useless father, brought me to tears.
MC's genuine concern for his grandmother is a rare sight among youth. Even though she hid all the medicine that he bought specifically for her with his hard-earned money, he stuck by his grandmother. Sometimes even adults would have just left their ailing parents in a nursing home somewhere.
Acting: Very good considering MC and grandmother are amateur actors. Their characters are believable because of their acting.
Music: Average.
Rewatch value: You don't really need to watch this more than once. Especially when it's such a sad story.
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An ode to motherhood
When the Camellia Blooms is a romantic comedy and crime/thriller drama but at its very core it’s a love letter to motherhoods—every form of motherhood actually. The good, the bad, and everything in between. I’m not a mother but that does mean the messages that was conveyed didn’t hit me hard. It made me sit back and reflect on my own relationship with my mother and for that I’m thankful.That being said my high rating kind will mostly be based on my own personal feelings rather than the logistics of the plot. I felt that it really delivered on the crime/thriller part but I know people had issues for me. However, the mystery of the killer was not something that had me anxiously awaiting each episode, no it was waiting to see if Dongbaek will stand up for herself or what the rest of residents of Ongsan are up to. That being said it’s obvious that while I personally liked how the mystery unfold it only played a small factor into my high score.
My high score, as I stated before, relied heavily on my personal emotions and oh boy did I feel strongly about this show. It’s true that I didn’t care about the crime/thriller plot-line but I’m a romance enthusiast so even if I found the focus on motherhood fascinating I needed a pairing to root for. And trust me I was rooting for Dongbaek and Yong Shik early on. It’s no surprise that the cast gained recognition and awards for their roles because you can tell how much attention went into crafting these uniquely human characters. Dongbaek as our protagonist really did grow although some would debate on that fact since there was so much flip flop going on. Yet I was not bothered because in those twenty episodes I was really able understand the core of her character and I know realistically that people don’t change over night.
Yong Shik is hands down my favorite male lead in a kdrama I’ve ever seen yet. Sure he’s incredibly persistent and in your face but he’s such a genuinely nice person that I can’t help but adore him. He’s very an all or nothing kind of guy which I admire and if you are looking for a puppy ML whose feelings for the FL does not waver one bit Yong Shik is the guy for you. Without giving away spoilers I want to shine light on this gentle giant who whole heartedly loves Dongbaek, her son, and the rest of the residents in Ongsan with all he got.
The side characters were all very interesting and I found myself rooting for even the ones I labeled as “the worst.” I thought there was a good balance between the leads and side characters too. By the end I felt almost as if I was apart of that little town because the audience was able to get to know them so well. Kudos to the child actors/actresses for giving it all they got. I thought that Dongbaek’s son, Pil Gu, was a very likable character who unfortunately felt like he had the weight of the world on his shoulder.
Finally I want to address the running themes of motherhood. When The Camellia Bloom shows how difficult it is being a mother. Since there are so many different characters and stories you are able to get different perspectives. There’s a high chance that you’ll be able to relate to one of the stories involving mothers. I thought it was interesting to show how beautiful and ugly motherhood is; how mothers can be selfless and selfish. I was hesitant at the beginning but by the time I reached the final episode I was sold on the idea.
Anyways, When The Camellia Bloom made me feel so many different emotions whether it’s happiness, anguish, anger, amusement, frustration, etc. I’m someone who rates according to what it made me feel and since this drama really had an impact I had no choice but to give it 10 out of 10. I’m sad that it’s over but I’m happy I stumbled across this gem. I’m aware it’s not for everyone but it ended up hitting every little check on my “perfect drama list” so obviously I’m going to praise it. The OST also enhanced the scenes rather than distracted me. This drama will definitely go on my list of favorite dramas of the year.
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Gripping and intense
This drama really dished out the gritty police world as they try to wipe out drug trafficking in Yunhe (and subsequently to other parts of the country).Beautiful cinematography that leaves everything to be desired, makes it seem like one long movie spanning 32 episodes. So well-done as it really adds to the mystique of the story and sublime plots.
I love the blend of young blood and veterans in the acting cast, I came for Wang Yibo and stayed for everyone. I had already seen Chen Xiao in A Dream of Splendor so I know he has the acting chops.
The trio of Chen Yu, An Ran and Yang Yi are bold, fearless and eager to perform their duties. Wang Yibo especially is always passionate in everything he takes on, he was already excellent in Chen Qing Ling and he was also excellent in this drama. His transformation from an eager beaver police officer to a passionate person trying to uphold law and order is wonderful to watch.
I especially love all the bits of Yibo’s screen time with Chen Xiao, the push and pull in their relationship is interesting.
The world can be ugly out there especially in Yunhe but you can trust the police force to try their utmost best.
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Lesson in Love ... plot twists and karmic connections ... don't be fooled by face value
This series is a wild water ride of tragedy, plot twists, karmic connections and misdirection. It starts slow but keep watching as it will take you on a ride that you least expected.For me, this was 🌟 EPIC 🌟 storytelling. Don't be mistaken thinking this was a story of a sordid little affair between teacher and student ... there is far more to the story than the description lets on ... the plot is a complex one, the psychology runs deep across multiple characters and yet it flows seamlessly ... it takes you very slowly at first and then before you know it, around half-way, you hit dramatic 'white water' and then things get really rough ... there are twists and turns and hidden rocks below ... what you thought the story was about ... is not what the story is about.
Your emotions are going to get a beating, but at the very end of that intense 'white water' ride of a drama ... the waters suddenly slowed to a gently flow ... at last you could 'float'. I had tears at the end as well, but these tears were of a different kind.
"Lesson in Love" ... yes it was ... and it was a lesson for many of the main characters in this series ... including the viewer watching it. It is a series about people, their pain, their loves, their hidden stories and drivers ... it is a story about unexpected degrees of separation between everyone ... it is the story about the 'face' value of someone's life and actions and the fact that people are definitely not always what they seem to be and because of their hidden lives and/or because of their failure to communicate, it is all too easy to jump to conclusions and 'see' someone's life and what they do to be something that it is not and "kill" them for it.
I have two MVPs in this series. The first is the ML Zhang Yi Xiang ... he is a character that runs deep and is far more that his public face value ... he is so he is 'pure' even when the whole world is against him. I admire that kind of integrity and tenaciousness ... age is not necessarily an indicator for these attributes. Edward Chen did a stellar job with that character.
My next MVP is Yi Xiang's Pa ... not only was he a hot Daddy, but he was just gold in how he respected his son's self determination and saw through the game plays of people around him. I so agreed with him when he said: "if you are not hurting anyone, why would I oppose it." ۹(^ᴗ^)۶
AWESOME series ... I am glad I watched to the end ... I am glad it was not what I thought it would be when I started watching it. It was brilliantly acted, the script was amazing ... nothing was irrelevant at all ... the art of misdirection was superb ... WOW what a ride ... and best of all a HE ...۹(♡´◡`♡)۶
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1
1A Force of Nature
She and Her Girls is a biographical account of Zhang Guimei’s tireless quest to educate impoverished young women in Huaping County. It opens with a gut-wrenching portrayal of how Teacher Guimei rescues her fourteen-year-old student, Gu Yu (yes, that is still the age of consent in China), from being sold into marriage to fund her father’s drinking habits. Guimei is a force of nature, sweeping through Huaping County to save one girl at a time—even before she has the means to support their continued education. Through sheer stubbornness, tenacity, and desperate resourcefulness, she secures land for her school, strong-arms provincial authorities, recruits promising teachers, and badgers private entrepreneurs to get her girls’ school off the ground.I was pleasantly surprised by the humor that lightens what could have been an overwhelmingly heavy story about rural China’s marginalized girls. The narrative doesn’t shy away from mocking Guimei’s more grating traits—from her deafening early-morning bullhorn to her judgmental, unforgiving demeanor. This humanizes her, preventing her from becoming a one-dimensional saint. Beyond Guimei, there’s no shortage of personal sacrifice: Chen Sihai and the teachers put their lives on hold to build the school. The sheer volume of altruism is almost suffocating, but given the obstacles, perhaps that’s what it took to succeed.
While most praise has gone to Song Jia’s award-winning, unflinching portrayal of Guimei, Gu Yu’s story moved me the most and anchored the drama. Though overlooked by awards, I found Lan Xiya (Gu Yu) and Zhang Tianyang (Chen Sihai) even more compelling than Song Jia and Nie Yuan.
The narrative peaks with Gu Yu’s academic journey. Unfortunately, none of the other girls stand out—their stories are neither well-written nor distinct from countless other coming-of-age tales. There were several natural stopping points, but like Guimei herself, the story soldiers on doggedly, trudging through forgettable generations and trite subplots. I enjoyed the drama up until the midpoint; afterward, it became a slog, further weighed down by heavy-handed propaganda.
Despite the strong script, fantastic cast, and standout moments, this is an overrated drama—nowhere near a masterpiece. There’s no segment I’d feel compelled to rewatch. The first half earns an 8.5/10, but overall, 8.0/10 is more than fair.
(To my knowledge, Gu Yu is a fictional character.)
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I watched this movie think it was going to be a sci-fi movie from the title. I tend not to read much about something and just watch it. I'm actually glad it wasn't. It had a nice psychological feel to it and I would definitely watch it again.
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This one's getting filed away under "What Happened?"
Another one with a superb start that made me think I was going to have a new favourite but went off the rails. First five episodes were pretty stellar and then it gets messy. The pacing is off, it drags a lot, there are inconsistencies in the characters as well as from one scene to the next, the plot is okay but for added drama and angst, some of the characters' reactions are unreasonable and disproportionate. Don't have characters break down crying just to make it seem like it's sad when it's just... not that big of a deal?In terms of talking about the BL industry, yes, it's great. You've got multiple talks of consent and a lot more which I think vastly explains the high ratings despite the fact that it's kind of a mess.
However, I really did love Gene and Nubsib. Up and Kao's chemistry is pretty unreal. I had very different expectations of Nubsib, turns out he's the cutest of the cuties! Gene is the type of characters that I love and he's also super cute so there's that. Out of all the couples I discovered this year, they're easily nearing the top.
With Tum and Tiffy, I thought, finally a straight side couple I adore! But then their first drama is fairly silly (although I will admit I understand they're trying to break stereotypes and that's great, however it was way too long) and then the second one, once again, I just straight up didn't understand the big deal... and suddenly everything's better but literally nothing happened or changed?
In terms of acting, it's pretty good. I really loved Up, Ken, and Kao; Bruce not so much.
The ending? Too long. The first of the three scenes is very cute but it should have stopped there. At some point I was like ok is this ending today or...?
Overall, I'm pretty sad. I was super excited about that one but after the first five episodes, they lost me a bit. Anyway, I hope to see more of Up, he's a highlight of the series for sure.
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STORY. Superb storyline. Having badminton as supposed to be the central plot, the writers explored beyond the sport. For me, it's not about badminton. It's not about autism. It's about sibling rivalry. That's the very core of the story and it was presented magnificently. There is no antagonist, only the products of mistakes from people who caused the problems and conflicts of the main characters.
ACTING. Stellar performance. I expected a lot from Tor and Sky but they have still delivered more than what I have expected. I adore their chemistry as brothers here. Tor deserves awards for portraying his role. I can't think of other actors of his generation who can do what he did.
MUSIC. I'm a Thai series fan but I can't read and write in Thai. Despite that, the soundtrack used in the series is truly remarkable. The matches became more intense because of the musical score. The nursery rhyme used in the emotional and sensitive scenes moved me. The way Dong calms Gym down is marvelous. It gives me chills up until now. That's my favorite scene ever! Whoever thought of that is genius.
REWATCH VALUE. This is the weakest spot of the story. The editing of the series is a bit scattered. The story has become predictable because of the sequencing of events. The building up of some scenes takes a bit long. There are elements that are repetitive and unnecessary. It's not as tight as I hoped it would be.
Nonetheless, it's an incredible ride. You'll get to appreciate and love your family more after watching Side By Side. For me, its pilot episode is the best Project S episode so far. It will be just difficult to top that.
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Well, that was weird!!
I'm being hella optimistic here, but what in them product placements was this?! You know how sometimes, there's a movie scene which just has to be a dream sequence? Too ill-fitting? Too plot-breaking? Damn right. It's what Work From Heart is made of, and they never say sike.Let's get to the positives:
1. I like the songs! Not enough to look them up, but they were nice distractions from the boring semi-plot.
2. The preachy parts didn't feel as preachy as they usually do. Maybe because everything was just so ridiculous, I could see it fit quite well. Might even catch feels once or twice.
3. Song-Ve. They were cute together. And even had some development.
Point 4 could be something like "good visuals" or "attractive actors", but really. This is a BL. Thai BL. If anything, they always manage to bring in pretty faces.
As for the notable negatives...phew. Do we even want to go there? Let's just say it's boring. Cringe. Occasionally uncomfortable. Not much makes sense. We see blatant discrimination, homophobia, sexual harassment... They even had a 'pretend gay' subplot! I could be actually pissed, if only it wasn't all so ridiculous. Taking this seriously would be an insulting waste of your time, so don't. If you're here for the weird, ride with the weird.
In the end, there's no sane reason to pick WfH over any other boring, no-plot thai BL of late. But I would still gladly watch a GuyFries spin-off of this, so it couldn't have been that bad!! Right?
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