This review may contain spoilers
Eerie, scary, confusing but also a piece of art
Honestly, I am both satisfied and unsatisfied at once. Now, please excuse my oxymoronic statement and let me tell you that I absolutely love this series.It has components of BL, romance and also horror. But please don't come here for a lovey-dovey happily ever after BL series because you will be massively disappointed.
But all these aspects make it a one of a kind show that will leave it's mark in the Thai drama industry.
READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. MAJOR SPOILER AHEAD.
From my past experience, I love the films/drama which have confusing and ambiguous endings. I am fond of open endings where one has to use their heads to think what may have happened after that. If you did not know , now you know that I love to live in my head making up stories.
Speaking of stories, Shadow is an exceptional one.
The plot, the premise and the storytelling. The directors, the cinematographer, the screenwriters and the editor, need a standing ovation. The storytelling comprise of "show, don't tell" method and the script, cinematography, lighting , costume and music and is exceptionally well done.
Let's see the plot. Honestly, it is a lot.
Dan has a tragic past and tormented childhood. He lost his mother who committed suicide and for his abusive father, he has immense hatred in his heart.
One priest, brother Anurak, comes to his rescue as Dan starts to suffer from insomnia and sees a peculiar shadow figure constantly. Dan's father develop brain tumor and later cancer. Dan is taken under the wings of Brother Anurak in his school to take care of him and also treat him. But Dan's mental health starts to regress further as the shadow seem to have gotten stronger.
What is interesting about the plot is horror is used in many ways - it's trilling, it's supernatural, it is also psychological. And the audience also can't decipher between reality and dreaming.
The characters are very well portrayed along with their backstories. Dan, Trin, Anan and Brother Anurak have very very well developed backstories and character arcs.
Singto as Dan is brilliant. Fluke as Nai too. Poon stole the show as Josh. Fiat is one of the most well rounded actors of Thai BL industry and in a darker role he won my heart. Special mention to Yaimai as Chaim - her expressions and emotions are on display and she did her part very deftly.
Fun fact: Dan probably is bisexual in this drama. He did not recoil when Nai kissed him and he confessed that he liked Chaim but he chose neither.
There are many themes are going on together in this drama with the plot and the symbolism is one of them. The drama is also part dark academia with its symbol of Hamlet and Lord of the Flies. I mean dead father's ghost and children stranded in an uninhabited island aka the school premises guarded by a cursed lake? I see you Shadow the series team. I see you.
The complimentary colours throughout the series, the shots with symmetrical patterns, have given it a special edge. Each shot is an artistic expression. I love the angles to show various moods and emotions.
I would specifically mention how blue tint has been used - blue is associated with sadness. We see Dan's (the MC) mother almost bathed in soft blue after she thought she shot her son with the gun and had to put into mental health institution.
The blue also symbolise mystery. Dan's dorm room at school has the an eerie blue colour. There is also greys- in the smoke and in the shadow. We also see blacks.
The blue's complimentary colour orange/amber shows peace, happiness but in this case almost always we see a muted amber colour. To me it symbolises peace and normalcy but with a tinge of sadness flowing underneath.
The shot where Trin is sitting beside Master Joe in the drama class - Trin wears deep red while Master Joe wears dark blue. The stage is also draped in the two colours. The two are fond of each other but the two can't mix with each other. They are teacher and student. There is a huge difference in their probable relationship if that was to happen that we can't unsee.
Let me applause for the music. The theme music, the ending song by lazyloxy who also acted as Anan and all the background music are splendidly used.
What is that shadow anyway? As the last screen showed that Dan's father did the same ritual and passed and after that Dan was born. So in a way Dan belongs to the shadow spirit. He is probably the food that will keep the spirit go strong.
It became even stronger as he came to the school. As the power was lurking around the school premises due to Trin's mistake in ritual, the shadow spirit quickly takes an interest to Dan and does not let go. It is also a repressed form of sexual fantasy as we see the shadow molesting him when he was high on weeds and also in his dreams.
Nai can see spirits. He also has some natural protection against them, either gifted by the venerable monk or his own capabilities because the shadow usually never harms him nor Josh. But it did hurt Chaim because she did not live in close quarters with them so lacked the natural protection. But also the shadow was probably angry and hurt her as retaliation and she was a soft target.
Trin. Damn this guy. He was a rebel, a guy standing for justice and equality. But he was not above to do his own bids when threatened, even if the process is evil. He was not really a good guy and his spirit was malevolent in desperation to flee from the clutches of the shadow spirit.
The ending was confusing but as we see Trin's face grinning at Dan's, it is actually Trin in Dan's body. Nai failed to bring him back. But it may also be that Dan did not want to come back at all and let Trin come back instead as he wanted to live the life. The shadow spirit just wanted Dan and thus let Trin go.
This show was never meant to have a happy ending. Dan was supposed to be the sacrifice like Hamlet. Brother Anurak was supposed to be the tragic hero. Shadow the series is essentially a tragedy of an individual falling and failing at the end. This is not a story of win but to lose and that is okay because not all of us win. But Dan fought until the end. And he chose to stop fighting. The show succeeded.
Now, unless we have a season 2 or some special episodes, we can't say what exactly happened. Although the chances of getting season 2s are usually slim.
All in all, 2023 will end now with a bang.
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first vertical series I liked
this was the first vertical series I liked. not once did I get the “low production” vibes I get with most vertical series, instead I got really good quality, great acting and a really good storyline for it being so short.the chemistry was off the charts and the kisses were great. you never know how it’s gonna be, especially when it’s the vertical app ones but I was so surprised here and I highly recommend it. yeah some parts weren’t as fleshed out but when it came to the Mcs I feel like it did a really good job. I’d love to see more of them in the future
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The best thing about this drama is the cast, and I don't mean just the leads. The only thing that kept me watching towards the end were the ensemble of doctors, who I had grown to like a lot (especially super cute Kim Min Suk). There were also some good guest appearances, and some intense medical storylines, but as a non hospital drama fan, the stories started to wear thin after a while.
But back to the main couple... I am still not sure how I felt about them.
In the beginning Park Shin Hye's character is really interesting, a rebel with a high IQ seemed like a character I could root for. She is matched with Kim Rae Won who plays a beloved teacher and mentor, and that's when things get weird... chester the molester weird. The romance was hard for me to root for, because a teacher giving inappropriate attention to a student isn't very romantic to me, even if he is a nice guy. It didn't stop me from being curious however, so I kept watching to see how it would evolve. Although I loved the way they worked together in surgery (those scenes were intense), their love story was just frustrating, and often boring. I know the Hye Jung character was written to be difficult, with walled up emotions, but even the sociopath doctor in "Beautiful Mind" seemed to be better at romance than her. In spite of Ji Hong's cute devotion and patience with her, I never could did get excited about their romantic storyline. There are a few "cute" moments, but they often felt forced. For me, the chemistry just wasn't there.
Then there's Seo Woo, who I oddly thought was the most sympathetic in a weird way. I didn't like her, but I felt so bad for her throughout the show. Although her character was pretty much reduced to being jealous for 20 episodes, I still empathized with her. The friendship storyline was my favorite part of the drama, and she had the only scene that made me tear up.
Uhm Hyo Seop, who played her dad, was my least favorite. His character is a greedy villain, but also dumb and childish. I like to root for good villains, but I couldn't take him seriously. I don't know if that's bad acting, bad writing, or both. He had waaaaay too much screen time and importance.
Other characters like Yoon Do and BFF Soon Hee didn't have enough of a storyline. I wish more time was spent on developing that than on the boring revenge and hospital corruption plot that dominates the second half of the show. They did give the story a pretty good ending, but I already stopped caring by the final episode.
So would I watch this again? No. What about the soundtrack? I barely remember it.
Overall this started out as a potentially good drama that just couldn't keep up the momentum for 20 episodes. Of all the doctors shows that are out there now, I would say it's safe to skip this one.
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This review may contain spoilers
The story is a little confusing at first, and it took me some time to (kinda) realize what's going on between the characters though this could have been due to my own weakness at comprehending what is going on.What I figure is going on is that Ray breaks up with Don because he (Ray) is going overseas to study and he's trying to change Don for the better by pushing him to be more driven and independent so that his full potential will be unleashed. The couple work in the same advertising company, and Ray enlists the help of Lin (a colleague) to pretend to be his girlfriend and trigger Don's jealousy or something. (I'm not sure if I get the logic entirely because I don't know what breaking up with Don and pretending to have a girlfriend has got to do with changing Don for the better or Ray's plans to go overseas.)
If we see more background about Ray and Don's relationship from the start and if we know about Ray's motivations earlier, the story will be be more moving. Unfortunately, the focus at the start is on lighthearted and funny moments (or what I thought were meant to be funny moments) that don't end up being all that entertaining. I also wish that the characters were better developed--Don is supposed to be a somewhat childish but certainly talented person but we don't see this quite clearly. Neither do we see how the break-up with Ray has affected him. Similarly, there could have been more depth to Lin: she's in love with Ray, but when did she fall in love with him and why did she agree to pretend to be his girlfriend?
We can't ask for too much in 40 minutes, but it isn't impossible to have more. Nevertheless, it's still a fairly watchable short movie that probably won't get on anyone's nerves.
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You’re never too old to enjoy life.
Allowing yourself to feel happiness, enjoy small things and create a deeper connection to other people at times might feel like either a luxury, unobtainable pleasure or inappropriate whim. Old Fashion Cupcake shows you how we all deserve happiness in our lives, and how growing older doesn't mean you need to put it aside.Have to say, even though the romance was quite a treat, and the mutual pining was a blast to watch, the “anti-aging” plot was the one that grabbed my attention the most. Following Nozue on his journey to discovering himself again - outside of his daily routine and work, was fascinating and extremely heartwarming.
Togawa's low-key chase after Nozue gave me all the best feels and just enough angst at times to make me fall for the couple hard. I appreciated how he not only wanted to be with Nozue, but he was also truly trying hard to help him enjoy life, enjoy his work, and enjoy all the small things he was too afraid to try in the past.
Both main actors aced the roles. The passive attitude Nozue had for a lot of things, how he just tried to survive each day, how he fell into the routine and forgot how fun life can be - I could see that all in the performance. Kimura Tatsunari perfectly acted the small possessive and jealous moments, Togawa striving to help Nozue come out of his shell, the care and admiration - all and more.
Honestly speaking, it was just a fun, enjoyable short watch with some uplifting messages and moments that most adults (and younger folks) would appreciate to hear.
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Amazing lead chemistry + many kisses but predictable with common cliches.
Completed - 11/22/2021"Once we Get Married" is a cute and fluffy rom-com that is very binge-watchable and a good palate cleanser after a serious show. You don't need too much brain power and can just sit back and relax. Don't expect a mind-blowing plot as it's very predictable. However, the leads have amazing chemistry and they make me smile when they do cute things. :)
I recommend this drama if you are a fan of:
1. the actors and actresses
2. enemies-to-Lovers trope
3. contract Marriage trope
4. common rom-com cliches such as, accidental kisses/hugs/falls, phone battery died at convenient times
5. nice second male lead & evil second female lead
I am a fan of #1, 2 & 3, therefore, I decide to watch this drama. I know it's not perfect but I enjoy the ride. I saw our main male lead, Wang Zi Qi, in "Imperial Coroner" and quite enjoyed his role there. In this drama, he is not as reserved and mature as his historical role, and I am glad to see a different side of him. Here, he plays the CEO who is cold on the outside but warm on the inside, acting somewhat childish and petty and jealous - but looking adorable as well. It's so nice to see Wang Zi Qi in two very different roles.
I've always been a fan of contract marriage dramas, and have seen quite a few of those. Therefore, I realize that "Once We Get Married" is actually quite average. The plot is predictable and you know the challenges that our leads will face in this type of set-up. However, I really enjoy the main romance between XiXi and SiChen. They are fun when they're enemies and argue with each other. Yet it's also adorable when they start to have feelings for each other and when they actually got together. There are lots of skinship and an amazing number of kisses (doesn't mean they're good kisses, just ok). I smile ear-to-ear when I see our leads bickering and flirting.
The secondary romance between Mu Ruo Na and Shang Ke is quite boring. I don't find either character attractive and don't care for them at all. I skipped most of their parts. This romance does not add anything to the plot and feels like a romance from a different drama. There's not much interaction between the secondary romance and the main romance, until the last few episodes of the drama.
We also have our typical second male lead, Mo Zi Xin, who has been in love with our female lead for a long time. He's one of those that will do anything for our female lead, even when he's been rejected. He will support her quietly and come to her rescue whenever the male lead is not available. On the other hand, we have our evil second female lead, Ran Xi Wei, who will do anything to sabotage our lead's romance. It's actually quite annoying that she keeps on doing that from the beginning of the drama all the way to the end. It's never-ending scheming and sabotaging.
Other observations:
1. This drama has the most accidental kisses I've ever seen in a drama.
2. Is Mo Zi Xin wearing a Pikachu tie? He wears that ALL the time!
3. Did I see our leads shop at Costco for groceries?
4. When did Nana become BFFS with XiXi?
5. Our female lead doesn't dress that nicely for someone who is a fashion designer
6. Wang Zi Qi and Ian Yi look amazing in suits!!
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This show is a perfect example of trying to be too many things. It was jarring to jump between the fantasy, thriller/crime and romantic comedy. It was like three separate shows happening all at the same time. With the more suspenseful and crime part of the show, the music was just so overtly dramatic it was over the top. The fantasy was the most interesting concept of the whole show and the showrunners let so many things unexplained or unexplored, much to the show's detriment. I love a romantic comedy but it felt so out of place with the rest of the storyline and felt inconsistent when I think back over the 16 episodes and the justifications and history between the two leads seem to change pending on what the show runners needed to try and get to the end. So in the end, the romance felt not as natural as I think it could have. Granted, I have just come off watching Her Private Life with Park Min Young and Kim Jae Wook where the chemistry was off the richter scale. And the crime, oh dear... well I have to say I don't watch kdramas for their realistic cop/law plotlines. Makes me wonder if I have watched too many western cop/law shows that give off a better impression of actually making plausible sense. This show was just ridiculous in this area.
I think one of the worst things is when you get to the last episode and there is only 15 minutes left to go and you are left with so many things to tie up that every scene just becomes cheesy, predictable and disappointing.
All that said, I think PBY and AHS are great, I still love them as actors and will continue to support their future projects. I also think they did a great job with the roles they were given and the mediocre script they had to work with. All the supporting actors were great and I enjoyed their parts in the story, even though most of them seemed to disappear in the last couple of episodes.
All in all, I don't think I will ever be watching this show again and I would only recommend it if you are a fan of the two leads.
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This review may contain spoilers
don’t bother.
highly scripted, contestants started doing things that made no sense, no real love or connections, stalkers, a guy who doesn’t understand consent, multiple ad product placements, one of cast members opened up to being forced to choose one person they didn’t like during the final choice, and finally, the producers think we’re dumb, stupid, and crazy.don’t watch.
*the rest is random letters because it says I have to post 500 words to submit a review 🤦♀️
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That being said this show compelled me to write one. First of all I loved Grey Rainbow operative word loved. This show had everything going for it and I thought it would be my first 10/10, then the fire nation attacked and by that I mean the ending happened. The story I swore would get a 10 suddenly dropped to 3 in my mind but was upped to 6 for this review after careful consideration of the episodes.
On that note I am surprised that this is rated so high (though mydramalist ratings can be wayyyyyyyy off sometimes) but this one genuinely surprised me. I though more people would be upset by the fact that the ending served no actual purpose. The show that I praised for its originality and realistic perspective jumped straight into stereotypical at the last second. The ending can only be described as forced. I understand in theory that the writers were trying to highlight the "you never know what life might bring" fact but since it was done poorly with very little lead up/foreshadowing it had the effect of being more like "really...really hoe. That's the best you could do."
The cast was strong, cinematography was breath taking and the music was good. I like this story except for the ending and I even plan to rewatch it at least up to a point but i can only recommend it with the warning that the ending SUCKS.
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A solid winsome rom-com that doesn't need to cheat
This is an angst light sport focused drama with a strong, swoon worthy noona romance running in parallel.The college aged ML falls in love with the FL at first sight. He was smitten and pursuits the FL with boundless energy. He picked a particular university just so that he can be coached by the FL. The FL is several years older than the ML so there is the usual push-pulls and denials. However, once she accepted his love, they are rock solid. It was so gratifying to see a relationship build upon trust and pure love. In fact, the FL should be applauded for her bravery and strength in pushing back against societal stereotypes and naysayers. Bravo!
I am thankful that there is no last minute breakups nor silly misunderstandings. The OTP are truly reading from the same page.
Of course there are tropes and cliché moments, this is a Chinese drama after all. Thankfully, they are under a tight rein and doesn't feel too contrived. Plots are mostly allowed to progress naturally.
Acting is fine all around. The ML has been in a number of school/college dramas so he is perfectly casted and is in his element. His training and competition scenes are well done and fairly believable. The FL played the noona role to perfection. She spent nearly the whole show in tracksuits or simple garb which is a refreshing change from the glam style of her other projects. She looks lean, fit and belongs on the sporting fields as a coach.
Most of the other actors are college age but they did fine. Lots of testosterone on display and their coming together to form their own band of brothers was gratifying to watch.
There is also a nice amount of skinship and no shortage of passionate kisses. An above average bedroom scene is a surprise bonus.
Not everything is wonderful though. There are some issues with the use of filters in post production whereby some scenes look like they are shot in fog and the actors looked washed out and glowed with a strange aura. This caused some online remarks and the director acknowledged the issue and dial back the effect in later scenes. The ending also feels rushed. The HEA ending is never in doubt but it feels underdone. Could have added more fan service.
It is not going to win any awards but it is a straightforward and satisfying watch. It is not artificially sweetened and the sports theme provided the necessary trials and tribulations without having to cheat by adding manufactured angst.
I enjoyed this show very much and would recommend it without reservations. OST is fun and breezy. Rewatch will not be a chore.
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You'll have characters that you'll love from the beginning, some that you'll hate and some that you'll have a love-hate relationship with.
I love how the characters develop through the entire drama. I have to admit i hated the female lead a little at the beginning, but the way she changed till the last episode fascinated me. I also love the relationship that bloomed between some characters and it is honestly better than any romantic relationship.
About the end, some characters had a happy end, some not so much. But i couldn't be happier with the ending that they gave us. I think everyone got the ending that they deserved. Of course there are some characters that deserved a little better but it was to be expected and given the circumstances, they couldn't get a better ending.
It's a great drama that will make you go through a lot of emotions in the shortest time possible. It's mysterious and captivating and i promise you, you won't regret watching it.
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TWELVE really left me frustrated, The Disaster That Was TWELVE
First of all, I would like to ask the director and the writer the purpose of this series.The characters felt disconnected, like they were just delivering lines without any emotional weight or bond.
Too much time is wasted on repetitive running and chasing scenes, with little actual story development.
: Instead of leaning on Korea’s rich history and traditional attire, they went with over-the-top feathers, glitter, and cosplay-like aesthetics—making it look cheap rather than epic.
Screen time use: Large chunks of the show felt like filler—eating scenes, chaotic dialogues, and CGI fluff—rather than a meaningful story.
The Disaster That Was TWELVE
I have truly never been this speechless after finishing a series — and not in a good way. TWELVE is the definition of how to take potential and drag it through feathers, glitter, and empty screen time until the viewer begs for mercy.
No Chemistry, Just Chaos
The characters move around each other like strangers forced to share an elevator. Dialogue after dialogue lands like random words thrown into the air, and somehow, the show still insists there’s “care” between them. Chemistry? Nonexistent. If anything, they had more passion when chewing food than when talking to each other.
Screen Time Wasted
Where did the hours of this series even go? Half of it was just running. The other half? Eating. The pacing felt like the writers forgot they were making a drama and instead shot a marathon training documentary mixed with a mukbang.
CGI and Costumes: A Glitter Explosion
And then we come to the visuals. Oh my god. The CGI looked like it was built with leftover PowerPoint animations. Instead of using Korea’s stunning historical wardrobe, they gave us cosplay: feathers, glitter, and shiny nonsense. The main character looked less like a warrior or royal figure and more like she was headed to a discount masquerade party.
Not Just Bad — Unwatchable
In the end, TWELVE wasn’t even watchable. The lack of direction, the empty chemistry, the carnival-costume visuals, and the complete waste of screen time turned what could have been a decent series into something I wouldn’t recommend to my worst enemy.
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Secret Passion
It’s a simple film but very classy and sensual. It’s only 13 minutes so it gets to the point quite quickly. Recommend for someone wants to unwind with some historical gays.I’m not sure why this is rated 18+ though, they showed a nipple and nothing more. The language was also not explicit. If the perfume ads I see are more sensual than this shouldn’t they be “18+” too? Baloney. This was MILD compared to recent BL. I’d rate this 16+ in my gracious opinion.
For anyone confused on the ending, “A Crimson Mark” is the hickey that the chancellor leaves with the scholar during their affair. The chancellor, obviously embarrassed by it, becomes attracted to the idea seeing it a second time. The mark is the representation of how taboo their passionate relationship is.
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The Parades (2024): A Poignant Exploration of Loss and Connection
"The Parades," directed by Michihito Fujii, takes viewers on a heartfelt journey through the afterlife, exploring themes of love, loss, and the power of human connection. The story follows Minako, a mother searching for her son after a devastating calamity, who gradually comes to terms with her own passing and finds herself in a realm of restless spirits.Strengths:
⪼ Emotional resonance: The film excels at capturing the profound emotions associated with loss and grief. Minako's unwavering love for her son and the struggles of other characters to find closure resonate deeply with viewers.
⪼ Unique portrayal of the afterlife: The film's portrayal of the afterlife, with its "parades" where the deceased search for the living, is both visually stunning and thought-provoking. It creates a space for exploring unresolved relationships and the lingering bonds between life and death.
⪼ Compelling characters: Each character in the film, from Minako to the other residents of the in-between world, has their own unique story and motivations. This adds depth and complexity to the narrative.
Weaknesses:
⪼ Uneven pacing: The film occasionally struggles with pacing, with some scenes feeling rushed while others linger too long. This can disrupt the emotional flow of the story.
⪼ Light on plot: While the film excels in its emotional core, the overall plot remains relatively simple. Viewers seeking a more complex narrative may find themselves wanting more.
Overall:
"The Parades" is a visually stunning and emotionally resonant film that explores universal themes of love, loss, and the power of connection. While the pacing and plot could be tighter, the film's strengths lie in its heartfelt portrayal of grief and its unique depiction of the afterlife. It is a film that will stay with viewers long after the credits roll, prompting reflection on life, death, and the bonds we forge with others.
Recommendation:
This film is a good choice for viewers who enjoy emotional dramas with supernatural elements and who are interested in exploring themes of loss and the afterlife. However, those seeking a fast-paced plot with multiple twists may find it lacking.
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