Reviews

Gut-busting scenes and total fun!

I'll preface this by stating I refused to read the webtoon prior to watching the movie. Reading first always makes the movies harder to enjoy for their own merit because it gives you *expectations* of how things should play out, and when they don't follow what you think should happen you get disappointed.

I found Lee Jun Young to be a total breath of fresh air in this movie. His portrayal of the character gave me absolute Golden Retriever vibes, and with his eyes alone he could express a frantically wagging tail while looking at his Master.

The story was a wild ride from start to finish and had me tearing up, laughing hysterically, biting my lip, and cringing so hard I thought I was dying. The *spicy* scenes were well done (although no sex was portrayed), had a really nice message about consent, trust with a partner, and accepting people for who they are. There was an excellent portrayal of how some men treat women in the workplace, and then showed what better men can do and say to those terrible men to point out their actions.

The OST was nothing memorable, to the point that I can't remember if it had any music at all.

I will definitely rewatch this movie MANY times, even if it's just to enjoy Lee Jun Young's puppy dog eyes and absolute devotion to his Master.

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Quick fun rom-com watch

I must say, the kdrama industry has moved so much ahead of the stereotypical plot lines and strict censorship rules. We’re getting something more out of it these days.

I was really anticipating this film. The acting was top notch, characters were likeable and overall it was one quick, fun, slightly kinky;) watch.
The dom-sub relationship parts were cute and nothing too awkward or in your face. It was a good way of representing kinks in sex and regular life.

So overall, If you are looking for a nice romance movie to watch on the weekend, this is a huge recommendation.

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Surprisingly wholesome and not what I expected

I'm writing this as someone who hasn't read the manhwa and tbh I liked it a lot. I was afraid that they would make BDSM into something that's only funny and weird but I liked how there were characters who treated it normally and not just like it's a weird kink. I liked both leads a lot like how Jiwoo was a strong woman who won't take shit from anyone like her misogynistic boss also she was really sexy in the scenes where they did a play especially the one in the red room (I screamed lmao). Jihoo was really vulnerable and honest with his feelings which I really was touched by especially when he said that Jiwoo was the one and only sun to him (I may have cried a lil). It's refreshing to see how he also owned up to his preferences in front of the disciplinary board/bosses unlike others who usually would keep quiet and let the girl/their partner take all the blame because of their pride. It also showed the proper way of BDSM as well as the wrong way so people will be educated on the difference and the importance of consent. It also showed that not only men could be problematic but women (Jihoo's ex) could also be toxic and manipulative which is not shown a lot in media. The only thing that I have a complaint about is that I feel that the development of their feelings into love could have been shown more if this was a series but alas it's a movie (unless they have a part 2?). Anyways, it's worth the watch! Just don't watch this with your parents because it is really suggestive (though there was no nudity so incase they walk in you're safe on that aspect lol).

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Fifty Shades should disappear so Love and Leashes can become the introductory standard for BDSM

Going into this movie I was afraid they would make a joke out of BDSM or portray male submissives as pathetic, but I was ecstatic to see that it was not the case in the slightest. This movie is a very solid introduction for what BDSM is and means if you have no clue about it-- even putting up definitions and explanations of terms on screen to make it easier to understand.

The portrayal of male submissives is scarce at best, but actually good, respectful, judgement-free depictions of male submissives are almost nonexistent in mainstream media. That was my primary concern, but if it's yours as well I am here to reassure you that you've got nothing to worry about. The movie does an incredible job of framing Ji Hoo's submissiveness as something that is simply his preference and there's nothing wrong with it, even when others may judge him. Another common problem with the depiction of men who have more submissive personalities is that writers tend to end up delving in the territory of trying to reassure the audience that the character is not *actually* 100% submissive in bed, which is a huge pet peeve of mine. That. Never. Happens. Here.

On the other hand, Ji Woo's character is absolutely incredible because she is the inexperienced Dom that had never been able to put into words what she is actually into. Maybe TMI, but that was me, once. Her quick ease into the Dom role even if she is unsure about doing a good job clearly stems from the fact that this has always been who she is-- she just never had a chance to explore it with anyone. The inexperienced Dom trope also sometimes falls prey to the sudden role switch where the male character takes charge because she is *so* inexperienced and gets *so* easily flustered because of it-- or he was actually in charge all along even if he "acted" submissive, but this incredible movie avoids that completely. He is the submissive, she is the Dom, and even when she may falter and worry she is not doing a good job, those roles remain the same.

You may think this should've been a multi-episode drama instead, but I disagree. Had they done that, the conflicts would've been dragged and many people who may give this a chance because it's  a movie simply wouldn't have watched it. The movie is incredible just the way it is.

This was made by people who took the topic seriously and approached it with nothing but respect, and I am eternally thankful for it.

*It should be noted that I have not read the manga, therefore my opinion is solely based on the movie as a stand-alone story about BDSM.

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This is my first review so please don’t judge me.

Lately i’ve been in a drama slump, everything i start is just not it. This movie, however, gave me hope.

First of all i want to talk about how visually pleasing it is. The over all use of warm tones throughout the whole movie is so pleasing to look at. It’s nothing new or what other movies haven’t done before but they executed it so well. Like the first ‘Twilight’ movie did or my all time favourite ‘Blade Runner 2049’.
The next thing is they don’t talk much. They let the viewer see and only when needed hear. What i’ve seen lately in crime/thriller/whatever dramas they think you’re so dumb that you can’t figure out a little tiny thing for yourself so they show you from the beginning everything. Here they show you piece by piece what really happened shortly before and after the accident. And you have until the end of the movie still time to speculate, even though it is pretty obvious but we talk about that in a minute.
I have to praise the acting. Like it was sooo damn good. No unnecessary screaming, no overacting and no boring facial expressions.
The plot was good but nothing you haven’t seen before. Sometimes you can predict what happens next but for me that wasn’t a problem because i really was captured by the psychological side of the plot. I can’t put it into words but i think through the lack of words spoken and the action shown by the main character i felt his guilt and how he thought he could deal with it.
So all in all 9.5 out of 10.

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Beautiful and a breath of fresh air

Everyone of course expected something raunchy or over the top. I really love how they truly put in the effort to show detail to the BDSM community as well. I did not read the manhwa but that doesn't matter because this movie even on its own was really fun to watch. I hope that many other people give this movie a chance and go in with an open mind, not one that expects it to be just like the manhwa. I knew from the beginning kdramas / movies rarely stick to doing things as they really are in webtoons , manhwas, etc. Recommending this to anyone that would love to watch.

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Hours of Waiting for a 2 Hours disappointment.

This Review is going to be long, but please be patient and read it before watching.

This movie was one long awaited movie for me and i have been waiting since the end of December for its release, since the original manhwa is badass in jokes, romance, friendship and maturity, but i was still doubtful over its quality since Netflix produces it, and my doubts were true, it was indeed crap and a disappointment to the Manhwa.

Basically they picked out the main leads story from the manhwa, and created a SM documentary out of it. And since i am a guy who hates documentaries, i had to skip through most of the movie to finish it.

Now this is my comparison of movie with its hundred times better manhwa. The manhwa had many great things which was lacking in the movie.
1. The manhwa was light hearted, no heavy SM, and each and every chapter was funny. No drama, no seriousness, but entirely mature was the best thing. But when it came to this Netflix movie, it was flipped over and the funny tone was switched off after first few minutes. Maturity was there, but the movie lost the tone of the manhwa, and it was frustrating.
2. Characters - Sure to crumple into that two hour slot, Netflix had to cut out many parts, but looks like Netflix had omitted the entire manhwa after adapting first few chapters and created their own story, and as Netflix goes, it was dark and bad. In the manhwa, there were great characters like Male Lead's friend, and a woman who works in the bar that male lead owns, the SM community that male lead is part of, second male lead and several others were omitted for the movie. If Netflix adapts a manhwa, it should do it properly, not like this, eating half a piece of cake and dumping the rest. Rather than all these good characters, they added few boring characters, and i couldn't even bother knowing it. If the movie slot was too small, they could have gone for a drama and did it good, but half assing would always be bad.
3. Basically this movie had swapped out comedy and bromance for darker concept. It's not like i discriminate dark SM, and to be honest i liked NANA TO KAORU, but here darker SM is not necessary, and comedy is only thing required. The swapping of genre made it dull and uninteresting. The relationships was dark and crap and the entire plot was dark.
4. The male Lead's character. This is another thing Netflix crapped it. Male lead in the manhwa is 100 times better than movie. In manhwa, male lead was strong willed, funny and always had a mature approach to relationships. But in the movie they followed the regular kdrama male lead with trauma concept. Why, why the hell should you do that??? Why should you swap good characterisation to cliche crap character.

Overall, this movie is a total disappointment. I am not a fan of those dark crap things Netflix makes, and looks like they won't come out of it soon. Either they make childish dramas similar to BOYS OVER FLOWERS, or very dark dramas like DARK DESIRE. They should learn to draw a middle line and make dramas in that line, where it will be more realistic to watch. For MDL users, i would recommend you read the manhwa rather than the movie. The movie is totally bad that i can't recommend anyone. Looks like WEBTOON picked this manhwa, but still if you want to read ahead, 121 chapters are already out.

Re-watch value - I missed this one. Watching it one time itself was a headache for me, so i don't think i will watch it again. This movie taught me that I should never believe Netflix with its adaptations.

And overall rating of 5.5 is generous from me, and i would have given it 5, but one extra for my manhwa.😔😔😔

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Love or Leashes?

i am writing this opinion as a webtoon reader of the original... and i honestly would have preferred if this was readapted into a mini-series instead of a movie.. and here's why i felt so..

STORY
I may be biased since I am comparing it to the webtoon, but honestly if this was a drama, there would have been more time to understand each character's backstory,...

Jiwoo: I really love her character in the webtoon, and I think the adaption here is 80% synchronized. But the Jiwoo in the webtoon is more cold-headed, but there were some parts (e.g her showing her anger, the scene of her cursing) that made me felt disjoined from the character portrated in the webtoon. Also, I honestly would have preferred if there was some development regarding Jiwoo BDSM's tendencies. In the film, her finding out Jihoo's fetish, and coming to accept it all came too fast... and the confession scene felt un-Jiwoo for me. In the webtoon, the confession was more like after she sorted out her boundaries etc. Here was more like an order, and Jihoo just adamantly rejected ..
Jihoo: I actually wanted to see some flashback scenes of why he became a male-sub. It was only briefly explained through voiceover dialogue but I felt that it was an important one. There were quite a build up and explanation in the webtoon. I also wished there was more conflicts of Jihoo with himself? In webtoon, there was the vandalism plot (Hana stalker ex-bf) and Ivan (i think they made him into Lee Han here) which had him in stress over his preferences. There was also Jihoo's ex-bf + blind date in the webtoon that were development scenes for Jihoo to question the boundaries between wanting Jiwoo as his master, girlfriend or both. I think since this is a movie, there wasn't time to build on this, so everything felt rush. But of course, there may be a different perspective for watchers whom had not read the webtoon.
-In the webtoon i really liked Hanna & the cafe owner whom was Jihoo's best friend! Their interaction was so cute!! but i think they integrated Hanna's character into Lee El's character, so :( and they removed Jihoo's best friend, whom i actually really like in the webtoon (HE IS SUPER TSUNDERE)
-Also, the confrontation scene between Jihoo's ex and Jiwoo was actually more interesting in the webtoon.. i can't believe they only just brushed by each other in the film :(
-Also Ivan, was one pivotal character i feel in the webtoon because he actually likes Jiwoo (which makes Jihoo nervous) but then also finds out his secret fetish.. but there wasn't much utilization of his character here other than ousting the two's BDSM voice recording...

Acting
I have nothing to pick on about the acting! For Seohyun i am really seeing her in a new light?? Because let's be frank, i think even some SONES would not have expected her to choose such a production!!! But then she nailed it?? it was completely natural for me :D For Junhyoung, i have no comparisons since its the first time i am watching him act, but i would say he really gave me that puppy vibe HAHHA which i think was what the director was going for :)

Overall, as a fan of the webtoon, i will obviously pick the webtoon over the film. But one good thing of this film is, i really liked how they handled the part on gender discrimination at workplace because this is what actually happens irl??? this also justifies why people like Jihoo wants to hide their preferences. I also preferred the film's ending because i did see sides of Jihoo as a man, and not as a sub to Jiwoo after they established their dating + sub & dom r/s in the film but i didnt see much of it in the webtoon... the webtoon was almost likely an open ending. I would say, it's a good watch still. I am curious of opinions of non-readers to be honest since I think my review was very biased since i kept comparing to the webtoon :|

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Sweet, Sexy, Submissive, Consensual ... slightly complicated too

This movie has a little bit of everything, fun informative beautifully shot and will have you thinking a lot of thoughts at once while still managing to make your heart flutter thinking oooh they are so sweet,.. and awch that must hurt but ohhh so sweet.

Knowing very little about the subject I found myself intrigued by both the plot and the informative scenes here and there making this not only fun and pretty for the eye but also a source of learning.

I love how this shows deals with the extremely important issue consent as well as shows the difference between consensual acts of dominance as well as non-consensual ones with the main focus being on consent, acceptance and growing together.

The characters in this movie are complex, lovable (most), there are PLENTY of pets (human and non human), lots of humor and not a single annoying character in sight. So what do I say a rom-com done right, that I may just re-watch with my husband for some inspiration, or just for fun ;)


I would say this is probably the funnest rom-com movie I have seen so far, so I strongly recommend people to watch it.

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Bondage and Discipline, Dominance and Submission, Sadochism and Masochism

Love and Leashes are definitely entertaining! It's fun to watch. Crazy good chemistry between Seohyun and Lee Jun-Young. The concept of BDSM and love was detailed. Even though BDSM was well explained and how it feels like to have a fetish and be accepted was well detailed, there was something lacking! There could have been more depth to it. Moreover, there are many erotic scenes, that were beautifully layered, especially the editing of this movie is really good. Another thing is that Bondage and Discipline, Dominance and Submission, Sadochism and Masochism, all these concepts of BDSM were so interesting. The way it was shown, not just scenes but the meaning behind it and stuff.

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You will fall in love !!

This movie looked all bubbly in the trailer but it's more than that, it blew me out of the water, the soundtrack was everything. one thing I for sure loved is that you didn't really know from whose perspective this was being told, yes it started with kid ino, however, it was never set the lines of whos it was blurred. IT'S BEAUTIFUL!! him using a mirror for her "color", him learning how to be who he is where he is, him loving her.

I LOVE the ending it feels like it's saying he doesn't see all the colors, just the one in front of him and I gotta adore the way they let him stay colorblind it was very realistic and just perfect.

just one question ..... WHY DID HE SEE RED ?!

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I crush on your eyes ♡

Loved the drama and the movie just made the experience better. I loved how they transitioned between what would've been a break between episodes. Hyunjun and Yoo Jun still gave me all the butterflies and kept me smiling from ear to ear. The friends of course had me smiling, would've been nice to see them a little more with extra scenes. I didn't give it a perfect 10 because like the drama, we don't have info on what happened with Yeon Woo's mom and it would've been great for them to also add extra scenes for it but I understand with Hyunjun not being apart of season 2 and all. The music was of course beautiful, I always have the soundtrack on repeat. These boys will always hold a special place in this story for me, I'll never get bored of it. I love it so much that I lowkey wish to live in such a world minus the dangerous part of it of course haha. Anyways, if you prefer not to have the break between the episodes and want it to all flow together nicely, I recommend watching the movie version over the drama version.

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‘ Dear Ex’; A Surprisingly Heartwarming Film…

Directed and cowritten by Mag Hsu and Chih-Yen Hsu as well as screenwriter Lu Shih Yuan, ‘ Dear Ex’ is a movie which will likely not appeal to everyone with its soap-opera style cliches and setups.

However despite some notable flaws and inconsistencies which could be found in ‘ Dear Ex’, the prominent messaging placed upon real-life issues such as homophobia , love, intolerance, teen-angst and familial relationships, arguably presented a somewhat niche plot line with an air of gritty complexity and heartfelt moments along the way.

After his father Zhengyuan (Spark Chen) dies of cancer, it is revealed that the beneficiary of the will is not Cheng-xi ( Joseph Huang) but Jay (Roy Chu), his father’s gay lover. Embarrassed and angered, Cheng-xi’s mother Liu Sanlian (Ying-Xuan Hseih), desperately tries to reclaim her late husband’s money, in order to afford her son’s tuition and the family’s cost of living — a process that alternately entails coercion and attempted blackmail.

Yet Cheng-xi, fed up of his mother’s manipulation , opts to live with free-spirited Jay instead. As Cheng-Xi and Jay become surprisingly close during their cohabitation, Cheng- Xi soon begins to question his loyalties towards his mother and his previous beliefs .

Directors Chih-Yen Hsu and Mag Hsu present ‘ Dear Ex’ with a melodrama edge. Nevertheless during quintessential moments, the directors aren’t afraid to place emphasis upon the narrative’s complex edges; the deeply fraught family history, Sanlian’s feelings of fury and rage by her husband’s decisions and affair, as well as the tragic decline of Zhengyuan’s health and spirit. In particular Sanlian’s change from the niche archetype of the overbearing mother and wife during her initial introduction, allowed opportunities for the directors in order to flesh-out her character as the storyline progressed.

Despite thematic themes hinting that ‘ Dear Ex’ should be a coming of age movie for Cheng-Xi, Chih-Yen Hsu and Mag Hsu placed greater emphasis upon tragic and ill-fated romances and immense pathos for its array of onscreen characters with equal sympathy. However despite Taiwan’s liberal stance upon same-sex marriage and LGBT rights, the movie still highlighted the presiding underbelly of prejudice within Taiwanese culture and society- homophobia and gay slurs often arising during key moments in order to expose this. In addition to this, ‘ Dear Ex’ also allowed some golden-opportunities for character development. One of the most intriguing and climatic in the movie’s narrative surrounding the rocky relationship between Jay and Sanlian; merging from contempt, to animosity before developing into mutual sympathy.

However whilst the non-linear narrative gave a smoothly edited storyline, ‘ Dear Ex’ could often lean into greater problems of incoherent plot holes. Despite some desperate attempts in order to wrap up certain key plot points, viewers were often left in the dark towards reasons and drive within the narrative. ( In particular the decision for Jay to become the main beneficiary, excluding Cheng-Xi entirely.)

The acting performances of the series are solid. Admittedly there were certain line deliverances which could feel somewhat enforced or lacking tact, the main cast were decent enough onscreen. Child actor Joseph Huang and actor Roy Chiu were particularly dynamic onscreen ; offering surprisingly emotional yet dynamic performances throughout the movie.

The pacing of the movie is slow in parts. Naturally it is arguable that certain scenes had to be slowed down in order to focus and build upon characters. On the other hand whilst the storyline did offer some expedited storyline moments, the inconsistent balance could sometimes limit opportunities in order to patch up weaker moments of dialogue, plot holes and character writing also.

Aside from integrating an array of flashbacks into the narrative, it is undeniable that under the directing reigns of Chih-Yen Hsu and Mag Hsu, ‘ Dear Ex’ is visually aesthetic . The emphasis upon vivid palette schemes are brought to life through emerald, scarlet and ruby red tones- helping to bring to life the emotional scope of the movie’s characters. In particular the usage of childish doodles surrounding Cheng Xi, amateurishly superimposed in parts, undeniably helped to captivate the medium for Cheng Xi’s transition into adulthood alongside his ideologies throughout the course of the film. The OST was notably subtle throughout its usage in the background of scenes; a little insipid in parts, but synchronic nonetheless.

Overall ‘ Dear Ex’ is admittedly a niche setup with seemingly archetypical characters and relationships. On the other hand whilst the movie could often fall into the pitfall of barely fleshed-out narrative points, Chih-Yen Hsu and Mag Hsu’s ‘ Dear Ex’ was a surprisingly exposure into the mindsets of its intriguing array of characters, as well as a societal critique into the clashing traditions of new and old in Taiwan. ‘ Dear Ex’ is undeniably flawed in parts, but is surprisingly heartfelt at times also.

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Slow Build But Great Movie

The storyline has been done before, but I like how it was executed here and that the music didn't overpower the acting/verbal moments. There was drama, action, emotional, cute and raw moments. The ML did really well considering half the time he wasn't allowed to say anything. FL was sweet and yet empowering. They had enough chemistry to make it believable. Incorporating the dog was smart, however not correctly executed towards the end*(at the end of this review I will explain, however it is a spoiler alert). Great MMA/fight scenes, including the training.

Due some parts not really being done well and really slow build of the story, that is why it's not a 10/10 for me. Definitely a good watch, that has scenes that will tug at your heart. 100% Rewatchable.

SPOILER ALERT
*The dog obviously knew him by scent and found the ML quickly. So why, (when she was trying to find Rui again on the street), didn't she take the dog,? It would have dragged her straight to him. Also in the pottery shop, the dog should've been trying to pull her back out the door, while barking.

Also FL sculpted his face from what her hands remembered, so she should've recognized him from that alone at the hospital. Her feeling his back muscles and thinking she knew him, not likely. Feeling his scar, the one she thought was a burn, that would've made more sense. Or even his scent, because she knew it from before due to her heightened other senses, that would be believable.

The part about the sea glass and it's connection to him, the ocean and her, was nice. Same with the song and music box.

All in all it was a great movie and I did enjoy it.

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