Reviews

Love Upon a Time: A Beautifully Crafted Series with Outstanding Chemistry

Love Upon a Time is a drama series that truly leaves a lasting impression. From the very beginning, it manages to create a strong, beautiful, and captivating atmosphere. One of its biggest strengths is the incredible chemistry between the two male leads. Their connection feels very natural, powerful, and convincing, without feeling forced or cringe at all. Every interaction between them feels genuine, emotional, and easy for the audience to connect with.

The main actors deliver excellent performances and bring their characters to life with sincerity and depth. Their acting feels expressive yet never excessive. The supporting cast also plays an important role in making the story richer and more engaging. Each character adds something meaningful to the overall world of the series.

In terms of production, Love Upon a Time is also visually impressive. The costumes are beautifully detailed and perfectly match the tone of the story. The atmosphere, locations, visuals, and language are all handled extremely well. Every element feels carefully thought out and works together to create a very memorable viewing experience.

Overall, Love Upon a Time is truly an amazing project that deserves more recognition. It stands out not only because of its story and characters, but also because of its chemistry, acting, visuals, and overall atmosphere. I highly recommend this series to be aired again, as it is genuinely outstanding and deserves to be enjoyed by a wider audience.

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I'm gonna miss my sun-kissed boys ♡

How refreshing this show was!
​I love how it escaped the stereotypes, trends, and the usual look of modern media with all the heavy makeup.

The cinematography, locations, scenery, and costumes were amazing. Everything felt so familiar, warm, comfortable, and enjoyable.

​All the production and cast did a great job, everyone nailed their roles and the boys... I have no words. Both couples felt so drawn to each other all the time, yet delivered two of the most memorable NC scenes I've ever seen in a BL.

​Cheers to Wishing Upon a Shooting Star, I am really going to miss them.

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you are precious to someone <3

do note that this review contains bias because i love yoo jaesuk, lee kwangsoo, ji yeeun and byeon wooseok! the cast itself was the main reason why i enjoyed watching the show <3

i was looking forward to jaesuk's bnb rules ever since the casting came out because i love all the cast members, and they did not disappoint me. it can be hard to watch at first because of how chaotic it was, but it surely gets better. it is understandable, as it is their first time handling a bnb. and kudos to them, as i feel like i would not be able to do this without getting tired because i am a low-energy person.

i know there are some comments mentioning that the guests in the first session are more flashy, but i beg to differ because each of them have their own shining points, which makes it more unique. but yeeun's younger brother, donggun, really won the cake for me as he made an impression on all for me. i also loved how they kept it from yeeun, and yeeun handled it professionally lmao- and i was really glad that yeeun was able to proceed with filming despite having thyroid problems, and i am glad that her treatment was successful!

having hyori and her husband, sang-soon from the second session added some professionalism among the chaos. this gave me a huge throwback, as i was a huge fan of family outing, loving the interaction of hyori and jaesuk. so i was so glad to be able to see them interacting and having fun like the old times. and it has been 15 years; that's crazy.

among the guests in the 2nd season, namjin made a lasting impression on me with his backstory. it really broke my heart and i was bawling with them. i really appreciate on how hyori and jaesuk handled the situation by giving him time and saying nothing as if i was placed in the situation, i would try to say something and perhaps make the situation worse.

the dynamics between kwangsoo and wooseok were surprisingly fun to watch. i really enjoy them bickering with each other and kwangsoo being vocal about being jealous that wooseok has all the attention, i mean, he is surely attractive af! i kinda wished they showed more of yeeun because she is just as precious to me as the others, but her doing yoga is so funny and it would be me doing yoga HAHA

when jaesuk gave his last speech on: in your own lives, you're all fighting hard, and sometimes it can feel like a battlefield. but rather than exhausting yourself trying to win every battle, i hope you'll sometimes focus simply on surviving. comfort yourself and protect yourself amid that intensity. it hit me hard because all along we have been told, to win every battle we fought, do not give up; we can do it. even at some point in time, we forgot that we have to survive and protect ourselves to prevent us from crumbling.

overall, jaesuk's bnb rules provided me with a sense of comfort, a sense of home, and made me realised that a variety show can really heal you, provide new perceptive. and jaesuk really hit his goal of making a relaxing bnb where people can forget their problems, their identity that acts as a lock to people, and truly relax themselves here. i hope to attend camp just like this one day <3 + i want a season 2 with all the casts because they are my precious!

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Title: Shi Yi Hou He Si Dui Tou Shan Hun Le (2024) is a great romantic comedy miniseries with Qian Zhe (as Lu Hao Ting) and Zhai Yi Ying (as Su Ruan) in the leading couple's roles. The cast did a good job bringing their characters to life and the leading couple had a very good impassioned and sensual chemistry that made this comedy very entertainment; enjoy it!
In the meantime, you can watch the drama on YouTube:"Mistaking her rival for her boyfriend, he spoils her while her ex begs for mercy!" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPqhygS7VPw) or:
"After losing memory, she mistakenly married CEO, not knowing CEO had liked her for 10 years." (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gui9RIUuUGk)
"Cheated After 7 Years of Love, She Lost Her Memory and Married Her Enemy!" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HQC2V8ysf8)

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good enough if you don't have anything to watch.

overall this is a short enjoyable drama. I personally finished it in one sitting and was satisfied.
it is perfect if you are not sure about what to watch next or if you feel you are in a slump.

I want to preface that this show shouldn't be taken too seriously otherwise red flags will start start appearing left and right.🤣
there is literal sexual harassment in the office!!
as a form of pure entertainment it does its job decently.

PLOT: oh go has been single for a year. her life is not perfect and when her ex boyfriend becomes her new boss things get worse, but in the same office someone else has been watching over her for a long time...
will there be a love triangle? or even a square?😏

the drama:
this is a reverse harem basically. everyone in this drama is in love In love with our main lead which in some cases makes sense but not so much in others.

I was enjoyinging specifically the young toy boy going after go oh but the drama made him a terrible guy and this plot line felt superfluous at the end.
I would have loved for her to have some "brainless fun" but our girl is a ride or die (rightfully so😅) type.

the other 2 main love interests are good enough to keep you entertained even though they felt a bit flat as characters.

the "bossy" boss was a man child unable to express himself and only capable of yelling at his supposed "beloved" junior.

the other one was a self piting ex boyfriend finding the courage to make things right only when he smells another guy in the vicinity of oh go.

as said before, it's better to take this drama as silly, because If we start thinking real hard, I don't feel any of them was a perfect match. I'd rather pick the old manager who behaved like an adult 😅😅. he was calm. funny and understanding.

the plot:
there is none to be honest. this is just a rom com about a girl choosing a guy.

the execution:
I didn't find the dialogues particularly brilliant. in honesty, I found them quite bad and boring at times. there is nothing really memorable in this drama.

the worst:
the part I hated the most is the mother. I am sick and tired of Korean mothers treating their daughters like less then and treating their adult sons like poor little angels who can do no wrong and deserve everything.

I feel there wasn't a satisfying resolution for this part. sure, the mother stood by her daughter side in some occasions but that doesn't make it up for everything else in my opinion.

the romance:
the main couple was still cute, the actors had good chemistry.

CONCLUSIONS:
watch it to spend some brainless time in case of need.😅

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Such a frustrating watch!

Such a frustrating watch! It really didn't need need 16 episodes. It started out so promising with the single helper with a thriving business. I feel like literally any other direction would have been better than the romance of Sang-eun and the judge. I tried so hard to like that guy but he was sooo hard to like. Their conversations were so flat and drawn out.
Hae-jin was a much better match in so many ways. They had easy chemistry, he was emotionally open and he was devoted to her. He was even a great boss. It would have been so dope if she has chosen him and they'd been a power couple who does what they want despite the conglomerate constraints - or whatever.
With the judge I felt like she was carrying that whole relationship on her back. She had to teach him how to function as a partner and even at work. I was so confused when she started talking about how the judge was too good for her. Like gal, what do you mean? I also really disliked how his character was supposed to be stoic but he kept making all these weird impulse decisions. Like saying I want to see you right now - at late hours of the night. Chugging alcohol that he can't handle etc. How he'd revert to being a mean boss when things weren't going well with Sang-eun. Then she even proposed! She was really doing too much.

Yoo Madam was my favorite, in my opinion, the best written character. She was so complex. And the actress did an amazing job of bringing out the character. I kept wondering, is she the mom or not? I was so delighted when she was.
I also liked all his workmates with their colorful characters. As well as his superior's wife. They were all so fun. It balanced out the fact that he was grumpy at work and created a difficult working environment. His ex-wife was cool too.
I was also excited to see the LGBTQ representation! It would have been nice to see him liking people and dating them, and just more about his life. I loved the bestie dynamic with him and Sang-eun. I did like the fact that he stayed to be a top star and didn't go to Canada.

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Haunting, emotionally devastating and cathartic. Beautiful love story ❤️

This is basically a modern-day Romeo and Juliet story. It has action, humour, suspense and an intense romance. Jisoo and JHI meshed so well together and had incredible chemistry. It is a slow burn romance with soft sweet subtle interactions. There are only a few simple touches and comforting romantic hugs between them, but I felt their deep connection and all their scenes gave me butterflies. I couldn't stop smiling and was giddy with excitement whenever they came together onscreen. Unfortunately theirs was a story of unfulfilled love and you could feel their longing and anguish to be together at every moment.

I fell sooo hard for Lee Soo Ho. JHI's portrayal as the dark brooding conflicted spy just hits differently compared to his other roles. He was totally swoon-worthy in this and his physique suited this type of role. Snowdrop so far is probably my favourite of his dramas. He has a natural effortless charm about him and his acting was mind-blowing. JHI is a master of micro-expressions. He relies on only the tiniest, most subtle movements of his eyes and facial muscles to convey his emotions - pure genius! Jisoo has a unique innocence and brings a special warmth to her character. She perfectly captured the essence of a teenager falling in love at first sight, who is full of hope, optimism, radiance, raw vulnerability, awkwardness and then as the drama shifts tone to high stakes her character's tone changes to serious and complex showing emotional volatility and immense sorrow due to the dangers, betrayals and the risk of losing loved ones, but despite all the hardships her spirit remained unbroken. Jisoo was cast perfectly for this role.

This drama was poignantly beautiful and tragic at the same time. Under different situations and circumstances this couple would have fallen deeply in love and lived their happiest lives together. Nevertheless Snowdrop was perfectly executed

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Breaking Free and Learning to Love Again

I really loved the male lead's mentality in this drama. Despite loving the female lead deeply and wanting to be by her side all the time, he never tries to make her dependent on him. Instead, he encourages her to be strong, independent, and capable of standing on her own. Even though he wants to keep her close, he also wants her to have the freedom and confidence to choose her own path. That kind of love was refreshing to watch.

The leads looked amazing together and had great chemistry. The male lead perfectly captured the role of a man who is completely devoted to the woman he loves. He was warm, respectful, caring, and absolutely head over heels for her. Every gesture, every look, and every moment of support felt genuine.

The story itself has quite a lot going on. The female lead starts off as a strong woman who has been worn down by life and trapped in a toxic marriage. Instead of supporting her, her husband slowly isolated her, controlled her, and made her feel worthless while benefiting from her wealth and status. Watching that relationship fall apart was frustrating but also necessary.

What I appreciated most was that once she decided to leave, she didn't spend forever dwelling on the past. She chose herself, walked away from the toxicity, and started rebuilding her life. The male lead became a source of support, but he never overshadowed her growth. He helped her find her confidence again rather than trying to save her.

The romance develops quickly, but the chemistry between the leads makes it work. More than anything, this drama feels like a story about healing, self-worth, and finding someone who loves you without trying to control you. And honestly, watching the female lead leave a toxic marriage and find happiness again was incredibly satisfying.

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Basic k-drama love story for when you’re bored

The beginning of the show was really good and it captivated me from the get-go! This is my first time seeing Chae Wonbin in a main lead romance role, and she did really well. I enjoyed her acting and her visuals a lot. When it comes to Ahn Hyoseop, he sort of keeps getting type casted a lot. None of his roles seem to differentiate…what’s so funny about this show is that he basically played the business proposal’s characters twin almost. They were so extremely similar from being ceo to being ‘cold’, ‘nonchalant’ and uninterested in dating until he meets a silly goofy girl who makes him want to care and falls for her. You get the jist right? Its pretty basic lol.

What I liked about this show is the relationships we see outside of the main couple, I really liked the side characters and they kept things entertaining. Somewhere in the middle of the show things got a bit boring and it felt like it was getting quite dragged out but it was never to a point where it was painful to watch (cough cough like dynamite kiss). It was pretty funny and it had its emotional moments that made me tear up.

But truly, the one thing I liked the most about this show was the last episode. They did the ending so well! I swear kdramas nowadays (when it comes to romcoms) always rush their endings and leave major plotholes lingering despite having so much screentime they could’ve used to fill those gaps in but instead focused on the most boring plots. I really really loved how every character took accountability for their actions and patched all of their relationships up. I love how Dam Yejin acknowledged how much she neglected her father and apologised to him, we rarely see a main character do this to people they do wrong just because they were in pain! I loved to see it! I loved seeing her fix her relationship with her parents in the end, and the second lead wasn’t lead on and he took the rejection like a champ, it didn’t even feel like there was a competition but just a silly misunderstanding between everyone. It was nice how everything was finally summed up in the end.

It was a pretty good show, I’ll be honest the only reason why my rating bumped up to 8 is because I liked the ending so much. Kdramas genuinely miss on their endings every damn time but this was really nice to watch. I felt happy finishing this show! However I do believe it would be more fun to watch this with someone since some episodes do get a bit boring..👀

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Deeper Than Expected

I saw the trailer. We all probably did. It’s probably what brought you here. And yes, this drama does start off in that vein: toxic, deeply unhealthy, and raunchy as hell. That’s just to hook you though. It might start with smutty melodrama, but it turns into a pretty classic star-crossed love story. It’s very romantic, the cast manages to be pretty solid, and the quality of production is way better than you’d expect of a mini-drama in the vertical format.

If you want the absolutely outrageous implausibility we normally get from the verticals this might not work for you, but if you want an on-the-go vertical that brings a bit more classic K-drama style to your BL table, this will definitely suit.

Please note I’ve rated this with the general standard of vertical dramas in mind, so, yes, it’s an eight-plus by those standards, but it’s not an eight in the full length, landscape format sense.

The casting is well done, the costumes are obviously made of modern materials, but are well-made. The budget always shows when there’s a gat in the offing. There’s not a single horse hair in one of them, and I doubt there’s any bamboo either. Nylon and wire all the way.

Anyway, that’s smart use of budget. They used the money where it was needed, and it ensures a polished product. It’s the best vertical I’ve seen, once they get past the bait (sexy bits), and move into the actual story. The sexy bits definitely feel like choreographed and rehearsed shenanigans, rather than practised erotica. it’s far too techical to be organic or improvised by gay men who know the drill, pun intended. I doubt many MLM hookups go down the way these guys go at it. It just doesn’t look that fun. it’s very elegant though, and carefully conceals the undoubted presence of underwear 😏

Anyway, you can watch this in the Lezhin Snack app. It cost me around $NZ12 (USD7), and I don’t feel ripped off, so that shows how extraordinary it is for a vertical. Enjoy, or don’t. It’s up to you.

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