Reviews

Striving Alongside Your Lover

Sometimes, a surprise second season, while not being strictly necessary to wrap up anything story-wise, is a delight.

I considered this second season of Cosmetic Playlover to be a small step above the first in terms of consistency. Not only were the MLs consistently communicating and putting in effort to maintain their relationship, but even individual arcs in career/character growth were well-paced when stretched across more than one episode.

This season was all about tests of endurance and ingenuity. Mutually striving alongside/pushing your lover forward.

I'd not only call them a healthy couple but a realistic one that could be looked up to.

I'd even be ready to watch a third season!

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When You Get Another Chance At Life

I went in with no expectations and to my surprise, I love it! This drama makes me feel so satisfied. If you have regrets in life, this drama would feel fulfilling. The original Xia Xiaolan from both past and present are so common. The transmigrated Xiaolan is such a badass and I am loving it. But do remember that Xiaolan has a cheat sheet in life and she makes the most out of it. The drama moves at a fast pace but that’s understandable considering that they packed a long novel into a 36 episodes drama. The ending is expected due to the ban, but whatever with that. I just love how fulfilling this drama makes me feel.

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A Drama That Draws You In

I have seen MANY Chinese dramas in the 8 years I've been hooked into Asian dramas. This drama ALMOST beats Love Like The Galaxy which is my top one. It's a VERY close second. I love a strong woman drama, but this one shows off the FL's character in physical strength. The FL is believable as well as beautiful. Those eyes of hers draw me in. The ML is no less beautiful and his tenderness in this drama got me from the start. Unfortunately Netflix is on 1 drama per day this week instead of two which is sooooo aggravating. Don't miss this drama. It is definitely worth your time to watch

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unique plot and fantastic chemistry

Overall: this is a slow burn done right. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/6325/sammys-childrens-day-2026 (not available in Macau, Japan or Korea) ; Viki viki.com/tv/41463c-sammys-childrens-day (U.S, New Zealand possibly other countries) YouTube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvGcdVlZnkJ5Y4OWETVZTXmJMKswptul5&si=arkxVwP7ybUjxOgt (everywhere except Japan and Korea, episode 2 onwards requires a membership)

Content Warnings: murders, blood, torture, violence, kidnapping/held against will, coercion, mental health struggles, suicide, past child abuse, attempted sex trafficking, self harm, manipulation, non con kiss, grief

Watch Suggestions (take out most content warnings)
- episode 1 watch beginning to 16min, 20:30-end
- episode 2 watch beginning to 1:50, 6-15:30, 23:40-30:15, 36-38
- episode 3 watch 5min-14:45 and 31-46
- episode 4 watch 23min-end
- watch episodes 5, 6 & 7
- watch episode 8 (skip 18min-22:30)
- episode 9 watch beginning-5:30 and 28-end

What I Liked
- the setting/plot
- unique dynamic (the person who did the kabedon in a later episode is not who a viewer would expect)
- chemistry
- production value

Room For Improvement
- the main character appeared deadly and stone cold and then in the second half of episode 1 became goofy, it did balance out okay later
- finale had a quirky part, they show what happened after the credits at 35 minutes
- the cliffhanger ending with open plot threads and needed more with the side couple
- not a fan of dubbing but I didn't take off points as I know it's extremely common in China

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A Stylish Blend of Crime, Comedy, and Mystery

Confidence Queen delivers an entertaining blend of crime, comedy, and clever storytelling, making it a thoroughly enjoyable watch from start to finish. The series follows three con artists, Yoon Yi-rang, James, and Myung Gu-ho, who operate as a tightly coordinated team. However, they are not typical swindlers. Rather than targeting innocent victims, their elaborate schemes are aimed at corrupt and morally questionable individuals. This “con the bad guys” premise adds a satisfying sense of justice to the story and makes their actions feel more like vigilantism than simple deception.

One of the series’ greatest strengths lies in how well the central trio is written. Each character plays a distinct role within the group, and the narrative carefully highlights their individual talents while emphasizing how effectively they work together. Their dynamic feels natural and engaging, often resembling that of siblings who have grown to rely on each other through shared experiences. This bond adds emotional depth to the show and makes their partnership feel genuine rather than purely strategic.

The cases they tackle throughout the series are cleverly constructed and thoughtfully executed. Each episode presents a new scheme or challenge, with plans that unfold through a mix of careful planning, quick thinking, and deception. These missions are brought to life through a lively combination of comedy, action, adventure, and crime elements, keeping the storytelling consistently engaging while preventing the plot from becoming overly heavy.

Another compelling aspect of the narrative is the underlying personal story surrounding Yoon Yi-rang. While she leads the team in orchestrating their various cons, she is also quietly pursuing answers connected to a mystery from her childhood. The series skillfully weaves this personal storyline into the episodic cases, allowing it to develop gradually without overshadowing the main premise. As the show moves toward its final episodes and the truth begins to surface, the tension increases significantly. The writers do an excellent job creating the impression that everything is beginning to unravel, which makes the eventual reveal both dramatic and satisfying.

A particularly fun detail throughout the series involves the wardrobe choices for Yoon Yi-rang, played by Park Min-young. Many of her outfits appear to pay homage to characters she portrayed in her past roles, almost functioning as subtle Easter eggs for longtime fans. Whether intentional or simply coincidental, these stylistic nods add an extra layer of enjoyment and personality to the show. For viewers familiar with her previous work, spotting these references becomes an entertaining little game throughout the series.

If there is one area where the show falters slightly, it is in the resolution involving the primary antagonist. After investing considerable time building up the conflict, the outcome feels somewhat underwhelming. The punishment faced by the villain does not quite match the scale of their wrongdoing, and the narrative appears to take a shortcut in resolving this thread. While this doesn’t ruin the overall experience, it does leave a slight sense that the conclusion could have been more impactful.

Despite this minor drawback, Confidence Queen remains a highly enjoyable series. The pacing is steady, the storytelling is engaging, and the chemistry between the three leads carries much of the show’s charm. Their sibling-like dynamic, combined with cleverly executed schemes and an ongoing personal mystery, creates a series that is both fun and memorable.

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Not the best.

Sweet, kinda silly drama — the typical type you watch just to turn your brain off.
The idea was actually really cool and had a lot of potential, but the execution was pretty weak.
The drama itself was boring and kinda whatever.
The chemistry between the main leads? Basically nonexistent.
I also wanted to see more of the app storyline and the romance with other virtual boyfriends, but there was barely any of that.
And the main female character… insanely annoying. I could barely finish it because of her. All she does is sigh, start sentences without finishing them, or just stare when someone talks to her or asks a question. I was like, “girl, can you speak????”
Also, Jisoo as an actress ...— don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate her, but her acting is just really weak. There are so many better actors out there, and they still cast her just because she’s famous? Ugh. I’m just disappointed. (also i wanted to mention that i translated my opinion in google translator bc i dont speak english! )

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Destined to Watch This

Destined to Meet You is about a smart businesswoman who enters a contract marriage with a college student who has 5-year age gap with her.

As a short drama, the dialogue, camera work, and overall directing all scream "short-form series" right from the start. But I think it has a plot as good as some usual long romcom dramas, even better. First, it's a romcom, and they fulfill the romcom checklist like cute romance between the leads, past story connections, and business elements with some betrayal from close friend, all the clichés, but also a fast-paced story with no boring moments, no hard feelings, and no annoying characters, that make it enjoyable to watch. It's kinda rushed at the ending, but still fine. The acting is also pretty good.

Overall, it's really fun to watch, I finished it in one sitting because it's short. This drama also changed my stereotype about short dramas.

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Almost Perfect First Responder Action

The First Responders tells the story of the 119 team, including firefighters, paramedics, and police.

It's a fast-paced, intense and thrilling story, as it should be, with comedic moments here and there, and also interesting cases. These factors become the strengths of the series and keep me engaged throughout. The pacing is quite fine, even though the story shifts more toward police investigations rather than the first responders theme I expected in the mid-series. I also wish they had explored the firefighter character's personal story more. The cliffhanger ending is expected from this writer's past dramas.

Overall, it doesn't quite fulfill my expectations, yet it's still very enjoyable to watch.

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Finally, a C-Drama That Dares to Feel Different

How Dare You delivered everything I’ve been missing in Asian dramas.

For a long time, so many stories have relied on the same clichés, especially with repetitive tropes like isekai. This one actually feels different. It doesn’t just try to stand out, it really does.

The main couple doesn’t fall into that exhausting cycle of miscommunication. They trust each other, they support each other, and the story doesn’t need to break them apart just to create tension. The drama exists without weakening their relationship, and that alone already feels refreshing.

And somehow, it still made me cry. BEI SHU I’M NOT OKAY 😭

It’s funny, light, and just really enjoyable to watch. The slow burn feels natural, it builds without taking steps backwards, which is honestly rare. The side characters are all charming in their own way and actually feel important instead of just being there. Even the villain gets a punishment that feels right, without falling into the usual “death solves everything” route.

In sume, I laughed, I cried, I got anxious, and now that it’s over… I’m left with just one question: How are you?

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Coming of age - again :)

This season let me remember of "At 25:00 in Akasaka" - an continuation of the story after they had "their happy ever after" moment... But this season focuses on personal growth especially for Natsume. At the end of season 1 he became chief of the store and he has now to struggle to be the best chief possible. With it come challenges he did not expect. And quite early in the season there is the gloomy feeling over all the stories because Toma got offered an apprenticeship in Paris by the #1 Romy makeup-artist and this will take three years.

I like that the couple has several really heartwrenching moments, they talk out their problems and it feels really grown up between them both. Of course there is some comic relief in the person of Tomas father (played my "Mama" from "Therapy Game"), who suddenly appears to make Toma furious because he doesn't want him in his life. Natsume also got furious because the father sees no value in Tomas work and for Natsumes normal subdued appearance he "explodes". That was a pivotal moment to strengthen their bond even more.

And in such moments you can look at their partners faces and really feel how proud and full of love they are. So the acting is also imho better than in season 1. Production quality was also top notch, there is really nothing to complain about.

Many viewers do not like that season that much, because a) there is no real drama in it, b) it's slow and c) imho it went from a BL to a queer series. I enjoyed it at lot, because it is outside the norm we normally get to watch. That we got two shows of such a kind is remarkable. Also many expected there might be a time-jump "after Paris", but there isn't. So there is a chance we get either a special which will resolve that or even an unheard season 3. For me that was even better than the first season, but that maybe just me and I have to recommand it :)

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Super DUMB FL and Kardashiams-like plot after ep 87 ruined the drama

I WAS happy with this drama until ep 87/88 and now I am dropping it.
The FL is the same stupid in ep 88 as in ep 1!!!!!! By now the FL should transformed enough to know that one photo of SR is not a proof that SR is safe, and that the villain has no intentions to keep any promises to keep FL's family and BH safe. The villain plans to kill them all and WILL.

I do not mind that in ep 88 she thinks about dumping BH and marrying his brother. That is normal. She SHOULD be considering that as one option. But she SHOULD be rejecting it, based on some solid logic and previous experiences and information. BUT I AM SURE SHE WILL ACT ON IT and so I am gonna drop this drama.

BC FL HAS NO ABILITY TO SELF REFLECT. Runing the life of her love and his brother just so that she can get revenge by seeing the villain suffer - how DUMB is that???

Wow JM is cesspool. Her idea of love - to destroy the man she "loves" and his brother.... so that she could revenge and make HY suffer .... That is the situation in ep 87/88 when FL becomes evil and STAYS AS DUMB AS EVER

She makes the deal to marry ML's brother so that she would "save him" - whch is completely DUMB as the main villain has no intentions of keeping any promise and will kill everyone anyways.

Until ep 87/88, the drama was great for me and made perfect sense to me... Except that JM was too stupidly dumb, like The Woman Who Swallowed the Sun... seems like MCB loves creating dramas with REALLY DUMB LOW IQ FL.... Wow what a suicidal slant.

And seems like everyone wants to try Graceful Liar villain FL ... wow what a stupid slant. To appease the western audience, which is used to watching Kardashian kind cesspools...

YUCK THE REAL KDRAMAS ARE DEAD ALREADY

Some ppl complained that the drama doesnt make sense to them and wanted a bloody revenge - and they got it!!!! In ep 87, the drama turns into Kardashians. Western audience is so used to watching Kardashian-like stories based on s.x violence and evil, they just want it slightly dilluted in kdramas, and so they keep asking for it in kdramas, and they got it.... So I am out of this Kardashian story.


SO THIS IS MY REVIEW FOR EPISODES 1-86:
====================================
I love the particular feel of this drama where family people try to navigate revenge without losing track of family and love, and LIVE THEIR LIFE while doing a revenge.

I think it is super limiting to expect revenge in one particular flavor. I notice some audience wants some all obsessed bloody revenge. I say - there are a million ways to do revenge, this drama is just one way...

I like the plot and the acting of this drama, it all makes sense to me. I think it is a high quality production with a reasonably realistic plot, and with excellent acting. I LOVE the underlying cozy lovey dovey family feel of this drama. It is truly a family drama with revenge, instead of a drama focusing on revenge and using family as the props. In this drama, a loving family deals with the misfortune that has befallen them, and they do their best - while thrown into a chaos of various entities moving against them.

The drama is an amazing thriller as there are SO MANY IRONS IN THE FIRE, so many "teams" of people competing to gain some info and upper hand on the opponent and then make a move... it is actually nerve wrecking :) :) :)
Quite a combo of lovey dovey and a nerve wrecking thriller.

Imo FL is an excellent actress, I saw her for the first time in Queen's house and became a fan. That was a quality production with many excellent actors, so I learned to follow the actress and ended up watching First Man too.

First Man is even better, the start of the story was fast, and things are rolling.... ML-FL pair is a good team in this drama, and they are GREAT. ML actor is fantastic.

The villain is super effective, her slimey flippant voice makes me growl any time I hear it LOL
and there are other good actors in here. GoldDigger duo is really fun, and their flirting with Tae Puyng allowed us to see how good looking they are and he is... The Chairmain is a great mystery card... the Adjuma is great too... Overall, the acting is great (except Jun Ho but he improved and is still improving.)

FL Jang Mi and ML Baek Ho come from very warm loving families, so their world is based on kindness and trust - and makes then naive and slow to understand when they are being swindled... makes them less cautious... and yes perfectly capable of having a lovey dovey romance while doing the revenge. Their whole life they have been a "sheltered kid" so yeah dealing with criminals is new to them. They are comfortble, stable, slow people who take family and love first. So of course they are having a lovey dovey romance while doing revenge!!! LOVE IS THE ONLY WAY THEY KNOW HOW TO LIVE :) and they live it!!!! no matter what :) JM also needs help for the revenge, the job is too big for one person...

It doesnt help that JM is not terribly smart :( and tends to make rash arrogant (and false) conclusions, fails to connect the dots, and witholds critical information from teammates "because she does not want to shock them" - that is seriously dumb way of thinking - and it is all a detriment to the drama...
Luckily JM was slowly getting better.... the organic slow progress made sense as it was "day to day" dramatime...
and episode 77 shows JM changed and got a LOT smarter and wiser and street smart... That's cool.

I love the character of Baek Ho bc he is that loyal doggy stable reliable loving caring guy. You know that guy, the nice neighbor, the good friend guy? He is not the smartest either but he is honest and keeps trying.
FL and ML actors really convey their characters. It is fun to watch Jang Mi and Baek Ho grow and change. By ep 66, they are getting more and more skilled in working together to overcome the crime, and they are getting more and more skilled in their romance too :) BH from a quiet "stable" shy guy turned out to be quite a charmer LOL It is possible bc BH actor is very talented and nailed down his character. In fact, I do not see the actor, it seems REAL, like BH was a REAL person.

Jun Ho is the most complex character of them all, and also Seo Rin. They both survived extreme hostile environments from birth on, and survived on their intelligence and creativity. They are crazy risk takers, have crazy high difficult-to-reach goals, they are shakers and players. When SR was the leading character, the drama was moving a lot faster!
JH has a mean streak as well as abandoned child in grief and needing his mommy streak, so it will be fun to see how his character develops.
Jun Ho actor was such a piece of cement at the start but luckily his acting is now more lively and expressive. It is fun to watch that.

Overall, this is the quality of a good weekend family drama, but with more drama - like murders and villains - and revenge and makkang, just spread into 120 episodes 30 mins each, with great cliffhangers.

Great to watch when you have some time in your breaks.

Around ep 66, about half of the drama, started getting more "faster and complicated" as more players are into the game, and the core players are smarter :) and JM and BH got foxy :)

The twin sisters SR and JM are soooo different... JM is not educated, from poor family, and slow... SR is witty, smart, fast, creative... and ends up in coma, so JM has to grow up fast...
Both sisters are acted by the same actress, the FL actress.
FL actress is very talented and she really nails down both characters.

It is harder to find good actresses, esp bc their script is typically NOT in their favor and makes them too dumb. Queen't house started with super dumb FL and finally let her be smart and successful. The FL is same there and here, and she nailed both roles. To act twin sisters at the same time, even in the same scenes, is some impressive acting skillZ. RESPECT!!!!

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Las chicas del jazz y UN CHICO

clásicos del jazz, amistad, comedia, verano e invierno, la caída en bicicleta y un jabalí muy extraño pero interesante. Simplemente increíble, no tengo nada más que pedir

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A love letter to Love itself

What can I say, I created an account just so I can praise this amazing show in hopes more people watch it. I think that says it all. What caught my eye was the actor Yiran, but the female lead Bao stole my heart, and the two of them together just put this show in my top 10. I love a broken ML and sunshine FL and together their love breaks all boundaries and they overcome hardships together. The young actors did so amazing in their roles, Yiran's eyes are so expressive and the fact he was able to play two roles really tells you a lot about his acting skills. They have such a bright future ahead of them.

Don't even get me started on the script, I loved the intricate storyline, spanning across generations and the way it flowed together without becoming a mess. The supporting characters were all great too, they all had their time to shine. I LOVED the battle scenes, the choreography of the fights were interesting and my eyes were glued to the screen. I will be rewatching this from time to time, that's for sure. IF you're reading this wondering if you should watch it, I highly recommend you don't hesitate.

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GMMTV lo hai fatto ancora.

Devo essere sincera, questa serie mi è piaciuta molto. E credo che la GMMTV si confermi come ottima nel produrre questo tipo di serie. Un po' thriller, un po' scolastiche. Anche se immagino (io non lo ho ancora visto) anche il materiale di partenza deve essere ottimo per aver partorito una trama del genere.
Per quanto gli attori siano stati tutti bravi, devo dire che l'attrice migliore in questa questione, per me è stata Jan (che a parte piacermi di base moltissimo come attrice) ha portato veramente la perfidia del suo personaggio: proprio quel personaggio si presenta perfido dal profondo del cuore e che continua nella sua perfidia anche quando è in svantaggio. Anche il personaggi di Kay e Kay mi sono piaciuti molto, anche se devo dire che secondo me la protagonista alla fine doveva finire con lui, mentre la sorella con il personaggio di Krist. Mi è sembrato un finale sensato, perché il personaggio di Krist ha sempre cercato la sorella in lei, mentre il personaggio di Kay la vedeva al 100%. Devo continuare dicendo che se Krist è una conferma, sono piacevoltemente stupita da Kay, che è la prima volta che ho visto come protagonista al 100% e non in un ensamble (come in Wednesday club). L'ultima delle attrici, ma non avviamente per importanza è ovviamente Namtan che ho trovato molto valida in entrambi i ruoli (anche se per me, che ho visto prima Pluto e poi questo, già era nota come sua capacità). Devo dire che questa serie mi è piaciuta, anche se ci ho impiegato un pelo di tempo a vederla, ma questa è solo perché ho 800 cose da fare, on top of watching le mie serie. Però la consiglio, è bella anche perché ha quelle vibes scolastiche vecchie che si vedono meno nelle ultime serie (anche prodotte dalla GMMTV stessa).

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