How can a poorly written ending destroy a beautiful love story ...
PLOT: Yoki, an insomniac star actor, is caught up in a scandal (framed) and forced to film a celebrity game show on an island. There, he reunites with Yang Meng, a former high school classmate. Yoki is surprised to find himself sleeping soundly next to Yang Meng. As their adventures unfold, Yoki and Yang Meng grow closer and are attracted to each other, but Yang Meng hesitates because he fears his (very homophobic) father's disapproval and the rumors.+++ Electric chemistry between Lin Feng Song and Chen Wen⚡⚡, both excellent.
+++ Very good cast, and I really like the second romance (which shows other facets of a relationship).
+++ Awesome OSTs (。ˇ ⊖ˇ)♡ but why Korean songs?
+++ Coherent storyline and fast-paced direction. The cinematography is magnificent, and the stunning landscapes are beautifully showcased.
### The last two episodes are convoluted, poorly written, and full of plot holes.
=> My final impression is inevitably skewed by the last two episodes (9.5 -> 8), which is a shame considering the superb work of the actors.
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PLOT : Yoki, acteur star insomniaque est victime d'1 scandale (framed) et est obligé d'aller tourner 1 show de "jeux de célébrités" sur 1 ile. II y retrouve Yang Meng, ancien camarade de lycée. Yoki est surpris de dormir sans pb auprès de Yang Meng. Au fil des aventures télévisuelles, Yoki et Yang Meng se rapprochent, s'attirent mais Yang Meng hésite car il craint la réprobat° de son père (très homophobe) et les rumeurs.
+++ Alchimie électrique entre Lin Feng Song et Chen Wen⚡⚡, tous deux excellents.
+++ Très bon cast et j'aime bcp la 2nde romance (qui montre d'autres aspects d'une relation)
+++ OSTs géniales （。ˇ ⊖ˇ）♡ mais pourquoi des Korean songs ?
+++ Storyline cohérente et réalis° sans temps mort. La cinématographie est magnifique et les superbes paysages, bien mis en valeur.
### 2 derniers épisodes tordus, mal écrits, pleins de plot holes.
=> Mon impression finale est forcément altérée par les 2 épisodes finaux (9.5 -> 8), ce qui est dommage pour le superbe travail des acteurs.
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ugly make up, good story lost in maximizing pain by stupid script writer
The make up artist should be SACKED. Imagine giving the ML with EAR to EAR eyebrows nearly straight across the nose bridge! Is this cartoon? This is supposedly professional make up?? UGLY as HELL .The story has great potential but the real story is lost because the script writer is OBSESSED with maximizing pain ! To do that, she made the FL stupid, endangering herself at every turn and the ML is having to sacrifice himself repeatedly to the end point.
The real story is about the power play between the ML and the grand tutor Ling.The focus should be on how to defeat the culprit It's a fantastic story but instead of the fantastic story the script writer destroyed it by the determination to cause pain between the leads
The script writer obviously DISRESPECT women, (ALL the women here are thoughtless,crazy and headstrong)The men are chauvinistic -making decisions and failing to communicate with the women in the guise of "protecting"her, that's not love, that's disrespectful of women and super chauvinist
This is the calibre of this script writer !!
Book is different from drama. People who read books can cry all they like but dramas are for entertainment, therefore there's No need to adhere to the book to maximise pain. Tear jerking doesn't automatically make your product "arty", in fact it's a big TURN OFF
It's stupid mistakes and pain throughout with no growth or correction of the miscommunication which is what real love should be, this is just chauvinistic ML and headstrong FL -REPEATEDLY
The actors are extremely good but the script only serves to anger and spoiled my mood
I stopped at episode 14, I had enough. And I read of the ending which proved to me that the entire purpose is just to inflict pain when the object should be to display the fantastic power play and how to defeat the culprit. Somehow the main story of the culprit is LOST in the obsession with inflicting pain
Tear jerking DON'T make it a work of art, it's just a waste of good talent and good story made to become trashy tear jerking tool
Don't waste your time . It's totally UNENJOYABLE
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Definitely a comfort watch
Re-watching this series after getting ML hangover from “Can this love be translated?”. I’m not good at remembering details from series I’ve watched before so going into this was familiar yet surprising still. I’ll break it up into 3 parts: Story, characters, and overall thoughts.The story was straightforward with not too many frills – an upper-class dentist moving to a local, close-knit neighborhood where he meets a handy-dandy, jack-of-all-trades man. I would consider it a feel-good series with realistic conflicts here and there. I’m not into dramas with too much side stories as it gets too overwhelming for me, but this one had a moderate amount, with each story having its own time to shine and not just all thrown out at once.
Hye-Jin was an unlikeable character at first but not insufferable enough to be steered away from watching the series. I think her character was quite relatable. As a city girl who was not a social butterfly, she was overwhelmed by the connectedness and openness of the Gongjin neighborhood. She was not used to people being too involved in her daily life, and I could relate to that as a person who values personal time and peace. I think the progression of her warming up to the people was paced correctly. I would have to say that the only thing I did not like about her character was her sudden shift of energy once she was in a relationship. I think there was a drastic shift from her serious and professional demeanor to this bubbly and cutesy personality. Chief Hong or Hong Banjan reminded me of “your friendly neighborhood spiderman”, willing to help everyone in need. He was reliable and good with people but not in a cringey, inauthentic way. He was frank, direct, and honest, not afraid to say what is on his mind. Except, there was one thing that he was keeping from everyone. When asked about his past and the reason for his unconventional lifestyle, he would always divert the question, but you could notice in his expression that he was carrying something heavy. When his story had unraveled, it explained a lot of things about Chief Hong and the decisions he had made. I would say that the was a truly kindhearted person who just had a lot of unfortunate things happen to him and mostly to the people around him and so naturally, he carried guilt with him. He did not directly do anything wrong but because so many people who were close to him had suffered, I think he was unable to disassociate himself from what had happened and couldn’t logically think that he was not the instigator of these happenings. I was contented with the development of the relationship between the FL and ML. They were a “polar opposites” trope which led to a lot of differences at first. I loved how both leads had a strong personality but somehow matched each other quite well and I think it’s because in reality, Chief Hong had a soft and loving side to him contrary to the tough façade he had shown. There was a lot of characters in this series, and it would take a long time for me to discuss all of them. All I could say is that I was shocked but happy to see a bisexual/homosexual representation with Cho Hui. I also loved the healthy relationship between the SML and ML, it was like they were practically brothers.
Hometown Cha-cha-cha was definitely a comfort watch. You could feel the warmth of the neighborhood, and it was expressed in a beautiful way where you would think that you were a part of the community. I thought the stories fit well with each other and were portrayed with perfect timing and emotions. Everything was realistic enough to believe that this could be a real-life story in a small village somewhere out there. I have ML hangover but in a different way. In CTLBT, I was hungover by the actor mostly but in HCCC, I became attached to the character itself. I loved Chief Hong and I think he would be an ideal guy if there really was a real-life Chief Hong. I have to commend Kim Seon Ho for his acting here. I think he did a much better job in this one than CTBTL, but it may have just been the character that he played which gave him more liberty to express emotions. I re-watched so many scenes to admire all of the expressions he would make – they were so natural and refreshing to see. It was one of the most natural acting I have seen, and it made me appreciate his talent in acting more. I’m happy I was able to rewatch this, I think I appreciated it more now than four years ago. I’ll miss the village of Gongjin.
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Downhill after episode 3
What I liked the most? The first 2-3 episodes of the drama. That's all. I'm not quite sure how I ended up finishing this drama but it may be because I was hoping it would redeem itself. It had so much potential. But the FL just irritated me with how clueless she acted. She was immature for her age. The ML was amusing to watch but his character was so inconsistent. The whole plot was inconsistent and the ending was underwhelming. One good thing about it is that it got me back to watching K-drama again. I don't know how but it did.Was this review helpful to you?
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A Strong Start with Impressive Acting and Attention to Detail
Even though I’ve only watched the first episode so far, this series is really good!From the props to even the school name, you can tell the director added a lot of small details. The cinematography looks great too. The acting is impressive overall, but what really stood out to me was Perth’s expression during the phone call with Solar’s mom — you can totally feel what the character is going through in that moment.
Santa also did a great job playing a kid. It didn’t feel annoying at all, but instead made you understand how a 7-year-old would feel waking up in a strange place — a bit alert and unsure.
Really excited to see how the story goes. Love it!
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Time I will never get back
and I even fast forwarded...a lot!I have loved KHY in other things I've seen her in, but I didn't find her suited to this part. Her voice, her pouting, her arms crossed, it was all just wrong. You know how some people can portray a character in such a way that even if they are unlikeable, you end up rooting for them? That was not the case here. I didn't like her at the beginning, and I liked her even less at the end. I hate to say it, but KHY may be typecast as the friendly, bubbly FL.
Lomon was okay, but he could have played a bit part and my feeling for him would be the same. Nothing stuck out about him here.
Personally, I thought the script was very lackluster. None of the actors seemed fully invested in their characters, I felt like they were just going through the motions. It meandered all over the place, never arriving at something that made sense. I didn't feel any chemistry between the leads, but that wasn't helped by the script. She was hateful, then suddenly they were dating because she decided that was what they were going to do, and she was still her hateful self. Definite lack of character growth.
And PLEASE! A 10-year time skip, one of which she was around him but didn't tell him?!?! One opportunity I think that was really missed, when the other gumiho spilled about all that she had done for him, when he thought it was the FL - it would have made more sense for him to discover that the FL was actually human and not still a gumiho. Or maybe that's what actually happened, but I missed it, because I was counting the minutes until I could be done with this drama.
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1Love, escapism and addiction.
A romance film with a dark and artsy indie film tone might not be everyone's cup of tea, but this film is a win for me. This film centers around the character of Jane — a struggling actress, a strong woman on the outside, but beneath her facade lies a hidden pain and a reliance on alcohol as a coping mechanism. Despite the dull mood and tone rather than the typical sunny and cheerful romance formula, in my opinion, this film really delivers the emotions it intended quite effectively. Director Irene Villamor puts flaws, imperfections, problems, and struggles at the forefront—the real issues people are facing in real life and in a relationship. And the film does not glamorize or romanticize Jane's struggles, but instead presents them in a stark and unfiltered light.The script is not super neat. There are a few loopholes and somewhat draggy plots, but despite that, I like that this film doesn't offer easy answers or tidy resolutions. The idea of "love is not always the answer" is on point. I love how Jane and Francis' relationship is not portrayed as a quick fix to Jane's issues. It shows the harsh reality of using alcohol as a crutch and the destructive impact it can have on a person's life and relationships. But despite the issues and heavy subject matter, the film also has moments of tenderness between Jane and Francis. Their dynamic is complex and layered, mirroring the struggles of real-life individuals grappling with similar issues. The visual storytelling aspect is also on point and I found myself drawn into its dark, but somehow hopeful world.
In my opinion, the strength of this film is definitely the performance. Bela Padilla really shines in her role. Her multi-dimensional portrayal of Jane, a character walking a tightrope between strength and vulnerability, is rather complex, but she delivers it perfectly. From moments of quiet introspection to explosive outbursts of emotion, Padilla infuses her performance with a raw authenticity that is both captivating and heart-wrenching. JC Santos's performance might not be as outstanding, but his presence still manages to bring layers to the story. Their undeniable chemistry never fails to make me swoon.
Overall, it may not be the most outstanding film of the JC-Bela tandem, but I consider it a poignant and thought-provoking film that delves into the dark and gritty realities of alcoholism and entertainment. It also serves as a reminder that sometimes, love is not enough to heal our wounds and that true healing begins with facing our demons and taking control of our own destiny.
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Wasted potential
They locked in from episode six forward, but it was difficult to watch before that point. They had everything they needed to make a good drama if only they had invested in the uncomfortable atmosphere surrounding Alan's situation instead of trying to jumpscare the public so poorly. The romance scenes were hard to watch, and the effects made it difficult to take the drama seriously. I'm a sucker for BL with horror elements, and I would really like to give it a higher rating, so it makes me sad to see so much potential wasted.Was this review helpful to you?
An enthralling performance and storyline
Firstly, the ML & FL are so attractive to watch together as the story unfolds. My curiosity about the plot staying until the very end could this be love or revenge. I think the introduction of new characters and their motivations is key to why this is so enthralling. Supporting actors and actresses are great with mains creating a quality production. There is a good amount of spiciness in the leads relationship. Soundtrack is instantly recognizable clips enhancing the scenes moods. Rewatch value super high as this is so enjoyable seeing everything come together in final moments.Was this review helpful to you?
Just watch it !!! Its that good!!
What do I say, I've put this series on hold for quite sometime, guess I shouldn't have.Well, I had my reasons to not watch it cuz I'm coming from the anime for Junta x Takato, and it felt very idk was a bit unsettling for some reason BUT BUT BUTTTT, Topform is totally not it ... the characters are potrayed so freaking well.
LOVED SmartBoom (Boom is so freking cute ... his smile oh my god T_T).
Also not forgetting the honey scene, I've been listening about it for a while, but never expected the scene to be soooooooo sooooo fking sensual, the sounds ugghhhhbdfghsv.....
Loved the black honey cut fckkkkkkkk .....
AND OOOHHH ... P' JADE ...... WOW damn that mann ... loved his character (obv him too 🫢)
Overall, I'm very satisfied after watching.
INSANE ACTING BY THE ACTORS ... byeee..... chub chub ^3^
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My first time watching a Jdrama in this setting and it didn't disappoint
Although it was a slow-burn kind of love story but i liked how the pacing was overall. I loved how the director was able to capture the emotions of the leads and despite how they misunderstood each other's feelings, their expressions really showed otherwise.ML is so cute and is such a green flag. He's very mature for his age, so the age difference didn't feel off. I also liked the fact that it was not taboo during that time to be in that kind of relationship (or maybe they didn't just focus on that). He is seen as a selfish person her but actually he was really very supportive of FL. ML and FL's dynamics to help the business thrive is really very sweet.
Hoping to have more romance in Season 2
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A satisfying revenge plot with a happy ending
Really good revenge-plot kdrama with a happy ending that the leading couple truly deserved. The FL went through so much turmoil, this one hit home because it honestly reminded me of how I was once hurt by an ex-best friend and an ex-boyfriend. I could relate to the FL and how she felt whenever she caught them in bed together while also disrespecting her as if she never mattered to them. The FL did a great job at depicting her pain throughout the series. You never realize that the people closest to you can secretly be in competition with you, when all you’ve ever done is love them genuinely, but they’re the ones waiting to stab you in the back.The FL believed the love between her ex-husband and best friend was mutual and sincere, but she was sadly mistaken. The level of betrayal she experienced while nearly losing her life was devastating. Getting a second chance changed everything for her, and I loved seeing her finally stand up to them as she found true happiness with her new husband who would go to the ends of the earth to protect her.
YOU GO, GIRL!
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Full house cast but predictable storyline
First of all, my review is more about how I got entertained. Given that this is four elements saga which includes a full house casting of famous GL actors. I felt that this part of the series has a good storyline and beautiful actresses. On the entertainment value side, it is eye candy, sweet, and comedic. The downside is that I got bored at some point. The reason is that it is very cliché and predictable. I even predicted that on those love scenes, it would not push and it would be pushed on the very last episode. Also, the 2 main leads do not have any chemistry. The love scenes were like, okay, let's do this! It is so obvious that they aren't comfortable. And funny, the last episode they were finally making love and they made it seem they finished orgasm, but still fully clothed. Like, okay, they really don't have to show skin, but their reaction was obviously faked. So, yes, I got entertained for the cute moments, if it were other GL actors who had the chemistry..I would have loved this series more!Was this review helpful to you?
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Great acting by ML but flawed characters and overall performance
The story is great with twists and turns but there were so many characters whose intentions left me in question. Biggest one would be Junichi’s nurse girlfriend. Don’t understand how she can be his side and act as a placeholder until he decided to go back to Makiko. That’s so unrealistic… Ryoma’s acting really amazed me here because his performance was kinda outshone in his other Dr series.Don’t like Nara’s acting at all as there were so many unnecessary quirks from hers. Keisuke was really a red flag and don’t understand how he is still comparing to Junichi in the end. I do think Makiko lying is kinda understandable plus for someone who got SA, I understand why she wants to go to her rapist on her own and not get the police involved. But I feel that her liking with Junichi felt too forced. Perhaps it’s her acting maybe? Naoto’s reaction to Makiko admission of guilt is too over too.
Overall, the story is good but performance as a whole is still somewhat lacking and intentions of characters not clear.
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You will be thoroughly confused from start to finish
Legit couldn't figure out what the hell was going on from pretty much the first episode. Dreams, flashbacks, present are all mixed together right from the start. People are sleeping with, fighting with, breaking up with, and starting dating people for reasons absolutely no one can figure out. It's legit like they had 10 stories, couldn't figure out which one they liked most and so tried to combine them all but failed miserably.The scenes between Lalin and Dalan (note:not Dawan) are what saved this whole thing.
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