This review may contain spoilers
Women empowerment, Politics, Justice, Slowburn
Straight to my Fav list! (≧▽≦)This drama truly reaches the peak of storytelling regarding women empowerment and equality. The female lead’s character is absolutely admirable. All of her achievements didn’t simply fall into her lap; they were realistically earned through sheer will and ambition. She is easily one of the best-written female characters I have ever seen in a C-drama. I loved witnessing Mudan’s journey—from building her business, facing countless challenges, and handling them with such grace and intelligence.
This show is essentially about women empowerment, sprinkled with elements of politics and justice. It is a gut-wrenching drama, and you will witness loss everywhere, particularly among the female characters. To be honest, I believe that is exactly the point. It portrays the harsh reality of what life was truly like for women in that era. If historical dramas always presented easy, happy endings, they would lose the truth of just how difficult and cruel that time could be.
(Spoilers ahead)
I appreciate how realistic it is. The story perfectly captures the complexity of the female mindset shaped by that society. Take Shengyi, for example—she genuinely believed she couldn’t survive without a husband because that was what her environment taught her. Her character is the complete opposite of Mudan, which only highlights the strength of the lead even more. Then there is Lian Zhou, who longed for freedom but felt trapped, yet still chose to poison Mudan—not because she wanted to, but because she felt she had to. I love how Mudan eventually points this out; it really drives home the core message of the show.
As for the male lead, he is admittedly overshadowed by the female lead, but we have to agree that he is one of the most open-minded male leads out there. He allows Mudan to be independent and stands by to offer help only when she needs it.
One thing I must point out is that the dynamic between Youzhen and Liu Chang is peak drama. Why aren’t there more stories like this? It was so toxic, and honestly, I didn’t want a happy ending because there was simply no way they could have one.
I loved how they were both in pain, trapped in this cycle where Youzhen is obsessed with Liu Chang, yet Liu Chang is only obsessed with his Mudan. Because of this, they ended up tormenting and hurting each other. It was so thrilling to watch. The lines they threw at each other were satisfyingly sharp—I literally dropped my jaw when she said, "You torment me, so I torment He Weifang."
When it comes to the romance, it is the definition of peak slowburn. However, they are also the most indecisive couple I have ever encountered—it almost made me faint! Like, bro, just confess already! (ー_ー゛) But despite that, it is a healthy romance where they support and help each other grow. I love that scene where Mudan protected the Jiang mansion. That was pure "aura farming." The authority she commanded in that moment? Peak. That being said, I actually ended up skipping their romantic scenes in Part 2 because I was so caught up in the main plot—their moments felt like a distraction to me, lol.
The casting is excellent. What I love most is that the drama doesn’t rely heavily on background music to manipulate your emotions; instead, it trusts entirely in the talent of its cast to carry the moment. This is my first time watching Yang Zi, and I am truly impressed. I’ve never seen an actress cry with so much expression without it looking awkward—it was so raw and real. This definitely won’t be my last drama of hers. The other female characters were also amazing, especially Shengyi and the County Princess. Their acting was so realistic that you can’t help but sympathize with them.
This show gave me every emotion I could ask for. Though, I won’t deny that I did find certain parts a bit dragging, specifically the later part of Part 1 and the early part of Part 2. And I think the pacing is too slow. Sometimes I do find myself feeling like the plot is stuck or not moving at all.
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A mild-flavored addition to the Grand Maison universe
Before I talk about this movie, we need to establish that this is the third big installment in the Grand Maison universe: there's a drama series, a special episode and this movie (there is also a spin off mini series, but that's more of a side dish, pun intended).When I'm writing this, in my location I could find the drama in both Netflix and HBO max, the special only on HBO max and the movie "elsewhere" (there are some good fansubs and some not so good google translate ones both out there).
The Grand Maison Tokyo drama series is remarkably good.
It has a lot of ingredients (pun intended, again) which make it enjoyable: the incredible food (production design is consistently superb throughout all installments), the character dynamics, the always enjoyable jdrama journey of the group of outcasts doing their best for a common goal.
However, what makes it remarkable is the dynamic between the two leads: the iconic duo of Kimura Takuya as the complicated chef Obana Natsuki and Suzuki Kyoka as the level-headed chef Hayami Rinko. Two legends who come together and meet each other in a way only they can.
The special episode, after the drama, was a disservice to this dynamic.
Rinko being the head chef for Grand Maison Tokyo and Obana learning to thrive more as her sous chef due to his difficulty relating to people was what made the success of the drama believable and enjoyable. Rinko being a woman, a head chef and learning to stand her ground without compromising her sensitivity was a standout from the series that the special squandered by making Obana and his childish way of helping out "in a tsundere way" remove agency from Rinko.
The movie doesn't fail them as much as the special did, but it can't re-capture the freshness (pun intended, for a third time) of the drama series. It's just alright. It's mild. And underseasoned course.
There are some episodes from the drama that are more enjoyable than this movie, to be quite honest. It's not bad, but we know, after a dozen episodes, that they can do better. When you remove Rinko from a lot of the main moments and underplay her value, Grand Maison goes from something unique to yet another KimuTaku drama where he's the coolest guy who knows more than anyone else but can't get along with people (A LIFE comes to mind). Rinko does more here than in the special, but not nearly as much as she did in the drama, where she was in a level playing field with Obana.
The majority of the main cast not being included in the movie also makes it less entertaining. Ok Taec Yeon is a good addition to the cast, but his background is a bit of a re-hash of both Obana's and Moe's. Aizawa is only present on the sidelines and Kyono is also a bit missing. It's like the special was intending to break ground for the movie to be more prominently about Obana, even though the theme of the movie is 'learning to work together'.
All in all, it's not bad, it still has that amazing production design that makes Grand Maison a stand out, but the drama remains the best of the installments so far.
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This review may contain spoilers
Seungmins (Stray Kids) Cousin stole our hearts !
Yay, our fist non BL Drama finished!The premise of this one instantly got our attention, and we loved the plot progression in the first half of the drama. So lets mention our "highs" first:
The Drama starts off with a likable MC, who is quite passionate at her job - we liked her simple, but realistic character. When the AI was introduced, we had to instantly link it with current real life topics - such as people talking with ChatGPT about their issues or full on AI BF/GF...
The story introduced a lot of cool elements as well as very hilarious side characters like the artist Mrs. Yun and the Boss of the publishing company.
We liked how the MC used the AI not only for personal groth, but also figuring out work problems.
BUT
The game itself and those plotlines kinda faded out towards the end. We felt like it got dropped to make space for the romance part of the drama.
The romance itself was, for us, carried by the male lead (looks like Seungmins (SKZ) cousin). He was so kind, gentle and charming (and forgiving LOL) that we couldnt help but to fall in love.
Sadly, we hoped that the relationship between them could have just blossomed out of the work rivarly they had going on. His confession in the car seemed a bit out of nowhere (eventhough the explained it we guess later). The affection was only shown in the recaps and not in those moments. We didnt really follow how he fell for her in the very BEGINNING (later on it was more obvious).
The MC later in the show got more and more boring, as she more and more depended on the AI and seemed like she couldnt make choices for herself... but maybe thats the point? Idk we felt like her character growth was kind of regressing from the first few episodes.
Still, it got a happy ending, with her deleting the AI and focusing on her IRL BF (IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MEEEE)
S: It felt like a middle school relationship sometimes
All in all we enjoyed it, with some small moments of rage :)
Honourable mentions:
- creepy alien man staring in our soul
- crazy artist
- Lee Jae Wook
- ugly af outfits (poor Jisoo)
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Interesting at first but halfway through became boring
I had to skip some parts as the FL and ML became really boring for me, somehow the character i hated at first (Do Yeo Ju) became more likable in the end, as I felt she had the most growth and i really wanted to see more of her and Kwon Deok Bong. The only reason I finished it was because of these two. FL was just boring, nothing interesting happened with her. The mystery was resolved too fast to keep me invested in this. I had higher expectations after the first episode but it became a bit of a chore to finish. There were some good parts of course with the ML and they could have dug deeper there.I felt like Do Yeo Ju and Kwon Deok Bong had more chemistry and wished to see more of them. Also the brother-sister dynamic was interesing.
Wouldnt rewatch as there are many better dramas out there but it was still okay to watch (if you skip some parts).
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Starts strong, fizzles out later
I really enjoyed the first half of the show. Xiaolan is determined and easy to root for, and I enjoyed how the show juxtaposed scenes from her earlier life with the present (past, really) to help us understand her better.After a while, though, it felt very repetitive. Problems were solved immediately, sometimes even offscreen. There were no real stakes. It felt like a Lifetime/Hallmark show ... very cute and cozy but formulaic. Xiaolan had incredible character development for the first few episodes, but after that she became superwoman and could do no wrong.
Props to the production team for the amazing costumes & incredible OST!! Such a fun ride; pity I didn't make it all the way till the end.
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I Really Wanted to Love This…
but, I only really liked this drama. the exact episode I stopped loving this was episode 28. I really think they made this far too long and added way to many new and unnecessary revelations at the end. Situ’s spiral into madness could’ve been better, it just ended up being cheesy due to the lack of depth given to that storyline.I would 100% recommend this show, but just lower expectations.
Honestly loved all the characters though and acting was great. Adored Master She and the companions!!!
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A lesser adaptation, but great at doing its own thing
If you were comparing this to the original, this does some things better and some things worse.What this one did do better than the original I think, was setting up the romance much earlier. It's there in the original but so subtle I think a lot of people had trouble adjusting to it (not me though, I loved it lol). Here, they make the relationship much more obvious from the beginning, and while I wish we had the longer screentime for their development, I liked the clarity of it. The little bout of the SML "liking" the FL is also removed, which I thought was a relief, as it both gave the second relationship more time to develop, but also strengthened the main relationship by setting the FL's relationship with the two MLs apart.
The shorter runtime means they cut out a lot of slice-of-life moments that really brought the friendships and familial relationships to life. The third friends, while technically unnecessary, really rounded out the group and show's commentary on motherhood. A few things feel just a bit watered down, like the ML going to Seoul instead of actually abroad, or the SML's childhood backstory of almost having to give up school and work in the fields, leading to the FL's father taking him in.
Now, all comparisons aside, I think this drama was pretty great! The pacing and time jump feel natural, and it's really good at giving all the leads equal weight with their emotional stories. The family is by far the best part of the story, especially the dad; there are lot of scenes that will tug at your heartstrings, and the conclusion is sweet and satisfying.
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A Pretty looking romance drama
Disclaimer: There will be certain POLITICALLY MOTIVATED REVIEWERS who will lecture Koreans about their fantasy drama that doesn't showcase them as OVERLORDS but have hollywood superheroes as their profile picture because THAT'S SURELY REALISTIC.Imperialists saving the world. 💪🤡
They have a problem with some romance fantasy because "how can you like birth privilege" in a fantasy but I LOVE MY HOLLYWOOD ALIEN OVERLORD SUPERMAN who has the same "nepo privilege" assigned at birth. "Superior being"!
"My fantasy better than yours because in my fantasy....we fight for OI...i mean democracy! We bom...I mean, we save kids...we save the future" ❣️
There's so many other hilarious points that the review has put forth with such hypocritical confidence that I, as an Asian, could barely hold myself from fully screaming from astonishment.
All in all,I wanna say that this particular drama is A SIMPLE DISNEY STYLE ROMANCE FANTASY...you know the kind where a prince falls in love with a non royal? Yeah. That's what this is. There's nothing too deep about it. In fact,its pretty harmless and doesn't even stink of propaganda like some Hollywood superhero films so far. You can watch it FOR ROMANCE.
The visuals are pretty great and the production is high quality. Its too early to say too much about romantic chemistry so I will wait a bit more.
All I wanna say is, if some imperialist glazer wants you to think that watching a royal romance is a sin. Its not.
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New and interesting to watch
The actors were good, the music good and the storyline new!I think having a better production would push this bl to an 8-9, some scenes had bad audio, some others just didnt connect with the rest. It was refreshing watching something we dont see often in bl's, and hope there are more like this one in the future!!
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Seriously Underrated
I'm really glad I watched Made in Korea – it's such an underrated drama. The 70s cinematography looks amazing, the production quality is great, and the cast is full of talented actors who all do a fantastic job.This is a slow-paced drama, but in a good way. It really makes you question your own morals – you're never sure if you should be rooting for the good guy or the bad guy, because nothing is black and white. Both sides use whatever methods they can to get what they want. The drama does a great job with the characters. I was on Bae's team from the very beginning, while I found Jang annoying and not very likable.
I liked how each episode focused on one character's backstory. Watching Bae and the prosecutor try to outsmart each other felt like watching Catch Me If You Can. I'm already looking forward to season two.
That said, I don't think the backstories of Bae or Jang made me feel more sentimental toward them. Their personalities were already clear from the start, so learning their past didn't change my opinion. Maybe if the drama had been longer and given us a proper backstory instead of just a glimpse, it would have hit differently.
My only real complaint is that I wish there were more episodes. They could have explored the protagonists' pasts more deeply.
Verdict: A beautifully made, slow-burn drama that totally deserves more attention.
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Likeable Actors Trapped in Tropes
As much as I liked the cast, this drama felt much longer than 12 episodes because the story didn't come together well. It couldn't decide if it was a sweet romcom, a makjang melodrama, or a sinister serial killer mystery.The Good:
• The ML and FL were cute together, but I found the 2ML and 2FL more interesting.
• The mother of the FL had some nice moments. Amor fati!
• Seo Bum June made me despise his character. I'll attribute that to his acting skills, as I adored his character in The First Night with the Duke.
The Bad:
• I have a burning hatred for infidelity, so that storyline was painful and way too long. I don't understand compassion for a cheater. The FL drove me mad with her inability to shut her ex out of her life. Block his number and stop taking his calls, for heaven's sake.
• The makjang bits with the ex's family were an intrusion.
• The entire show revolved around the house. It was massively important until it suddenly wasn't.
I gave an extra half star for keeping the drama to 12 episodes.
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This series tries to be a romantic comedy, but it's stupid and has an unbearable FL!
PLOT: A young couple dies in a car accident, leaving behind a 2-year-old child. The child's aunt (the mother's sister) and the baby's uncle (the father's brother) move in temporarily to care for the child. The ML, a photographer, has taken parental leave, and the FL starts a new job. She then realizes that her boss is her first love. ML and FL will face co-parenting and learn to appreciate each other.+++ The ML is adorable, a tsundere, cute as a button.
+++ The kid is so cute he'd melt everyone's hearts.
That's it for the good points... Everything else is unbearable!
### The FL character is so poorly written: immature, selfish, agrees to be the nephew's guardian but doesn't take care of him, rude and disrespectful towards the ML, etc.
Furthermore, the actress has no charisma, no presence. Just bland.
### The twists are meant to be funny, but they're just brainless. The story is empty and should have been reduced to 5-6 episodes.
=> 4 episodes is enough! I'm done wasting my time and tearing my hair out ヾ (✿＞﹏ ⊙〃)ノ
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Série qui se veut romantico-comique, mais qui est stupide et avec une FL insupportable !!
PLOT: Un jeune couple meurt dans un accident de voiture et laisse un enfant de 2 ans. La tante de l'enfant (soeur de la mère) et l'oncle du bébé (frère du père) vont co-habiter temporairement pour s'occuper de l'enfant. Le ML, photographe, a pris 1 congé parental, et la FL commence un nouveau boulot. Elle s'aperçoit ensuite que son chef est son 1er amour. ML et FL vont affronter la co-parentalité et apprendre à s'apprécier.
+++ Le ML est adorable, un tsundere, mignon comme tout.
+++ Le gamin est très cute et ferait craquer tout le monde.
C'est fini pour les bons points ... Tout le reste est insupportable !
### Le personnage de la FL est mal écrit : immature, égoïste, accepte d'être tutrice du neveu mais ne s'en occupe pas, impolie et irrespectueuse envers le ML, etc.
De plus l'actrice n'a aucun charisme, aucune présence. Juste fade.
### Les twists se veulent comiques, mais ils sont seulement brainless. La story est vide et aurait du être réduite en 5-6 épisodes.
=> 4 épisodes, ça suffit ! J'arrête de perdre mon temps et de m'arracher les cheveux ヾ (✿＞﹏ ⊙〃)ノ
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? The Art of Sarah — Ambition Has a Price
Before you start this drama — one important tip: pay attention! 👀 Every small detail matters here, so this is definitely not a “watch while scrolling your phone” kind of show.Also, don’t go in expecting romance. There’s barely any — though I won’t lie, a part of me really wanted the two leads to fall in love (maybe Season 2 will hear my prayers? 😅). And yes, the story feels a bit incomplete, so I’m honestly hoping we get a second season.
Now, coming to the story — it’s actually quite refreshing. It asks a very real question:
If you come from nothing and want to reach the top… how much are you willing to sacrifice?
Our female lead answers that loud and clear — everything. She’s ambitious, determined, and willing to lose even herself to protect what she built. That makes her both impressive and a little scary to watch.
If you enjoy thrillers with mystery, ambition, and strong characters, and don’t mind the lack of romance, this drama is definitely worth checking out. It’s more about power and choices than love and emotions.
P.S. – This is one of those dramas where you keep thinking, “Was it really worth it?” 😶
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? Positively Yours — Simple Love, No Drama (Literally!)
This drama is actually pretty good — and the best part? No breakup-patchup chaos! 🙌 Finally, a romance that doesn’t rely on unnecessary drama to keep things going.The story follows two strangers whose lives get unexpectedly intertwined, leading to a relationship that slowly grows into something meaningful. It’s simple, a little predictable at times, but still warm and comforting to watch.
The plot works, the chemistry is there, and it gives you that soft romantic vibe without stressing you out. That said, the music didn’t stand out much, and personally, I don’t see myself rewatching it.
Still, as a one-time watch, it’s definitely worth it — especially if you’re in the mood for a light, feel-good romance. 💫
P.S. – Sometimes you don’t need complicated love stories… just two people finding each other at the right time is enough. 💛
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This review may contain spoilers
Echoes of loneliness
There is a distinctive branch of Japanese cinema that is crafted for a specific audience; these are stories you don't often hear. They tend to be controversial, sad, and hard to digest, delving into deep human emotions and leaving your heart heavy with a sense of understanding and melancholy."52 Hertz Whale" is a perfect example of this cinematic style. I do believe you should possess a unique perspective and a mature taste in storytelling to appreciate the beauty and depth of this movie. Because this movie is painfully beautiful, it brings together storytelling, acting, and cinematography, truly a hidden gem.
Spoilers ahead***
For those unfamiliar with the story of the 52-hertz whale, allow me to provide some essential context. The "52-hertz whale" is an individual whale known for emitting calls at a frequency of 52 Hz, which is significantly higher than the 15–25 Hz range typically used by its relatives, such as blue and fin whales. This high-pitched calling makes him inaudible to other whales in the vast ocean, which is why he has been dubbed the loneliest whale in the world. His story transcends mere marine biology; it serves as a powerful metaphor for human loneliness and the universal yearning to be heard and understood, which is the essence of this movie.
I find it brilliant to use the story of the 52-hertz whale to illustrate human loneliness. Just as the whale sings in high frequencies across the expansive ocean yet cannot find another whale to hear him, many people experience a similar sense of isolation. It highlights the feeling that, at times, one's cries go unheard in a world that often feels so vast. It emphasizes how rare it is to find someone who can truly perceive your struggles and extend a hand when you are in need.
That's what Kiko also experiences. She has endured relentless abuse from her mother since childhood, forced to live like a servant abused just to take care of her stepfather. When she is about to do the unthinkable, fate intervenes, and she encounters someone who finally hears her.
In contrast, we have Ango, who harbors a deep secret and has been calling out for help since childhood, yet nobody, including his mother, has ever heard him. When he meets Kiko, he recognizes her silent suffering, perhaps because he himself has been a lonely whale navigating a vast world largely unheard. In reaching out to help her, he connects with her loneliness because he understands what it feels like to be a lonely whale.
Ango's story is heartbreaking. As a transgender man who falls deeply in love, he grapples with the crushing realization that he cannot give Kiko the love in the way she needs. He deeply wishes for her happiness and does everything he can to support her but ultimately acknowledges that he is unable to provide the love she deserves. This conflict between his profound feelings and the reality of their situation is incredibly heartbreaking. Although he heard Kiko, nobody heard him, and his ending was deeply painful.
The introduction of Itoshi feels like a twist of fate, a symbol of how those leading lonely lives, much like the 52-hertz whale, are destined to intersect with others who understand their pain. Their interactions reflect a journey of trauma bonding, highlighting the shared experiences of abuse and emotional neglect. Kiko recognizes the same suffering in Itoshi that she herself has endured, and as Anko provided her with salvation, she strives to offer the same to Itoshi.
This narrative is profoundly layered, melancholic, and beautifully articulated; it can truly be described as pure poetry. The acting is exceptional, breathing life into the complex characters, while the cinematography captures evocative moody blues that enhance the film's atmosphere of serene yet somber melancholy. My hope is that more people discover this cinematic treasure; it is a profoundly beautiful work, resonant with heartache yet deeply relatable, inviting audiences to reflect on the universal experiences of love, loneliness, and the desire to be understood.
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