Reviews

dare i say this show is a masterpiece?

yeah folks we can stop right here we've officially done it: this is the best bl not only of this year, but in my opinion the best bl ive ever seen (and ive seen a decent amount). i dont even know what to say, i usually break my reviews into a positive paragraph and a negative paragraph, but i kid you not i dont have a SINGLE negative thing to say, isnt that insane? miss negative nancy over here doesnt have a single bad thing to say, this is a rare sight ladies and gentlemen.

ive been watching this show since the first week, and i was lowkey kinda nervous bc i havent seen netjj in anything, since i STILL havent watched the next prince. i watched some of bed friend, so i did kinda know net's acting before this, but holyyyyyy shit absolutely NOTHING could have prepared me for the acting both net AND jj delivered in this show. not even kidding this might be the best acting ive seen in a bl in a veryyyyyy long time. net is really great in this, i genuinely could not get enough of phob i love that man so much. jj was amazing too!!!!! i really enjoyed seeing the slow shift in his word choice from when he originally traveled back to the past to when he was there for a long time. while i am not fluent by any means in thai, nor am i extremely educated on the linguistic differences between modern thai and the thai spoken during the ayutthaya period, what language differences i could gather from my somewhat decent thai skills was really fun and cool to see. latte and kim were really great, i do wish they couldve gotten a LITTLE more screentime, but hey, beggars cant be choosers, am i right ladies

guys i love phob so much. i love him i love him i love him i love him i love him i love him i think i could go on for days about this man. genuinely i think he's broken into my top 5 bl characters of all time (hes right in fourth place behind palm from never let me go, style from the heart killers, and karan from cherry magic in case anyone was curious). not only do i love phob because net is amazing, i love him becauese he is a very well written character. i FELT that mans emotion dude, like i felt that shit deep in my soul. every scene that man cried i was right there with him like i havent felt this attached to a fictional man in quite a while. he was sooooo green flag, and he made a lot of sense. like, does that make sense? i feel like obviously a gay romance occuring in the ayutthaya period is obviously a little far fetched, but the way phob's character is written and acted doesnt make it seem ridiculous. it feels rooted in something real, and i really enjoyed that. klao, or nakkun (but i think im gonna stick with klao) is so cute guys like AWWWWWWWWW!!!! i feel like that one tiktok sound thats like awwwwww so cute!!! so cute!!! is that niche? guys idc like everytime i would see klao on screen i would wanna pinch his cheeks like i love jj so much hes so cute i cannot like UGHHHHHH!!!! omg and jom and kaew in the past had a veryyy good plot in my opinion. i really enjoy when bls actually explore the deeper themes of societal homophobia, and i was really scared that this show wasnt gonna do that properly. obviously a bl taking place in a historical time period warrants at least a little bit of discussion on the homophobia of their society, but ive seen a lot of these shows do it in a very surface level way. i feel like the plotline with jom not wanting to be judged was a really good one because it EXPLORED those themese on a bit deeper of a level. now was it the most complex, well thought out, and emotinoally moving plot ever? not necessarily, but it was deep enough that it at least satisfied me.

i also really did enjoy how they explored the controversy of phob and klao's love with phob's parents. when i tell you i sobbed for MULTIPLE DAYS over when phob's dad was gonna kick klao out i mean it. i legit had tears welling in my eyes when i thought about it during class like yall it was genuinely consuming my every waking moment. i know i just said i like when bls explore homophobia and the societal issues with being gay that still persist, but MAN that shit gets me. i feel like bls that explore those themes are more geared at an actual LGBTQ+ audience, and less just straight girls that wanna watch two hot dudes kiss (no shade to those people but..) this show felt geared towards the LGBTQ+ community, if that makes sense. as a member myself, i really saw myself in the characters. these struggles still persist in the modern day, hell, my parents are very similar to phob's in a lot of ways. in addition, the ending really felt like it was meant to hit home for LGBTQ+ people because of the marriage. i am actually still crying over the ending a little bit, and i finished the episode almost an hour and a half ago. that full circle moment of seeing a love transcend both centuries AND societal norms like yall dont know how that gottttttt meeeeeeee!!!! im sorry guys but that ending was PHENOMENAL. like actually. that ending felt so earned, that marriage felt so powerful, and it was a perfect conclusion in my opinion. yes i cried when thee and jun got together. yes i cried when phob and klao met in front of the car. yes i cried when they visited the temples. yes i cried THE WHOLE FREAKING EPISODE. i cant make this up the last episode was 1 hour and 27 minutes (ayyyy 127) of me genuinely struggling to see through my tears. god, this show is everything to me can you guys tell?

in terms of the plot itself, the time travel element was very interesting. was it a little underexplained? kinda, but i could figure it out well enough. the coming back to avenge klao's dad plot was fun, and so was the whole opium thing. i'll be honest here, i didn't 100000% understand the opium plot the whole time. like, a good comparasion is the snake plotline from revenged love. like did i fully get it the whole show? like no, but it got it ENOUGH for me to still have a fucking awesome time. the opium search and trying to find cherd and all that made enough sense for enough of the show for me to be happy. it could have been explained a LITTLE better but once again, i still knew what was going on for the most part. besides, the important parts of the plot made perfect sense, so thats really all that matters to me.

okay, so this has been an absolute glazefest of this show, i get it. i know this review might be hard to take seriously since i havent brought up any major criticisms, but unfortunately i cant bring myself to have an issue with anything in this show. are there some nitpicks i could see others having? sure, absolutely. i could see people hating pim, i could see people thinking the time travel is stupid. i could even see people disliking the ending, and thinking it should have been opened ended or it should have ended with klao and phob never getting together at all. however, i myself dont have these issues. i think that phob and klao getting to live together is such a powerful message about queer love, about how strong it is. i found pim to be a very interesting and important character, and she conveyed how men can control those of weaker social standings. the time travel thing i dont have a big speech to make that seem cool and important, but i thought it was fun like i vibed with it. idk, for all the faults i have seen others pointing out, i just havent felt the same. every tiny issue i see is so inconsequential that the thought barely even crossed my mind while watching.

WOAH. thats a lot of writing. im not reading this back, i really hope there arent any typos or grammar mistakes since i take pride in my writing abilities. i want to wrap this up so if anyone is still reading they can finally rest their eyes and take a breath. let me end with this: i found this show not only to be a fun watch, but to be a meaningful one. this show has left me with this feeling in my chest that very few others have been able to do. it feels like i just finished thamepo, never let me go, boys in love, and my school president all at the same time (these are all my favorite bls in case anyone is curious why i picked those ones). i feel like i laughed with this show, i cried with this show, i held my breath with it, i cowered in fear with it, i did everything with it. i mean this so genuinely when i say this show feels like it was a core part of my life for months. literally every week revolved around friday, because i would get a new episode. letting go of love upon a time is really hard. this sounds soooooo dramatic but its really how i feel. i am so beyond jealous of anyone who waited until the show was over to just binge, because omg you're in for the best time of your life. so to anyone still reading who hasnt watched: RUN BITCH RUN GO WATCH IT NOW PLEASE GO PLEASE GOGOGOGOGOGOGOGO YOU WILL LOVE IT RUN GOOO GOGOGOGOGOGOGOG PLEASE!!!! okay im done! :)

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This is so incredibly beautiful

I wasn't planning to give this a 10. That's a rating I reserve for my absolute favorites: My Personal Weatherman and Khemjira. But then I started selecting the star rating for this review and thought, well damn, I really loved this one!

Full disclosure, I'm an older BL watcher and probably have more in common with the leads here than with most of you reading this. Maybe that's part of the appeal for me. But I also think they did a great job. The acting was so good. The storytelling was lovely. There was tension and release but no sharp peaks and valleys. Just the undulating tale of two lovers finding each other and themselves.

I love so many things about this. The chemistry and intimacy was great. The love they showed for each other and the people around them was so real and unadorned. I loved how beautiful their mature faces were. I loved the way they looked at each other.

Watching this one was like a long, warm hug. I didn't know I needed it, but I did.

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“Some wounds cannot be seen, but they still deserve healing.”

Doctor John is an good medical K-drama that focuses more on pain, emotions and medical ethics than typical hospital stories.

The drama starts strong with Cha Yo Han, a genius doctor who can diagnose patients quickly but secretly lives with a condition where he cannot feel pain.

The patient cases are emotional and often raise difficult questions about life, suffering and whether keeping someone alive is always the right choice.

The chemistry between Yo Han and Kang Shi Young feels mature and comforting rather than overly dramatic. One of the strongest parts of the show is watching Shi Young slowly understand Yo Han’s loneliness and stand beside him despite his illness.

The drama becomes more emotional after the reveal of Yo Han’s condition and his connection to the euthanasia controversy.
Some episodes in the second half feel slower and the hospital politics become repetitive. The 3-year separation near the ending may frustrate viewers because it feels unnecessary after all the development.

Still, the final reunion gives a satisfying and hopeful closure. Doctor John may not be a perfect medical drama, but its emotional storytelling, strong acting and meaningful themes make it memorable.

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Great Potential That Stopped Halfway

Step by Step is a clear example of a series that had so much potential, but failed to live up to it. The drama started off great, completely hooking you with its workplace setting, but unfortunately, it declined toward the end, leaving us with more questions than answers.

The pacing was one of its biggest issues. On one hand, we have Pat and Jeng: they have incredible chemistry on screen, but their story moves very slowly, causing the plot to stall at times. Speaking of the main characters, Pat is adorable, especially when he's drunk, but sometimes he was irritating. There were episodes where his actions were quite questionable and his reasoning didn't make much sense, making it hard to empathize with him.

However, what disappointed me the most about the series was Jaab and Jen's story. At first, the tension between the two of them was so obvious that it completely pulled you in. When they finally kissed, I thought we would finally get to enjoy more of this couple, but the execution was a flat-out "What just happened?". Right after the kiss, they vanished from the screen without a trace. Very bad.

By the time the drama ends, an inevitable feeling of emptiness remains: where is all the middle story, especially Jaab and Jen's? It is a real shame because this series could have been so much better if they had known how to wrap up their character´s storylines instead of leaving them forgotten.

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okullara bakın

korenin eğitim sistemi de aynı bizimki gibi leş götürüyor gördüğüm kadarıyla. onlarda da artan sınav baskısı, yeni nesil sorularla beraber zorlaşan eğitimin yanında okullarda uyuşturucu, şiddet, akran zorbalığı, torpil hat safhada. en güvenli olması gereken eğitim yuvaları okullar suç mahaline dönüyorlar. diziyi izlerken aklıma ister istemez bu sene kendi ülkemde, Türkiye'de olan 15 nisan Kahramanmaraş okul katliamı geldi. öpüp koklanarak evlerinden sırt çantalarıyla okullara gönderilen çocuk yaşta öğrencilerin kendi sınıf arkadaşları tarafından öldürülmemek için camdan atladığı kayıtlar geçti gözlerimin önünden. bacakları kırılan ya da öldürülen çocuklar ve onlar için canlarını vermeye hazır öğretmenler... türkiye yüzyılında eğitim bakanımızın eğitim anlayışı bu mu? bir kendi ülkeme bakıyorum bir de bu diziye. kore de bizden farklı sayılmazmış anlaşılan ama en azından bu mevzuyu konu alan diziler ve olası çözüm önerileriyle halkı biliçlendirmeye çalışıyorlar. burda uygulanan çözüm, her şey gibi suistimal edilebilir bir yol. bu yüzden de dizideki eğitim bakanı ve müfettişler gibi yetişkinlere bizim ülkede de rastlamak en büyük temennim oldu izlerken. dünyanın çivisi çıkmış, dedim bir kez daha. böyle ciddi bir konuyu bu şekilde ele alan bu dizi projesini çok takdir ediyorum ve lütfen her şeyi bırakıp okullara bakın.

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Character driven crime drama: Nice twist to legal elements with excellent acting

I adored the show!
I'm not even sure why the comment section is so lukewarm (and all about Mibu! I mean Machida did great and the character is important, but still...). I thought I'll hate the Yakuza track and yet another grey character willingly walking on a dangerous path; but surprisingly Kujo turned out to be a completely good guy! That flip of character as explored by Karasuma alone deserves applause. Acting was truly excellent and for a change I loved the well-roundedness of the plot. We still don't know exactly what kind of connection Kujo and Mibu have but we're intrigued to know. We know Karasuma cares about Kujo deeply and it happened through the course of the first 8 episodes and that was extremely believable. The Yakuza guys are violent, the scenario is set in an underworld atmosphere where clients are usually criminals or exploited to be criminals, which is unique in itself. Kujo is amusingly eccentric but also an excellent judge of peoples' character. Karasuma is more straightforward and considered a brilliant graduate from Todai, still reeling from a past tragedy. Yakushimae san is sort of the light part of the plot, often bringing a much-needed fresh breeze in the the very condensed 40-minute run of the episodes. Not one unnecessary character anywhere. Kyougoku as the underboss of Fushimigumi is played so brilliantly, you'll actually understand why people fear him.
Now Mibu is clearly a criminal. But with a functioning brain and probably a little bit of heart. His mission is clear; he wants to take down Fushinigumi. Kujo trusting him is understandable, but in no way did I like him. Dude is a murderer! But Machida played his part excellently, still thinking about the scene where Karasuma surprises him by being informal, the eye movement alone gave meaning to that scene.
My favorite case was the 'old home' case. It was equally disgusting, violent, sharp and somehow dynamic and warm; handling so much as part of the plot like filial love, dementia, hardship, regret and how well Kujo is when reading people and when comforting them.
There'll be a second season hopefully. I know the cliff hanger is stark, but I'd say it was worth it. Yuya Yagira and Hokuto Matsumura served us well. Loved the cinematography, the graphic yet limited nature of the violence, the deep moody maximalist colour palette, the music. May the next season come soon and with a good ending to an excellent show.

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THE BEST SHOW IVE WATCHED IN A WHILE

Now hold my hand while you read this, I think the plot overall worked so well with Netjj as a couple. Especially since the original pilot was with James but I think Jj suited the role overall better.

Although they adapted it from the novel and changed parts especially with holding Khlaos stuff when he died, I think they way they changed it made it prettier. The fact they still were intertwined and that they showed the confused effect on JJ’s character both times he changes time zones just helps illustrate the plot altogether!

ALSO IN THE LAST EPISODE I DONT KNOW WHAT KIM ATE BUT HE LOOKED STUNNING!!

The showcase of the Marriage Equity Law of 2025 was also illustrated amazingly and you can’t help but feel so happy and the representation of it was amazing!

100% would rewatch!!

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I am speechless - a true homage to Wu Zetian

I was already a huge fan of the first part and didn't see how this could ever live up to how good part one was, but I am so happy to have been proven wrong! This was an incredible homage to one of history's most interesting figures. It was full of betrayal, intrigue, and love and not a moment when by when I wasn't cheering, gasping or crying. I don't think I can really put into words how great this story is. All I can say is, if you like history, politics, and CDrama, PLAY THIS GAME YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.

Of course a lot of the real history was altered to fit a drama narrative but I think they did a great job following Wu Zetian’s real life, I especially found the portrayal of Li Zhi’s dedication to her very well done and believable within the context of a drama. They also did a fantastic job keeping the main character (Empress Wu) likeable despite the bad things she does for power. I have found other dramatic portrayals of her simply make her a Mary Sue, but here she really feels like a real and kind but still ruthless and ambitious person.

This is a wonderful story of ambition, power, love and female empowerment. A true homage to Wu Zetian and her legacy as a China's only female emperor.

A little side note: I will say now that yes, the side story is much shorter and less in depth than the main game. A lot of people were disappointed by this however I would argue the purpose of the game is to tell the story of Wu Zetian (albeit a dramatised version of course), whereas the side story is fully a "what if" plot with no similarity to history whatsoever. While i love the characters involved in the side story adn I was very happy to see them played out, I understand why it's so much shorter. The main game is really where it's at.

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Cliche? Yes. But the kind of cliche I enjoy

It was obviously a low-budget series, yet despite its limitations, the chemistry was above average. The enemies-to-lovers trope is right up my alley, and I’m almost always sold on that premise, especially when the lead pair has great chemistry. Thankfully, the actors managed to deliver exactly that here.

Although one glaring flaw kept bothering me: the fake kisses! Every single time. Couldn’t they have made them look more realistic? I adored both characters, but watching them kiss without their lips actually touching was distracting and frustrating. Fortunately, the excitement of seeing what would happen next in their relationship was enough to keep me invested.

As for the actors’ characters themselves, the revelation that they were both gay even before accepting the BL-themed project felt like a plot twist on top of another plot twist. Something I absolutely lived for while watching this drama. The reel-to-real couple aspect made the experience even more enjoyable.

Overall, it was a good watch. The actors can definitely act, but they still need more experience to fully develop their potential. Enjoyable despite its flaws, carried by strong chemistry and a trope that never fails to entertain me.

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Most predictable, incest-type drama I've seen

Do NOT have high expectations if you are coming to watch this to recover from the drama, A Splendid Match. In Rise of Ning, the stylist hates them and the writers hate them because tell me why, their outfights are so garish along with this wacky, boring plot line.

I cannot reiterate how much I hate the "siblings"-to-lovers trope. I hate it to my very core. It gives me such ick that the couple would grow up together and literally call themselves brother and sister but all of a sudden, they found out they're not actually related, they start a romance?? Like HUHHH?? Personally, family is not blood to me. If I call you my brother, you are my brother for life. I also find the chemistry to be so lackluster, no yearning at all. He's just so cold.

What's even more crazy is how insane the chemistry is between the FL and the second ML/antagonist. A chemistry so potent that they starred in another drama together. I would literally skip scenes until I see their interactions. Don't get me wrong, the antagonist is incredibly toxic but I'm a sucker for the Cinderella trope. It's such a compelling dynamic as he wars with himself whether she's his first love and she fights to hide her past identity. He's a walking red flag but there's no denying he truly loved her.

I will shamelessly promote the better version of Rise of Ning which is A Splendid Match, the drama in which they finally play the main couple. It has the same tropes; cunning x cunning leads, political/royalty subplots, fight for power except this drama has the better romance, style, and execution.

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Best Modern C-Drama So far in 2026

I wasn’t expecting much at first—I only started this drama to support Li Yun Rui. But after the very first episode, Guan Xiao Tong completely won me over and made me stay.

Her character started off incredibly strong. As a rich city girl suddenly thrown into life in the countryside, she complained about almost everything, while Xing Wu quietly stood by, observing her with an eagle eyes. I really loved that the female lead always had a strong mindset and a clear vision for her future. She knew exactly what she wanted.
Once they began accepting each other’s presence, everything flowed so naturally. For those saying it’s impossible for a man to fall for a woman in less than a month, I think it depends on the circumstances. The drama actually explained it well. Xing Wu was written as someone deeply devoted to his family, even at a young age. He was incredibly respectful and caring toward his grandmother, and seeing Qing Ye treat his grandmother with the same kindness and warmth naturally drew him closer to her. At that point, it was clear why he fell in love.

One of my favorite parts of this drama is its slow-burn romance. It never felt boring or dragged out. Watching them go from constantly arguing to understanding, listening to, and protecting each other was so satisfying. And the moment Xing Wu decided to return to school because of Qing Ye was especially rewarding to watch.

By the end, it was obvious how deeply Xing Wu loved Qing Ye, and vice versa. Actually think the ending was really good, although a few parts could have been explored in more detail to make it even better. For example, I would have loved to see more of Xing Wu’s journey and the effort he put into catching up with Qing Ye, as well as the story behind his glasses, which could have made certain emotional moments even more impactful.

Overall, I genuinely enjoyed this drama and found it deeply touching from beginning to end.

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It's a very middling corporate romance carried by Shin Hye Sun..

The corporate plot is pretty weak, but the 12 episode format makes the usual fare tolerable. I have certainly witnessed far far worse corporate plots in my kdrama history. Also think the basic concept of the show is ridiculous, more specifically the audit team's various investigations feel like they are the virtue police & then the drama romance is about a boss-subordinate relationship in that setting & then everyone is just okay with it, I mean come on. While focusing on the romance itself ignoring all the weird crap, I can say it's decently fun at times, however the chemistry between the leads is really not great. The triangle is not too bad, it's more tolerable than average, though not having one would've been vastly preferred of course.

Also the supporting cast is really on the boring side. The only interesting character is -the technically second FL- vice president's secretary. I somewhat understand what the production team wanted with her character, sort of using her as a mood setter, but it was just too weird. Normally I'd say her character has gotten sacrificed on the altar of live filming, but this is a pre-produced show, maybe they forgot to tell the writer. Maybe the script had been written alongside the filming, completely negating any benefit of filming a show before airing it.

So why is it a 6.5 instead of 3? Well SHS even on a bad day is still one of the best kdrama actresses there are & oh boy she sure is carrying very hard. (though not as hard as in Angel's Last Mission if I want to be entirely honest)

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A Time‑Travel Romance That Completely Swept Me Away

As someone who doesn't like period BLs, I LOVED Love Upon a Time from start to finish. It has the perfect balance of comedy, angst, romance, and mystery that hit all my sweet spots. It also had the perfect amount of modernity/modern behaviors to keep me entertained. I genuinely had such a good time watching it.

CHARACTERS:
Nakun, our MC, was my fav part of the show. His Gen‑Z-coded humor and chaotic energy was hilarious in the Ayutthaya era. What I loved the most about him was his character growth. You can see the shift in personality/behavior. It felt really satisfying.

Phop is the definition of a green flag ML. He’s so down bad and gentle, but his character does not solely exist for romance. He has his own identity, values, and emotional depth.

Jom is the reserved doctor who tends to feel a lot of things, but struggles to express it. His internal conflict adds weight that contrasts the main couple in the story.

Kaew is the sweetheart who wears his heart on his sleeve. He is soft and sweet, but he is no pushover. He will fight back and doesn’t let himself be used.

PLOT/WRITING
For me, one of LUAT’s biggest strengths is how well-rounded every character is. This isn’t one of those dramas where only the main couple gets depth. Every character has different motivations and flaws. You can understand why they behave the way they do, and that makes the story feel realistic even when the genre is fantasy.
The blend of different genres was handled pretty well. The emotional moments broke my heart, the comedy made me cackle, and the mystery made me intrigued. However, the only critique I would give here is that sometimes the unnecessary scenes (to the plot) got a bit too long and happened a bit often, which messed with the pacing of the story.

CHEMISTRY
NetJJ’s chemistry was fantastic. There was something so compelling about them that I couldn’t take my eyes off every single interaction of theirs. I can confidently say I’ve become a fan (fan as in I will be looking forward to all their future dramas and works) of them as a pairing. LatteKim also delivered so much chemistry, despite not having too much screentime.

ACTING/PERFORMANCE
Net’s acting, especially eye acting, was fabulous. The way he portrayed the yearning of his character was simply so beautiful to see. His acting was consistently good throughout the drama, but his emotional performances are my favorite.

JJ had a lot of standout moments as well. Comedy is clearly one of his biggest strengths. His portrayal of Nakhun’s chaotic nature was quite charming and funny. His anger-driven scenes and his performance as Klao were also excellent. I was genuinely able to believe that Klao and Nakhun were two different personalities. The only area he struggled at was scenes that required grief-driven sadness. Some scenes were decent, but the scenes that required crying felt inconsistent, and there were scenes where he seemed either emotionally drained or unsure of how to portray that level of grief. I do wish the director would have guided him more carefully, especially considering this is JJ’s first main lead/big role. Either way, I think he has a lot of potential to improve and grow as he gains more experience.

Latte and Kim delivered solid performances as well. Their performances complemented the main couple well. I would definitely say that the MVP of acting in this drama would be Net or the actor performing as Cherd. Cherd’s performance was just..🤌. Amazing, nothing short of amazing.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, this was a very enjoyable drama. It knows exactly what it wants to be and embraces that. It has well-rounded characters, great chemistry, beautiful OSTs, and good performances. LUAT definitely one of the more enjoyable shows I’ve watched this year. I would definitely recommend giving it a try. However, this drama does have a lot of Thai-style humor and is very slow-burn. If you don’t enjoy either of those things, then this one might not be for you.

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