Some parts of the story also confused me like I still don’t really understand why Leopard hates Luo Ren so much. It feels like there wasn’t enough explanation or buildup.
I also thought Mu Dai would be a really strong and important character, but we didn’t get to explore her strength or background as much as I hoped.
The concept is good and the vibe is there, but the execution just didn’t fully hit for me.
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Something you will remember
"Countdown to Yes" is a Japanese BL series of 11 Episodes, which finished just recently, and flew a bit under the radar. Japanese BL series always have this special place in my heart. There is this sincerity and gravitas Japanese people show, even in romance series. This is about Minato and Wataru, having been best friends since High School days, sharing an apartment for saving cost, and being united by their love for photography.This hobby of theirs makes for a lot of truly memorable flashbacks, something I am usually a bit mixed, but those moments with very few words with Wataru is busy with making photos of the landscape and Minato is way more interested by making pictures of Wataru instead. Those are quiet, tender moments, some unspoken love that is there. But Wataru is haunted by the idea, when he realizes his feelings for Minato, if the love fails, would they not lose their friendship?
The series is carried by fine details of everyday intimacy, of growing together over years, when Minato leaves the country for three years, where the main plot sents in, when Minato returns and they struggle with how their story should continue. The series had two really good actors complementing each other well, and since Japan has no ships, you have the benefit to give all into the actors and the story, uncertain what will happen in the end. Overall it wasn't a huge drama, mostly wholesome, but I found great value in the inner struggles both MC's have on a day to day level, which was filmed with the typical talent for "elevated realism" typical for Japanese series. You just felt inside a real, lived in world, where in contrast Thai BLs often feel a bit too "fantasy realism", if you get my meaning.
Here every gesture, every little moment together is like a window in a realistic world of two young men finding a way into their future, and even without great drama, the many small everyday dramas carried the eleven episodes very well, with a soft, wonderful but never intrusive music score. It was well worth watching, lacking nothing, achieving for what it aimed like those nice spring times you remember years later, even if the details escape you.
9/10
Recommended
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It's not bad, it's just boring.
Background plot- 65%Romance - 30%
Misc comedy - 5%
Background plot - Boring
Romantic chemistry - Pretty good
Misc comedy - Fine
Production value - Pretty good
Direction / editing - Not great
It pains me to write this review because the two leads are some of my favorites, but this drama was painfully boring. Not even the chemistry between the two main characters could save it. I kept finding reasons to turn it off or watch something else and I had to talk myself into finishing it.
I love a good slow, cozy romance / story, see last year's The Best Thing or First Frost. But this one was not it and the issue, I think, was the complete lack of real story and therefore character growth for the two main characters. They started the drama as strong, kind, lovely people and they ended the drama just the same. Add in all the incredibly dull scenes about solar panel technology that felt like propaganda and completely unnecessary and I had to fast forward at least 50% of the drama, but even then the parts that remained were so freaking BORING.
I'm not sure what else to say. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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Boyfriend on Demand hasn't met my expectations
I honestly expected something different from this series.First of all, I found the series a bit monotonous at first: a girl's (Mi-rae) offered a free virtual reality device where she can go on dates and through this process, she meets different boys until she finds her ideal boyfriend.
To be honest, those dates didn't do anything for me; it all felt quite flat. Perhaps there were some fun or enjoyable moments, but they didn't contribute anything to the plot between the two protagonists.To be honest, I watched the first 5 chapters at 1.75x speed and still perfectly understood the plot, so those chapters could have been skipped for me, as they don't contribute anything to the plot between the two protagonists; they simply focus on Mi-rae isolated in a virtual world.
The last thing I didn't like about the series is how long it takes for the plot to include even a minimal interaction or romantic interest between the two protagonists, because, despite being a fan of slow burn, I found this plot too tedious and it was boring to wait for.
I understand that some people may have enjoyed it, but despite giving it my time and a chance, this series isn't for me.
I hope no one's offended by my review.
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Started strong but lost interest gradually
Pursuit of Jade starts on a strong note, with beautiful landscape settings, strong FL who makes her living for herself and her little sister by butchering pigs, as her parents pass away, despite the criticisms she face from her fellow villagers.She comes across ML who is saved by her when she finds him unconscious in the snow, which is the main backdrop of the Lin'an town.
The first few episodes were very interesting with a little bit revelation of the ML backdrop as Marquis Wu'an, the FL facing house issues from her relatives, her constant worries regarding money and her sister, while the ML trying to relay and receive information through the falcon.
There were few interesting moments where ML stands up for FL in various situations in the village as he agrees to become her "matrilocal husband".
Now this is where exactly I started losing interest, as it has taken ages for Xie Zheng, ML, to come out of the village and even disgusting is that, almost till ep 26,he kept on lying about his identity to her and also had made his men and army to fabricate many lies. I didn't understand any logic in this cat and mouse game of Zheng, since he loves her so much, why can't he reveal his identity in the later episodes?
Also, I gradually lost interest in the romantic conversations of the main leads and started skipping them to a point, where I dont know what's going on between them, either arguing, fighting, or trying to sort out?
Another major problem for me is Zheng, the mighty Marquis, even after knowing that someone wanted to kill him and somebody is trying to kill Fan Changyu, did not put even a single step forward in investigating these matters. Here and there we find him planning some strategies for war, but at the end he is not the one who fights or kills but Fan Changyu, a "self-made overnight heroine".
And coming to Fan Changyu, initially I found her quite capable, strong, righteous, amd trying to make a living, but once she steps out of the village, she is " the great female warrior, who without any training, can kill generals, who fought hard battles woth just 2 strikes".For me, she really turned into a ridiculous character and lost complete interest in her.She is capable of everything, from bringing rice to meat, to killing rebels and traitors, without a single scratch on her or years of training!!!
The only storyline that made me watch this far is Qi Min and Yu Qianqian.I wanted to see how their story comes to an end along with their son. Simply liked Deng Kai's acting. For me, he and his brother are the only saving grace.
Also, the Sui brothers were more interesting than the main leads. And as for the main villain, nothing serious has really been shown, so I dont know.
On a final note, I felt it a Wasted Opportunity, which lost its potential as it progressed.
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Deng Kai in this is like Niki Lauda riding around in a 1989 Ford Fiesta.
Deng Kai.We know he has charisma to burn. He has star power. But his range and depth - while improving all the time - can only get better with practice. He needs to keep working, keep working, keep taking new roles. No job is too small or too large for Deng Kai. But in a bad production, he's about as inconspicuous as a giant tiger trying to hide behind a fake palm tree.
The discerning reader such as yourself has probably already ascertained that I'm calling this a bad production. And indeed I am. That 7 is plus about 2 points just for Deng Kai alone.
What's wrong with this thing.
First off, the story is A) just dumb and B) it doesn't follow an emotionally logical chain of events. And therefore, it's not emotionally believable. That right there is the death knell for a romance drama. So you can just close the book on it before you even start.
But there's more. We got a few good outfits, but there's also a lot of drab clothes. And there's nothing lyrical, profound, poetic, or elevated about the dialogue at all. Not even during confessions. Daisy Li was unable to keep up with the demands of the FL's character, and **honestly who can blame her**. They ask too much of her, and of the viewer. So the performance came out looking passable at best. And same goes for the extras who apparently were chosen because they all just happen to be nearby that day and were just pulled off the lighting and sound crews and the food truck or somethin. 2ML ---aishhhhhhh idk. He's young, and needs experience, but --- let's just say he's not attention grabbing and he has to overcome the mid-tier face card the Creator bestowed him with. And the bgm/ost volume vs dubbing is way way out of whack, some of the notes the female singer hits sound like a cat yowling and your ears are like WHOA, bring it down.
Makeup.
On the good side. This stylist was working with the philosophy that you should enhance a person's NATURAL beauty. And I do like that very much.
But on the bad side. This entire drama looked like a BB cream sales convention. I have no idea how much BB cream was used in the production of this drama, but somebody should have taken a credit card and scraped it off everyone's face at the end of the day and put it in a big pile and then sent it to Guinness world records to have it officially weighed. And this stylist likes to pat - not lightly dust, but pat - powder into the surface of the BB cream. The effect is not great. The lighting and rez are unforgiving to the makeup techniques that were used.
Between that and the stupid hairstyles, they managed to age Deng Kai for the screen by like 10-15 years. Good job, guys.
Without Deng Kai in this drama, there is nothing to watch it for. So I'd recc it ONLY to people interested in following his career. Even as a red-flag romance, there's dozens of dramas that have done the same thing, only with far more style and sophistication.
Do you want a ride in an old piece of sh*t Ford Fiesta? No. Do you want a ride in an old piece of sh*t Ford Fiesta but only Deng Kai is driving it?
That's the only question you have to ask yourself here.
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An Emotional Masterpiece
Honestly… I still need to recover from this series — in a good way. I really don’t understand why this drama doesn’t have an even higher rating, because for me this is truly one of the best Korean dramas I have ever seen.This series is an emotional rollercoaster from the very first episode until the very last scene. I watched it almost without breathing sometimes. I binged the whole series in about three days because I just couldn’t stop watching. Every episode made me want to immediately continue.
The chemistry between the two main actors, Lee Jun-ho and Won Jin-ah, is absolutely beautiful. Their relationship feels so real, so fragile, and so emotional. Nothing feels forced or overly dramatic. It’s just very human and very sincere.
And Lee Jun-ho… he is just incredible. Not only is he very nice to look at — which of course doesn’t hurt — but he is also a fantastic actor. He has played many beautiful roles, and in every series he brings so much emotion and depth. In this drama especially, he really shows how good he is. You can feel his pain, his anger, his love, his guilt — everything feels real.
The story itself is very touching and quite heavy at times. It deals with trauma, loss, guilt, and how people try to continue living after something terrible happens. But it’s not only sad — it’s also about healing, love, hope, and finding comfort in another person.
What makes this series so special is how all the emotions come in very strongly: pain, sadness, guilt, warmth, pride, love, hope — everything. It really hits you emotionally again and again.
The music is also beautiful and fits the story perfectly. It really supports the emotional scenes without being too much. The settings and cinematography are also very well done. Nothing feels random; everything fits the atmosphere of the story. The directing is calm and emotional, which makes the story feel even more real and intimate.
For me, this is not just a good drama — this is really a masterpiece.
A beautiful, emotional, and unforgettable story with amazing acting and incredible chemistry. One of the best Korean dramas I’ve ever seen.
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Another 1960's Melodrama
This is my opinion, I'm not trying to persuade anyone else, but Shine was just another melodrama to me. I put aside my dislike for BOC's obvious smoking and ass fetishes to watch this story about boomers, a group Gen Z loves to clown. It was okay, but I much preferred Kinn Porsche. I found Victor very creepy, especially when he sexually harassed Trin. I've been in this type of situation before without the power differential and it is uncomfortable and stressful. The music was good, but the cringe party over the Beatles break-up were such obvious cliches that the only thing missing was For What It's Worth in the OST.The acting was excellent, and made up for the substandard story and storytelling. I especially liked the performance of Son who played the conflicted Krailert. Everyone else was either lawful good or chaotic good, or greedy and bad, but Krailert was a gray character. It wasn't easy being gay in the 1960's, and the closet was common address.
I found the gay love stories a little unrealistic for the time. All of these guys coming on to each other when not in a safe space. Coming on to another man outside of a known gay establishment, or without an introduction would have been very dangerous. I understand the need to move the story forward, but the relationship between Dhevi and Lert's assistant, Veera, was much more realistic for the times.
I gave this series a low score for rewatch value because I'll probably never watch it again. My overall score reflects the acting, and the music that were very high caliber. The messaging was melodramatic and not of real substance because in the end, with as much grandstanding about Thailand and being Thai, nobody really sacrificed for the land. I'm also not crazy about the moving abroad theme that is common in Thai BL. Victor died and Krailert sacrificed for the soil, and the viewer has to watch so much protest footage, yet Trin didn't commit to the land. I did appreciate the ending though.
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Misfortune bonds two people in an old small town
Such a pointless show. This is different from another show with the similar theme of communicating across time, Crossfire, which I thought had better execution.This show depicts miserable people, who don’t develop, and end up nowhere. Not to mention that the modern storyline was also pointless. There was no plot dedicated to the young characters except the bonding they got from passing time together and putting up with each other. If the modern storyline was removed, this show wouldn’t be all that different. In fact it might seem more artistic because we’d get the firsthand perspective of the air of mystery and suspicion from only reading the letters and not the intention of the characters behind writing them. Not to mention our main characters in the past are too old to even be alive, there is no reason for them to be communicating since their communication has very little impact on their lives. It doesn’t lead to the modern young people finding their parents, and it doesn’t lead the characters in the past out of their unfortunate lives.
I was shocked by what a scoundrel Shen Chen was in the beginning. Like it’s the misfortune of Yu Nian to be next to him to be implicated in every suspicion he can have about someone. And he’s carrying legal weight behind his suspicions. Who would put up with someone like that after a couple interactions. It would solidly fall into the category of harassment in real life when you meet and interact with someone like this, want to leave the situation, and then be unable to shake them off. The only time he compromised was to get her cooperation which she already gave, and then when he got any leads he would keep it to himself. That has zero integrity or loyalty. Outside of the character being not well-rounded, I don’t see the merit behind a depiction of such a character. There is no moral to the story here.
I also don’t see why Tang Yixun and Ye Haitang’s romance is one of epic proportions. The themes of this show remind me of the anime Your Name. That movie was a real tearjerker in terms of people bonding across supernatural connection set in a backwater small town. Returning to the relationship between Tang Yixun and Ye Haitang, the only time I felt they were bonding was when Yixun protected her from her dad. After she moved out, I really don’t see why they felt any attraction to each other. Sure not everyone ends up the best of the best in life, but people sure get damn close if they try and there’s no point to a story that shows people getting nowhere. And that is what’s depicted in this show. Yixun ends up in the same place he started in the beginning of the show thirty-five years later. That’s one way to nail home if you don’t work hard in life you’ll end up on the bottom of society. Which is what he did, which is where he ended up, wow what an amazing journey. I really could’ve done without the modern timeline of how pathetic the characters ended up.
Despite being twelve episodes, it’s surprising that there could still be filler content. I think Chinese show writers really need to take a class on story telling and plot progression and delivering a meaningful message through story. A show is not about its length, but it still needs to be purposeful with each second and minute of its runtime whether that be sixty episodes or twelve episodes.
In my opinion, this show was missing two fundamental elements. One was the growth of the characters in their own timeline. It makes sense that discovering a way to communicate with the future could be insignificant if it doesn’t really impact your life so its novelty fades into the background at times, however, if this secret discovery isn’t going to drive the character’s actions, then they themselves need to have a driven direction, because, story. The counterexample show, Crossfire, achieves this. On one hand Crossfire shows that communicating with the past isn’t all that life changing because it’s not human to be able to capitalize on every little moment and detail to change your own reality in society. It shows this by depicting the casual friendship between Xiao Fan and Wu Lei’s character. They’re not winning any lotteries or founding any industries, but they just enjoy each other’s company and advice as two humans who have have something in common even across time. Imagine talking with a buddy living in the Grecian time period and you could still bond over your love of mathematics together. In their own timelines, however, they are both advancing in their fields, with or without the meaningful mentorship of the other. On the other hand, Crossfire still shows that having this extra power and access to knowledge is very powerful as Wu Lei’s character tries to save his brother from dying in a car accident because that was the central tragedy of his life. The important point is this is being built up to throughout the story and happens from the beginning to the halfway mark. Thus, this discovery drives the story. On the hand, in Twelve Letters, this communication with the future is largely ignored throughout most of the show. Part of the way through the show, I thought we were just watching the progression of sad people heading toward their sad ends. It was made even worse because they spoiled how they ended up in the modern timeline and they were doing largely nothing to change it for eleven out of the twelve episodes. Not only was the supernatural mailbox not that impactful on the character’s lives, the characters themselves were not progressing in their own lives without the mailbox.
The other thing this show is missing is the change and impact discovering a way to communicate with the future and change the past brings. Another thing that the counterexample Crossfire did well is after the characters try to change the past and don’t totally succeed, they unravel the mystery of where their timelines intersect. If they were such influential figures on each other’s lives in the past, where are they now? How do they not know each other? How have they not sought each other out? Then when their timelines meet up, they change their present together and head toward a different ending that could’ve never came about if they didn’t meet across times and develop a friendship. Not only does Crossfire address changing the past, how that intersects with the future reality, it also rounds out a third perspective of when the realities are aligned, how they can go forward and grow together. All these nuances are painfully missing from Twelve Letters.
Besides the story not being much food for thought, what this show does well is vibes. In Chinese media I’m seeing more “vibes shows”, shows that are a collection of scenes that have no purpose but are aesthetically pleasing to look at strung together. That is what this show is. It’s decent cinematography and production of some good looking actors that are caricatures of something, interacting in a shallow surface level way that realizes old cliche ideas and sayings, progressing in sequence until its end. It was nice to see some themes of a cute bad boy depicted by Zhou Yiran, having a die hard love for Haitang, because, no reason. But he can kick ass in a fight so he checks the bad boy box. Haitang is a pitiful girl with an abusive father who tries to study her way out, so she oscillates between getting beaten up by her dad and being happy with the male lead. What a tragic girl, now we can kind of skim the surface of misogynist attitudes and family dynamics? Then there’s the typical rich kid who doesn’t know how good he has it in comparison to those around him so he picks on others. There’s also the cliche of once you join a gang, you’re in for life and the only way you’re leaving is as a dead body. There’s also the cliche that a gambler will sell anything and anyone around them to feed their addiction. These people are all just vibes and walking cliches that are tacked on in sequence that don’t really develop anywhere. Their small interactions don’t bring about anything meaningful change in each other. This is especially proven when Haitang dies because she met up with her father in her old age. The man is one step away from the grave and you still allowed him to harm you. I thought you learned the lesson that nothing good comes from interacting with him when you cut him off? Nope, you managed to still die from him in the ripe and wise old age of fifty, thirty five something years later. Talk about no character growth. What was the moral of the book “It Ends With Us”?
While the show doesn’t have any groundbreaking messaging, this show is worth a watch if one is bored without anything else to watch. This show is good for passing the time. Its acting, visuals, and story elements are executed well enough that there aren’t any hiccups to the viewing experience. This show doesn’t insult the viewers in any way in terms of plot holes or acting and visual disbelief. There is enough plot and mystery hanging over the entirety of the show to fuel a binging experience.
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This is something that I unexpectedly liked
I watch this because of my man, Seo Kang Joon but ended up liking it. I didn't watch all of this series but I can tell this is the best. I'd like to give appreciation to the villain's acting so realistic. Would I recommend this, if you're a fan of daddy Seo Kang Joon then hell yes, but if not HELL YESS also!Was this review helpful to you?
worth watching
The story feels fresh and modern, especially how it shows love in today’s digital world. It is simple but meaningful, and it made me smile many times.The acting is very good. The main characters have strong chemistry, and their emotions feel real. I liked how natural their conversations were.
This is a light and relaxing show, but it still has emotional moments. I would watch it again because it is cute, comforting, and easy to enjoy.
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A short (11 x 15") BL/slice-of-life series, but enjoyable and well-made.
PLOT: At film school, Si-Won, the MC (formerly overweight and completely lacking in confidence), thinks he's the most handsome guy in his class, until Da-Won arrives. Da-Won is the son of a producer and a director, but very lonely. He falls in love with Si-Won, and they develop a complex relationship.+++ The actors, all newcomers, are good, especially Kang Eun Bin, who delivers a very natural performance.
+++ The budget is limited but used intelligently. The direction is well-crafted, with no lulls but also no plot holes.
+++ OST = K-pop
=> => Sweet BL in an intimate style
***********************************************************
Série BL-tranche de vie, courte (11 X 15") mais sympa et bien faite
PLOT: Ds une école de cinéma, Si-Won, le MC (ex-gros, manquant totalement de confiance) pense être le + beau de la promo, jusqu'à l'arrive de Da-Won, fils d'1 producteur et d'1 réalisatrice, mais très seul. Da-Won tombe amoureux de Si-Won et ils vont nouer 1 relat° complexe.
+++ Les acteurs, novices, sont bons, surtt Kang Eun Bin qui a un jeu très naturel.
+++ Le budget est limité mais intelligemment utilisé. La réalis° est bien travaillée, sans tps mort mais sans plot holes.
+++ OSTs = Kpop
=> Jolie BL ds 1 style intimiste
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Super frustrating melodrama but great acting
I don’t write many reviews, but this one I just can’t not write one. I have watched hundreds of dramas and I don’t know when I’ve been as frustrated with one as this one. I know this drama was made back in 2018 but in the event someone like me came across this drama years after I am posting this review. Let me say upfront that I adore the ML and have watched a lot of his other dramas if I can find them on my streaming services or YouTube.I have no complaint about how everyone has acted, it’s been top-notch. However, my issue is with the female lead being so ignorant, not communicating properly with the male lead and constantly leaving him because of one issue or another. I know that Zhang Han directed this and it surprises me that he agreed with a story like this. It’s normal to have a break up or some conflict to then come back together, but this is on another level of constant break ups and miscommunication. I have truly lost count of how many times this has happened and I’m only on the 29th episode and still have 20 more to go. My favorite drama of Zhang Han is sunshine of my life, which had one major disagreement that he corrected fairly quickly with the female lead so I’m surprised that he agreed to direct this with the storyline being so turbulent for 3/4 of the show.
I have made it to episode 29 and am so frustrated that I’m not even sure I can continue. For now I’m gonna go watch something a little happier and come back Maybe at a later date as I do want to find out what happens.
Regardless of a happy ending it’s still hard to stomach the constant sadness and the female leads lack of a backbone to stick with it. As soon as trouble comes, she wants to split the scene because she thinks it’s for his best and it’ll help him. How ridiculous! Even if I go back and finish it, I would not recommend this drama unless you have a strong set of nerves. I find I’m shouting at the screen more than I’m enjoying it. I usually take others reviews with a grain of salt, but I probably should’ve listened to this one on the reviews. Drama needs to be shorter and things could be wrapped up much quicker to avoid the audiences frustration thus maybe game better reviews.
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The most realistic and unrealistic drama I've ever watched
I am not someone who likes slowburn especially if each episode is 1.5 hrs long but this one wad good. The length did bother me at times cz it made me feel like I'm watching a Turkish drama and that's the reason I've given this a 9 rating.Coming to the story, this is the 1st drama where literally all characters are good and they've shown everyone's love story including the parents. How work and money can effect a relationship, life and children etc.
I really cried a lot especially Baek Seok Ryu's story cz it was soo damn relatable. Her becoming a high achiever to not burden her parents, always being the giver, not having a dream, her job or education becoming her value and identity, parent's expectations from her, office politice etc. Literally i felt like i was looking at myself the only difference was that there were soo many people who cared about her. That's the reason i said it was realistic and unrealistic at the same time. I guess it does kinda give people hope although the reality is different.
What hurt me more was that Seok Ryu had to be diagnosed with cancer for her and for people to realize her worth. If they didn't know they'd probably take her lightly for life. Another thing was her fiancé, i really tried to hate him but.. i can't say its right person wrong time cz he was the right person and at the right time just not meant to be. I don't think the Sueng Hyo was any better than him, both were on the same level. He gave a whole year for her recovery but just when he thought things got better it got worse. It made sense he was frustrated and confused. He took care of her all alone for 3 years no friends or family and that's just not easy. No one could come out of that unscathed. I felt bad that till the end no matter how much seok ryu comforted him. He still believed it was his fault for not understanding her and for being logical and alwayd trying to pull her up. My heart broke for him.
I have finished the series and i felt it was beautiful. Not just the main couple even the side couple's stories were beautiful just that the episodes were too lengthy that it bothered me.
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So cozy from beginning to end (even with the tears!).
I can't recall why I started watching this show in the first week, as it's not typically something I'd choose, but I'm very happy I did because it's become a beloved show for relaxation. It was full of tender elements along with romantic ones.The talking cats really captured my affection. It was integrated into the plot so smoothly, and thankfully, not at all cheesy.
I’m brand new to any of First and Khaotung’s shows, but it won’t be the last, I now need to watch everything they’ve been in. Their acting and chemistry was amazing. I could happily watch more episodes of Tiger and Lynx being happy in their cat-raising life. And Lynx being Tiger’s favorite cat is too adorable. All those slow blinks to each other and petting got my heart racing!
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