Reviews

Ain't no way that's how they write it

Gosh, what a terrible story execution. The story was so lackluster, there are no likable character, and the death was so dumb it pisses you off

They bring out such an amazing cast, they have great production value, the idea and concept is great, i don't know what makes the storyline feel so lackluster, but it just is. There are a couple of complain i have, first of all there are too many character that there are no depth whatsover to them, you could cut a couple of them, the main character se jong, she was written as this anti social person that didn't mixed well with other people, she is the main character, but like there is literally no stake for the character, her ex husband is dead by like the first 30 minutes of the movie, this movie was from the creator of train to busan so i expected something more emotionally touching, but you cannot do that if your main character is so detached, the people that she could have some kind of affection at least is dead by like the first minute of the main story and there is no way they could bond with the other survivor, everything happening around is just sort of written so that she could reach the conclusion of the story, but like it doesn't work because she doesn't feel connected to the other character, which they have a lot of them. Like she could bond with the bullied girls since they both were sort of outsider, she could bond with the sister's character, she could bond with jcw character somehow whatever, but noo, they were just become this people standing around her, waiting for the plot to happen to kill them. They were trying to give JCW character some kind of plot, but that too felt somewhat flat, i did felt bad when the sister's died, but then they makes his character go on a rampant (?), like what?, that so out of the blue.

And the at the end it feels like they were trying to force a sort of commentary about how society being so herd-minded is awful, i mean i get that but like, that's just feels so spiteful and cynical after they killed the good natured people in like the dumbest way and without even letting anything marinate so we could feel sad for them. Good and bad people could just die without so much of me even batting an eye, the main character didn't have any kind of character development and at the end it just revert back to the conclusion that she doesn't need development. It just feels like they were trying too hard to be edgy for me.

Well, they have great action sequence because they obviously have the budget, the sound design is pretty good. The movie itself is a spectacle if you didn't consider about how awful the story is, it could be a good horror movie to watch mindlessly, but other than that, it's definitely not for me

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Fast-Forwarded to the Finale: Why Road to Success Couldn't Keep My Interest

I ended up dropping Road to Success around Episode 26 and jumped straight to the finale just to see how it concluded. While the initial setup: a sports-meets-healing story centered on a high school football team had promise, the execution quickly lost momentum and became a chore to watch.

Key Takeaways:

Zero Lead Chemistry: The romance felt forced and awkward; I couldn't ship them at all.

Bland Character (Wang Fa): As the male lead, Wang Fa was just too dry and uninspired to root for or keep things interesting.

Forgettable Side Characters: The kids' backstories were generic, making it impossible to care about the team.

Esther Yu: She just needs a good director to tone down the ridiculous acting. When that happens, she’s actually really enjoyable to watch and easily the best part of the show.

Ultimately, Road to Success suffers from a pacing drag and a formulaic plot that fails to deliver on both the sports motivation and the romance. It reflects a broader trend of recent C-dramas relying on strong baseline premises but failing to maintain engaging character dynamics or original writing over a full episode run.

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I could have given a solid 9, but gave 8

The Female Character is annoying and irritating, a worst GF i would say. i would find it extremely offensive and lacking boundaries when they call their Ex-boyfriend Oppa infront of their new boyfriend and the FL in this Drama letting ex bf rub her cheeks, not showing clear intentions that she's off the market is pretty annoying.
I still don't understand why does she have to break up with him in the last Episode, she's selfish, immature and a Red Flag 🚩





































The Second lead actress are just so good,

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Stress-relieving and Fulfilling c-Drama

One of the best dramas I have ever watched!
Zhou Lusi and Chen Zheyuan's superb chemistry, ZLS and Victor Ma's sibling bickering, Perfect Cast, and OSTs, all 10 out of 10.

We all were Sang Zhi(s) once in our lifetime, weren't we?
I always love to watch and feel that Sang Zhi's love for Duan Jia Xi is unconditional and admiring.
How fulfilling and happy can it be to get that kind of love back from your crush?
This is a genuinely healing and fulfilling (fulfilling) drama.

I love to re-watch it every time I feel stressed or emotionally tired. Just finished it again after celebrating the drama's 3rd anniversary.
The first 8-10 episodes can be a bit slow, but trust me, you gonna be hooked after a bit of patience.
Wish you get an oasis drama during these difficult times!

P.S. The OSTs are also super-good, don't skip them!

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Ryan Ren Smolders

I needed a short palate cleanser after long dramas, and Ryan Ren's tiny dramas fit the ticket. In this one, Ryan Ren did what he does best: look dangerous and kiss passionately.

Liu Nian was stunning in her chunky heels and gorgeous Qipaos. She's a tiny thing; Ryan Ren could pick her up and carry her about with one hand!

The less said about the plot, the better. The noble idiocy wasn't noble, but it scored high in the idiocy range, as an anonymous phone call would have accomplished the same without instilling angst and hatred. But that would have forced the writer to come up with a different scenario—wait, what am I saying? A writer? I don't think so. These Republic Era shorts are all cut/paste from other dramas. No originality needed. Writers optional.

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Una cámara y un sueño

Qué bello encontrar lo que te apasiona y esforzarte por ello, en especial con la alegría que eso trae. Si bien eso fue algo corto para la protagonista por diversas circunstancias, esta serie fue una muestra de lo que es la resiliencia y también el aprovechar las oportunidades cuando se presentan.
Me encantó que hubiera tres parejas en la serie con su propia línea de historia que me hacía sentir que me trasladaba a cada uno de sus mundos, pero sin desligarse de la historia general. Me reí, lloré y enamoré viendo tan preciosas historias.

Si buscas una historia con toque de relaciones complejas y a la vez conmovedoras, espectacular romance y amor genuino en todas sus formas, disfrutarás de esta serie.

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A surprisingly comforting royal romance

I honestly didn't expect to love Perfect Crown this much, but I ended up being completely invested in it.

One of my favorite things about the drama was definitely Hee-joo. I really loved her as a female lead. She's strong, outspoken, and refuses to let people walk all over her, even when she's dealing with royalty. But at the same time, she has her own insecurities, especially when it comes to her father and the feeling that she's never doing enough or that she doesn't fully deserve her place. That contrast made her feel very human to me, and I could relate to her in some ways.

And then there's I-an... probably one of the biggest green flags I've seen in a drama. I had a good feeling about him from the beginning, and thankfully I was right. He respects Hee-joo and her choices and never treats her as something that belongs to him. I also loved realizing that, even before he fully acknowledged it himself, he already seemed tired of the monarchy and everything that came with it. Finding out that he had loved Hee-joo since their first meeting at school made their relationship even sweeter to me.

Their romance was one of the highlights of the drama. There is technically another man who has feelings for Hee-joo, but I wouldn't really consider this a love triangle. I never felt like Hee-joo was torn between two people, and his feelings eventually became much more obsessive and possessive than genuinely romantic. So thankfully, this never had the frustrating love-triangle feeling that a lot of dramas have.

I also really enjoyed the supporting characters, especially Secretary Do. I loved both her personality and her style, and I was so happy to see her and I-an's butler together in the end because I had been expecting something between them.

The ending was probably one of my favorite parts. I loved that the final romantic moment happened at a match because of how much it contrasted with the beginning of their relationship, when so much of what they did was an act and they couldn't even properly kiss. Seeing I-an and Hee-joo kiss openly in front of the entire stadium felt incredibly symbolic: this time, they weren't performing for anyone.

I also didn't expect the drama to end with the abolition of the monarchy when I first started watching, but as the story progressed, I began to suspect that it might happen. In the end, I think it was the perfect conclusion for these characters. Rather than Hee-joo having to change herself to fit into the monarchy, they finally get to live outside of the system that had controlled so much of their lives.

Another thing I really appreciated is how surprisingly chill the drama felt to watch. Even with the political conflicts and more serious moments, it never felt exhausting to me. It's actually the kind of drama I could easily see myself rewatching someday, which is something I can't say about every drama I love. There's just something very comforting and easy to watch about it despite everything happening in the story.

The plot twists may not be the most unpredictable or shocking I've ever seen, but honestly, I didn't care. I was so emotionally invested in the characters and their relationships that I enjoyed the drama immensely anyway. It even made me tear up several times.

Perfect Crown may not be perfect in every possible way, but it gave me almost everything I personally want from a drama: a female lead I genuinely loved, a green-flag male lead, a romance I could fully root for, no real love triangle, characters I became attached to, and an ending that actually felt satisfying and meaningful.

I really, really loved this drama.

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A thrilling dark fantasy where ghosts are the least of your problems…

A well written dark fantasy, beautifully shot and produced! The plot is actually both pretty straightforward and amazingly thrilling at the same time. I especially enjoyed the little twist with Saenggang’s grandmother being the actual big bad mastermind behind the Evil Ghost. It makes perfect sense in terms of motive, practicality, profitability, as well as historical harem fight logic, and yet i was hooked into the show’s narrative of the Queen Dowager as the mastermind, so bravo writing team 😃😃! I also like the reveal that the late Crown Prince was always evil, that the King didn’t randomly kill his son, but did so because the CP killed his siblings first. Was I slightly annoyed that the very obviously dark-spirit, arguably Evil King was redeemed by the narrative in the end? Yeah sure. Especially with the story showing the late CP doing the exact same thing his father did, but was punished because he got caught and found out the truth. Because for me, the current King doesn’t deserve the crown any more than his dead siblings or his son whom he killed for discovering his secret. And the fact that our MCs spend the whole show resenting the King just to do everything to save him and spare him in the end. He doesn’t deserve to live after all that he did and the people that died by his hand/because of him. Ig they couldn’t let the throne be in chaos, and that he “atoned” for his sins by promising to suffer for eternity when he dies, but for me that plot resolution is weak 😭💀. Ig in a sense, he’ll always be haunted by his crimes, so yeah 😭.

I like that the message of the story is there are no ghost more sinister than the human evil. The story started with villainzing the ghosts and spirits, and ends with every arc revealing the real evil is the living human all along. From the Queen Dowager, to the King, to the King’s mother, they all are the real evils, scheming and killing innocent people. And the spirits are the poor souls just seeking justice. And although the Crown Prince being the main villain, the titular “East Palace Curse”, he too was shown to be sinful when he was alive. And I also like that despite everything, our MCs seek to let the souls pass to the other side in peace. Even Gucheon who claimed he didn’t want to send the Crown Prince to oblivion, while yes, avoid that choice out of fear of turning into a vengeful ghost like the CP, also avoid doing that out of his own compassion.

I also like the portrayal of parental relationships here. There’s all very dysfunctional, but still stem from a twisted type of love and care. Like the King being ruthless and evil, still care and spare for his only (?) daughter Saenggang, despite his disdain for those who can hear ghosts (stem from his own son learning his secrets), and her mother KNOWING his secrets. And even when he killed the CP, he was sad and haunted by it. And of course, our MCs’ relationships with their mothers. Saenggang who longs for and bear a grudge against whomever killed her mother, and Gucheon who is haunted by the death and oblivion of his mother. And then the King himself and his relationship with both his mothers, which are both typical of historical palace intrigue drama relationship, filled with schemes and resentment, but also ties back with his relationship with his children. The strained relationship being the cause of the CP’s villainy and yet Saenggang’s empathy.

Shout out to Gucheon and Saenggang! What an amazing duo! And although they had little romantic moments, their relationship and chemistry was beautiful. It really hits different when she drugged him and sacrificed herself to distract and kill the CP, and when Gucheon cuts his own neck to come save Saenggang faster, that was peak 🔥🔥

I did enjoy the leads Nam Joohyuk and Roh Yeonseo’s performances. It was nice. But my outstanding performances go to the King - Cho Seungwoo, Queen Dowager - Jang Youngnam and the King’s mother - Hwang Younghee. They are too good at being villains it’s sickening 🔥🔥 10/10 performances!!

Overall, I had fun with this one! I do like dark fantasy and last time I watched smth similar was Dear Hongrang. Pretty different dramas plot wise, but they give me same mystery dark, ritualistic vibes. Shoutout to music team as well, nice soundtrack! Bonus points because this one is HE! Although the leads didn’t officially end up tgt, they’re both alive and traveling tgt, so 10/10 for the HE! 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

Overall rating: 8/10!

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From Gangster Trouble to a Heartwarming Romance

Our Sticky Love may not be a drama with major twists or a revolutionary storyline, but that is precisely where its charm lies. Honestly, from the beginning, I never expected this drama to feel like a serious crime drama, even though it has a criminal backdrop. As a rom-com, I actually expected it to have plenty of jokes and entertaining moments. However, I felt that the humor in the early episodes was somewhat lacking. It was only toward the final episodes that I found the comedy more effective and genuinely funny.

Jung Hae-in and Ha Young truly brought their characters to life. Every glance, small touch, and piece of dialogue between them felt natural and sincere. Their chemistry is one of the drama’s biggest strengths and makes their relationship enjoyable to watch.

The village ladies and Tae-ha’s grandmother are also the heart and soul of this drama. They bring plenty of laughter and warmth, which help balance out the darker side of the crime storyline.

The depiction of Candy Village, with its beautiful and cozy atmosphere, is also visually soothing. The simple countryside setting makes the drama feel comfortable and relaxing to watch. The background music also complements the atmosphere well, although I don’t think there was any particularly iconic or memorable soundtrack.

I was somewhat frustrated with Dr. An’s character. At the beginning, as a psychiatrist, I felt that he was too foolish and naive when it came to understanding the situation. He didn’t really understand what his partner wanted and sometimes acted recklessly without considering the patient’s guardian’s consent. Thankfully, as the story progressed, his character developed and he was no longer portrayed as being quite that foolish.

In the middle of the drama, there were several episodes where the pacing felt rather slow. I became a little bored and found myself wanting the story to move on to the main conflict. Fortunately, the final episodes made up for it with a fairly satisfying climax.

Overall, I don’t think Our Sticky Love is a drama filled with iconic scenes or moments that would make me want to immediately rewatch it. However, it is still an enjoyable drama to watch. The story is light, the chemistry between the leads is fun to watch, the comedy becomes more entertaining toward the end, and the warm village setting adds a comforting atmosphere. It may not be a drama that will stay with me for a long time, but it is still a pleasant and enjoyable watch.

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Last experiment is such a Bummer!!

I genuinely wanna know exactly WHAT WAS THE EXPERIMENT in the Heart King Game???
Six whole episodes for ONE experiment and somehow, there was barely any experiment in it! Honestly, it felt way too stretched out and this feels like every other dating show.

Also, Kang Ho and Ga-yeon need to get a room ASAP! Just send them somewhere private because they seem like they might pounce on each other at any moment. Plus Gayeon was never genuinely into Jeongmin and eventually will do him dirty. Poor guy deserves so much better he’s way too genuine.

And Yerim, girl… GET A GRIP! I honestly wish she had played it cooler and not given Kang Ho any reaction. But I guess she couldn’t act unbothered while watching something happen right in front of her. Thou I love how cutee and naive she is.

As far as other participants are concerned we barely see them! Soo I am gonna pass on the last episode bcz idc anymore and no couple is worth rooting for.

The first experiment was actually a REAL EXPERIMENT, and I loved it. But after that, all the experiments were mostly a letdown and not because the couples didn’t end up dating, but because none of them really felt that unusual or exciting. The drunk blind date was interesting too, but the experiments involving multiple people were just straight-up bizarre.

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A refreshing drama!

At the first time when i saw the 7.9 on MDL i was not sure about start this drama but 7.9 is not a bad thing and i always judge my myself so i gave a chance to it.

And honestly it's was a good surprise, i can understand why people are a bit upset, it's a very light story, no big politics things, no big plots, it's not even a big romance BUT this lighthearted story has its charm. You don’t often get to see these kinds of settings and environments, and the interactions between the characters are really nice.

It's not the drama of the century but if you want something light, with a lot of humor, a bit of romance, it's a drama for you.

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Don't trust hate reviews. It's better than you can expect

I don't know about you but this is actually so good. So long since i enjoy a really good kdrama. I know its just a drama but why do i can relate to some characters. I've watched a lot of kdrama this year and this one singlehandedly my #1 for this year. Tbh I have a little expectation too since not a lot of people talk about this but it surprise me in a very good way. I found myself waiting every week for a new episode till the end. Beautiful ending. Beautiful characters. Beautiful storyline. I love the concept of hearing each other thoughts. I get boring with some kdrama switching soul and body and all. The main characters visual is so pleasant to watch i know them in other kdrama and as expected they did so good here as well. Hope to see them again in another season.... If possible. Don't trust other hate reviews though. It's really good.

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Revenge, Grief, Corruption, and Chemistry That Earns Its Place

Payback was my first Thai drama of any genre, and it was a very strong introduction.

What impressed me most is that this is not a romance carrying a weak plot. The story would still work without the romance. At its core, Payback is about grief, revenge, corruption, exploitation, guilt, and the way power can distort an entertainment industry from the inside.

Sun enters Dream Entertainment specifically to get revenge on Bank/Sunny, the ex-boyfriend who stole the money Sun had saved for his mother’s cancer treatment and disappeared after Sun’s brother was killed. What Sunny does not realize at first is that Sun also overheard him admitting that he had encouraged the man who killed Sun’s brother. That makes Sun’s revenge much deeper than simple betrayal or theft.

I really liked Sun as a character. He is physically strong, blunt, observant, emotionally closed off, and almost completely uninterested in celebrity status or hierarchy. He doesn’t even recognize the most important people in the industry. Minlee Thanakorn also completely transformed for the role. I had already seen him off-screen being sweet, playful, and extremely huggable, so I genuinely did not recognize him immediately as this tough former debt collector.

Jay is equally interesting. At first he seems like the polished, powerful, slightly frightening man who controls every room he enters. Then we discover that “Director Arthur” is actually the son of Dream Entertainment’s founder, whose company was taken from her through manipulation and corruption before her death. Jay has quietly returned to dismantle the people who destroyed her company and helped destroy her.

That is why one of my favorite moments comes at the end. For most of the drama, the title Payback seems obviously connected to Sun’s revenge. But when Jay walks into the board meeting, reveals that he legally controls 61% of Dream Entertainment, destroys the corrupt takeover plan, and is asked what exactly he thinks he is doing, his answer is:

“It’s payback.”

That line reframes the whole title. This was never only Sun’s revenge. It was Jay’s too.

The relationship between Sun and Jay worked for me because it developed slowly inside the larger story. Sun is attracted to Jay much earlier than he wants to admit, but he spends a long time pushing him away because he has convinced himself that happiness is something he no longer deserves. Jay recognizes that before Sun does and repeatedly confronts him with the fact that he is still alive and allowed to want a life.

One of the most emotional moments for me was when Sun nearly dies and dreams of his dead brother and mother. His brother tells him to stop living for them and simply live his own life. That scene absolutely destroyed me.

The supporting characters were also unusually strong. Kajorn became one of my favorites because he genuinely cares about the actors he manages and repeatedly tries to protect them from an industry where young performers are treated like commodities. Sky’s camera trauma was painful but handled with real care, and I loved Pakin’s role in helping him begin reclaiming something that had once terrified him. Sia Jo was one of the best surprises of the show: intimidating appearance, huge heart, and some desperately needed comic relief.

The entertainment-industry corruption plot got extremely dark. SP, Kongkiat, and the people around them are not just shady businessmen. They exploit young actors, use sexual access as currency, manipulate casting and scripts, destroy careers, and eventually reveal themselves to be capable of far worse. The series is very clear about what happens when money and influence are allowed to operate without accountability.

The uncut intimate scenes were far more explicit than I had seen in a drama before. The chemistry was excellent, and the intimacy had emotional meaning. I generally watch C-dramas, and most of the BLs I’ve watched have been Chinese or Chinese-adjacent, so this being my first Thai drama made that difference especially noticeable.

Still, Minlee and Toptap are excellent together. Their off-screen chemistry is playful and adorable, while Sun and Jay feel completely different onscreen. I especially loved the little callback to their first meeting when Jay tells Sun that he is Sun’s now, and Sun is confused until Jay reminds him:

“You bought me for two baht, remember?”

That ridiculous half-smoked cigarette transaction somehow became one of the sweetest running jokes in the entire drama.

Overall, Payback gave me exactly what I want from a BL: a strong story that does not depend on the romance to survive, layered characters, meaningful supporting roles, real thematic substance, and chemistry that feels earned rather than inserted.

A very good drama, and a very intense first introduction to Thai television.

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Actual 2ML syndrome

Overall I enjoyed this show. It was quite fun and didn't ask too much of me. What I did find refreshing was that I couldn't tell who the 1M & 2M leads were going to be until the beginning of the third episode. Normally I identify 2MLs and dislike them straight away. But I really liked the 2ML and would've been happy with that result too.
Generally I like Park Min Young. I liked her in this too.
I enjoyed how the cadre of good guys were all working together against outsiders. The love triangle was fun and not overly dramatic. The villains were villainous.
My main metric for any drama is whether or not it's fun to watch - even the unhappy parts. And this was mostly fun if a little slow at times.
Then of course the third act break-up / noble idiocy trope. My least favorite of all the bad K-Drama tropes. I was already checking out when it started but it played out with a tenderness that was actually very bearable.

Also... Korea definitely needs to come and get its Chaebols. They're drunk and getting out of hand.

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