Fun and Emotional!
I actually dropped this 3 years ago because I found it surprisingly boring, and honestly felt like the runtime was not warranted at all (80-90 minutes/episode!). This time around, however, I enjoyed myself so much better! The runtime was not a problem at all, and I had so much fun watching our 5 doctors and their friendship. The actors all have such good chemistry; it truly felt like a group of seasoned friends, bantering, eating, making music together. It was a lot of fun to see how they nurture their relationship, and how strong their friendship has been over the last 20 years! The subtle romance plots have also been enjoyable to follow; of course, Ik Jun and Song Hwa are great, but I have a soft spot for Min Ha and Seok Hyeong, to just and cannot wait for that ship to finally sail in S2! Min Ha is so endearingly cute, I need SH to allow himself that happiness with her! Apart from the characters, the different patient stories were done really well, and always made me very emotional… some of these very truly heartbreaking! Anyway, I’m looking forward to continuing the second season now that I have conquered the first🧡 For S2 I lowkey need more U Ju x Ik Jun scenes… they are SO cute!😭💗¿Te ha parecido útil esta reseña?
A Great Idea, But Not Entirely Convincing
I had a good time watching Spooky Love, even though I came away from it with rather mixed feelings. The drama had some good ideas and an interesting mix of romance, comedy, and supernatural elements, but I felt that some aspects could have been developed further.
The story is enjoyable to follow, and I particularly liked the overall atmosphere. The supernatural aspect adds a little originality and helps the drama stand out from more typical romance dramas. However, I sometimes felt that this aspect wasn’t explored enough and that certain explanations were given a little too quickly.
When it comes to the romance, I really enjoyed the dynamic between Park Eun-bin and Yang Se-jong. Their chemistry works quite well, and their characters gradually become more endearing. I liked watching their relationship develop and seeing the little moments they shared, although I would have liked their feelings to be explored more deeply. Some stages of their relationship felt a little rushed, and I wish I had been able to feel more emotion from their romance.
As for the acting, Park Eun-bin convinced me once again. She does a great job of conveying the different emotions of her character, whether in lighter, romantic, or more emotional scenes. I especially enjoyed her expressions and the way she managed to make her character feel genuinely lovable.
Yang Se-jong was also convincing in his role. I liked the way he portrayed his character, especially his development throughout the story. His chemistry with Park Eun-bin works well and makes their scenes together enjoyable to watch. There were a few moments where some emotions felt slightly less natural to me, but overall, the main cast did a good job.
The supporting characters were interesting as well, although I think they could have been developed more. Some of them clearly had potential, and I would have liked to learn more about them instead of seeing them sometimes used mainly to move the main plot forward.
The pacing was also one of the aspects that bothered me a little. Some episodes were really interesting and made me want to keep watching, while others were slower and sometimes felt like the story was going around in circles. This doesn’t make the drama bad, but it does prevent the story from being as engaging as it could have been.
I also enjoyed the direction and visual atmosphere. The overall mood fits the combination of romance and supernatural elements very well, and some scenes were particularly beautiful. The soundtrack also complemented the important moments nicely without being too overwhelming.
Overall, Spooky Love is a pleasant drama with good chemistry between its leads, an enjoyable romance, and an interesting supernatural concept. Unfortunately, I think the story could have been developed further, and some of the characters deserved more depth.
It’s not a drama that completely stayed with me, but I definitely don’t regret watching it. I would recommend it to people who enjoy Korean romances with a touch of the supernatural and are looking for something relatively light and easy to watch.
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Generic, Commercial and Forgettable
Spooky in Love is a 100% commercial, generic and ultimately forgettable drama that will probably satisfy fans of its leads.The final episodes are little more than a checklist of unresolved plots: prosecutors, fraud, murder, breakups, shamans and a happy ending we could see coming from miles away. Everything gets resolved, but almost none of it produces any real catharsis.
Even the ghosts, once one of the drama's defining elements, are brought back at the very end in an attempt to create a melancholic reflection on life and death. But you can't neglect one of your main narrative devices for several episodes and suddenly expect it to carry emotional weight again.
The series tries to collect an emotion it stopped building long ago.
It isn't a terrible drama. It simply isn't unique, exciting or memorable.
It's just one more product from an assembly line producing essentially the same thing over and over
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A disaster in disguise
Spooky in Love started with so much promise. The first two episodes blended comedy, ghostly fantasy, and a charming storyline that felt fresh and exciting. But then everything fell apart. The comedy vanished, the fantasy was sidelined, and what we got instead was an endless family feud that dragged on without adding any real flavor to the drama.I kept waiting, thinking maybe the writers were just building up the romance but no. Each episode only got worse. The ghost plot devolved into a bizarre attempt to solve a 3000-year-old problem that felt completely irrelevant. The villain’s arc was forced and lifeless, and the vibe that made the show special in the beginning was gone.
To make matters worse, unnecessary plot devices kept piling up: a heart transplant, the infamous white truck trope, the villain unaliving yet another person… all filler, no substance. It felt like the writers thought viewers wouldn’t notice or care, which is insulting.
And let’s talk about the romance. Kdrama romcoms are still stuck in their 2010 era, awkward pecking scenes, no real kisses, even between adults who are supposed to be dating. Sure, some of these shows are made primarily for Korean audiences, but the industry knows by now that international fans are watching too. We don’t expect hyper-realism, but we do expect something smarter than this.
In the end, Spooky in Love was a disaster in disguise, a drama that wasted its incredible actors on a storyline that lost its magic, its humor, and its heart.
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émotions
J'en ai regarder plein des drama mais lui vraiment j'ai tout aimé que ce soit le scénario le jeux d'acteurs ect...Vraiment je recommande l'histoire est vraiment forte et touchante il m'a vraiment marqué juste I-N-C-R-O-Y-A-B-L-E et recomende aussi si tu cherches de la musique pare ce que a ce niveau c'est aussi bien. je mes sa pour pouvoir mettre mon avis ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
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Dopo le prime due puntate volevo lasciare perdere. Non si dice forse di bravi attori che la loro capacità di rendere reali i personaggi interpretati sia uno degli elementi più apprezzabili in una serie? Beh, qui mi sembravano tutti burattini ingessati, fastidiosamente fasulli, in una storia romantica di spie e banalità sentimentali straviste con l'aggravante di alcuni momenti comici che, ripetuti, promettevano una deriva sbracata.
Ma ho perseverato per le ragioni denunciate sopra e, caso più unico che raro per me, anziché perdere voti di puntata in puntata, la serie ne ha acquistati, tanto che, alla fine penso che le recensioni e i voti, qui su mdl, siano un po' ingenerosi rispetto alla godibilità del programma.
Come quasi sempre nelle serie con Eric Mun sono le storie, e dunque le sceneggiature, a fare la differenza. I personaggi sono sempre persone adulte che agiscono sulla base di comportamenti credibili, negli errori come nei successi; hanno uno sviluppo di crescita o involuzione dettate dalle sfide che affrontano nelle relazioni interpersonali.
La storia ha apparentemente al centro una specie di triangolo con un ex marito e un nuovo marito che in mezzo a mille menzogne e segreti amano la stessa donna.
In realtà c'e un'esplorazione ben condotta e credibile di due modalità di relazioni matrimoniali e una donna forte che le gestisce con audacia e chiarezza di prospettiva. Non si fa il tifo per l'uno o per l'altro dei due mariti perché sono 'alla pari' dall'inizio alla fine e anzi, più la storia avanza più acquista credito l'ipotesi che lei possa addirittura fare a meno di entrambi. Anche qui, merito alla sceneggiatura che riesce a creare dubbi nello spettatore fino all'ultima puntata (che, come spesso accade, è un po' sbrigativa e cliché).
La recitazione diventa più naturale di puntata in puntata. C'è molto sentimento (anzi per un po' sembra profilarsi una deriva melodrammatica, poi l'equilibrio narrativo riprende il sopravvento) ma quasi nessuna smanceria superflua.
Bravi gli attori e mi astengo da lodi a Eric Mun (il migliore bacio di tutta la mia 'carriera' dramatica, in Another miss Ho) perchè sono veramente poco imparziale. Mi è piaciuto molto anche Im Joo Wan, che non conoscevo, e che ha saputo tenere testa a Eric ma, soprattutto l'interpretazione di Yoo In Na, una donna come ci piace che sia. Non un capolavoro dunque, ma un ottimo intrattenimento. Avercene. (Agosto 2026)
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It's cute, fun, and chill, but still short.
As a bonus for the drama, this is definitely good. I wouldn't really call it an epilogue because this is a variety show. This is just the cast bonding after filming the drama.I love how, even outside the drama, they all have such great chemistry with each other. It just felt like the characters came out of real life.
Though I wish we got more screen time for the other cast, because watching this, you can tell the main focus is Bao Shang En x Zhou Ke Yu, and the other cast are mostly getting sidelined, which is a shame. That's my little nitpick, because i wanted to know more about the other cast outside the drama, as they said they've never bonded after filming.
That gimmick of finding a compatible was a little bit lacking for me. When it started, it looked like they were going for a dating show, but they kinda forgot about it halfway because it's just the cast having fun playing games. They could've just removed that and gone for a vacation-type show, but i guess you needed some kinda spice.
Overall, really short bonus. Am I weird for wanting more? hahaha I wish this was longer so that the cast would've had some time to share personal stories.
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This review may contain spoilers
What a bummer!
Spooky in love started out so strong in the first half with the electrifying chemistry between the leads but dipped in the second half... full of clichés that were poorly done and unnecessary!I enjoyed watching Yeori and Ganguk's chemistry! Their bickering and petty jealousy moments were so adorable to watch. Plus, loved the whole crime-solving dynamic that actually worked so well as Yeori uses her ghost-seeing abilities to get the truth while Ganguk using his legal power as a prosecutor to lock up the bad guys. That little boy's case is still one of my absolute favorites of the whole show!
Kang Minhwan gave me mixed feelings...
I’m so conflicted about him because on one hand, I was actually impressed by how well he masked his evil side early on under that "charming childhood friend" persona but on the other hand, his character just completely degenerated. He went from being protective to this coward villain driven by insecurities about being adopted. Watching him go behind Yeori's back to buy up shares, trash her reputation and team up with the likes of Hari was kinda pathetic ngl… he was no longer strategic. His arc became sloppy like the writer wanted him to now get caught.
Now on to what I disliked...
First of all, Hari. She makes zero sense as a character. Why is she even fighting over the CEO position with Yeori? Yeori is clearly accomplished, highly educated (their grandma literally wouldn't stop bragging about it), and she actually kept the hotel stable. Meanwhile, what does Hari have? A mother who embezzles money. We never see a single qualification to explain why Hari is a threat, making this whole corporate business arc a total waste of screen time. They could’ve used those episodes to give us more fluff between the leads instead!
The ghost investigations vanished almost halfway through the drama to make room for the business succession tussle which was boring due to Hari and her family obviously.
And don't get me started on Ganguk's grandma....geez! Meddling in her grandson’s love life and convincing Yeori to break up just because she's a "jinx" was infuriating and don't get me wrong, I get that she cares, but Yeori pulling the classic self-sacrificing "noble idiocy" act and actually going through with the breakup was a deal breaker and the biggest "wtf" moment. There are literally only 2 episodes left, why are we doing a breakup arc now?! If the writers can magically let Prosecutor Ma survive flatlining after getting hit by a car, despite him having a 10-year-old heart transplant, (all that in the same day, get dressed and discharged) surely they can magically let them beat the odds and stay together? The double standard is wild.
In the end, the leads' chemistry was the only thing that kept me watching. All that forcing generic, boring chaebol succession drama into a supernatural show was such a chore to sit through. I wish they had just stuck to the spooky investigative vibes all the way to the end. Honestly, I wouldn't recommend this show, which is such a shame because the leads were perfect... if only I could edit out all the jarring parts myself. What a waste of potential!
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A prota é extremamente forte, mas também extremamente vulnerável. Ela sofre dentro de casa, sofre bullying na escola e o inglês pra ela era como refúgio, uma esperança, talvez? E, ao longo da história, somos confrontados com temas que infelizmente não pertencem apenas à ficção: mulheres vulneráveis sendo alvo de pessoas cruéis, famílias manipuladas pelo dinheiro, pessoas tentando controlar o sistema e crimes sendo abafados por quem tem poder.
O que mais me doeu foi perceber que existem tantas camadas nessa história, que não é apenas sobre os crimes, mas sobre empatia, justiça, manipulação, vulnerabilidade e até onde uma pessoa pode ser levada pelas circunstâncias. E mesmo sentindo toda a perturbação do Vicente e entendendo o quanto ele também foi manipulado, não dá para ignorar que o que ele fez continua sendo um crime. Acho que esse é o ponto do drama, não entrega sentimentos fáceis.
Chorei em vários episódios porque é impossível não pensar que situações assim ainda acontecem. A mensagem que ficou para mim é sobre pessoas que só querem viver e serem livres, mas acabam sendo impedidas por pessoas cruéis e por um sistema que muitas vezes falha em protegê-las. Uma mãe solo tentando não perder a guarda e mantendo seus princípios pra que a filha cresça com dignidade, um mendigo com um passado perturbado, uma adolescente sofrendo bullying e violência psicológica em casa. São tantas dores pra um sistema que da espaço pra quem tem poder, conhecimento, ganância e dinheiro.
É um drama que fala sobre dor, mas também sobre proteção, justiça e a importância de ter alguém ao seu lado, mesmo quando você não sabe que tem. De ter um norte quando tudo que você vê é a escuridão. Acredito que no fim, todos responderam por seus crimes e todos encontraram o fio de esperança, que no fim é o que nos move, o sentimento de pertencer, de ser visto, de ser amado.
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This review may contain spoilers
The Rare BL That Made Me Question Whether the Couple SHOULD End Up Together
To My Shore is the kind of BL that made me repeatedly ask two completely different questions: How far is this man going to go? and eventually, Do I even want these two to end up together?This is a dark psychological romance built around obsession, manipulation, trauma, betrayal, control, and a very difficult redemption arc. It is intense, disturbing, sometimes emotionally exhausting, and I still binged all 15 episodes because I needed to know where the story was going.
The story begins when Fan Xiao, the youngest son of a wealthy Chinese businessman, meets You Shu Lang, a pharmaceutical executive working in Thailand. Shu Lang is already in a relationship, but Fan Xiao quickly becomes fascinated with him. At first, it is not even clear why. What begins as curiosity turns into an increasingly disturbing fixation, and Fan Xiao starts inserting himself into every part of Shu Lang’s life.
And when I say disturbing, I mean it.
Fan Xiao crosses serious lines involving manipulation, surveillance, drugs, sexual consent, career interference, and Shu Lang’s personal relationships. There were multiple points where I genuinely thought, There is no believable way these two can come back from this.
One of the strongest parts of the drama is Shu Lang himself. He is a genuinely good person, but the writers never confuse goodness with weakness. He protects people, helps strangers, takes care of those around him, and has an enormous capacity for compassion. He will also tell someone exactly what he thinks, refuse to be intimidated by money or status, investigate when something feels wrong, and physically fight back when necessary. He is kind, but he is absolutely not a pushover.
The chemistry between the leads is excellent. It is intense, physical, playful when the relationship is good, and painful when it falls apart. More importantly, I believed that these two people deeply affected each other. Their relationship changes how both men understand themselves.
The acting also has to carry some very difficult material. There are panic attacks, childhood trauma, betrayal, grief, rage, emotional shutdown, and long stretches where very little is being said but everything is happening in the actors’ faces. Shu Lang’s gradual emotional collapse was especially hard to watch because he begins the story as someone so competent, contained, and self-reliant, and there are points where he looks almost hollowed out.
The drama also surprised me more than once. Details that initially seemed strange or insignificant eventually mattered. Things connected to childhood trauma, old relationships, family dynamics, and seemingly random conversations later become important in ways I did not expect.
One of the things I appreciated most is that the drama does not use Fan Xiao’s traumatic childhood to excuse his behavior. His past explains him. It does not absolve him.
And that distinction matters because Fan Xiao does terrible things to someone he eventually genuinely loves.
That is probably the most interesting part of To My Shore: Fan Xiao’s love becomes real long before his way of loving becomes healthy.
For much of the drama, he cannot separate loving Shu Lang from possessing him. If Shu Lang tries to leave, Fan Xiao manipulates circumstances to pull him back. If someone else matters to Shu Lang, Fan Xiao sees that person as competition. He repeatedly understands exactly what Shu Lang needs and then ruins it by trying to control the outcome.
The middle stretch is especially heavy. It is not boring—I never found the drama boring—but there is a long period where one betrayal, revelation, or manipulation follows another. If you binge it, Fan Xiao’s toxicity can become exhausting.
There are also some very melodramatic plot mechanisms: elaborate schemes, corporate conspiracies, family revenge, conveniently interconnected people, and characters who sometimes seem able to investigate or manipulate situations with remarkable efficiency. If you need strict realism, some of that may stretch credibility.
But emotionally, the story mostly holds together because the character arcs do.
Eventually, Fan Xiao is forced to confront the consequences of what he has done. What worked for me is that his redemption is not based simply on suffering, apologizing, or saying “I love you” enough times.
The meaningful change comes when he starts respecting Shu Lang’s choices even when those choices hurt him, doing things for Shu Lang without expecting credit, giving him space, accepting consequences, and finally understanding that loving someone does not give you ownership of their life.
By that point, I genuinely was not sure whether I wanted them to end up together.
A happy ending is nice, but I always want the ending that makes the most sense for the characters and fits the story. Here, I wasn’t sure being together would mean “happy ending.” Fan Xiao changing did not automatically mean Shu Lang owed him another romantic chance. Redemption and reconciliation are not the same thing.
For anyone who needs to know before starting: yes, this does have a happy ending.
More importantly, I thought the drama did enough work in the final episodes to make that ending believable. I also would have accepted an ending where they never reconciled, because after everything that happened, Shu Lang would have been completely justified in walking away permanently.
What ultimately made the ending work for me was that Fan Xiao finally stopped trying to force Shu Lang to stay with him and gave him the space to decide on his own.
Only then could Shu Lang actually choose.
I finished To My Shore emotionally exhausted, frequently horrified by Fan Xiao, deeply attached to Shu Lang, and impressed that a drama that made me repeatedly think There is no coming back from this somehow found a path back that did not feel completely dishonest.
If you want a sweet, comforting BL, this is not it.
If you want a dark psychological BL with strong chemistry, complicated characters, trauma, obsession, betrayal, genuine surprises, and a difficult redemption arc, To My Shore is absolutely worth trying.
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This review may contain spoilers
Incoherent Writing; Spookiness Got Lost Halfway Through
The part I loved most was the leads being together with some kind of awkwardness that feels realistic in a way.I think the problem I had with this drama was that it was never shown clearly why/how they fell in love. They met a few times and likely helped each other in the few times they met. Then the writers decided to add something to show they have some feelings for the other......Jealousy, them seeing the other with their opposite gender, and acting all weird and jealous. The writers forcibly tried to convey to the viewers that they already have feelings, and I wasn't even into that. The question is: if they weren't the Male lead and the Female lead of the story, would they have gotten feelings in that short amount of time, and why couldn't they fall in love with the another opposite gender they have had a lot with........why must the ML lead/FL lead catch feelings for the other if they haven't done anything special/ something that attracts them together.
I believe leads should have at least ins and outs, ups and downs, quarrels, bickering, something special to make the story a lot more believable.
In the first half of Spooky in Love, the spookiness wasn't even spooky; the second half of the show completely forgot it was even supposed to be spooky in the first place and went for "the" love. I thought of this as a missed opportunity and bad writing; with the mystery and ghosts and how they solve the cases for those wandering spirits, the leads could have formed feelings that are actually conceivable and, in a way, could make the show engaging.
MANY CHARACTERS WERE ONE-DIMENSIONAL
Let's start with Ma Gong Uk. This character was centered around his love for Yeo Ri, and it felt like he had no other thing going on in his life; he even ignored the advice of his grandma and fell in love with a woman he met a few times. The writers said he was a prosecutor, but I didn't even get how we could say he was a prosecutor when all he did was sit in his office all day long and think about the woman he loves and keep thinking about whether he will call her or not; he felt like an office worker. Then the show suddenly remembers, "we said he was a prosecutor, didn't we? Let's try to throw the viewers something like, Him organizing and evaluating some file", but all that doesn't look like what a prosecutor ought to (only) be doing.
No Lies, at times I got really happy when the leads' near kisses got interrupted, and I am saying MAN GET SOMETHING DONE AND STOP HOVERING AROUND THE WOMAN.
Cheon Hari's screen time, or whenever she was shown, was all about how to bring down Yeo Ri, and it gave me an annoying feeling, like she had no prospects except her thinking her problem was just how to take her down and own a business she never contributed to........SO ONE-DIMENSIONAL
Her mom was way better than her; she schemes, hides under a facade, puts on a cool face, wears false smiles, which really made her a better-written character in comparison to her daughter, and I loved her ending.
Kang Min Hwan is the kind of character who doesn't dare to show/confess to the woman he likes all his life, and when she is into someone, he gets angry and jealous. The way I wasn't even surprised he killed his brother and committed another murder was real; his end was well deserved.
I really loved the grandmas; they really loved their grandchildren, and Ioved as Yeo Ri's grandma never tried to subject her to another man when she brought Ma Gong Uk; she just accepted him, even if she was unsettled. I guessed she truly accepted him for who he was.
The ending was predictable; when things were going on, I was like "Next, Next". The show definitely spends its time on unnecessary things, like their time in Singapore. I still loved some parts in the end, like the spirits she brought to the afterlife, and them giving their all to save her. It was touching and heartwarming; she reaped what she sowed, and even her little interaction with Ji Hwan was somehow bittersweet.
I wouldn't recommend this drama to anyone; you could preferably go rewatch older K-dramas.
I thought the ML had better chemistry with his prosecutor partner than with the FL.
Rating 5.5
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Too long.
Honestly. Chinese Dramas need to cut down like Korean Dramas. Is it really necessary for a drama to be over 30 episodes long??? The storyline in this 1 started off great but it got super boring after episode 10.C Dramas should be atleast 12-18 episodes long.
I don't know if i'll continue this but its ridiculously boring.
I've seen C Dramas with many episodes in the past that was simply brilliant such as Only for Love, Persuit of Jade, some with Zhao Lusi and they were amazingly good.
But this...it should've been over by now.
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This review may contain spoilers
My Stand in: A Car Crash You Just Can’t Look Away From
SPOILERS AHEAD!!!I never really write reviews, and I watched this show a few months back now, but it plays on my mind every time I’m reminded of it, and I just want to get my opinion out there.
Joe; the epitome of love making you blind.
First off, Joe poured his heart and soul into someone who never really wanted him. He had fallen for Ming faster than he was able to use his common sense, or any self respect he may of had. He threw everything away for Ming, someone who used him as a replacement, and only ever felt guilty for doing so after his death. Even then, was it actually guilt? Or simply frustration that Ming had lost something he now wanted, but it was all out of his control for once? I believe Joe’s death was necessary for Ming to snap out of his self-obsessed, narcissistic bubble, but sadly, he never truly did. Yes, he became somewhat better, but he was far from perfect and never will be. But in a strange way, Joe adores each extreme flaw about Ming and thrives around the pain Ming causes him. I do not blame Joe for falling for Ming, and I never once felt frustrated every time he returned to him. Instead, I felt the conflicted pain Joe felt. He knew Ming was no good, but he was in too deep – every fibre of his being belonged to Ming. They gave us a few scenes alluding to Ming’s love for Joe, but I never really felt it like I do in other shows. In fact, the ‘love’ Ming showcased was more bare minimum stuff. Such as him getting the mugs fixed, does that mean he loves him?
Where do I even start with Ming?
Ming was selfish, narcissistic, controlling an impulsive. He ruined the lives of countless people around him, but nothing compared to the pain he put Joe through. Someone so selfless was destroyed by the most selfish man I’ve ever seen in a drama, disguised to be the ‘redeemed’ love interest. Ming has always gotten what he wanted, apart from Tong, which is a rejection he couldn’t handle and so Joe became his victim – a toy to play with to feel victorious over Tong, to prove that he can get whoever he wants, and I believe Joe’s infatuation with him was completely satisfying. He loved seeing Joe agonisingly cry over him, begging to just be loved. I don’t hate Ming, but that doesn’t mean I like him. He is a product of his parents' – and the people around him – pampering, making him spoiled and narcissistic, and definitely needs to find a therapist, for everyone’s sake.
The ending had, and still does conflict me. Joe can never return to his old body, forever trapped within the ’New Joe’. In one way, it gives Joe a new chance at life, with a mom to adore him, and a promising career ahead of him. But in another way, he is a foreigner within his own body and always will be. The ’New Joe’ is also symbolic of Ming’s guilt, serving as a constant reminder to Ming for what he did to the ‘Old Joe’. He can never have back the original person he loved, not the way it was. His face, his gaze, his touch, it’s all different and yet somehow the same. Joe is within, his kind soul and his unwavering devotion to Ming, but the face he sees is his consequences looking back at him, haunting him forever.
I know the review I just wrote may not sound like it, but I did love this drama. It’s one of a kind – wether it’s in a good or a bad way – and I was truly captivated by this drama. (I watched it in about 4 to 5 days?) I loved Joe’s kind-hearted nature and the relationship formed between Joe and his new mother. However, I do have one major complaint that I felt should’ve been touched up on. What about the body Joe was in? Who was this other Joe? We met his ex and discovered his cause of death, but other than that, this Joe is a stranger to us and I did feel extremely sorry for him. He was dead, without a second chance, and the series never even gave us the gratification of giving us at least an episode’s worth of backstory for this mystery Joe. (ngl I wanted to see some more of the other Joe because the actor is absolutely beautiful, along with the rest of the cast of course)
Overall, if you’re into dark, twisted dramas then this one will probably be for you. it’s a 9/10 from me. totally flawed, but a uniquely enjoyable watch. The actors are all talented and do their job well. The OST is forgettable, but that isn’t very important to me.
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a borderline guilty pleasure type of show
borderline bc while there's an obvious sizzling chemistry between the leads, the show doesn't really go all in on it. instead, it focuses on occultism in the first few eps, then suddenly family drama, then whatever that is you call a plot. expect many plot conveniences towards the ending. it ends well tho, happily. everyone is redeemed — or dead.my only complaint is their major plot convenience: park seungjae. the way they keep reminding us that he exists and using him for critical points but don't bother giving him more layers. he's showing up so much but remains one-dimensional. it's just sad bc the actor is so great.
but all in all, this is very watchable and enjoyable if you're focusing on the acting and just want something with a happy ending. i really like the fl and ml, and their romance moves pretty fast, which i actually enjoyed. i'd definitely come back just to watch their romance again. i actually discovered yang sejong through this drama too, so that's another win for me.
the ost is also great, and i'm thinking that'll contribute to a high rewatch value. i didn't feel bad after watching the finale. it's just that the moment i randomly turned on my brain, it was kinda sad. every hole was tied up at the end, conveniently, but i'd argue that casual drama viewers would still love it.
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Another SWL disappointment
Following dozens of reviews so won’t be redundant but bigger disappointment than Shine On Me. Discovered ML in Find Yourself where he was so likable, endearing and passionate* (19 when filmed). While his acting technique has improved as he matured none of his roles since have come close. At least Shine On Me had an original story with good flow and growth and likable FL character/actress unlike Zhang Jing Yi. Most interesting part of story was police officer and late wife that should have received more time as left guessing…due to episode cut number assume. Thankful The Road to Success filed my summer void. *Several scenes wound not pass C today¿Te ha parecido útil esta reseña?
