Reviews

I just finished this, which had been sitting on my watchlist for a long time. The beginning was great- I binged watched the fisrt 6 epiosdes instantly. Even though its a police drama, it dosen not focus heavily oncrime, it's mostly about the dynamce between mother - daughter duo. While the mother was annoying at times, their bond ws nice. The Male lead did ot get much screen time,but their chemmisrty is too good & i wished they had more scenes together. The senior was cold but warm hearted in nature. However, the romance was very rushed at the end.
the finale wasconfusing beacuse everything happened so suddenly. Despite these flaws, it's a good overall watch with great comic timing & excellent acting, especially the female lead.

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Romancezinho leve e bobinho

Muitos doramas de antigamente sempre serão os melhores por causa dos enredos diferentes e da estética. Porém, alguns assuntos abordados que não eram tão 'polêmicos' assim na época (ao menos no país deles) podem causar desconforto hoje. Não gosto de como tratavam a Bok-joo e o pessoal do levantamento de peso só por estarem acima do peso. Falando nisso, também não gostei do apelido que o Joon-hyung deu a ela ('Chubby'/Gordinha). Se eu fosse ela, não falaria mais com ele e nem o namoraria (e isso piora ainda mais quando ele falava aquilo na frente de outras pessoas). Também não gostei de algumas atitudes dela; algumas eram muito infantis para a idade que tinha.

​O fato de ela ter mentido para o médico sobre o esporte que praticava e ainda querer emagrecer me entristeceu. Era para ela ter orgulho do que faz e demonstrar força e amor pelo esporte para as demais pessoas. Porém, dá para entender um pouco quando mostra que ela queria se sentir mais feminina (embora a roupa ou o esporte praticado não categorizem ninguém em determinado gênero, nem definam se a pessoa é mais feminina ou masculina).

​Houve muitas cenas de 'vergonha alheia' (algo bem típico dos doramas antigos), com aquela pegada de jovens muito ingênuos, para quem tudo é novidade. Por outro lado, achei a química deles surreal, e acho que é porque eles já sentiam algo na vida real, tanto que namoraram de verdade na época, o que foi um máximo!!

​Passei muito ódio com a ex do Joon-hyung pelas atrocidades que ela fez, porém fico feliz que tudo tenha terminado bem e que ela tenha ficado em paz com o próprio corpo. A situação pela qual ela passou retrata a vida de uma boa parte da população, não só da Coreia do Sul, mas do mundo todo. Muita gente se sente pressionada e se compara constantemente com os outros, seja pela internet ou no ambiente em que frequenta.

​Enfim, é uma série para quem quer assistir a algo leve, apesar de ter uma vilã que faz a gente se irritar um pouco!

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Didn't meet my expectations; a good watch for xianxia beginners

Unpopular opinion but sorry to say, I don't think I got what I was looking for from this drama. I expected way better. This drama did disappoint me a lot.

The editing is a clear problem, especially in the first episodes. They cut the episodes mid conversation and scenes, resulting you to lose flow even if you watched episodes back to back. The scene editing in a single episode too is floppy, again interrupting the flow. But as the drama progresses, it gets a lot better.

Speaking of characters, starting off with the main leads. The usual naive girl and cold male trope typical to xianxia - felt too used. I genuinely didn't like Esther Yu's Orchid character. She is too naive in the beginning, and her character growth isn't clwarly visible. Being cute and overboard in a cringey way is one thing and being foolishly naive is another. Dongfang Qingcang is introduced as an unbeatable force but he soon lost his charm the moment he started developing feelings. The condition of no emotions for using hellfire just dampened the whole weight of the so called devil. Again, he isn't even a devil per say. That wasn't what I expected. The last minute addition of glazed fire concept is also not helpful, because we don't get to see him use it at all. Also, I feel the idea of having to teach an emotionless being to love is too old, frustrating and unhealthy. Esther Yu and Dylan Wang(especially) did not ensemble the weight of the characters they were playing; not because they aren't good actors but because they just don't visually fit in. In fact, I feel they did a wonderful job with the acting. A round of applause for both of them. But again, I don't think it's necessarily Esther Yu's acting that is faulty. Her acting is just not my cup of tea.

The characters that actually impressed me were Changheng and Danyin. Changheng is the one who really broke the usual xianxia norm and brought in freshness. Unlike the known outcast Qingcang, he, a god and someone who had never once broken a rule, chose to stand for Orchid even if it meant execution. That is not what you usually see in thos genre. Zhang Linghe's acting capability truly shines through in this drama. The different roles he played within a single drama was amazing. The mortal arc was definitely the best. Him and Qingcang's sworn brother scenes were hilarious. Dylan Wang does it really well too. Danyin is my next favorite. The most sensible character of all. Yes she loved a man, made the impulsive choice to face mortal tribulations with him, but also knew when to stop and let go. That is yet another breath of fresh air, considering how second female leads in xianxias are icky, petty and obsessive in all the most frustrating ways.

I couldn't give the slightest care for Ronghao and Chidi though. Their acting was good, I could say from the scenes I did watch. But for the most, I couldn't find myself involved in their storyline at all. Skipped a lot of it.

Jieli felt like a very fickle character too. All actions she does had a selfish gain and thus, the entire idea of 'it hurts to see you love me when I'm lying to you' wasn't convincing enough. I couldn't sympathize with her, viewing her as a good character who had her reasons. Just liked few moments here and there.

Lord Yunzhong of the fairy realm as well. I think he needed to be at least stripped of his post. He was clearly not a good leader.

Still there are plenty of good reasons to keep going.

The drama does a great job with visuals. Beautiful landscapes, costumes and special effects. Although the many immortals in the hall looked weird with the mask, it was adjustable. I loved the pink skies of the fairy realm and the night views of the moon tribe.

The depth and seriousness of being 2 lovers from different realms who are enemies, torn apart by responsibilities, is well potrayed. You can feel the helplessness and the moral dilemma. As much as I wasn't invested, I did tear up during the parting scene (but well, I'm prone to crying while watching shows T_T). The drama also has original ideas. Even if the 3 realm concept was retained, what the characters did and how they interacted are original to this drama. There isn't a whole new 'falling in love again' side quest, not just in the mortal realm (where it usually happens) but anywhere in the drama. It has it's own pros and cons though. Also, the drama doesn't drag with the same 2 things. There was a lot for 36 episodes.

The OSTs and background music are very big plus points too. I loved the songs.

Ya, final opinion is, I'm definitely not rewatching it ever because I had to force myself not to drop it. This drama to me was either 1) you are into a bunch of characters and watch them with a little skipping or 2) you don't and skip them entirely. If you are new to xianxia or in early stages of the genre, this one is considerably a better one.

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Speechless: Top-tier storytelling that’s not your typical BL

I’m still speechless after finishing this drama last night. This is the top-tier storytelling that all future queer dramas need to take note of.

Let me start my review by saying that calling Payback a BL drama feels like a disservice to what the creators pulled off—it is so much more than that. While it has the elements you might expect from the genre, this drama isn't just a simple romance set against the backdrop of the entertainment industry. It is a raw, intense character study about guilt, survival, and redemption.

Our male lead is Sun, a young man carrying a crushing weight of grief. Five years ago, his brother was brutally killed, his mother passed away, and his boyfriend ran away after stealing every cent of his money. Because of his past as a ruthless debt collector, he truly believes he is the one who caused his family's destruction. Sun’s real journey begins when he accidentally discovers his treacherous ex-boyfriend Bank (now Sunny) is a rising star at a major entertainment agency, but worse—Sunny was the one who pointed the thugs directly at his younger brother. Fuelled by this shattering revelation, Sun decides to become an actor to look his destroyer in the eye and exact total revenge.

On paper, this setup sounds like the perfect recipe for a fun, soapy ride where a man becomes a famous superstar to publicly ruin his ex. But that is absolutely not where the show goes. In fact, Sun never actually becomes a famous actor, and he gets very little acting to do throughout the series.

Instead, Payback subverts all expectations to deliver an exquisite character study. It is about a man who rights wrongs—not even for himself, but for all the vulnerable people around him.
The drama is dark, and I’m not talking about a toxic romance. I am talking about the dark side of the entertainment industry. There’s murder—more than one actually—multiple assaults, and prostitution. None of it is being glossed over. In fact, it’s graphic so the viewer can understand the characters better. If you are into lighthearted college BL or if you like things like Jack and Joker, Payback is not it. This drama is truly dark and brutal. If you are easily triggered by those topics, this is not going to be a show for you. I recommend simply staying away. Don’t try to push through it hoping for quick NC scenes and easy chemistry. You simply don’t have the guts for everything else.

The show has absolutely amazing writers. There is not a lot said between some of the characters, and the fact that Sun does not speak much actually speaks volumes. As a viewer, you have to learn how to read between the lines and pick up on visual clues. Some things are deeply confusing and make no sense at the beginning. However, the writers masterfully feed those bits and pieces of information throughout the show. If you think that Min’s acting is stiff for the majority of the series, just wait. Once you get to those final three episodes, you will completely understand the reasons why he is the way he is. Additionally, his fight scenes are superb and first and foremost very realistic.

The acting, production quality, and storytelling in this drama are unlike anything I have ever seen in the genre. Honestly, it doesn't truly feel like a BL drama. While there is a central romance plot between Sun and his mysterious backer, Jay—who turns out to be his one-night stand from five years ago—their romance is not the core of the story. Yes, it’s very important for Sun’s character development, but Jay gets surprisingly little screen time, and the spotlight remains firmly on Sun. So I do recommend adjusting your expectations here as well.

Rightfully so, because Min’s performance as Sun is absolutely mind-blowing. He seamlessly balances two entirely different sides of the same man. On one hand, we see him in flashbacks as a brutal debt collector who only cares about hurting people for money. On the other hand, we see his current self: a man completely numb on the inside, hollowed out by intense guilt.

Yet, the best part of the show lies in the profound vulnerability during the few scenes Sun and Jay share. Their intimacy needs its own separate mention. The beginning of their dynamic is quite rocky. Jay is arrogant, doesn't take no for an answer, and is a possessive man who wants what he wants. He doesn't really care to talk to Sun about anything. As a matter of fact, these two don’t really talk about their relationship, and their romance is not a traditional one. It’s obvious that they first connected because of an physical attraction, and their relationship built on that chemistry first. Because they are both screwed up and don’t know how to communicate, they have their own quirks that somehow work for them. While it started off strangely, it developed into something meaningful and fulfilling. They are a bit codependent and toxic, but because they are both broken men, they find contentment with one another.

The chemistry itself between the actors is amazing. They delivered some of the best screen kisses and probably the best, most realistic NC scene I’ve seen in a BL. And I have watched a lot of them, and you will definitely blush watching this one. I’m glad the director didn't go overboard with too many of those; there is just one scene, and it works nicely with the romance storyline to serve the character development. I highly commend the actors for putting on such a great performance. I really hope they get more dramas together.

Additionally, the side characters added immense depth to the story. Sun’s manager Kajorn, Jay’s uncle, Jo, and Grandpa Suchat were all amazing, interesting, and funny. I loved seeing these older actors on screen. Even the minor actors did a devastatingly good job. The pool scene in the final episodes was absolutely heartbreaking, and the horror of the moment came through clearly via the incredible acting of the performer playing the drowning victim. I also absolutely adored the cameos from Max and Boss. It was great to see them showcase their acting range separately from their usual work as a fixed couple, and Boss did extremely well. He was so interesting to look at in the role of the photographer.

I need to give special mention to the music. I am a music junkie and music is extremely important for me when I watch something. In Payback music adds real depth and character to each scene. What I like is that there is a combination of different types of soundtracks from funky to heartbreaking and each one helps the viewer to understand the mood and to feel what character feels when watching a scene. The NC scene had an absolutely devastating background score.

Everything about Payback—from the sharp camera angles and dark color grading to the weird pink bunny mascot—truly made this show unforgettable. It impacted me in a way where I know I will be thinking about it for a very long time.

Is Payback perfect? No. There are definitely some things I would improve as far as the romantic storyline goes. I would clean up some of the scenes and dialogue in the first half. But is it memorable? Absolutely. It is unlike anything that has ever been done before. The production quality is top-tier. I highly recommend Payback to anyone who wants to step away from the typical BL flare and watch something with genuine depth, amazing chemistry, and dark themes that will make you think.

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feelings

- hẳn là phim 61 tập nhưng ra tới tập 16 mất tích lun=)), dù hơi giữa chừng nhưng t nghĩ t vẫn đoán được cốt truyện diễn biến tiếp theo. Vì nội dung khá đại trà và dễ đoán, nó có đúng 1 mô tuýp hiểu lầm - tìm lại nhau - trà xanh / phản diện phá đám - lột trần bộ mặt phản diện - từ từ rung động rồi yêu nhau =)) thường t thấy ở phim ngôn tình nhưng nay qua tới phim boylove nên cũng không khó đoán ra dù phim dừng giữa chừng như vậy

- Diễn xuất thì t thấy sượng, gượng gạo sao sao á, nói chung ở mức đủ xem thoi

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Lazy Writing

I respect the viewers and the ratings, but I honestly don't think this drama deserves its score at all. Just because we love some of the actors in this drama and enjoy watching everything they're in doesn't mean we should completely ignore reality.
Look, we love C-dramas and K-dramas with all their typical tropes within their own framework, but this show completely messed up even those basic tropes. Everything feels so surface-level. The story starts as if it's heading toward a really deep premise, but then it devolves into almost nothing.
I want to start with the ML. The show tries to sell him as this powerful, badass guy through charismatic scenes. He fights off dozens of people, does dirty work for a genuinely evil villain, walks through flames, and so on—yet when faced with his actual situation, he showed zero intelligence. He literally spent almost five episodes playing house in his village with an amnesiac woman. On top of that, even though our FL lost her memory, she is definitely not stupid. If you talk to her reasonably, she’s more than capable of processing and understanding what’s going on. Despite this, treating her like an idiot was just absurd.
Seeing a guy who's been a mob enforcer for years unable to string a coherent sentence together, blushing, and turning into a shaky mess whenever he talks was laughably bad. Maybe this concept came off as romantic in your first two dramas, but right now it’s just hilarious. It’s 2026, and nobody expects a mobster to have never kissed anyone before. Frankly, no one buys that anymore.
As for the FL, I can't really say anything negative about her performance. Honestly, I felt genuinely bad for her throughout the episodes I watched. When you think about it, even though memory loss gets heavily romanticized in shows and movies, it’s actually terrifying. Nobody respected her enough to tell her the truth. I have zero respect for the whole "I did it all for your own good" nonsense. Everyone has the right to know the truth.
Because of what I mentioned above, the romance between the two of them felt completely unappealing to me. I just couldn't get over the fact that she was being manipulated and lied to the entire time.
Of course, these are evaluations from my personal perspective. From a technical standpoint, the writing, directing, and editing were pretty weak. The scene transitions were so jarring in some places that they totally pulled me out of the story.
In short, the drama felt lazy and sloppy. This plot premise deserved so much better, but everything ended up feeling completely unrealistic and illogical (and I actually enjoy well-executed absurdities)

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High budget but low Quality...

I was so excited for this drama, the teasers of ZLH and WC in those outfits were gorgeous, But when I actually got to watch it, I liked it for about 3 ep, and everything is meh after that. From the starting 3 episodes I thought I'd get a serius cold FL paired with a ruthless ML, but all we get is a puppy ML and a weak FL, I mean, why does he have to call her Su Su affectionately again and again, after all of that traumatic backstory and untrustworthy personality, he's still wagging his tail for FL when she betrayed his trust? And the FL, though it felt like she was ruthless with all those bloody wedding dress, and ruined clothing making others distrust ML, but then she gets back to feeling sorry, guilty for him WTH, what is this inconsistency? And when they were in the secret basement, ML should have hurt her with the knife, it would feel way good like in "Fated Hearts" it would show his ruthless side, and when they were escaping, ML could have just suddenly closed the door on her without saying anything, that scene would hit so hard, like it would show that he still cares for her even though he hates her/ angry with her but still would save her, but they went through cringey dialogues for 2 min which makes the situation so weird like they are running for life!!! and ML feels like a puppy starving for affection and the FL annoying with her sudden guilty tears..... Ughhhhhhhhh why why why..... There are many more things that I really hate and am to frustrated about.... Think about it, if they Did it right, they could have made it into a great slow-burn romance like this ----> ML, despite being wronged, understanding why she did that and still helping the FL achieve her goals(though not in a puppy way wagging it's tail way), and the cold FL who only considered revenge and thought ML is some privileged young master, now melting slowly through ML's sincerity in helping her( also noticing what he went through and what he experienced)

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I have yet to find a drama with the same aesthetics and vibe

i really enjoyed this drama because it was able to capture the exact sensuality that i want to see in dramas, the story is very touching and the soundtrack for one of the scenes is an absolute masterpiece, matter of fact i have it in my spotify playlist, its called "The One". ANYWAYS! i cant submit a review unless its atleast 300 characters so i guess i have to go a bit in depth, i loved the writing of the girls character shes definitely a type of personality that i would like to see in more female leads, she isnt afraid to chase the guy and is bold and flirtatious. not to mention the views in some of the scenes were absolutely gorgeous! i reccomend, but brace yourself and prepare tissues for the end! yes, its an open ending but it feels more like its a sad one, also!!!! the poetry in this is amazing i have even saved some of their lines down in my notes app because it could definitely inspire you especially if you are an artist, to produce some sort of art from this.

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I really loved the suspense and how the mysteries didnt feel dragged out, but naturally progress from one point to the other. The two main leads have such impeccable chemistry and it does so much to make the story resonate, you really feel all the highs and lows with them because their performances are so stellar.

My only issue though, is that the story in the first few episodes is 100% telegraphing that Hyun Soo is a murderer and he's living this secret life to escape whatever happened back in his village. Its the only reason him holding Moo Jin hostage makes sense. Granted it does pay off in terms of that incident leaving evidence that fuels Jiwon's suspicions later on.

But it feels very cheap to have your main character kidnap and essentially torture someone in their basement and then spend the rest of the show not addressing it and highlighting how tragic said main character is. Like, even Moo Jin gets over it so fast, it's really weird.

I enjoy how the story develops later and really do like Hyun Soo and Jiwon's relationship, but this poorly thought out section in the beginning really ruined a lot of the good stuff about the show. A blatantly terrible piece of writing that weighs down the significantly better writing in the later parts of the show

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The strongest couple imho has the strongest special...

Arthit and Daotok move together after Daotoks grandmom passed away. Shortly after the bracelet grandmom gave him broke, Daotok sees all the ghosts again and Arthit has the worst nightmares imaginable.

While being cute this special has also a bit of story and not every superstitious thought might be wrong. I think this was especially Ngerns best performance in the whole series. Of all the special this one stands out the most. And of course this special also had the perfect ending with a marriage proposal, so everything a fan would like to see.

Production quality was impecable, everything had a nice flow and while the ghosts in the main-story did not have a satisfying end, here it has. For all the fans this is a must watch!

Note: I would wish MDL would have a consistent naming policy. This is "The Sun from Another Star Special Episode" while the special with Tonfah & Typhoon is called "Fourever You Part 2 Special EP: Beside the Sky". This is very confusing and when you don't know both names you will not find it easily because "Fourever You Part 2 Uncut" also has the arcs not listed.

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Pretty decent but underwhelming

The show's first half is a really good watch! I enjoyed the suspense and the way the backstory is slowly communicated to us. I think the reveals are also mostly well done.

The highlight for me, is definitely Anzu and Yuzu's relationship. It adds an emotional anchor that helps the story resonate.

But I feel the ending is so...half baked. Like it severely underdelivers on the ending. Some stories benefit from sticking to the premise and being straightforward, this is one of them.

Edit: read another review that reminded me how classist and elitist the show is and I have to concur. This show really hates poor people and is very uncharitable in its depiction on the impact of living in poverty.

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