Reviews

Came for Benz and Garfield — they couldn't quite deliver here

I found this series through Pit Babe, where Benz and Garfield caught my attention as a side pairing and left me wanting more of them. This felt like the obvious next step.
It wasn't quite what I hoped for. In Pit Babe their dynamic had something that made me curious — here that something didn't translate in the same way, and the chemistry between them never convinced me the way I'd expected it to. Worth noting too that they've since gone their separate ways as a BL pairing, which adds a certain weight to watching this in retrospect.
The main couple actually has more chemistry between them, which is its own kind of irony given why I was there. But the story around everyone didn't pull me in either — I skipped large portions and finished what I did see mostly out of stubbornness rather than genuine engagement. Functionally closer to dropped than completed.
Sometimes a pairing works in one context and doesn't transfer. This was one of those times for me.

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Started with promise — then lost me somewhere along the way

The opening had my attention. A drinking game that ends in death, anonymous threats, a murder investigation — as a setup it works, and JoongDunk as a pairing gave me a reason to stay past the premise.
But by episode three the series had already started losing its own thread, or at least losing me trying to follow it. The focus shifted in a way that left me uncertain what the show was actually most interested in, and when a series stops feeling like it knows what it is that early, I stop feeling like I need to find out. I dropped it without much hesitation and I don't plan to go back.
JoongDunk have something together, and I don't doubt there are moments further in that deliver. But a pairing alone isn't enough reason to push through a story that's already stopped making sense to me.

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I'm not Korean, but I was bullied throughout my entire school career. I wish I could say that everything in Episode 1 is exaggerated and ridiculous... but not really. Students who insult, hit, and humiliate other students, with no one coming to the victims' aid, and sometimes even with the teacher's support (yes, really), well, that's the reality. Episode 1 isn't that far-fetched.

Violence doesn't solve anything in this case. But the series suggests that it does, that it would be the ultimate solution to everything. No, the bullies will take revenge on their victim. All it does imply that if violence comes from the stronger people (adults), then it's valid. And consequently, adults have complete authority over minors... because ? Because, period. Thus, violence in school would simply be an educational problem caused by the parents alone. I'm not sure I support that. (I believe above all in the collective responsibility and individual courage proposed by philosophers like Arendt or Sartre. At some point, we must act even if we stand to lose something, even if we aren't personally responsible : we are.)

That said… it's hard not to find it thrilling when a teacher goes to the home of a privileged bully (the son of a high-ranked politician) just to piss him off. And he couldn't care less about threats from a potential future president of the Republic. I admit it.

There are also some very serious issues that aren't handled all that badly. It goes beyond just school. We seek revenge for the powerless. And these "teachers" are only there for a specific mission.
Well, here I go complaining again… I love revenge in movies or TV shows, but in real life, it accomplishes nothing. I wouldn't be any less devastated if I learned of the death of my bullies or attackers. It doesn't make things right. And it's individualistic, too. An individual solution for every systemic problem ? No. (Or else we must expect that many of our relatives and family members will disappear in prison or be executed...) And it happens after the problem. It's already too late. Neither violence nor the death penalty dissuades people from committing crimes !

The series takes on a cartoonish tone starting in episode 2. The students are total thugs straight out of the worst mafia movies. How many times have they repeated a grade ? Paradoxically, it becomes much more watchable. From that point on, it takes on a satirical approach, the ideology takes a back seat, and you can watch it as a usual action comedy. If the whole series were like that, it would be just fine. But, it's not.

Episode 3 and its false accusation of a teacher sexually harassing a student. I just can't handle that. What about the real accusations ? Do we just ignore them ? It leaves me completely dumbfounded, I can't stand it. And Jin Ki-joo finally shows up ! Finally ! (My main reason for watching this series) But I couldn't appreciate her absurdly authoritarian approach as much as I'd have liked. I dropped the series right there. That's my limit. It's probably a shame, but I refuse to waste my time on stories about false accusations.

(Ignore the note. It's just for my own reference, so I know not to try again.)

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Soulmates on screen — I just wished the series had trusted itself to go a little deeper

The foundation of this story is genuinely moving. Two best friends, a shared love of photography, years of quiet feelings that one of them didn't know how to hold. That scene with the private exhibition, just the two of them, their photos, their world - chefs kiss! That detail alone made me feel something. This is what soulmate energy actually looks like when a series takes the time to build it properly rather than just declare it.
The fear of losing the friendship felt completely earned to me, and the series handles that anxiety with real care. What I found particularly strong is a question that gets raised near the end — Wataru asking whether he's now split between two roles, best friend and partner, and which one he's supposed to be. That moment quietly points at something we don't talk about enough: the way we still categorise relationships into separate boxes, as if love and friendship can't exist in the same space without one replacing the other. For a relatively gentle series, that's a sharp observation.
The romantic relationship in the final episodes feels genuinely healthy — unhurried, warm, mutual. I appreciated that.
My personal sticking point is that the series stays a little too safe given the emotional depth it clearly has access to. I'm not asking for explicit content — that's not the point. But I think there's something to be said for a story that has built this much intimacy between two people and then keeps a certain distance from what that actually means for them as a couple, including any reckoning with identity or what loving each other changes about how they see themselves. The foundation was there for something more layered. I wish the series had walked a little further into it.

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10/10 Feelgood Romcom

10/10 Feelgood Romcom
Personally I enjoy this show a lot, we're at only two episodes right now but I'm looking forward to each sunday I get to watch it again. Off and Gun as always have the best chemistry and great acting, both fitting the genre and doing something very light after their last project Not Me, which was way darker. I like the comedy aspect, it's silly but not over the top and makes me laugh a lot!
The side actors are also interesting, Neo just being amazing as always and Aungpao does a good job on his first ever series!
The storywriting doesn't seem to deep in the beginning but by my knowledge of the story behind the novel, it will get deeper, more interesting and is supposed to focus on some society issues as well.
I hope everyone will give it a chance, no matter if you're into cooking shows or not. It's serious about the cooking part with workshops for the actors and real chefs being on set, the food shown so far looked really amazing!
This is Off and Gun going back to their roots in Puppy Honey while adding their new build up chemistry over the past years to their fun side. It's not as sad or dramatic as Theory of Love, it's not as serious and dark as Not Me, it stands for itself by being their next project that will prove they're here to keep working together.

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10/10 Feelgood Romcom

10/10 Feelgood Romcom
Personally I enjoy this show a lot, we're at only two episodes right now but I'm looking forward to each sunday I get to watch it again. Off and Gun as always have the best chemistry and great acting, both fitting the genre and doing something very light after their last project Not Me, which was way darker. I like the comedy aspect, it's silly but not over the top and makes me laugh a lot!
The side actors are also interesting, Neo just being amazing as always and Aungpao does a good job on his first ever series!
The storywriting doesn't seem to deep in the beginning but by my knowledge of the story behind the novel, it will get deeper, more interesting and is supposed to focus on some society issues as well.
I hope everyone will give it a chance, no matter if you're into cooking shows or not. It's serious about the cooking part with workshops for the actors and real chefs being on set, the food shown so far looked really amazing!
This is Off and Gun going back to their roots in Puppy Honey while adding their new build up chemistry over the past years to their fun side. It's not as sad or dramatic as Theory of Love, it's not as serious and dark as Not Me, it stands for itself by being their next project that will prove they're here to keep working together.

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Similar to Taxi Driver but could've been better

Teach you a lesson series shares lot of similarities with Taxi Driver, watching it feels like watching some sort of a spin-off of that show but with a different plot and actors.

Both shows present a small group of people (heroes) who punish criminals and save the day although a bit different in this show but it's still the same idea. The group (just like Taxi Driver) also consists of an old guy (a boss figure) with relations and money who makes anything possible which also happens that he shares a special relationship with the ML (how they met and what led them to create what calls the protection of education laws or special Taxi service in Taxi Driver), a smart guy who hacks computers and another friend who helps in his/her own ways. Their jobs are to talk to victims and save them from whatever they're facing.
And many other things this show did that were similar to one of my favorite shows Taxi Driver. it was exciting and full of action and comedy, It was cool to watch overall. The acting and action scenes were also good.

But most importantly, despite some flaws that you can read them below, the show tackled one of the most non-talked about sides of education. A profession that looks easy on the surface but so difficult in reality, and as someone who's heading to that path, i can fully understand those hardships especially dealing with kids and their stubborn parents. How the bureau of protection dealt with every situation seemed a little bit unrealistic in some instances but it was worth it.

Now, speaking of flaws and negatives of the show, something i personally felt and didn't like is the lack of a big main story.
The mini side stories of schools and so on were good on their own but the show needed a main story, something cooking up slowly that leads to something big for the heroes to deal with.
We saw this with Taxi Driver in S1 and 2 (S3 had some issues as well) and how they faced a bigger threat, a bigger bad boss at the end of each season they struggled to defeat but they eventually did. We didn't see that with Teach you a lesson though. It felt like the director had some stories in mind, he put them together without any direction which isn't bad but if you're trying to do the Taxi Driver formula, at least do it the right way.

Also, the romance thing wasn't really my cup of tea. It felt forced and dumb.

That was my opinion on the show overall, it wasn't as good as Taxi Driver to be fair here but it was worth the watch. I enjoyed it.

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Brilliant- a fun and breezy watch that also does not pull punches!

Admittedly, I am in a bit of a drama slump right now. Nothing has been able to retain my interest for longer than the first 2 episodes, so I started Fake Fact Lips without any high expectations.

Wow, this show has me HOOKED. They waste no time establishing the setup, the dynamics between Ryo and Zen are clear from Ep 1, and the chemistry is chemistrying. The actors know their assignments and bring their A game when it comes to the skinship and the kisses, but their emotional connection is very well developed as well. Zen is a very well written "cat" character, the cold, aloof one who secretly cares a lot. I love that we see his affection for Ryo immediately.
And Ryo, omg, the actor and the character are absolute cuties.
They are able to build a lifetime's worth of existing tension between Ryo and Zen— and they have fantastic actors who portray their younger selves. This is such an easy and fun watch that I find it easy to recommend. I can easily see myself re-watching this yearly!

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A true love story

One of my favorite dramas from the last five years has been Queen of Tears. This drama is based on a true love story. It tells the emotional love story of Baek Hyun-woo, a man from a small village who works for the powerful Queens Group as a lawyer, and Hong Hae-in, the heiress to a luxury department store empire. Their relationship is filled with love, heartbreak, misunderstandings, and sacrifices, but no matter what challenges they face, they continue to fight for each other.

At the beginning of the drama, we see a couple whose marriage appears completely broken. They sleep in separate beds, rarely talk, and when they do, it usually ends in an argument or is about the business and money. Yet through flashbacks, we see how deeply Baek Hyun-woo once loved Hae-in. He would do anything for her, and although Hae-in often appeared cold and distant, she showed a softer and gentler side whenever she was with him. Their was a cute scene while she is sitting in back of a car and asking her driver to follow up to admire Baek from a distance. Their wedding felt like a fairy tale, and Baek even promised that he would never make Hae-in cry. Everything seemed perfect until we slowly discover what drove them apart.

The turning point in their marriage was the loss of their baby. Hae-in shut herself off emotionally, while both of them buried their grief instead of communicating. Now Baek decides he wants a divorce, even though he fears the reaction of Hae-in’s powerful family. Just as he finally works up the courage to tell her, she reveals that she has a brain tumor and needs surgery. Baek is shocked, and although his initial reaction is relief that he won’t have to divorce her if she dies, he quickly begins treating her with more kindness and care.

As the story progresses, Hae-in’s former classmate enters the picture, creating tension and jealousy. Baek’s feelings for Hae-in become impossible to ignore, and moments like him saving her from a wild boar attack show just how much he still loves her. Hae-in was taken back that he would risk his life for her. Slowly, the feelings they buried begin to resurface, she even catches him researching places to help with her cancer treatments.

The most emotional part of the drama is Hae-in’s illness. Her health deteriorates, she suffers memory problems, and she sometimes collapses unexpectedly. We had an emotional moment where she forgets she is sick and that Baek and her aren’t on good terms and she’s happy, but it breaks Baek. During this time, she also discovers that Baek had planned to divorce her, which causes even more pain and distance between them. Despite this, the story beautifully portrays two people falling in love with each other all over again.

There are so many unforgettable moments: their passionate kisses, emotional embraces, and the devastating car crash scene where Baek believes Hae-in has died. That moment perfectly captures the depth of his love. Another powerful scene is when Hae-in says she no longer wants to live because of her suffering, followed later by her decision that she wants to keep living and experience life with Baek by her side. “All I ever wanted you was by my side”



The drama was already emotional because of the promises they made to each other and the admiration they shared. However, once Hae-in’s condition worsened, the emotions became overwhelming. Whenever they cried together, it felt impossible not to cry along with them.

My favorite moment comes after Hae-in’s surgery when she can no longer remember Baek. Watching her read the journal she had written and slowly regain her memories of him was heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time. The amount of crying, longing, and love throughout this drama made every emotional scene hit even harder. The ending was perfect of them having a kid and showing many tears later when they are old of baek at Hae-in grave. A memorable moment in the drama is when he said ""If you die before I do, I'm going to live one more day and then follow you. How will I ever live without you?"Hae-in responds with an equally touching promise: "Let's say a lot of time passed, and you died. Then I'll become an angel to pick you up. If I show up, it'll be less scary for you."

While I loved most of the drama, the murder and villain storyline wasn’t my favorite part and I do wish we had 1 or 2 episodes of them 10-20 years later in life. I was much more invested in the romance and emotional healing between the main couple, even though all characters brought something to this drama. What stood out most to me was how deeply Baek loved Hae-in. He consistently sacrificed everything for her, and I have rarely seen a male lead portrayed with that level of devotion. His emotional breakdowns, drunken scenes, and moments of vulnerability were heartbreaking but also provided some of the show’s funniest moments.


Overall, Queen of Tears is one of the most emotional romance dramas I have ever watched. It is a story about grief, forgiveness, healing, and finding your way back to the person you love. Despite a few plot elements that didn’t work for me, the love story between Baek Hyun-woo and Hong Hae-in is one that I will not forget anytime soon

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don’t care about the plot other then Zhang linghe

what was that ending….

started watching this mainly bc of the 4 main actors both female and male and cause im on a Zhang linghe binge. i was expecting a lot since people have hyped this up… but it took me a long time to watch… over a month tbh. cause when sitting down i always found something more exciting to watch and i finished it only cause i don’t like leaving things unfinished. thank god iQIYI has the speed x2 option cause so many scenes im just like.. why is this so slow?? also i get that its for character building but some of the side characters i didnt need to know their entire storyline of life if it wasnt relevant to the story…

the open somewhat ending had me kinda angry… i had hoped we would get to see them defeat wofeng, instead we get a open ending and suddenly a twin?? definitely feels like they just went “okay im done let’s just end it here”…. idk how the novel goes or what happens there but when the last episode was over i just thought… oh well now i can finally say i finished it yey….

the acting was so good tho, and some scenes with the guys sister? cousin? i can’t even remember her name, but she was really funny with the way she kept flirting with the guard. had a feeling they would end up together in the end and was happy i was right.

i watched this after pursuit of Jade hoping it would be living up to that but it truly was a downer compared. im giving it a 7/10 cause i did enjoy some of it and the acting was good but the plot and some of the fight scenes was just boring i ended up speeding on x2 so much towards the end just to get over with it.

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Please sell me my time back

God... where do I even start....
The script wasn't great. The conversations felt very "high school student who's writing a conversation for the first time".
The so called banter didn’t make sense a lot of the time. He's supposed to be a fan, yet it constantly shows him being distasteful towards his idol. It would make sense if they tried to make it so that he's trying to hide that he's a fan but that never seemed to be the case. He also kept getting disappointed that Gang Jae wasn't the person he showed himself to be, which could have been a good plot line of Ji U shifting to see him from an idol to an actual person but no. If literally was there for no reason. Because no matter how many times he seemed almost disgusted with Gang Jae, they would randomly show him back at being his 100% fan online.
I should have know the show was bad on the first episode, when the main couple meet, and the show tells us three freaking times in the next 5 minutes about "the tension" they had. The tension in question was them shaking hands and telling each other they're fans of one another, which somehow no one including them heard saying???
The plot, none sensical from the beginning. A professional soccer team with half players that can't play. They don't even train them, apart from training the relationship between in each other😭
Even if you ignore the premise of the show, the plot does not get better. They put in random storylines that never really lead anywhere. It almost seems like they cut scenes in between as well. Like the dream thing. We suddenly see a flashback of a dream Gang Jae had. Except, there was never a scene where he had that dream before??
And oh😩 The acting. Especially the one playing Gang Jae. It's literally high school amateur level. I will give him the benefit of the doubt that maybe he was trying to overreact and have cliché, non-realistic expressions for, I don't even know, comedy reasons?? And not to sh*t on him, he's not ugly in any way, but he does look his age. And that age does not look the same as the others so making him and Ji U the same age was just an added inconsistency to the mix.

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