Reviews

Cooking drama with military setting and strong comedy

For me it started really strong, the comedy is really good and food scenes are superb. Military is very good setting for this as i could believe most shenanigans which happens there and characters are very relatable. Lead actor Park Ji Hoon is strong as ever and Lee Hong Nae is superb at supporting them. I feel like all the other characters were bit on the background noise levels and i couldn't say much about them, other than maybe Lee Sang Yi who does seem to excel in comedies.

I'd have to admit that throughout the serious plot line was super underwhelming and i think it failed to connect me at any level, i get what it tried to do but every time i almost started to care about it comedy overwhelmed it and it just lost its flow with me. Thus latter part where it tried to do turn more serious, it fell kinda flat and i just didn't care for the latter half as much as the start.

Ending was another underwhelming part, it seems like they've already sold the 2nd season and didn't really care to do too much of a big bang for the season 1 ending, if someone told me this would've continued next week i could believe you. Villain so bad, i don't really have anything say about him, kinda non-character. Secondary villain was better by a wide margin but he got dealt earlier already.

Conclusion
Top tier comedy but falls flat at its serious message, strong lead and second lead while side characters kinda fell flat. Villain was bad and didn't really offer any ''scares'' during the drama, so i didn't have any delusions that main character wouldn't win.
I'd give it 8/10, it was 9/10 but the obvious season 2 launch soft ending brought it down.

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park ji hoon in an apron was everything i ever needed in life

🍳🍳🍳🍳🍳🍳🍳🍳🍳

if the legend of kitchen soldier can be described as a "comfort food drama with rpg elements," then consider me a lifelong fan of the genre. operating somewhere between military comedy and genuine human drama, this is the kind of series that brings joy, heartache, and occasionally the very real urge to make paella at two in the morning.

back in 2022, reborn rich proved that fantasy mixed with a korean corporate setting could work remarkably well. it stayed in people's minds as proof that supernatural elements don't have to be dark to be effective. now, four years later, tving and tvn took that lesson and dropped it straight into a military barracks which, honestly, makes perfect sense.

so what's the appeal?

the legend of kitchen soldier follows kang seong jae (park ji hoon), a young man who joins the military while trying to escape the grief of losing his father. that alone would be enough for a heavy drama. but then a video game-style holographic screen suddenly appears in front of him, offering culinary quests. yes. in the military. complete with an xp system and everything.

the ganglim outpost where seong jae is stationed comes with two characters who function as walking comedy trophies: sergeant park jae young (yoon kyung ho), who claims he used to be a famous gangster in yeosu despite having absolutely no evidence to prove it, and head cook yoon dong hyeon (lee hong nae), who hates eating his own food and prefers weightlifting over cooking. naturally, he's the one assigned to "train" seong jae in the kitchen. the irony is delicious literally.
who doesn't love a protagonist who solves everything through cooking?

with every episode, the holographic system throws a new absurd mission his way. turn a rival into an ally. make paella with emergency supplies during a storm that wipes out the base's bridge. earn the respect of the regiment's most irritating officer through a batch of improvised arancini. seong-jae doesn't have superpowers, but he does have a chef's knife and an absurd amount of resilience.

the drama treats viewers like adults who already know the hero will eventually win, yet it still manages to create genuine tension. the smart move here is that the quest system isn't used as a narrative crutch but as a reflection of the protagonist's emotional growth. every dish he prepares says something about where he is in his grief, his acceptance, and his ability to form meaningful connections.

is it worth watching?

absolutely.

this isn't the kind of drama that immediately blows you away, but it sneaks up on you with how often it makes you smile without even realizing it. the military corruption subplot that develops in the middle episodes could have been explored in greater depth. the drama rushes a little too much through the final episodes in order to tie up those loose ends. but the heart of the series lies with the people in the barracks, and they never disappoint.

in the end, culinary apophenia is what drives the viewing experience here. you start seeing meaning in every ingredient seong jae chooses and every meal he serves. your brain begins connecting food with healing, grief, and belonging. and chances are, it's not just your imagination.

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Please get comfortable with confusion - you'll be rewarded

Veil of Shadows is one of those shows that can blow your mind and in a good way. The synopsis does not do it justice, but I don’t think one can describe this story properly other than to oversimplify.

The cinematography was better than any Hollywood film I’ve seen recently. Amazingly beautiful work…….watch this show just for the incredible film work.

I love this drama…..it is exactly my kind of story.

STORY
Veil of Shadows is about five characters that must figure out who they really are and where they came from…..full stop.
These five characters interact with each other and a whole host of individuals that force them back into answering those two questions.

The actual story is told in flashbacks. This may be difficult for some to process. Personally, I’m not a fan of flashbacks but it was done in such a way that layers of the mystery of who everyone was were peeled away with each flashback.
Get comfortable with flashbacks and this story will take you for a roller coaster ride.

CHARACTERS
I suppose Lu Wu Yi is the lead character….not sure as all 5 are on screen quite a bit. Ju Jing Yi had me captivated from the beginning. Is she a bad guy or is she a good guy? Frankly, other than Joseph Zeng’s character, that question could be asked of pretty much every character that graces the screen.

Chen Du Ling plays Wu Wang Yan, Lu Wu Yi’s nine-tailed fox sister. The two “foxy” ladies meet up with the other three lead characters, Wu Shi Guang (Joseph Zeng), Ji Ling (Tian Jia Rui), and Li Jie (Yan An) at the Wei mansion to solve a demon problem.

All five were powerfully portrayed but Yan An STOOD OUT! He did a fabulous job (and fabulous abs). My eyes were glued to the screen every moment he was on. Tian Jia Rui created an equally compelling character from beginning to end. I hope he wins some award for this, because now I want to see everything he’s acted in.

Ju Jing Yi and Chen Du Ling made me love them from the beginning. Their sisterly bond was so believable that I wondered if these two women were close friends in real life. Truly, I was fascinated by both performances and vow to watch them in other dramas.

SOUNDTRACK
I LOVED this soundtrack. I will be downloading the Liu Yuning song for sure (best one yet). Spectacular music all the way through. The chanting thing they had going on in the background during climatic moments was out-of-this-world.

REWATCH VALUE
I will be rewatching this for sure. There are several support characters that need more than one watch to understand their place in this fantasy world. I love Xia Zhi Guang from other shows and enjoyed his guest role. I want to experience his character again, just to relive his impact to the storyline.

OVERALL
I believe if the viewer is someone who can keep an open mind and go with the flow, the current rating is too low. The characters, cinematography, the music make it worth at least a 9.0 on MDL.

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An Outstanding Adventure Undone by a Frustrating Finale

A Journey to Love completely deserves the hype it received when it first aired. The drama is gripping from the start, featuring a memorable cast of characters, exciting political schemes, and some of the best action choreography in recent costume dramas. Both the male and female leads are refreshingly competent—not just as fighters but as strategists. Instead of relying on misunderstandings or plot armor, they solve problems with intelligence, making their partnership one of the drama’s biggest strengths.

Unfortunately, the final episodes are where everything falls apart. A tragic ending isn’t the problem—this is a story set during wartime, so death is expected. The problem is how those deaths are written. The first one or two major sacrifices among the diplomatic mission feel meaningful and believable, but once the story shifts into the final war arc, the writing becomes increasingly forced. One particularly baffling scene has the second leads sharing a romantic horseback ride, smiling and enjoying a peaceful moment in the middle of a battlefield. The tonal shift is so strange that it completely breaks the immersion, only for the male supporting lead to die almost immediately afterward. It feels manufactured purely for shock value rather than as a natural consequence of the story.

The endings for the main couple are even harder to accept. Throughout the drama, both leads are established as exceptionally capable survivors. Yet the script suddenly bends its own rules just to ensure they cannot have a happy ending. The female lead, in particular, feels completely out of character. She spends the entire series proving her resilience, surviving impossible situations and living on despite unimaginable loss. Then, in the end, the drama suggests she no longer has the will to live simply because the male lead is gone. That decision contradicts everything the story had spent dozens of episodes building. Instead of feeling tragic, it feels unearned.

A Journey to Love remains an excellent drama for most of its run thanks to its engaging characters, thrilling action, and clever storytelling. If the finale had stayed true to the characters it had so carefully developed, this could easily have been a 9.5 or even 10. Instead, the final stretch sacrifices logic and character consistency for tragedy, leaving me with an 8/10 despite how much I enjoyed everything that came before.

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# MyDramaList Review
**Headline:** A Disastrous, Cringe-Inducing Power Fantasy That Robs the Real Victims of Their Voice
**Status:** Finished Watching
**Spoilers:** Yes
**Language:** English
### My Ratings
* **Overall:** 1.0 / 10
* **Story:** 1.0 / 10
* **Acting / Cast:** 1.0 / 10
* **Music:** 1.0 / 10
* **Rewatch Value:** 1.0 / 10
### The Review
I completely forced myself to finish all 10 episodes of this show, and it is hands-down one of the most frustrating, poorly conceived dramas I have ever watched. If you are looking for a meaningful story about school life, bullying, or systemic reform, stay far away. This show is nothing more than an edgy, unrealistic adult savior fantasy that completely misses the point of what makes school stories compelling.
#### The "Cringe Teacher" Problem
The absolute worst part of this entire show is the Educational Rights Protection Bureau (ERPB). Watching Na Hwa-jin, Im Han-rim, and Bong Geun-dae crash into these schools like some knock-off Special Forces superhero squad is pure, unadulterated **cringe**. The show tries so hard to make these adult teachers look cool, badass, and dark when they interfere in student bullying. Instead, it just looks ridiculous.
Every time Na Hwa-jin stands in a classroom smirking, delivering an edgy monologue before physically assaulting a minor, I rolled my eyes. It feels like it was written by an adult who has a bizarre, power-tripping revenge fantasy against teenagers. The adult characters are completely unlikable, overpowered caricatures who never face real stakes because the plot completely bends over backward to make them look right.
#### The Victim Should Have Been the Protagonist
This show completely robs the actual victims of their agency. **I desperately wanted the victim students to be the actual protagonists of this story.**
Instead of watching a traumatized student find their inner strength, learn to stand up for themselves, navigate the harsh realities of school social hierarchies, or grow as a human being, the narrative completely pushes them into the background. The victims are treated like helpless, pathetic props just to justify the ERPB coming in to throw punches. We don't get to see the kids overcome anything; we just watch a grown man with Special Forces training beat up a bunch of high schoolers. It’s lazy writing and completely unsatisfying.
#### A Trainwreck of Cartoonish Plotlines
Every single arc across this timeline is cartoonishly exaggerated to try and make you root for the ERPB's extreme methods:
* **The Politician’s Son & Cyber-Clout Influencer:** The villains are completely one-dimensional. A teenager running a school like a military dictator? A girl destroying lives entirely for internet fame without any real nuance? The show lacks any understanding of real human psychology.
* **The "Monster Parents" and Drug Conspiracy:** Shifting the blame to toxic parents and underground academic drug rings just felt like an over-stuffed mess. The escalation from simple school bullying to a massive, multi-million dollar juvenile mafia run by Assemblyman Hwang Gi-tae was utterly laughable.
* **The "Going Rogue" Finale:** Episode 10 was the final nail in the coffin. The government freezes the ERPB, so these grown adults decide to go completely rogue and launch an off-the-books assault on a student-run syndicate. It completely throws away any realism the show pretended to have left.
#### The Toxic "Philosophical" Core
The show tries to pass itself off as deep by claiming that "true education requires accountability" and that the Juvenile Act just breeds monsters. In reality, it’s just an excuse to glorify violence and state-sponsored fascism in schools.
The acting across the board was stiff and over-the-top, the music was generic and forgettable, and the rewatch value is absolute zero. This is a massive miss. Avoid it at all costs unless you want to watch adults have a massive power trip over fictional teenagers.

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Unconvincing Performances

I dropped The Princess Royal after a few episodes. At first, it looked promising—the cast was full of familiar faces, and the production quality was clearly impressive. The costumes, cinematography, and overall visual presentation gave the impression of a well-crafted historical drama.

Unfortunately, the acting, especially from the female lead, completely took me out of the story. Both protagonists are supposed to be people who have already lived one lifetime and are given a second chance, yet the female lead never convincingly portrays that maturity. Instead of someone shaped by years of experience and regret, she often comes across as immature and emotionally impulsive. That performance made it difficult to believe in the character’s backstory or emotional journey.

From what I’ve heard after dropping the drama, the later episodes place increasing emphasis on the second male lead, which left many viewers frustrated. While I can’t judge those episodes firsthand, it reinforced my decision not to continue.

In the end, The Princess Royal earns 7/10 from me mainly because of its polished visuals and high production value. Sadly, beautiful cinematography can’t compensate for weak storytelling and a lead performance that never convinced me.

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Beautiful Cast, Disappointing Mystery

I dropped Coroner’s Diary after the second case because, as a mystery drama, it simply failed to keep me interested. The investigations felt bland, the cases lacked suspense, and the solutions were too straightforward to leave any real impact. There was little sense of tension or clever deduction, making each case feel surprisingly forgettable.

From what I’ve seen in later reviews and discussions, I don’t regret dropping it. Many viewers felt the writing became even weaker as the story progressed, with increasingly questionable logic and a portrayal of women that often leaned toward outdated stereotypes of the “ideal” traditional woman. Whether intentional or not, those elements made the drama even less appealing to me.

The only reason I’m giving it 6/10 instead of a lower score is the cast. The actors are undeniably attractive, and the production looks polished. Unfortunately, good-looking leads can’t make up for weak mysteries and disappointing writing. If you’re watching primarily for compelling detective cases, this one is easy to skip.

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One of the best medical kdrama, and so dam really shining like a sunshine here

Damn, this was so damn good, from the plot, the deliverym, the acting, and honestly it can go more that 14 episode as it has a lot of plot story that can be exploited more, love the hospital dynamic that totaly different from recent now drama.

All the cast was really good at doin their character, even the supporting one feels distinct that givin unique feels.

And in that dark, hectic, political and backstabing plot in the hospital, there is Park so Dam, like a sunshine she is, eveytime she pops up is like a break from the broken world that heal us slowly, her smile was crazy fresh and calming here.

And love the last episode as it dont force the story to be over dramatical or anything, not feeling this kind of emptiness after watching drama in a while.

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I Am Not Into God or Religion, but This Series Completely Won Me Over

My favourite couple from My School President, Fourth and Gemini, are back, and they have never been better. On top of that, Bright, who became one of my favourite actors after I Feel You Linger in the Air, recently joined GMMTV and is as stunning as ever.

I went into this series with very few expectations. I am not particularly interested in God, religion, or stories centered around faith, but this show completely caught me off guard. It feels refreshingly different from the standard high school or university BL. The setting of a boys' boarding school creates a unique atmosphere where students pray, attend classes, play sports, and carry out daily chores, making the world feel grounded and believable.

What impressed me most is how mature the production feels. The directing, cinematography, and pacing are far more restrained than what I usually expect from a GMMTV series. Everything feels deliberate, from the quiet character moments to the romantic scenes. Nothing feels rushed or forced.

Fourth and Gemini have improved tremendously as actors since My School President. Their chemistry feels natural, nuanced, and emotionally convincing. They bring a level of depth to their characters that makes every interaction feel meaningful.

The series also handles its religious themes surprisingly well. You do not need to be religious to connect with the story. At its core, it explores faith, duty, guilt, identity, and personal desire in a way that feels universal and relatable.

Episode 3 delivered one of the strongest moments of the series so far. The emotional payoff felt completely earned after several episodes of careful buildup, proving that the show trusts its audience and its characters rather than relying on cheap fan service.

My only real complaint is the episode count. With only six episodes, we are already halfway through the story just as it feels like things are reaching their emotional peak. The tight pacing is great because there is very little filler, but it also means the series will be over far too soon.

So far, this has been one of the biggest surprises of the year for me. Even if religious themes are not normally your thing, the strong performances, beautiful cinematography, emotional storytelling, and unique setting make it well worth watching.

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Too Slow to Stay Invested

I only made it through the first six episodes of this 24-episode drama, and despite genuinely trying to continue, the painfully slow pacing made it difficult to stay invested. By episode six, the story still felt like it was setting things up without delivering meaningful progress. The plot moves at an unusually slow pace, making even interesting ideas lose their impact.

The drama does have its strengths. The cinematography is pleasant, the overall visual style is decent, and there are a few humorous moments that help lighten the mood. However, those positives aren’t enough to compensate for how drawn-out the storytelling feels. For a series with only 24 episodes, I expected a much tighter narrative. Instead, it often feels as though very little actually happens from one episode to the next. Based on what I watched, it’s a 7.5/10—not a bad drama, but one whose pacing may test the patience of many viewers.

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Guilty Pleasure Watch

This was my first MXY drama and it's sort of a guilty pleasure now - I keep coming back. I'm a sucker for dramas where a hot younger guy is obsessed with an older girl and this one hits all the right spots. Story is meh, but chemistry is 100% and there's something about a big hunky dude all hung up on one woman that is just chef's kiss. ML is teetering on the psycho line, complete with forced kisses and crazy schemes, but he also has a sweet desperation to him and never actually forces the FL into anything. MXY is a total beefcake as always and fans will not be disappointed with his shirtless scenes. Is it an Oscar worthy drama? Oh boy, of course not - but do I keep re-watching? Yes indeed.

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Forget About It

I started watching this because I like Wallace Chung - he is a very good actor and I like his acting style unfortunately this show is as preposterous. as it is boring!

Episode 1 limped along, honestly a snail could move at a quicker pace! But, I persevered, I really did. And so we come to Episode 2, After 22 minutes and 25 seconds, I gave up, why waste time on a badly plotted, irrelevant nonsense when there are so much better things to see?

I read through the spoilers and realised my summation was correct ~ it wasn’t going to get any better. You will have more enjoyment and entertainment contemplating the wonders of the universe!

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A Love Story About What People Fail to Say

I understand why this drama is divisive, but after finishing all episodes, I think many negative reviews are judging it through a lens that the drama was never trying to satisfy.

One of the most common criticisms is that the female lead receives far more help from the male lead than she gives back. While that observation is fair, I think it misses the point of the story. The drama is primarily centered on the female lead's struggles: growing up privileged, dealing with family expectations, public pressure, and emotional scars that money cannot solve. Naturally, the male lead becomes the person who supports her through those difficulties.

What makes the relationship compelling is not that both characters contribute in exactly the same way, but that they affect each other's lives differently. The male lead offers support, stability, and unwavering devotion. The female lead, despite her flaws, gives meaning to his life, inspires him, and becomes the person he cannot forget. Relationships are not always balanced on a spreadsheet.

Another criticism is that the couple should have simply communicated better. In real life, that sounds reasonable. But one of the drama's central themes is that people often fail to say the things that matter most to the people they love most. Pride, fear, insecurity, guilt, and timing can all prevent honest conversations. Many relationships fail not because the problems are impossible to solve, but because people struggle to express themselves. To me, that is one of the most realistic aspects of the drama.

As for the pacing, I personally disagree with claims that it is boring. It is definitely a slow-burn drama, but there is a difference between being slow and being empty. Many of the flashbacks and repeated moments are not there to fill time; they gradually add new context and emotional meaning to events we have already seen. If you connect with the characters, those scenes become rewarding rather than repetitive.

I also think some viewers interpret the male lead's love as obsession, while others see it as extraordinary devotion. The drama clearly leans toward the latter interpretation. He is not portrayed as someone whose entire life collapses without her. He continues working, living, and making his own choices. He simply never stops loving the same person.

This drama will probably not work for viewers looking for constant plot twists, fast pacing, or dramatic cliffhangers. However, if you enjoy character-driven stories, emotional development, meaningful flashbacks, and second-chance romance, there is a lot to appreciate here.

For me, the greatest strength of Surely Tomorrow is that it trusts emotions more than spectacle. It tells a quiet story about flawed people, missed opportunities, unresolved feelings, and the courage to love someone again despite the pain. It is not perfect, but it is far more thoughtful and emotionally rewarding than some reviews make it seem.

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A Sharp, Addictive Start with a Softer Finish

Celebrity is one of those dramas that hooks you almost immediately. The opening episodes are fast-paced, suspenseful, and packed with twists that make it hard to stop watching. Its exploration of influencer culture, online fame, and the dark side of social media feels both timely and engaging, exposing how quickly admiration can turn into obsession and public opinion can be manipulated.

The drama maintains strong momentum for most of its run, balancing mystery with social commentary while keeping viewers guessing. However, the final stretch doesn’t quite match the intensity of the beginning. Some conflicts are resolved a little too conveniently, and the ending lacks the same level of tension that made the early episodes so compelling. Even so, the cast delivers convincing performances, the production is polished, and the series succeeds in delivering an entertaining thriller with a relevant message. Despite a slightly underwhelming finish, Celebrity is still an addictive binge-watch that’s well worth an 8.5/10.

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