Guilty Pleasure Done Right
This is definitely a guilty pleasure—it’s poorly executed and a bit weird, but so, so good. I enjoyed the narrative, as strange, awkward, and unbelievable as it was. The plot felt unique, the character dynamics were strong, and the conflicts were engaging with a satisfying build and resolution. It also had elements of mystery and an intriguing romance. I’d definitely recommend this to fans of Han Dong and Zhang Yuxi, as well as to anyone who doesn’t mind movie aesthetics and props that are a little rough around the edges.Was this review helpful to you?
Soulmates don't have to be romantic to love each other
The relationship between the two was amazing. I might be a little biased over this, since Taecyeon, Johan's actor, is one of my ult biases. I especially loved his acting, he was so good.I really loved the emotional connection between the two characters. What some people failed to realize is that two people do not have to interact romantically to be soulmates. The characters had a strong emotional connection and even if they didn't kiss or make out, you could sense the love they had each other. I'd argue even more than some BL couples.
The only thing I didn't like is that at one point, something happens that takes the attention from our Johan and Ryu. But that's the only negative I'd say.
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Good drama with some incomplete/rushed plotlines
I really liked this show. The story was engaging, interesting, dynamic and dramatic enough to make me keep watching. The actors did an amazing job portraying their characters and the chemistry between our leads was out of this world. The OST only intensified the shows fairytale-like and dreamy aesthetic and atmosphere. I particularly loved that I could laugh, cry, and swear with (or at!) the characters, and I even managed to spin a few theories here and there. 😉🤗However, after the very promising beginning, later in the show some parts started to feel incomplete or rushed, leaving me "partly-fed" in the end. Sometimes I had a feeling that some of the characters were missing important backstory pieces to explain why they were the way they were and why they made the choices they did. Maybe it could have been fixed if the show was longer, but any other way, a very entertaining and lovely journey! 🫰
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Clichés done right: Romance, comedy, and writing that clicks
I’m not sure if it’s just the algorithm, but I’ve barely seen anyone talk about this drama, and I honestly don’t know why.I LOVE everything about it. Sure, it’s packed with clichés (the entire plot practically rests on them), but after years of watching Kdramas (and now Cdramas), I’ve learned that clichés don’t automatically lessen a show’s quality. At the end of the day, it always comes down to the foundation: the writing.
From start to finish, the writing stayed consistent, and that alone made the series such a joy to watch. I don’t even know where to begin with my favorite parts because there are so many:
1. Characters act their age. Despite traumas and past experiences, they behave like adults. No one’s dumbed down to fit a romcom stereotype, which I really appreciate.
2. The FL tries. She’s rigid and uptight because of her trauma, but she makes an effort, and that makes her relationship with the ML healthy. Yes, there are clichés, but they communicate.
3. ML is a green flag. A rich kid, a company president, AND a green flag. WHATTTT.
4. Clichés aren’t overcomplicated. No endless twists or “twists of twists". No childhood connection (OMG YESSSSSS!!!!). The pacing was perfect, like the writer mapped it out on her best days. It’s not exhausting to watch. In fact, you’ll have to stop yourself from bingeing until sunrise.
5. Secondary characters matter. They’re not dumbed down either; each has their own narrative. And the second FL is smart, too. Which I really like.
6. Comedy that actually lands. The romcom here is genuinely funny. The timing of the jokes was spot‑on, and the quirky sound effects (some I’d never heard before) elevated the whole experience. Nothing felt forced. It was all so natural.
I just love this series. I love the cast. I love their performances. Yes, it’s cliché‑driven, but executed so well that it doesn’t need a grand twist. Just solid, consistent writing and really, really good execution. I think this is going to be one of my favorite romcoms!
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Nothing feels forced or overly dramatic, and the emotions come through in a simple but effective way. The cast is doing a really good job, especially during the smaller emotional moments where expressions and silence say more than dialogue. Visually, the drama is beautiful and soft, and the OST fits the mood perfectly without overpowering the scenes. Since there are only two episodes available, it’s still hard to judge the full story, but the beginning definitely feels promising enough to keep watching. Right now, Azur Spring feels like the type of drama you watch for comfort, emotions, and character chemistry rather than big twists.
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Definitely Better Than It's Overall Reviews
After the first few minutes, this series goes into a direction I wasn't expecting, but soon you realize the main idea of the story. It actually doesn't seem possible the two protagonists have any chemistry in becoming "Soul Mates", but somehow that becomes very believable as you get deeper into the drama.I think the main problem for negative reviews, this is not a BL, at least not in the physical sense. This is a bromance of two people that become unlikely best friends, and they both happen to be closeted gay. If you're tuning in to see a standard BL storyline, with your usual antagonists getting in the way of the two people in love, you definitely will be disappointed. It does take all the way to episode 5 to show the strong bond these two main characters have toward each other. The most powerful scene of the series takes place in this episode. It's several minutes you won't forget, each covered in mud and rain!!
I must say, though, the series loses points starting toward the end of episode 7 and throughout the final 40 minutes.
Without giving it away, it didn't seem to work for me. It's not that it's a sad and depressing outcome, I mean that's life sometimes. What failed for me was the way episode 8 led up to the final few minutes. The acting was great. Hayato Isomura & Taec Yeon were perfectly cast and both gave powerful performances. I just wish there was a better intro of the final few minutes.
Overall, a very good series.
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This review may contain spoilers
Why this series is an Unbearable Disappointment!
The series is a massive disappointment! Anyone looking to have a good time should skip it; it’s only for those who want to get frustrated. The show completely abandons the messages it sets up in the beginning and makes you lose all affection for the characters you loved. This is because the characters you thought were innocent and principled turn into mere henchmen. In other words, the most despicable characters in the show are portrayed as the good guys. Furthermore, it forces several plot holes just to reach its desired finale, which is absolutely unbearable.Character Transformations (Beginning vs. Towards the End)
Boon-yi
Beginning: Strong, resisting, and fighting back.
Towards the End: Ultimately becomes Bang-won's lackey, cowering in the face of his tyranny, submissive, meek, and whimpering.
Moo-hyul
Beginning: Protects the oppressed and the weak, even if he can be cowardly.
Towards the End: Becomes Bang-won's sidekick. Due to his absurd notion of "loyalty," he becomes indirectly responsible for the deaths of Yeon-hee and many other innocent people, failing to ever take a firm stand.
Boon-yi and Moo-hyul try to protect Bang-won until the very last moment. It’s a truly dreadful script. In my eyes, they turned into the most despicable characters. Regardless of how the story was supposed to end, everyone they loved should have turned against Yi Bang-won, a character who completely lost his humanity.
Additionally, the series pushes the message that the end justifies the means. You watch the collective conscience of the people, which was so vibrant at the beginning, shrink and become passive. No moral movement is left. Even though Yi Bang-won turns into another Hong In-bang, there is no strong opposing voice. Early in the show, despite all the corrupt figures like Hong In-bang, Lee In-gyeom, and Gil Tae-mi, we could see a movement driven by conscience. Consequently, the message the writer delivers at the end makes you grow cold towards even the most innocent people you trusted. If you enjoy that kind of thing, go ahead and watch it.
Script Inconsistencies & Plot Holes
Banchon & Hwasadan: When Boon-yi's organization relocated to Banchon and declared neutrality, Hwasadan should have been able to monitor Yi Bang-won’s movements much more closely, strengthening their intelligence. The show previously implied that Boon-yi’s departure would cause major issues, but it completely fails to reflect this.
Cheok Sa-gwang's Target: The show changes Cheok Sa-gwang's target by claiming "this whole thing started with Mumyeong." However, Mumyeong didn't want to kill the king; they wanted to use him. This whole mess actually started with the death of Master Poeun (Jeong Mong-ju). Her real targets should have been Bang-won and Yi Seong-gye. Moreover, one of the children she raised died precisely because of Bang-won's coup ambitions.
Cheok Sa-gwang vs. Yi Bang-ji: Despite sharing the same ultimate goals, Cheok Sa-gwang and Yi Bang-ji fight each other, allowing Bang-won to escape.
There are plenty of other absurdities, but these were the ones that caught my eye the most. The issue isn't who wins or loses; it's whether those who are in the right fight and struggle for the right cause. The show tricks you in the beginning only to leave you stranded halfway through. In the end, there's barely anyone left to call "righteous," and those who are, end up dead.
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this drama made me nostalgic!
I love rom coms... unfortunately when I want to watch Japanese ROM coms I always end up disappointed. if you click on any modern title you get a bossy ceo, a naive office lady and a super boring drama.watching this reminded me of the good old days Japanese dramas.
this is a funny , cute and romantic little story.
ironically even though time has passed this feels way more modern than current drama. people talk freely about sex, homosexuality, cheating.... it was liberating!
of course there is also the downside. this product it's clearly from a different "era" and some jokes are straightly misogynistic, but this comes with the territory.
it wasn't so bad because the characters are portrait a some "old school" dudes and in the end they are not as bad as they seem.
the female lead is cute, goofy and has a heart of gold.
I really liked the friendship she has with her 2 besties and through their plot lines we explore divorce, cheating, the burden of being a care taker and so on.
for such a small drama there are a lot of themes to explore.
on the romance side, I loved the relashionship between Sakura and hirito. they are really cute together and I am happy with the ending.
unfortunately along the way I learned that the actor for hiroto has passed way. it was very sad to read about it but I'm happy his work is still being appreciated.
the characters are engaging, enjoyable and feel real.
if you , like me, struggle with modern Japanese dramas this will probably bring back good memories.
definitely recommended.
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Strong storyline but no emotional depth
I think what makes this series so frustrating to me is that the potential for something truly incredible was clearly there from the very beginning. The premise was strong, the central conflict was compelling, and the story itself had all the ingredients for a deeply emotional and memorable drama. It’s not even that the writing lacked ambition — if anything, the series clearly wanted to tell a tragic, emotional, character-driven story. But somewhere along the way, it seemed to forget that powerful storytelling is not just about having dramatic plot points or shocking revelations. What truly makes a story impactful is making the audience emotionally connect to the characters and genuinely feel what they are going through.And for me, that emotional connection never fully happened.
What makes that especially disappointing is that I’m usually someone who connects very easily to emotional storytelling. I cry easily during movies and shows, and when characters are written with enough emotional depth, I tend to become very immersed in their experiences. I don’t need a story to be perfect structurally if it succeeds emotionally. But here, despite understanding the conflict and following the storyline perfectly fine, I rarely felt emotionally attached to the characters themselves. The series constantly expected the audience to feel devastated, heartbroken, or emotionally overwhelmed during certain scenes without properly building the emotional foundation needed to make those moments land.
What makes it even more frustrating is that the emotional issues weren’t limited to just one part of the story — they affected almost every major relationship and character motivation throughout the series.
Take Arisa and Lalin’s relationship for example. As viewers, we were basically rushed into their romance without enough emotional exploration to make it feel believable or meaningful. Suddenly three months had passed, and the audience was simply expected to accept the depth of their connection without actually being shown how that emotional bond developed. There weren’t enough quiet moments, vulnerable conversations, or gradual shifts in their dynamic to make their relationship feel truly lived in.
Then the series reveals that, at least initially, Arisa’s relationship with Lalin was tied to her revenge plan. But even when her feelings supposedly shift into genuine love, the show barely takes the time to emotionally explore that transition either. We’re told that her feelings changed, but we rarely feel that internal conflict alongside her. As a result, many of their emotional confrontations and romantic moments ended up feeling hollow instead of heartbreaking or emotionally layered.
The same issue applies to Arisa’s revenge motivation itself. Yes, viewers can logically piece together that her revenge stems from the trauma surrounding her parents’ deaths, but the series never truly lets us sit with the emotional wound that experience left on her as a child. We’re given the plot explanation, but not the emotional depth behind it. There’s a huge difference between understanding what happened to a character and actually feeling the long-term pain, grief, anger, or emptiness that shaped them because of it.
Because the show skipped over so much emotional groundwork, it expected viewers to react strongly to revelations and breakdowns that hadn’t been properly built up. When the truth was finally revealed, it should have been devastating and cathartic, but instead it felt emotionally distant because the audience was never fully invited into Arisa’s inner world in the first place.
And that’s what makes the series feel so disappointing to me. The storyline itself had genuine potential, the conflicts were dramatic, and the themes could’ve been incredibly compelling — but without emotional depth and proper character exploration, so many of the big moments lost the impact they were clearly meant to have.
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mini series covering up all genres
cant stress enough at how perfect this mini series is. theres action, horror, sci-fi, romcom and many more. everythings perfect. funny how an 8 episode mini series covered up all genres but a 12 episode one is not enough lol. cgi's are obviously there and transitions are somewhat clean but i cannot forgive that AI cameo from an actors face. it was horrible, i thank the heavens for not maintaining it for long. the cast, urgh, the perfect cast. bae nara and park eunbin like WOW. bae nara, will come a long way, trust. he needs to be in different genres, he can flawlessly portray them. park eunbin, the most charming actress. i hope shes in the list of chungmuro actors. she deserves it. cha eun woo, my beloved, hes come a long way. im always distracted at his disgustingly perfect face, im drawn to him. cew cannot act allegations are finally free.Was this review helpful to you?
A casual popcorn watch for an afternoon when there’s simply nothing more compelling to see
I came into watching the movie adaptation of My Beautiful Man with very high expectations, especially considering the impressive ratings and overwhelmingly enthusiastic comments here on MDL.I hadn’t watched the drama series yet, but I decided to start with the film first.
I’m not sure that was the right choice, because the story didn’t come close to surprising or captivating me the way it apparently did for most viewers.
To me, it felt like a fairly ordinary story, with mediocre cinematography and good acting, though far from exceptional.
Even with its rushed pacing, what bothered me most was the lack of proper editing in the scenes that actually mattered. Everything felt disconnected and emotionally underdeveloped, with very little impact or significance. In truth, it failed to engage me at all.
I may still give the series a chance, since I’ve seen opinions claiming it delivers the story far better. The novel itself also seems interesting, though the movie completely discouraged me from checking it out for now.
Would I recommend it? Yes — as a casual popcorn watch for an afternoon when there’s simply nothing more compelling to see.
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Honestly, such a hidden gem! ?❤️
I just finished The Wonderfools and I’m not even exaggerating—I watched the whole thing in one single sitting. I literally couldn’t pull myself away from the screen!The way this drama mixes comedy, thrill, and romance is just brilliant. Usually, when shows try to mash up that many genres, it gets messy, but it worked so perfectly here. One minute I was laughing out loud, and the next I was genuinely on the edge of my seat.
And can we talk about the cast? Everyone did an amazing job, but Park Eun-bin and Cha Eun-woo together? Absolute magic. Their chemistry is insane! Their back-and-forth comedic timing was hilarious, and the romantic vibe between them felt so natural and sweet.
My only real heartbreak is that it was only 8 episodes long. It felt way too short! I was so invested in the story and the characters that I just wanted more time with them.
If you're looking for something fast-paced, super fun, and genuinely feel-good, please go watch this. Just make sure you have a free afternoon because you will binge it!
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A little bit of everything
Where to watch: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNd7BhdAz80ptzaxeYXbVCLVXH7JXtely1. Raise Me?:
Acting and romance in this story felt a bit awkward.
Overall it is kind of cute and not too bad.
2. Folding? You!:
I really didn't like that one. It's pretty cringy and awkward. I know it's hard to make such a short story make a lot of sense, but still, this one just doesn't make any at all.
3. Sweet Mischief:
I like this story; it is cute and interesting. A bit confusing at first but not too much.
I also like a little "crossover" with the previous story.
4. Sleep Around, Still Mine:
Surprisingly, this one was my favorite story out of all of them. Acting is less awkward, and the story is more engaging and enjoyable. I would prefer for it to have a different ending, but still, it was pretty good.
5. Craving You:
More of the awkward acting. I guess this story is not bad, but this one is definitely not my favorite.
6. Not a BL:
Not bad, but the plot for this one is just weird. I feel like the biggest problem here is the time; it's hard to show this kind of story well in such a short period of time, so it all becomes sloppy.
7. Something Sweet:
Not much to say about that one. Cute but really nothing special.
8. A Killer Recipe:
I think they should've stuck to the style they were using with all of the other stories. This one is really different from others, but again, because of the short episodes, mediocre acting, and small budget, it was just not really good. Also quite confusing, I would appreciate more lore to start with.
Overall it was really not my cup of tea. Some of the stories were more or less interesting, but the awkward acting and extremely short episodes just really ruin even that.
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The only thing we can 'Dream On' about is that this were better
I'm annoyed with how disappointed I am because1. We know that most sequels don't exactly live up to their shared stories
2. We should never really have much expectations, ever
Sometimes, you watch a drama and go 'why do I even bother?' because it's just that bad. I could say that Dream On had no depth, no good character development, no nuanced writing of any relevance, but why bother? What does it matter when they didn't have a decent plot or characters from the get go?
Because drama that goes down between six guys on the set of Romeo and Romeo because all of them clearly like just one person but force themselves to pretend they like others is not exactly a watchable plot with characters you can root for.
Let's just rehash this couple by couple in no particular order (except for the amount I liked/tolerated them)
Arnold and Tua
I believe they were supposed to be the 'steady pairing' - the couple who is kind of always into each other, has a ton of cute moments and one smidgen of drama that is not actually worth crying over (I made up that last part but it happened!)
Tua has forever been in love with Arnold - Arnold has a policy to never date friends and against all odds, they date. But that one smidgen of drama? It comes in the form of Dean, Tua's friend and Arnold's co-star in that play. Dean has this idea to create 'ship content' with Arnold (more on that later) but things start to get kind of real and a photo of them indulging in an angle kiss goes viral. That causes some distress but they make up so quick I began to wonder why break up?
Because they're that couple! Strong, dedicated and so boring. They were so bland as a couple and as individuals that remove them from the plot and it wouldn't really make a difference - which speaks both to how badly and boringly written these two characters were, but also how messily and terribly the other characters were written. I didn't enjoy this pairing much (didn't help that their last work was the Sniffle Story) because either have them be more involved or do not have them at all!
Dean and Jack
Before I start, please repeat after me - Jack is the worst!
Now let's go. I'd argue that these two got the most screentime, which genuinely upset me, not only because Jack was one of the worst characters in the series but also because of how terrible they were to almost everyone, including each other!
There's a lot going on here, and this is just an abstract but Jack and Dean are exes who broke up because Jack believes that Dean is a player who will eventually cheat on him. They're working together on a play and somehow end up in an on/off, FWB to couple relationship (complicated, I know) but throughout it all, Jack is just a complete jerk. Not just to his boyfriend, but almost everybody. I could actually write a paper on how badly written Jack is. Anyway, they have constant arguments working together, fueled even further by the presence of Raffy, Dean's rival in everything, including love.
The constant jealousy and arguments only get worse when Dean has the idea to shoot content with Arnold to promote the play, and that faux-kiss happens. And obviously Jack is super chill and that's that (ha-ha)
Their part of the story obviously has a lot going on, even aside from the petulant relationship troubles. They take about things like addiction, financial troubles, infidelity, trust - but they don't really talk about it. It's mentioned in passing and immediately forgotten to talk about relationship issues that do not exist. It's like they wanted to say something but were worried for some inapparent reason.
And we've already established that Jack is a jerk (the awfulness must truly be witnessed to understand) but Dean is actually a decent person. A good friend, smart and tenacious but when he's around Jack he turns into this monstrous person I really hated. This pairing actually angered me so much, I just - ugh.
Raffy and Rome
My favourite pairing, why? Because they had the most potential.
Raffy - in love with Jack, would do anything to get him, might be in love with Rome but won't accept it.
Rome - in love with Raffy, hated his step-brother Jack and will do everything to ensure those two don't end up together
These two start off as a quintessential FWB, annoyance to lovers pairing but I quite liked the way their story progressed. Despite being an integral part of the mess, it felt like they never really moved away from each other. Yes, they argued and fought, but somehow always kept looking for each other. Maybe it's the fact that they actually looked like they liked each other, but with a few tweaks, their story would've been one to rival even those from S1.
And even as individuals, brilliant characters. Not perfect but they actually had character growth. Compared to the other characters who didn't move an inch (personality or face wise) these two were aces better.
A story that was supposed to be messy, hard hitting and thought provoking like S1 turned out to be almost nothing. Don't get me wrong, this was MESSY. I haven't even covered so many of the things that happened in this series - embezzlement, the return of Boston, cameos from Only Friends, it had it all but it mostly felt like a hollow shell. Characters sometimes refused to interact outside their set pairings, and when they did it was mostly to fight. That was one of the biggest problems with this series, it felt like I was watching the love story of three different couples who rarely interacted with those around them.
Nothing worked beyond a certain point and we owe it all to the writers and makers who weren't willing to actually go anywhere with the story. The same drama was spun around hundreds of times, characters moved one step forward to take ten steps back, basically ending the story exactly as it started. Even the actors (who I know are brilliant performers) couldn't move their facial muscles to save this lackluster story.
If you've stuck it out until here - go you! It could not have been easy to read my rather incoherent rant (almost done I promise). I don't think I was the target audience for this series. Yes, I love flawed and messy people being themselves but there's a certain amount I can tolerate of people making the same bad decisions over and over again, and standing by that decision lol. If you're looking for a genuine messy bunch and a bunch of messy relationships, go for it. But don't say my rant didn't warn you ;)
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This review may contain spoilers
A Healing Love Story
I had been waiting for Soul Mate for over a year, and honestly, it was 100% worth the wait.At first, I thought this would be a BL series, but it feels more like a bromance although there’s clearly something much deeper between them. And honestly, that’s what makes the story feel so real and emotional.
What makes Soul Mate so beautiful is that it doesn’t only focus on the relationship between the two men. The series also gives attention to the people around them and their own struggles. One of the most emotional parts for me was the woman’s story — dealing with the loss of her husband while also becoming a mother. Her storyline added so much depth and showed that everyone in the story is trying to heal in their own way.
The series explores loneliness, trauma, healing, and real-life struggles in such a natural way. At first, the two main characters seem completely different, but as the story continues, you realize they were always connected. In the end, it becomes clear that he had always liked him all along, which made their bond feel even more emotional because they truly are soulmates.
The chemistry, cinematography, and emotional atmosphere make this series unforgettable. If you love slow-burn emotional stories with deep connections and healing themes, Soul Mate is definitely worth watching.
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