Reviews

This is Soooo Yesterday

This series is so appropriately named as the whole series is ‘so yesterday’. I know that may be parochial, as it denotes something ‘extremely outdated, unfashionable or irrelevant’. The thesis of this series has honestly run its course. Its story is banal, passe, and completely dysfunctional. In addition, it is further encumbered by suspect editing. It tried to encompass yesterday’s actions into current scenes; it did not work. That has to be done with flawless integrity to make the story flow with integrity. When one has a hard time figuring out what time frame one is in, that is a serious deficiency. When you do not have a smooth transition to a story, you literally have no story. The interest wanes and it begins to look like a manipulative tool rather than an explanative function of the happenings. I frankly got lost because I became disinterested. The jumping of the story is erratic and very confusing.
You can read my full review at BLBliss.com.

Read More

Are they aiming to meet new people or reuniting with ex-lovers?

The concept of this dating show was a total novelty to me. Multiple exes couples meet and need to live in the same house, trying either to foster new relationships, either to get back together. That leaves room for a lot of turmoil as all the exes have different reasons for separating and different background.

The best part of it ? The viewers and the participants don't know who was in couple...So you are bound to spend a big part of the show trying to guess what were the past couples, as the cast is requested to treat every participant the same way and keep a secret who their exes were.

I had a blast following this show, because it felt very new. However I must admit that some of the episodes felt also absurdly long and that a better pacing would have help keeping me engaged until the end. I also found the ending quite awkwardly put together, but that's often the case on the dating shows I saw.

Other than that, there were so good production ideas to allow participant to interact with some of the other participants exes, while still keeping the secrecy, by making them chat together for example. Picture participants chatting with the ex of a new person they are interested in...But without knowing who is really this "ex" in the house...It makes for some fun show moments.

In addition to the fun concept and the refreshing ideas, to hype the secrecy, I also enjoyed the music overall. The panel was alright with 4 regular hosts and one changing panelist member. I would have preferred they keep it consistant, without the guest panelist because the panel interactions felt quite inconsistant as they were still finding their marks with each other.

I would recommend this to people that enjoy dating shows. It is the first season of a franchise features exes trying to find love, either through new encounters, either by reconnecting with their past. I am definitely onboard on watching more seasons of it, as this concept was super interesting and bringing a lot of variety to that genre of shows. Be aware that the episodes of this season can feel quite lenghty but still, it is worth giving it a try.

Read More

SILENT TIDE — THE SILENT WAR THAT SHOOK MY HEART

──────────────────────
🌊 SILENT TIDE — A DRAMA THAT LEFT ME SPEECHLESS
──────────────────────

I just finished *Silent Tides*, and honestly, I still cannot fully explain what I am feeling right now. It is one of those rare dramas that quietly enters your heart and then completely overwhelms you with emotions before you even realise it. There is sorrow, admiration, patriotism, tension, helplessness, warmth, and hope all mixed. Even after finishing the last episode, my mind is still trapped inside Macau’s “isolated island” during the war years.

What makes this even more surprising is that I rarely watch Republican Era dramas. They are usually not my type at all. Most of the time, I find them heavy, dry, and difficult to connect with. And when I first heard *Silent Tides* was centred around banking, finance, business wars, and wartime economics, I honestly thought this drama would completely bore me. Financial warfare and business negotiations sounded like the last thing I would willingly watch in a drama.

But I was completely wrong.

Dropping this drama would have been one of the biggest mistakes ever.


──────────────────────
🇲🇴 A DIFFERENT KIND OF WAR DRAMA
──────────────────────

What makes *Silent Tides* extraordinary is that it does not tell war through endless battlefield scenes or explosive combat. Instead, it shows another side of war — the invisible war.

The drama takes place during the Second Sino-Japanese War after the Fall of Hong Kong in 1941, when Macau became an “isolated island.” Unlike many anti-war dramas, the story focuses on hidden struggles: financial warfare, trade wars, material transportation, intelligence operations, and psychological battles.

And somehow, all these “quiet wars” became even more intense than actual battlefield fighting.

The drama follows He Xian, a small silver shop owner who moves from Hong Kong to Macau with his family after Hong Kong falls. At first, he is simply trying to survive and protect his loved ones. But as he witnesses starvation, suffering, political corruption, Japanese infiltration, and the misery of ordinary citizens, he slowly transforms from a businessman focused on survival into a patriotic leader willing to risk everything for his people.

That transformation was written beautifully.

This drama constantly asks an important question:

" What Does Patriotism Truly Mean When Survival Itself Becomes Difficult? "

And the answer is shown through actions, sacrifices, and impossible choices.


──────────────────────
🎭 REN JIALUN’S PERFORMANCE AS HE XIAN
──────────────────────

I genuinely think Ren Jialun gave one of the best performances of his career here.

It never felt like acting.

That is the biggest compliment I can give.

Every emotion He Xian experienced felt painfully real — fear, exhaustion, hopelessness, restraint, quiet sorrow, helpless anger, responsibility, and even those tiny moments of happiness. Ren Jialun portrayed them naturally without exaggeration. He did not need dramatic screaming scenes to show pain. Sometimes just his eyes or silence were enough.

He Xian is such a layered character.

He is intelligent but humble. Calm but emotionally burdened. Gentle yet incredibly strong internally. He carries traditional Confucian values deeply within him: integrity, loyalty, keeping promises, protecting dignity, and acting with conscience.

What I loved most was that he never felt like an unrealistic “perfect hero.”

He was afraid.

He hesitated.

He struggled between protecting his family and protecting his country.

And honestly, sometimes I even felt angry at him because of how selfless he was. He had a loving wife, small children, and an elderly father waiting for him at home. Yet he repeatedly risked his life for dangerous missions, financial operations, and resistance activities.

I understood why he did it.

But it still hurt watching him walk toward danger again and again.

That emotional conflict made him feel human.


──────────────────────
💔 THE WOMEN OF SILENT TIDES
──────────────────────

One of the strongest parts of this drama is its female characters.

Guo Qiwen, He Xian’s wife, is honestly one of the greatest wives I have ever seen in a drama. She is gentle, intelligent, emotionally mature, and unbelievably supportive without losing her individuality. She understands her husband’s burdens even when she herself suffers because of them.

There were moments where I felt more emotional for her than for He Xian himself.

Because loving someone like He Xian means constantly fearing you may lose him.

And yet she never became selfish.

Never manipulative.

Never resentful.

She carried her pain quietly with dignity.

Then there is Qiao Yinwan.

Her existence adds another emotional layer to the story. Her feelings for He Xian are restrained, tragic, and heartbreaking. She represents the countless people during wartime who sacrificed personal emotions for a greater cause. Her patriotism through music and underground resistance activities was incredibly moving.

The drama also deserves praise for highlighting women’s contributions during wartime instead of reducing them to romantic accessories.


──────────────────────
😡 VILLAINS THAT FELT TRULY TERRIFYING
──────────────────────

The villains in this drama were phenomenal.

Not because they were “cool,” but because they felt disturbingly real.

Their cruelty, manipulation, greed, and cunning behavior genuinely made me angry while watching. There were moments where I completely forgot I was watching actors because I hated those characters so much.

That is good acting.

The Japanese spies, traitors, corrupt figures, and opportunists were written with terrifying realism. The drama constantly shows how war destroys morality and forces people into impossible choices.

And what makes it even better is that the drama does not portray everyone in simplistic black-and-white morality. Some people hesitate. Some compromise. Some survive through silence. Others awaken slowly.

That complexity made the story feel authentic.


──────────────────────
🎬 CINEMATIC PRODUCTION QUALITY
──────────────────────

This drama looks absolutely stunning.

Not “good for television.”

Actually cinematic.

The production team spent years researching Macau’s wartime history, and it truly shows in every frame. The atmosphere feels immersive and alive. From docks and ferry terminals to teahouses, streets, warehouses, casinos, and marketplaces — every location feels historically authentic.

The lighting and cinematography deserve special praise.

The scenes showing bombed Hong Kong, candlelit nights, blackouts, and wartime fear created an oppressive atmosphere that felt hauntingly realistic. Instead of relying on exaggerated filters, the drama uses shadows, darkness, and silence beautifully.

And the language usage made everything even more immersive.

Portuguese characters speak Portuguese.

British characters speak English.

Chinese characters switch between Mandarin and Cantonese naturally.

That attention to detail added so much realism.

Even the costumes were incredible. The Republican-era styling, long gowns, military uniforms, and traditional Lingnan aesthetics gave the drama such an elegant visual identity.


──────────────────────
🏮 MACAU’S FORGOTTEN ANTI-JAPANESE HISTORY
──────────────────────

One reason this drama affected me so deeply is that it introduced me to a side of history I barely knew about.

Most anti-war dramas focus on open battlefields.

*Silent TideS* focuses on Macau.

Macau was technically neutral during the war, but beneath that neutrality existed chaos, hidden resistance, espionage, starvation, financial warfare, and underground patriotism.

This drama finally gives recognition to Macau’s contribution to the Anti-Japanese War.

And honestly, that feels important.

The story shows how businessmen, artists, musicians, intellectuals, underground agents, workers, and ordinary civilians all became part of resistance efforts in their own ways.

This was not just a war fought with guns.

It was fought with information.

Money.

Transportation routes.

Printing paper.

Food supplies.

Music.

Communication networks.

Human courage.

That perspective felt incredibly fresh and meaningful.


──────────────────────
⚔️ FINANCIAL WARFARE AS PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE
──────────────────────

I never imagined business negotiations and financial operations could feel this intense.

Yet *Silent Tides* somehow turns banking wars into high-stakes psychological battles.

Gold transactions.

Currency manipulation.

Material transportation.

Trade routes.

Banknote paper.

Supply chains.

Every negotiation scene feels like a hidden battlefield.

The tension was unbelievable.

Instead of loud action sequences every few minutes, the drama builds suspense through strategy, intelligence, and political manoeuvring. And when action scenes finally appear — naval fights, transportation missions, interceptions — they feel earned and impactful.

This drama proves war stories do not need constant gunfire to feel thrilling.


──────────────────────
🕊️ FAMILY, PATRIOTISM, AND HUMANITY
──────────────────────

At its core, *Silent Tides* is really about humanity.

About ordinary people forced into extraordinary times.

About choosing conscience even when survival becomes difficult.

About balancing “small self” and “greater self.”

The drama constantly contrasts family warmth with national tragedy. He Xian begins as someone trying to protect his small family, but gradually realises he cannot truly protect them while his country collapses around him.

That emotional evolution was incredibly powerful.

One line that stayed with me was essentially the idea that:

" Only Great Love Can Achieve Great Righteousness "

That perfectly summarises the spirit of this drama.


──────────────────────
😭 WHY THIS DRAMA STAYED WITH ME
──────────────────────

There are many dramas that entertain.

Some dramas emotionally move you for a few days.

But *Silent Tides* feels different.

It leaves behind a reflection.

It makes you think about sacrifice, patriotism, morality, fear, and human resilience. It reminds you that peace today exists because countless people in the past endured unimaginable suffering.

And what touched me most is that these characters never felt like distant historical symbols.

They felt human.

They laughed.

They feared death.

They loved their families.

They dreamed of ordinary happiness.

Yet they still chose courage.

That is why this drama feels so powerful.


──────────────────────
🌊 FINAL THOUGHTS
──────────────────────

*Silent Tides* is not simply another Republican-era drama or anti-war series.

It is a deeply emotional historical epic filled with intelligence, humanity, cultural identity, political tension, and emotional realism.

The acting was phenomenal.

The writing was intelligent.

The cinematography was cinematic.

The emotional depth was unforgettable.

And most importantly, it tells a part of history many people rarely discuss.

I started this drama with almost no expectations.

Now I genuinely think it is one of the most meaningful dramas I have watched in recent years.

Even after finishing it, I still feel emotionally trapped inside its world.

And honestly?

I think that is the mark of a truly exceptional drama. 🌊

Read More

THe drama gives me the same emotional feeling as dramas like I Told Sunset About You or Moonlight Chicken quieter, more intimate BLs that focus more on emotional connection than fanservice. The drama feels very soft and melancholic, almost like watching two lonely people slowly become each other’s safe place.

What really works is the chemistry. The relationship feels natural because the actors don’t overplay the romance . A lot of the emotional impact comes from small moments, silence, eye contact, and awkward conversations rather than huge dramatic scenes.
The atmosphere is probably the strongest part for me. The cinematography, lighting, and OST create this calm but emotionally heavy feeling that reminds me of indie romance films more than classic BL dramas.
My only issue is that the pacing can feel a little too slow sometimes, especially if you prefer more plot-driven stories. The drama spends a lot of time on emotions and mood rather than major events.
But honestly , that softness is also what makes it memorable. It feels less like a fantasy romance and more like a very human love story.

Read More

Short, sweet, and surprisingly real

It tells a quiet, familiar story of teenagers navigating love and friendship, and it tells it well. The kind of series you finish in one sitting and then just sit with for a while.

The series nails the messiness of teen relationships without being dramatic about it. The friends-to-lovers arc feels earned, the friendship fracturing through plain old miscommunication feels painfully honest, and the lingering ache after a breakup — still missing someone even when the relationship is clearly over — is portrayed with a maturity most shows twice its runtime can't manage.

The one thing that might frustrate you — and it's intentional — is the male lead's inability to just say what he feels. The slow tragedy of watching someone hold their feelings back until it's too late is the emotional engine of the whole show. It's the trope many of us love to hate, but here it actually serves the story rather than existing for manufactured tension.

The original ending is quietly devastating and honest: life doesn't pause while you figure yourself out. By the time the male lead finally decides to fight for the relationship, she's already moved on. It's the right ending — uncomfortable, real, and true to how things actually go at that age.

The epilogue, added after audience demand, is a warmer landing — they find their way back. Sweet, yes. But it softens an ending that didn't need softening. It's not unwatchable, but it does slightly undo what made the original conclusion so memorable. Whether you prefer the closure or the sting is probably telling of where you are in life right now.

Read More

beautiful, worthwhile, undeniable queer narrative that trades in imagination for a tinge of cruelty

soul mate (2026) exceeded my admittedly moderate expectations due to the association with netflix and delivered an intentional, tender queer story. the show maintains a theme of salvation until the end, which is likely why so much of the romantic relationship between ryu and johan, two people who were seeking dignity and courage in their lives, was organized around care, mutual trust, and being a place of emotional stability for each other. the relationship progression between ryu and johan was constantly affirming in nature. to me, the show understood that we need to have capacity to be able to love someone and that is often deteriorated when we are hurt and traumatized, which was the case with both in the beginning. ryu's late "eccentric" uncle's words became the emotional center of the show: the idea that you are only truly lonely when you don't have people you care about.

the queer narrative in this was not subtle at all but i loved all the nuanced ways they have repeatedly affirmed the relationship between ryu and johan, through their families and friends taking notice, through drawings and objects, through the unsaid. now, beyond that, there were many things i loved about this show. for one, they showed me that a bl being co-produced between two countries does not immediately have to result in exploitation in content and narrative. a lot of bl co-productions are more interested in proving "freedom" through explicit content they may not have been able to add on if, say, produced solely by south korea or china. however, as we have been seeing in these bl co-productions, when sex becomes the primary evidence of "liberation," stories often end up losing cultural relativity, subtext, TEXT, emotional density, and so on. but in soul mate, the cross-cultural context exists for cross-cultural communication and not to meaninglessly insert sex scenes between the couple. i loved all of these cross-cultural embeds in the narrative. ryu did not expect mutual understanding just because johan speaks some japanese; instead, he made a conscious effort to learn korean words/phrases to better communicate his feelings to johan. for once, a co-production does not feel exploitative.

one of the running themes of the show was found family. it started with ryu and sumiko. i found it very significant that the show centered ryu and sumiko’s relationship as a safe, dependable connection for both because many bl stories either erase women entirely or trap them in misogynistic narratives. depicting meaningful relationships between men and women is important, especially in queer narratives, because it shows us men can be vulnerable, kind, /human/ even outside of romance. then, their family starts to take shape when ryu's parents treat and take on johan, who was an orphan and had to work all his life to /earn/ a living, as their own, even inviting him to an intimate memorial ceremony reserved for people inside the family structure. as this family structure was taking shape, we also saw johan’s relationships were already structured around queer kinship (re: the gay jazz bar owner) because he does not have normative family structures to rely on.

i think my favourite moment in the show comes after they discuss sumiko's pregnancy. ryu talks of childbearing feeling like a miracle but johan responds, this too! what he is saying shifts the focus from a “queer impossibility” to meaning produced outside of heterosexual reproduction. he says, our shared life, the home we built together, it is also extraordinary, isn't it? by that point, it was clear the show was very intentionally refusing the assumption that “real” family is produced through blood relation, heterosexuality, or legal structures; instead, they asserted that family is an active practice of care and mutual recognition. when sumiko's husband, who was ryu's very close friend, died, it was clear the show was setting up a non-normative family structure between the couple and their pregnant friend. i saw that a lot of people thought of this pivot as "losing focus" but, in fact, sumiko’s plotline doesn’t distract from the romantic relationship; it expands it because sumiko and seiichi are ryu and johan’s family. a lot of bl narratives isolate the couple from the rest of social life and political realities but love is not enough and people need networks of care! the response to this storyline made me think people do not understand how important family (intimate support systems) is to queer people. romance isn’t the ultimate narrative endpoint. more so, their new family structure is what queer futurity is all about; it isn’t them imitating the nuclear family but reimagining it through queer relationality. statistically, even in queer relationships, labor associated with childrearing falls on women; so, it was crucial to see queer men involved in childrearing and domestic duties, men whose lives aren’t defined by romance or sex or individual freedom detached from responsibility and commitment.

now, the finale, i understood johan's decision to leave upon finding out he has a neurodegenerative illness with no cure available. seeing kanau grow up without johan and knowing he is battling his illness alone felt unfair but, based on his upbringing, it was more so understandable why he would choose to distance himself. when you haven’t been made to feel like you deserve to exist in the world (by expectedly your parents), you try to take up as little space in people’s lives as possible. however, i do think the ending lacks imagination especially considering the ideas they’ve developed on refusing isolation and found family. i do get johan’s side but i felt that there should have been more of a commotion when he wanted to leave. in the end, when johan talks about ryu, he says he gets hurt easily, and maybe this was why, but i believe a strong enough connection warrants a bigger fight because intimacy changes what we feel entitled to ask of each other. character death as a plot point isn’t an issue but they deserved to have each other by their side instead of spending their last few years together, with sumiko and kanau as well, isolated from each other's presence, thoughts, feelings.

i think the director/screenwriter hashizume shunki has an inclination for melancholy and although he “corrects” a lot of more than words (2022) in this show (hush! (2001) still did it better!), soul mate still carries that tinge of cruelty. i think it would have been so much easier as a viewer to see johan die slowly with his family by his side and that would have still been tragic because death and illness themselves are enough of a tragedy. i cannot wrap my head around the fact that johan left and life just moved on for the both of them. albeit, maybe there was more of an effort to communicate on ryu's side but we do not get to see this so it feels unfilling. i also do not find it believable that just because johan said he found someone else, ryu was hurt enough to cut off all contact after all of those years together.

finally, since this must clearly be reiterated to bl fans, the “bury your gays” trope is relevant when the death of queer characters reinforces the idea that queerness itself leads to misery or punishment - it does not apply here. soul mate allows their queer characters dignity, love, a family, and full emotional arcs. even before we get to the final arc, the show does feel disjointed with regards to plot transitions. it sometimes felt like things did not linger as they should have. nevertheless, although not perfect, soul mate must be one fo the best japanese/korean bls of the last few years. a beautiful, worthwhile, undeniable queer narrative.

Read More

controversial aspects of the work

This is a textbook example of how China exploits Korean dramas for their 'Cultural Project.' The excessive use of Chinese idioms, constant referencing of Chinese sages, and a low-born queen fluently using Hanja are all historically inaccurate. It’s painfully obvious that these elements were directed under the influence of Chinese capital to glorify Chinese culture.

Most notably, the concept is a blatant gender-swapped rip-off of Zhang Yimou’s movie The Terracotta Warrior (1989). Even the plot point of a time-traveling protagonist becoming an actor is identical. Both the narrative and the visual style of citing Hanja feel jarringly foreign to Korean audiences.

This work is highly likely to face severe backlash over plagiarism and its questionable subservience to Chinese financial influence. This production company has a long history of controversies involving Chinese capital—this is far from the first time.

Read More

No slow burn

story is really good from start gets you hooked, I was actually going to drop at 4 because there's too much side characters and FML ml don't really have interaction but it became good after that .

romance - In story where writer want to focus on career ,you can just write one without forcing romance on the leads, it feels forced and random, atleast 90%cdrama like this , they never show the romance genre in a way it should be ? it's like they're forced to add it, I watch only for romance so I dislike this, there no slow development or romantic interaction at all just randomly liking eachother or decided to be couple without really mention clearly or confessing, I have no issue with story like this it's just that they shouldn't add romance tag to it so I don't waste my time, you add romance and then force the lead into couple, I watched this without reading reviews I was wrong.
ML FML both are really good,

Read More

yumi's me, iam yumi (kinda).

~ 𝟰.𝟱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀 ~
(𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨)

thinking about 𝙮𝙪𝙢𝙞'𝙨 𝙘𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙨, the phrase that comes to mind is "painfully realistic comfort." yes, it's an oxymoron, but so is life—warm one moment, gut-punching the next. such a tedious push-and-pull duality that this drama mirrors with unnerving accuracy. no matter how cosy or relatable it feels, it never lets you forget that life is, in fact, a bumpy road and sometimes you're left wandering along with only half a map—if you're lucky enough.

and the greater the confusion, the sweeter the sense of relief when—at some unexpected stop along the way—the sun breaks through the clouds and guides you to your next destination.

following the life of kim yumi, an ordinary woman in her 30s, the drama proceeds to make it painfully clear where the line lies between barely surviving and actually living. it gently mocks the idea that you can protect yourself by shrinking behind the illusion of safety and restraining yourself into numbness; reminds you that self-awareness comes in fragments, not a tidy bundle; and that the myth of "having it all figured out" is exactly that—a myth we cling to for a shallow sense of consolation.

and if self-awareness refuses to show up at your doorstep as a complete starter kit, it comes as no surprise that relationships aren't the glossy, foolproof fairytales the majority of kdramas like to promise (and trust me, i adore getting lost in those romcom fantasies... i just keep in the back of my mind that they're, well, fantasies, after all). simply put, belonging with someone can be lovely, but belonging to yourself is the true starting point, the foundation 𝙮𝙪𝙢𝙞'𝙨 𝙘𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙨 keep circling back to.

this exploration unfolds in the most endearing, entertaining way: blending yumi's everyday life with the animated chaos of the cells living in her head. it's whimsical, but also startlingly honest about the messiness of being human.

and that profound honesty is why calling it "just a great drama" feels almost like an insulting understatement, for 𝙮𝙪𝙢𝙞'𝙨 𝙘𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙨 insists that even the most ordinary parts of life deserve to be seen. it delivers that message with undeniable charm, humour and emotional precision, finding meaning in the smaller, more familiar moments we tend to overlook.

maybe that's why i found myself so connected to yumi despite our differences—or perhaps because, on rewatch, those differences began to feel a little less sharp and a little more like reflections that crystallised over time. the drama made me feel less alone while being more patient with myself, willing to take things slowly. it reminded me that iam, after all, the protagonist of my own story, moving at my own pace and allowed to crave things as well as to fail without feeling guilty about it.

for even when things fall apart, it's not the end—there's always another sunrise waiting along the way.

Read More

fav.

I got obsessed with the drama after finishing it. loved this drama
The intense situations of soo ji and ja eun made me feel my heartache while watching. Man soo Ji's eyes was so sparkling and emotional. :")
The end was satisfying but ha rin's , da yeon's parents deserved something vbad too.

I went back to re-watch my fav scenes multiple time
1. The "prisoner's dillema" scene
2. The 16th pyramid game
3. The whole voice note deletion part
4. Soo Ji's dad finding out she used to get bullied.

Also it's not very intense fight and rough work, but but it was v intense psychologically.

Read More

Somehow More Fukuda Yuichi Than Fukuda Yuichi Movies

This was just an underwhelming mess. As a fan of the original, this adaptation was incredibly disappointing and felt like a completely different story wearing Romantic Killer’s skin. I was genuinely really excited for this adaptation despite already expecting them to change some things from the original, which honestly made the disappointment even worse. It failed to capture the humor and character dynamics that made the anime enjoyable in the first place.

This review is going to be HUGE 😭 but honestly, there is just SO much to unpack here because the movie changes so many important parts of the original story.

One thing I did actually enjoy was the references to famous romance anime/manga. They were funny and easy to catch if you’re familiar with shoujo media, and I did laugh at some of them. But honestly, those jokes felt more like something out of a Fukuda Yuichi-directed comedy movie than Romantic Killer itself. They completely overshadowed the original story. At that point, they should’ve just made a different parody romance movie with an original plot instead of adapting Romantic Killer.

The acting also didn’t help. Some of it was decent, but a lot of the male leads genuinely felt like they were just reading lines. I’m honestly tired of live action shoujo adaptations constantly casting idols who cannot act. I understand they do it because having popular idols means their fans will watch the movie no matter what, but it feels like that becomes the entire point of the adaptation instead of actually respecting the original work and at least TRYING to make a good movie. At times it felt more like a promotion for the actors and their groups than an actual adaptation, especially considering the movie included multiple theme songs from the male leads’ idol groups. Of course there are idols who are talented actors, but this cast was not convincing at all. The exaggerated anime style acting might not bother people who are used to Japanese live actions, but even then, some scenes were painful to sit through. The visible green screen edges and cheap-looking CGI somehow made the whole thing feel even more chaotic. The casting choices themselves were also strange. A lot of these actors looked way too old to be playing high schoolers, and some characters didn’t fit their original counterparts at all.

The biggest problem, though, was the writing. The screenwriter and director completely lost control of the story by the end, which honestly shocked me because I’ve seen and enjoyed a lot of works from both of them before, so I genuinely do not know what happened here. The final act was an absolute mess. Suddenly Anzu is yelling “I love you!” to all three male leads, alternate timeline versions of Anzu that ended up with different love interests show up, random male characters from earlier in the movie are fighting Riri and the “fake” Anzus so the “real” Anzu can run to the airport for Kazuki who randomly decided to leave for Paris because he wants to become a chef, which was an arc that was not in the anime and was never even properly developed beforehand. It just felt like they kept throwing random romance movie cliches into the script without thinking about whether any of it fit the story. Some cliches are obviously necessary because Riri is literally forcing romance scenarios onto Anzu, but the way this movie handled them became chaotic and excessive.

And that’s another issue. This should have been a drama, not a movie. Romantic Killer works because of its character arcs and slow relationship development, and there simply wasn’t enough time for any of that here. Important storylines were either erased entirely or rushed beyond belief. Saki’s arc especially suffered. In the original, her struggles with harassment, bullying, and being valued only for her looks were actually meaningful and helped build her friendship with Anzu. Honestly, she had really good chemistry with Anzu in the anime, which made me wonder why Riri never even tried setting her up with any girls when she ignored the handsome guys, since the whole point was supposed to be getting Anzu interested in romance by any means necessary. Here, Saki was reduced to a background character with almost no importance.

Other arcs were also butchered. Junta and Anzu’s childhood friend storyline went nowhere after the reveal, making Junta feel incredibly shallow as a character. Kazuki’s stalker arc, which was one of the most important parts of the original story, somehow turned into a bizarre action sequence involving the stalker with gang-like men showing up at their school play and fighting students in the audience. Then the stalker almost stabbed Anzu, Kazuki stopped her, and Anzu barely even did anything despite the movie trying to frame it like some heroic moment for her. She stepped forward saying she would protect Kazuki, immediately froze when the stalker pulled out a knife, and ended up needing Kazuki to protect her instead, even though this was HIS stalker in the first place. In the anime, Anzu actually got hurt while protecting him, which made the scene emotionally impactful. Here, the whole thing randomly ended with everyone praising Anzu and acting like she saved the day when Kazuki was the one who actually handled the situation. Then right after all of that, everyone casually watched fireworks and partied like nothing even happened. The tonal whiplash was insane.

Even the reason behind Riri setting up romance scenarios was changed for no reason. In the original, the whole “cupid” concept was tied into Japan’s declining birth rate, which was already ridiculous, but at least memorable and internally consistent. Here, they changed it into romance somehow being the magical energy that keeps the cupids alive, and because Anzu doesn’t care about romance, that energy is apparently declining and causing the cupids to starve. Even the movie itself seems to forget about this premise halfway through because it contributes almost nothing to the actual story, and she still doesn’t even properly choose someone in the end. It also makes the entire situation feel weirdly forced because the movie acts like the cupids running out of energy is specifically Anzu’s fault for not being interested in love, even though there are probably tons of other high school students who aren’t actively trying to find a partner because they’re literally still in school and focused on other things.

Overall, I just ended up feeling bad for the original creator since this adaptation completely misunderstood what made Romantic Killer special. References to famous works can't save horrible movies. I seriously regret watching it.

Read More

I Finished This Drama for the Second ML

This drama starts with a lot of potential. The concept is strong: reincarnation, divine destinies, ancient cycles, and a love story tied to a cosmic past. At first, it feels like it could become something emotionally powerful and epic.

However, the execution is inconsistent for a large portion of the story.

The middle episodes feel dragged and emotionally distant. Even when important events are happening, they often lack impact or proper buildup. The main romance struggles to create chemistry, especially between the leads. The female lead, in particular, feels emotionally disconnected, and that made it difficult to fully invest in their love story. The male lead has more presence and emotional range, but their relationship together never fully “clicks” in a convincing way.

Where the drama really shines is not in the main couple, but in its secondary elements. The second male lead and the supporting romance are significantly more compelling, both emotionally and in terms of performance. Even the antagonist ends up being one of the most interesting parts of the story, especially once the possession and internal conflict begin. His transformation into a colder, more chaotic presence is surprisingly well acted and visually convincing.

The final arc improves the drama significantly. Once the ancient truth is revealed and the cosmic rules behind the story become clearer, everything gains more meaning. The idea that love and emotion might actually be the source of strength rather than weakness gives the ending real thematic weight. The pacing also becomes more engaging in the last few episodes, even if it feels slightly rushed.
Still, the ending cannot fully compensate for the slow and uneven middle section, nor for the lack of emotional connection in the main romance.

Read More

Charmed me into undeserved generosity.

I’ve had this hanging around my watch-list for a while and finally thought I’d give it a go. I must admit that despite things that usually piss me off mightily, it managed to seduce me. I loathe and don’t usually watch body swap dramas, then they totally mess with historical accuracy to an absurd degree, whilst also living on another planet in terms of crime and punishment, etc, etc. All of which criticisms can be found in the numerous and comprehensive reviews already available. So why did I feel compelled to write this review? Well, I had to justify to someone (myself probably) the rating of 8.5 I’ve succumbed to giving it. It totally charmed the pants off me. With some deliciously sweet performances, consistently good pacing and plot design. I’ll probably come to my senses in a few days. But til then...

Read More