Reviews

What happened?

The director and screenwriters for this movie must be totally different people from the series because the movie sucked despite having the same actors in the lead.

The only thing I was interested in was seeing Nami get her memory back, and see who see saves from there. But instead I got a two hours of boredom. I waited so patiently for something interesting to happen, but no. The only interesting thing was the moment when Nami got her memory back. Although even that was anti climactic. The story was incredibly boring so the stuff that didn’t concern me whatsoever. Whatever made the series interesting- the neighborhood drama was cut from the movie and they were somewhere else doing some other thing with stuff blowing up and the politicians and the Russians and who cares what else. So boring.

Why is the husband monitoring his wife like a robot as if she’s an object 24/7? Is 24/7 surveillance considered romantic? Is that a relationship or a science experiment? And the Russian or random white guy villain? As usual the foreigners are terrible low budget actors. Yawn.

Sooo she gets shot in the heart by her husband and somehow survives it because… Why? How? I got royally pissed when she was shot but seriously how much does this poor character need to endure?

Who was the director? It couldn’t have been the same person as the series. It was the typical sequel letdown, but because the series was so good (I gave it a 10, this movie in comparison gets a 1.

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Stayed for Yan Zixian, Not the Story

Let me start by saying that Yan Zixian is one of my favorite performers. That said, I wasn’t a fan of this drama.

The premise centers on a solitary figure whose journey is shaped by vengeance and important relationships that form over time. The narrative makes use of shifting timelines to highlight key moments in the characters’ lives, which I found visually and thematically interesting. However, the pacing and execution didn’t fully hold my attention. The storytelling felt a bit dry at times, and several romance elements came across as underdeveloped or unconvincing for me. As a result, the emotional core of the story didn’t land as strongly as it could have.

I did follow it through to the end, but the highlight for me, as always, was seeing Yan Zixian onscreen..

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Real Adult Protects Children

Kim Deuk Pal, #2 man of Chulsang Gang encounters a suicidal teen trying to jump off the overpass during his drive back from meeting the boss. As he rushed towards the boy to save him, his soul is somehow transfered into the boy’s body, Song Yiheon, before Kim’s own body is run over by a truck. Waking up as Song Yiheon, he had no choice but to live his life while prepping the surrounding for Song’s soul’s return. Kim Deuk Pal managed to keep himself busy juggling between taking care of Song’s highly medicated depressed mom, getting rid of Song father’s secretary cum mistress who is hell-bent on taking over the legal wife position, fighting off bullies at school, making friends with Song’s classmates, all while studying hard for the college entrance exam.

I honestly started this show with a low bar because I don’t really like teenage soul swap fantasy genres. Surprisingly, this show turned out to be extremely well-written with fast paced and engaging plot. I couldnt stop myself from hitting the next episode button, so it took me less than 10hours to binge this.

First off I wanted to say that the actor Lee Seo Jin for the middle-age Kim Deuk Pal is extremely handsome and looked really good for his age. I really love his charisma as the righteous gangster challenging himself by taking the college entrance exam as the middle-age gangster boss even before his soul transference. And second, I truly commend Yoon Chan Young for being able to imitate the original Kim Deuk Pal’s character into his teenage Song Yiheon’s role. The way he successfully portrayed the outcast teenager and the domineering #2 gangster boss was very convincing. He also managed to act out a rather wide range of emotions for this dual role, and I am thoroughly impressed.

I love how the story came out to be more about friendship, loyalty, growth, and redemption with the emphasis of the role of an adult instead of pure violence. I love how the middle-age Kim tried real hard to keep the kids in school and studying, and how he protected them from missing classes even at the risk of himself being detained into juvie. The way he carried himself is exactly how a real adult shouldve acted for children. There are many character growth here, especially on Choi Sekyung and Hong Jaemin, although they did whip up a reality check scenario with the other goon highschooler who wouldnt admit their wrongs, because there are people like that in the real world.

The last episode made me cry buckets until i came to the ending, which was actually a happy ending. Glad for that.

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A Fun VR Game Time-Travel Watch: Predictable Plot, But Very Entertaining

I didn’t know what to expect, but this turned out to be a fun watch. It’s one of those VR-game-based time-travel stories where the female lead has to complete missions to return to her modern world. We’ve seen dozens of dramas like this, all following the same basic formula, so there’s nothing new in terms of narrative. But what made this one enjoyable, was how entertaining it was—the comedic one-liners and the funny situations. It didn’t feel like a true repeat because the specifics were fresh enough, and the short runtime helped. I will say it could have been trimmed down to about 20 episodes; several tropes felt unnecessary and slowed the pacing. And the finale left me a bit confused. Overall, though, this was a great Le Geyang watch to fit in between my more serious dramas.

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What a ride it was!

I can’t critically review this one effectively. I agree with them, so can’t add any more to the other well written 9 & 10 star reviews.
All I can say is, for someone who shies away from horror and zombie movies, I loved Train to Busan! I highly recommend it to anybody who likes this genre.
The acting was perfect but honestly, the Zombies were the best. I believe the reviewers who said this is the best Zombie movie anywhere.

As a side note:
I cracked up during Episode 7 of Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (Goblin) where Kim Sin and Eun Tak go to the movies to see Train to Busan. Kim Sin cannot contain his fright at watching Seok Woo trying to protect his daughter from the zombies.

I read where that scene was an inside joke by the writers. For those who are unaware, Kim Sin and Seok Woo are both played by Gong Yoo. The behind the scenes of that scene in Goblin are even more hysterical to watch.

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A Spooky Investigation Told Across Timelines

This was a good watch. I did have some issues with the pacing—the storytelling felt a bit sleepy at times—but the overall narrative was really unique. It follows a constable investigating a series of crimes connected to a girl he loved when he was younger. The story unfolds under the cover of eerie events told through different characters, and we weave their accounts together into a full backstory as the timeline shifts between past and present. I thought the execution and plot angles were handled well, and it hit all the spooky marks. Some of the flashback sequences dragged a little, but overall, this was a solid watch.

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Palace Intrigue Done Exceptionally Well

I absolutely loved this. I typically struggle with Ren Jialun’s performances, but I have to say this one is a top-shelf favorite of mine. Everything worked—even when it didn't.

While the overall narrative wasn’t entirely new, with its focus on palace infighting and conspiracies, the execution was so effective that I was fully absorbed, hanging on every line and plot turn. I loved the rich martial arts and the bold characters whose power and potential weren’t limited by gender. Each character captured my attention and drew me into their storylines in impactful ways that stayed with me throughout the drama. I was truly invested in their lives, and I appreciated the multiple layers in both the plot development and the character growth as they navigated identity and relationship dynamics.
This drama isn’t perfect—there were a few moments that made me raise a brow—but everything else made up for what became minor flaws. This is a 10/10 win for me.

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A Casual Tang Dynasty Mystery Watch

I liked this. It wasn’t the best watch or the strongest of Guan Yue’s Tang Dynasty projects, but it was enjoyable as a casual watch and a chance to see another Guan Yue feature.

There was detective work, martial arts sects, and secret arts involving puppetry, sorcery, and ritual techniques, along with rebellion and palace intrigue. While it didn’t hit as hard for me as The Crime Unit of Tang Dynasty or Tang Dynasty Unusual News Report—both of which I rated highly—I still liked this one. The script made me laugh, and I stayed interested enough to see it through.

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A Light Slice-of-Life Time Travel Watch: Food, Business, and Romance

I enjoyed this, but I don’t think it’s for everyone. The storyline is fairly light, and much of the drama feels more like a slice-of-life experience focused on daily living. There is a minor conspiracy arc, but it lacks depth, so the emphasis stays on the time-travel element and the central family.

As far as my experience goes, the romance didn’t land for me, and I’m not someone who typically enjoys family-oriented dramas. So, I mostly watched this for the food, the art direction around menu planning, and the entrepreneurship. I also thought the comedic moments were well done and fit the overall tone. For me, I got what I wanted from this watch and for that, it was enjoyable.

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I started watching this because my mom got a Kocowa subcription on our Amazon Prime and it was rec to me by the algorithm and how I wish it never did. JK I really did enjoy my time with this but omg it was a DRAG once it got to ep 19-ish. The last episode felt exceptionally terrible to me and honestly left a sour taste in my mouth with how horrible paced it was comparing it to literally even the PREVIOUS episode. I don't need everything spelled out to me but everything was just left so ambiguously and really just not what I expected out of the show. Their 2nd wedding was cute though so we got that ig lol. Anyways...the slow burn was sooo good and felt deserved but the miscommunication got too annoying Jesus. Shin got on my nerves but YUL... don't bring up his name in my house I swear he was so bad to Chaekgyung arguably sometimes worse than Shin. I love the music and fashion from this show the 2000s fashion mixed with korean traditional is so glam and chic I literally can't every new outfit Chaekgyung popped out with made me so envious. If I were to rewatch it would be any episode before ep 18 becos the angst be ANGSTYYY. But Princess Hours/Goong was a fun watch.

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A Layered Odyssey &Visually Stunning

I absolutely adored this watch. It felt fresh and new compared to what we’ve been getting over the years. It was intelligent and deeply layered, always evolving and building across episodes, with a plot that only got better and better with time. It was engaging, philosophical, and touching. I loved the characters—their growth and their dynamics. The sub-arcs made this a true odyssey, and the cinematography was beautiful.

The twists were either predictably impactful or genuinely shocking, delivered consistently all the way to the end, keeping me on my toes the entire time. I can’t praise this drama enough, and I can easily see myself rewatching it without ever feeling bored by the narrative. This isn't something you can understand in a few episodes, and the ending, for me, was satisfying. This is a top-shelf favorite, hands down.

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Six Episodes of Doubt, Then It Clicked: A Romance That Won Me Over

I had a difficult time getting through the first six episodes. I usually love offbeat and exaggerated satire, but the stylized deliveries and constant misunderstandings just weren’t my cup of tea. I’m not sure if it would have worked better with a different lead, but something about the execution didn’t quite land for me. Still, I had a feeling the underlying storyline would eventually shine through—and I’m glad I stuck with it, because it ended up becoming one of my favorites.

It’s not quite top-shelf for me, as those six rough episodes are hard to ignore, and the plot occasionally relied on convenient or hard-to-believe twists that separated the main characters one too many times. Even so, it was a drama I couldn’t pull myself away from, and it made for an easy, comforting watch while I was stuck at home recovering from a terrible cold.

The cinematography was beautiful, and the themes reflected many of the elements I love in Chinese dramas. I found myself connecting with both major and minor characters, and the villains were especially compelling—complex, morally gray, and backed by layered stories that made it difficult to truly despise them, even after witnessing the harm they caused. I also appreciated the character dynamics, the steady plot growth, and the overall narrative arc. While I don’t always enjoy the style of romance often found in popular Chinese dramas, this one suited my tastes perfectly. I absolutely loved the main couple and their relationship.

Overall, this was a win for me.

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Strong First Arc, Better Second Arc Idea

I’m sorry, folks, but this just wasn’t my cup of tea. The cinematography was eye-catching, and some sequences were truly masterful, but the pacing and execution didn't land for me.

The drama is essentially split into two main arcs. The first arc centers on the female lead. I loved some of the plot specifics, but some of the interpersonal dynamics felt strange to me, and certain elements came across as a bit taboo in the way they were presented. The storyline also felt stretched across too many episodes and could have been edited down significantly. The second arc focuses on the male lead and his family’s backstory. For me, this was the highlight of the drama, yet it wasn’t as fully developed as the primary narrative. I would have loved to see more as we pieced together their story.

All in all, this just wasn’t my vibe, and I had to skim through certain sequences to avoid dropping it entirely. But it was nice to see a few key performers onscreen again.

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Strong Cast, Weak Rebirth Script

I’m sorry, but this just wasn’t my cup of tea. This is another drama I genuinely wanted to like, as I have a soft spot for He Landou and Jerome Deng — I’ve enjoyed them in many other performances (I can recommend some if you’d like!). I also love rebirth-revenge mini dramas and have been gorging on them for the past two years, but unfortunately, this script just didn’t land for me.

The performances were wonderful, I loved the second leads, the costume choices were beautiful, and the basic premise was genuinely interesting. I thought this drama had great potential, and I could see where it could have soared — but for me, the script was the main issue. Unfortunately, I struggled with the overall experience solely because of it. I’m well-versed in short-form content and have watched plenty with excellent scripts, so I don’t believe the format itself is the reason behind my feelings. That said, it was a very short feature — only about five minutes per episode — so it was an easy watch for a rainy day and supported He Landou and Jerome Deng

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