Reviews

A surprisingly balanced watch despite heavy themes

What stood out to me most was how it handled its themes without feeling too overwhelming. It deals with unfair systems, authority issues, and pressure from all sides, but it never becomes too heavy or depressing to sit through.

I liked how it doesn’t try to make everything black and white. Different characters feel flawed in their own ways, and that made it more interesting to watch. At times I felt frustrated with certain situations, but that’s probably the point—it reflects how messy things can get when power, status, and pressure are involved.

Even with all that, the tone isn’t constantly serious. The more cartoony and funny moments help break things up, so it doesn’t drag emotionally or feel too intense.

Overall, I found it engaging and easy to watch, especially because it balances heavier ideas with a lighter presentation. It’s not perfect, but it kept me interested and made me think about how these kinds of systems work.

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A nostalgic and fun fiction

Edit: After all, it seems it didn't do so bad on Disney. According to an official source, the production and broadcast of Season 2 are planned for 2026.

Twelve is a tribute to a vintage, nostalgic style reminiscent of traditional series, fighting games, and especially Power Rangers, which originated from tokusatsu. The first season was meant to lay the groundwork for three more, which gives a lot of meaning to its structure.

The angels were meant to look like ordinary humans while still remaining unique. Their activites, the loss of the other angels (explaining why it's not as "colorful" as some expected), the tired father figure—Taesan, who has lost faith in humanity—the contrast between the Crow Ogwi (my favorite) and the Tiger Taesan, as well as the presence of the main villain, the priest. And lastly, the Korean "Romeo & Juliet" between Ogwi and Mireu, or Zeref and Mavis (Fairy Tail).

Regarding the twelve zodiac signs, the characters are well thought-out (the symbolic of the healer Snake, the quiet geeky Rat, the solitary Dragon who is key to the story, the slightly goofy Monkey, the loyalty and sense of duty of the Dog and the Horse, the grumpy, epicurean and protective Pig) and the human chosen for the angels highlights the more vicious aspects of humanity. From their first look, I found them perfect. I'll add a comment about their names in the comments too.

To me, the acting, the music and the visuals were all strong points. However, the reception was disastrous, so I’ve almost lost hope. And to be honest, Disney didn't help at all because of the poor release (not available in many countries). As for the TV ratings, Bon Appétit Your Majesty aired at the exact same time, and it's not surprising it quickly took the spot.

It’s a shame, because it would only have improved, and the drama deserved recognition. Critics may say it was slow and weak despite its touching subtext (example the old shopkeeper who acts as Taesan’s emotional support) but this drama isn’t meant to be watched superficially—the style simply didn’t find its audience. We all know KBS isn’t known for massive budgets, yet I personally find this drama beautiful.

In the end, I enjoyed the action and the story. It was a fun time and I got attached to these characters, so if you think this drama might resonate with you, give it a chance. I really wish Disney would release it where I am so I can support it but it's always the same for those dramas.

Quote from Ma Dong Seok:

“In Twelve, besides myself, the angels who appear in the form of the twelve zodiac signs each display actions that reflect their own characteristics. They all have distinct traits. Rather than carrying the burden of the action alone, I tried to harmonize everything and find balance with them, so I ask for your generous support.”

The actor also revealed the effort invested in creating this K-drama:

“Even a simple story is difficult in its own way, but building the universe of a more complex narrative is even harder. I spent months staying up late working on it, to the point that my hair was falling out in clumps. The diverse and interesting character stories, along with the action, are the drama’s strengths.”

A small detail: The drama even had merchandise, you can find the drama's account on Twitter if you type Twelve Drama.

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Seven episodes in and nothing has happened to absolutely anybody in this supposed revenge drama

If you are looking for a tight, high-stakes political revenge drama where characters use genius-level intellect to systematically destroy their enemies... keep running. Seven episodes into Ashes to Crown, and the only thing this script has successfully executed is the audience’s patience.
The show starts with a classic, brutal betrayal and a time-regression reset. It sets up a premise driven by trauma and heavy guilt, but completely collapses the moment the FL opens her mouth.
Instead of a cautious, calculating strategist haunted by her past life, the script serves up a textbook "girlboss" trope. The FL walks around with unearned confidence, smirking and throwing her weight around like an untouchable mastermind, when in reality she is a walking disaster zone who hasn't accomplished a single concrete thing
.The most infuriating part of this show is its narrative scam. It’s packaging mild inconveniences as massive "gotcha" moments. Every single episode follows the exact same lazy formula. The FL will execute a completely basic, logic-defying stunt. The camera will dramatically cut to the villains looking wide-eyed and pulling cartoonishly passive-aggressive sour faces in the hallway, accompanied by an aggressive, dramatic soundtrack to convince you a chess piece was taken off the board. But if you actually look at the state of the plot, absolutely nothing has changed. The villains still have their freedom, their titles, their money and their heads. The script treats the antagonists like protected species, refusing to let them face permanent consequences because the writers need to drag this out for 24 episodes.Meanwhile, the ML —who actually makes the lethal, high-stakes moves like putting a literal blade to the corrupt Emperor's throat—is treated like an accessory and a personal errand boy by the FL, completely ruining any organic dynamic or respect between them.
The cinematography is pretty and the costumes are nice, but the flashy editing is just a smoke screen to hide a hollow, wheel-spinning script. Don't let the intense background music gaslight you into thinking this is a complex chess match. It's an absolute joke of a revenge drama where seven episodes deep of 24 at approximately 45 minutes each, literally nothing has happened to nobody. Save your time and watch something where victories actually mean something.

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Undereated and Highly recommended

I absolutely loved this series and highly recommend it, especially if you are looking for something more than the usual lovey dovey storylines. It has more action and more tense moments than other gl's.

The only thing that wasnt completely explained was the reason for the red thread. It kinda of appeared in the story then just actually disappeared onscreen without explaination. You get the gist of it but its only through guess work. But this tbh is just a minor thing in this amazing series.

Mie & Aya are brilliant, beautiful young women and very talented. The chemistry was great throughout the series. Great work from them both and look forward to any other series they are in because I am now a fan of them both. Aya fits the strong character so well and Mie fits the softer but stronger than she looks character in this series. They fit the roles so well. Would watch it again if I was struggling to find new series. Or even if I just fancied watching it all the way through in a day or two continuosly.

10 out of 10 for me personally, some may disagree and thats perfectly fine, it all comes down to what kind of series you enjoy the most.

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A good BL about toxic relationships, carried by Mix's fabulous performance.

A sequel to "Only Friends," focusing on the relationships between Jack & Dean, and Tua & Arnold.

PLOT: A story centered on the relationships (love, sex, rivalries, breakups) within a group of students putting on a play, "Romeo & Romeo."

+++ Mix lights up this series; he's a fabulous actor! ♡╰(ﾟxﾟ​)╯♡ I'm rarely moved by a series, but he brought tears to my eyes several times. He brings to life a character so wounded, vulnerable, lost... that you just want to hug him.
+++ A high-quality cast. For me, the best chemistry (by far) is that of Aou & Boom (their intimate scenes are fire.They border on voyeurism).
+++ The story is solid and realistic.
+++ Good direction with excellent pacing, sets, costumes, and soundtrack.

### I hated Jack's character. Selfish, demanding, ready to do everything for his play, even more toxic in his relationships than his friend Boston (who, unlike Jack, has changed). A total red flag!
I really would have loved a different ending: for Dean to pursue his acting career alone and find happiness with someone else!
Great's arrival in the final scene suggests trouble to come. With Jack, that's to be expected.

### The appearances of the couples from season 1 are unnecessary and seem completely incongruous and artificial.

=> A good BL about toxic relationships, carried by Mix's fabulous performance.

******************************************************
Suite de "Only friends" focus sur relation Jack - Dean et Tua - Arnold

PLOT : Story centrée sur les relations (amours, sexe, rivalités, ruptures) au sein d'un gpe d'étudiants qui montent une pièce de théâtre "Roméo & Roméo"

+++ Mix illumine cette série, c'est un fabuleux acteur !
♡╰(ﾟxﾟ​)╯♡ Je suis rarement émue devant une série, mais il m'a mis les larmes aux yeux à plusieurs reprises. Il donne vie à un personnage tellement blessé, vulnérable, perdu ... qu'on a envie de le serrer dans ses bras.
+++ Cast de qualité. Pour moi, la meilleure alchimie (de loin) c'est celle de Aou/Boom (leurs scènes intimes sont tellement vivantes qu'elles frisent le voyeurisme)
+++ La story est solide, réaliste.
+++ Bonne réalis° avec rythme, décors, costumes, OST.

### J'ai détesté le personnage de Jack, égoïste, exigeant, prêt à tout pour sa pièce, encore plus toxique dans ses relations que son ami Boston (qui lui, a évolué). Un total Red Flag !
J'aurai vraiment aimé une autre fin : que Dean poursuive seul sa carrière d'acteur et trouve son bonheur avec qq'1 d'autre !
L'arrivée de Great dans la dernière cène, suggère des problèmes à venir. Avec Jack, il faut s'y attendre.
### Les interventions des couples de la saison 1, inutiles, semblent totalement incongrues, artificielles.

=> Bonne BL sur des relations toxiques, portée par la fabuleuse performance de Mix.

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It had its potential but could not reach it due to its incoherence

I love the slow burn with leads taking years to form the bond before they kiss unlike others i have seen complaining here in MDL and viki. But this drama fumbles a lot.
The characters are all very real, very normal. Individually all of their journey is so satisfying. But when you combine them all it still does not give a coherent enjoyable flow, equation and chemistry. It also becomes repetitive at one point and some of the characters just pop out of nowhere and then leave out of nowhere.
And their forced separation with no contact did not make sense whatsoever. It sounds romantic on paper but it does not feel romantic because the reason they give just does not fit in with the characters. When they have already agreed they willl move forward then there was no need to cut the ties. And then their reunion was too lacklustre. Overall I did not know what to make of it.
The last few episodes were sort of confusing too. So the ML has been visiting his village and has not cut ties like FL but he still did not know that Cao Ping who he himself had set up with his classmate's father's business is now his manager or that Cao Ping is helping others just like he used to . It felt as if he had been abroad all this while which was not the case. Yes he worked hard and all that but sstill him being extremely clueless did not fit in.

Overall I still could not stop watching because the location, the village and the characters and their story I could not leave midway but at the same time I was not really interested too . It was just there hanging in between.

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Suffers from hours of useless filler scenes

When I read the plot I wasn't really interested at first, but the very high ratings made me curious.
The first few episodes were nice, but nothing new. FL and ML were OK, but I definitely preferred them in other dramas.
The supporting roles only serve for comic relieve, but in the most annoying way. I found myself skipped most of their scenes.
I think the middle episodes were the only time I was really hooked and then it spiraled in completely filler boredom. Like episode 13 was so out of pace, that for a moment I thought Netflix made a mistake and started a different drama. It picks a bit up after that, but I found myself using the skipping button every few minutes.
Especially the last episode was totally redundant and unnecessary. I only kept watching because I was sick and had nothing else to do. Otherwise this drama would have joined the growing pile of dramas that started strong-ish and after 2/3 just consists of of product placements or filler scenes.

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It triggered all my trauma

(I’m not a native English speaker so I’m sorry for everything and anything)

IF YOU’RE SENSITIVE: this drama is not for you unless you treat it like a guide on how not to end up in abusive relationship

Let’s start by saying - I couldn’t watch it anymore. After 6ep I stopped for the sake of my mental health.
I’ve been in the abusive relationship for ab 2 years.
It took everything to get out and the consequences are with me EVERY DAY.
As a survivor I humbly ask you: DO NOT romanticise ANY of the behaviours in the drama.
I don’t usually comment or review but I saw a few comments that I need to kinda…respond

This drama is highly traumatising, highly harmful and on top of that incredibly realistic

Not many people realise that abusive relationship is not only the abuser is abusing and the victim does nothing.
The kind of abuse that we see in the drama works in cycles.

First let’s say the abuser hurts his partner.
The moment he realises that he didn’t mean the things he’s done or said or realises the person might hate him or leave him, he apologises, but not just saying “I apologise”, no, he will do and say everything and I mean EVERYTHING to show how bad he feels about what he’s done.

Then in our cycle the victim is the one pushing it forward. I don’t think anyone who has never experienced it realise how devastating psychologically it actually is. The victim will gradually feel some kind of pressure, like something will happen but nothing is happening. Believe me or not but it’s happening so unconsciously I didn’t realise it for a long time. The victim will provoke.

It takes just a few times for victim to stuck in this cycle.
It takes just a few abuse - apologise - abuse - apologise
To evolve into - abuse - apologise - provoke - abuse - apologise - provoke

(I am not trying to justify any of the actions Im just simply explaining what is actually happening on the screen and what many victims experience in their everyday life)

What I needed to say is that this drama is so high quality I had flashbacks, the kind of flashbacks that I couldn’t put myself back together for a few days.

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Why keep fighting for someone who hurt you that much and disappeared from your life for five years?

Why keep fighting for someone who hurt you that much and disappeared from your life for five years? The series never fully convinces me of its answer, but it does make that question interesting enough to keep watching.

The biggest issue with the series is its starting point. Ran has already lost almost everyone important in her life, making P'Le the one person she can truly rely on. That makes P'Le's rejection and the way she pushes Ran away incredibly difficult to forgive. It remains hard to fully understand why she had to be so harsh, especially considering how vulnerable Ran was. Because of this, the series asks the audience very early on to forgive a love interest who causes an enormous amount of emotional pain, which makes it difficult to fully root for P'Le throughout the first half of the story.

The central mystery is stretched out for so long while misunderstandings continue to pile up. For that reason, the early episodes often feel more frustrating than entertaining.

The later episodes do a much better job of delivering meaningful and well-written conversations that balance serious emotional discussions with lighter and genuinely funny moments. The late revelations make it easier to understand the characters' actions and motivations, particularly P'Le's, and help justify some of the choices that initially felt difficult to accept. The acting from the two leads is consistently strong and helps sell both the emotional and more dramatic moments. The series also features several surprisingly well-executed action scenes that add some excitement and variety to the story.

While the plot often relies on convenient resolutions, some logical inconsistencies, and an underused time-travel premise, the emotional connection between the leads remains the strongest part of the show. In the end, the story works less because of its plot and more because of the character development and dynamic between Ran and P'Le.

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Great Ideas with poor execution

I was excited when I watched the trailer, but with the story progression my excitement vanished.
Chen Du Ling is quite beautiful and we actually see her everywhere, but I have the feeling that she is female counterpart of Ren Jia Lun.-->same performance in every different drama. An actor should show some diversity and I simply don't see it in her.
The strongest side of this drama are the costumes and how the characters are visually presented, the weakest side is actually the story and the character progression.
We have the time lapse rebirth plot and all of a sudden our Huanghou ( I hope this is the word for empress ) is the most sly mastermind in the world leading armies into battles in full empress gown & jewelries (which she took from her magical backpack).
All male leads are gorgeous and in same way chaotically evil, plotting all the time for no reason.
After watching "Zhan Zhao Adventures", the fighting scenes in "Ashes to Crown" look like a joke.
My main concern here are the plot holes and the fast random story development. Instead the meaningless conversations they could have spend more time on characters progression and show us actually who these characters are, what are their values and weaknesses. Without this ,their sacrifice is meaningless and the dramatic scenes look forced even though the cast is doing their best to compensate the gaps.
It is not a bad drama, but also far from the best blue print C-dramas that we used to watch.

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Smiling, Giggling, Kicking My Feet

It was such a joy to watch this drama! It was a very feel-good story. It followed a pretty simple structure: each episode focused on one person and their problems. It definitely did not treat itself too seriously which, in this case, worked in its favour. In a way, it was a typical drama about troubled teens meeting this one "good/cool" teacher who finally tried to understand them and helped them along the way. What differentiated the drama was the humour. Nakama Yukie was great there, the transition (hairstyle, glasses) from a teacher to a yakuza heir was fun and brought a smile to my face every single time. Her enthusiasm was contagious. The students were good too, but for me Yankumi absolutely stole the show. It was a great stress-reliever.

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One of the best 'time travel' mystery thriller kdramas

I watched it again before writing this review and not sure if it is because I watched a lot of badly made kdramas recently, but I felt like this is one of the best time travel kdramas which has tied up all the loose ends before the climax. I always wonder why some directors include kiss scenes in a thriller series/movie, especially when they are running for their life and those directors should watch this series to understand how romance should be shown without any such scenes.

The first time when I watched, the first 5-10 minutes felt really boring, and I was wondering why this is given such a high rating, but after 15 minutes into the show, I didn't feel any lag to the show.

If you have watched a lot of mystery movies/series, you might be able to guess the antagonist(s), but still it is an entertaining watch.
The tail-end, may feel like an open ending to many, but for me this show had a good closure.

Spoiler part:

A few negative points that I could think of about screenplay is -
1.If the detective had run a background check of everyone then he would have got the details of mastermind much before the final episode.
2.In the last reset, the FL should have almost the same life as before first reset which means, she should be with her boyfriend and her old friend, but it was shown differently to have a positive climax.

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