Reviews

Step-by-step manipulation

This psychological thriller series follows Yan Ling, a single mother who investigates her best friend’s suicide and ends up pulled into a dangerous web of emotional manipulation.

Suspicious and unable to accept what happened, she starts her own investigation and discovers a secret organization that teaches seduction and manipulation techniques known as PUAs (pick up artist). As she dives deeper into this world searching for the truth, she does not realize she might be slowly being prepared as the next victim.

The most powerful aspect of the series is Yan Ling’s gradual descent. She is highly educated, a university professor with sharp logic and independent thinking, yet she slowly falls into Luo Liang’s manipulative trap.

Luo Liang represents cold, precise and systematic control. Yan Ling’s submission reveals something unsettling: manipulation does not only happen to the naive or uninformed.

Her vulnerabilities, invisible to everyone else, are exactly what he targets. Little by little he weakens her ability to make independent judgments, distorts her sense of right and wrong, and builds an increasing emotional dependence on him. Every word and every interaction has a purpose: to scan, uncover her secrets and later use them against her.

He influences, controls and guides Yan Ling without her realizing it. He repeats that he is doing this for her own good. He isolates her from everything and everyone until only he remains as her source of comfort and the only person who truly accepts her and her past.

What makes it even more disturbing is his method. He takes the truth and places it inside a lie. Half truths pull you in, and before you realize it, you are trapped in a much bigger lie. It is so subtle and well executed that even the audience, fully aware of what is happening, sometimes starts to doubt.

Modern and highly relevant, the series works as a psychological thriller exploring themes that have long existed in society but are now becoming more widely recognized, such as masculinism, redpill culture and PUAs.

The performances of the two lead actors and the sophistication of the writing are truly impressive.
It definitely deserves to be watched and discussed.

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First of all, the acting is good, and I especially liked all the firefighter and medic scenes. The story is also good. I loved the ML, but all the other actors also made it worth the watch. The romance is a very slow burn. It runs throughout all the episodes, but it takes a long time for them to finally get together.

However, there were a few aspects that didn’t work for me:
- There were some small mistakes in the storyline involving the firefighters and the medical staff. Considering I’m not in either of those professions and I could still spot the mistakes, someone working on the show probably should have caught them.
- The FL is written as a character who is torn between her family and the love of her life. She played this very well, but for me, it didn’t quite work in the story. At a certain point, she should have just grown a backbone.
- In the last episode, the FL’s whole family is suddenly back together again, and apparently all is forgiven. I found that totally unrealistic. Who, in their right mind, would act like that with a mother like that?
- It’s too long. Forty episodes were not needed.

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Failure of a sequel

I loved season 1. This feels like a knock off with the same cast.

Chu Chu was charming in season 1. She's very much like her season 1 couterpart... just with odd quirks she wouldn't do in season 1 (like eating things with coronors tools). Sadly she is the only positive.

What happened to Chu Chu's brother??? Wasn't he a coronor 3 years ago? Now he is suddenly something else. It’s a bit inconsistent. They could have at least said he was in some distant part of the country 2 and a half years ago because season 2 starts around the 3 year anniversary of their meeting and Chu He was in their hometown being a coronor.

Okay now to the REAL dissappointment: the cases. They just felt flat and boring. I didnt care. There's nothing more to say. I csnt express how upset I am.

Big disappointment.

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Love Punch.. What was going on..?

I heard a new BL movie was coming out so I HAD to watch it.

First the pacing was really bad. Not even ten minutes into the movie the two main characters already are all buddy buddy? Um hello, am i missing something here because from what i know you guys have never interacted in your lives and all of a sudden you LIVE together already??? (all happen in under 15 minutes btw!!!!)

Second, who was the second guy trying to get with the blonde hair guy. He was the friend of Madoka from school but him having feelings didn't add to the plot at all?? It was just thrown in there for no reason AT ALL. Maybe it was in the book but if it literally has nothing to do with the plot I lowkey dont care because they didn't even end up talking about it after one scene.

The Main Couple

Modaka Kamei (Blonde) and Mitsuru Sato (Black Haired)

Like I said, the beginning was very fast, but it slows down and speeds up at different times. It's revealed that Mitsuru had actually fallen in love with Modaka 2 years before they actually met after his brother had attacked Modaka's brother. It was a surprising connection but I think it half worked. If you're gonna fall in love with someone for two years and have been waiting, shouldn't you show it a litttllleee more emotion.? (maybe a me thing) But they had good heart-trobbing scenes. I didn't like how they kept apologizing for literally breathing air atp, it was a part of the show, yes but they know how to make it really irritating.

In conclusion the movie was very too fast for me and i went in thinking it was enemies to lovers but it was okay, romantic scenes were good but felt pushed onto the characters, chemistry was kinda there? The fighting scenes were pretty cool too!

Not super bad but not super good-- 6/10 overall.

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Like the sugar art Zi Lan received - beautiful yet weak

I enjoyed watching this series though at times the political plot got in the way of the core of the story - the characters!
Some episodes went on and on and just became very boring. Though the series started off strongly, it couldn't retain its momentum at the end. Frankly, it could've cut down on like 3 episodes.
It was also a pity that some characters remained mysteries until the final episodes :( - looking at you yin xiang!!!!
And then there was the unnecessary death of multiple lovable side characters for shock value. Not very original. The ending lacked a good conclusion and felt rushed which really messed up the whole watch experience for me. I don't see how this is an 8.6 series.

The cinematography was beautiful and the fighting choreography was also great but it felt like it was just there to be pretty and didn't add a ton of value to the overall story.

All in all, it was an okay series, but don't expect too much as it collapses on its own at the end.

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One of the most romantic dramas ever made, and not just for GLs.

This is my first time ever writing a review here, but US made me want to.
If you’re thinking about watching this drama, stop thinking and just dive in. This isn’t just one of the best GLs I’ve watched. It’s one of the most romantic dramas I've ever watched. I mean, not just gls but in general.
Everything about it feels perfect. The story is beautiful, the acting is incredible, the chemistry is unreal, the music hits at the right moments, and the cinematography makes every scene feel emotional and alive.
It’s the kind of drama that stays with you even after you finish it. Every episode made me feel something.
A genuine 10/10 from start to finish. 🤍

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A traditional, may-december romance that promised some differences but ended up pretty boring in the end . .

My quibble is with our main male hero. There he is - a whole generation older than our female lead. Gently supporting and guiding her in the background. Always restrained, virtuous, and serious.

You keep waiting for the flip when he loses his cool or reveals how he feels, but it hasn't come as of yet and it's dragged on enough I can't stand to finish this drama.

The female lead is intelligent and spirited and is not at all a damsel in distress the impetuous young men around her who are not worthy of her have interesting personalities and actually were one of the reasons I kept watching, but as the plot goes on they get sidelined more and more.

Which just leaves our stone faced male lead. Gently chiding and pushing and occasionally slitting someone's throat. The slitting the throat part is so out of the blue its more disconcerting than creating some sort of bad boy aura. Especially disconcerting since it's over taxes.

It's true that this type of romance usually isn't my cup of tea, but there are exceptions - I loved My Dearest, but this one just doesn't appeal.

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Second Couple Should've Lead the series.

My favourite part of the series was the second couple. Overall I just found their backstories and motivations to be more interesting. I love the dynamic between the two of them and the little brother. I would've liked more screentime for the second leads to explore their dynamic more and perhaps her backstory more like was she lying the whole time?

I found the main couple to be very bland and lacking chemistry especially in the beginning. Everytime the main couple were on screen I was so bored. I think the male lead was a bit immature and there was a lack of personality growth. I honestly don't mind an immature male lead like Jang Uk from Alchemy of Souls but as long as they grow and prove their worth and deservingness of their title. I hated how everyone was sucking up to Gong Ziyu and saying how he was persistant and what not like don't just say it, show it to me. Anyways after a couple episodes I started fast forwarding a lot of stuff because this show was lowkey making me mad.

I feel like the main female lead was miscast. I feel like her default facial expression is a worried expression. Esther Yu can act but I just don't think this type of role suits her natural face. I feel like they needed someone who could be a little more fierce. I think Esther Yu gave off a more cold vibe rather than fierce. I saw online someone say Zhou Ye would've been a better fit and I can completely see that.

When I personally watch shows, 60% of what i watch for is character dynamics like friendships, romance and just fun interactions. I thought that the character dynamics were not written well in this show. I thought that the main couple fell for each other way too easily like it mad no sense as to why he was so in love with her from the get go. I feel like they needed more fuel and reason like it just made me care for them even less since it didn't make sense. I also have no clue as to why everyone one was sucking up to Gong Ziyu like those Xue people and lowkey the elders too. This is another reason as to why I gravitated towards Shangjue, his thinking process actually makes sense and I love how he was willing to torture Shangguan. He's a very fair character with clear morals.

Anyways I really liked the premise and the plot of this show overall. I just found the first main couples love story to be dumb which is why half the time I was cheering for their downfall. I really liked Jinjings character and how hyper she was throughout the show. I probably wouldn't watch this show again especially since this show is really dialogue heavy like some talking scenes could last like 20 minutes between two characters.

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not great but surprisingly entertaining

tried watching this a while back (when it started airing) & my conclusion then not even 2 mins in, was that the distant half-brother needs his head bashed in - there's toxic & then there is toxic - concluded then that this not for me & dropped it, LOL.
so why did i decide today to give this a 2nd chance? bored? curious?!? either way i did give this a 2nd chance & wont lie - had to ignore the verbal & physical abuse, otherwise wouldn't have lasted the 1st ep (regardless of how short this is).

watching, in-spite of it kinda being all over the place, the overly dramatic acting & the disjointed plot - the bones were good, interesting even & if the plot had be simplified, maybe this would've turned out better then it did. but it is what it is & 1hr didn't drag on, cause there was always something going on - so wasn't bored, maybe bewildered at times dumbfounded at others & even annoyed - but entertained all the same.
the bodyguard was ridiculous & thankfully added some much needed levity to this overly dramatic plot - that some how trivialized pretty heavy subjects like sexual, physical & mental abuse... also Gu Huai Zhou's cousin was a freakin sociopath & he got to walk away after everything he did? freakin preposterous, but it just shows that when u come from money, u can get away with murder & the fact his family (specifically Gu Huai Zhou) never did anything to punish him , no matter what he did - whatever he gets up to in the future, Gu Huai Zhou will deserve.

so even though this wasn't good it was entertaining if u leave logic & common sense at the door. it was fun & as it was an open ended maybe there will be a 2nd season - i will for sure watch it just to see if the "train" will again go off the trails.

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Great Cast, Weak Script.

The story of the show isn't bad, but I can't really say it’s that good, either. I watched Cashero in bursts because it just couldn't keep my attention. I have seen Lee Jun-ho in other series—my favorite being King the Land—and while he is obviously a good actor, the story is just not strong enough. The rest of the cast also did their best, but there was no real chemistry between any of them—at least not that I could feel. I guess Lee Chae-min played a convincing bad guy, because he really irritated me! 😂 Hopefully, we get to see these actors in a better script next time.

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Global indeed!

After Street Woman Fighter made waves domestically, Mnet had one logical next move: take it global. World of Street Woman Fighter aired with six crews from across the world battling it out on one stage. The premise alone was enough to send fans into a frenzy. I don't know why there are so many negative comments, I personally enjoyed it (as a avid swf/smf/sdgf watcher). I'm happy that I got more dancers that I wanna follow.

BUMSUP's Mega Crew Mission was historic.
The judging panel was a genuine upgrade. Aliya Janell (Beyoncé collaborator), Mike Song (Kinjaz) and many other amazing dancers, brought real credibility — especially compared to the idol-judge controversy of the original season. This was the right move.

I know Ojo Gang's win pissed many people, but it felt earned, and their journey was one of the season's most compelling arcs. Tbh, I have no idea why did they have a rocky start at the beginning, they gave some of the most memorable battles!!! it was so stupid.

YouTube numbers don't lie. WSWF-related videos crossed 460 million cumulative views on The Choom channel — proof that the global format did create genuine international buzz, even if domestic ratings told a different story.
Only con I could sense was international crews were structurally disadvantaged from the start — which makes the format harder to defend as a fair competition.

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Wonder lead couple and main storyline ruined by terrible script in second half

Strengths: The two leads in this are cast perfectly. Both play their respective roles wonderfully and their chemistry is fantastic, whether they are arguing, goofing off together, being cold & businesslike or romantically hugging and kissing. They are perfect pair for the roles in this series and they make it worth watching. The rest of the cast is also mostly fine, though most of the characters are ... unpleasant for various reasons. Acting talent, for the most part, is not a problem for this show and probably its best feature. The production values (sets, wardrobe, cinematography, etc.) are okay, though there are numerous little glitches such as wrong props, missing bandages, etc., etc., that are easy to spot. Plotwise, the basic story for the main couple (Su Mang and Zheng Chu) is pretty good. It gets a little annoying when they drag out an extended 'noble idiocy' trope over the last several episodes, but still their story is overall fine. And the story for the '3rd' romance plot between Tang Guo Guo and Su Chang is pretty good. Indeed, arguable TGG's character arc is one of the better parts since she really goes through the most dramatic, positive changes throughout the drama.

Now the bad: From somewhere in the middle of this series and all the way to the end, the writing went from just fine to just plain awful. Episodes started to get filled with cheap, lazy drama tropes, one after another. Often just to obviously drag out screen time. And then there is the absolute horror show that is the secondary romance plot line involving Tang Ming and the two sisters, Yan Xiaoqiu and Chen Shan Shan. This story is just so stupid and awful and cringe. It doesn't help that Tang Ming is just a completely unlikeable stupid meathead who makes one bad decision after another and ultimately causes so much harm to both sisters and himself. It is nearly impossible to empathize with him, root for him or feel sorry for him when it all blows up in his face. For someone who isn't meant to be a villain, he is one of the most unlikeable 'good guys' in any show I've seen in recent memory. To make his story progress, the writers resort to an unbelievable amount of cheap, cliche' plot gimmicks and it's beyond annoying. Be prepared to start skipping quickly through scenes involving Tang Ming or Chen Shan Shan or you may loose your mind. And - SPOILER - they even resort to killing off one of the very few truly decent, almost saint-like characters just to provide a dramatic 'life lesson' to the idiots in the plot.

This show starts out so strong and I stuck with it to the end just because I loved the two main leads so much from the start and because the tertiary couple (TGG and SC) really grew on me as the story progressed. But it was not easy to stick through all the badly written crap, especially in most of episodes 30-39.

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