Reviews

The Smile Has Left Your Eyes is one of those dramas that quietly pulls you in and then refuses to let go and not because it’s easy to watch, but because it makes you feel constantly, even when those feelings aren’t comfortable.

From the very beginning, the tone is noticeably different from your typical romance. There’s a heaviness to it, something almost unsettling, like you’re always waiting for something to go wrong. It’s slow at times, but intentional, the kind of pacing that builds tension through silence, glances, and things left unsaid rather than constant action. If you’re someone who enjoys emotionally layered stories, this drama definitely delivers on that front.

What stands out the most is the atmosphere. There’s a persistent sense of unease that follows the characters around, and it creates a very specific viewing experience, one where you’re not just watching the story unfold, but actively reacting to it. It’s the kind of drama that makes you pause, think, and sometimes just sit there processing what you just watched.

Seo In Guk’s performance is easily one of the strongest elements of the drama. He brings a complexity to his character that keeps you guessing, making it hard to fully understand him and that unpredictability is what makes his presence so compelling. There’s a quiet intensity in the way he portrays emotions, and even when he’s not saying much, you can feel there’s always something deeper going on underneath. Plus he's never looked so hot.

On the other hand, while Jung So Min is undeniably a talented actress, this particular role doesn’t feel like it fully utilizes her strengths. Her performance isn’t bad by any means, but compared to the emotional weight of the story and her co-lead’s intensity, it can feel a bit lacking at times. Because of that, the dynamic between the leads doesn’t always hit as strongly as it could have. Their personalities, both in how they interact and how they’re presented, don’t always feel like a natural match, which can make certain moments harder to fully believe or connect with. It's supposed to make me forget their acting, but in reality their unmatchable personalities, acting techniques, no chemistry, constantly reminds me it's all an act.

That said, the drama still manages to create tension, not always through chemistry in the traditional sense, but through the situations, the emotional stakes, and the constant feeling that everything is slightly off. It’s not the kind of romance that gives you comfort; it’s one that keeps you on edge. But it's undeniable that their tension is insane from start to finish.

One thing to be aware of is that this drama can be frustrating. The characters make decisions that might leave you questioning them, and there are moments where the story seems to deliberately push you emotionally and not always in a satisfying way. It’s the kind of frustration that comes from being invested, though, rather than from poor writing. Whether you enjoy that or not really depends on your personal taste.

Visually, the drama complements its tone well. The cinematography leans into a darker, more muted aesthetic, which enhances the emotional atmosphere and reinforces the story’s themes. It’s subtle, but effective.

Overall, The Smile Has Left Your Eyes isn’t a light or easy watch, but it’s definitely a memorable one. It may not be perfect — especially in terms of character dynamics and casting choices — but it offers a unique emotional experience that stays with you after you finish it.

If you’re looking for something intense, slightly unsettling, and emotionally driven, this is worth watching. Just be prepared: it might frustrate you, it might make you question things, but it will definitely make you feel something.

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Querido

Assim como outras resenhas, eu também achei que esse dorama teria outra abordagem e confesso que ainda não consigo entender as motivações por trás da escolha desse pôster, mas enfim. Não foi um daqueles que me fez chorar ou ter insights e reflexões profundas, mas ele tem uma coisa que me deixou muito encantada: a escolha por caminhos não ideais, que correspondem aos infortúnios e às circunstâncias da vida, se mantendo fiel a isso até o final.
A história nos conduz por essa jornada pessoal e profissional da personagem principal, Umi Shikamori, com tendências a sempre se sobrecarregar com demandas alheias. Primeiramente, nós a vemos tendo dificuldades com o seu atual emprego, pegando para si tarefas que não são dela sem pestanejar e fazendo o possível - e o impossível - em prol da empresa que ela trabalha. Graças ao acaso, Umi se vê diante de uma oportunidade de mudar de emprego e é a partir daí que a história começa a se desenrolar.
Desde o início, Umi estabelece uma conexão com Kazao, um fotógrafo alguns anos mais novo que ela, e a amizade dos dois se desenvolve lindamente durante a história, até o momento em que ambos se deparam com seus próprios sentimentos. Umi passa pelas inquietações de quem está apaixonada e sequer percebe e, Kazao, por uma decepção amorosa de quem acha que a pessoa amada não retribui seus sentimentos. O final, no entanto, é otimista na medida certa, tanto em relação ao desfecho do casal, quanto às oportunidades e limitações que o destino reserva aos dois individualmente. O percurso profissional de Umi, por exemplo, não dá uma tremenda reviravolta e ascende, indo por um caminho cheio de oportunidades rumo ao sucesso. Pelo contrário, trepida e derrapa, assim como os seus próprios sentimentos. Essas mudanças de rotas nos deixa com essa impressão de que ficaram pontas soltas no desenvolvimento de personagem, que o ideal não foi estabelecido e que ela ficou um pouco à deriva. Porém, isso é compensado com o fortalecimento de suas relações e, acima de tudo, seu amadurecimento. E é aí que mora a graça desse dorama. Pode não ter sido executado da melhor maneira possível, mas conseguiu me conquistar e muito.

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Do you need comfort, sweetness, cuteness? ... It's for you!

PLOT: Duang, a first-year Arts student, falls head over heels for Qinn, who sings at the Freshmen welcome Show. Duang decides to do everything he can to win over Qinn, a super popular Music student, but cold, very introverted, even aloof. Some seniors ask them to perform a duet at an event, forcing Qinn to spend time with Duang every day. Duang, cheerful, super enthusiastic, childlike, optimistic... will do everything he can to melt Qinn's heart.

+++ In the first few episodes, Duang of is unbearable, intrusive, even a stalker and harasser. But later, he becomes more serious, and the character is then pleasant, respectful, and endearing.
+++ Por [so handsome, he looks like he came straight out of a manga] and TeeTee are very cute, very young but talented, and have a very natural chemistry. I'm looking forward to their future series (。ˇ ⊖ˇ）♡)
+++ Excellent cast, with well-developed secondary characters.
+++ Flawless direction: pacing, framing & lighting, sound design, and emotional mix.
+++ Pleasant OSTs.
+++ No villain or break-up. Kenchana!

### A few clichés: rich and overwhelmed parents; friends giving insane advice...
### Here, (as always in BLs) the male lead suffers from trauma. Can't you be gay without suffering, without having trauma??

=> No profound message, no real depth, but a lot of sweetness and kindness. It feels good :)
***************************************
Do you need comfort, sweetness, cuteness ? ... It's for you !

PLOT: Duang, étudiant en 1e année en Arts, a 1 coup de foudre pr Qinn, chantant au spectacle d'Accueil des nouveaux. Duang décide de tt faire pr conquérir Qinn, étudiant super populaire en Musique, mais froid, très introverti voire inaccessible. Des seniors vont leur demander à faire 1 duo lors d'1 évènement, obligeant Qinn a cotoyé Duang quotidiennement Duang, enjoué, super enthousiaste, puéril, optimiste, ... va tt faire pr réchauffer le coeur de Qinn.

+++ Le Duang des 1ers épisodes est insupportable, intrusif, voire stalker & harceleur. Mais ensuite, il devient + sérieux et le personnage est alors agréable, respectueux et attachant.
+++ Por [si beau, qu'on le croirait sorti d'1 manga] & TeeTee sont très cute, très jeunes mais talentueux et avec 1 alchimie très naturelle. J'attends de voir leurs futures séries （。ˇ ⊖ˇ）♡
+++ Excellent cast, avec des personnages 2daires bien dvlpés.
+++ Réalis° sans défaut : rythme, cadrages & lumières, animations sonores, mix des émotions.
+++ OSTs agréables.
+++ Pas de Villain, ni de break-up. Kenchana !

### Qq clichés : parents riches et débordés ; friends qui donnent des conseils insensés, ...
### Ici, (comme toujours ds les BL) le ML souffre d'1 trauma. On ne peut pas être gay sans souffrir, sans avoir de trauma ??

=> Pas de message profond, mais bcp de douceur, de bienveillance. Cela fait du bien :)

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Frequently Made Use of The Skip Button

Usually with dramas if I start using the skip button it is within the next five or so episodes I drop it. With this? I started skipping scenes almost immediately and stuck with it for 24 episodes. Do I regret it? Partially. I fuelled my curiosity, anyway.

The romance was boring. The "drama" was boring. Things felt slow. When the romance started around half way through I felt bored. There was nothing to make me root for them. He loves her - yes, it's established and Xu Kai does an excellent job with his acting... but that's it. There's no deep yeaning he is confident he'll get her. Even when she has a boyfriend and he has no chance, he doesn't really seem to mind??? He just stops pursuing her for a while. There's no emotional consequence. The romance is mediocre at best.

NOW the side drama? SO MUCH BETTER!!! But I still found myself using the skip button. I think the best one was the singer best friend's romance. Li Li's ended up stressing me out and I ended up skipping a lot.

FAMILY
Han Ting's great-aunt and uncle (cousin?) are great. I loved the uncle. The rest of his family, though? Only there to make him stressed and restrict him.

ROMANTIC COMPETITION
Oh my- I hated the woman with unrequited love towards Han Ting so much. She was SO full of herself. She had so many things wrong with her INCLUDING almost letting a sexual abuser stay in her company!!!! If it wasn't for Han Ting, I bet she'd've fired the FL instead!!! What makes it worse is that kind of thing happens in real life! The victim is made out to be the bad guy! I HATED IT!!! I also hate the fact that for something so serious, it's forgotten quite quickly.

CONCLUSION
If you want something to play in the background, this is meh. 5/10 stars. I'm so generous because I actually ended up past the half-way point.

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By Episode 20, Love’s Endures Had Me Crying

Love’s Endures was a mixed watch for me in the beginning. I am not a big fan of shows that keep going back to past memories, even though I understand why those scenes matter to the story. Because of that, I ended up fast-forwarding through a lot of the earlier episodes.

But around episode 20, everything changed for me. The story started to hit differently, and the emotions became so strong that I found myself crying nonstop. What felt slow at first turned into something heartbreaking and powerful. By the later episodes, the show completely pulled me in and left a real emotional impact on me.

Even though the early part of the drama was hard for me to get through, the second half made a big difference. It became one of those shows that hurts your heart once it finally settles in. Reading other reviews is great, but watching it for yourself is even better.

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Legend of a Female General Hooked Me From Episode One

My reviews will be basic without giving spoilers. Again, I am usually sdo not care for historical dramas, but Legend of a Female General grabbed my attention from the very first episode. It had a strong start and kept me interested right away.

The main leads were phenomenal and gave performances that really stood out. They brought strength, emotion, and presence to the story, which made it easy to stay invested. The supporting cast was also great and added even more depth to the drama. It also had moments where you could not help but laugh at least once or twice, which gave the story a nice balance. The twists were well done and made the drama even more enjoyable.

Overall, this was a very strong watch for me and a reminder that sometimes a historical drama can surprise you. Legend of a Female General was engaging, well-acted, and worth the watch. Reading other reviews is great, but watching it for yourself is even better.

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That another potential hit series but the main character is a little dumb .... again.

Once again, we have a potentially legendary series held back by protagonists who ignore every red flag in the book. Whether it's Se-ah's stubbornness or the group's refusal to follow simple survival warnings about the Girigo app, the plot often feels like it's being dragged forward by the characters' sheer lack of common sense. The K-drama industry needs to realize that we can have drama and intelligent characters.

It’s frustrating to see such high-caliber production and visceral scares undermined by characters who consistently ignore common sense, yet the series redeems itself through its experimental edge and impeccable comedic timing. The blend of digital dread and genuine humor is a "chef’s kiss" experience that proves the Korean film industry is still the best at testing new boundaries, even if the writing occasionally sacrifices character intelligence for the sake of drama.

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Slow, messy, and I'm just... confused ?

This drama seemed promising at first. Their school life was nice to watch and it's a pity they didn't make it longer. Main thing that bothers me is that I have so many unanswered questions. Like about Eun-a's dad, Tae-so's parents Seung-chan, A-sol... and so much more. I feel like it wasn't properly unraveled to an extent I would like it too. Oh, and it also doesn't have a plot. Not really. Besides what goes on with Tae-so's grandma, there wasn't a storyline going on. Also the misinformation goes crazy, there are so many moments where they just can't talk things out for some reason. It's very slow and I just couldn't really grasp what's going on. And it's quite monotone, like the only emotion I feel from it is this weird sadness. I have to say it is cozy and has soft vibes though, but I don't really think it's worth it just because of that.

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Chemistry, good acting, funny and lovely.

It’s just so amazing... I love the details, the way that the history is properly built. It’s only four episodes, so imagine my surprise that everything is WELL DEVELOPED!?

It’s better than a lot of series that have like 20 episodes, bcs everything is well made.

First, the acting: it’s perfect. They are 2 actors that are still rookies, and they DELIVER. In the comedy aspect, the drama, everything. The intimacy is on point too, I refer to it as the more romantic aspect (they look like a couple in love, they have this chemistry, which is strangely... unusual in a lot of BLs) and also the friendship aspect. They have fun together, they understand each other, and that’s clear.

It’s a great screenplay too, it’s perfectly made. Nothing is lost, everything is well made. The director did such a good job (I just took a look at her resume and it was the first series that she directed, which is insane?? GIVE THIS WOMAN INFINITE BUDGET).

Muteluv as a whole is so incredible in the cultural aspect, another masterpiece. One of the best and most creative projects made by GMMTV ever, I loved it!

One of the best cases of cast changing ever. Along with Santa in P10L.

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It's excellence in a way that it's so rarely to see in media

I spent a long time before watching Khemjira, I don't know why. I was really losing time.

It's... insane. It's hard to find words without giving spoilers. It's top-tier acting, perfect screenwriting, perfectly directed, insane photography.

It's fucking insane. Like... it's a level of excellence that is rare to see in media, not only Thai media, i'm saying media in general. Bcs it's a masterpiece.

And it's so deeply cultural, delicate. Every single scene is made with so much care.

It's honestly... like, it's probably one of the best series ever made. Seriously, life-changing.

It’s such a brief review, which is unusual of me, but honestly, no words can put how this series is fucking amazing. JUST WATCH IT.

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I was not ready!!!

It took me around 2 hours to finish the first episode. Why? Because I was either in such disbelief at what I just witnessed and had to watch the scene multiple times, or I needed to just take a few seconds for a mental reset because I wasn't ready for the things that were happening. It was a lot to take in when I wasn't expecting this level of intensity from a GMMTV non-OFFGUN BL project.

Safe to say I loved every second of this BL crime version of 10 Things I Hate About You. They even kept the 90s vibe, which was appreciated, and included a bonus 50-minute short of 10 Things You Shouldn't Do In A Prison.

OST was good & fit each scene really well. (I normally don't bother commenting on the OST unless it was really memorable in a positive or negative way.)

JJ being in an actual relationship in a series is already a treat, but with another man? I was very happily surprised.

The plot hit a couple of slow areas in the pacing around episodes 7-9, but otherwise, each hour-plus-long episode flew by. The relationships felt both like they got enough time to develop and didn't, especially the beginning of Style & Fedal relationship. I wasn't surprised at the "plot twist" regarding Bison and Fedal's parents. To be honest, I knew who their killer was in episode 5 & was 50/50 on whether Keen knew about it. The truth behind Fedal's ex-boyfriend didn't surprise me either.

The only part of the plot that I wanted to speed up and just be done with was when Style and Fedal just walked into someone's home, held them at gunpoint, married the couple, and then ended up holding them at gunpoint again. It was such a long scene that I was more than done with it, but I understood the point of it. How did they even go from holding them up to marrying them?

THEN WE HAVE THE LAST EPISODE! 1 hour and 20 minutes long, and we spend almost 50 minutes in prison doing things that should not be done in a prison! I'm honestly surprised they didn't just time-skip over the prison time. Especially considering they tied up a loose end that I thought was already tied.

All the actors did a phenomenal job, especially in the crying scenes. I already knew I was going to love First and Khaotung because I've loved them in everything. Joong is always solid, and it was nice to see him play a more aggressive character. Dunk is the one who really shook and impressed me. I never would have guessed that he could pull off a bold, flirty, sassy, shameless character so well. Shy, blindly in love, Khaotung, and shameless, flirty Dunk are my new favorites. I didn't expect to enjoy Fedal/Style's couple more than Kant/Bison, but I did. I loved both couples, but I found myself more invested in Fedal/Style. Probably because Fedal was more antagonistic, and I probably have a type.

Also, can we just get more of Dunk in a crop top? His showing off his waist was another thing I couldn't get over, and sometimes it produced some funny reactions. Dunk showing off his waist and Khaotung throwing his leg over First shoulder in episode one was almost enough to take me out. Like DAMN let me BREATH.

SO yeah, I loved the series and will definitely rewatch it someday.

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Bruteforce Luxury

I almost turned this off because i wasn't in the mood for a new money rich ppl kdrama, even with one of my favorite actresses in the lead, but i'm glad i didn't, because that's not what this is.

It's a story about faking your way into exclusivity, only to realize the entire thing is a facade to begin with. Not a groundbreaking message or anything.. but definitely told in a captivating bruteforce rags to riches way here. It seems that kdramas and movies surrounding specific kind of villains lowkey just.. winning, are on the rise lately, and it makes sense given the state of SK.

For a breezy 8 episode thing i finished in a sitting and a half, it did the job. We do lose a bit of steam toward the end as virtually every episode here is packed with revelations and twists already, leaving little for the finale. On the one hand it's interesting the way things kinda just continue along the concept, no spoilers, but on the other, it's just a very typical condensed close that doesn't really leave you wishing for more, but rather makes you look back at the story as a whole and how it was never really as intricate or grand as it seemed.

Still very entertaining for the most part though. It's a dip into pretentious luxury from a unique outsider-but-turns-out-humans-adapt-to-things-rly-freaking-quickly POV. The music was a standout.

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THE SUN FROM ANOTHER STAR..

the series is really great, the storyline is amazing, casting is superb
oat and ngern were made for this series
I can watch this series for 1000 times
but there is only one thing that I didn't like , The song. the song arthit wrote for dao it was noooottttt goooddd at alllll I mean yeah the lyrics were amazing but his english accent was weird
i really loved that series but it doesn't mean I have to like the music too
if the song was written in thai it would have probably sounded well
but whenever that song was playing I just had to skip the scene or i had to watch it in 2x speed
overall a realllyyy amazing series and probably a must watch series with a great storyline
kinda horror plus romantic plus funny series
the nc scenes were pretty natural
the chemistry between the actors was awesome
i would have rated it 10/10 but I'm rating 9.5/10 just because of the song.

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This is a great concept and so fun to watch

While I'm just in the process of watching this, I thought I want to get my reviews in since there's 7 stories.

Story 1/Hi by my luck: OVERALL 9
I really liked this. First of all, the acting is GREAT. It's genuinely pretty brilliant, and the two male leads are able to portray their respective personalities so well that I was surprised more than once. This series portrays not only being in highschool and the uncertainty of the future, but also portrays the pressures, but especially it portrays first love so well. It's so SWEET AND CUTE, and I was pretty happy watching the whole thing. Also yes, HUGE FAN OF THE FRIENDS!!! They give Er so much advice and ask him to fix his shit when needed. I love that.

SPOILER!!!: I really really really liked how neither Er nor Mawin were like omg I/you shouldn't go to Boston. Instead both of them made a promise that they will stick together and like each other through those four years.


Story 2/Not My Father!: OVERALL 7.5
I have to say that I really appreciate the comedic elements in this story, and like the exploration of cult-like behaviours and what it does to people and how they lose themselves. That being said, I think Wutkrai's romance with Ploy is kind of inappropriate. She's supposed to be maybe 21, while Wutkrai (being a lieutenant) is ATLEAST 5 years older, but I think more because he's already doing undercover missions. I would have liked the story better if they had more of a platonic bond. I couldn't really understand how they fell in love when they didn't spend THAT much time together lol.

The acting I really liked, but another issue I have with the story is how they can't decide if they wanna make Ploy a damsel in distress or not. Why is she so smart in some scenes and so frustrating in some others? Quite a few of the things she says just don't add up.

Story 3/Diva Deva Mata: OVERALL 8
NEOOOOOOOOOO NEO NEOOOOOO I started this entire series just because of Neo if I'm being honest, but I was so so so surprised by Fluke's performance, and HIS OUTFITS??? Slayed. I think this is a lot more light-hearted compared to the previous 2 stories, and a lot more focused on the humour too. The acting is great, and I do like the broader aspect of friendship and competition they were trying to show.

I think in and of itself its pretty funny to watch, but it makes me wonder if we can get serious stories also that will be focused on transwomen.

Story 4/Fist Foot Fusion:

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