Reviews

SAME STORY, DIFF YEAR

As a geong seong creature Kdrama lover I'd highly admit that this season was a filler. A pure filler. There's nothing that made sense everything felt left out, stretched & extended. Was eagerly waiting for S2 but the disappointed is genuine. I absolutely love the main leads & their love story & was hoping to see more of it.
I feel like even the most side character in S1 for eg. the japanese artist, the tailor, the 3 people of the HOUSE OF GOLDEN TREASURE, Han so hee's father, lady Mayda's husband- had their own story. All characters were likeable & presentable. In S2 i still don't know who the oldest grandmaa was (which i thought was lady Mayda)?? Who's the police girl??? who's the new friend of tae sang rn??? who's this new disabled polio guy??? who's his Grandma??? who's the lil girl beside Lady Mayda's son? idk if she has a daughter??

i was so so disappointed by the plot. Heavily unnecessary!!
I feel like the best Kdrama are the once which leave you wanting for more but never release S2
eg. 25 21 (despite the ending viewer would still want S2 but it will just end up the essence 25 21 had) that's the reason why we shouldn't over exploit the story!!

The Fuck bro I could have written a much better story ???
For all the people wondering whether to watch it or not- pls don't. Watch a summary on youtube. don't waste 4 hrs watching this.

Read More

Very in-depth Villain but superficial Male Lead.

Review contains spoilers! Youve been warned!

Storyline: Very well written! Su Rongqing is such an interesting character. He loves Li Rong just as much as Pei Wenxuan does, but he doesnt trust her as much as PWX trusts her. Unfortunately, their life circumstances make it hard for them to be together. He just doesnt trust her enough to know that she'd be able to prevent his family's death. I cant blame him though, poor guy is traumatized. Not to mention the power struggles, there's no way the king would let them be together. That aside, I love the mystery around finding out what happened in the past. I also really enjoyed the reveal of SRQ. We got to hear the story from his side that made us completely understand why he did what he did. His death was unavoidable though. I like that, even though PWX and SRQ were enemies, PWX didnt want SRQ to die either. UNFORTUNATELY SRQ has so much more depth than PWX. PWX was just a puppy at the commands of LR. He's cute! But he's boring. But I did love the couple banter! They really are like an old couple! Two old souls and yet they still act like children and still get butterflies around each other. One of the goals of the drama was to melt LR's stone heart. Which it achieves; she goes from cold and independent to a damsel in distress. You can be a strong independent woman but when with your husband, you soften and he takes care of you. I didnt like it tho.
Casting: the pick for SRQ was good! His face is so innocent and yet so full of sadness. He portrayed SRQ so well! I just wanted to give him a hug!
I also wasnt a fan of Zhang Ling He much. I've watched him in Maiden Holmes and Love Between Fairy and Devil but DAMMNN he was such a good actor in this drama! I got butterflies!!
I'm honestly impressed with Zhao JinMai. A young but really good actress!
Overall enjoyable drama with really good side couples too

Read More

I just started to watch this drama that came out few days ago. I've watched till episode 5 and I couldn't help but to give a review in an instant.

All the actors are very good and I really appreaciate many of their dramas and in this drama they are doing good as well. The thing that I'm not liking much is the plot because it shows how men take advantage and use women which is something very unacceptable. Even though I'm giving this review, I'll try my best to watch all the whole series.

I didn't want to give a very low ranking because even though I didn't like much this drama, I still don't want to give a full bad score.

- Review by sukimatchagirl

Read More

More fun than expected

I already guessed from the trailer that this would be a comedy of some sort, but I wasn't expecting to have this much fun.

The plot revolves around a cooking competition where the winner will become the new owner of Chef Oab's stir-fried basil restaurant. Plawan is a model with a passion for stir-fried basil who is having trouble making ends meet, so he makes a deal with the rich businessman Methas: if he wins the competition, he will give Methas the restaurant for a big sum of money, and Methas will be able to do whatever he pleases with the property. Chef Oab, however, hates Methas with a passion, and he is on high alert against anyone he suspects to be allied with him. Plawan needs to learn how to cook and win all the challenges prepared by Chef Oab, all without raising his suspicions.

I'm not a big fan of plots that revolve around scams, but this one made it work by making the entire situation very lively and entertaining from the get-go. Plawan is silly, but his energy really made me root for him despite everything; his attraction to Chef Oab and his scent also made me look forward for when Plawan would finally win him over.
The plot is fun, but it has the flaw of not being very believable. I don't have issues with plots that are unlikely to come true in real life, but I had to suspend my disbelief for more than one aspect of the story and ignore a couple of plot holes. The pacing, on the other hand, is very good! I always appreciate it when the directors are aware of how much space they have for the episodes and are able to use it well. I didn't feel like any part of the story was dragging for too long, nor did anything feel rushed.
It's a story that mainly relies on the character dynamics and the events around them rather than character introspection, so don't expect much to be discovered about anyone's likes and dislikes, but it does its job well. The growing attraction between Plawan and Oab is not only believable, but very visible, and I was happy to see that as a couple they are never shy with skinship, breaking the usual dynamics of BL couples in other series. The unexpected pairing of Methas and JJ also worked great, although it probably had less sparks flying than the main couple. Last but not least, the friendships! I really like how Plawan and JJ felt like real best friends - something that is often neglected in BLs.

I didn't watch with many expectations, so maybe that's why I enjoyed this series so much and felt like being this generous with my ranking. I still want to recommend it to whoever is looking for something fun, light, and moderately spicy to watch.

Read More

Truly empowering and heart warming!

The plot was one of the best I've watched in a while. I know dramas nowadays focus on female empowerment and this drama really did a great job in that aspect. A household of women who have never worked a day in their lives and yet, they beat the odds. I felt so empowered by the scenes where everyone gathered together to run the family business. That's my dream right there. I cant explain how warm and fluffy this drama made me feel. She's also very human. She's strong, resilient, independent, yes but she makes mistakes too. She feels real. I like that about her too.
Focusing on the romance, it wasnt too much. It completely matched their personalities. It was gentle and unboasting. I loved it.
Casting. I think the actress was a great choice! She looks resilient. Not your typical damsel in distress. Also love the side couples!! Shaoyao and Shen Huan couple was such an interesting soft delve into interabled relationships? Kinda like Attorney Woo. HOWEVER I dont know how I feel about Hu YiTian as the male lead. I've only ever watched him in A Love So Beautiful and he gets the stoic characters down. Gu Yanxi has a lot more depth to his character and I dont think Hu YiTian is quite there yet. He spends a lot of the drama with an empty look on his face ? I still like him as Gu Yanxi though. Also Caesar Wu, I cant take him seriously! This character type is so drastically different from the "monster" general in General's Lady.
Overall, I really enjoyed the drama!

ps. Im not a rewatcher. I tend to only watch shows once and call it a day.

Read More

Watch for the interesting characters and the dynamics between them

Lots of characters I could relate to people I have known. This is probably the best aspect of this drama. Characters dont feel like caricatures. The acting is so so and pretty good for web dramas ( I have seen really crappy actors). I would tell you to not watch it if you are looking for romance. However it does potray multiple couples. Its just that the ending isnt very satisfying, which does suit the style I think the writers were going for. Not something I would rewatch but it makes good use of its time and in the process also goes a step beyond with its unique approach

Read More

Gentle giant & Scaredy cat

Unfortunately this is a very low budget production: they must have filmed it in producer's office!
Fortunately, this again goes to prove that you don't need loads of money if you have a good story and a good writer.

Unfortunately there is the height difference.
Fortunately, the gentle giant is cute.

Unfortunately the cat is 32 year old virgin who does not know what he wants. Such a typical situation for an asian drama. He has a crush on the giant but when he asks him out, he choses to misunderstand!
Fortunately the giant knows that so he starts playing hard to get.

Unfortunately the cat is so embarrassingly inexperienced.
Fortunately there is the female coworker teaching him the ropes of dating.

Unfortunately they have zero chemistry.
Fortunately, the gentle giant is rather proactive.
Unfortunately the cat is not.
Fortunately, eventually he needs to be so he is. Hooray!

Unfortunately they did not make this about teenagers. It would have been more convincing. Or would it?
Fortunately, they did not make this about teens it would have been ridiculous. Teens usually jump before thinking. This is the opposite: the cat thinks and then does not jump!

Unfortunately they kept those boring manga tropes like clear distinction between seme and uke roles.
Fortunately the kisses were nice.

Unfortunately this reminded me of She Who Cooks: the same awkward uncomfortable relationship.
Fortunately the guys here seem to get over it by the end.

Fortunately, Nicksden subbed this expertly so we get to enjoy it a lot! Thank you!

Read More

An okay follow up to a great season 1

Season 2 lacks the historical context/backdrop that made the first season so compelling, but it's still worth checking out for the leads...I guess.

In season 1, the characters all had to contend with numerous external and internal conflicts that tested them mentally and morally. It was both inspiring and heartbreaking to see play out each episode. There was a certain emotional depth that made the stakes real.

This time around, we shift the focus to present day where old horrors remerge to give our leads a hard time. The horror element is still there which is great news for those who loved seeing grotesque monsters and intense gore. The action is turned up a notch as well. But again, the emotional depth isn't all there considering a majority of the cast from season 1 is obviously not present. Sigh, I miss those interactions.

This isn't to say season 2 isn't worth watching. As I stated in the beginning, watch if nothing else but for the always stellar performances by the leads. Park Seo Joon and Han So Hee practically carry this drama on their backs. Performances of other cast members were ok. They did their jobs. No complaints here. But the leads? Honestly seeing them together made the story tolerable due to the fact there's a history between them.

Overall, this season seems like its own thing. Yes there are flashbacks spread out here and there, but it feels stand-aloneish. So yeah, watch it for the reasons I've mentioned above, but keep your expectations low if you're expecting a similar emotional thrill ride like season 1.

Read More

At first I thought this would be one of those shows tackling disability as if it was a plot device to keep a relationship going, but while it may have started as how Yukiko and Morio know of each other, it wasn’t a show to gratify the condition.

Whereas other dramas might fail in undertaking the topic of blindness, this one succeeds. This drama does not give you a chance to feel pity for Yukiko, because you see her determination to overcome her inability to see like others. She uses the resources available to her, and where it is lacking, she creates and looks for opportunities to improve.

Instead of feeling sad for Yukiko, I ended up rooting for her like how Morio did in the show. His belief in her strength and tenacity was adorable. And while I appreciate how he supports his girlfriend, it only highlighted the time he has on his hands, that I forget he had a part-time job only after he met Yukiko. Nevertheless, Morio’s redemption arc from delinquent to dependable is to be noted.

Speaking of redemption arcs, I have a beef with the second leads. I cannot fathom how Shishio, who used to fight Morio all the time, ends up being actually in love with him? Logic not computing, but also makes sense. Is this like: boys who bully girls, secretly have a crush on the girl? He gives Morio a job at his grandmother’s store, helps him be his wingman, and later becomes his potential brother-in-law even though he’s gay? What in the fantasy world is this? Meanwhile Izumi, who is Yukiko’s sister, has poor taste in men. She’s also overprotective of her sister, and yet she seems to be the weaker of the two. And because everyone needs a partner, they just lump these two incompatible characters with each other.

Aside from its flaws, this show is a decent watch, especially when they included the educational snippets from Hamada Yutaro, a blind comedian whose jokes flew over my head because I don’t have cued-canned laughter.

Read More