Reviews

How to lose lifelong friends?

Lie and cheat!

I love messed up characters! And here I was served well and in abundance!

The plot is complicated: three lifelong friends, two men and a woman, meet only occasionally now that they are adults. One man confesses to the other one but is rejected because he does not want to ruin their friendship. On the rebound, the first man accepts the woman's confession. But it does not work. The men end hooking up eventually. The friendship is ruined. The first guy's ex appears and breaks them up.

I watched the cut version and again, it was confirmed to me that in order to follow a story, NC scenes are not necessary. I can get a hint: the heads get closer, lips touch and the next scene is them cuddling in bed....it is up to me to fill in the blanks and it is pretty much obvious!

The production is very, very low budget: sets are limited, colours are pale and cold, there are no extras. But the soundtrack is exceptional: there are some beautiful songs there!

The plot is too much for such a short drama and the second part in particular needed more time to develop. The ex seems like a real psycho only to be shown as cute and end up a coward: too much of an inconsistent character.

Moreover, the subs are not that good so I failed to comprehend what the ex tried to achieve with his last antic: posting a fake story accusing himself of being under influence. I think....

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Detailed Rewatch Review

Rewatched my first BL to write a proper review 4 years after its release... I feel like I didn't watch it properly enough to appreciate it during covid era.

1. Story (7/10)
LIKES
FighterTutor:
The hardship they had to go through made their relationship feel even deeper, how they showed their love and care for each other. The process on how they went from enemies to lovers was great, the pacing of each character's expressions was just right. How their confusion and desire for each other was portrayed amazingly with the story. The issue they had with Fighter's dad added a whole new level to their story. The build-up done for their first kiss was just *muah*. I appreciate there not being any stupid misunderstanding that could've been avoided easily, they were mature with each other. My rating for this category is honestly, heavily carried by FighterTutor's story. If the series was only about FighterTutor, I'd rate the story an (8.5/10)

SaifahZon:
The other main couple that's the complete opposite with their relationship filled with mostly fluff. I absolutely adore Zon's awareness of him being in a novel and his comicalness. The beginning episodes portrayed their cute tension together as they're stuck in those situations are very adorable. This couple is perfect for people who like simple yet cute dynamics, their gentleness with each other is so soft. They were able to execute cliche scene with Zol's novel, pure entertainment from a student's fan fiction, which made it funny and not cringe at all.

Others:
1. The guest roles of TharnType and Make it Right's couples were a very creative way to show how their world had changed to a novel story
2. How Zon's parents had a confusing attitude to him was a good way to show how when you're in a novel, the side characters will strangely support whatever is related to your lover (In reference to them allowing Zon play music with Saifah but not writing fictions even though both doesn't contribute to his GPA)
3. Tongta and Tutor's sibling relationship is very precious, scripted well

DISLIKES
FighterTutor:
It wasn't shown enough why exactly Fighter liked Tutor in the first place, why did their first meeting during orientation make Fighter develop slight feelings for him? Trolling him was cute in Fighter's eyes but not to Tutor apparently. Fighter did Hwa wrong and it wasn't emphasized enough, even Zee said himself his character wasn't a good person XD. Tutor being Hwa's best friend acted out-of-character taking part in the relationship knowing he cares for her. I didn't like how FT's relationship when they were enemies were mostly harassment done by Fighter. He cornered him when it was night time at campus, hugged him when preparing Hwa's cake, and kissed him during Hwa's party. Even though, those unwanted moments by Tutor made him realize his feelings, it's unethical. Their relationship was mostly physical, it was almost like only lust, sometimes too much around the last episodes. The issue with Fighter's dad successfully proved it wrong though. During this issue, their tension wasn't shown enough since Tutor's sick scene made me almost forget that they weren't on good terms.

SaifahZon:
Even though they're supposed to be equal to the other main couple, they felt like a side couple during the later episodes which I can understand due to covid issues as they mentioned. My question is even if there were no disruptions, what story and plot would've been added that would contribute in their relationship growth? With FT's deeper story, it made them stand out way more. How SZ initially got close was due to the cute boy fan club with Soda and Luktan which his friends and the seniors totally forced on poor Zon. Imagine having to show affection to the guy who doesn't feel guilty about your ex cheating with him. And remember that time Zon had to take Saifah's towel in the locker room and he cornered Zon, attempted to flash him?! Poor Zon was so scared he hid inside one of the stalls. Another time was when Zon was sleeping before their rehearsal the music show on the couch, and Saifah literally kissed him. This is not a cute act and shouldn't have been portrayed as one. Their accidental first kiss during their fight was a bit crazy, I wanted to excuse this scene with Zol's novel but that was before she even started writing. During the last episode, their emotional bed scene together felt a bit off. The whole time their relationship was based on simplicity, so their deep emotions then made it feel off.

JapanTanthai:
Their affection was so unexpected that it felt like Tanthai was using Japan to get into the soccer team. Absolutely no reason for them to start liking each other, for some reason they already enjoy close-proximity presence.

DewBlue:
I thought Dew had a split personality from attempting to hit Blue, to helping him practice soccer. Literally the only reason why he didn't hit him was because Champ stopped him at the exact time. If Dew wanted to soften up to Blue, it wasn't portrayed enough. How was Blue not visibly afraid of him? ChampBlue literally feels better since Champ is a green flag who can take care of Dew's youth well.

DayHwa:
Day attempted to take advantage of her when she was drunk during her party, the only reason why they didn't kiss was because Hwa looked away. Not only during here, but also right after when Fighter broke up with Hwa. He knew she was in a vulnerable position in need of a lover who would support and care for her, as the third-party he took still part in the mutual kiss. I don't even know if Hwa likes Day for him or because he was able to utilize her heartbreak at the right time. Also, Hwa forgave Tutor was too easily. He was a part of her heartbreak, even though it probably wouldn't have worked out without him anyway.

Zol:
A university student, 18 years old, but writing romance fan fictions of real-life people actively hating on each other and publishing it online. Not only she didn't ask for their permissions (excluding Blue for some reason), she lied to Zon about deleting his name from her fiction. It's okay for a bad character to exist in a story, but it was downplayed as an okay thing that I don't like.

Others:
1. Tutor's past for being rich could've been emphasized better, it was random and easily forgotten
2. There were some cringe scenes, but it was backed by the idea that they were in a novel
3. Zen was.... just there. Not sure what this character was for. Did not contribute much to any plots, or entertainment

2. Acting/Cast (8.5)
LIKES
ZeeSaint:
Easily the best acted couple in this series. I want to appreciate Saint's ability to express various emotions in a very natural way playing a character who shows his emotions. How he portrays Tutor's discomfort and tension with Fighter is absolutely my favorite part of his character, heavy on the tension during their first mutual kiss while studying and the emotional scene at the campus during night time when Tutor said no one understood him. One of my favorite acting showcase scene would be when Fighter begged Tutor to tell him why he ghosted him at his condo. I never thought I'd ever see Zee's character weeping like that, it was a very emotional scene and both actors did great. Another natural scene from this couple was at the last episode, when Tutor admitted to being possessive after Fighter took off his shirt at the beach. It was absolutely adorable. ZeeSaint's chemistry in WHY R U the series is just perfect, the way they look at each other, and their affection. There are not enough words to comment on their bed scenes, it is not awkward at all and I want to applaud them for delivering such scenes.

JimmyTommy:
I absolutely adore Tommy's portrayal of a comical and jumpy character in a romance novel. His devastated, confused, and scared expressions were very entertaining and funny to see. Jimmy's portrayal of a more nonchalant character was nice, he fits playing a character who likes to tease. JimmyTommy/Mii2 is awesome for bromance or platonic relationships regarding their chemistry. However, I'd like to make their kiss scene at the last episode an exception. A bit shocking to see how they kissed after getting a fluff and simple impression of them.

ParkSeng:
Even though I'm not a fan of their plot together, I can't deny that they have a decent chemistry. They weren't given much to work with, but I wonder how they could've been if otherwise. Park could portray feeling flustered from having a junior being physically close to him, and Seng's eyes were glued to him well.

Others:
1. Max can act angry well, Nat also portrayed a cute younger character well
2. Perth (Zol) can naturally smile real good during her fangirling moments, it's a bit contagious
3. Cheer (Tongta) was only in the show for a bit, but her acting and delivery was on point! Such a pro
3. Poppy (Junior) is a memorable side character who can express wittiness very well with his voice, body movements, and face
4. Tonnam (Natee) acts as a funny and expressive character like a pro
5. Janistar (Hwa) acted her breakup scene with Fighter really well, specifically the heavy breathing

DISLIKES:
ZeeSaint:
When Fighter forced himself to Tutor's condo and Tutor himself, it was kind of awkward. It was too gentle for an assault, not sure if it's supposed to be this way signaling that maybe Tutor didn't try resisting and Fighter didn't want to be aggressive. Then, I know Fighter is supposed to be a colder character who isn't expressive to just anyone. But during the emotional scene when Fighter confronted Tutor at campus resulting in Fighter apologizing if he made him uncomfortable, his expressions were too bland. His lover was crying right in front of him yet he didn't express enough.

JimmyTommy:
Even though they're an equal main couple, it'd be better if they were a side couple in this series. I love it when they utilize their existing chemistry to act on playful moments and flirting, but maybe not deeper situations. Tommy seemed a bit awkward during happy/cute scenes, and Jimmy's facial expressions can be improved more. Their kiss scene at the last episode lacked a bit off a natural physical proximity. I can't help but compare it to ZeeSaint's scenes, but it's not a fair comparison to be honest. If I'm not wrong, either the director or acting coach mentioned how most actors here lacked experience except for Saint.

MaxNat:
Not a fan of their chemistry here, maybe their plot together also affected my opinion on their chemistry. They were fine individually as their own characters, but I don't see a 'them' from this series itself at all.

3. Music (9.5/10)
LIKES
This series has A LOT of OSTs, around 10. Not only they have many OSTs, but many BGMs were also provided. The BGMs weren't only modified melodies of their OSTs, but actual totally different ones. You know when you notice that a show keeps reusing the same songs for specific scenes? WHY R U doesn't noticeably do that. They don't only serve quantity, but also quality. I love how the 2 main couples have their own 'anthems', where it's:
How Many Reasons Make Me Love You? by Pantherist for SaifahZon, and
Is This Love? by Tom Isara for FighterTutor

DISLIKES
The only thing I hope could've been done was allocating the OSTs throughout the series better. Some of them were played way more than the others that I couldn't recognize some of the songs when trying to listen to it.

4. Rewatch Value (4.5/10)
Since this is review is based on a rewatch, that says something about it. But I doubt I'll rewatch this show again, I was just feeling nostalgic. This show attempted to make almost every character end up with someone, this made the show feel forced at those parts. But if you remove scenes that don't necessarily add anything to the plot like the side characters who are almost completely unrelated to the main plot, I'd rewatch it. However, I wouldn't judge a show based on its rewatch value. Some shows are simply more fit to be rewatched by me (short stories, or mystery thriller genre).

4 years ago, I was still new to the BL world and preferred a more gentle couple like SaifahZon. I guess now I like couples with a deeper visible bond together, my heart is now on FighterTutor. Overall, If the only couple here was FighterTutor there's a high chance I'd rate this series a 9.5/10 .I really miss ZeeSaint together as well as JimmyTommy.

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The second season is really good

Just finished season 2, first thing i wanna say is that PSJ's acting peaked in this show, there were many scenes where i was saying to myself that no other kdrama actor can match his skills and talent of acting, I can say Devil works hard but PSJ works harder What an amazing actor he is

Now come to the storyline, The show has engaging storyline and also the action scenes were topnotch, But it ended with a tease of separation, i really wanted them (ML & FL) to be together at the end but they left us with the possibility of third season and didn't bring back the couple together completely, But i am happy that both ML and FL survived at the end, It was neither sad nor a happy ending, Maybe we have to wait for another season to see them together happily.

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Twin sister swipe plot

One sister ran away and the other sister was forced to get married and live her life ...okay fine ..but how come you expect the orginal bride to come back after months and take her place as a wife ... Insane as it sounds but the writer actually wrote this down. Boy !! This is not right even from a fictional perspective.
Anyway! So FL was a fighter ( general) , has good knowledge of medicine , she is witty and there is practically nothing she can't do. But I don't know why this happens as soon as FLs fall for ML they become stupid and so reliable on the ML.
The conspiracies in the story were very Flat they didn't add any excitement to the plot.
Lastly the core problem " omens of the twins" which apparently started as former king's twin brother wanted to kill him, resolved with the crown Princess given birth to twin babies and crown prince can't kill his own child.... THANKYOU FOR THE MERCY

Seriously I would have prefered a different ending.

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As such nothing MIRACULOUS of the sorts

Now that I have seen enough eerie in the drama this one felt little subtle to me .. but who are green to this genre might find it very refreshing. The story had balanced amounts of blood shed romance action horror suspence but still couldn't convince me enough as a viewer. Reason why ?
1. Start was amazing but gradually story lost it's pace .. only two cases in the beginning were interesting ( brothel case and plastic prince case) later ones were not.
2. Story continuation was sort of abrupt , the dots of events were not connected properly making it a little confusing.
3. Main villain was lame ..I mean he was giving that villian vibe from the beginning but for all the buildup to his character as a villain final face off was too FLAT.
4. parallel couple was so unnecessary, I still can't understand their chemistry. I would rather have this male actor for the role of fourth most handsome men and portray the love rival for the main ML. (Casting him as a lame lover boy was such a waste)


It's not that the drama is totally un-watchable try watching few episodes and stick as long as you find it interesting.

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INCREDIBLE Story, Acting, Production; Sure to Be Re-Made by Production Crews Across the World.

The spoiler is at the end and marked.

I concur with everything written by Shinnosuke_Lee, including the evaluation of the ending.

This was an INCREDIBLE show in all the ways that reviewer mentioned. Loved it all. They all were incredible performances. I double-foot stomp BIBI's performance. It was great and a needed breath of fresh air in the overall cast of characters. The story really is stellar with constant twists and edge of your seat drama. (When the violence got too much for me (as an older viewer), I just turned off the audio and/or covered my eyes.) The cinematography, the editing, etc. were phenomenal. I expect this to be remade a number of times by various artists across the world, because the story holds up so well and can be set in many parts of the globe. What more would you want in a cops-robbers/love story? I am surprised that the rating overall on MDL is not higher.

(I did have an issue with the Disney digitization which gave a slight green cast to the footage. This emphasizes the film noir effect, but I don't like it. I was a video editor, so most people, other than folks like me, will likely not be bothered by it.)

SPOILER:
I note that some reviewers think that the drug boss's motivation is money/success. I concur only in that he believes that this will win the love/respect of his childhood sweetheart, which is his ultimate goal--the same goal as that of the ML, which is to win the love/respect of his wife. (A reviewer compared the drug boss to Jay Gatsby in the novel "The Great Gatsby" and I concur.) The FL has "the face that launched a thousand ships," as they say of Helen of Troy. And I think that the FL lead was able to feel empathy (NOT love) for the drug boss, just as the ML was able to feel empathy for the Chinese drug negotiator--but the true love remained between the ML and FL, as evidenced by her continued pleads for him to be pulled from the operation.

Regarding the ending, IMHO the ML again sacrificed himself and his marriage for both the FL and drug boss, with whom he had developed a strong relationship. The drug boss had an "honorable" death and the FL didn't have to take the blame for his death. Therefore, the ML remained true to his character of protecting those that he loved, he didn't "turn evil." If the FL realizes this in time, then perhaps there may be a way for them to get back together.

Regarding the title of the drama, I wonder if the writer is trying to say that the worst evil is often the things we do for love. Did both men destroy themselves to gain the love of a woman? (Back to Helen of Troy) It is true that people do terrible things to protect their loved ones or to protect/foster the God they love or to avenge those that they love. Food for thought.

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Makes You Remember: Family Above All!

Where to begin with?

The entire drama has been nothing short of an emotional flood of remembrance, love, and pain. The show made me cry from the very beginning till the end and made me realise in every aspect how much your loved ones can mean to you. It's not just about how the story progressed but the flashbacks in between, the small anecdotes, the memories and the ever-daunting pain of losing a loved one and yet moving on with life is what this drama is all about.

If you are someone who wants to take some time off from the typical Rom-Coms then this drama is definitely for you. While the show could have focused more on the newly found father-daughter relationship, it still summarised their love in the best way possible! The drama is worth your time!

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The back-up story would have been there, but the willingness to actually tell it was limited

So here it is, the second season. The historical coat is stripped away and the story transforms into a modern thriller, the theme of which revolves around a horror that only humans are capable of.

Pleasing and pithy: Some script scenes from the first season were hinted at and entertainingly mirrored in the present day mise-en-scene. That´s fun to watch. The confrontation with the longing for power and immortality also has its moments and insights. Additionally: the leads give their all, again.

On the other hand, someone in production probably didn't really feel like it anymore... There is only minimalist suggestion of what may have happened during the past 80 years. This could actually be a substantial story, yet they are not going to tell us. This serves merely for shaping a coarse (albeit promising) framework, unfortunately remaining pretty lean. Thus it is raising more questions than it feels like answering, its only mission being turning the two leads though the mill of horror once more. Accordingly, the story almost constantly takes place in gloomy night, dark rooms or sinister underground.

For season 1, the dramaturgical technique of hinting at historically shaped, individual fates may have had an effect, enhancing identification with characters. For the second season, continuing with this method only works to a limited extent, because by now we are already closely identified with them.

All in all, the second season comes across somewhat indecisive. The back-up story would have been there, but the willingness to actually tell it was limited. On the other hand, it is still fast-paced and emotionally dense. Nevertheless (at least for me) it is somehow unsatisfying, almost unnecessary. Second seasons for Netflix-KDramas haven´t really convinced me yet. Neither does this one.

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LR Review

just an overhyped drama, It's a boring for me and can't relate a high schooler unrealistic story. I tried to understand the first 3 episodes but I just dropped it. Touted as a "must-watch," I was eager to dive into the storyline, but after a few episodes, it became clear that this was not going to live up to the hype. The pacing was unbearably slow, and the plot, while initially intriguing, quickly became repetitive and predictable. Every episode felt like it was dragging, with long, drawn-out scenes that added little value to the overall narrative.

The characters were flat and one-dimensional. The lead actors, while talented, were given very little material to work with. The female lead, in particular, was reduced to a passive, almost lifeless character, with most of her screen time spent crying or waiting for the male lead to make decisions for her. There was no growth, no depth, and no real reason to care about what happened to any of them. Even the side characters, who are often the saving grace in slower dramas, were underdeveloped and forgettable.

The romantic storyline, which should have been the heart of the drama, lacked chemistry and emotional depth. It felt forced and rushed, with little buildup to make the audience truly invest in their relationship. Moments that were meant to be emotional or heartfelt fell flat because the characters felt disconnected.

On top of that, the soundtrack is just okay, playing the same song over and over in nearly every emotional scene. Instead of enhancing the drama, it became an annoyance.

In the end, I found myself fast-forwarding through entire episodes just to get to the conclusion, which was equally underwhelming. If you're looking for a K-drama that captivates you from start to finish, this is not the one.

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learn about yourself

watch this cause I was looking for something short to fill the blank between drama. First found on YouTube it's only 2hr 46min, but it turn out just a short cut from long drama. A good summary to summarize only about the FL and her dates. But since the story quite captivated me, I decided to watch the whole thing.

Now let's discuss drama...

This drama tell us about a girl named Su Nuan Nuan (NN), who at the beginning at this drama hit the bottom point in her life. Her work not so successful, she became doormat for her collage & boss; her boyfriend ask for break up, cause he think NN bring bad luck in his life. In the middle of this chaotic problem, NN buy blind box that contain 'the perfect boyfriend'.

At home, NN open the box & got a surprise, the doll inside 'the perfect boyfriend' box become real human. NO, it's not suddenly get big & be alive, but more bring 'the perfect boyfriend' into her doorstep. To activate this 'perfect boyfriend', NN need to put the light into each doll necklace & each doll only active for 72 hours. Once 72h over, all the memory regarding each doll will be erased from everyone memory except NN herself.

From each 'perfect boyfriend' NN got lesson to learn for her own life. In the end she learn: "People we meet in every stage of life only accompany us through unforgettable moments. In those limited times, let's just enjoy the process."

Overall I quite like this, the idea behind this quite good. But why do I give it quite low score...? I feel something amiss in the end that I can't grab my finger on. But with that note, I feel I can't give this drama higher score than this...

Let's discuss each box. But that also means SPOILER ALERT!!! So read it at your own risk!












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SPOILER ALERT!!!
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1st box. Fav idol
> This man appear when NN feel underappreciated, her boyfriend word cut deep into her heart. That's when the box give NN her fav idol, Jiang Hao (JH), to tell her: "There's always someone who appreciates you."
> NN become the one who encourage JH when JH feel nobody recognize him for his talent & he almost give up being an idol. NN give him booklet fill with his photo, with the booklet JH didn't feel invisible anymore & had courage to continue his journey as an idol.

2nd lesson. Pilot
> Learn to love urself. Don't forget your own need because u compromise with other people excessively. When u too care about other people opinion, u will change urself for them.
> U don't need to explain urself to unrelated people nor do you need to take their opinion to heart, because people who believe you will always believe you. So just be urself.

3rd lesson. Younger boy
> Know ur dream
> U're not really as bad as u think. U need to learn to do things u like. Because u worth it. Do what u like bravely

4th lesson. Entrepreneur
> She just get the opportunity to prove her works
> Lu Jing Hang (JH) appear when she feel the boss only take her work as a backup for her senior. & JH turn out to be the boss whose NN's company need to pitch their work. So JH gave the opportunity to NN to present her works. But once the 72 hours limit is up & JH forget about her existence. NN already learn what she need in her presentation & got herself the opportunity to prove her works. And in the end it just prove that NN's work is indeed great in its own way.

5th lesson. Online shipper
Learn to appreciate your family more
Fear nothing, nothing can stop us from face life with a cheerful spirit.

6th lesson. Physiologist
To think rationally and to understand the human complexity

7th lesson. Programmer
She opened it to help her during hospitalized.
Learn to fight for her design

8th lesson. Firefighters
She open it just to say thank you for the firefighters that help her.
The most useless box to be open. She just need to feel lucky

9th lesson. Finance guy
Mai opened it to help her parents feel rest assured about NN life in big city alone.
But in the end NN herself learn to appreciate the current time more.

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Love that dares not say its name....

Not as good or as heavy as Skate Our Souls and Side By Side which dealt with serious mental health issues, this instalment of Project S series is a worthy part of it. It deals with the issues of abandonment, violence, self-worth, family pressure, friendship and love through sports. After skateboarding and badminton, it is to volleyball to be put forward as the means of healing and personal growth.

The writing and the acting are stellar as usual but the intensity of the other two series is missing. I am probably watching these out of order (I saw the trailer for SBS at the ending of this drama's final episode!) so the mounting pressure is not there. Spike is more in line with ordinary teen dramas: the angst, the discovery of love and the fragility of friendship are all the usual topics of such dramas.

I needed to keep reminding myself that this was made in 2017 because the bromance was romancing c drama way. Maybe there was a bit of romance there between the boys but it was never openly said. Unless you count as the indication the moment when Puen, the main lead, jokingly says to his best girl friend that the gender is not important for him in love, crushing all her hopes...Am I seeing a BL story where there is none? I am not sure...

I guess I was looking for romance in this one because the mental health issues were not the topic here. Puen had to deal with the abandonment issues since he was little but sports helped him overcome it and gain confidence. This was all explained in a short flashback.

The songs' lyrics did nothing to make me think differently: it was all I love you, you are the most important person, you make me better etc.etc. whenever the scene was about the three particular boys. A burgeoning love triangle if I never saw one...

An excellent drama! I only hated Puen's haircut! The rest is a great watch!

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