Reviews

People die, and that's okay...

Well, first off, I’d like to say I loved the idea—just the concept of the story itself.

Stories involving terminal illnesses require careful development and are emotionally charged, yet they don't often appear as a plot element in Chinese, Thai, Japanese, or Korean gay romances.
Viewers can easily tell when something is definitely off with the story's progression—as was the case here. That was actually what drew me in. But then it all went wrong!

I had a bad feeling when the protagonist's illness only started being addressed seriously with just three episodes left. The writers undermined the premise they had built and tried to shoehorn fantastical elements into a story that was supposed to be realistic.

It infuriates me when stories deal with serious illnesses but refuse to accept the sick person's death as a possibility. Look, it may be surprising, but people do die from terminal illnesses, and it’s perfectly fine to portray that naturally in a story.

The only reason I’m not completely trashing this story is that the ending is open-ended, and I honestly want to believe that both of them died. It’s a plausible theory, given the protagonist's depressive behavior; it’s the only logical conclusion for this ending.
But if they wanted to go that route, they should have explored the protagonist's suicidal tendencies more deeply. It would have been more poignant and credible, especially since they didn't want to go for a "triumph over adversity" ending.

That’s my take. I refuse to accept that they were both saved by magic. They died, folks—pay your respects.

Leia Mais

amé algunas cosas. otras no tanto.

creo que tenía mucho más potencial; aun así, no me parece un mal drama. desde el primer capítulo logró engancharme y los protagonistas tenían muy buena química. además, el equilibrio entre el romance, la comedia y la intriga hizo que fuera muy fácil seguir viendo un capítulo tras otro.

me recordó a esos comerciales de TikTok de dramas chinos donde el CEO millonario le compra de todo a su enamorada, y eso me pareció muy tierno.

sin embargo, hubo momentos en los que me costó entender algunas partes de la historia y sentí que algunos conflictos se resolvieron demasiado rápido. también me dejó con algunas dudas el desenlace del primo, ya que esperaba un castigo más acorde con todo lo que hizo

fue bueno para pasar el rato.

Leia Mais

We needed a trigger warning in 2nd half of show

The drama begin as romcom, and slowly turned into drama in seconds half

This started as a chaotic workplace comedy with an amazing chemistry between Wine and Lal, their enemies to fwb to lovers arc was so fun, Lal falling first while Wine slowly opening up to her, letting down her walls that sje build due her past trauma and finding comfort on lal presence

Then the show suddenly turned into a heavy drama with SA, abuse, and power trips that dragged out for too long and completely caught me off guard, i didnt sign up for that and i didnt not enjoy it, Medsei being the spy and boba thief was the only plot twist I actually enjoyed 😭

I loved seeing clingy Wine, Lal's chaotic incompetent but loyal team, and pakpoom that wzs funniedt bestie yet present when lal needed them
The serie had great OSTs and beautiful filming locations, but the loud background music throughout episode and color grading weren't for me.
overall i e'joyed the show and don't regret watching it.

Leia Mais

Love Has Fireworks was an absolute joy to watch for almost the first 30–32 episodes.. It was funny and genuinely entertaining.. Tan Jian Ci carried the drama with ease.. He brought an undeniable charm to Li Yi Fei and his portrayal of the character was an absolute treat to watch.. The premise itself isn't anything new.. Two people sharing a house while getting tangled up at work is something we have seen plenty of times before.. Sometimes it felt like a sitcom, just without the laughter noise in the background..

This was a slow burn.. It took the leads quite a while to finally confess their feelings but unlike some other dramas it never became frustrating.. Their constant bickering, the funny situations they kept finding themselves in and their natural chemistry kept things entertaining throughout.. The drama took its time letting the characters really get to know each other.. It explored their personalities and worked through most of the story before their romantic relationship began..

The comedy is easily the show's strongest asset.. The writers deserve a lot of credit because the humor didn't feel forced.. And once again, Tan Jian Ci deserves praise for his comic timing and effortless charm.. The chemistry between the leads carried the story beautifully and the way their relationship slowly developed and their path to actually getting together was developed with care and done well, Satisfactory.. Ironically, that's also where the drama began to fall apart.. Once the main leads become a couple, the story starts to lose its steam.. The writing becomes inconsistent.. And the FL's sudden self realization and second stage of character development after 30 episodes felt forced.. Things start happening that doesn't make any sense.. After getting into the relationship, the FL suddenly begins ignoring the ML.. He goes through all sorts of ridiculous efforts just to get her attention and we are never given a convincing reason why she is acting that way.. She just, does..

That house selling plotline is really the epitome of everything that goes wrong in the last leg of the story.. It isn't just an inconsistency in the writing, it completely betrays the character logic that the show spent over 30 eps building..
Storywise, that house isn't just a house.. It's the physical space where their relationship began, where they slowly got to know each other and where most of their memories were made.. Something she had the power to safeguard.. So for the FL to unilaterally decide to sacrifice something that meaningful for her ex, whatever the reason may be, feels like the biggest betrayal of her own character.. The issue isn't that she wanted to help him, It's that she never talked about it with the ML, even though it's something that affects the life they had built together.. And when he questions her, she is the one who gets angry and throws a tantrum.. The double standard here, Qian Fei gets jealous over silly things like the ML sitting with another woman and also other stupid stuff.. But that shows that she is a character with clear, even though petty but emotional logic.. She is protective of something she fought hard to have.. That is consistent.. But then she makes a major decision affecting their life and gets angry when questioned isn't consistent with that same person.. It feels like forced conflict to push the story along and reach a conclusion even if it means sacrificing everything they took so long to build..

I would honestly say she handled being a single woman navigating heartbreak and unemployment far better than she handled being in a relationship with someone who genuinely loved and adored her..

The drama also had a solid supporting cast.. The Second and third couple also had interesting storylines of their own..
Now, Jing Jing, I don't know if it's just me but she felt like a very naive character.. The drama she created at the FL's ex's workplace despite knowing it would obviously affect the FL's work life was just plain stupid and cringe..
I liked the character Dang Yu quite a lot.. She had a main character vibe that we missed from the FL at times..

Oh and one more thing.. How the hell did her ex just walk into her house when she was sick?? Did the drama simply expect us to ignore that?? That whole scene made absolutely no sense and it was an unnecessary scene in my opinion..

Overall, it's a decent watch.. In fact I think it would have been a much better drama if it had simply ended around ep 32 or 33.. It's not a drama you will regret spending time on.. 80% of the drama is simply too enjoyable to ignore..

Leia Mais

Japan...another bl winner.

What makes this office-romance BL so incredibly satisfying to watch is how maturely the main leads handle their relationship dynamic. Instead of relying on the classic, frustrating trope where characters refuse to speak to each other for three episodes over a simple miscommunication, they actually clear things up relatively fast.
​Why the Dynamic Works So Well
​Healthy Communication: When doubts creep in or a situation looks suspicious, they actually confront it or talk through it rather than running away.
​The Office Setting: The workplace backdrop adds a fun, professional-yet-tense energy, making their quick resolutions feel even more rewarding because they have to keep seeing each other.
​Low on Unnecessary Drama: It lets the viewers enjoy the actual chemistry, fluff, and romantic progression without pulling their hair out over contrived plot blocks.
​It proves that a story can have great tension and high stakes without forcing the couple into endless, exhausting misunderstandings.

Leia Mais

what started as a slow paced boring drama turned out to be a hidden gem ....

this drama might seem slow paced or boring at first but stick with it because it turned out to be really great on many aspects from acting to character development everything was superb .

kang jae seong's character development was the best one for me as he came along way from being the son who only cared about being the chairman of the company to a great son and a righteous person who tried to right his wrongs .

kang jae gyeong's greed was beyond fixing as she did all she can to be the chairman even if it meant killing her father or keeping him in a coma but her ending of her story despite her doings was still sad to watch .

bang geul and jun hyeon 's romance in the final episodes was great , glad that they gave us somewhat logical explanation to how he fell in love with her , glad they kept the romance at bay until he and her father returned to their bodies it would have skipped this drama if that happened.

glad jun hyeon has found his way back to football after his leg injury as a coach.

overall a truly great , funny and heartwarming drama , don't judge it by its first episodes stick with it till the end and you'll truly enjoy it.

Leia Mais

Against the Grain in China

It's been an interesting time watching China emerge like a phoenix to become one of the power houses in BL production. Equally, its been a concern to see how the majority of the stories told have had toxic plots, toxic characters or both. Specifically, stories coming out of China. Why is that okay as a reputation?

This is why I was moved by this series which features broken human beings trying to live day by day. People with traumatic backgrounds, with anxiety and unmentionable amounts of pain.

The story hasnt reached its conclusion by the time this is written, but the series needed a small celebration from its audience for going against the grain for once. None of the leads are trying to outwit and outsmart each other. Instead, they're trying to reach out to each other without knowing how that could trigger a reaction, but because they're driven by love and affection, they keep trying anyway.

Highly recommend this series if you're into soft, gentle love stories talking about overcoming life's difficult challenges ✨️👌💛

Leia Mais

It proves that simple storytelling can create the deepest impact.

Ticket to Heaven is an emotional series that taught us about faith, hope and love. The performances feel natural, the story flows effortlessly.
Ticket to Heaven is a deeply moving series that beautifully captures the complexity of human emotions through a simple yet powerful story. From the very beginning, it draws you in with its calm and sincere storytelling, gradually unfolding layers of love, pain, longing, and hope. What makes this series truly special is its ability to say so much without relying on dramatic twists—every emotion feels natural, every moment feels real.
The performances are one of its strongest aspects. The actors deliver their roles with such honesty that you can feel every glance, every silence, and every unspoken word. Their chemistry adds depth to the story, making the relationships feel genuine and relatable rather than exaggerated. It’s the kind of acting that doesn’t just show emotions but makes you experience them.
Visually, the series is soft and aesthetically pleasing, perfectly matching its emotional tone. The direction allows scenes to breathe, giving viewers time to connect with the characters and their journeys. Even the quiet moments carry weight, proving that sometimes silence can be more powerful than dialogue.
What stays with you the most is the emotional impact. Ticket to Heaven isn’t just about telling a story—it’s about making you feel every part of it. It reminds you of the beauty and fragility of relationships and how even the smallest moments can hold the deepest meaning.
Overall, Ticket to Heaven is not just a series you watch for entertainment; it’s an experience that touches your heart and lingers in your mind long after it ends. It’s gentle, heartfelt, and truly unforgettable.
Every moment in this series leaves a lasting impact. It’s not just something you watch—it’s something you truly feel. It is one of the best series I have ever seen.

Leia Mais

Give it a chance!

Loved the characters and the story.

Both FL and ML were interesting and fun to watch. Obviously there romance was a main part of the story but i liked how they also had their own separate things as well. And they both had amazing chemistry.

The story does focus on generational trauma and revenge, so you do get quite a lot of backstory, but i don't think its too much and it is relevant to the plot.

The only thing is that the production for the first 10ish episodes could have been better - they weren't at all but they definitely found their groove as the story went on.

Leia Mais

Rewatch value 100000000%

A series that will stay in your head and in your heart. A beautifully told story, from the very first episode almost all the way to the end, constantly keeping you in suspense. They could honestly rename it to: Tension in an all-boys school.

What I really like about this series are the natural scenes of tenderness between the characters, without overdoing explicit intimate content. Here, intimacy is built mainly through constant tension and scenes that carry a sexual undertone, but remain unspoken and implied — and that actually makes them even better. But this kind of storytelling and directing requires real skill!

A beautiful plot, of course slightly idealized, but I think we were all hoping for a happy ending — and we’re glad we got it.

I also want to mention two details: the motel scene, Tanrak’s slight clumsiness and shyness — those are scenes full of naturalness, of real young relationships. We really lack that kind of authenticity in series these days.

The main actors definitely deserve praise: Gemini — I’m extremely impressed! Also Fourth, who was sometimes able to convey emotions without any dialogue at all. Later in the series, especially towards the end, his tone of voice and way of speaking became very calm and slow, almost reminiscent of how some priests I know speak :O I don’t know if that was an intentional choice, but if so — chapeau bas!

Although at the beginning Tanrak’s silence fit the mood perfectly, I feel that in the later episodes, especially at the end, his character became too calm and too closed off. After many years of living with Barth, I would have expected a stronger change in his personality. With Barth, it was more visible — from a rebel he became a calm, stable man — while Tanrak remained… well, still calm Tanrak. But maybe I’m just nitpicking here.

One thing I would criticize is the number of episodes. I think there should have been at least one more episode explaining how the boys returned to school after their two-day escape. We only saw the scene where their teacher/guardian greeted Tanrak, but nothing beyond that. When exactly did they leave the school for good? How did it happen? I understand the director wanted to focus more on the present timeline, but in my opinion they could have added two or three scenes showing how it actually led to them permanently leaving the school.

On a positive note, I really liked how their shared life — Tanrak and Barth’s — was shown later on. I’m glad it wasn’t just a “wedding and goodbye” ending, but that we actually got a glimpse of their everyday life together. That was a really nice change for a series like this.

And lastly, I just want to say I’m very happy about Bright’s role, and I hope to see him in more productions in the future :)

Leia Mais

From Gripping to Deplorable: How Careless, Incompetent Writing Ruined the Final Arc | Stellar Acting

"Remember this, Jiang Taohua. I'm not someone you can just call on and cast aside. This marriage was your choice. Even if it leads to nowhere, you have to see it through with me." - Shen Zai Ye

My main purpose for writing this is to refute and debunk the negative reviews posted for this show here on MDL. I feel like they have gotten completely out of hand, unfairly tarnishing the drama's reputation that it clearly doesn't deserve. It's just concerning how the review section was swarmed with massive backlash when, in reality, three-quarters of the show was well-made, making the story not bad at all. I think it is about time we give this story the love and appreciation it rightfully deserves.

Completing this drama made me question the immense hate it has received here on MDL. Honestly, I don't understand where those reviewers are coming from by dragging the entire story down, because contrary to the critically panned reviews I have read here, I, on the other hand, was deeply captivated and entertained while watching this show. It was not bad at all compared to how people described it—be it the storyline, the plot, or even the execution. I would even argue that this is far better than most historical C-dramas you can find out there that utilize the same plots and over time suffer from overwhelming plot holes left and right.

The story was thrilling and compelling. The main plot was tightly woven, while the sub-plots became a great foundation that carried the story forward. Although I will admit that there are plot holes towards the final 6 episodes, but most of them are considerably minimal and did not entirely ruin the show for me. It did cause annoyance and irritation, sure, but definitely not to the point where I thought of dropping the show. Truth be told, throughout my watch journey, it never crossed my mind to drop this drama.

Even the midpoint part, which I thought would finally make me utterly frustrated—based on other viewers' reviews—because of the worn-out amnesia trope, surprisingly didn't put me off at all. In fact, it was executed with the utmost care, attention, and control, adding just the right amount of drama needed to progress the plot and develop the MLs (Shen Zai Ye) romantic feelings for the FL (Jiang Tao Hua) while keeping the story logically sound. I can go as far as to say that this is among the top 5 best executions of the amnesia trope I have watched in C-dramaland to date.

Let me also commend the deliberate utilization and execution of the espionage and political plot devices. I appreciate that they were not utilized mindlessly for some unnecessary drama, and were instead used in a more rational sense that maintains the harmony and consistency in the narrative. What's more admirable is that both of our main leads are not just intelligent but are equally experienced individuals who are capable of easily adapting to any situation they are thrown into, by anticipating outcomes and maintaining contingency plans. Those traits put me at ease and allowed me to enjoy the story without worrying much that one of them might suddenly make a dumb move that may put them in a dire situation. They both work independently but are always there to help one another whenever one is in need of assistance. Which actually leads to my next point...

Although I was particularly annoyed with Jiang Taohua in several instances for stubbornly rejecting Shen Zaiye's help and offers, I just appreciated how he was always there, instinctively, whenever she needed him. It was delightful to witness how he gradually evolved into a companion who knew how to read and understand her without words, and vice versa. This made their cooperation much more wholesome because both of them were present for each other's tough times, even without being asked.

If there's one factor that baffled and disappointed me, one that deserves fierce criticism, it would be the writers' careless decision, combined with their incompetence in providing us with formidable enemies capable of rivaling our highly intelligent main leads. I understand the reason why Empress Lv was kept as one of the main antagonist. However, I think it was otherwise an utterly foolish decision to take out Meng Huaijin—the most promising enemy we could have reserved for the climax—early in the story, only to replace him with the obsessively smitten Mu Wuyin, who has a severe nanny complex. It was just preposterous how they confidently committed to the decision of eliminating their most capable and promising character but failed miserably to develop their chosen one to his full potential—later on even reducing him to a mere, pathetic, highly deluded, lovesick guy. It was just absurd how Mu Wuyin turned from a seemingly clever man into an insane, melancholic, heartbroken damsel in distress towards the pre-climax. They did him dirty, which eventually backfired as it reflects their miscommitment and haste in choosing their main antagonist.

To be clear, I initially wasn't bothered by Meng Huaijin's early death, as it was reasonable and an inevitable outcome at the time—a crucial move to intensify the conflicts in the story and what I presumed would help the plot move forward to a more groundbreaking climax, especially since I had high expectations that they had something more impressive in store for us. However, it was after the pre-climax when the realization finally sank in how they had wasted Meng Huaijin's potential just to make way for the undeserving Mu Wuyin, who ended up being a pathetic and incompetent character in the end. I was left in a state of disbelief, disgust, and disappointment, to the point where I wished Meng Huaijin had not been killed. It's just unforgivable how they sacrificed what could have been an ultimate battle of wits and intelligence for a plot that's merely driven by lust and romantic obsession. It was even more frustrating that the main antagonists we ended up having are a pair of shallow individuals who are only capable when using underhanded schemes, but are greatly overwhelmed and outwitted once faced with unprecedented adversities.

In conclusion, the antagonists designated for the finale are a pair of pathetically disappointing and underwhelming individuals. The only praiseworthy villain that comes to mind is Meng Zhenzhen. I appreciate how they further developed her character in the story while maintaining her rationality until the end! She always had a redemption path laid out for her to choose from, and it's satisfying how she always chose that option.

The next point I want to talk about is the last six episodes, which encompass the climax and the ending. This is the part where minor absurdities and plot holes started spawning left and right. My review will be much longer if I expound on them one by one, so I will just list down my frustrations below:

• The blatant act of letting the main antagonists escape a couple of times: First, in episode 30 towards the end of the Luocheng Arc, they could have easily apprehended Mu Wuyin while his spirit was broken and he was in a state of total devastation after realizing Empress Lv's betrayal, yet they did not. Second, in episode 33, when they were trying to suppress Empress Lv and Mu Wuyin during their attempt to usurp the throne, they yet again allowed them to escape when they were literally right in front of their eyes.

• The hasty assumption of their deaths: In episode 33, I also cannot fathom how they almost immediately concluded that both Empress Lv and Mu Wuyin had died in the fire, without harboring any doubts that it might be a scheme.

• The cliché negotiation: In episode 36, Shen Zaiye tries to talk rationality into Empress Lv's head as if she would ever listen. Thank God Jiang Taohua was there. It was an utterly ridiculous scene to watch—a very worn-out, cliché element.

• The logical oversight with the Yinghuo Flower: In episode 36, when the Yinghuo Flower was burning, they could have literally used their feet to kick the flowers away, since some of them were visibly not engulfed in flames yet, but they did not.

• The frustrating inaction: In episode 36, after Jiang Taohua is freed from the cage cell, instead of helping Shen Zaiye escape as well, she simply stands in front of it in a daze, looking at her master, Qian Mochen, as he dies. At that point, I just gave up.

It's farcical how the script diminished their foresight and sharp judgment towards the end, reducing them from highly perceptive leads into sloppy and careless individuals who overlook obvious things just to create additional drama.

Lastly, I just want to express my gratitude to the writers for keeping the overly annoying and impulsive Xiang Qingying (Shen Zaiye's sister) at bay. She was initially my greatest character frustration in this show, and I am just glad she did not turn out to be even more irritating towards the end. I was even happy that her skills were finally highlighted during the Luocheng arc.

Story - 9.0, To keep facts straight, I totally enjoyed the first 30 episodes of this drama. My dissatisfaction only kicked in when they finally revealed the utterly deplorable path they had woven for Mu Wuyin, alongside the several narrative hiccups and plot holes I mentioned above.

Acting/Cast - 10, What a solid ensemble. What was shown here were top-notch, emotionally expressive, and controlled acting performances from the actors and actresses. I'm extremely impressed by how they truly embody their characters' emotions as if they were their own. Above all, I have to give it to our main leads—Meng Ziyi's big, round eyes made me deeply fixated and absorbed in her acting, while Liu Xueyi expressed his character masterfully in every aspect.

Music - 10, What I love most about this drama's OST is that it's entirely ballads, and they exquisitely carried and heightened the emotional depth of the story.

Rewatch Value - 8.0, If only they didn't degrade Mu Wuyin into a nasty piece of lovesick shit and did not incorporate all those plot holes that tainted the main leads' formidably established attributes, I could have rated this higher.

Overall - 9.0,  Even with my complaints toward Mu Wuyin and the several plot holes in the story, I can still bravely declare that this is a nice watch overall. The last six episodes caught me off guard and left me completely baffled, but I don't think it was to a point where it entirely destroyed the foundation of the story. It is underwhelming, yes, but definitely not to a destructive level.

IF you find my reviews helpful please let me know.

Leia Mais

Ikemen Overload: Koseki Yuta is Freaking HOT!

I remember this guy from Calm Seas and Beautiful Days with you.. He was a sight for sore eyes- not only handsome but ever so charming. To me he overshadowed the main leads and I wanted to see more of him.. so luckily this series popped up.

Is the guy a sociopath to be so charming? Normally men that hot are players and toss multiple women around instead of obsessing over one. For one such man to obsess over one woman in this world means he has mental problems? How sad. Also, when someone obsesses over a person and stalks them, it’s usually because they cannot get close to them - the unavailability makes the mind go crazier- more like an early childhood parental abandonment wound. But Nishina coming close to the Fujiko San and developing a friendly neighborly relationship usually should mean this obsessive feelings go down because reality has a sobering effect- usually obsession is based on a fantasy and distance that builds as a result of not having a close relationship to that person despite the desire. But this series shows Nishina obsessing a lot even after interacting everyday with her which is rather strange. Stalking results from control issues- the person doesn’t see their object of desire in a loving way of wanting their freedom and happiness through free will, but rather wants to possess the person like an object. It’s sad. Even though Nishina is developing a good relationship with his person of desire, he still can’t let go of his secret craziness and obsession- his public person is truly sweet, but his private expressions are straight up weird.

And dude.. clean up your apartment of all the crazy photos and video monitoring equipment when you have a snoopy brother or snoopy everyone who wants to blow your cover. Why would you have all those pictures of your neighbor on the wall when they can come in any moment and it can destroy your entire relationship? If he had kept that mess on lock then no one would even know his intentions. Seriously though, if Nishima had gotten rid of all his stalking evidence and made his apartment like a normal home, then he could have had an actual serious relationship with the person he obsesses about 24/7. Why did he have to blow it by having all these pictures of Fujiko San on his wall and her popsicle sticks, strands of hair and other weird stuff? She actually liked him, and they kissed. If he had at least created the facade of being normal they could have had an actual relationship. It’s kind of annoying to watch Nishina ruin his own chances with his own weird obsession. Why obsess over photographs when you have the actual person in front of you? Even when she’s there he’s taking her pictures like a stalker or fan- like dude she’s right there throwing herself at you, why don’t you enjoy her company instead of taking sneaky pictures like a weirdo?! What is up with this dude. I want to shake Nishina and say, “She’s already in love with you, man. What the heck is your problem?”... It’s like seeking an image of the person when they’re right in front of you.

Most stalkers never get so “lucky” where the woman they’re stalking is actively in love with them. Usually the person wants nothing to do with them. But this stalker has to be the stupidest (and hottest) one that ever lived. He dug his own grave. Wait, why am I giving advice to the stalker?

Who knows but my goodness Nishina is so handsome. My rating has inflated just for his good looks and charm. Ikaemen is a real phenomenon. But seriously where are all these incredibly hot anime looking Japanese men hiding?

But what if he wasn’t young, rich, successful, and so hot? What is if he was ugly, fat, sweaty, bald, and middle aged? The stalking is still a symptom of a serious mental illness.

Speaking of stalking, isn’t most of romance a milder form of stalking? Like Fujiko san’s coworker, or the sexual harassment guy, or the many other problematic male employees. Of course Nishina is over the top but society considers a milder form of stalking to be acceptable. When the romance copilot thinks of each other and stalks them in different ways, wondering if each other is thinking about them etc. Isn’t it all the same thing? There is an obsessive element in romance too… the same possessiveness, jealousy, controlling aspect.

A really stupid dialogue in Episode 10 between Fujiko’s junior female colleague who’s aggressively obsessed with romance/sidekick and Sakamoto San, a male colleague: “You like Fujiko san don’t you?”
Sakamoto San: “it feels wrong …like I’m taking advantage of her when she’s weak”
Junior female sidekick: “huh?! Isn’t that love? Are you OK as you are? Honestly, she doesn’t see you as a man at all, Sakamoto.” - this line exposes this weird double standard where men are supposed to stalk a bit otherwise they won’t be seen as a man, but not too much otherwise they’ll be called a stalker and sent to the police. This female colleague is so annoying- she’s the one pairing people together, and then she tells Nishina she’s calling the police on him. She’s so annoying and just wants drama.

Episode 8: But why does Nishina like Fujiko so much? She’s a regular random woman and he acts like he’s never seen a female before in his life. Why is he in love with her? His back story seems to start with her- “I met her 4 years ago”- it’s as if he decided to take up stalking as a hobby and found a random female to latch onto. He’s so good looking and successful- surely he would have been approached by many women already. But why this one like she was chosen by random? It makes no sense! (More on that below)

Despite the fact that Nishina San is off his rocker, there is something innocent I see in him- like a child. It must be the actor- he’s so good. Even though his role is odd and doesn’t make sense even for a stalker (getting into a relationship with the object of desire and continuing to stalk as if he’s a distant fan), I don’t sense any pretense in the actor- it’s like he’s totally earnest in this role and it somehow makes it feel real.

Why does Fujiko San have like 3-4 men after her one after the other? It’s an interesting juxtaposition where the pursuit of romance by men is all stalkerish in some sense.

I wonder why doesn’t the series explore more of Fujiko San’s mixed feelings for Nishina San? They just make her scared of Nishina after she sees his photo shrine and then that’s it. She was in love with Nishina- why don’t they explore more of the complexity of her emotions rather than pretending she’s perfectly fine after he’s gone? Like come on man why not listen to what he has to say? And get a proper backstory from the guy like why he started this mess in the first place. Because his episode 8 backstory was nonsense where he acts like an alien that came to planet earth and decided to stalk the first female he laid eyes upon.

Ok he later explains how she talked him off a ledge when he was about to end it all. But somehow magically she doesn’t remember him at all? After seeing his face up close and hearing his voice? Would you not remember such a person in such an intense situation even if it was 4 years ago?

Then Fujiko San’s brother says something interesting, that even though Nishina San had a wall full of her photos and it was kind of creepy, it’s not like he did anything to harm her, quite the opposite actually. He was protecting her. At least so he thought until he scared her away. Now if you want to see a real stalker, the weird chubby dude who stalks her in the beginning is quite the creep. Nishina San wasn’t a harmful type- he even honestly admitted his stalking to her younger brother, but he did get carried away. It’s.. a stalker with a heart of gold? Or am I just falling for his incredibly good looks once again?

But Nishina San says something incredibly wise in the end: “I think I avoided facing myself by leaning on Fujiko.”

I started getting annoyed at Fujiko San in the end- Nishina San when takes a knife for her- gives a dying lecture stalker to stalker… I somehow wanted her to accept his feelings. I felt his pain more- the pain of avoiding myself by obsessing over another. Even though I have been in her position before, I found myself empathizing with him more.

As per Nishina San’s dad, he was always too kind since he was a kid, lacking in assertiveness. It seems he was always putting others before himself, and looking for a reaction in them- the people pleasing trauma wound from trying to please the overbearing perfectionist parent. Then as his old self died that day, it seems he took on a new unavailable “parent” in protecting/stalking Fujiko San, and lost himself again. Interestingly he was on the same wavelength as Fujiko San who was also lacking in assertiveness and pleasing the people around her, as if she had no will of her own, and no control over her own life. One has to live for themselves and not sacrificing their own will for others.

Even despite their love for each other in the end (who does Fujiko San love exactly- the people pleasing stalker version of Nishina?), Nishina San realizes he can’t keep living like that anymore and needs to build himself up in a new way and face himself and face things head on. He ends up being a former stalker with a heart of gold. He goes on to do great things building his company in developing countries, and stands on his own two feet. I believe the initial suicide attempt and subsequent stalking was a distraction for him to not face the pressures of his high profile life as an heir to his father’s company. Then he faced himself… wow this story ended up being a lot deeper than I had originally thought. My rating is going up. Omgggg I just can’t with this Nishina character I keep falling more deeply for him in each scene…

The last scene is everything- I was wishing for Nishina San to come back and have a picnic with Fujiko San once again. I cried tears of joy. Yokattaaaaa!!

P.s: is it just me or does Yabuki Nako (the actress who plays the romance obsessed junior coworker) look almost exactly like Haruka Fukuhara (Secret Mekover)?

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