Reviews

Final goodbye to Khun Thee and Peach

Finally Khun Thee and Peach story comes to an end... tbh I'm so sad but also excited for Pondphuwin's new project. Both of them nailed it and i absolutely loved their performance in the series. Pondphuwin were the perfect choice for the cast. They fit the characters perfectly and it's such a cute and fluffy love story I loved every bit of it. But yeah I'm a little sad that we didn't get to see the darker side of Khun Thee's Mafia life. I'm mean it would have been so much better if we had gotten a second season instead of four special episodes. But it's okay I still love how everything turned out. Best experience ever 🍑🩷

Leia Mais

Holy peak

So I'm not much if a great writer but I would like to express my love and adoration for this series and everything about it,coming from a manhwa reader already- let's start from the beginning, when it's trailer dropped,for most of those haters, the cast wasn't "perfect",saying it didn't fit the manhwa,but I've been super supportive of this series from the start and from the beginning only I was really excited about it. When ep 1 dropped,it shocked everyone cuz it was so good slowly by slowly every episode started to drop and people started to realize it's peakkkk 😍 and payback actually shut those haters up cuz it is literally so perfectly adapted from the manhwa -every detail.

Let's talk about the actors - toptapminlee,my fav couple this year actually😭🫶🏻 they are such cuties and the chemistry b/w them is INSANE, plus their acting skills everything is top notch about them i can't express my love my babies in words, just watch them and you'll also fall in love 💕.

Not just the main actors, the side actors and the villians- casting was top notch especially their acting,so freaking good,not a single bad actor throughout the whole series.

The cinematography is super good also,adapted perfectly from the manhwa,payback sets a example to others how a manhwa should actually be adapted,even little to little details you can see there.

Lastly, the beautiful ost,"The memory",perfect.

Everything is super peak about this series and i would like to one of the best series released this year, I'm proud of them 🫶

Leia Mais

The perfect sequel

Just as with the original show, I was not expecting a lot, but was positively surprised how much I ended up liking this. And sequels rarely live up to their originals, but I dare to say I enjoyed this even more than the original show.

First and foremost, other studios should take notice. You can do a 4 EP series and make it work. This was just the perfect length where I felt the main story line fitted the amount of episodes and as a viewer you got to see more of things you liked in the original show. A big brownie point that there were also elements that added to the original show.

In terms of characters yes Thee was still very cheesy with Peach knocking him down a notch or two when needed, but it was wholesome to see them as parents for the kids and in a married relationship. What everyone was expecting probably most from this sequel was the Rome and Mok scenes and the show delivered. A more general aspect that I appreciated in the this one, was that we saw different sides from the characters compared to original show: Mok was showing his ruthless mafia side, Thee was showing that he could be a more serious sporting brother for Mok, Peach got bit jealous of Thee etc.

With all the positives there were also some negatives. The GL plot line with Plub and Mira got too little screen time. It felt like something plastered to the show, without depth. The whole Thee wanting to film the series about his and Peach's romance as an internal commentary and joke about the series did not need to be it's own plot line. It felt like it didn't connect to the main plot of the show.

Generally while overall I will give this a higher rating the original series, in order to enjoy this fully, you have to watch the original series. As with many sequels this doesn't work as a stand alone show. However this was truly a successful sequel and ended the series perfectly.

Leia Mais

Finished in one sitting!

This is the first 16 episode drama I watched in one sitting. I enjoyed it that much.

Interesting way to deliver a romance, though. Just sayin’. The attraction level needed for a true romance was lacking. They were attracted but tense, maybe even fearful of each other (not in a dangerous way). I know that’s clumsy but I find my meaning difficult to put into words. Maybe it’s better said that their initial attraction was more realistic for two hurt, nearly 40-year old adults. But later on the attraction didn’t move upward on the meter like I believe it should have.

The best chemistry IMO was between father and daughter. This is my first time watching Yeon Jung Heon and he was great as a dad, journalist, friend, and potential husband. He had a quiet confidence as an investigative journalist. I said out loud, to myself, around episode 7 about Ji Min, “can this guy get any nicer!?!?”

Go Na Hee as Woo Hoo was truly delightful. At her age, she nailed her main lead role and was every bit as good as the other leads.

Eun Soo had a difficult character arc and I believe Lee Yoo Ri delivered the role quite well and in the way it was intended. One couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. She had good chemistry with Ji Min just not great chemistry.

The villains were really good villains. Definitely didn’t like Kim Ho Ran. Se Mi needed to get a grip on reality - she burned her bridge down completely and there was no coming back. I liked Yeon Joon but his character wasn’t given much depth. He was more of a plot device.

The story ,itself, along with the father/daughter duo are what compelled me to keep watching. OST wasn’t especially memorable but it didn’t distract either. I probably won’t rewatch the entire drama, maybe select parts.

It’s a very nice story overall. 8.5/10

Leia Mais

Something something idols falling in love

The only reason I finished this show was because Dome is one of the most beautiful people I've seen. Endlessly charming, sweet, a ray of sunshine who tries his best to uplift others. Jeng is a great idea for a character. It's a shame everything else was such a mess. Where do I even begin???

The acting....... I think some of these people have talent, at least among the main cast. I suspect the direction was off for a major portion of the show. Some of the kissing and sex scenes are among the worst I've witnessed. There's one specific sex scene that comes right out of the blue and is clumsy, poorly directed and doesn't make a lick of sense. Sometimes things happen in dramas that make you go "hmm, that's odd", but then you accept it because the acting, lighting, or VIBE sells it. That doesn't happen here. It just falls flat and you feel bad for the cast.

Story? Haha. Boy. I don't even feel like summing it up. It's a bunch of people doing vague things to make a hit song. Sometimes they practice dancing. Sometimes they go to the mall and shop for clothes. Sometimes they try to be funny.

Yeah, this drama tried really hard to be funny. They made a joke about suicide and things quickly went downhill from there. Tone deaf jokes about trans women. Comic relief where it was not needed. Sound effects. Y'all you should be laughing!!! Please laugh!!

Also the way everything ended was super abrupt and strange. Five episodes??? I mean, it's not like I wanted to watch any more of them, but really?

Anyway yeah. I will follow Dome's career with great interest. But this was a dud.

Leia Mais

A feisty prince consort and his hen-pecked warrior wife

An actual matriarchy drama that commits to the trope and doesn't bait? It's like spotting a unicorn in the wild!

TL;DR: A fantastic matriarchy drama with an adorable lead couple, lots of steam, and good pacing that actually commits!

The Good:
• Matriarchy & World - The commitment to the matriarchy trope has to be of the best I've ever seen (and I've seen a lot!). All the clichés and stereotypes usually associated with a certain gender are reversed. Male concubines, female ministers, hen-pecked wives and feisty stay-at-home husbands. The drama is a goldmine of matriarchal goodness, that's actually well-done!
• Leads - Both MCs were extremely endearing and quirky in ways not often seen. As mention previously, they are actually written as characters born and raised in a matriarchy, which is extremely refreshing! FL is a warrior princess who returns from a war to her upset prince consort and becomes a hen-pecked lovesick fool for him (but in the way only male characters are allowed to be). Meanwhile ML is just like those feisty quirky FLs full of sass, brattiness, and green-tea antics (again, traits only ever extended to female characters).
• Romance & Chemistry - A great balance of teeth-rotting cute and fanning-yourself steamy. The chemistry was amazing with two very devoted individuals that can barely keep their hands off each other (FL especially! She didn't give him a break! Those years away really did a number on her xD). It was tender, cutely funny, spicy, and endlessly romantic. I loved how FL had to earn back his affection and how he tried to push her away, but couldn't because of his own interest in her <3 SO CUTE!
• Commitment and no bait-and-switch - Kind of an extension from the first two points, but the commitment was insanely good. The only downside was the fact that FL still dressed very feminine. Everything else was spot-on! They had a very clear vision for what they wanted: role reversal matriarchal goodness, and by GOD did they deliver.
• Acting - Both leads really ate with their depictions. ML was charismatic enough to pull-off a complicated and easily irritable character and make him only endearing and cute. FL absolutely nailed the suave lovesick badass like her rent was due! Pretty much most of the supporting cast were also serviceable or good.
• Comedy - Huge respect for not making the role reversal the butt of the joke, but actually making the drama amusing and funny in other ways!
• Ending - Such a cute wrap-up with FL as the new empress who tries to dodge parenting duties and ML as her feisty overworked consort who once again demands to divorce! Adorable!!

The Okay:
• Supporting characters - The supporting cast consists mostly of other men in the matriarchy, all of whom felt like they were also raised in a matriarchy and served to fill roles usually only filled by women (mostly jealous friends and brother, concubines, etc). The only downside is that there's not as many women in the drama aside of the FL. There's only the empress and a minister who appears briefly, but it's very little and that's a shame for a matriarchy.
• Plot - The consistent prettyboy enemies got a bit old at the end. Not a big deal, but some variety in characters and dynamics would've been nice. Thankfully, the drama knew to focus mostly on the leads and their romance.

The Bad:
• OOC Moments - Now, these were very few and can be easily ignored, but were still present enough to warrant a mention. The leads, specifically the ML has some OOC moments which were traditional (e.g. carrying FL away to bed over his shoulder 😬). Also the weirdly trad moment when he's competing with a foreign prince and the requirements for the competition are also somehow trad... Ugh... a bummer.
• No friends - Sadly, neither MC has any friend in the drama whatsoever. This was especially noticeable with ML who interacts with a lot of male characters, all of whom antagonize him and are coveting his prince consort position. It's not a huge deal, but I always find it a shame when neither of the leads have any friends... I will give credit where credit is due and that is that ML was in a very "FL" position with all the guys hating him 😂

Notable scenes:
- Body-painting scene.
- Kissing against the door scene.
- Carriage affection scene.
- ML seeing FL off to war.

Leia Mais

feelings

nếu xét về mọi thứ t đang cho là 10 ở nội dung, diễn xuất,… nhưng tổng thể t cho 9.5 điểm chỉ vì lí do duy nhất là phim ngắn quá coi chưa có đã chưa có đủ đô. Sau semantic error thì lâu lắm rùi mới có một bộ phim bl hàn peak như này lọt vào lòng t

phải nói phim đỉnh vãiii, t rất thích coi những bộ phá án như này luôn. nội dung siu siu logic có chiều sâu. Couple có phản ứng hoá học đỉnh nóc

T rất thích các cảnh NC của phim, nó k bị gượng dù nó khá nặng đô nhưng thay vì khó chịu thì t thấy rất đã =))))

nói chung hãy xem liền đi !!!! phim đỉnhh nóc kịch trần

Leia Mais

Liar! Summer was supposed to Never End!

I wasn't expecting the day would come when I would finally have my first romance cdrama that i can confidently rate 10/10 and highlight all the answers in the "What do you like most about it?" question. Trust me, I really tried my best to find aspects of this drama to dislike, but there are none.

The story, i wouldn't really say it's true to life, because i later realized it's the typical Rich Guy & Poor Girl type scenario, but there are some aspects that way it was written and handled that make it grounded to some extent, so that it wouldn't come off as some fetish delulu like some other Rich Guy & Poor Girl type story out there.

Looking back, it is very tropey and I'm hella nervous when it's being presented on screen like "I hope it's not this and that just for the sake of it" because i wanted this to be either 9/10. If you also look at it objectively, the family drama and romance are very messy. It knows it's messy. It leans into that, but handles everything so well together, all of that in the drama, and it still made sense, because the way each of the characters impacts the other defines what's going to happen next. It has a chain reaction effect. You're not just sitting there thinking, "What was that for?"

When it comes to the Pacing, it's smooth for the most part. Still, there are times when I definitely thought it was fast, because sometimes info or an event that is revealed or introduced in an episode is unfolded to the target character later on in the same episode. It's just a nitpick. It didn't ruin the show for me whatsoever.

I watched this because I saw a clip of Bao Shang En getting too immersed with her character that she forgot to snap back even after the director said "Cut!". I'm sure you know what i mean. That tells me that her acting has definitely improved if she can get into that state of mind. Because i watched her first 2 cdramas back in 2024, and for a rookie actress she was definitely decent back then, but i stopped watching because she's not on my priority list. After watching this drama? Definitely can say she has gotten really good. She knows how to put emotions across the screen, and the tone and mood switch. The deep voice- can we talk about her deep talking voice here, because i definitely don't remember her having that kind of voice back then. I'm so in love. Though there are times when she's in a scene with an older actor/actress, you can't help but notice that skill gap. She would get overwhelmed in terms of stage presence, but I'm sure as she gets older and takes on more projects, she's definitely gonna become a great actress.

Zhou Wan as a character, when you think she's perfect, but she's not. She can be frustrating or hateable, but it's hard because every decision she makes is because of the people around her. You can't really blame her if you were in her position, and as she's stated, "I'm just 18." You can't expect a person at that age to make the right decision every time. Sometimes it will be dumb, but i loved how she was written as a realist, so at least she's very calculating when making decisions. Also, my gosh, i love her fits during her high school arc. It's simple, but layered so that it won't look bare.

The same goes for Lu Xixiao. I'm amazed by the progression of his character, from being a tough/rebel boy to a softie/yearner guy. He's a smart character, but he too makes dumb decisions, and then i remember, "Oh, yeah, he's 18, so you probably wouldn't be thinking like this." I'm always amazed how he's able to pick up hints from his day to day life to be able to piece things together when trying to figure out something, I guess that's where the observation skill from being an artist comes in, because he's able to figure out what Zhou Wan's intentions is whenever she doesn't want to talk, not all of them, but for the most part.

It's my first time seeing Daniel Zhou as an actor. Before this i saw him in a variety show, but I wasn't focusing on him. My eyes were on Bai Lu, because she was in it as well. Anyway, going back. He's such a really good actor and so freaking tall, my god. Also, can we talk about how he and Shang En got such explosive chemistry going on, like i got hooked episode 1 right away because of their chemistry. Now i want them to star in a Fantasy drama, because they reminded me of Luo Yun Xi and Bai Lu so much in terms of chemistry.

Among all the hateable characters, Luo He takes the crown for me. He's the first thug character that i actually thoroughly enjoyed watching, because he's actually written well for me. I think it's because it's got to do with the actor. He's so good at playing the role. You can tell he's really into it.

The music in this drama bangs! I don't think there's a song here that i don't like. I watched this drama on the Mango TV YouTube channel, and they always mute some music scenes to avoid copyright issues. So i would pause and watch the parts with music on a pirate site, then go back to their channel when it's done. That's how dedicated I am to not skip any scenes with music.

Overall, such a top tier drama. Sure, it may have its flaws, but i eat that all up because it's good. Highly recommend watching it. Give it a go!

Leia Mais

10 on 10 for sure

I don't know how anyone can give lesser rating than 10 for this epic drama. Not once I thought to drop this. The drama in this drama had me hooked crazy. Two leads were simply extraordinary and the chemistry is on peaks. The only regret I had is their emotional connection. Yes they have chemistry but I didn't find love their eyes other than that the story is extraordinary. The first episode itself hooked me and the kiss in the first episode and the way zhen lost control while kissing and had to take a breath before diving into it again is just wow. Do not drop this drama at all. Chinese ramas are going to next level drama to drama.

Leia Mais

An Honest Response to the Negative Reviews of Payback!!!

I know everyone has their own opinions, and I respect that. But I think you should be clearer with your words because there are so many things I want to clarify. I'll explain them one by one.

1. About the main character

Almost every manhwa revolves around one main character. Payback is Sun's story—it's about his revenge/healing, not anyone else's. So I don't understand why you're expecting every other character's storyline to be explored in depth. Maybe you people haven't read many manhwas or novels, which is why you're looking at it that way.
Even fitting Sun's perspective into just ten episodes was difficult, so how could they possibly include everyone else's backstory as well?

2. "His acting is not good."

After finishing both the manhwa and the novel, I can confidently say he gave the best performance possible. I don't know how you expect someone who has lost both his mother and brother to behave. He's emotionally dead inside. He has nothing left to lose, and that's exactly how Sun is supposed to be. Jay is the person who enters his life and slowly makes it bearable again. He's the one who brings back Sun's smile, and the series portrays that beautifully. Also our pookie manager and sky.

3. Their chemistry

Again, everyone has their own opinion, but for me, they had perfect chemistry. Their kissing scenes were natural, emotional, and absolutely spot on.

4. About Jay and Sun's Relationship

Jay falls in love with Sun because he's different from everyone else. He's brave, fearless, and, in many ways, similar to Jay himself. Their connection is instant. Not everyone falls in love with their school friend or a cute office colleague. We're human, and human lives can be dark while still being deeply romantic.

5. About the director

People often criticize the direction without really understanding what a director's role is. They simply say the direction was boring. But have you watched Reclaim? It's directed by the same person. A director's job is to bring the story to life, and in Payback, the emotions, atmosphere, and pacing were exactly what the story needed.

6. About revenge

There is no such thing as a "big" or "small" revenge. Revenge is only fulfilled when the person who caused the pain is left broken and desperate enough to understand the consequences of their actions. No one can truly understand that pain except the person who has lived through it.

So, more than the depth of the revenge itself, I'm happy that Sun finally found a reason to smile again. In the end, that was the greatest victory.

7. My final thoughts

If even one person decides not to watch this series because of these comments, I genuinely feel they're missing out, because there will never be another Payback like this one.

At least watch the opening credits—they alone are enough to make you want to continue watching.

For me, Payback is raw, dark, and emotionally gripping. It makes you think about life, death, relationships, guilt, regret, and healing. It teaches you to value not only the lives of the people you love but also your own. It shows how to face your fears, overcome your regrets, and move forward.

Most importantly, this story makes you realize that life isn't about taking revenge or even fulfilling it. It's about finding a reason to live again, finding happiness, and having the strength to rise from the deepest pit.

I truly believe everyone should watch this series at least once. ( Fun fact: Payback was my favorite manhwa long before the live adaptation was announced. Even back then, I always felt that if any manhwa deserved a live-action adaptation, it would be this one. And guess what? My manifestation came true.)

Leia Mais

No plot

This is one of the worst series i wasted my time on the story is so bad I would say this whole thing is just por.n at the point no plot at all waisted the couple potential people are just thearsty over any gay show
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Leia Mais

Maybe the real revenge was the friends we made along the way

Wanna know what the capital of Lithuania is? Are you into pink bunnies and men with bloody faces? Every time I pitch this to my friends they go "how on earth does that make sense" and every time I have to convince them that it kinda really does. YES this guy used to extort people for money. YES he got ripped off by his ex. YES he's now going to take revenge on said ex by... becoming a famous actor? This works because Minlee is Minlee and I believed everything he did as Sun. I was sold the moment he slammed that knife into the table at his audition. Perfect beautiful man. Toptap as Jay is also good, but there's something uncanny and slick about his styling that is not my cup of tea. But no matter. This drama serves:

- FIGHTING. BLOOD. ACTION.
- EMOTIONS. CONFLICT.
- FOUND FAMILY. CONNECTIONS. SUN DESERVES TO BE LOVED, ACTUALLY
- SE....X

the NC scenes are quickly becoming infamous, and for good reason. People on Reddit have been working overtime to adjust lighting and slow things down to see if they can catch a glimpse of Real genitals. That's how explicit the scenes feel. A statement was released begging people not to share and upload the clips to social media (and porn sites?), which might have been a very sneaky tricksy way of getting more eyeballs on this show. All the love and respect to the actors, producers, intimacy coordinators etc. etc. etc. This show works because there was so much talent on board at all times, both in front of and behind the camera.

Either way. I've had a blast watching this. I have some issues with how the main conflict was resolved by the end, and feel like Payback could have used a couple more episodes to really stick the landing. But this was good fun and emotional turmoil. Waiting for the next episode was agony and I must thank the Payback team for releasing Minlee and Toptap's reaction videos in between eps to tide us over until the next one.

Anyway 9/10. Big recommend.

Leia Mais

eh

Put Your Head On My Shoulder

Xing Fei - Situ Mo
Lin Yi - Gu Weiyi

This drama was okay. It reminded me a lot of First Love with Wang Xingyue and Tian Xiwei I think it was. It is very youth and like trying to navigate one’s first romantic feelings for someone else. It was made in like 2021 or earlier, so not that recent I think. That might have been another reason why it’s not hitting very much. This drama wasn’t bad, but there was nothing captivating about it. The ML was played by Lin Yi and I may have some bias based on the actors. I don’t really care for Lin Yi’s look or acting. I think that sometimes, he is a bit too static and the styling in this drama just was not it. Also, his character in general was very boyish and nerdish, and he didn’t really know how to like cook or anything. So, he didn’t appear very manly if that makes sense. Also, I didn’t like how he like explained so many things using science just to show that he is knowledgable. After a while, that whole spiel got annoying. Gu Weiyi was just very emotionless and it was hard to connect with his character. Although he was always a gentleman and a good guy, there was definitely not anything special. Situ Mo’s character also just didn’t stick with me either. She wasn’t the smartest and she was extremely dramatic and almost babyish at times. Just seemed like a very naive girl who was also affected by men a lot. I mean that in a sense that whether it be Fu Pei or Gu Weiyi, her mood and actions would largely surround them. I like independent woman more in shows and this drama did not show that. Nor did it really show the protective side of either one of them either. It just fell flat in many different ways. Overall, I think that for someone just starting out watching cdramas, this drama is simple and easy to understand and watch. But, it just doesn’t have the complexity or depth that I like watching.

(These are my overall thoughts. Below is some more detailed thoughts based on certain episodes and scenes, but the reason why there are so little tells you about how many thoughts I had about this drama.)

Fu Pei is really something. He obviously knows that Situ Mo likes him, but he’s always disappointing her. Not only that, but he also avoids any hint at Situ Mo’s feelings even though she’s made it clear before. What a jerk. He’s just trying to invalidate her feelings when he himself has known that she likes him. Now, not to say Gu Weiyi is perfect either. He’s very emotionless, but at least he’s a gentleman. Every time Fu Pei disappoints Situ Mo by not showing up or smth, Gu Weiyi is always there to make up for it. Gu Weiyi does have a high EQ though, as he can instantly tell when Situ Mo is feeling down because of Fu Pei’s actions. Gu Weiyi is a standard good guy, just lacking some emotions.

Episode 4 pissed me off. Fu Pei has no right to act like that. He was being so petty and just unneccessarily rude and sarcastic. If you like Situ Mo, just tell her. Why do you have to say hurtful words and act like you don’t care? Fu Pei was the one who said they were just friends, so I don’t see how it’s any of his business where Situ Mo lives. Also, I really dont want this to be one of those dramas where the FL keeps on going back to the toxic second ML while there is a better option right in front of her. That scene where Gu Weiyi got her the hair tie at the hospital, but threw it away because she went back with Fu Pei was really sad. Gu Weiyi is already falling for Situ Mo by episode 4 and the fact that Situ Mo is still affected by Fu Pei is pissing me off.

Episode 7 was sad but beautiful at the same time. When Shanshan and Fu Pei almost kissed because Fu Pei was drunk and thought that was Momo, Momo’s face was utterly disappointed. She was already uncomfortable with Fu Pei coming to their house to celebrate when they weren’t even friends anymore. Gu Weiyi may be awkward and not that in-tune with his emotions but he can definitely read Momo’s emotions. When he was beside Momo and saw her face when she saw that, he instantly knew the disappointment that she felt. He protected her in that instant by telling those two to leave. He’s always so observant of Momo. Fu Pei on the other hand just keeps on making mistakes and trying to make up for them, but making even more mistakes.

Leia Mais