Reviews

Watch and Judge this as a Japanese Slice-of-Life drama

Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75

There was a lot of hoopla when OK Taec Yeon was casted in this drama. An established Korean actor and former pop idol in a BL? Really? Then came the queer baiting accusations and the step back announcement that this is not really a BL. If you are expecting a typical BL romance, you will truly be disappointed.

Watch “Soul Mate” as a Japanese slice-of-life drama instead. Forget about all the noise surrounding it, and watch it as a regular drama. You might end up liking it. I re-calibrated my expectations and went into this without any expectations at all. I just want a well-written, well-acted, and well-executed drama. That’s all.

The first episode started with a bang. I was locked in and captivated by. A lot happened in that first episode, starting with the story of Ryu. Then the pacing of the drama falls back into typical slower slice-of-life fashion. Through a chance meeting, our leads met in Berlin, and their lives changed, and I think for the better. We started with Ryu’s story, and ended with Jo Han. Their journey feels like two great friends caring, helping and supporting each other. I enjoy seeing the slow progression but I can’t help but also want hints of romance dropped here and there. I definitely see a tiny bit more coming from Jo Han, and less from Ryu. I can deal with no kiss or NC scene to feel romance (seriously, even for me, it’s OK sometimes). But I just needed a little more to make the ending more impactful.

The slice-of-life plot itself isn’t too unique. I could see that ‘surprise’ speeding from a mile away. The forming of the new found family was lovely and sweet, though also very predictable. Oh, there are emotional moments, too and I definitely shed a tear or two in the latter episodes. I also feel that the closure of Ryu and Arata’s story is a little lacking and anti-climatic. I also thought there would be more to Ryu’s co-worker at the nursing facility.

The acting is good and the actors did their best with what’s given to them. Tac Yeon’s Japanese sounded pretty good to me (but I don’t speak Japanese). However, I feel that the writing could have been better.

In the end, this is an OK slice-of-life and a below-average romance drama. I enjoy watching it to a certain extent, but I couldn’t help but think we wasted two talented actors, especially for a Japan/Korea collaboration that could really WOW us.


Drama Completed: 7/5/2026 Review #701

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Honestly just don't read reviews and watch.

I put this off for a while, even though I've been following it since they announced Taecyeon was in it, mainly because people said they considered it more "bromance" than BL. But I honestly wish I watched it on release, because they are wrong.

Many people tried saying the romance wasn't clear enough through actions. But who cares about that when the story is good and clearly shows the characters emotions. Watching this, I can clearly tell the feelings of the characters, even when they aren't explicitly saying or showing it.
We don't need kiss scenes, shower scenes, or bed scenes for it to be BL. I would rather have a BL that has 1 kiss scenes but an amazing, beautiful, or even a sad story over a BL with 10 kiss scenes and okay story.
That is what this one is. A beautiful, yet sad story of a relationship that shows how difficult yet perfect it can be..

And the last thing; the ending.
Some people were not happy about this ending. But honestly... I think it was a good ending. Do I wish for a happy ending? Yes, always. But is the happy ending the best option? No!
This story, similar to "Love In The Big City" (a Korean BL), clearly wanted a more human feel. The characters are going to do human things; fuck up, say things they don't mean to when mad or sad, make a decision they don't want, they are going to hide things they don't want others knowing.. So many details about this story made it feel very human. And that ending. Not wanting the person you love have to watch you slowly die, and there is nothing they can do about it.. Is that not something humans would naturally feel?

In conclusion: people have been wanting rainbow, sunshine, and kittens recently. Just because the show isn't happy.. or should I say more fantasy ideal driven.. doesn't mean it's not a good story. People can have different opinions about endings, yes; but why can't we agree the ending was good? Cause it was.. If you are hesitating to watch it; ignore all reviews, both good and bad, and go watch it. It really is worth watching, no matter your opinion on the ending or whether if it's BL or bromance..

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It's Not My Thing & That's Okay!

This is the first Thai GL series I've watched in AGES, which is why I'm disappointed that things turned out the way they did with this one. The premise is great but the execution falls flat. The first episode was incredible; it was exciting, it was entertaining, it made you want to come back for more and then the second episode happened. There was something that happened midway through that episode that gave me the biggest ick I've ever gotten while watching a series. It was sudden and unexpected but it happened.

There was a scene in the second episode where May "lost" Ai-oon and she was grasping at the physical space in front of her in an attempt to find her and there was this look on the actress's face that completely took me out of the scene. Her facial expressions, her body language, her vocal performance. It broke the immersion! I didn't feel like I was watching a drama anymore; it felt like I was watching an actress act out a role and that's never good. An actor's performance is supposed to make you forget that you're watching a drama. It should be that seamless, that effortless. They're supposed to disappear into their role and that's not what happened here. It quite literally gave me actress playing an emotion that doesn't quite fit. It was too over top and there was a LOT of overacting.

The actress playing Ai-oon, Namtan, was fine. I had no issues with her performance whatsoever. I felt like she captured the inner conflict of a woman struggling to find out what happened to her sister while falling for someone she shouldn't. There was a subtly to her performance that worked for her character. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for her counterpart, Film. This is the first series I've watched of both of them so this is my first exposure to both of them as actresses. Film's character, May, was already operating with a huge disadvantage. She was the epitome of a Mary Sue character. She was well-loved, successful, sympathetic, adored, and she had a tragic backstory to boot. May was very one-dimensional and flat as a character and I'm unsure if there was ever any dimension added because I didn't stick around to finish to see.

But anyway, her character was already at a disadvantage due to all those things and her performance didn't elevate that character in any way, shape, or form. Granted, everyone knows that you don't watch Thai GL (or BL) dramas for stellar acting performances. You watch for the queer love and pretty faces! However, I expected more and felt the audience deserved better from this story and we just didn't get that.

Sidenote: this story was also quite predictable. I immediately called May knowing that Ai-oon was pretending to be her sister but I don't know why. I don't know why she continued the charade knowing what she knew and that was the only reason I wanted to keep watching. I needed answers but my patience had run out and I couldn't be bothered anymore.

Honestly, I think this drama was the final nail in the coffin for me. I've struggled with watching most Thai GL dramas, which is why I don't watch as many of them as I could. I always end up dropping them for some reason or another, and this drama is no different. I just think this genre isn't for me, which sucks but I appreciate all sapphic love story attempts but life's too short to watch bad TV if I don't have to. What's even more unfortunate is that I think I probably would have been more receptive to all Thai GL dramas if they were as mass produced back when I initially started watching Thai BL dramas years ago. I think it's just a matter of being more exposed to different markets of Asian dramas so I'm simply more picky now.

Would I recommend this? Maybe? It depends on where you are in your Thai GL drama journey. If you're new to Thai GLs, then you may like it. If you're not new to any of these markets, then probably not. Would I rewatch this? No. Would I go back and finish this? Also, no.

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The best dramas break your heart first, then make every happy ending feel earned.

I have to admit, after finishing The Long Ballad, I intentionally lowered my expectations before starting Moonlit Reunion. I didn't want to expect another masterpiece. I simply wanted to enjoy the journey.
What I didn't expect was finding a drama that completely reminded me why I fell in love with fantasy C-dramas in the first place.
Moonlit Reunion is not perfect. Like most xianxia dramas, it has familiar tropes—hidden identities, ancient grudges, reincarnation, sacrifices, misunderstandings, and a destiny that seems determined to separate the leads. But what made it work for me was how emotionally invested I became in the characters. Instead of feeling repetitive, every revelation added another layer to the story and made me want to keep watching.
One of the biggest strengths of this drama is that it never relied solely on romance. The mystery surrounding the Cat Master, the Sinister Infant, the events from eighteen years ago, and the true identities of several characters kept me constantly curious. Every time I thought I had figured everything out, another piece of the puzzle appeared.
That balance between romance, mystery, fantasy, and suspense was exactly what kept me engaged from beginning to end.

Xu Kai once again proved why he's one of my favorite actors.
I've watched several of his dramas, and what impresses me most is his ability to portray different versions of the same character without making them feel identical.
As Mei Zhuyu, he wasn't the loud, overprotective male lead who constantly declared his love. Instead, he portrayed someone intelligent, composed, patient, and quietly devoted. He expressed love through actions rather than dramatic speeches.
The more the story unfolded, the more I appreciated his performance.
Whether he was investigating the truth, protecting Wu Zhen from the shadows, or carrying burdens he chose not to reveal, Xu Kai delivered every emotional scene with restraint. He never overacted, yet every expression carried weight.
By the time the final arc arrived, I realized that many of the drama's most heartbreaking moments worked because of how naturally he portrayed sacrifice.

Tian Xiwei completely surprised me.
I've always found her charming in romantic comedies, but Moonlit Reunion allowed her to show a much wider emotional range.
Wu Zhen could be playful, stubborn, mischievous, vulnerable, and incredibly courageous—all within the same episode.
She wasn't a perfect heroine, and that's exactly why I liked her.
She made mistakes.
She doubted herself.
She struggled with her identity as someone caught between the mortal and demon worlds.
Watching her gradually accept who she truly was made her character feel believable and relatable.
Most importantly, the chemistry between Tian Xiwei and Xu Kai never felt forced.
Their relationship grew naturally through trust, shared experiences, and countless sacrifices instead of instant romance.

The chemistry was one of the drama's greatest strengths.
Rather than relying on excessive romantic scenes, Moonlit Reunion focused on emotional intimacy.
Sometimes a simple glance, silent protection, or choosing each other despite impossible circumstances carried far more impact than grand romantic confessions.
Their relationship was built on mutual respect.
Neither character constantly needed saving by the other.
Instead, they repeatedly chose to protect one another, making their partnership feel balanced.
By the final episodes, I genuinely believed they belonged together.

Visually, this is one of the most beautiful fantasy dramas I've watched.
The cinematography deserves enormous praise.
Every location felt magical without looking overly artificial.
The moonlit forests, ancient temples, demon realm, and mountain landscapes all created an immersive fantasy world.
Several scenes genuinely looked like paintings.
The color palette shifted beautifully depending on the emotional tone of each arc.
Soft moonlight during romantic moments.
Cold blue tones during tragedy.
Warm golden lighting during reunion scenes.
Every frame felt carefully composed rather than simply filmed.


The soundtrack elevated every emotional moment.
One thing I always appreciate in a drama is when I can remember its music after finishing it.
Moonlit Reunion accomplished exactly that.
The background score never overpowered the scenes.
Instead, it quietly enhanced every confession, every sacrifice, every farewell, and every reunion.
Several emotional moments became unforgettable because the music knew exactly when to stay subtle and when to soar.

What I appreciated most was the pacing.
Unlike some fantasy dramas that become repetitive in the middle, I rarely felt the urge to skip scenes here.
Every major revelation answered one mystery while introducing another.
The story maintained enough momentum that I always wanted to know what happened next.
Even the numerous twists surrounding identities and the events from eighteen years ago eventually connected in satisfying ways.

The emotional payoff made the journey worthwhile.
I often say that my favorite xianxia dramas are the ones that emotionally destroy me first before rewarding me with a satisfying ending.
Moonlit Reunion delivered exactly that.
It gave me heartbreak.
It gave me sacrifices.
It gave me moments where I genuinely thought happiness was impossible for the characters.
But unlike tragedies that leave you emotionally exhausted, this drama remembered to reward both its characters and its audience.
By the time the final episode ended, I wasn't thinking about how much they suffered.
I was thinking about how much they deserved their happiness.
And that made all the pain worth it.

Final Thoughts
After watching many fantasy C-dramas over the past few months, I've realized that what keeps me invested isn't simply powerful cultivators or beautiful CGI.
It's the emotional journey.
The sacrifices.
The trust.
The quiet acts of love.
The feeling that every happy moment has been earned after everything the characters endured.
Moonlit Reunion reminded me why I enjoy this genre so much.
It isn't just another fantasy romance.
It's a story about destiny, identity, forgiveness, sacrifice, and choosing love despite impossible circumstances.
Xu Kai and Tian Xiwei delivered wonderful performances, supported by stunning cinematography, memorable music, and a world that felt both magical and emotionally grounded.
For me, this became another xianxia that successfully balanced fantasy with heartfelt storytelling.
It made me smile.
It made me anxious.
It made me cry.
And most importantly...
It gave me the emotional recovery I always look for after the heartbreak.

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there is a 10/10, and then there is ticket to heaven.

this show hits close to home. as a queer girl in a single sex catholic school, this show delivers a message and story so impactful that its difficult to put into words. the entire final episode i was sobbing. not JUST crying, i was full on blubbering, squinting through waterfalls of tears trying to read the subtitles. this story is so delicate, its entire premise is extremely sensitive and SO easy to mess up. but they didn't, and i am SO glad they didn't.

i want to keep this spoiler free, so i won't go into insane detail. what i will say is that gemini and fourth acted their asses off. i feel like i say that about actors in all my reviews, but i truly mean it here. i do not think i have ever seen acting this raw and emotional in a thai bl literally ever. not just gemini and fourth, the performance from ashi, the performance from the actor of the priest, the other students, literally EVERYONE delivered. the pain, the confusion, the shame, the guilt, i mean, you could see it all of tanrak's face. gemini did great, everyone did great, but fourth really deserves the MVP award here. tanrak is far from an easy character to act, and he played his part beautifully. if this performance doesn't earn fourth an award then i will personally riot in the streets.

the story here is beautiful, simply beautiful. while it may hit harder for me than others as i am actively living out a very similar circumstance to barth and tanrak, this story truly is for everyone. the religious elements are incredibly important to me due to my background, but anyone of any religious upbringing or faith can see themselves in either barth, or tanrak, or both. i sure saw myelf in both. i will warn anyone who is on the fence about watching this show that you are going to cry. thats just a nonnegotiable. you WILL cry, like, a lot. thats not a bad thing, but just be prepared before you start that first episode. if you want fluff, maybe go hit up duang with you. come back to this one another night.

overall, i can/t go into crazy detail about how incredible this show is, since i want to keep this spoiler free. however, i will say this: i truly believe ticket to heaven is one of the most meaningful and impactful pieces of queer media ever, out of all queer media, from all countries, and from all time periods. yes, ticket to heaven, in its short 6 episodes, moved not just MY heart, but the hearts of thousands of others in a way that very, VERY few pieces of queer media ever have. this show explores themes most other shows do not dare touch, and it does so with a quiet beauty. it trusts its audience, it does not go over the top and it does not hold your hand through the plot. ticket to heaven allows the audience to interpret many elements in their own way, and it allows the viewer to find the joys and pains of queerness and religion. i would do anything to watch this show again for the first time. these six weeks have gone far too quickly, and i will miss so so dearly the moments i shared with my barth and tanrak. this show is special, it is one of a kind, and it deserves all the acclaim it has received and more.

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Poured the petrol, but then lit the fire somewhere else

Burn the House Down promises a strong revenge thriller but ultimately delivers a slow-burn family drama. And I'm okay with that.

However, what I really didn't enjoy was the ick the storyline gave me. Up until the final episodes, I felt like a lot of time was spent on classist punching down. By the time the punching down stopped (or slowed at least), there wasn't really enough time left for the story to redeem itself in my eyes.

It didn't help that the overall direction kept on changing. This drama felt like the creators had decided to knit a scarf in one colour, only to then constantly change their minds and swap out colours while they pulled together the threads of the plot.

In a similar vein, the way some characters have been written felt too transactional. It was made insultingly clear that many of the supporting characters were there solely to fulfil key plot points and then kept around as hollow shells.

That said, despite dipping in and out of this drama, I did end up finishing it thanks to a just-curious-enough plot.

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THE GOAT SERIES

What a beautiful series! I am telling you I have watched a lot of bl series but none have managed to capture my heart like this right from the first sequence of the first episode, it beginning with when the marriage bill passed in 2025. Right from the first episode, and the past beginning from their first meeting being wonderfully portrayed as planned by god and them getting close together. Tanrak getting curious about Barth and Barth getting curious about Tanrak. The feelings then capture them both and how the pure beauty of the love, the guilt, the regrets all build up beautifully to more confusion and attraction. More doubts, more love and they travel through it all in the most soul-rendering way. Time comes, they had to choose between themselves and god, and shall I say what better way to convey them through their eyes. Not much dialogues were needed for the actors showcased them all through their eyes. The love, lust, guilt and what not. The plot by the best director himself, the storylining, the cinematography, the coloring, the music, and the icing on top given by the actors themselves, Geminifourth as barthtanrak, this series will make you feel a lot of emotions throughout the six hours and I promise you, you'd want to rewatfh to catch all the little deets. One of the best series so far. And definitely my top 5. RELIGIOUS GUILT CAN BE OVERCOME. You can choose yourself as well as God. Faith and Love always comes together.

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No One Prepared Me for This Series

This series seriously had me hooked from the first episode. I thought I was just casually watching, but somehow I got completely emotionally invested in every character and storyline. The plot twists were insane, the emotional moments felt so real, and the acting made everything even more powerful. There were scenes that genuinely gave me chills and others that completely broke my heart. What made the series stand out was how effortlessly it balanced deep emotions, drama, and unforgettable character development. The soundtrack and visuals were also perfect and made every moment hit harder. By the end, I just sat there staring at the screen because I couldn’t believe it was over. Definitely one of those series that stays in your head long after finishing it.

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The CUTEST romance I've watched in a while

When I had watched season 1 and season 2, I had gave up on yumi's cells tbh.. It felt like it was just stretching out. But for closure (?) I decided to watch Season 3 as well and it was just SO CUTE and i WISH it stretched out more than 8 episodes!! I especially loved the entire dynamic between the ml and fl and the whole representation of differences between both of their cells. In the beginning I was super impatient waiting for the romance but once it did start, I was constantly kicking my legs in the air 😭 They're just way too cute for me <333
Having new songs in the bg (most by skz I guess?) was fun but at the same time listening to the old music again felt a little boring? I would keep humming them or predicting when they would start with the most bored face ever.
I would *probably* not rewatch the first two seasons but this I would DEFINITELY watch.
<33

~Shini (✿◕‿◕✿)

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This Series is the Best

I started this series thinking it would just be another show to pass time, but it ended up becoming something I got completely attached to. Every episode had me emotionally invested, and the characters felt so real that their pain and happiness actually affected me. The storytelling was honestly addictive, with moments that made me laugh, cry, and stare at the screen in shock. The chemistry between the characters was incredible, and the emotional scenes hit way harder than I expected. The visuals, soundtrack, and overall vibe made everything feel so immersive. It’s the kind of series that leaves a weird emptiness after finishing because you know you’ll never experience it for the first time again. Truly one of the most unforgettable shows I’ve watched.

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most recent favourite!!

As someone who absolutely loves food and would read/watch anything which contains food, this drama was an absolute feast!! Every single episode had different kinds of food and regardless of how the cooking happens in most of the episodes, you get the main message about cooking in the end :))
Music and re recording was great!! While the acting and story do make it funny, the re recording is what exactly had me laughing even more xD
The comedy aspect was absolutely amazing. There wasn't a single episode where I didn't laugh. It was just too funny and the fact that they had grown adults doing all the stuff that they do in the drama 🤣 To be honest, it felt like reading a series of kids novels. Every single episode there's a new adventure for the mc to take on.
This drama also got me out of my slump. I was actually excited for every episode and was eager for them to be released.
When I saw park ji hoon, i thought this was just another drama where he's just a sad little guy but bro, he's not a sad little guy in this one.
Absolutely loved the rest of the cast too :D Ji hoon's family, his found family at the military (literally EVERYONE), the higher officials.
I don't know but this drama just seemed PERFECT to me. I would definitely rewatch it! Every single time I would feel like things are falling apart, i would watch it. Every single time I would feel like I miss home and food at home, I would watch it. Every single time I would feel like I'm losing interest in cooking/food or need to gain interest, I would watch it..

~Shini (✿◕‿◕✿)

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