Reviews

Breathless tension...

This was intense!!! I literally stopped breathing at certain points when the intense tension was so thick and then that one kiss in particular...you know which of them I'm referring too had me hold my breath and put a hand over my heart...the tension and passion was off the charts! The ending kept me guessing or double guessing...was it still the play or reality? Actors were amazing in their roles, they got me hook line and sinker! P.S. I am not a fan of any bit of dark stuff in my dramas, I prefer butterflies, rainbows and a necessary few conflicts that get neatly tied up at the end. I like to escape reality watching dramas not suffer more in the fantasy world too, so most of this pushed the envelope for me because of my preference, I would even have prefered a different ending...but here I am signing up for mydramalist just so I can leave this review because this little drama had me in its grip all the way through to the end...phew, I can breathe now! 🤪

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Dont get fooled by the negative reviews

This is definitely a show that you have to let marinate. At first it starts as a cliché fake marriage trope, thats why the acting feels off and exaggerated but as the story develops and the characters get attached to each other you can feel the chemistry building and the bond getting stronger, the interactions feel a lot more genuine and the acting natural - episode 8 is a good example of this. It might not win best kdrama award, it doesnt bring anything really new to the table but does every piece of media have to be innovative to be enjoyable.

Also, if you need one good reason to watch it just know that the producer is the same as Alchemy of Souls’, so the cinematography is just stunning.

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Great acting with an extremely bad ending.

Overall, the movie started a little bit slow and boring. I think the directors could have focused on building the characters slightly differently.

Park Ji-yeon's acting is amazing as always. Having seen her in different movies, there is no doubt about her performance as the main character. I loved it. But I think he could have been given a little bit more screen time; otherwise, in general, it is okay.

The acting of each of the characters is really good (there is no doubt in that); however, the overall story is a little bit empty. Like at the end of the movie—after watching it completely—you will feel empty. You don't feel joyful or moved by different emotions; it is just bad.

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Cute Japanese BL with an amnesia plot

PLOT: Fumiya and Ritsu were in love and lived together, but without any real communication. This led to arguments and a breakup. That day, Ritsu has an accident and suffers from (partial) amnesia. Fumiya tells him they were roommates and takes him back home. He figures that since they still love each other, it's a chance to start over. Together, they explore Ritsu's memories.

+++ The two actors, Kyoya Honda and Kosuke Suzuki, are handsome, talented, subtle, and have great chemistry.
+++ Good overall cast
+++ Skillful direction, no technical issues despite a limited budget.
+++ For once in japanese dramas, well-suited OSTs

=> A realistic and cute story.
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Cute Japanese BL with an amnesia plot

PLOT: Fumiya et Ritsu étaient amoureux, vivaient ensemble mais sans réelle communication. Cela a finit par des disputes et un break-up. Ce jour-là, Ritsu a 1 accident, et souffre d'amnésie (partielle). Fumiya lui dit qu'ils étaient colocataires et le ramène at home. Il se dit que puisqu'ils s'aiment tjs, c'est l'occasion de recommencer à 0. Ils vont ensemble explorer les souvenirs de Ritsu.

+++ The two actors, Kyoya Honda and Kosuke Suzuki, are handsome, talented, subtle, and have a good chemistry.
+++ Good overall cast
+++ Skillful direction, no technical issues despite a limited budget.
+++ For once, well-suited OSTs

=> A realistic and cute story.

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Perfect Crown Is Perfectly...Fine

**05/30/2026 Update**

I finally finished the drama, and I can't lie: I was even more underwhelmed by the last couple of episodes. They were so boring, I would've abandoned the drama if I hadn't been watching it with someone else. There was virtually no tension or suspense during the climax, and everything was predictable.

The drama continued to LOOK beautiful (and so did IU and Byeon Woo Seok), but it was truly one of the blandest things I've ever watched. So, for that, I'm gonna have to knock half a star off my original rating and bring it down to 4.5 out of 10.

As someone who's been watching K-dramas for decades, I still can't believe how lackluster they've become. I don't know how, but I really hope this changes in the future.

**********************************************************************************************************

My personal rating system:

5.0= Average (aka "Not bad, but not good." IYKYK)

There's a Romcom Problem...and unfortunately, Perfect Crown doesn't escape it.

For a long time now, audiences have been complaining about the lack of squealing, heart-racing, butterfly-inducing content in modern romcoms. I am one of those audience participants.

Many issues have been identified, but if I talk about all of them this review would be longer than "War and Peace". So I'm going to talk about two: realism and the fear of “cringe”. Realism and the fear of cringe are the reasons why live-action Disney movies look so drab instead of vivid. Realism and the fear of cringe are why so many superhero flicks were dark and gritty until recently. Realism and the fear of cringe are why so many movies and TV shows (and arguably books) are predictable. It's negatively impacted almost every art medium and genre, but none as bad as the romance genre—particularly romcoms. That’s why so many of them, including Perfect Crown feel…lukewarm.

I've already mentioned this in a comment, but modern-day romcoms are trying too hard to stay grounded in reality. In doing so, much of the whimsical, epic, SWEEPING moments that became traits of the genre are either non-existent or feel muted. Perfect Crown's issue is the latter. It's a shame because I FEEL the director trying to create those moments for us, but I can also feel the screenwriter and whoever edited it practically chanting, "A realistic modern-day monarchy. A realistic modern-day monarchy. A REALISTIC MODERN-DAY MONARCHY." Why does it have to be so realistic when that's not what the genre's about? People watch romcoms to be swept up in a fantasy, but a lot of screenwriters and networks are forgetting that. They're too busy worrying about audiences finding their drama "cringe”, whether it's more profitable to make the leads red flags, green flags, or morally gray, and waiting to see what therapy terms people will incorrectly use to describe the relationship dynamics. It's obvious, and why Perfect Crown ultimately fails to stand out. I applaud it for trying to take us back to the romcom basics, but with two HUGE stars like IU and Byeon Woo Seok + an obscenely large budget, they needed to go wayyyyy BIGGER. This is a Cinderella love story (if Cinderella was already rich) at heart. And Cinderella’s a classic fairytale. We needed more whimsy, more drama, elaborate costumes, and ardent declarations of love! Not uneventful royal soirées with dresses that look straight off the rack at Nordstrom, baseball games where nothing cute or fun happens, and a Temu Titanic scene. People are calling the Temu Titanic scene cringe, but my problem was it being tame and lacking creativity. I’ve seen audiences forgive “cringe” in favor of novelty. If Prince I-an wanted to “fly”, Hui Ju should’ve taken him on a hot air balloon or something. Realistically, a yacht makes the most sense, but again, that’s the problem.

Yesterday I watched episode 7, and I literally turned to the person I was watching it with during Prince I-an's confession, and asked, “Was this drama prescribed alprazolam???" That was one of the most lackluster confession scenes I've ever seen in...anything. And it's because the drama's trying to do this whole "realistic, every-day" thing. Again, most people aren't looking for that vibe in a romcom with princes, princesses, and palaces. So stop holding back. Go all the way. Aim to give us a confession we’ll be quoting for months.

Now that I've finished talking about Perfect Crown's main issues, I want to get into the nitty gritty. I’ll start with the things I found lukewarm, then end on a positive note with the things that were good.


THE LUKEWARM

• PRINCE I-AN: I don't know how it's possible, but Byeon Wook Seok looks even prettier here than Lovely Runner. Seriously, what's his skin care routine??? The man's skin is supple. The man is glowing. He's doing the best he can with I-an, but the character simply is not dynamic or memorable. I love to write, so I've taken writing courses, and done a lot of studying on my own. If you want a character who feels 3-dimensional, you're supposed to be able to answer these 4 questions about them:

1. What does your character want?
2. What does your character need?
3. What drives your character?
4. What secret does your character have?

And why? (For all of them).

I know I-an wants Hui-ju, and the drama's done a good job showing us why. I also know he might want to rule, but why? Just because he's the overlooked second son? Sorry, but the drama hasn't shown I-an being particularly passionate about helping his subjects or wanting to further a certain cause. Does he want to get rid of homelessness? Save the dolphins? We know nothing. The only reason he forced his high school to make the archery field accessible to everyone was because of Hui-ju, not because he's passionate about inequality between the social classes.

I also don't know what he needs. Now I know some people will gleefully take this opportunity to nitpick or get trite with answers like, "He needs family!" or "He needs love!" Yeah...we all need those things as humans. What else? What does he specifically need?

What drives him?? Why does he even want the crown? It can't just be because he's been passed over for it in the past. That's lazy writing. What does he actually want to accomplish if he becomes the emperor?

Lastly, aside from the poorly kept secret of I-an and Hui Ju’s fake relationship, we found out another one this episode: I-an has the burnt remains of his brother's letter abdicating the throne, and passing it to him. Predictable, but a good secret nevertheless.

But yeah, at the end of the day, Prince I-an is an extremely forgettable character who feels incomplete. There's nothing engaging or nuanced about him. (And this is coming from someone who loves “nice and/or kind guys”, so it’s not because he isn’t a “bad boy”.)

• THE ANTAGONISTS: Yoon Yi-rang (aka the Empress Dowager) could've been an amazing antagonist. Instead she's one-note and underutilized. I couldn’t answer the 4 character questions above about her with a gun to my temple, much less the why’s. It would've been nice to see what she was doing in high school. Did she go to an academy like I-an and Hui Ju? Or did she go to a finishing school of sorts where the whole curriculum was being a good royal wife? It would've been so easy to humanize her by giving her this inner conflict of: my whole life was about supporting my husband, and now it's about supporting my son. What...do I want? The screenwriter could've even given her a cute/unique hobby she has to hide because it’s “un-empress-like”, but she can’t help but enjoy it. Nope. She's basically a cartoon villain who only cares about power via her son.

Yoon Yi-rang's father Yoon Seong Won is the other villain, and he's barely worth mentioning.

• THE PLOT: Yoboseyo?? Are you there? I didn't expect this drama to be plot-heavy because most romcoms aren't, but all the characters do is go to work, the palace, and get Subway. We need better palace intrigue (those who know me will laugh at that), political interference the Prime Minister has a hard time stopping, and more imaginative royal events and parties. The need for realism strikes again! Where's the creativity?

• THE WARDROBE/COSTUMES!!!!: Uh...for a drama about princes and princesses, and the uber rich, WHERE IS THE FASHION???? Is it hiding with the plot? Perfect Crown has had some of the most basic outfits I've ever seen! Every time the drama tried to do a big outfit reveal with Hui Ju, it was just a boring suit! LOLLLLLL. They expected my jaw to drop for a suit???? They weren’t even interesting. They were very regular. I know Hui Ju is a CEO, but she's already a rule-breaker, so let that actually translate to her sense of fashion in a meaningful way. And no, Hui Ju wearing a suit while everyone else is wearing evening gowns or hanboks doesn't count. A suit is still a suit at the end of the day, and an outfit known for being functional and practical doesn’t fit Hui Ju's personality even though the costume designer is trying to tell us it does. The whole drama exists because Hui Ju does outlandish, impractical things like enter into a fake marriage with a prince to raise her social standing. Her clothing choices don’t reflect that. Even her gowns and hanboks were lackluster. The peachy, tulle gown she wore in episode 6? Revolutionary! I’ve never seen that before. What an interesting choice for a bold character -_- Prince I-an’s black and gold royal uniform ate her up in that scene. In fact, his suits are often more interesting than Hui Ju’s when it comes to cut, style, and color. However, if I had to give one character best dressed, it would be Yoon Yi-rang—which isn't saying much, but her outfits are better than everyone else's.


THE GOOD

• SEONG HUI JU: She's a polarizing figure. People either love her or hate her—which means she's well-written. (Btw, just because a character is universally liked, it doesn't mean they're well-written. People can wrap their heads around that when it comes to male characters, but they’re still working on it with female characters). I happen to love Hui Ju. She's ambitious, intelligent, assertive, arrogant, resilient, and kind (she's kind, NOT nice. Kind and nice can overlap, but they aren't the same thing. I will not be debating this. The only thing I'll say is kind people actually tend to rock the boat and piss people off in society. They don't mind hurting feelings or offending people in order to do the right thing. Whereas, nice people tend to go with the flow and worry about offending/hurting others, sometimes to the point of being people pleasers. Do some research if you're curious. The differences are interesting). I can easily answer all 4 characters questions about Hui Ju. They're obvious, so I won't bother going into them here. She's an engaging character, and IU's comedic chops are not lost on me. Just wish Hui Ju had better fashion sense.

• THE CHEMISTRY: I didn't know if IU and Byeon Woo Seok were going to have any chemistry. This is something a lot of people were wondering about before the drama came out, and now that it has I think it’s safe to say they do. It's not the tense or explosive kind of chemistry, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't there. I'm not surprised because IU tends to have pretty good chemistry with most of her co-stars. She comes across as someone who’s chill and easy to get along with, and it's not hard for that kind of person to connect with others. I've only seen Byeon Woo Seok in Lovely Runner, but judging by people’s reactions to 20th Century Girl, he might have that same charm.

• THE ACTING: In addition to IU and Byeon Woo Seok's cute chemistry, the acting is what's keeping me watching. I love IU's little facial expressions, and comedic timing. And Byeon Woo Seok is doing a great job at acting smitten with her. Prince I-an’s eyes are full of fondness whenever he stares at Hui Ju. Their love story is sweet, and I want to see what happens with it. It's just a shame these two solid actors are wasted on such a mediocre script (I still can't believe it won MBC's Screenwriting Contest. This was really the most creative, impressive thing in the bunch???).

• TRYING TO GO BACK TO THE ROMCOM BASICS: There are a lot of things about Perfect Crown that could be better, but I do want to applaud it for TRYING to give us a whimsical fairytale romance. It’s trying to make us swoon and give us butterflies like the romcoms of old. There's no magic, time travel, serial killers, robots...etc. The focus is on I-an and Hui Ju’s relationship. A romcom in its purest form. But to be a solid one, Perfect Crown needed to let go of its fear of being cringe and unrealistic. Screenwriters nowadays seem to be scared of the words "romantic” (the irony), “sappy”, "outlandish" when they actually need to be leaning into those words to get the genre back on track. I mean, some viewers are already calling it cringe, so they might as well take it all the way and give us something unique and MEMORABLE.

We're more than halfway through the drama, so I don't expect much to change, but if it does I'd be happy to amend my comment. Perfect Crown had the opportunity to dust off the romcom crown and place it on its own head, but a failure to commit to the fairytale, and trying to make the story feel realistic and "accessible" only make it “fine” instead of great or amazing.

With that said, this is MDL so I know I have to leave a little disclaimer:

• I am allowed to have my own opinions. You don't have to agree with me and I don't have to agree with you.
• Constructive criticism is something that exists. Not liking every single thing about a drama is NOT hate.
• I'm open to respectful discussions, but not arguing. I have a job and other responsibilities. I will simply block you and you'll be talking to yourself in the comments (perhaps that’s what some of you want?).
• If things get too crazy, I'll nip everything in the bud and just disable the comments.

This is the longest review I've ever posted, and it's for an extremely popular drama. I’ve seen what some of you have done to others, so let’s keep it cute >.> I’ll be watching episode 8 later today.

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10/10 Best Series by BossNoeul

This is one of the most captivating BL series I've watched so far. The visuals, color grading, CGI, storyline, and especially the performances by Boss and Noeul as P'Cir and N'Phu were outstanding. The series is a complete package, blending action, drama, comedy, and fantasy seamlessly.
Kudos to the entire cast and crew of the TBNW series-every actor played their role perfectly, with no one feeling unnecessary or like a wasted resource. The parallel world element added an exciting twist, and Boss delivered a spectacular performance. Plus, the OSTs (Parallel, Stay) are among the best in the industry for a series. I encourage everyone to give this incredible series a chance with an open mind and without bias. It's definitely a watch worth your time!
P. S: NC is among the best in the industry, and we're talking about BossNoeul here. Their romance and romantic scenes are simply unmatched and untouchable.

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10/10 Best Series by BossNoeul

This is one of the most captivating BL series I've watched so far. The visuals, color grading, CGI, storyline, and especially the performances by Boss and Noeul as P'Cir and N'Phu were outstanding. The series is a complete package, blending action, drama, comedy, and fantasy seamlessly.
Kudos to the entire cast and crew of the TBNW series-every actor played their role perfectly, with no one feeling unnecessary or like a wasted resource. The parallel world element added an exciting twist, and Boss delivered a spectacular performance. Plus, the OSTs (Parallel, Stay) are among the best in the industry for a series. I encourage everyone to give this incredible series a chance with an open mind and without bias. It's definitely a watch worth your time!
P. S: NC is among the best in the industry, and we're talking about BossNoeul here. Their romance and romantic scenes are simply unmatched and untouchable.

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heartwarming , extremely funny but nothing special ....

although this drama's plot is quite cliche yet it keeps you watching , almost all of the cases were heartwarming especially when he helped those wronged souls who couldn't get the justice they deserve after their death , the drama was great on so many levels yet nothing was special about it even when they tried to give it some depth it was rushed multiple times.

the case with the will where the wife forged her husband's will to give some shares of the company to her friend's son it really annoyed me although that friend helped in building their company , the wife had to right to forge her husband's will as she could have discussed it with her son and when we get to know it was out of guilt because she caused her friend's arrest back then as a north korean spy it even became more annoying although that friend turned out to be alive and the government were keeping an eye on her as they suspected her to spy it didn't make it better for me .

Do gyeong's is the most characterless person I have ever seen , like what was he doing he admired na hyeon and he let the gang attack her and ML all for the recorder his father wanted , I mean she could have been killed , and when he got the recorder he didn't tell his father , why exactly ? he didn't trust his father or wanted to held it as a leverage ? not a smart character and a very indecisive one .

usually any drama would have a main antagonist , so who was the main antagonist here was Do gyeong or his father ? from the events I guess it was the father , he even didn't get that much screen time , for me either Do gyeong or his father were both weak antagonist .

although the romance was barely there , i glad they didn't force it.

the last case with shin gi jung , was quite rushed , at first I was frustrated like how ML didn't trust his father and wanted to let him go without trying to know the truth I mean he should know the man who raised him better than anyone , and when he didn't remember how he died and that byeong il injected him with drugs before his death didn't make sense as he clearly saw him before he died , I mean this was supposed to be the biggest case in all of this , the great finale yet it ended up being rushed and unsatisfying.

overall a quite funny and heartwarming drama with a lot of wasted potential .

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10/10 The Taiwanese BL All-Stars Series

As "Kiseki" was written by Pei Yu-Lin, who also wrote the scripts of series like "History2: Crossing the Line", "History
3: Trapped", both "We Best Love" series, and many more, it was clear from the start that this series would be good, and in my opinion it is by far the best Taiwanese BL series of 2023.
Bai Zong Yi (Taro Lin), a 17-year-old student, finds himself drawn into the world of Fan Ze Rui (Hsu Kai), a gangster who is about 5 years older than him. After Ze Rui has been injured, Zong Yi takes care of him and allows him to stay in his flat. Of course the two young men fall in live, but tragedy looms around every corner which makes Zong Yi end up in prison. There's a lot of drama, fighting, betrayal, and of course love, and the story is so exciting that waiting a whole week for the next episode was torture. The series is very well written and directed, and the cast is simply gorgeous.
Like in many series before, I caught a serious "second couple syndrome",
" because Nat Chen as Chen Yi and Louis
Chiang as Ai Di/Eddy are not only extremely handsome, but in contrast to other second couples in BL series, their characters are meticulously drawn and developed.
This series could also be entitled "The Taiwanese BL AII-Stars Series", because many stars of the genre have support or guest roles or cameos, among them Wilson Liu, Wayne Song and Huang Chun Chih (Make Our Days Count), Aaron Lai and Hank Wang (Be Loved In Housae, I Do), and many more.

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Not Just Another Highschool BL

We all know the premise, highschool, two boys, falling in love. But this show genuinely subverted every single expectation.

From giving both characters well nuanced personal problems they had to work through, to having their relationship build up be genuinely so natural and authentic. This show took what I thought was a genre I had seen every possible take of (see: highschool jbls) and gave me a concoction I never even knew was possible until I had already been served it.

I loved how none of the problems either character was going through was all that easily solvable. How the hurdles were ones they kept tripping over time and time again, even with the help of each other and their friends. (Shout-out to Kanata's friend group, specially mizuki —we love emotionally intelligent female characters in bls!— and Akira's brother's best friend, such a breath of fresh air to have nunaced supporting characters.) It did feel slightly frustrating to watch in the moment, having the cast of characters confront the same issue for episodes at a time, but it felt incredibly realistic to the nature of things in real life? And I fear that frustration is in parts because of how accustomed we've grown to conflicts being so easily solved or sweeped under a rug in shows for convenience. So it was nice to take a moment to sit with that discomfort and watch the characters constantly show up for each other even when zero problems were actually getting solved.

Also loved how the teenage characters in the show were treated with so much maturity?? (Except for when Akira, a minor, was alluded to have constantly hooked up with his former tutor who without a doubt was well into his twenties 😭 I'm glad his character was genuinely remorseful for it and did admit to having used Akira, and letting Akira use him, for them both to get over their gay heartbreaks but bro, why a minor of all people orz) Their problems and emotions in the moment were treated with so much sincerity within both the narrative and by the fellow characters, which I feel isn't something we see often.

The two main leads were incredibly well cast, cos not once did I ever get broken out of the illusion of the show during my watch. And while this is pretty much the norm for Japanese bls with how well they deliver 9 out of 10 chances, I still feel it deserves acknowledgement.

Overall, genuinely a beyond amazing watch. I'm so glad I stuck around for it.

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Started Strong, Fell into Formulaic (Dropped)

This is a drop review—commentary on more than half the season.

I thought this started strong but then gradually settled into okay. I’m not sure if it became sleepy or too predictable for me.

What initially drew me in was the theme—a powerful demon controls dreams. But I’ve probably watched too many dramas that follow the same formula: betrayal, revenge, and a misunderstanding. Then a brief reconciliation, a second separation, and the rest of the story focuses on reuniting. So, I decided to stop watching once it felt like the story was looping back into the same pipeline.

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A Quick and Entertaining Legal Watch

Phantom Lawyer begins on a strong note, blending humor and emotion before gradually introducing a deeper layer of mystery around episode five. Its short, fast-paced format keeps the story engaging without unnecessary drag, making it an easy and enjoyable watch. The male lead stands out with a particularly impressive performance, bringing both charisma and emotional depth to the role.
The drama maintains a good balance between lighthearted moments and suspense, keeping viewers invested throughout. While there are moments where the writing leans into typical dramatic choices(especially in episode 15) they don’t take away much from the overall experience. For the most part, the story remains entertaining and holds attention well.
The final episode delivers a satisfying conclusion, wrapping things up with an emotional and heartfelt touch. The ending feels fitting and leaves a positive impression.
Overall, Phantom Lawyer is a fun, engaging drama that doesn’t overstay its welcome. With solid performances and a compelling pace, it’s definitely worth the watch

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Are 6 bad episodes worth watching???

This is one bad high school love drama. The production team managed to capture the same beauty clothing but failed the rest. None of the four main characters are likable unlike the previous series “Story of Yanxi Palace”

Princess Zhao Hua has no brainy compare to her mother at the same age. This character is arrogant and immature. Fu Kang An, they ruined this character. His personality changed way too much from the previous series. I believe he was an innocent and obedient kid in the previous series hence it’s unbelievable when he comes up with this nonsense revenge for Er Qing . What’s worse is that they made him a son of the fourth sibling. The desperation for
La Wang Duo Er Ji is “Boring”. He is supposed to be sharper given his experience from the battlefields and part of the reason why I don’t like this character is that the actor fails to deliver his character properly.
Si Wan Ge Ge is textbook antagonist, lacks of depth.

If we talk about the story, one word I can describe it is nonsense. ML failed in love with FL in less than one day because he felt rejected and his ego got hurt?? And he felt pity for ML that her sister was plotting against her?? FL and 2nd ML also doesn’t make sense. I need more logic from these characters.

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