If you want to empathise with people around you, JUST WATCH IT
After so long, i get to watch a kdrama like this, full of emotions and the true representation of human vulnerability. This drama also motivated me to try my best in my particular field. After "When life gives you tangerines", this drama brought out my emotions. I also wondered why this drama didn't get the global popularity it truly deserved like "Perfect Crown". The story, overall plot, and the acting was way too realistic. Character "Hwang Do Man" was my favourite, the actor Koo Kyo Hwan nailed it, other than him, i liked the character of Byeon Eun A, and also Park Gyeong Se, the true representation of "don't judge a book by it's cover", at start i didn't liked him but as the story progressed i started empathising with him, actually not with him solely, but i started empathise with every character involved in this story. Also one character is underrated "Lee Jun Hwan", the friend of Hwang Dong Man who didn't leave him and judged him like others, he stayed with him from the start to end, i liked this quality of his character. Seeing Park Hae Joon as Hwang Jin Man, after "When Life Gives You Tangerines" with him given a deep character in this drama truly made my mood.Was this review helpful to you?
Best Drama
Some dramas entertain you for a moment, but some stay with you long after they end. “We’re All Trying Here” is one of those dramas.No wonder I loved this drama — it’s written by the same writer behind My Mister & My Liberation Notes.
It feels quiet and simple on the surface, yet emotionally heavy underneath. The kind of drama that understands loneliness, exhaustion, and the feeling of trying your best while life keeps testing you.
I love how realistic the characters are — imperfect, tired, lost, yet still somehow moving forward. No unnecessary exaggeration, just raw emotions and human struggles that feel painfully real.
Every episode felt comforting and heartbreaking at the same time. Like a reminder that everyone is quietly fighting their own battles 🤍
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Entertained me in a way it definitely shouldn't have
As most of the reviews said, the show is truly dissapointing.The pilot and the show are completely different. The investment in couples is uneven. PrimBambi storyline is absurd, MinPraew is too corny and boring, and ShaGorya is probably the only reason I didn't drop the series.
I know that the plot is a major problem in thai GLs, but this is genuinely a nasty cash grab, no offence. This only plays out because it's GL and it has gorgeous popular actresses. I wouldn't see any other reason to watch this. It gets so ridiculous to the point I was laughing during apparently sad scenes.
Oh, and one thing. The editing makes me pull my hair. Video and audio wise. The music is boring and sometimes not on point for the scene. Video editing in the first episodes is bizzare, but it gets much better near the middle.
Yet, despite all of this, it was weirdly entertaining, mostly thanks to acting and eye-candy facecards. Even though Bambi's inadequate decisions (seriously, it's not even about her being a brat, it's about having the total lack of intelligence and morality) and MinPraew's boring storyline is hard to haul. At least the show made me cackle every 5 minutes, either out of frustration or ridiculousness of events.
I honestly don't understand why people attack Gorya for being 'a bitch', when she has the most mature behaviour among all of them. I do know she slept with Shasha for attention seeking, but she let Shasha know about this at the start, and I don't think that instanly giving in to a disloyal playgirl would a better move. Instead, people praise Bambi for being fun. Well, she IS fun. But I wouldn't let her be even at 1 km near me. The way she treats Prim is simply insane and stupid. And Prim's giving in to this bullshit is even more wild.
I'm not even sure if the show should've had less or more episodes. The storyline did get more interseting and deep towards the end, but they just rushed the finale with a boring scene.
Anyways, it's a good show to watch when you just want to see pretty women and good acting with a need of big laugh and your brain turned off. You have better fish to fry though, even in this low-budget series field. My overall rating is not 1.0 merely because Mate exists.
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A decent sequel
This was an enjoyable watch, while I admit it dit not really add much closure to the first original series it was fun to see the characters in a more movie like pacing and setting.Had I seen this a year after the first it would have been a lovely reunion, but since I saw it right after the series Ill just say it was nice to see what would happen 3 years on, aired in October 2020 I could not help but wonder if it was filmed pree covid or if they made the coice to just ignore it. Still I enjoyed watching it.
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Beautiful story
I wasn't expecting much when I started watching it and even found it a bit boring at the start. I thought it was the typical medical drama with an arrogant but talented doctor who gets away with reckless behavior time and time again. Instead, it turned out not to be just about him, but about his other colleagues and patients too.Xiaofeng, indeed, is a boring character but he is such a good person and doctor. If only all doctors could be like him, what an ideal world it would be! The actress playing Xiaoran really did a good job. She was cute and sunny without being childish and annoying. Even the actors who played patients acted really well. There's just this one guy who doesn't quite fit - Prof. Fang's boyfriend. I'm not even sure what his role really is. Is he her boyfriend or driver or assistant? He only appears when Prof. Fang needs a chauffeur. In one episode, Xiaoran mentioned that he's her mom's boyfriend, but he doesn't act like one at all and he looks younger than Prof. Fang.
For the romance department, there are two love stories. I couldn't really feel the chemistry between Xiaofeng and Chen Yue. Probably because Xiaofeng had to stay true to his character of being a "robot-like" guy, he didn't exude the impression that he really loved Chen Yue. He didn't even cry when they broke up! Plus, they didn't have any intimate scenes at all. The whole drama only had one kissing scene and it wasn't Xiaofeng and Chen Yue lol!
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Bridget Jones meets Sex and the City in Japan
Tis is a fun combination of Bridget Jones meets Sex and the City in a Japanese more down to earth context, shorter, less flashy, beer instead of cocktails. Adorable instead of super sexy. Also with very lovable characters and cute illustrations. The friendships are top, top, top, makes you wish you had your own group of girls nights. The male sides are truly there just as side characters all have their own charm and are truly fun to watch. Some make questionable choices and I am not 100% on board with every message in this and I also admit most of the plot twists can be smelled an episode or two away. That said I really enjoyed this binge.Was this review helpful to you?
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angsty romance at its best
Okay whew this was a RIDE with lots of highs and lows lmfao. So firstly let me say that if you've only seen really recent wuxia dramas, on a technical level this is not going to live up to those. The costuming honestly looks really cheap (excluding a few really nice pieces for the women), the props and sets are kinda meh, etc etc. It was clearly doing what it could with a smaller budget. (I will say there are some moments of really nice cinematography tho!) The script could also use some polishing. There are plot holes and "reveals" that genuinely just retcon things that were previously established, but the character writing for Moxin-Mowan and the romance are honestly so good that I didn't even care about that 85% of the time.The plot summary on here is too inaccurate for my tastes, so let me give a brief one: Moxin, the Empress, has a miscarriage and some magical device body swaps her and her sister Mowan. Moxin, in Mowan's body, then rushes out of the palace seeking help and runs into Junqing. They're being chased and fall off a cliff, causing Moxin to lose her memories. "Moxin" enters a coma due to the miscarriage and dies. When Moxin recovers her memories, she vows to find the people responsible for attempting to kill her and get revenge.
The first 10 episodes while Moxin has amnesia are mostly cute and fun, but incredibly underwhelming when compared to the rest of the show. Once Moxin recovers her memories, the intrigue of her revenge mission in the palace is genuinely some of my favorite writing I've seen for any CDrama — genuinely some of the most exquisite and complex writing for a FL that I've seen and the cutthroat politics of palace life is clearly a strength for the writers. Imo the quality starts to dip slightly around ep 28 and there are a lot of just straight up bizarre writing choices between episodes 31-34, but the resolution really saved it and practically the entirety of the final episode had me VIBRATING in my seat.
Let's get into some more details re Moxin and the romance tho! F*ck all the Moxin haters, she's one of my fave FLs! She's allowed to be angry! She's allowed to be spiteful and cruel! She's allowed to hurt people who love her and is forgiven! She's willing to go to whatever lengths she feels is required to get her revenge, including sleeping with someone she despises bc she needs to gain his trust! What a refreshing and complicated character. She loves Junqing and as much as it pains her to walk away from their romance, she values revenge(/arguably justice) over any of her other feelings. So she pushes him away to try to protect him. But he sees through it. He knows she must have some deeper reason for getting closer to the Emperor (his brother, Hongyi) and that her feelings were real. So she pushes him away harder, even though it is agonizing for her to do so. But because her desire to protect him, the mask keeps slipping and she keeps expressing concern and fear for him. They continue this angsty push-pull until Junqing becomes aware of the fact that the Emperor punished the wrong people for "Moxin's" death and that she's trying to avenge her sister and he reaffirms his loyalty to her. Like oh my god Chen Zheyuan is sooooooo swoon-worthy in this. (Altho when is that not the case? LOL.) And when they're finally on the same page and working together???????? OUGH EPISODE 27 MY BELOVED!!!!!!!!!!! Like this romance is genuinely exquisite and it pains me that so many ppl on here are caught up in crucifying Moxin for being "flawed" and hurting Junqing's feelings because I love them SO MUCH.
Unfortunately around this time when they solidify their relationship — Moxin finally accepting his help and admitting her feelings — is when the plot kinda starts to dip in quality. Upon reaching the penultimate episode I realized that certain writing decisions happened for a big battle sequence and like, yeah, that certainly is one way to resolve the Junqing vs Hongyi conflict but given how intimate (for lack of a better word) the story had been up until this point, I do think it would have been better and made more sense to stay small scale — Junqing & Moxin vs Hongyi (instead of volunteer army vs palace army LOL). Again, the final episode and a half absolutely saved it and overall this is definitely one of my fave CDramas, but there are undeniably flaws lmao. (Also no other place to put this thought, but I feel weird not saying it — the two enemy kingdoms that are really peripheral for the first 2/3 of the show start getting a lot of attention in the last third and I just feel uncomfy w how they were portrayed given how CDramas tend to portray those who are not Han Chinese.....)
But anyway if you like angsty romances this is absolutely must watch in my book!! Just rip for the 31-34 stretch, those episodes are really truly Rough lol.
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This is what people should be afraid of AI becoming
Am I the only one thinking that this is showing us what they are trying to do with AI? It's terrifying to think about not being able to tell a robot from a human.There are two reasons I didn't like the romance (even though I enjoyed the show). 1.) The main love interest, Immortal Four, is an AI biometric robot. Being in a romantic relationship with a robot screams of mental problems that we know Luo Bushi definitely has (and for good reason). 2.) Luo Bushi literally had to buy him. I don't know how else they would have been able to be together, but this rubs me the wrong way, robot or not.
Don't get me wrong, the romance could be cute at times, and honestly, I wish that Immortal Four would have kept his "sadistic switch" glasses on, but I'm also a person with common sense, so I was thinking the whole time about all the things that could go wrong if this were a real-life scenario, God forbid, so all the dates and sugery sweet moments felt hallow because I was not only thinking about how emotion even worked for an AI, AKA it shouldn't, and if Immortal Four would need actual maintenance over the years. Lou Bushi keeps planning things like he was going to kick the bucket first when Immortal Four could literally die first. They don't really go into much detail about how the Immortal line of robots works, but I doubt their storage capacity is infinite. They can probably get viruses like a computer. Could they break a limb, say, from being hit by a car, and need replacing? Also, why do they bleed blood and not oil? Does that need to be replenished or replaced after so many miles, like a car?
These are only a few of the things that went through my head while watching. I'm too tired to list everything, it is 3:30 a.m.
Also, how was this kid made? Does he age pretty much normally? Why don't we see any pictures of him growing up?
The overly dramatic shots were so over the top that they became funny. I couldn't hold in my laugh at the dart-catching scene in episode 1. Thankfully, as the series progressed, these kinds of shots became fewer and fewer . . . or maybe I got so used to them that I stopped noticing? I'm gaslighting myself.
One of the little things that got very annoying was the inconsistencies. A phone not being where it should have been, a head tilted one way in a camera shot to be tilted the opposite way in another, a phone being dead and then suddenly not, and a very dark hicky being there only to be gone a couple of hours later. These are just a few examples, and they are very noticeable and just little things that didn't need to be there.
Acting was good. I normally don't like tsundere or masochist, but Luo Bushi was both without being overbearing or annoying. Kevin did a good job at playing a robot, and he really had the body built for it *whistle*. The characters were built up enough to make me care about them, even though the emotional investment was low.
Our second couple was cute, but I'm also really glad they didn't steal the show for me. Normally, I'm more interested in the second couple than our mains, and even though I liked Lin Jia and Zhen together, I was more interested in our main pair. And it wasn't just because Lin Jia's problem was solved almost right away by Luo Bushi, the chemistry wasn't there, or anything like that. It was because Luo Bushi's attitude and past hooked me from the very beginning.
Speaking of his past, I wanted more. The trauma is there, but I wanted to see the build-up to that trauma and how fast things went from happy to devastating. I wanted to see the aftermath of everything, about how Luo Bushi went from the well-behaved studious kid to the boy we are introduced to. There was a lot of wasted potential here.
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Not Your Average Lakorn Action
I found myself thoroughly enjoying this action-packed Thai romance. I've always liked Baifern as an actress and have watched many of Tor's dramas, but surprisingly, it was Porsche who completely stole my heart in this movie.At first glance, what starts out as a standard youth romance centered on a love triangle quickly becomes something much more enjoyable. Instead of focusing on romantic rivalry, the film places equal emphasis on the friendship and camaraderie between the three leads, making their bond just as compelling as the romance itself. Best of all, it avoids the usual second-lead heartbreak that often leaves viewers emotionally scarred.
The romance is adorable and gives you all the warm fuzzy feelings without taking away from the action. And speaking of action, I was genuinely impressed. As someone who's watched enough lakorns to expect chaotic gunfights and questionable logic, I wasn't expecting much. Instead, the film delivered energetic and well-choreographed fight scenes that enhanced the viewing experience. And Patcha as Chaba? Iconic. The queen was fighting in high heels and still managed to deliver aggressive, tightly choreographed action scenes. Respect.
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This review may contain spoilers
I really liked these types of stories where the audience gets divided on who to side with. I honestly get both of their sides, especially the turning point or like the trigger of their breakup. Throughout the series, we always see Daji compromising and simply following the orders of their superior and Shui being stubborn and wanting to follow his own desires when it comes to directing or filming. It was the only time when they switched places, Daji being stubborn and not wanting to push through, and Shui complying with their superiors. They both were valid. Daji ultimately decided to do the movie because she wanted to save their love; it was supposed to be their story, which the executive producer literally altered to the point that it no longer resembled their own. To her, it seemed pointless. But that was Shui's dream. He already gave it up at the beginning because he wanted to marry Daji, and even lost the opportunity when he won first place in the contest. I think that's also one of the reasons why he decided to go with it, and the price of that decision was losing Daji. In the end, what he said about not being able to make movies if she's not by his side came true.I enjoyed every bit of this series, it was honestly suffocating, but in a good way. Like, how they portrayed their emotions and worries were so raw, it felt real. But towards the end, I think around ep 24(?), everything felt rushed. They took the time to really introduce or show the beginning of their story, and that's precisely why it felt rushed, like I don't think the present timeline justified everything they went through together. The current them couldn't even have a proper conversation and talk about what really happened in the past, or even clarify that they're both technically still single. Like, did it really have to include another misunderstanding at the very last episode of the series???? Even the ending was vague, I get it, leave it to the audience's imagination. lol.
I'd like to think they did end up together because, apparently, this was about the scriptwriter and her director husband's story; also, at the very last scene, it showed Shui not getting in the cab and Daji looking back at him.
Also, the twist about their friends really was unexpected. I was like, "damn".
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New, Cute... but...
I didn't read the synopsis before deciding to watch this, so I was surprised to find out that it was a fantasy series. That didn't bother me at all, though—I love all kinds of genres.The story they wanted to tell is there, and it's good. It also feels fresh and different. The couples have great chemistry, including their younger versions.
However, I found some episodes a bit boring. I can't quite put my finger on it, but some scenarios felt repetitive. Thankfully, the series kept introducing twist after twist, which made me stay invested and eager to find out what would happen next.
I just wish they had given more focus to the Girl in Black, Hong, and the White Guy toward the end. It was clear that they played very important roles in the overall twists, and I would have loved to learn more about them.
Overall, it's still a good watch and one I'd recommend.
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How many of you ended up here after Sammy's Children's Day? ?
A friend recommended this to me, and of course I had to come watch the boy I loved in Sammy's Children's Day, even though I'm not usually a fan of wuxia or xianxia.There are films that take hours of storytelling to make you feel something for their characters, and then there is Wuliang.
In just 37 minutes, it pulls you into a beautifully atmospheric world filled with snow covered landscapes, quiet tension, and striking cinematography that feels almost dreamlike. It is visually stunning, but what makes it memorable is not just how it looks.
The real strength of the film is the bond between Feng Ren and Po Xiao. Without relying on heavy dialogue or exposition, it builds a relationship through small gestures, silent understanding, and emotional choices that feel surprisingly meaningful for such a short runtime.
By the end, the story lands with a bittersweet emotional weight that stays with you longer than expected. It feels complete, yet still leaves you wishing for more time with these characters.
Wuliang is proof that a story does not need length to have impact. Sometimes a short moment can leave a stronger impression than something far longer.
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Testament of Masterclass acting
Yoo Hae jin delivers a career-defining performance, showcasing exactly why he remains one of Korea's most revered actors. Every expression, every line, and every emotion feels genuine. Every scene feels elevated by his presence. If this film has a soul, it is Yoo Hae jin. He carries the weight of the story effortlessly and serves as the emotional anchor of the film, giving it both its heart and its humanity.At the same time, Park Ji hoon deserves so much praise. Surrounded by veteran actors, he never once feels overshadowed. Instead, he shines. He has always had a gift for portraying characters who carry immense pain beneath a composed exterior, and his portrayal of King Danjong may be one of his best performances to date. Through his eyes alone, he conveys the loneliness, sorrow, and quiet strength of King Danjong, drawing viewers into his tragic fate.
I went into this film knowing it would be good, but I never expected it to affect me this deeply. It was truly marvelous. The narrative is tightly written and remarkably focused, and free from unnecessary side stories or characters. It moves at a steady pace while still allowing the emotional beats to land with full force. By the time the story reaches its most devastating moments, you'll likely find yourself in tears, immersed in the characters' pain and helplessness.
What makes this film so powerful is that you don't walk away from this film admiring the plot, you walk away remembering the people whose lives it portrays. Thanks to the outstanding performances, their fears and despair feel incredibly real. Their tragedy becomes your tragedy. Even as someone who is not Korean, I found myself deeply moved by their story. That is the power of great storytelling and extraordinary acting.
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Contact Killer X Cop? I’M SEATED!
I mainly started watching this because the entire killer x cop story is so intriguing, something I haven’t seen in a kbl before.I basically started watching this with zero expectations. was expecting some low budget and low production quality drama with possibly bad acting. what I got was completely opposite of all that! the production quality was actually very good, so much better than I expected. the cinematography was amazing. not sure how much the budget is, but it definitely didn’t feel like a low budget one.
the actors all look incredibly handsome, and they can actually act. especially the ones playing the killer and the hostage. turns out this is the first ever acting project of two out of three actors in the main role, that makes it even more impressive!
there were some plot holes, but for now I’ll be looking the other way for now and not think too much about them.
so far, the first two episodes left me seriously impressed and intrigued! I will be looking forward to seeing how this goes💕
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weak storyline
This story is about an obsessed female lead who never stopped looking for the male lead as a child at the ripe age of 8 or 10. The kids (ml & fl ) met for a brief period of 6 months or less they went to school together, played together , in short, they spent the summer together before ML's mother took him back to the city. But FL constantly wrote letters to him which he never answered because his mother was strict. Her friends moved out one by one to the city after the ML but somehow all her memories were filled with ML whom she spent the least time with, while she have had known her other friends for much longer. I didn't see any effort from her to catchup with her real childhood friends. She was yearning for that man in 5th grade she could not focus on her studies, she was writing novel for that boy how much she missed him, up until they met again in high school. This is where the saga continues where the ML's mother is evil and so on. After meeting him her obsession tripled. It has really boring storyline, such a bs ahh story.Realistically, who remembers someone from 5th grade lets say as a high school teen. Instead of a romance, I see this drama as a cry for mental health support.
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