Reviews

Beautifully Filmed, Directly and Acted in Honor of king Danjong and his loyal friend Eom Heung-do

what an emotional and beautiful historical movie this was ... worthy of all the praise
you don't feel the time go by when you watch it .. they take a historical event for a story and give you back a heartfelt story worth watching. then again this what they do best. this is why we watch to begin with.

This movie was so well done , the execution, the direction , the background music , the acting is spot on , i cried so much .. i couldn't stop crying by the end of the movie my face started hurting .. they excel at heartwarming and heart wrenching depictions all together ..

ji hoon eyes went from defeat to persistence to fighting for a cause with the only ways you can and yoo hae jin's performance was so powerful , heart wrenchingly real and raw and his crying pierced deep in my heart and my tears couldn't help but keep falling .. i'm in love with the way they honor their history, one of their fallen king and give a life to the tragic stories of the past.. I felt Goooooosebumps and chills as i watch , i was truly blown away by how powerful it was and how immersed i was . and even after it ended it was hard to stop the tears really, it does leave a silent and yet significant impression on you, and mi do's song at the end does its magic as you sit there in tears and disbelief or denial of such an ending

from the warmth of the king , his prideful dignified stance, relentless pursuit of righting the wrongs at the end tho failed , caring for the whole village and making sure they are safe and don't suffer any consequences even after his death ..his humble tendencies and love to his people , his friendship with the warden, and the deep loyalty and love that they shared...
it was ultimately deep film filled with emotion.. even the silence in the movie was loud and powerful, he remained dignified king until his death and died at the hand of his faithful friend ..

Beautifully filmed, Directly and Acted tragedy!

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What infuriates me isn't that it's a bad story, but the amount of wasted potential.

We thought the stain on NamtanFilm's career would be Her, but it turned out to be Girl Rules.

It's honestly embarrassing to see actresses of their caliber—and by that, I mean practically the entire cast—stuck with characters that are so shallow, emotionless, underdeveloped, and devoid of passion, trapped in a story that adds absolutely nothing to the viewer's experience.

Even the only two characters who received the bare minimum of development end up falling flat: one feels like a rehash of the actress's previous roles (Shasha), while the other ends up exactly where she started despite several weak attempts at growth (Bambi).

Out of the three main couples, one got screen time (PrimBambi), another got actual development (ShashaGorya), and the third was MinPraew. By the end of the series, only one of these couples truly felt like they should have ended up together.

Out of the six protagonists, two have actual storylines (Shasha & Bambi), two have something that vaguely resembles a character arc (Prim & Min), and the other two exist solely as someone's girlfriends, completely defined by that role (Gorya and Praew).

The entire concept of partner-swapping that was used to promote the series was also wasted. In the end, all we got was an interrupted kiss and a cheating storyline that served only to turn the audience against the characters, since the script completely ignored it and never addressed it in way.

Girl Rules failed so badly at developing its protagonists that the real highlights of the show ended up being the guest characters and actresses. And that's not because the leads did a poor job. On the contrary—they managed to squeeze remarkable performances out of remarkably poor material.

I genuinely feel sorry for the people who waited since 2024 to watch a production that feels like it was written in a month and released without a second draft of the script. Girl Rules should have ended at the pilot stage.

Rating: utter contempt.

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My absolute guilty pleasure

I looked through the reviews after watching all episodes and I'm honestly surprised about the amount of hate on this series. I mean you don't have to like the series of course, everyone's taste is different. However, you can notice some of this hate coming specifically because it's OhmLeng and not OhmNanon. Kinda sad people aren't giving it a try purely because of the ACTORS.

The reason I choose to watch it is because the plot sounded really interesting. I do have to say the whole series is VERY different than the description given on sites. I thought the vibes would be a bit a bit more 'crime' ish but it's more like superrrr romantic and cute. It's still serious, but you forget about it.

I fucking love seeing Ohm Thipakorn playing the little brother, he always pulls off the younger brother character so good. I love his role in this series aswell. Just the goofy shipper sibling who does have an emotional side. He can be serious about his family aswell you know?? I loved him in dare you to death aswell and I really hope he'll play more of these roles, it really suits him.

Not gonna lie after watching it, I was still confused why Min had to kidnap Harit/Q (aside for the money). It had to do with his father etc but to be very honest the whole father plot from Q was really confusing and in my opinion didn't need to be this complicated.

The taking care off love language is so adorable and well played. Min can be wayyy to overprotective aswell and it luckily shows the toxic part of that aswell. I love how Min is such a sweet person even if his actions are stupid sometimes. I also love how they lived together and how Min was basically the mother of the house. I feel like he is a super big comfort character to me. He's just so careful. And he cared so much about Q aswell.

One small thin, the whole"poor" but they got a huge house. AND EVEN A PRIVATE GYM BFFR. Even if their house is being sold it's insane how big it is and their second house aswell.

What people also complain about is the series forgetting the plot, which I hafely agree with. Yes, it's a a series about a 'kidnapping' but the whole point is that it takes place after the kidnapping. I am sad they keep forgetting the whole gang following them sort of everywhere.

A big recommend. Genuinely watch it to shape your own opinion but I call this a masterpiece that is ACTUALLY underrated.

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The Lead is the EXHIBITION of the year!

The Lead follows the jouney of Yi Qin E as she navigates her life as a QinQiang Opera singer. I personally enjoyed the highlight on one of China's Cultural arts; everything felt perfect to me including the flaws - it just felt real to a certain extent.

This drama is full of relatable topics, poignant and bittersweet moments. I think the main character, Qin E (Liu Hao Cun) can be misunderstood a lot due to the way she acts towards opera. She did not originally want to practice the art, she was forced into this field by her family to support them. She felt lonely and prejudiced by her peers. It just heartbreaking to watch little Qin E navigate a new life in the troupe and having to fight through it all alone. The people who supported her or had supported her kept leaving temporarily or permanently one by one. I was not surprised she would develop PTSD. Being selectively mute has a lot to do with trauma, and or rejection, regardless I can definitely understand her character and why she acted the way she did. At the end of the day, she just sings, because she promised the people she loved and respected to continue. She was basically just carrying on the legacy they had entrusted in her. By the time Qin E fulfilled these promises, she was lost and honestly I don't blame her. Liu Hao Cun apparently did all her stunts, which she portrayed beautifully! As for facial acting wise, her emotional scenes were done perfectly - girl made me cry a few times. Overall, I enjoyed her work in the The Lead and will continue to look out for more of her dramas. I think this is my first completed Hao Cun drama so it's difficult for me to judge her acting on one alone. Her hard work and performance definitely deserves an award though!! The actress, Wang Shao Xi, playing young Qin E did amazing job especially the one scene when she chased the bus *cough* girl made me cry..TTTTTTTTTT

In terms of romantic interest, one ran away without letting Qin E explain anything, and another came in like a wrecking ball. Dude wouldn't stop following Qin E around, he was basically glued to her whether she likes it or not, she definitely didn't like it. The Uncle literally expressed everything I felt towards the 2nd love interest - HE WAS ANNOYING! LOL I don't want to say much on this since the romance wasn't the main focus of the drama.

The Uncle, Hu San Yuan aka Zhang Jia Yi, was one of the major pillars in Qin E's life. The thing i like about the Uncle is he's quite funny. LOL I think he's the comedy relief in this drama, he acts like a teen in a sense that he just does things impulsively sometimes or... most of the time. However, he definitely supports Qin E in a way a father would have and I'm glad he was one of the few Qin E had in her life that supported her through every hardship she went through, or at least the ones he was in.
Hua Cai Xiang aka Qin Hai Lu was also the other major pillar in QIn E's life, in fact, she was the one the uncle asked to teach Qin E how to sing. Honestly, I love her personality cause she was very straightforward, will not let anyone step over her. And the way she just commands the Uncle sometimes were quite funny.
One of the side characters, Chu Jia He (Han Pei Ying), was extremely jealous of Qin E's luck in getting lead roles to the point that she might've spread something about her until she was reprimanded by Mi Lan (Wang Xiao Chen). The reason why I want to highlight her here is cause her character developement needs some praise. She was so selfish, and vain in the beginning but towards the end of her arc, she has finally learned to let go when it's needed. I really appreciated that in her.

There were so many topics this drama had showcased in Qin E and other characters. But mostly Qin E was experiencing them all: Depression, passion, abandonment, PTSD, existential crisis, heartbreak, loss and grief, and many more. The one major thing is to keep fighting for what you love and the only way to do it is through hardwork. I personally love dramas like these where we navigate life through the main character's eyes.

Would I recommend this drama? Definitely! It's not an idol drama, but the script, acting, costumes, and setting were incredible to watch.
If you're looking for romance, look elsewhere, The Lead is not about romance, it just follows the life of an opera singer.No kiss scenes and not much fluff. Every romantic scene is where your imagination comes into play.
I would say this drama is my no.1 of 2026 thus far! :]

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Tales of Friendship, Resilience and Hope for a Better World

Zhan Zhao Adventures is truly a fitting name for this drama. It starts with a journey and ends in one. The drama does not attempt to overexplain his past or make assumptions about his future but quietly acknowledges that it’s a small part of Zhan Zhao’s long adventures.

ZZA has a classical old school wuxia setting with a blend of historical elements. The storytelling is linear and feels grounded and realistic with lots and lots of intense and brilliantly choreographed fighting scenes. The story follows the journey of three strangers who accidentally met in the Jianghu and through many hardships and trials became each other’s closest confidants. The best part? We can see their stories unfold in front of our eyes and feel their bond deepen in real time. Their bond is not told through stories and flashbacks but seen through arguments, bickering, understanding and constantly having each other’s backs.

The lack of romance might be a dealbreaker for some but personally, it’s one of the best parts of this drama. The lack of romantic entanglements enables the story to properly explore the depth of the bonds between the leads and fully portray the beauty of platonic relationships. And the cast really did an amazing job portraying the nuances of their characters and relationships.

Honestly, Zhan Zhao has my heart. Unlike many people, Yang Yang’s portrayal of Zhan Zhao is my first introduction to this character and I’m already in love. Zhan Zhao carries so much depth and is so incredibly strong – not just in martial arts skills but also, there is incredible strength in his resilience, in his kindness, in his maturity, restraint and faith. His decision to not kill is not rooted in superficial principles but in the hope for a world where justice is equal for everyone and isn’t reserved only for people who can take it with their sword. It’s a decision he is forced to question again and again but still chooses it every time because no one person’s morals can be above the law.

Zhan Zhao is not just a typical good guy with idealistic principles, he’s exceptionally layered and feels so real. And I cannot praise Yang Yang enough for bringing Zhan Zhao to life. Zhan Zhao is good but not naïve - he understands the difficulties, he faces loss, he griefs, he gets hurt, he gets tired and yet, he endures, he gets back up and moves forward. His every action, small or big, is a testament to his strength, resilience and kindness. Stretched between the free-spirited jianghu and the suffocatingly bureaucratic court of law, Zhan Zhao represents the best of both worlds.

Bai Yutang’s headstrong and impulsive nature is a refreshing contrast to Zhan Zhao, and it was really fun to watch them bicker and try to navigate their different personalities. Their relationship dynamic has to be my most favourite part of this drama. Their characters are written really well and is one of the rare instances when developing the second male lead didn’t take away from the male lead but quietly elevated their character. It was fun to see Bai Yutang wreaking havoc and throwing tantrums, but it was also incredibly moving to see Zhan Zhao dealing with him with so much patience, maturity and kindness.

I also love how Huo Linglong’s personality matched both Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang so well. She was always understanding of Zhan Zhao’s actions but also had a rebellious streak which complemented Bai Yutang’s impulsive nature. She is strong, perceptive and curious, and I think not having a love interest really allowed Linglong to be her own person and pave her own path; it gave her a chance to truly see the world like she always wanted and develop authentic relationships.

The pacing was more or less good even if I watched the first few eps in a somewhat lukewarm state but once I got hooked, it got better. The plot takes a little time to fully be grasped but is aptly tightly woven without any fillers. The writing is done well, and the drama did a good job of balancing the development of plot and characters so that it doesn't feel very plot heavy despite having many elements. The supporting characters are also written well and makes the story more fun and interesting.

Overall, this drama is definitely worth watching but may not be for everyone. If you love action with realistic fight scenes, mystery and investigation dramas with character-driven stories of friendship and growth and are willing to take your time to understand and appreciate the theme and depth of the characters and plot, Zhan Zhao Adventures offers a refreshing and grounded take to our regular wuxia dramas and is really a great watch.

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Fluffy asf, but lowkey a snooze fest

Oh my god i finally managed to finish this show, like it genuinely took away ten years of my life for how slow it was overall going. Listen: was it a bad show? No. Was it boring? Hell yes. Boring to the point where i was about to drop it and just start something else, but unfortunately i planned to watch all of gmmtv 2025 queer show beginning to end (unless highly unbearable) so here we are.

I wanna start by ting what i liked:
- finally a Firstkhao show that didn’t involve my complete breakdown. It was not immune to tears and funerals, but at the very least it was pretty lighthearted, and it was pretty much needed after all of their previous show. I liked how fluffy and comforting it was.
- The mothers were all amazing and incredibly diva character. I liked all of the woman existing in th shows, and Lynx mother was my fa the best, most layered and most realistic one in the bunch. Might have come off as evil to someone but i lowkey understood her beginning to end. Go diva.
- THE PARALLELISM; i just know that the author kept making parallelism left and right, between every character in any way they could, but I honestly loved how the story of the humans reflected what was happening in the cat world, as if everyone had their corrispettive in the animal world. Pretty cute indeed

The plot is pretty cute, but it’s short, slightly confusing , there are some questionable writing choices and there are some plot-hole, that while not being detrimental to the show, left me confused for a second. Now let’s go bit by bit:
- The plot did NOT need 10 episodes. Cat for cash could have been very much a 5/6 episodes show and it would have been able to not delete a single of the themes showed in the original. There are so many fillers moment and oh my god how slow some scenes are.
- All the plot lines were introduced in such a way where u would just not understand anything after episode one. It’s literally just the story of Lynx, who, after his mom died takes the Mom cat shop in order to pay back the debt that she collected over the years. Tigger is the one that actually has to collects the money, but since he is a cat lover he basically starts hanging around and eventually they fall in love and blah blah blah. You had to had the trauma of lynx, the trauma of the mother, the grandpa, he discovered he had a brother, had his trauma too.. basically there where a lot of storyline that were just colliding but not in a nice, neat way, were everything is explained either in advance or intelligently. NO. In a messy way when every once in a while you discover something new that is somehow both important and irrelevant to the story. Idk, i really thought they could have handled every single of those topics waay better.
- There are some small plot wholes that kept bugging me beginning to end of the show: why tf they be saying that tiger was allergic to cat when he did not have a single reaction to cat like not the slight Les even being extremely close to them like that. I’m saying this as a fellow girl with an allergy to cat, you would have found dead after one day from like tight throat, crying eyes and sneezing uncontrollably. That man in not that allergic, why even making it a point? Another thing that i think i am pretty much the only one who even noticed it is, HOW OLD ARE THOSE CHARACTERS? When grandma ju met both of them when they were young they looked both pretty young and they both looked the same age. It’s said tho that Tiger is 30.. so Lynx and Leo a both 30? I though Leo was around UNI age? Maybe i lost some parts? And then again how old was grandma ju? Like 20? Do cats even live that long?
- There are some writing choices that lowkey left me speechless. Listen, i understand hat this is supposed to be a fluffy show, but how tf am i supposed to believe that a loan shark, and a dangerous man like Tiger and all his family are such cuties patooties? Could we please make it a little more realistic?

And now onto the writing choices that made me mad the most: where tf is the romance in this show??? Like ok, it was way more than just a love story, but around episode five it felt like the focus had shifted from the love story to whatever was happening in the world around them. I expected way more romance, especially in the last episode.If we count that they had one couple to care about and a lot of time on their hands it feels like them and their romance underdeveloped.

Now, onto the actors;
They lowkey chose a casting full of talented people, that’s not up to debate, Maybe they chose TOO good, cause sometimes it felt like they were way beyond the character they were portraying. It’s true, they are made specifically for complex character (and i mean Lynx to a certain degree was) but like there were some moments were i thought their acting was surpassing the character. Beside that, like both did an amazing job, WinnySatang mentioned (don’t mention them to me i am still not over them) Great is good and extremely handsome, all the family members were full of great actors. Cast approved.

The directing department have some adjustment to make. The frontal shots were good when they were tying to bond and like blinking like you are supposed to do with cats or whatever. No. they completely abused of that technique, using it in moments when it was so not necessary ad just a normal shots could have been just fine. I did not expect anything else from like coloring or aesthetic, I’m pretty happy with what we got, even if it was like the bare minimum to make everything look ugly. Let’s say it was waaaay better when they shot inside compared to when they shot outside, that is by much clear, but we can’t really expect anything much from what i am 90% positive was the cheapest production of 2025 (i just know ggmtv gave them the lowest budget)

Would i rewatch it? No. It’s way to boring and even the romantic moments are so non existent that like what am i even supposed to rewatch? Nothing. But like if u want a very light show to keep u company before u go to sleep try this one out.

PS: i cannot fucking believe they managed to make them fucking sing even on a show about cats. TWICE.

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A Slow Start, But the Episode 1 Twist Hooked Me

A K-drama starring Lee Jun Young is something I will always check out, so I started watching Reborn Rookie as soon as it was released. After the first two episodes, I'm already invested in the story.
The first 30 minutes didn't impress me that much. It felt quite slow, and there wasn't much indication of where the plot was heading. However, everything changed by the end of episode 1 when Kang Yong Ho gets into a serious accident and wakes up in the body of a young soccer player. That twist immediately grabbed my attention and made me excited for the rest of the drama.
What I enjoy most so far is how unpredictable the characters are. You never really know what they're thinking or what they'll do next, which makes every scene more interesting. The drama doesn't feel as predictable as many recent K-dramas.
Another thing I love is that the writers included characters that are genuinely easy to hate. I haven't had that feeling with a K-drama in a while. Some characters are so frustrating and selfish that they make you angry, but that's exactly what makes the story more engaging. It creates tension and makes me care more about what happens next.

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Great Side Characters, Vague Plot

I just finished. First of all, I would like to express my deep respect for the Korean people's struggle for independence, because the criticism I am going to make about this drama is entirely separate from that. If anyone wants to watch a story about popular resistance, I highly recommend watching Nokdu Flower, because what exactly this drama is trying to reflect is very ambiguous.
In my opinion, the pacing of the drama is very slow. Is this series a love story? Up until the 20th episode, it almost seemed that way. If we are going to call it that, who is the subject of the drama? Go Ae Sin? Eugene Choi? Who? Whose story is this exactly? There are a lot of characters, but it's not very clear whose story it is. Furthermore, after the 20th episode, the focus shifts to the people's struggle. As I said, what the show is trying to convey is very vague.
Also, and most importantly, there is no real storyline to follow. I mean, there is no consecutive series of events that you can follow from the beginning to the end of the series. The only thing you are really tracking is whether there will be a happy ending for Joseon or for the couples in love. Other than that, as I said, there isn't much of a story.
The best thing about the drama is characters like Gu Dong Mae and Kim Hui Seong, who are a joy to watch. My favorite character is Kim Hui Seong. Honestly, if these characters had simply been given more screen time, I think watching it would have been much more enjoyable and fulfilling. Another thing that bothered me about this drama is how, among the foreigners, Westerners (America) are portrayed as the most humane.
I personally didn't enjoy the drama very much. I suppose people like it so much because it has romance in it. I think it mainly appeals to women who like these kinds of things

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Captures Humanity In All Its Honesty

Truly a masterpiece. Honestly I don’t know how the writer was able to come up with such a story. The script was so brilliant, the characters, the watch they use - it was all so brilliant. It felt so real and so relatable. I truly felt seen whilst watching this show. In the same vain as My Liberation Notes, it’s a healing drama. Very well acted, very well directed. I cannot think of one single flaw. Each character has their own problems and their ways of dealing with it. Seeing their relationships with one another really felt like it captures true humanity. This may just be my favourite show ever.

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Emotionally satisfying

This is story where you finish each stage of it feeling satisfied , satisfied with how the characters behave, feel, converse, fight, try hard, etc

Tho it’s sad and makes you teary sometimes but it comes with satisfaction which is something genius for a writer to do
this is by far the writer best work in terms of storytelling, content, characters depth

not too much gloomy and not too rom comy ..,
and choosing the entertainment industry as the profession of the characters is what sets it apart tbh
because it is a place where you can dive into and see the many faces of people
the try harder, the jealous , the hard worker, the talented, the hypocritical etc


we want more stories that try to expose human nature and its difficulties

The story should have been at least 16 episodes tbh but because I am totally immersed by it I give it a 10

“too good”

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Is there a continuation?

Kim Hye Yoon 💖.
Okay, first thing first. Just finished watch it, didn't find perfect subtitles, only on kisskh itself, and nearly the ending was saying "To be continued..."
After what I seeing till the end, I believe it needs a second part, cause for me it is just an introduction not the starting yet, leave me with lots of questions,
What was the grandma real roles in it apart luring people to the lake? Who is her daughter? What happened to her daughter? Is her daughter possessed something like you see her nails!?? Was the grandma a part of play in a ritual or something so as to save her daughter's life? Did the real evil spirit command that to save the daughter, a number of people must died first, so grandma following?
Was it all a plan by Kim Hye Yoon the actress from the beginning??? Is Kim Hye Yoon the daughter of the grandma 🤔? And all is a plan to lure people there.
As we know she already know everything what was happening here and she has been here before as the ghost man tell her on the boat. Or has she forgot about that or is she still dreaming or is an illusion she still trapped between reality? Does breaking the tower stone, delivered the evil spirit and take in place the one who break it? Result in grandma daughter surviving?
Is the ghost picture first scene, Kim Hye Yoon 🤔??? Just my opinion
Lots of questions!!!!
What we know, (my view)
Gi tak is still trapped there, the office was just an illusion. The ghost take possessed of the actress.

Or if there is not a continuation,
I take it like that, since as it is said, no one come back alive after possibly leaving the lake, as we see from the first PD reporter, he die in hospital. So all the crews died, also Gi tak. Thus film over. But still here I want answer about the grandma's daughter 😏.

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